"That really was over in the blink of an eye. It was way faster than I'd imagined..."
"I... I think I’m going to be sick... I didn't even have the chance to enjoy the scenery..."
"Heh-heh-heh! Pretty incredible, right? Wasn't it amazing!?"
They had reached their destination in what felt like a heartbeat.
Elena waved to the Seahorses that had pulled the boat, completely ignoring the rest of the group, who were nursing slight cases of motion sickness from the ship’s unimaginable speed.
Assuming they were heading off to regroup with their other companions near the island, Yugo and his friends watched the Seahorses go. Elena and Poruru turned back to them with their usual beaming smiles.
"And so, once again... welcome! This is the Island of Happiness, Shandia Island!"
"Kani-kani-kani!!"
At the moment, the only thing visible was the wooden pier where they had disembarked, but a little further inland, they could see lush greenery and houses nestled within the landscape.
Led by Elena toward the sounds of various animals, Yugo’s group was greeted by the people and monsters of Shandia.
"Welcome! Welcome to Shandia!"
"Come try the monster interaction experience! Stop by if you’re interested!"
"Accessories made from monster materials, a Shandia specialty! They’re all beautiful! We have plenty of items you can’t find anywhere else!"
"Whoa, this place is so lively...!!"
"And there are monsters everywhere! So many of them!"
The energy of the calling islanders was surprising, but what really drew their attention was the way the monsters lived in harmony with the people.
In one area, islanders were feeding horned, rabbit-like monsters inside fences; in another, bipedal dog monsters were helping with manual labor.
Looking up, they saw bird monsters flying past while carrying timber. Directly in front of them, beautiful flower monsters performed a welcoming dance alongside bouncing Slimes.
"Some monsters are treated like livestock, while others work alongside humans. It seems the people of Shandia Island and the monsters support each other in all sorts of ways," Melt murmured thoughtfully as she took in the scene.
"That’s right! Humans and monsters are all family here! Helping each other is only natural!"
"That’s wonderful. Everyone looks so happy—kyaa!?"
"Pfft—!?"
As Melt reflected on the sight, something small darted between her legs.
It suddenly leaped high, catching the back of her skirt and flipping it upward. The unexpected display of pink underwear caused the men in the group to simultaneously spray their drinks in shock.
"Wait!? What!? What was that just now!?"
"T-That didn't feel like a breeze, did it? It was more like something grabbed your skirt...?"
Yugo spoke while pointedly looking away, trying to play off the fact that he had seen her underwear, while Melt turned bright red.
As an awkward atmosphere settled over the group, a chittering laugh rang out as if mocking them.
"U-ki-ki-ki-ki!"
"Hmm? What’s that sound...?"
Yugo turned toward the noise and spotted a small monkey laughing gleefully in a tree.
The monkey hopped from branch to branch before landing on Yugo’s shoulder, chattering and laughing with literal joy.
"This monster is...?"
"That’s an Idrima Child. It’s still just a baby, and it loves pranks. Hey! You know better than that!!"
"U-kya-kya-kya-kya-kya!"
The Idrima Child didn't seem even slightly bothered by Elena’s scolding.
Yugo gave a wry smile at the innocent little prankster, but then a hand reached out from behind and firmly snatched the frolicking creature off his shoulder.
"U-gyah! U-ki-ki-ki!!"
"Kyaa!? U-kyaaa!?"
"O-oh? Is this Idrima...?"
"Its mother?"
A large Parent Idrima had caught the jumping child and let out a loud, stern shout while fixing the little monkey with a sharp gaze.
The child’s playful confidence vanished instantly into a panic. Realizing they were witnessing a Parent Idrima disciplining its offspring, Yugo and the others couldn't help but smile.
"Looking at it this way, monsters might not be that different from us. They have kids, they have parents... It’s the same as humans."
"You’re right! ...Oh! Horon-san! Perfect timing!"
Yugo watched as the Parent Idrima gave a polite nod and walked away with its child.
Elena, agreeing with his sentiment, called out to a middle-aged man walking nearby.
"Oh, Elena! Are these guests?"
"Yep! Can I leave them with you for a bit? I need to go find Papa!"
"Ah, sure thing. Leave the visitors to me."
The man gave a thumbs-up as Elena handed over the responsibility. She and Poruru quickly ran off to search for her father.
The man, whose name was Horon, turned to Yugo and the others with a friendly smile.
"Sorry your guide changed from a cute girl to an old man like me! Elena will be back soon, so please bear with me for a while!"
"Please, don't worry about it. You seem like a fun person yourself, and I’d love to hear more about the island!"
"Well, thank you! But honestly, for a boy your age, I’m sure a guide like Elena is much preferred. Actually, I was talking to some boys wearing the same clothes as you earlier, and both of them were very eager to meet her!"
"Wait, what? They were looking for Elena? Boys from Luminous Academy?"
"That’s strange. Elena was with us the entire time yesterday until we parted at the beach. How could they have known about her?"
"Hmm... I’m not sure, but Elena promotes Shandia all over the place! It wouldn't be surprising if they’d heard of her somewhere!"
Yugo and the others were stunned to learn that classmates already knew about Elena, whom they themselves had only just met. A heavy sense of foreboding settled in their guts.
Usually, when things like this happened, it meant trouble was brewing. As that thought crossed their minds, Horon’s tone softened into a sentimental murmur.
"...Elena really does give her all for this island. Even though she lost her mother at such a young age, she acts so cheerful you’d never even know it."