"By 'sea bathing,' do you mean going to play at the beach?"
"Exactly! It’s summer! We’re in Regrif territory during the height of the season—it would be a crime not to hit the water!"
Lucre chirped in response to my question.
I had heard that this region was famous as a tourist destination and that visiting the ocean was the quintessential summer activity here. When I glanced over at my disciples, I found all three of them looking back at me with eyes full of anticipation.
Our rotation had us scheduled for a day off today anyway. If they wanted to go, I didn't think they really needed my permission.
"Master, you should come too! I want to play in the waves with you!"
"I-I would also like that... if it’s alright with you, Orun-san."
So it’s not that they want my permission, I realized, it’s that they want us to go together.
Lately, I had spent most of our rest days doing my own thing, away from the disciples. I suppose once in a while wouldn't hurt.
"Fair enough. Let's head to the beach today."
"Yay!"
"But what about swimsuits? I didn't bring any. Did the rest of you?"
"We didn't bring any either, but Count Eddington mentioned earlier that he would provide them," Luna explained. "He’s even letting us use the Eddington family’s private beach behind the mansion. He sent a message saying, 'Enjoy yourselves today and recharge your spirits.'"
It seemed she had already ironed out the details. To provide not only the attire but the location as well—the Count really went above and beyond with his hospitality.
"I see. Since he’s gone to such lengths, we should accept his kindness without reservation."
"Right! It’s my first time at the ocean, so I’m really looking forward to it! We all agreed to head out as soon as we finish breakfast, so hurry up and eat, Orun-kun!"
"Understood."
I picked out a pair of sensible surf pants and a thin hoodie from the options provided, changed, and stepped out through the mansion's back exit.
"Wow. What a view."
The moment I stepped outside, a pristine white sandy beach and a vast, shimmering blue sea stretched out to the horizon. Since it was a private beach, there wasn't another soul in sight. The ethereal scenery was so perfect it felt like I had stumbled into a different world.
"Man, I almost feel bad about making a mess of a place this pretty," Will muttered, echoing my thoughts.
Log and the three men from the A-Rank party stood beside him, seemingly at a loss for words as they took in the sight.
"We’ve spent so much time in cramped, enclosed spaces lately," I said. "The scale of this really hits home."
"Is the labyrinth you're investigating a cave system, Orun?" Will asked.
"Yeah. Is yours different?"
"Ours is basically a forest. It’s overgrown and gloomy, so the environment might actually be worse than a cave. It’s not that deep, though, which is a saving grace. The investigation has been moving along quite smoothly because of that."
The complexity of a labyrinth investigation usually grew in proportion to its square footage and the number of floors. A smaller labyrinth meant the workload was significantly lighter.
"The labyrinth here is quite small too. Once we’re finished with our side, I'm planning to come over and help you guys out, so don't overexert yourselves. Anyway... sorry for bringing up work on a holiday. It doesn't look like the women are here yet, so let’s get the site ready."
As I spoke, I began pulling umbrellas, ground covers, and other supplies I’d received from the servants out of my storage magic tool.
"Good call. Let’s get this stuff set up."
We stepped onto the sand and moved toward an inconspicuous spot near the edge of the beach.
"Master, why are we setting up all the way over here?" Log asked as we worked. "You said nobody else was coming today, so shouldn't we be right in the middle...?"
"Log, listen. As Orun said, we want to keep the beach looking perfect for when the girls arrive. Having a bunch of gear sitting in the middle of the view would ruin the 'wow' factor. If he tweaks his [Space Leap] formula a bit, he can just teleport the whole setup to the center later anyway."
"Log, pay attention," Will added, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder. "This is the mindset of a man who knows how to handle women. You’d do well to remember it."
"Handle women? Please, Will, you’re the real heartthrob here," I countered.
Will had refined, handsome features; even as a man, I could admit he was good-looking. He could be a bit flighty, but he was attentive and charismatic. He certainly had more 'lady-killer' traits than I did.
"Did you hear that, Log?" Will grinned. "Every girl in Twilight Moonbow is head-over-heels for this guy, and yet he says things like that with a straight face. What do you think?"
"W-Well, even if you ask me..." Log stammered, looking trapped.
