Summer Break Means the Beach! (Part 2)
“More than that, let's hurry. Those two are already causing a scene over there.”
As Lena and I headed down to the beach, a noisy commotion was already unfolding on the sand. Well, not so much a fight as... one-sided violence.
“Hyaaaaah!”
“W-Wait a second! Miss Roze Tail! That's too rough... ptuh!?!”
Wow. Our young miss didn't give a damn that her opponent was a saintess from the Holy Kingdom.
They'd crossed paths once before, but they weren't exactly close, so I never imagined she'd splash her like that. What a heartwarming sight.
“Ugh, u-ugh...! I-I'm not just taking it lying down!”
“Eek, come on in... ptuh!?!”
Even an outcast saintess like her couldn't just endure getting blasted by water jets one-sidedly. Yubelia launched her counterattack, and this time, it was the young miss who got drenched.
Hey, hold up. Water swirling around Yubelia? That's straight out of an old comic I read—cherry blossoms or water, same vibe.
“Feel the wrath of divine judgment!”
“Using holy power is cheating... guh!?!”
Surrounded by whipping torrents of water from all sides, the young miss got crushed by the pressure and submerged at the shoreline.
“Ugh, saltwater's in my nose and eyes...”
For a split second, I flashed back to that beer bottle girl from way back and almost went to save her, but thankfully, she surfaced quick.
Did she learn to swim that hard after seeing this coming? Looks like our young miss has developed precognition.
“No choice then. Aren! We attack together!”
“Got it.”
I'd caught her glancing our way, half-expecting it, and sure enough. As I stepped forward at her call, Lena shot me a wry smile from the side—like she was saying, good luck.
“T-That's cheating! Miss Roze Tail! Calling a man into a fair fight between ladies...!”
“Aren's my bodyguard, so it's fine! Right, Aren?”
“Well, honestly, it does feel a bit unfair. But that's just how you are, miss.”
“That's your defense?!”
Hey, I thought that was defending her. I meant that even though she looks all sweet and innocent, her competitive streak runs deep. Not that I didn't intend to mess with her a little.
Splash!
“Ptoo!?! L-Lena! Help...!”
“Hee hee hee! Just admit defeat already!”
Yubelia, caught in a pincer from both sides, reached out toward Lena in the distance, but we didn't let up, dousing her relentlessly. With the young miss's wicked cackle mixed in, we looked like straight-up villains.
“Hey, Lena! You coming or what?”
“Eh, not really... We're not kids.”
And in the midst of it, Lena—damn, she's something else. Normally, you'd at least lend a hand out of pity when someone's getting ganged up on. Guess she wasn't joining unless pushed.
Well then...
Sploosh!
Without a second thought, I channeled mana into my hand and unleashed a massive wave. Target: Lena, way off in the distance.
“Then stay over there like a grown-up and take your medicine! Eat this!”
“......”
I taunted her after she'd been nobly spectating—until the sudden drenching. Cold, dead eyes locked onto me.
Oof, I can feel the killing intent.
Crunch crunch—she crossed the sand silently and waded into the surf, naturally taking position beside Yubelia.
“Saintess, you handle Tiabel. I'll take Aren.”
“L-Lena. This is a water fight, right? You know that?”
No use, Yubelia. From what I see, she's already lost it.
“I'm already dying from overtime, so why are you itching for a piece of me?!”
What the hell is she even saying?
＊
After the so-called water fight devolved into underwater wrestling, we dragged ourselves back onto the sand.
“Miss Lena, here's a towel.”
“Thank you. Oh, I'll cool the water down for you. Hand it over.”
“Thanks. It was getting lukewarm anyway.”
Yubelia and Lena, who climbed out first, were fussing over each other sweetly. For all her protests, Lena seemed pretty tight with Yubelia now.
In contrast...
“Ughhh... My mouth's all salty...”
“That's what you get for a water fight turning into hand-to-hand at the end.”
“It's your fault, Aren! You provoked Lena like that!”
“And you provoking Yubelia first was fine?”
“Eek!”
...we were too busy bickering—internal strife breaking out—to look after each other.
Man, this is bullshit. If the young miss hadn't thrown the first splash at Yubelia, none of this would've escalated. Hell, she was the one who dragged me in. Lena just snapped at the end...
