Chapter of Midsummer, Episode 10: To the Wave Pool

I slowly opened my eyes. There, I saw brand new sheets and even whiter, lustrous hair. I felt the silky texture between my fingers, and when I stroked it, a faint feminine smell wafted into the air.

Her quiet breath tickled against my collarbone. She looked so defenseless sleeping there in bed, and she clung to me with both arms and a peaceful expression.

Her pale neck, her captivatingly long eyelashes... I could feel her warmth through the thin fabric of her pajamas. Something came over me and I embraced her back, and my hands rested on her slender waist and back.

Still deep in her slumber, she made a cute sleepy noise all of a sudden. As I stared at her full lips, Marie slowly opened her eyes. I may have been waiting for this moment. I wanted to watch the moment her amethyst eyes opened as she awakened here in Japan.

There were some ways in which she differed from humans. Her eyes shimmered like precious stones, and her pristinely smooth skin was just asking to be touched. I wasn’t sure if this was a common trait among elves, or if it was a part of Mariabelle’s natural charm.

Just then, Marie placed her thigh onto my hip and clung onto me so our stomachs were touching. I knew she was still half asleep, but this was a bit much. Marie seemed unconcerned by my distress and shivered. She then let out an adorable yawn and gazed at me with her moist, purple eyes.

“Hee hee, the weekend has finally come. I wonder what fun adventure you have in store for me this time? If you can’t think of anything, I’m making you do impersonations.”

“Wh-Why impersonations? Anyway, I’ll list out some ideas, so will you let me know if any of them sound interesting?”

Marie agreed and sat up, then mounted me for some reason. The gesture was harmless enough, but the warmth of her butt pressing against me made my heart beat faster.

Despite this, she seemed completely unconcerned, and she reached over to touch the black precious stone with the tip of her finger. The stone then immediately changed shape into a black cat, which landed upon the ground. It was kind of like the Arkdragon’s familiar, or more like a strange stone that allowed her to visit Japan from the other world.

I watched the cat meow with a sidelong glance, and then a thought came to mind.

“I know. How about we go to a pool? It’s summer, after all. We could go get swimsuits together and drive to the pool from there.” I thought it was a good idea, but Marie shot me a dubious look for some reason.

That’s weird... She doesn’t seem interested at all.

“Don’t be silly. We’re not rich. There’s no way commoners like us could go to a pool. There are very few people with such facilities, even in the other world. You should just call it a river or a lake instead of making yourself seem fancy, you know.”

“Oh, I see. I think there’s a difference in our sense of values. It depends on the region, but pools are much more accessible than rivers and lakes in this country. See? Look.” With that, I picked up my smartphone and played a promotional video for a pool. Marie and even the cat climbed onto my stomach and stared.

The video showed children happily running around and going down a water slide with cheerful laughter in the background. It finished playing after a minute or so, and I set my phone aside. The look on Marie’s face was completely different from how it had been a moment ago. Her amethyst eyes were sparkling with interest.

“What do you think? If you’re interested...”

“Let’s go!” Marie said excitedly with flushed cheeks, and the cat meowed in agreement. Thus, our weekend plans were set. I was relieved that I didn’t have to do any impersonations. Besides, I wanted to buy our swimsuits before we went on the beach trip, and I wanted to see how well Marie could swim. Going to the pool was the perfect opportunity for me.

I booped the cat on the nose with my fingertip, then spoke to the woman in the other world.

“If you’re interested, how about we go pick you up in the dream world once we finish shopping for swimsuits? There’s nothing like having a hot meal after going to the pool. Ramen is one of my personal favorites.” Wridra’s golden eyes glinted, and she meowed enthusiastically in response. I could tell by the drooling that my comment had stimulated Wridra’s appetite. It made me smile watching the cat and Marie holding hands and cheering gleefully.

“Okay, then it’s decided. We’re picking out swimsuits today, then heading over to the pool.”

“Yaaay!”

I chuckled and stood up while they were jumping on the bed, then opened the curtains. The sunlight came shining into the room, telling me that it was the perfect day to be out in the pool.

That was a relief, considering they would have probably hated me if it was raining outside after hyping them up so much.

§

It was bright in the department store in front of Kinshicho Station, and there were seasonal sales going on in all sorts of stores. The swimsuit corner was glamorous in my eyes... Rather, I wasn’t quite brave enough to step foot inside. I stood there struggling mentally, and a group of students in uniform passed by. They seemed to be on their way home from their summer break club activities.

“Hey, did you see her?”

“Yeah! So cute! Why was she holding a cat?”

They talked amongst each other as they walked away, wondering where Marie was from, and saying they should have taken pictures.

“Hm,” I said. I couldn’t just leave Marie alone in there when we had come to shop together. And so, I straightened my back and walked into the swimsuit corner as naturally as I could manage. There, I saw her walking around by herself with a worried expression, but her face brightened as soon as she saw me.

“Oh, good. I was hoping you would come with me. Here, hold on to Wridra.”

“Sure thing. This is your first time picking clothes you wear in the water, huh?” I picked up Wridra, and she just calmly hung from my arms like usual. Marie was deep in thought for some time, then looked up as if she remembered something.

“In water...? Wait, there was that one time in the typhoon.”

“Oh, you mean the raincoat. You’re not wrong, but that was in the rain.” I definitely didn’t expect that, but maybe I should have worded it better. Like “clothes that are easy to swim in,” for example.

“I did see some girls wearing something like this around me. Most elves don’t like clothes that restrict movement.”

“Now that you mention it, a lot of them did wear revealing clothes. You usually wore robes, so I nearly forgot.” It seemed she didn’t like that comment. Seeing her puff out her cheeks unhappily, I felt a bit of panic. I thought maybe it was insensitive of me to mention other women, but it seemed that was wrong.

“It’s not fair. Why did I always have to wear gray robes when I’m an elf too?”

“Wait, that’s what you were talking about? I mean, I basically only had one outfit over there too. Plus, isn’t it kind of nice to not have to worry about getting your clothes dirty or ripped up?” She shot me a look, as if to say she wasn’t a slob like me. Then, she began complaining about robes as if to unleash her pent-up frustrations.

