Since changing right in front of her would have been awkward, to say the least, I retreated behind the lockers. The swimwear I’d been provided was a simple pair of trunks, so the process was quick and easy.
When I stepped back out, I found that Illness-san had also finished... or rather, she had shed her outer layers to reveal her swimsuit. The sight of her made me freeze on the spot.
To begin with, seeing Illness-san in a swimsuit was an incredibly rare event. Since she usually wore modest, high-coverage clothing, the contrast was staggering.
What she wore was a simple black bikini, but its minimalism only made it more eye-catching. It was, for lack of a better word, difficult to remain composed.
Physically, Illness-san was quite petite. She stood only about 130 centimeters tall, possessing a stature that—though it might sound rude—was comparable to that of an elementary schooler.
Ordinarily, seeing a woman of that size in a swimsuit might have evoked an uncomfortable sense of impropriety, but I felt none of that from her.
Instead, she radiated an almost overwhelming adult charm and allure. It might have been her composed atmosphere or her elegant bearing, but whatever the cause... she was simply breathtaking.
"Um... Illness-san. That swimsuit really suits you. You look beautiful."
"Kuhihi... Thank you for the compliment. It is my first time wearing one, so I was a bit... anxious. I am glad there seem to be... no problems."
"Wait, your first time?"
"Yes. I do not usually have an... opportunity to wear one, after all."
Come to think of it, unless someone specifically went to the beach to play, they might never have a reason to wear a swimsuit in this world. For me, they were familiar things—part of school swimming classes and trips to the sea.
However, in this world, it was entirely possible for someone to have no connection to swimsuits whatsoever. Even though Illness-san was over twenty thousand years old, this was apparently her debut.
Then again, even when it came to swimming, magic could keep one's clothes dry, and I wasn't even sure if someone of her tier actually needed to 'swim' in the traditional sense. She could probably just move through the water in a sphere of air like Shiro-san, or simply walk across the surface.
"Wait. Does that mean... you made that swimsuit specifically for today?"
"Yes. It took a little time to craft it while consulting the reference materials... so I ended up making you wait."
"So that's what you were doing earlier..."
When she said preparing the relaxation room would take time, she hadn't just meant the room itself—she’d meant the time it took to craft a swimsuit, given the rule Alice had set.
Still, seeing her like this was incredible. Her pale, flawless skin had clearly never known the touch of a tan. Her chest was by no means large, but neither was it small, and her legs were slender and graceful. It was a level of stimulation that pushed the boundaries of my self-control.
"However... showing this much skin is a first for me, so I feel... a bit embarrassed."
She smiled, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. Her charm was so potent it felt like my brain was being short-circuited. It was almost unfair. Seeing the usually mature and composed Illness-san show even the slightest hint of shyness possessed a lethality that was impossible to describe.
"Shall we... head inside?"
"Eh? Ah, y-yes! Let's go."
"Kaito-sama... are you perhaps... nervous?"
"Well, yeah. You're just so attractive in that swimsuit, Illness-san..."
"Oh?"
"...Ah."
Hold on. What did I just say? I hadn't even regained my cool, and I’d already blurted out something mortifying.
Regret was useless now; I couldn't un-ring the bell. Thinking she might be put off by the comment, I slowly turned to look at her, but Illness-san was smiling with genuine delight.
"Kaito-sama... do you find me... charming as a woman?"
"I mean, yeah. You're beautiful and mature... I think you're incredibly attractive as a woman."
"Kuhihi... I see. That was a little... unexpected. But I am... happy to hear it."
The expression she wore was a perfect blend of elegance and beauty, reinforcing that impression of her as a mature woman.
I had a lover now, and I’d thought I was getting better at interacting with women, but my heart was still racing. In terms of vibe, she was probably closest to Sieg-san, yet she felt even more grown-up... like a sophisticated older sister I couldn't help but look up to.
I wondered if I’d be okay once we actually got in the bath. I desperately kept my mind busy with anything and everything else, trying my hardest to make sure blood didn't go rushing to my lap.
???: "I knew it. When it comes to Pandemonium, Kaito-san’s feelings of admiration are just too strong. He’s totally flustered seeing a side of the 'ideal older sister' she doesn't usually show. Still, since he’s clearly conscious of her as a woman in his own way, he’s got a chance. Pandemonium probably feels like she isn't seen as a romantic interest because she’s kind to everyone and stays so composed, even in a situation like this, but..."
Machina: "...I see. By the way, Serious-senpai turned into a white chocolate statue, didn't she?"
???: "She didn't even last a single chapter."
Machina: "...I wonder what sort of physics causes her clothes to turn into white chocolate too... munch, munch."