"I’m the first one!"
Lucre cried out as she dashed toward the shoreline.
"Hey! Big Sis Lucre, that’s cheating! I’m coming too!"
Carol chased after her, kicking up sand as she ran.
Lucre reached the water first, wading in until she was waist-deep before spinning around. She immediately began splashing the seawater at Carol, who had arrived just a moment later.
"Uwah, it’s so salty!" Carol squealed, though she wasted no time launching a counterattack.
I hadn’t heard anything about Lucre and Carol having a history, so today was likely their first real interaction. Despite that, the water fight they were currently engaged in was relentless. Then again, their personalities seemed like a natural match, so it wasn't surprising they’d hit it off so quickly.
The others were already heading toward the water as well. I started to follow them, but a voice stopped me.
"Alright, Orun. First things first—a contest."
Wil was wearing a cocky, fearless grin.
"A contest? What kind?"
"A long-distance swim. There aren't any other tourists around, so we won’t be a nuisance to anyone."
I had never actually played in the ocean before. In fact, this was my first time doing any kind of water recreation, including rivers. That didn't mean I couldn't swim, though.
Most Explorers—not just me—were capable swimmers. Some Labyrinths contained bodies of water like rivers or lakes. If the materials we needed were inside, we had to dive in and get them ourselves. Furthermore, if an accident sent you tumbling into the water, you were as good as dead if you couldn't swim. It was practically an essential skill for the profession.
Ideally, an Explorer should even be able to swim while wearing their gear. At the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky, swimming practice was a standard part of our training for rookies.
"Sounds interesting. I’ll take you on."
I didn't have any experience with long-distance racing, but it would probably be fine. This was just for fun, after all.
"Good. It’s a deal. Anyone else in?" Wil called out to the group.
In the end, the participants were Wil, myself, and Lex—the ace of Wil's A-Rank Party.
"So, what are the rules?" Lex asked, looking at Wil.
"Let’s see..."
Wil mimed a thinking posture for a moment, then abruptly pointed his right hand toward the horizon. A Magic Circle manifested in the sky offshore, and slender poles of rock rained down from it. They pierced the water vertically, leaving a portion of the stone rods jutting out above the surface.
"How about the first one to touch that pole wins?"
The distance from the shore to the markers was roughly a hundred meters.
"No problem here," Lex said.
"Works for me," I agreed.
"Alright, let's get moving."
We asked Log to give the signal, and the three of us lined up on the sand, ready to go.
"Oh, and Orun? No magic allowed."
"I know. I'm not that much of a spoilsport."
"Alright then, here we go," Log said, raising his right arm as we took our marks.
"Master! Good luck!"
"Orun-san, please do your best!"
"Wil, if you lose, there’s a penalty! But only if it's you!"
"Why just me?!" Wil barked back at Lucre's teasing.
"Lex! This is your chance to beat an S-Rank Explorer! Don't mess it up!"
The rest of the group had gathered around to watch. Once we were settled, Log raised his arm high.
"Ready... Go!"
At Log’s shout, we charged across the sand in unison, sprinting for the poles poking out of the waves. I moved my feet carefully, mindful of the shifting sand. As I hit the water, the depth rose quickly—knees, thighs, waist.
Timing it perfectly, I dove forward and switched to a stroke. This was my first time swimming in salt water; compared to the fresh water of rivers and lakes, the sea felt denser, offering more resistance. However, it was still infinitely easier than swimming in full clothes and armor. I knew I could make it to the goal without any trouble.
I kicked hard, pulling the water back with powerful strokes. Every time I turned my head to breathe, I checked on Wil and Lex. We were neck-and-neck, with neither of them pulling significantly ahead.
I pushed myself to the limit, the stone pole looming large in front of me. The result was—
"Yes! I win!"
Before I could reach out, both of them had touched the pole.
"I lost, huh..."
"That’s what happens when you rely on buffs too much, isn't it?" Wil teased, looking quite triumphant.
"Ouch. You’ve got me there."
It sounded like an excuse, but among Senior Explorers, my raw physical stats were actually on the lower end. I normally compensated for that gap with Support Magic and, more recently, Ki. I’d known that without my buffs, I was at a disadvantage against the two of them.
Still, it had been a close race, and it felt good to move my body with everything I had without a care in the world. I was disappointed to lose, certainly, but my heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.
After the swimming contest, we decided to try beach volleyball, which had recently become a trend in Regrif Territory. We drew lots for partners, and I ended up paired with Sophie.
In terms of raw physical ability without magic, the strongest person in our group was, surprisingly, Carol. You’d expect Wil or Lex to take the top spot based on gender and physique, but Carol was in a league of her own.