“Sure, it wasn’t mandatory to wear them, but I’m sure there were some rights and interests involved with the reason they were officially adopted. Don’t you think so too? Otherwise, why wouldn’t they pick a cuter design or give us other options?”

“Oh, um... Who knows. But Arilai is pretty far from the Sorcerer’s Guild, so you can probably wear whatever you want there.” Wridra meowed, maybe to express her agreement. The Arkdragon could create all sorts of things, so surely she would have no problem making some clothes. Marie liked wearing cute outfits, and I could tell that robe wasn’t the kind of design she liked.

“R-Right! Maybe I’ll consider it if you say so!” I thought Marie had once said it was proper to wear the official outfit as a sorceress, but it seemed she was getting more flexible with her way of thinking.

She looked happy as her mouth curled into a smile, but then I remembered something and shook my head.

“Actually, now wouldn’t be a good time. I mean, we’re in the middle of a mission in the labyrinth, so it might not be a good idea to change your outfit so drastically...”

“Ah!” Marie staggered, then curled up on the ground. She had been hit with the harsh reality after seeing a glint of hope, so it took me a while to console her.

Now, it was time to resume our shopping.

We first did a lap around the shop to get an idea of the latest overall trend, then took a closer look at the items.

This also applied to picking clothes and shoes, but Marie was very cautious when it came to selecting a single piece of clothing, and she sometimes ended up buying nothing at all when she didn’t find something she liked. I saw that Marie was staring at a price tag.

“What do you think? Did you find anything you like?”

“Take a look at this. This is such a pretty color. It’s more vivid than what I usually wear... See? This sky blue swimsuit is beautiful. But do you think it’s a bit too revealing?”

“Oh, that’s a nice summery color. I feel like they’d all look good on you because you’re so cute, Marie.” Marie turned around to look at me. She made a prim face, as if to say I should compliment her more. Though, anyone would have agreed that Marie was quite pretty.

“If you’re not sure what to get, you can try stuff on in that dressing room. You can pick out a few that catch your eye.”

“Yes, I think I will. Help me pick something, Wridra.” The cat meowed and nodded, so I handed her off to Marie. Wridra’s fashion sense had been improving as of late, and it seemed she had won over Marie’s trust in that department. Maybe it would have been fine if I waited outside after all. As I considered this, Marie turned around.

“You’re in charge of judging the swimsuits. Don’t you dare run away like last time, okay?” She made a pinching gesture, and I had to surrender right away. I watched as the two made their picks, and then we walked toward the dressing rooms.

The curtains slid open, revealing Marie in an aqua-colored bikini. Her pale, smooth skin, adorable belly button, and breasts that were even more alluring than I’d imagined left me speechless for a moment.

“Wow, you look amazing. We’re starting this off strong, aren’t we?” The first thing that came out of my mouth was my honest feedback. The revealing outfit really accentuated her charm. It was almost hard to believe I’d spent so much time with someone who had such a vibrant, curvy body. Marie’s face turned into a brighter shade of red as time went on, and she closed the curtains without saying a word.

Wait, didn’t she want me to judge her outfit?

“Never mind! It’s too embarrassing showing so much skin! Urgh, why? I was completely fine when we were picking it out!”

“But it looked really great on you. You have long legs, so I’m sure most swimsuits do. You were the spitting image of a mystical elf.”

“Ahhh! No, this one’s not happening!” It seemed Marie was curled up in the dressing room, because I could see her butt near her feet, swaying slightly as if she was shaking her head side to side. Now my face was about to turn red.

I could hear her muttering about lewdness and shamelessness, and I could only smile awkwardly along with the cat. Well, I would just consider that a rare and precious experience. Though, I obviously wouldn’t be the only one looking at her out in public, so I wanted her to pick something she felt more comfortable in.

I waited patiently for some time, and she was finally ready to move on to the next outfit.

“Are you there, Kazuhiro-san? There’s no one else around, is there?” I told her the coast was clear and she opened the curtain hesitantly.

I was taken aback by the sight before me. Unlike the previous bikini, she was now wearing a tamer one-piece.

The purple swimsuit had a shorter hem so it wouldn’t get in the way of swimming, and she was revealing more thigh than usual. It seemed this was still within the acceptable range for her.

“H-How is it? Does it look strange?” she asked shyly while fidgeting with the purple strap on her shoulder. Her face was red as she looked up at me, and she was seemingly concerned about her exposed thighs and shoulders... I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was to be the first one she was showing her swimsuits to.

Just then, I could see the sight of the beach behind her. It was just my imagination, but I could smell the salt in the air and picture the sun shining brightly overhead.

I met her eyes, and the words came naturally.

“It looks lovely on you. It really brings out your charm, like you’re a fairy come to life.”

“Thank...you. I’ll go with this one then. It wasn’t too expensive either.” Marie looked away, then went ahead and made the purchase.

She ended up avoiding me until she was done buying the swimsuit, but she held the shopping bag as if it was precious to her and wore a happy expression on her face. Though, I somehow felt like the black cat was glaring at me. I didn’t recall doing anything wrong, but I wondered if I had screwed up somewhere.

Marie began humming as we got back to the parking lot, and our car began running under the blue sky.

And so, it was time for us to visit the wave pool.

There were dense clouds within the blue sky above as we left the parking lot.

§

When I opened my eyes, everything was dark. I could see a little bit thanks to the moonlight, but I was afraid I would stub my toe on something if I didn’t feel around with my hands. I could tell we were in the tent we had bought recently, but I wasn’t used to it enough to tell where the entrance was.

“Well, this isn’t good. If only Marie was here, she could summon a light.” I scratched my head as I managed to get out of the tent somehow, then realized I wouldn’t have any issues finding out which direction I was heading in. On the other side of the river, I could see a dull light in the forest.

“Oh, that’s toward the direction of our house. Are they working this late at night?” I left my bag behind for now and began walking toward the light.

It wasn’t often that I would walk in the darkness like this. There was about a half day of time difference between here and the dream world, and I was usually out and about during the morning to evening. That was why I didn’t have any torches or other goods that would help me navigate through the darkness. So on days when I went to sleep during the day like today, I had to tread carefully to make sure I didn’t trip over anything.

I was here to pick up Wridra on our way to the pool, and I figured she was at the light ahead.

