Just as I finished the meal Fate-san had prepared and started wondering what we should do next, she spoke up with a suggestion.
"Let's take a nap!"
"Well, we did just eat lunch, and it’s about that time of day when you start feeling drowsy."
"There's a terrace, so let's do it out there."
"That sounds nice. If we use the beach chairs, sleeping on the terrace shouldn't be a problem."
I was momentarily taken aback by the sudden suggestion, but the theme of this trip was to relax. It wasn't as if I had to be productive every second of the day, so a leisurely nap seemed like a perfectly fine idea.
Actually, the weather was wonderful today and the breeze felt just right, making the prospect of a nap quite appealing.
"No, since we’re here, let's sleep in a hammock. I've never lounged in one before, so I want to try it out."
"A hammock? I've never used one either, so I’m interested, but... we don't exactly have one ready, do we?"
Fate-san seemed set on the idea. Certainly, the thought of being swayed in a hammock while napping was a bit of a dream scenario, but I hadn't bought one, nor was the cottage equipped with one. In fact, as far as I could tell from a quick glance, there wasn't even a place to hang one.
"It's okay, leave it to me! For now, let's head to the terrace."
"O-Okay."
While sleeping in a hammock seemed impossible, Fate-san appeared to have a plan, so I followed her outside.
As I turned to see what she was going to do, a golden pattern manifested around the edges of her eyes, and a golden cross floated in the center of her pupils. Immediately, several thick pillars erupted from the terrace floor, already supporting a fully installed hammock.
"Eh? What in the...?"
"Fufufu. While I'm not quite at Shallow Vernal-sama's level yet, I can use Creation now, too. Manifesting a hammock is easy!"
"I-I see..."
I had heard that Fate-san's Authority had evolved and that she had ascended to a higher stage as a God, but seeing it in person was quite a shock.
Before I knew it, her eyes had returned to normal. However, the Magic Power she had radiated just then felt similar to Shiro-san’s or Eden-san’s—it was an aura that belonged to a completely different league.
It was impressive, truly... but from my perspective, the Six Kings and Supreme Gods all felt Almighty anyway, so it wasn't a world-shaking surprise.
"O-Oh, this thing really sways even before you get in. It’s a bit tricky to climb onto, but... hup!"
My heart raced at this first-time experience. I managed to balance myself as I climbed into the hammock and lay back. It felt surprisingly good. It swayed more than I had anticipated, which was a bit unsettling until I got the hang of it, but once I did, it felt like I was floating in the air. It was very comfortable.
Taking a nap here seemed like it would feel amazing.
"Oh, this is nice. This feels really good."
"Yeah, it's much more comfortable than I thought. I feel like I could fall asleep in seconds."
"Mhm, mhm. Alright, now that I've tried it out and I'm satisfied, time to move."
"Huh? Move?"
I was a little worried about falling out if I tossed or turned, but the hammock held me better than I'd imagined, so I figured I’d be fine. As I was thinking that, Fate-san said something strange. Move? We were already on the terrace; did she mean she wanted to sleep somewhere else?
As that thought crossed my mind, I suddenly felt a soft, squishy sensation against me.
"Wait! Fa-Fate-san!? What are you doing?"
"Eh? Am I heavy?"
"N-No, you're light enough that I barely noticed the weight at first, but..."
"Then it's fine, right?"
"No, no, no!"
Fate-san had climbed into the hammock and draped herself directly over me. Is that what she meant by "moving"!?
I could see her generous chest pressed against mine. So that soft sensation from a moment ago was this... This was completely unexpected. Her face was incredibly close. Furthermore, given the shape of the hammock, it was difficult to twist my body, meaning there was no escape.
"Fuaah... Kai-chan, you're so warm. Well then, good night..."
"Ehhhhh..."
Above my bewildered self, Fate-san spoke in a relaxed tone before nestling her face against my neck and closing her eyes. A short while later, I could hear the faint, steady sound of her breathing.
She had fallen asleep like this without a hint of hesitation, and she had drifted off incredibly fast. Even though my own sleepiness had been completely blown away by the contact, Fate-san slept with a look of total trust and peace on her face.
I didn't know whether to be happy that she felt so safe around me, or to lament the fact that I’d have to stay perfectly still for the foreseeable future while her breath tickled my neck.
"Unyu... Kai-chan... munya..."
"..."
As Fate-san shifted her face slightly, her lips brushed against my neck, making my heart skip a beat.
It was no use. My mind was completely alert now; there was no way I was going to be able to fall asleep like this.
Serious-senpai: "Guaaaaaah!?"
Doctor M: "Oh, Serious-senpai is suffering! I have to provide Mental Care..."
Serious-senpai: "Nooooooooooooooo!?!?"
Doctor M: "Oh? Did that scream just become even more piteous? It must be my imagination. Let's start the Mental Care. For now, I'll have you listen to the history of my child’s life, from birth to the present day—complete with my own personal commentary! Once you hear all about My Child, your mental state will recover in no time, Serious-senpai!"
Serious-senpai: "H-Hel—!"