Sitting on the pier, I watched the sea sparkle as it caught the rays of the setting sun. Being alone here with my lover only added to the romance of the scene.
Still, the main goal of this trip was to give Anima a chance to unwind. Making sure she could relax properly was far more important than us acting like a lovey-dovey couple.
Beautiful scenery is naturally healing, and with the pleasant sea breeze blowing, I hoped she was feeling at peace. But when I turned to look at her, she seemed more intrigued than at ease.
"...Anima? Is something on your mind?"
"Oh, no... It’s just that I haven’t seen the sea very often, so it feels a bit novel. It was midday when I saw it before, so seeing it at sunset like this... it’s truly beautiful."
"Ah, right. Since you’re from the Forest of Rigforresia, you’ve hardly ever seen the ocean."
"Yes. The first time I saw it was from a distance through a transition Gate when we were heading to the Six Kings Festival. After that, I didn’t leave the capital of the Kingdom of Sinfonia much, so this all feels very fresh to me."
Anima was a Former Black Bear and used to live in the Forest of Rigforresia. The sea was quite far from there, and it was a considerable distance to reach the coast from the capital of Sinfonia as well. Considering that, she probably didn't have many opportunities to visit the ocean unless she traveled somewhere like the Hydra Kingdom.
The Six Kings Festival had been held on a large island, so the sea was visible, but just as Anima said, it was only from a distance. The last Beach Trip was likely the first time she’d seen it up close. Oh, but even then, she had been busy preparing food with Alice and the others, so it was hard to say she had truly enjoyed the experience.
"I see. I just figured you might have tried your hand at sea fishing before."
"I am interested, but I mostly fished in rivers in the past. In places like the royal capital of the Hydra Kingdom, you can't fish without a permit, and I haven't had the chance to visit any other harbor towns."
"That makes sense. Well, it looks like fishing is allowed here. Want to give it a try? The sun is going down, but we could always try night fishing."
"...Ah, yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea."
Since we were right on the pier and I had gear inside my Magic Box, I made the offer, but Anima wore a hesitant expression.
Judging from the emotions and expressions reaching me through Sympathy Magic—and based on my past experiences—she didn't seem particularly enthusiastic. I had a feeling she was only agreeing because it was my suggestion and she didn't want to reject it.
Therefore, before she could say anything else, I decided to speak up first.
"It’s just a suggestion, okay? Today is all about your comfort, so I want to prioritize what you want to do. I’m happy that you’re being considerate of me, but I’d be even happier if you told me your real thoughts without holding back."
"Master... Ah, no, it isn't that I dislike fishing. I think fishing with you sounds fun, and I am curious about sea fishing. It’s just, um..."
Anima moved her gaze restlessly, seemingly torn over whether to be honest. After a moment, as if making up her mind, she spoke with a slightly flushed face.
"...Dare I say it, you and I are lovers. So... of course, fishing is great, but since we are finally on a... date... I mean, um..."
"Would you rather do something more romantic?"
"Ugh... Ah... Y-Yes."
What is this cute creature? So, the reason Anima hadn't seemed keen on fishing was because she wanted to do exactly what I had deprioritized—acting like a lovey-dovey couple.
True, fishing is nice, but now that she mentioned it, night fishing might be a bit lacking in romance. We were at a romantic Marine Cottage, finally all alone, so I could certainly understand her desire to do something more fitting for a couple. In fact, I wanted that too.
"...Anima."
"Hah! I-I am so sorry! To object to your kind offer... as an attendant, this is unacceptable behavior!"
"No, it’s not that. To tell you the truth, I was thinking the same thing."
"Eh? W-Was that so?"
"Yeah. I thought it’d be nice to act like a couple since we’re here, but I put that aside because I wanted to focus on letting you rest. It seems that wasn’t necessary, though."
"Was that so? To know that you felt the same way... um... how should I put it... it makes me happy."
Anima’s bashful smile was so incredibly charming that I felt truly glad I hadn't forced the fishing plan on her.
Serious-senpai: "W-What?! Just when Kaito was actually trying to show some uncharacteristic self-restraint for once, Anima makes a move herself?! Damn it! This bear might get flustered, but unlike that Romance Bottom-tier girl, she’s actually pretty proactive!"
???: "...What was that? I can ignore my own self-deprecation, but hearing it from you, Serious-senpai... somehow, it really pisses me off. I'm going to punch you now."
Serious-senpai: "Not even asking if it's okay? You're just giving me a Declaration of a Punching?!"