One thing that bothered me was the fact that the cat seemed displeased in the car. I wondered if I had done something to irritate her as I hopped down from the log that was placed there as a bridge.

I could hear owls hooting as I slowly made my way along a footpath. I could smell the trees as I continued walking in the dewy, peaceful night, and the partially built garden came into view.

“The garden is really coming together in the past few days.” The trees growing in little clusters looked like friends huddled up together. They still looked a bit lonely, but with the manager of life and death taking care of them, I was sure this place would be vibrant soon.

I absentmindedly approached the light source and saw the two girls sitting there on some metal chairs. There was a blueprint of a house laid out on a big table with tools for boiling water and other purposes all around it. It seemed this was their base of operations for the construction. As for Wridra, she still wore the same sullen expression as the cat did.

“Well, well, look who is here. Behold, Shirley. That is the face of the man who did not even consider my swimsuit after making me go along with their shopping.” The semitransparent Shirley covered her mouth and tilted her head, as if to say, “Is that true?” Her innocent eyes pierced through me, and I felt my back grow cold with sweat.

No, no, this is a misunderstanding. Wridra can make her own swimsuit, and I don’t even know her size.

Before the excuses could even leave my mouth, the Arkdragon crossed her legs on her chair and pointed her finger at me.

“Not to mention, you should have seen his face as he ogled Marie in her swimsuit. This is his slovenly expression from that moment.”

“Waaait, stop! Don’t use your projection magic for that!” I had to admit, I panicked. I never imagined she would show me my own face from when I was appreciating how cute Marie was.

Seeing Shirley approach gingerly and stare seriously with her sky blue eyes was too much to handle. I was so embarrassed I could have dropped dead then and there. I curled up listlessly on the ground, and Wridra looked gleeful for some reason.

“Hm, now who was it who did not wake up my familiar so he could have secret affairs with the elf? I doubt it was only once or twice.”

“Ah?! Y-You knew?” I screwed up. I had only realized Wridra was baiting me when a malicious smile spread across her face.

“Hmm, hmm, well now. I do wonder what sorts of affairs you had at night. Even as an Arkdragon, I must respect your privacy. So, if you do not tell me what you do in detail, I just may accidentally interrupt you two. Do you not agree?”

Even Shirley approached me curiously...and I knew I had no choice but to share. But even though Shirley’s face was red, her eyes were alight with eagerness for some reason. I was grabbed by the shoulders and forced to sit up. Shirley was breathing heavily out of her nose despite her flushed expression, and I knew there was no escaping this nightmare.

“Now, cease your resistance and speak. What sorts of unspeakable things were you two doing?” The cruelty in Wridra’s voice as she whispered in my ear was really something else. Though, I had never seen her look so entertained before. Not to mention, Shirley’s face was way too close to mine. Were they really that interested in the private affairs between me and Marie?! I had no choice but to bring out my secret weapon. And so, I let out a “Hmph” and looked directly at Wridra.

“I see. So you’re not interested in ramen, Wridra? That’s a shame. I guess I’ll just have some with Marie and go home.”

“N-Now wait just one minute! Th-That was nothing but some harmless banter! I can simply create a swimsuit with my ability, so it is no issue at all!” I was finally set free. Nothing beat being knowledgeable about food after all. Shirley looked disappointed for some reason, but I wanted her to understand that I really couldn’t take much more.

Anyway, now that I had Wridra with me, we headed back to the tent together. Shirley followed us with light footsteps, then gestured something with her fingers, as if trying to tell us something.

“Hm? You want to hold on to my shoulders? That’s fine, of course, but can you make physical contact?” She was far more see-through than when we had walked together in the labyrinth, so I had assumed she wouldn’t be able to touch me. But Shirley smiled charmingly and held on to my shoulders.

I was a bit surprised when I felt her warmth through her fingers, and she floated into the air. As her dress flowed around her like she was drifting underwater, it hit me. During the time she had haunted me in Japan, she had gained the ability to hold on to my soul itself. I had already gotten used to being haunted, so I didn’t mind.

“Would you like to come with us, Shirley? We’re going to go visit a place called a pool where you can swim in the water.” She shook her head. According to Wridra, someone needed to take care of the forest, so Shirley had been using her time away from the labyrinth to handle the task.

The reason she was semitransparent now was probably because she was allocating most of her powers to the forest. Wridra had explained this to me as I was laying out the bedding in the tent.

“Then maybe you can take a day off from the labyrinth whenever you want to visit Japan. We’ll be going to Izu soon. Would you like to join us?” Shirley tucked me in up to the shoulder and smiled gently. It seemed she was interested. She then brought out a picture book as if she was going to read it to me.

“Hm? Are those monsters from the third floor? That’s cute; the illustrations look like they were drawn with colored pencils.”

“Hah, hah, that is no ordinary picture book,” Wridra said as she moved the blanket aside and slid in next to me. She pulled on my arm to use as a pillow, and her long, black hair nestled up against me.

“Hm, I suppose I will see how Marie feels for once and embrace you from the front.”

“I don’t mind, of course, but don’t hold me too hard. I won’t be able to sleep.” Wridra shot me a glare, then inched closer with her shoulders still bare.

It seemed she had taken her clothes off as usual, and I felt her put her thigh over me under the blankets. More importantly, I was wondering what she meant when she said it was no ordinary picture book. I stared at the book again and saw that a few pages were already filled out. The white lizard thing from before took up a whole page, while the other illustrations were smaller.

“You will understand soon enough. As the manager of life and death, Shirley’s characteristics are completely different from that of a normal adventurer.” With that, Wridra let out a big yawn. It was warm under the blankets as our bodies prepared to fall asleep. The temperature grew even warmer as I felt her smooth back while she pressed up against me.

“Nnh, your warmth makes me quite drowsy. It is not easy to part with such comfort.” She was already half asleep as she mumbled some noises and nestled her nose into my neck. The dragon then fell into a deep slumber. Sleepiness came over me as her body relaxed completely, and I felt the comfort of her bare, soft body against mine. Shirley had helped put me to sleep, so I had to say goodbye before my consciousness gave out.

“Good night, Shirley. You can haunt me anytime if you ever want to come to Japan. Marie was actually saying it would be a nice way to go on a diet.” Framed by the moonlight, Shirley smiled warmly. I was relieved to see that there was no trace of the fear of solitude she once had in her expression. She now seemed like a mother watching over her child, and there was a comforting scent about her that reminded me of the sun.