Fine, maybe I'm 10% at fault.
“Ah, forgot my towel. Aren, I'll head back to the villa real quick.”
“Want me to grab it? Or you can use mine.”
“Nah, it's fine. Be right back.”
As the young miss left to fetch her towel, eyes narrowed. Perfect timing to bring it up.
“Yubelia, hold on a sec.”
“Y-Yes?”
I beckoned her over, and she scurried up, glancing around—Lena right behind her, of course. I'd have preferred to talk to Yubelia alone, but whatever. Lena didn't seem the type to blab.
“Got something to ask. You ever hear of the Silence Followers?”
“...Aren, where did you hear that name?”
Her face hardened at my casual probe—not the airhead saintess I knew, but Yubelia Euyril, symbol of the Holy Kingdom and God's proxy.
“It's a long story, but... I ran into someone we suspect is one of them recently.”
“R-Ran into? Where?!”
“At the academy. More like, she came looking for me. No idea what she wanted...”
“She what?!”
Yubelia's eyes went wide as saucers.
“S-She sought you out...? You didn't run into any trouble, did you?”
“I did. She took my friend hostage to drag me off. Managed to fight her off, but if she'd really been out to kill me, I'd be dead.”
“I can't believe it. Those filthy heretics daring to lay a hand on you...!”
After hearing the full story, Yubelia stomped the sand furiously for the first time, losing her cool. I wasn't anyone special, but I guess she saw it as them messing with her friend—hence the exaggeration.
“Calm down. So, any info on them?”
“I know the basics. Being a saintess, rumors reach me.”
“Like?”
“They've started moving lately. There were always whispers of Nemesis's followers rising here and there, but now it's getting serious...”
Yeah, matches what Siel-senpai said.
“So their goal's Nemesis's revival?”
“The Holy Kingdom suspects as much. They'd need a fitting sacrifice. Maybe that's why they targeted you.”
“Makes sense.”
Hence the capture, not kill. But why me? If it's just a strong body or soul, plenty of better candidates.
No way.
Or was it Theo? As this world's protagonist, he'd have fitting power. If they'd scouted us, using me as bait for him isn't off the table.
Silvena to draw me out, me to draw Theo. It all fits. Not killing me makes sense if I was hostage material, not sacrifice.
Tch, villain minions gonna villain—dirty as hell.
“Anyway, glad you're safe. That group's so steeped in evil... I can't even imagine the horrors if they'd taken you.”
“That bad?”
I tilted my head at her gritted teeth and shudder. Sure, academy black-ops types do atrocities, but without details, it felt distant.
“Yes! Their deeds are so gruesome, we can't even speak of them lightly. The Holy Kingdom's records detailing them are sealed as forbidden tomes.”
“Sounds nasty.”
“It is. I tried reading once but couldn't finish. You've heard, right, Miss Lena?”
“Infamous group. I skimmed it in history studies.”
Lena frowned and nodded—rare for her stoic self. Must be beyond the pale to wrinkle even her.
“Fucking bastards. Probably force overtime and unpaid work too. Obvious.”
Her gripe felt oddly specific, but point is, trash organization.
We wrapped up for now, promising details later. Yubelia sat primly on the mat, worn out from the water fun. Lena headed to the villa for drinks.
“...Hm?”
I flopped onto the mat for a nap, but spotted a glass bottle by my head and rolled over.
What's this? Not a drink.
“Yubelia, any idea what this is?”
“Looks like scented oil.”
“Scented oil?”
For massages or whatever? Why's it here? Probably the young miss's.
“Yes. Specifically for tanning. I've heard men in our Holy Kingdom use it lately.”
“Oh ho.”
Tanning oil, huh. Neat that this world has it. Tempted to try. Just slather and lie down?
“Then, Yubelia—one favor.”
“Sure, what... Ah, Aren?! Why are you suddenly stripping off your shirt?!”
I yanked off my top and flopped prone; she covered her eyes dramatically. You'd think she'd never touched a guy.
Handed her the oil by my head.
“Gonna tan too. Rub it on my back—can't reach.”
“Y-You want me...?!”
I pointed at my back and asked nicely. Gotta tan this decent body I built this life.