Beachgoing. It’s one word, but different people enjoy it in different ways.
Swimming, turtle skiing, beach balls, playing in the sand, collecting seashells…
Those are just a few random examples, but there really are a lot of ways to have fun, so everyone needs to find their own.
I don’t move in right away, and instead watch tourists around us. Basically, gathering information.
For example, the tanned muscular man turtle skiing in the sea. That’s a classic cheerful type.
Turtle skiing is when you attach a string to a king turtle so it pulls you as you glide through the sea.
You need to be good at communicating to make friends with a king turtle, so it’s typically these cheerful types that do it.
I think in order for me to be like that, these men of the sea should be my number one example.
But of course, I can’t just do something I’m not used to. I’m typically a gloomy guy, so I’d fail big time if I just tried to copy them.
Should I take it down a notch and play in the water close to the sand?
A lot of people are doing that. Maybe it’s mass psychology, and they’re unconsciously thinking about how people around them see them.
There are also four men and women playing with a beach ball.
Boys and girls like to kick around a soft ball made of kobold leather, but the beach ball is kind of big for that. They smack it a lot with the palms of their hands, trying to make it land on the other person’s side.
I don’t know the rules, but they’re acting like they’re enjoying the beach, but not actually. (Bias)
Why are they playing on the sand after coming to the ocean anyway? I don’t get it.
Are they just following what others around them are doing? Like grasshoppers swarming around information.
Since a lot are playing, I see people inviting others when they need more. They go up to them and say something like ‘you’re pretty, good, so how about you face us?’
It’s the sort of thing only these cheerful types can do. Then they go eat together, exchange contact information, and expand their circle of friends like that.
Dammit dammit, I’m so jealous…! Unforgivable…!
Ahh, let’s just calm down.
You need to play it cool, Loyd. Don’t let all these cheerful types around you get to you.
A mage needs to be cool.
If someone were to look at me now, they’d think I’m like them too.
I mean, just look at me. I have the super beautiful former saintess next to me, and her beautiful maid Till.
Then there are my colleagues Mars and Lela. They’re cheerful types, so I’m effectively one too.
That means I’ve won this beach battle before it even started. (What?)
Anyway, let’s just touch the water.
I scoop up some with my hand, and it feels really nice and cool.
But if I jump in and start swimming around, people will think I’m like a kid.
I need to play it cool first, and gradually enter the water. Everyone’s doing that, and so will I.
Now I’m one of those grasshoppers.
But then, something happens that flips my sense of values from its roots.
“Hawawa!? T-this is the real sea!? It’s too blue! It looks so tasty! Glub glub glub glub glub glub glub! Fuaaaaaaaah it’s so salty! The sea’s amazing!?”
A white fox beast person girl sticks her face into the water and starts furiously drinking it.
At first, I can only look on dumbfounded, but then I notice that the correct option was right in front of me the whole time.
I should just have fun like her.
Thanks nameless girl. As a token of my respect, I start gulping sea water too.
And about an hour and forty minutes later, my stomach hurts. This is the worst.
◆ ◆ ◆
We spend the first hour playing in the water by the sand.
We splash each other, chase each other, and have a fun youthful time without much of note happening.
After that, we take a break on the sand.
Till and Lela chat under a parasol, while Mars heads further into the sea because he has too much energy.
And Iris is fighting a small crab on the sand, that’s trying to cut her swimsuit.
It’s like it’s trying to hit our quota of beach events.
Meanwhile, Iris is guarding and shooing the crab while protecting herself.
I’m the type that feels like a swimsuit is actually lewder than a naked body, so I’m going to help.☆
I fling it with my staff, repelling the crab assault.
“Ahh… Thank you Mister Loyd. What a stubborn crab.”
“I think you’re the first saintess in all of history to fight one.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“Nothing in particular, just walk around the beach I guess.”
“Then I will accompany you.”
And so we walk together.
The fact that we traveled here helps, but just walking with her is really fun. Her chest is emphasized too because of the swimsuit. It really is quite a sight.
We pick up shiny shells, mermaid scales, and coral by the sea. Apparently Iris wants to take them back to the mansion as decorations.