I loved seeing such an expression, so free of worry, above all else.

I remembered the inexplicable worry I sensed in my mother’s expression that I had seen so long ago. It wasn’t that she had expressed it outright; in fact, I wasn’t even in her field of view. I remembered thinking I already didn’t exist in her mind and crying all the way into the morning.

Maybe that was why I felt such comfort seeing that look on Shirley’s face.

My consciousness went fuzzy as she gently stroked my hair.

The last thing I remembered was the sound of a hooting owl.

§

At first, I heard someone screeching loudly. My eyes opened in a daze, my consciousness slowly returning to me.

I could see the interior of the car with curtains all around and the bright sunlight. I was finally able to process why Marie was screaming. A naked, black-haired beauty had her arms wrapped around me in the middle of the day.

“Whoa!” I shouted, but the black-haired beauty was sleeping comfortably with her vivid lips pressed against my clavicle. She must have been pretty deep in her slumber, because her arms locked around me again even after I managed to get up.

“Kyaaa! Wridra! Your behind is completely bare! The curtains may be drawn, but what if someone sees you?!”

“Hnn... I suppose just five more minutes will suffice... I shall allow it...” Even though she was still half asleep, I was no match for a dragon’s ridiculous strength. I immediately surrendered as she squeezed me around my neck. I couldn’t open my eyes or escape her grasp by myself.

“Marie, please!”

“Oh, what have I told you about your habit of sleeping naked? It’s shameless! Indecent! Prepare yourself, Wridra!”

A loud thwap! sounded in the car as if someone had gotten slapped, hard.

The Arkdragon twitched, but I couldn’t see what was happening with something soft covering my face.

“Now, Ms. Sleepy Arkdragon, do you want another slap on your behind?!”

“Fine, fine! I am waking up! Goodness, this young elf is out of control. I cannot believe you slapped the bottom of a dragon!” Wridra yawned and lifted her body off of me. I was finally able to breathe again. I left my eyes closed, of course. Though, Marie’s hands quickly covered them regardless.

“Hm. So we are in the parking lot of the pool, are we? Then I shall change into the so-called swimsuit. I suppose I will need to go through the trouble of hiding my horns and tail as well,” Wridra said, which meant I really couldn’t open my eyes now. I had realized she was covering up her naked body with a swimsuit while still mounted on top of me.

I wished Wridra would learn some shame for once. But since she was a dragon, being out naked didn’t bother her one bit.

“Oh, are you going to match my swimsuit? It would be cute to have the same design with different colors.”

“Hmm, I did give it a try, but those frilly skirts do not match my taste. I prefer this bikini instead.”

“Yes, I think a more mature design would suit you better than a cute one. Though, that’s a bit too simple, so how about adding a bit more flair to it?” It looked like Marie was starting to enjoy this too. I wondered if she realized I was a man, despite my sleepy-looking face...

“Hm, then I shall add some intricate designs to the hem of the swimsuit. It may look good if I add a collar as well. What do you think?”

“Oh, oh, that would be great! Can you make me one in a different color later?” Why were they getting so hyped up about this? And I wished they would stop having a fashion show on top of me. But I kept my complaints to myself and waited for time to pass with my eyes still closed.

It was hectic in the car for some time later, but we finally decided to head out to the pool.

I opened the door and stepped outside to see a glass building that looked a lot like a botanical garden and heard cheerful laughter in the distance.

This really took me back. I tried to remember the last time I had worn swim trunks as I stared at my brand-new pair.

I was a bit self-conscious about my pale skin, so I had chosen one that went down to my knees.

We met outside of the changing rooms. It was pretty loud outside with noise reverberating off of the glass surrounding us. The humidity and sun coming down through the glass was making me sweat. The effort I put into blowing up the dolphin-shaped flotation device only made me sweat harder. We had just purchased this too, and it was an essential item in helping Marie enjoy the process of learning to swim.

I looked around as I continued to blow up the floatie.

The pool was under the management of the ward, and most of the visitors were children and their parents. This was the first time my guests from the fantasy world had come to a pool, so I thought this sort of small-scale facility would be better. I doubted anyone here would try to hit on them either.

Such were my thoughts as the two ladies stepped out of the changing room.

But boy, did those two stand out. Even though Marie’s one-piece wasn’t quite so revealing, she was already exceptionally cute to begin with. Her thighs on full display were dazzling, and those around her fell silent, as if they had just witnessed a resplendent flower blooming.

Her long, white hair was bundled up to the side, and she seemed cautious about her long ears getting exposed.

As for Wridra, she was wearing a simple black bikini, but there was nothing simple about her body. The thin cloth of her swimsuit was struggling to hold in her bewitchingly curvy figure.

She was tying her hair back with a rubber band in her mouth, her almond-shaped eyes staring right at me. The girls waved as they approached me.

“Ah, ah, it got bigger! What is this? So cute!”

“Oh, I suppose you wouldn’t know what a dolphin is if you’ve never seen the sea. Then, this is a present for a certain adorable elf that looks great in her swimsuit.” With that, I sealed the flotation device before tossing the dolphin toward Marie.

“Eep!” At first, Marie was surprised by the size of the object thrown at her, but then she grabbed it with both hands, and her eyes widened at how light it was. The sleeve of the outer layer of her swimsuit fell away with the motion, revealing the purple one underneath, and a strange new feeling rose within me.

Heart pounding, I repeated to myself that it was just a swimsuit, but then Wridra moved her face up to mine. She looked like she was waiting for something, though I wasn’t sure what.

“Where is my float?”

“Huh? There’s only one. I thought you wouldn’t need one, since you’re so tall.”

She sank her fist into my side with a smile on her face. It was actually strong enough to make me drop to one knee. Marie was playing with the dolphin, unconcerned, and I thought to myself that she had gotten completely used to Wridra by now. But man, her punch felt like her fist went right through my kidney. It wasn’t that she had put much force into it, but rather that her aim was way too accurate. Maybe she was starting to gain some strange knowledge during her time in Japan.

“Very well, I suppose we will need to take turns using it.”

