Led by the Great Sea God, we made our way along the path. Marine-san seemed incredibly tense, likely because she was guiding Shiro-san, and even her gait felt stiff and awkward.
"Um, I believe this is the first time we've met, isn't it? Nice to meet you. I'm Kaito Miyama."
"Thank you for your courtesy. I am the Great Sea God, Marine. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Since it was our first meeting, I offered a brief greeting. Since she had given me her name, I figured it was fine to address her by it; I’d call her Marine-san from now on.
She was still far too nervous in Shiro-san's presence to show much of her personality. I doubted I could engage her in casual small talk yet, so I decided to save that for another time if the opportunity arose.
Alice had mentioned that she had a thin presence, and at a glance, I could see why. She didn't exactly scream "Sea God" the way Sky-san and Gaia-san did; compared to them, it was hard to tell what domain she presided over just by looking at her.
As I walked and pondered this, lively music drifted over from a distance. I turned toward the sound and saw decorations modeled after a sea dragon moving along a street a little further off.
Ah, the Sea Dragon Procession... I wasn't planning on watching it this time, but those dragon decorations were massive even from this far away. Well, the real Eingana-san was gargantuan, so in a sense, they were a faithful recreation.
"...The Sea Dragon Procession."
Her voice was a mere whisper, but as if guided by the sound, I shifted my gaze to see Marine-san looking toward the parade.
She wore a gentle smile and looked perfectly kind... but my Sympathy Magic picked up an indescribable emotion from her. Then, while maintaining that serene expression, Marine-san muttered under her breath.
"...That sea snake... don't think it'll always be a moonlit night..."
Terrifying! Yeah, it seemed she had some serious issues with Eingana-san being more famous as a deity of the sea.
...I’d just pretend I didn't hear that. I had a feeling that was a topic I shouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
The spot Marine-san led us to was essentially a wharf. Just as Shiro-san had requested, it offered a perfect view of the ocean. With ships visible in the distance, it was a truly magnificent vista.
I decided not to bother commenting on the unnatural absence of other people. However, the wooden bench sitting there—placed with an obvious "this is the perfect spot to eat a bento while watching the sea" vibe—felt a bit too deliberate.
Then again, it was a testament to how thorough the support from the Gods was. I could see the effort they’d put in, and at the same time, I realized how exhausting it must be for them. I felt a slight lump in my throat just thinking about it.
"Now then, let us spread the leisure sheet so we may eat our bento."
"..."
Of course, leave it to our resident Natural God to render all that meticulous support completely moot. Shiro-san ignored the bench that had been placed so pointedly, seemingly intent on eating on a leisure sheet. She had probably seen a picnic scene in one of her romance manga and wanted to recreate it.
"Um, Shiro-san? Won't sitting on a leisure sheet here be a bit uncomfortable?"
We weren't in a grassy meadow, after all. Since we were at a wharf in a harbor town, the ground beneath our feet was solid—as hard as concrete, in fact. Sitting on a thin sheet here was bound to make our legs and backsides ache.
"I see. Indeed, now that you mention it, the condition of the ground is unsuitable."
"Right? So, since we have it, let's just use the bench—"
"Then, I shall 'change part of the ground into a lawn'."
Nodding as if convinced, Shiro-san gave a light wave of her hand. Suddenly, the area around where we stood transformed into unnatural, lush green grass.
I mean, sure, that certainly made it suitable for a leisure sheet. Yeah, um... can I just point out one thing?
That wasn't what I meant!
Serious-senpai: "The stable Natural God. O-Okay, let's keep going with this gag-style tone, alright? Right? Right? That's for the best... Just because you're eating together doesn't mean you need to get all lovey-dovey! Got it!?"
???: "That's way too much of a futile struggle."