Chapter of Midsummer, Episode 13: Izu Trip

Four o’clock in the morning...

That was what appeared on the clock’s display when I pressed the button.

I let out a sleepy yawn. Marie and Wridra were, of course, still sleeping. They seemed rather comfortable as they breathed lightly in their sleep. I moved their limbs off of me without holding back, and the two girls rolled over onto their stomachs.

It seemed they would be sleeping for a while longer, and I still had a lot of preparation to do. I decided to let them sleep in for a bit and rubbed my eyes as I woke up.

I walked barefoot down the dark corridor, then picked up the remote and turned on the TV. The light from the screen lit up its surroundings, and the weather newscaster flashed a bright smile despite it being so early in the morning.

“Hm, so the typhoon veered off far to the east. Wridra’s hunches sure are accurate.” The typhoon I’d been fearing had moved away from us, and the upcoming weather was expected to be sunny. Marie had been worried about it yesterday, but I was glad to see it wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe there wouldn’t be much traffic either. I considered this as I started to boil some water.

As I turned on the stove, a semitransparent hand appeared from behind me. My heart nearly burst out of my chest, but I calmed myself. These scares couldn’t be good for my heart, but Shirley was the good kind of ghost. I should only scream if the other kind appears.

“G-Good morning, Shirley. Aren’t you sleepy?” I turned around and saw a sleepy-looking woman before me. I didn’t realize that ghosts even slept. She covered her mouth as she let out a big yawn, then pointed at the small pot on the stove, as if to say, “Leave this to me.”

“Okay, please take care of this, then. I’ll go wake up the others. There’s instant coffee in the bottle over there. And here’s the sugar. Feel free to add milk too.”

Her sky blue eyes stared at each of the items, then responded with what could have been an affirmative nod...or perhaps she had woken up again after nearly dozing off. Waking up Marie was one thing, but waking up Wridra while she was in deep sleep would take some effort. I tried turning on the indirect lighting next to the bed to its maximum brightness. Then, Wridra’s foot kicked me in the butt.

“Ow!” Did she just...kick me in her sleep?

I rubbed my butt as I moved away, but her bare foot lifted up and pointed in my direction as if it was enhanced with an auto-aim skill. This was bad. Not just because I could get kicked, but because she was naked under the thin bedding covering her body. The latter was especially dangerous.

Her clavicles were bare, and the shapely mounds on her chest prevented the comforter from sliding down. And her thighs... No, I couldn’t look. Yet she kicked at me with uncanny accuracy, so it was quite the ordeal.

Waking the girls up was a real struggle. I had ended up being hung upside down by the dragon’s tail. They say the early bird gets the worm, but I would have just grinned at whoever it was that made up that phrase and told them to give this a try for themselves.

§

Sand crunched under the tires as I slowly began to drive the car.

It was still dark outside, so there weren’t many cars on the road. The headlights showed that the asphalt was still wet, likely from the typhoon that had changed directions.

We had our travel bag in the trunk, and our bento had already been prepared last night. I had told the others in the dream world that we would be taking a long break, and we were only tagging along for fun, so it wasn’t as if anyone had the right to complain.

Still, Doula did pressure us wordlessly.

I knew she was a kind person who cared about her subordinates, but I could tell she wasn’t happy about us ducking out partway through. I mean, she looked calm, but there was something icy about the way she spoke...

Her team liked her, and she seemed like the ideal superior in my eyes. She was a capable worker, could follow up on her tasks, and always produced results. If she worked at my company, even I might have stayed late, even though I hated working after hours.

Although Borlax Doudou wasn’t the floor master after all, the monsters in the area all vanished after we took control of the big room. The demon matter cleared up over time, and it seemed possible for us to fix the communication link for our Magic Tools. We still had to resupply, so the teams would likely return to their base and rest up for a while.

Doula’s face had turned red when Zera said, “Well, we should relax for now too.” I wondered what that was about.

Doula was surprisingly flustered when she replied, “Y-Yes, maybe you’re right,” and her men all cheered, but...I decided not to think about it. Come to think of it, they did say something about making kids. So that was why she didn’t complain about our travel plans.

I turned on my blinkers, and my car slowly turned toward the freeway. It was very quiet, and the only sounds were those of the cars driving by on the opposite lane. It had been a while since I’d gone on an early morning drive, but my sleepiness had completely vanished.

We would leave Tokyo behind us, heading straight toward Izu. My passengers were sound asleep, but it seemed to me like that fierce battle from the other day had left a spell on them. Even Shirley was rubbing her eyes sleepily after the fight.

I readjusted the blanket that had fallen off of Marie’s lap while we were stopped at a red light. Her long eyelashes and well-shaped eyebrows would probably be the envy of all the girls her age. Well, girls her age would actually be older than my grandpa.

Hmm... She’s adorable. If I hadn’t been driving, I would have loved to take a picture. I took a sip of hot coffee and breathed out. In the back mirror, I could see that Shirley wasn’t fully awake after all. She held on to my shoulders, nodding off with her body being semitransparent.

“Shirley, you could haunt me if you’re sleepy. Wouldn’t that be easier for you?”

Her sky blue eyes stared drowsily, and she gave me a faint nod. She slipped right into my body, and then the former floor master quietly went to sleep. I could feel her relief, as if she had just found a warm, inviting sleeping spot, and it made me happy.

Yes, I was happy. Just watching Marie and the others filled me with joy. I was sure they would get loud again once they woke up, but that would be fun in its own way.