“What? But I don’t want to. This is my dolphin. Hey, wait, stooop!” I heard the plastic getting stretched, and...the poor dolphin’s face was warped, making it look upset.

Hang in there, dolphin...

I couldn’t move with my hand over my stomach, but I wished the dolphin would live a longer life than me.

In any case, we eventually started heading toward the pool.

When we passed through the door, the bright sun awaited us. But there was a nice breeze, which did help with the humidity. The heated pools inside inns were accessible year-round, but considering it was summer, I figured it would have been more fun to be out under the sun.

“Sooo hot! Mm, so this is summer in Japan, huh?” Marie said as she stretched her limbs out wide.

I was reminded of my student days. I distinctly remembered the ticklish feeling as I walked along the grainy texture of the ground. It had been some time since I experienced the salty smell in the air and the water being as hot as bath water when I stepped foot inside.

The sound of cicadas in the distance and dense clouds in the blue sky were the very picture of summer vacation. But seeing the ladies from the fantasy world skip around happily, I could tell that they were having even more fun than I was.

Wridra held the float over one shoulder with Marie clinging on to her, and cheerfully they talked about the ground tickling their feet and how there were so many people around. The sight of the blue pool with water flooding through it was likely a sight that couldn’t have been found in their world. They looked at me with eyes full of curiosity and wonder.

“Say, where do we get in the pool?”

“You can go in from wherever you want. But you should get used to the water first.” Marie tugged on my hand to hurry me along, seemingly unable to wait to use the dolphin float. I could understand she was getting restless from the excitingly pretty aqua-colored plastic.

“Okay, first try dipping your feet in the water like this.” I approached the pool and put my feet in the water to demonstrate. I beckoned the girls over, and they also got in the water up to their knees.

“Nnh, it’s colder than I thought! And the water is so clear. Look, Wridra, it goes all the way around.”

“I see. I do wonder how it continues circulating. It almost looks like an optical illusion.” A girl with a flotation ring just happened to drift by in front of us, and she and Marie waved at each other. It was a wholesome sight, but I noticed the lifeguard was staring at Marie and Wridra a bit too intensely... I decided not to worry about it too much.

“Now, pour some water on yourself to get used to it some more.”

“Aaah, so cold!” We splashed water on ourselves, and we were ready to go.

I went inside the pool first and reached out to Marie with both hands, and she squeezed them back. She furrowed her eyes a bit, then jumped in at once.

She must have slipped, because her head sank all the way in the water. She tugged on my hands in a panic. Marie’s face then emerged from the water, her hair stuck to her forehead.

“Pwah! That surprised me. Wridra, can you pass me the dolphin?”

“Hah, hah, hold on tight.” Wridra tossed the dolphin at Marie, and she hurriedly reached out her hands. She caught the air-filled float, then flashed a happy smile.

“Let me show you how to use the float before we start swimming. Spread your arms out a bit.”

“Like this?” I grabbed her under both armpits and lifted her up. Her body was very light under the water, and she ended up mounting the dolphin. She grabbed the dorsal fin without thinking and wrapped her legs around the tail fin, and her eyes lit up.

“Wow, I did it! Look at me, I’m floating!” Marie looked at me with a happy, innocent expression, but with her swimsuit-clad butt right in front of me...this angle was a bit troubling. The wet fabric stuck right to her skin, so I could see the lines of her rear quite clearly.

I’d thought the thin one-piece was comparatively tame in design, but the vivid colors stood out once wet, and I felt myself go a bit light-headed. This might have been even more erotic than a normal bikini.

“I shall ride it too!” Wridra shouted.

“Wait, no, no, no! Don’t shake it now, or you’ll... Gyah!” The dolphin flipped over, and I quickly went over to help them. I grabbed Marie’s wrist as she struggled under the water, then pulled her close. Her white hair emerged from the water, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Wridra! Oh, thank you, Kazuhiro-san,” she said, but I was having trouble figuring out how to react. Her bare, wet skin was pressed against me, and I was supporting her by her slender waist. I could feel her soft breasts pressing right up against me.

The water undulated as it made little waves. It splashed against her clavicles, and her cleavage wet with water droplets was too dazzling to look at. Completely oblivious to my mental state, Marie laid her chin on my shoulder.

“Ahh, so warm. Oh, let’s go chase after Wridra. I’d like to get her back by flipping her over from behind.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. We’ll swim slowly and chase her down.” Marie nodded and finally released me, and I felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. And so, I held on to her hands and began our swimming lesson.

We could hear children laughing around us. It looked like just another peaceful day, but no one seemed to notice an elf and a dragon were among them.

The battle for the dolphin continued, and Marie’s sabotage grew more complex as she added rocking and splashing tactics. I was happy seeing the two laughing together. They had grown to laugh more with each passing day. I was sure the same went for Shirley, who was now managing the forest on the second floor. Come to think of it, it was strange to think we were all playing together like this when they had each killed me before.

As I considered this thought, Marie squeezed my hand from beside me.

“Wridra is so mean. She secretly used magic to make a water current and made me fall. Can you believe her? Let’s team up and get the dolphin back!”

“Oh, but you might rip a hole in it if you get too rough,” I said, but Wridra was taunting Marie by slapping her big butt from afar. That was her way of saying she wanted more attention. We laughed, and then our war council for retrieving the dolphin began.

“Okay, if we’re doing this, we’re going all out. We’ll need to be quiet and precise if we’re going to get the dolphin back without the lifeguard getting mad at us,” I said.

“That’s the spirit. Okay, we won’t be able to use Mind Link Chat here in Japan. That means we’ll need to lay out the entire plan beforehand.”

We went back and forth to come up with a plan, but we ended up with the simple plan of “take the dolphin back by force.” Whatever happened to the intellect and coordination we had exhibited in the labyrinth? I picked Marie up by her underarms, then dropped her on top of the dolphin where Wridra was lying down. I then tickled Wridra’s sides, and she burst out into laughter.

“Haaa ha ha! This is what you came up with after all that planning? Hng... Aha ha ha!”

“Now, surrender and release the dolphin! Or you’ll be spending the rest of your day laughing!” That was quite an unusual threat. But the tactic seemed to be working, because Wridra was losing her balance while cackling joyously. However, the enemy was not to be underestimated. Just before falling off, she grabbed on to Marie, dragging her into the water with her.

