I enter the living room after waking up, and see Snow staring at the herbarium shelf.
It looks like she really likes it. She’s been looking at it like this every morning.
“Good morning.”
“Daddy! This is daddy!”
She says while pointing at the one Reina made for me.
I hear this every day, so of course I know, but it’s so cute to see her tell me all happy. I nod and say yes.
Kids love telling adults what they know.
Snow is no exception. Tiltue, Luna, and Katima do the same thing when they get in here.
“You sure like this, don’t you Snow?”
“Yes! Everyone’s together!”
I hold the happy Snow and peek into the kitchen.
Reina is humming with the same apron as always as she stirs soup.
“It smells nice.”
“It’s going to be tasty for sure.”
“Yes!”
We whisper to each other, and Reina turns around.
“It’s almost done, so please get the plates, Arata. Snow, can you go wake up Tiltue?”
“Yes!”
Snow jumps down from my arms and runs, and I go get the plates.
As I do that, I hear Tiltue scream.
It seems like always, she got hit with Snow’s cold while she comfortably slept.
“Hey! Snow!”
“Hahahahaha! It’s Tiltue’s fault for not waking up fast!”
I see both run to the living room, and think that it’s the start of a normal morning.
◇ ◇ ◇
Elga and Livia are coming here in the afternoon.
We talked about this before, that I want to find a way to go underwater and visit the underwater temple where Livia lived.
In the meantime, Merlin is here, discussing it with Reina.
“It’s possible to breathe underwater with water magic. The problems are magic energy and stamina.”
“If magic energy runs out… I shudder to even think about it.”
“Yes. That’s why we should have a few safety measures.”
Both look serious, talking about this and that, throwing out ideas.
I can use magic, but they’re cheats I received.
I don’t have the experience needed to use it well, and more importantly, I don’t have the ingenuity that brought them to their positions, so I can’t offer my thoughts.
And so, I’m just quietly listening, but…
“Arata, we really should test it once.”
“Yes.”
“Hn?”
I feel like this conversation skipped a few steps.
“Hum, I’ll do what I can, but what should I do?”
“Of course…”
Both grin, and I’m a little scared.
◇ ◇ ◇
A few days later.
The wind is gentle and the sun warm. The sky is blue, with only white clouds. The ocean stretches towards the horizon beautifully like emerald green jewels.
We’re here to test their magic together.
That said, we’re at the beach, so we decide to have fun first.
“The sea!”
“Let’s play!”
“Ah, we need to warm up!”
I catch the kids as they try to run out immediately, so we can warm up together.
They play in the river all the time, but not in the sea, so they’re excited.
They stretch while laughing, and I dismiss them after a bit.
“Go!”
““Ooh!””
Tiltue takes the lead as they jump into the water all excited.
And they splash around full of energy.
“They’re always super energetic. If I got caught in that, I might end up as scraps of seaweed…”
Says an exasperated Xellos in his swim trunks.
Since we’re playing in the sea, we thought to invite as many people as we could. A surprising number said yes.
That said, while everyone who was originally from this island had swimwear, the ones who drifted here didn’t. But after talking about it with Sakuya, she gladly made some.
The girls were looking forward to seeing how they would turn out…
I was asked about swimsuits in my world, and I explained a few kinds… But I won’t actually know what they’re like until I see them.
I look to the side, and see Arc fidgeting.
He’s looking forward to seeing his two wives in swimsuits.
Well, I also want to see Reina’s.
After all, judging by Tiltue and the others playing, they’re pretty close to what I pictured, and cute.
I can’t not have high expectations.
“By the way, do people play in the sea in your country, Arc?”
“Yes. Well, kids are one thing, but I didn’t.”
“I was also too busy training.”
“Well, I guess that would make sense for you two.”
Arc is a hero and Xellos one of the seven great mages. They were both at the top in the continent when it comes to power.
Of course, they had a strong foundation, but they got there through their hard work.
They all seem normal here, but they must’ve been like top sports players in my world.
Actually, considering their lives were at risk, even crazier.
They didn’t have carefree childhoods like me, so they can’t have had much experience playing in the sea.
“Let’s all have fun today.”
“Yes!”
As we talk, I can hear Reina and the others’ voices behind me.
I guess they’re done changing. I turn around…
““!?””
The moment we see them walking in a lie on the sand, Arc and I freeze.
Happy Monday, and thanks for the treat.
P.S. The new raw chapter of “Space Mercenary” has just been released. I know it will take time for you to work on the scanlation. Since your website does not have access to mangas, may I ask where you will upload them once you have finished the scanlation?