Walking along the sun-drenched beach, I occasionally bent down to pick up the seashells and sea glass I found scattered in the sand. The Hydra Kingdom was notably hotter than the Kingdom of Sinfonia; its climate was closer to that of a tropical region back on Earth, and the actual temperature was likely quite high right now.
However, thanks to Shiro-san’s Blessing and the fact that my companions were some of the most powerful beings in the world, the heat didn't bother me much.
Since I was already there, I decided to join Isis-san and Fate-san in their search. It was surprisingly rewarding; there were shells with shapes I’d never seen before, likely unique to this otherworld, which made the activity quite enjoyable. However, as one might expect, things weren't going perfectly for everyone.
"Hey, Kai-chan?"
"What is it, Fate-san?"
"There’s a pretty clear difference here, isn't there?"
"There is."
Fate-san and I looked at the collections in our hands. I’d worked pretty hard, and while Fate-san had slowed down after finding the process a bit tedious halfway through, she still had a decent haul. Between the two of us, we had gathered quite a variety of shells.
"But why is it," Fate-san wondered, "that the ones Ai-chan picks up look so much more beautiful than ours?"
"Honestly, I was thinking the same thing."
"Do they... really? I think... yours are... very pretty too... though."
Isis-san tilted her head at our words. First of all, the sheer volume of what she had gathered far exceeded ours. On top of that, the shells she found were perfectly formed, and the sea glass was as vividly colored as precious gemstones.
In contrast, while the shells Fate-san and I had found weren't exactly bad, many were slightly misshapen or chipped. This wasn't just a case of the grass being greener on the other side; even looking at them objectively, Isis-san was finding far higher quality items much faster than we were.
"Well, I don't feel like using my Authority for something like this, and I'm not actually doing anything special... but Ai-chan, you don't feel like you're interfering with Causality either, right? How are you finding such beautiful shells so effortlessly? Do you just have a better eye for this?"
"Hmm... I don't think... there's that much of a difference... but maybe... I'm just a little bit... good at finding them? Fate, look behind your right foot... there’s a lovely one... right there."
"Eh? Oh, you're right!"
It seemed that, just as Fate-san suggested, it really came down to a difference in experience. Isis-san had a long-standing hobby of collecting various things, so this kind of search was likely her specialty.
"By the way, Isis-san, I think we've gathered quite a lot now..."
"Yes... Let’s try... making... something soon."
After nodding at my suggestion, Isis-san gave a light wave of her hand. Suddenly, a wooden table and a parasol made of shimmering ice appeared.
The idea of crafting something right there on the beach felt quite elegant. The ice parasol provided a refreshing chill, adding to the pleasant atmosphere.
"Bottles are... a little difficult... so I think a sandglass... would be better. I’ve already prepared the sandglasses... so you only need to... decorate the outside... and it will be finished."
"I see. I think I can manage that, even though I'm not particularly handy."
"I see, I see... Sticking shells on to make it look fancy, huh? That sounds like another hassle. Well, I’ve come this far, so I might as well see it through."
The sandglasses Isis-san had prepared were a decent size—about twenty to thirty centimeters tall—which made them look easy to work with.
Watching Fate-san mutter about the effort involved, I shared a wry smile with Isis-san. We each picked up the tools she had provided and began the work of decorating our sandglasses. Of course, we didn't work in total silence; we chatted as we went along.
"By the way, Ai-chan, I heard you got a new subordinate?"
"Yes... recently... one more... joined."
"Ah, I heard about that too. Was it... Polaris-san?"
The conversation turned toward Isis-san’s household. Despite it not being long since Iris-san had officially joined her, it seemed another new member had already arrived. Her name was apparently Polaris-san, and on the day she joined, I had received a Hummingbird message from Isis-san that made it clear she was overjoyed, even through text alone.
After nodding, Isis-san spoke about Polaris-san with an expression of pure, unadulterated joy. She often told me, "If Kaito is happy... then I am happy too," and in this moment, I understood exactly what she meant. Seeing her so blissful made me feel just as happy as if it were happening to me.
As a complete aside, while we were enjoying our chat, it seemed the person we were discussing was currently locked in a fierce mock battle with Iris-san.