I was left alone with the dolphin, and when I saw them coming up to breathe in the distance, an urge came over me. I decided to take advantage of the situation.

“Hey! Stop right there, Kazuhiro-san! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Ha ha ha, you lost because you didn’t anticipate my betrayal. And... Hup.”

Oh, this is nice. I could just float here serenely, and the sun felt nice against my back. So this was why they wanted the dolphin so much.

I was leisurely enjoying the float, but my turn ended as soon as it had come. Wridra lifted Marie from under her arms and had her mount the float from above, using the same tactic we had used earlier. I quickly slid down the side to flee into the pool before I could get knocked off.

“Hey, no fair! Come back here so I can tickle you!” Marie sure was full of energy. She laughed without inhibition, and her swimming was improving naturally over time. I slowed down on purpose to let her catch up, and she clung on to my back and said, “Gotcha!”

“How are you enjoying the pool, Marie?”

“Hee hee, it’s so much fun!” She pressed her cheek against mine and giggled happily.

Her reaction warmed my heart. I was a bit worried at first because pools in Japan tended to get pretty crowded. After all, Marie really didn’t like crowds. I was relieved to see she was letting loose and having fun as usual once we got into the swing of things.

“Hmm, you’re quite comfortable to ride. You’re the perfect replacement for the dolphin.”

“Huh? Am I supposed to swim for you? What happened to swimming practice?”

“We can do that later. Now, let’s go catch up to Wridra.” Marie pressed up against my back in earnest and squeezed me between her thighs, and I felt like I had become the dolphin. I didn’t feel much of her weight in the water, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

As I swam along using breaststrokes, Marie spoke cheerfully next to my ear.

“Ah, this is nice and easy. You know how Shirley holds on to your shoulder? I feel like I kind of understand why now.”

“Huh, is that why? Though, she did seem like she was taking it easy on my shoulder. Just so you know, you’re making the same face as she was right now.”

“Oh, maybe I should order this cheeky little dolphin to swim faster.” Come to think of it, Marie seemed to be making a habit of clinging on to my back. Still, I wanted her to enjoy this day to the fullest.

The battle for the dolphin came to a close, but unfortunately, Wridra emerged the victor. We let ourselves drift in the water, enjoying the summer day off and tanning in the sun.

It was nice having some childlike fun like this every once in a while. As someone who tended to stay cooped up indoors, I had no interest in going to the pool, but I found that it was actually quite enjoyable.

After spending plenty of time in the wave pool, we decided to find something else to do. We walked up the stairs barefoot toward the main attractions of this facility.

The sound of children cheering could be heard from above, and it was the very picture of a lively summer vacation. There was a blue spiral waterslide leading to the pool below.

It was about fifty meters in length and wasn’t too crazy in terms of size or height. But as we got closer to the top, Marie began slowing her stride. She clung on to my arm with both hands, knees weak as she looked up at me with her amethyst eyes.

“Wait, wait, we’re too high up. How can you two be so calm? Unbelievable.”

Wridra and I blinked at each other. She was an Arkdragon who flew thousands of meters up in the sky, and I teleported around without any regard for height or distance. Marie seemed to understand this from the looks on our faces, and a cold sweat trailed down her face as her knees trembled.

“Yes, I see. That was my fault for asking such illogical people.” To me, it was more strange that someone like Marie, who had accomplished so much in the ancient labyrinth, was afraid of this level of height.

I did kind of understand her sentiment though. Not only could we see the whole pool from up here, but the entire parking lot was visible. But since there were many visitors with their kids here, the proper safety precautions were in place. I looked around my surroundings, then heard that familiar, displeased voice again.

“Yes, I suppose I should at least try to have a positive mindset. This is very important, but let’s decide the order in which we go down the slide. Of course, I refuse to go first or last.”

“Hah, hah, in the spirit of fairness, we should settle this with rock paper scissors. Now... Rock, paper...”

“No! Wridra first, and Kazuhiro-san last! Please, please, let’s go in that order, okay?! I’m not good at rock paper scissors, so I don’t wanna play!”

Yup, Marie really was bad at rock paper scissors, mainly because she usually went with paper first. She started tearing up and shook her head no, and Wridra and I couldn’t help but laugh. The way she stamped her bare feet and whined was so cute that it made us smile.

“Next in line, please sit here,” the staff said.

“Hm, it is my turn. I shall go then.” Wridra was full of curiosity as she approached her very first waterslide, but something strange happened. The female staff member directing us was staring at Wridra, her cheeks turning pink and a glimmer in her eyes.

Wridra was indeed beautiful. Marie and I could both say this definitively. Her lustrous, long, black hair, obsidian eyes framed by long lashes, and voluptuous proportions captivated even her own gender. The prerequisite was that Wridra had to stay quiet and keep her horns and tail hidden, but someone who met her for the first time wouldn’t notice her faults.

The staff member only flapped her mouth wordlessly, and it was plain to see that she was enchanted by Wridra’s appearance. The Arkdragon said, “I thank you,” from up close, and the staff member clutched at her own heart.

Because of Wridra’s height and pretty facial features, she attracted both men and women alike. I figured it had something to do with the Arkdragon blood within her, and it was part the reason why she tended to lay low inside the labyrinth. But she was able to let loose here in Japan, and her genuine smile was brimming with her personal charm. It was no wonder the staff member was getting flustered.

“Beauti— Ahem, I mean, miss, please put your arms over your chest like... Ahh, yes, exactly like that, wonderful. Now, please extend your legs and... Oh, ohh, you’re flawless!”

“Hm? The customer service here is quite courteous, as one would expect in Japan. Well, I will await you two at the bottom.”

And so, Wridra led the vanguard and went down the slide under the guidance of the overly courteous staff member. The blue slide twisted in a spiral and accelerated as it led into a straight line. Once it gained plenty of speed, Wridra slid on the water’s surface and dove into the pool at the bottom with a splash.

It sent waves through the pool in a circle around her, and then the black-haired beauty waved for us to follow suit.

“Okay, now please lower your hips.” Marie twitched as the staff member called out her instructions. There were kids waiting behind us, so there was no turning back now. Boy, she really looked like she didn’t want to go down. Marie put up her last bit of resistance by squeezing my hand as she lowered herself into position.