I suspected the reason was her Ability: Self-Healing. While it was meant to heal injuries, I’d observed that its effects went much deeper. Every human action, from walking to speaking, accumulates microscopic amounts of fatigue that the person isn't even aware of. Because of this, it’s technically impossible for a human to perform at one hundred percent of their potential for long.
My theory was that Carol’s Ability bypassed this. When I first started her instruction, she would occasionally get winded, but lately, that almost never happened. Her body recovered faster than the fatigue could accumulate, meaning she was perpetually in "perfect condition."
Whether my theory was right or not, the fact remained that Carol’s physical capabilities were freakish. In other words, she was essentially the final boss of beach volleyball.
And our team was the next one to face her.
"Hehehe! I’m invincible right now, so I’m even going to take down Master!"
Carol shouted her declaration of war from across the net.
"Sophie, let’s knock her down a peg. She’s getting a bit too big for her boots," I said to the girl beside me.
"Y-Yes! Carol, we’re not going to lose!"
The match began with Sophie’s serve. The ball sailed over the net into the opposing court; Carol read the drop point instantly and received it with ease. Carol’s partner then sent a low, fast toss back toward the net. Carol was already airborne, coiled to strike.
It was a textbook quick attack. Carol swung her right arm down, aiming to slam the ball home.
But I was already there. I blocked the ball cleanly at the net. It dropped straight back into Carol’s court before she even hit the ground.
"Eeeeh?! You weren't there a second ago! How did you get in front of me?!"
Carol stared at me, unable to hide her shock.
"You’re an open book, Carol. It was written all over your face that you were going for a quick attack."
"Eh?! No way! Really?!"
Carol began patting her cheeks, taking my comment entirely too seriously. Of course, I was lying. I could tell she was plotting something, but I didn't actually know what it was until she moved. However, I’d spent so much time watching her during our training sessions that I knew her rhythm by heart. No matter how fast she moved, within the confines of a small court like this, I could react the moment she committed.
Though it didn't always go that perfectly, the match eventually ended in our victory after a grueling rally.
We spent the rest of the day rotating partners, playing in the surf, and enjoying ourselves as we saw fit. When evening began to fall, I headed to a rest area to relax and watch the others continue to play.
It’s good to have a day like this once in a while, I thought.
"Um, Orun-san? Are you feeling okay?"
As I sat there in a daze, I heard Sophie’s voice from beside me.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just taking a breather. Are you feeling worn out, Sophie?"
"No, I’m okay too. Um... would you mind if I sat next to you?" She asked, her eyes cast slightly downward.
"Of course. Make yourself at home."
I shifted over to give her space.
"T-Thank you."
Sophie sat down primly beside me. A long silence followed. Personally, I didn't mind the quiet, but I could feel Sophie’s gaze flickering toward me every few seconds, which made it a little awkward. It felt like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
"...Sophie."
"Y-Yes!"
She let out a startled squeak when I finally spoke.
"Did you have a good time today?"
"Um, yes. It was wonderful. Being your partner in volleyball was a... a really great memory for me!"
"I’m glad. I enjoyed myself, too. It’s been a long time since I could just get lost in playing like that without any worries."
"When you were in the Hero Party, Orun-san... did you never go out to have fun with your members?"
"It’s not that we never did, but we never spent an entire day just playing."
Ever since I became an Explorer, Oliver and I had focused entirely on getting stronger and conquering the Great Labyrinth. Spending a whole day at the beach would have been unthinkable back then. But I don't regret that life. I am who I am today because of those days.
"Does that mean... you can't reach the Deep Floors without being that serious about it?"
"It’s necessary to be serious, yes, but you don't have to be that stoic. I realize now that this kind of downtime is necessary, too. Just working yourself to the bone isn't always the answer. Besides, the situation for you guys is completely different from how it was for us."
"Different? How?"
"Well, you know Oliver and I aren't from Tsutrail, right? We grew up in a tiny, remote village that isn't even on most maps. When we arrived here and became Explorers, we didn't know a soul. We had no idea what we were doing. Back then, everything was just fumbling in the dark. My rookie days aren't a good benchmark for you, Sophie—not when you have the full backing and resources of a Clan."
"Conquering the Great Labyrinth by just fumbling in the dark... I don't think I could ever do that. It sounds terrifying."
"Hahaha, that’s the normal way to feel. You and your team have access to information and support. You don't need to struggle through the same dark tunnels we did. You should move forward in your own way, Sophie."
"Our own way..."
"Exactly. There’s no single 'correct' answer, so don't feel like you have to rush. You and the others are definitely growing. You're moving forward."
"...Thank you. Hearing you say that gives me a lot of confidence, Orun-san."
"I’m glad to hear it. Let's get back to work together tomorrow, then."
"Yes!"