She’s carrying too much, so I recommend she store it in my item box.
“Thank you, that really helps.”
She puts her stuff in my item box, leaving her empty handed.
“Your item box really is useful. Back when I was learning magic in Roland, I never saw anything like it. Between this and Water Daedalus, you really are an incredible mage.”
“No no, I’m not a big deal.”
I’m always humble with Iris.
There’s a rocky area up ahead with a cave.
We can’t go in now because of the full tide, but we should be able to in a few hours.
“Let’s come back during the low tide.”
“Yes, let’s.”
We’re about to go back the way we came from, but Iris notices something and points at the rocks.
There’s a jade scale underwater.
She looks interested, so I dive in and get it for her.
I might be a bit of a cool guy uh? Although Lela would later say I’m like a beaver.
Iris takes the scale, and stares at it.
“What is this, Mister Loyd?”
“It’s a Kaleid mermaid scale.”
“Kaleid mermaid… I have heard that name, but what kind of mermaids are those?”
Apparently she’s never seen one.
“They’re basically mermaids with legs. They have a tail with fins above their butt, but other than that, they look just like humans.”
“Eh, I’d like to meet one.”
“I’m sure you’d get along right away. They’re a famously mild-mannered people.”
Kaleid mermaids are said to be the rulers of the seas.
They’re different from typical mermaids in that they have legs. They can run on water like they’re gliding on it, and swim really fast.
Their personalities tend to be very gentle, and they treat all races with an open mind.
Also, their outfits are distinct.
They’re not very revealing, but they’re frilly and feel ‘transparent’.
Basically, it’s like a quasi-revealing kind of outfit. It’s pretty lewd actually.
I think they sell those in port towns, so maybe I’ll get one for Iris.
Kuh… No no.
Don’t get tempted by Kaleid mermaid outfits. Let’s just look at Iris’ swimsuit and calm down. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, and right now, she’s wearing the highest class of outfit, a swimsuit.
And while I’m mumbling to myself about that, Iris puts on the scale like it’s a hairpin.
“Does it look nice?”
She asks with a smile.
That’s a nice fashion sense, to use a scale like that.
“Yes, very nice. Like… Hum, yes, very cute!”
“Your vocabulary took a dive there.”
“That’s how cute you are. Words can’t express it.”
“Fufu, you’re a smooth talker.”
Iris is very happy. I did it, that was a perfect good impression.
If favorability was a thing, I’d say it went up by three percent.
And after walking for ten minutes, we reach the tent.
Some people are hitting on someone on the other side.
It’s Till and Lela, with two cheerful type hot guys.
“Hey cute girls, wanna have fun with us?”
“Kyah! I’m being hit on by two gaudy guys trying to start an NTR event! What should we do, Till?”
“I think they will go away if you tell them you have children.”
Says Till with a calm tone. That would probably work.
I’d have to give up if I heard that.
“I’m okay with a married lady! Even better actually!”
But one of the guys jumps in with that.
So it’s true that a sect of men won’t be happy with regular girls at some point, and start pining after married women.
Lela doesn’t sound troubled at all, like she’s used to this, but Till is, so maybe I’ll help.
I leave Iris, and make my way forward.
“Sorry, but they’re with us. Go hit on someone else.”
I say to them.
“What, you’re with a guy?”
“Let’s go somewhere else then.”
They give up easily and leave.
What kind of standard are they working on, if married ladies are fine but if they’re accompanied by a man they’re out?
Anyway, I’m glad I could help Till. And she bows gracefully after I repelled those two.
“You have grown a lot, Loyd. You have become quite capable to be able to protect ladies from a situation like this, don’t you agree?”
“I just did what I had to, because they were troubling you.”
“Can you not ignore me? I’m a lady too.”
“You have Mars. He can look after you.”
She was clearly thinking about Mars, so I didn’t interfere with her. Although I would’ve helped if she really was troubled.
Where is Mars anyway?
When I ask myself that, Lela points to the sea with an annoyed expression.
He’s having fun swimming, and never even noticed what was going on.
Ah, poor Lela.
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