“Eek! It’s cold! Wh-Why is the water flowing? It’s cold and scary!”

“It lets you gain more speed that way. You might get hurt if you move around, so make sure to stay still.”

Oh, that was the wrong thing to say. The moment I said she might get hurt, Marie’s face turned pale. She clung onto my arm with both hands as soon as she started sliding down and didn’t let go. I was dragged into the blue tube with her, taking me along for the most terrifying waterslide ride of my life. My vision was immediately filled with blue, and Marie wrapped her arms around my neck...

Okay, this is really scary!

“Hhhyaaaaaa!”

“Calm down, calm down! Don’t put me in a headlock, please!” It even knocked the sleepy expression right out of my face. With the combined weight of two people, we swayed wildly within the tube with each curve, Marie screaming in fear the entire time. We cleared the final curve and slid down the straight line, and Marie’s screams grew more frantic as we picked up speed.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh!” I pondered why I was locked in a wrestling move for the whole duration. We popped out of the slide, and I belly flopped onto the water with a loud thwap!

I was under the impression that we had come to play at the pool, but somehow I ended up eating an unorthodox DDT from a certain elf. I wasn’t sure how I felt as I sank deeper into the water.

“Whew, that was surprisingly nice. Oh, why did you slide down with me, Kazuhiro-san? Were you worried about me or something?”

“I wonder why... Aha... Maybe you should ask Wridra rolling on the ground laughing over there.” Marie looked rather perplexed, then clung on to my shoulders. It seemed she wanted me to carry her to the poolside. I was impressed to find that Marie had figured out her own way to spend her time at the pool in leisure.

We ended up going down the waterslide one more time, and Wridra suffered the same as I did.

It was hard for anyone to notice fatigue when they were having fun. Wridra was full of energy as always, but Ms. Elf, not so much. Marie was more of the intellectual type, and her physical prowess was on par with that of a child.

Her slender fingers gripped the handrail, and I supported her hips from behind as she climbed out of the pool. She seemed like she was out of energy and looked a bit unsteady. Water splashed down from her body as she turned around to thank me.

“The sun’s starting to set. I think it’s about time we headed home,” I said.

“Oh, right... But I think we can stay for a bit longer. There are still plenty of people here. I’m starting to get used to swimming too, so I want to practice a bit more.”

I also got out of the pool. Wridra approached from behind, water dripping from her body onto the tile.

“Marie, in this world, you must agree to whatever Kazuhiro decides. He may be overprotective at times, but he looks out for your well-being,” Wridra said, leaning.

“Right.” Marie pouted. It seemed she was sad about the abrupt end to our fun.

I was glad that Marie was interested in pools, and I did want to let her spend some more time here. Still, Marie was my lover and had only been here for less than half a year. I wanted her to take her time getting accustomed to this environment, so I didn’t mind being overprotective for a little bit.

“Then how about we all go get some tasty ramen together? Marie, do you want to ride my back to the changing rooms?”

“Yes.” I crouched down, and Marie put her weight on my back.

I wasn’t sure if she was rubbing her nose against my neck because she wanted to snuggle or because she was sad. Her body was a bit chilly to the touch and smelled of chlorine. As I supported her by her still-wet butt, she felt as light as a feather.

“Well, this was like a little warm-up before the Izu trip. The real fun is yet to come, so I hope you look forward to it. I’m surprised that you learned how to swim properly so quickly.”

“Of course. I used to swim at the elf village sometimes too. I picked it up in no time since I was having so much fun here. Ah, I can’t wait to go to Izu. I want you to flip the pages of the calendar until the day of the trip, okay?” Well, that was an awfully cute request. I wanted her to be more up-front about what she wanted like this in the future too. It made me happy to see.

The schedule for next week included the holidays. With the raid on the ancient labyrinth and work on the house and farm coming up, time would surely fly by.

Marie was cheerful again before I knew it, and her feet swayed back and forth as I carried her on my back.

§

“Welcome!” I opened the poorly fitted sliding door, and a distinct smell came wafting out of the room. I could sense the smell of various oils and the heat of boiling noodles as we entered.

The aging owner who had welcomed us boisterously wasn’t too surprised at my two far-from-Japanese-looking companions, and he guided us toward the counter. Maybe there had been more foreign tourists around here as of late.

“Hm. Quite the snug little establishment it is here. Something does smell good, however,” Wridra said.

“Oh wow, my stomach growled as soon as I stepped inside. Goodness, it’s like I’ve turned into a glutton all of a sudden.” Marie had been a pretty big fan of eating even before she visited Japan, but I kept that to myself. Wridra’s and Marie’s hair was still damp as we all took a seat at the counter. There weren’t many customers around, since some time had already passed since lunchtime. Beside us, there was an old person reading a newspaper and a family that seemed to be on the way home from the pool. The radio playing in the background and old yet clean interior was the very image of a long-running ramen shop.

I then turned my attention to the two girls, who were staring at the menu with their brows furrowed. They always made that face whenever we visited an eatery like this. It was because they wanted to avoid ordering something that didn’t fit their palate or ending up getting envious of other people’s dishes. I watched as they deliberated for some time longer, then gave a suggestion.

“How about we each order something different and share?”

“Agreed!”

“Me too!”

They both agreed with a comically determined look on their faces. Strange, I don’t remember them replying so decisively when we were in the ancient labyrinth.

And so, we decided to order the shoyu chashu, miso butter, and tonkotsu ramen, each in a large size. It would’ve been one thing if it was just me and Marie, but I had to consider ordering bigger portions with Wridra here.

I noticed a lot of ramen shops offered a variety of different ramen these days. As I considered this, the friendly-looking owner peeked out from the kitchen.

“Oh, is this your first time having ramen?”

“For these two, yes. They just came to Japan recently,” I replied. Marie nodded, and the graying owner smiled.

“Is that right? Haneda is close to here, so it’s been attracting a lot of foreign visitors. I never really thought of it as a cosmopolitan city, but I guess they do come by.” The owner spoke in a frank manner, as if it didn’t concern him much. Though, this technically wasn’t an international cultural exchange, since they had come from another world. It wasn’t as if he would understand that if I told him, so I kept that part to myself.