"Will, stop teasing him. Besides, while they might be friendly, I’m pretty sure Luna and Carol don't see me that way."
"Oh? So you're not denying it for the Big Sis's younger sister, then?" Will pressed, his smirk widening.
How did the conversation even get here?
"Well... I’m aware that she directs those kinds of emotions toward me."
"Ooh! Now we’re talking! And? And? How do you feel about it, Orun?"
Will looked positively delighted. It was honestly a bit annoying. I could tell Log and the other three were ears-wide-open while they pretended to work.
"...At least for now, I don't intend to get into a relationship with anyone. I don't have that kind of mental real estate right now."
In all honesty, I had my hands full just managing my own life. On top of that, I was responsible for training my disciples. I didn't think I could be a good partner to anyone in my current state.
"Man, you're no fun. Dodging the question with a 'safe' answer like that..." Will groaned.
Now's the time, I thought. Since he’d spent the last five minutes poking at me, he couldn't complain about a counterattack.
"And what about you, Will? You like Lucre, don't you?"
"..."
Will’s face froze. He clearly hadn't expected the tables to turn so abruptly.
"Wait, really!?" Log gasped.
"What the hell, Wilkes? If you'd told us, we would've made sure to give you two some space. Don't be so stingy with the details!" one of the A-rankers added.
The other men immediately joined in, focusing their fire on Will.
"T-That’s not it at all! I like reliable, older women! Who would ever like a loudmouth like her...?"
Will’s eyes were darting everywhere, his agitation plain to see. Did he really think he was being subtle? The way he looked at Lucre was completely different from how he treated everyone else.
"Is that so? You're fine with some other guy swooping in and taking her, then?" I added, twisting the knife.
I didn't actually think that would happen—to an outsider, they were clearly mutual—but it was fun to watch him squirm.
"Enough! Conversation over! Who even started this!?"
By the time we finished our banter and moved on to other topics, the women finally emerged from the mansion. I felt them step out onto the sand, but there was a long silence. They, too, were likely captivated by the view.
"Ah, looks like Will and the others are over there. Let’s go, everyone!"
Lucre finally broke the silence, and I felt their presence drawing closer.
"Sorry to keep you waiting~!" she called out as they reached us.
The girls in their swimsuits finally came into focus.
Sophia wore a white floral-patterned bikini with frills on the top. It suited her soft, airy atmosphere perfectly—she looked incredibly lovely.
Carol was in a simple blue bikini. She already possessed a figure that was hard to believe for a fourteen-year-old, and the swimsuit only emphasized how much she was outgrowing her years.
Luna wore a halter-neck bikini with a thin pareo wrapped around her waist, giving her a much more mature, sophisticated aura than usual.
Lucre had opted for a high-neck bikini. It was a sleek, sporty look that matched her energetic personality perfectly.
The two women from the A-Rank party also wore suits that complemented their styles well.
"We weren't waiting long. We just finished the setup ourselves," I said, offering my honest thoughts. "Everyone looks great in their swimsuits. You’re all very cute."
"As expected of Orun-kun! You’re always the first to say something nice," Lucre beamed. "Will, don't you have anything to say about my swimsuit?"
She pointedly singled out the man she most wanted to hear from.
"Huh? Yeah, it looks good on you. Everyone else looks great too. Man, 'a sight for sore eyes' really is the right phrase for this."
Following Will’s lead, the other A-Rank men offered their compliments, but Log remained completely frozen. The sight seemed to be a bit too much stimulation for him.
"Log, don't you have anything to say to us~?" Carol teased, leaning toward the paralyzed boy.
"Eh?! Ah... I think... you all look... very lovely..." Log squeaked, his face turning a deep shade of crimson.
"Ehehe. Thanks, Log." Carol gave him a happy, bashful smile.
"Alright then! Let’s have some fun today!"
At Will's shout, I used [Space Leap] to teleport our temporary camp into the center of the beach.
I think I’ll take a break from thinking today, I decided. I'm just going to enjoy myself.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I have a quick announcement: The manga adaptation of this series has officially begun serialization on Niconico Manga's "Wednesday Sirius"! New chapters will typically be released every Monday, but to celebrate the launch, there will be daily updates until October 11th. Please check out the wonderful artwork by Yonezou-sensei!