“So are you folks on a sightseeing tour? Though, it looks like you just got back from the pool, and you don’t look like a tour guide.”

“Actually, we’re dating,” Marie said and hugged my arm. The owner’s eyes went wide at her eloquent Japanese and cute gesture.

“Huh, is that so? You sure found yourself a looker despite your sleepy-looking face, huh? Here’s your shoyu chashu. And here are some extra plates.” The ramen bowl and extra plates were placed on the counter. The ladies had a glimmer in their eyes, but I had to transfer some of the ramen to the extra plates. A thought came to me just then, but I didn’t realize I would be screwing myself over until later.

“Actually, it might feel like it’s tastier if you eat directly from the bowl. Give it a try, Marie.”

“Why, thank you. Sorry, Wridra, if you could wait just a bit longer...”

Wridra gulped, drool hanging down from her lips. But she ended up taking the mature approach and gestured for Marie to go ahead.

Marie split her wooden chopsticks with practiced hands. Beyond the wavering steam was the soy-sauce-based soup with oil floating on its surface. Soft fat could be seen on the lustrous piece of pork, and the green spinach stirred one’s appetite even further.

I gestured to show her how to eat, and she gingerly picked up some noodles with her chopsticks. She then scooped her hair out of the way with one hand and began eating up the noodles.

The noodles disappeared into her mouth with a slurping sound, and their crimped shape allowed them to carry plenty of soup in the process. Marie made a satisfied groan and her eyes widened as she tasted the relieving flavor of soy sauce, umami-filled broth, and the chewy texture of the noodles.

“Mmm!” She exhaled a steamy breath and continued to chew some more.

It was the perfect meal to warm up from the chill. When animals sensed that they were lacking something, their brains would send a signal that food is delicious, incentivizing themselves to eat more. That was why food tasted extra good after losing body heat. The first taste of ramen packed quite a punch. As Marie slurped up the noodles, it seemed to me like that sort of primal instinct was urging her to eat.

“S-Say, is it not about time for my turn? I understand, you must be upset at me for taking the dolphin. I truly apologize. It was immature of me.” Wridra began apologizing restlessly, but Marie was completely focused on the ramen. She swatted at Wridra’s hand, then scooped up some soup with her spoon and took a sip.

“Oh, I see you’re enjoying the food. Here’s the miso butter for you, missy with the black hair,” the owner said.

“Ahh, at long last! Hey, do not forget that we will exchange our bowls later.”

“Nngf (Okay)!”

Miso butter ramen was also delicious, whether it was eaten after visiting the pool or not. The scent of butter rising from the bowl was quite appetizing. Given the heaps of corn, bean sprouts, and soft chashu pork mixed with the butter, I knew before tasting it that it would taste amazing.

It was somewhat strange seeing the black-haired beauty slurp up noodles without hesitation. Her almond-shaped eyes opened wide. We just so happened to meet eyes then, and her expression wordlessly said, “The butter is delicious!”

The butter made the broth even richer as it melted over time so one wouldn’t grow tired of the taste. It made me appreciate how well designed the dish was.

Marie and Wridra’s desire for good food then synchronized in that moment, and they exchanged their bowls with one another.

“Mmf! This is amazing! I’ve never tasted anything like it!” Marie exclaimed.

“Delicious! I did not think noodles could have such a depth of flavor. The rich taste of the chashu truly elevates the entire dish!” The expressions on their faces were that of pure bliss, but the owner looked even happier. Anyone would be pleased to be complimented by such cute ladies, after all. In fact, the owner was all smiles, and he looked like he was glad he had decided to run a ramen shop.

“And here’s the tonkotsu. Our tonkotsu has a mild scent to it, and our foreign guests really love it. One taste, and you ladies are gonna be hooked.”

“Oh, my ramen is finally...” Marie and Wridra’s hands gripped the ramen bowl, and my face twitched.

I have a bad feeling about this. According to the owner, foreigners loved this tonkotsu ramen... I asked myself whether they would leave any for me, and alarm bells went off in my head.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself...” Marie said.

“I-It’s okay. Why don’t we each try a taste?” The tonkotsu ramen had finally come. I would soon find out that the owner wasn’t lying or exaggerating.

The white soup was made by boiling pork bones until the broth turned milky. It tasted mild, but there was a depth to its flavor that reared its head as it went down one’s throat. The girls were surprised by its unexpectedly gentle flavor and creamy texture.

“Ohh, I can’t! I can’t help but smile!” Marie exclaimed.

“Hmm! I do not grow tired of this flavor no matter how much I eat... I did not expect to discover such a treasure here!” It seemed Wridra had already forgotten I only offered them “a taste.” It was unusual for me to feel the urge to pinch Wridra, but I couldn’t reach her with Marie sitting between us.

Then, it hit me. Wridra was staring at me with a mean-spirited grin on her face.

Had she planned this all along? Could it be that I had already lost when we picked our seats?

I couldn’t turn down Marie’s request, and I couldn’t reach the bowl once it was passed over to Wridra. Had she really employed such high-level tactics into our seating?

My suspicions continued to mount higher, but I had a plan. I smiled, then enthusiastically asked the owner, “Oh, then can we get some extra noodles?”

“Sorry, we don’t offer that here.”

Ah. Left with no other option, I decided to add an order of shio ramen. Of course, there was a gleam in the Arkdragon’s eyes as she stared at my bowl like a tiger after its prey, so I couldn’t let my guard down.

The silent battle went on for a while longer, and it only ended when Marie declared that she was full.

We slowly rode down the road in the setting sun.

Unsurprisingly, it was quiet in the car. We had some ramen after playing at the pool, so all that was left to do was to take a nice nap. That was the proper way to spend one’s free time, and the reason you needed a car when going to the pool. At least, that was the logic I lived by.

I could hear the other two sleeping in the back, and they looked like sisters when I glanced in the back mirror. This was like my very own reward.

The entrance fee for the ward was negligible, but it was an absolute blast thanks to those two. Their joy and excitement was truly infectious. Just walking around with them hand in hand filled me with happiness.

All we had done was go to an affordable pool and have some ramen, but my mouth curled into a smile on the drive home.

Good night, you two. Don’t forget to take a bath when you wake up.