I picked up the coffee, then stopped myself. I had Shirley inside me now, so I couldn’t drink something that would wake me up. I had to give it up for now, but I realized my mouth had curled into a smile. It seemed I was very excited about the Izu trip.

The dark sky began to turn brighter, slowly, from the east.

We had left the house quite early, but Obon was the busiest time of year, so we couldn’t help that the streets would get crowded. I observed the traffic and decided we would probably have plenty of time to go sightseeing before we got to the hotel. But since we had avoided that typhoon, the freeway was much more open than I expected.

I had heard it would get busy around seven o’clock, so we still had some time to cruise along. That meant we would probably get to our destination sooner too. Maybe we would get to take a detour before going to that Banana Wani Park that Marie had been looking forward to.

As I drummed the steering wheel with my fingers, someone woke up slowly, as if still fighting off their sleepiness. It had become completely bright out, and only the back seat had curtains to filter the sunlight. Marie must have been awakened by that light.

She rubbed her purple eyes, and then they opened slowly.

She must have been surprised by the unfamiliar three-lane freeway. There was a long stretch of walls for sound insulation, with lights placed at a set interval. Marie stared at them for a while, glanced forward and back several times, then stretched. A moment later, she yawned.

“Did you sleep well? We still have a while to go, so you can rest for now,” I said.

“I’m sorry, I completely fell asleep. I don’t even remember changing.” She was half asleep when she had changed. That was probably why she’d done her buttons wrong, which she was now fixing.

“So this must be the freeway. The unfamiliar sight woke me right up. Are you sure you’re okay driving so much faster than usual?”

“I would’ve liked to take my time on a leisurely drive, but there’s a minimum speed you have to maintain on this road. They charge you because it’s so much faster, but we’ll be going much slower soon once the road gets more crowded. We’re right around here right now. Have you learned how to use this?”

With that, I took my smartphone out of my chest pocket and handed it to Marie. Thanks to the navigation app, I could go on drives without relying on expensive GPS devices. It didn’t have all the bells and whistles as far as navigation features went, but it wasn’t as if we went on drives all the time, so I didn’t mind.

“Kanagawa-ken, Ebina-shi...? How convenient, our location appears on the map. When I first arrived in Japan, I thought this country used magic for sure. I didn’t think there wasn’t any magic here at all.”

“Yup, magic only exists in fiction and the dream world. But it’s interesting that we all understand what magic is.” It seemed I was able to pique her curiosity just a bit. Her purple eyes lit up, and she gently placed her hand on my thigh. She was quite warm from having just woken up, and her pretty voice rang out with a slight elven accent. Oh, how I loved that voice.

“Yes, and spirits and monsters are known here too. Isn’t it almost as if our worlds are connected somehow?”

“Hm, interesting. If they are connected, I wonder why that would be. There aren’t many people in either world that know about this, but maybe they’re related at a fundamental level somehow.” It made me so happy talking to Marie that I phrased it in a way I knew would draw her interest. Her eyes lit up even brighter, and I nearly stared at them while driving.

“Though, it could all just be a coincidence.”

“Do you think so? As long as we acknowledge the similarities between our worlds, and since we’re able to travel between them, I think there’s some sort of common ground. Maybe there’s some sort of powerful god connecting them,” Marie said with a joking tone, then looked at the back seat. I figured she was looking for a drink, so I pointed at my bag, and she thanked me.

“A god, huh? Sounds pretty grand.” People tended to seek comfort in gods, over in this world too. They could grant healing powers in the other world, but one thing both worlds had in common is that we couldn’t communicate with the gods directly. I suddenly remembered the other passenger. The sleeping floor master, Shirley, never spoke out loud. She communicated through her gentle demeanor and funny gestures, and I wondered why she never spoke any words.

The freeway continued on, bathed in sunlight. The road was a bit wet, but it would dry up as we drove for a while longer. Marie poured the contents of the canteen into a cup, and the pleasant smell of tea leaves filled the car.

“If I could talk to the gods, I’m sure people from around the world would envy me. Doula once told me that they sing their hymns to please the gods...but no one knows if they’re really pleased by them. They may even find them annoying. There are many people involved with the gods. Probably more people than we can even imagine.” With that, Marie took a sip of the warm tea. Her bright colored lips were curled in a smile, and she seemed to be enjoying the conversation like I was. But there seemed to be something else behind her smile.

“I say it’s okay if our worlds blend together a bit. At the very least, I’m glad they did. It’s so nice that you’re always there whenever I wake up.”

Marie, you’re going to make me smile if you say things like that.

But Marie seemed to be enjoying my reaction, and she giggled while watching me with those pale purple eyes of hers. To be honest, she was way too adorable.

Marie reached into the bag and brought out something else. It was a colorful piece of fabric, which she used to cover up her hair in the passenger seat. Then, her trademark elven ears disappeared from sight, and her expression told me she was enjoying the Japan trip from the bottom of her heart.

It sure was nice having someone to talk to. The freeway was just a long stretch of the same view, so it made me a bit sleepy. Though, in my case, I never fell asleep once I decided to stay up. Marie smiled.

“This Izu trip is very special to me. Hehe, we’ll be at Banana Wani Park soon. I’m sure those cute alligators will wave to me once we’re there. Oh, I can’t wait!”

Um... Alligators probably aren’t going to wave at you. It wasn’t as if we were in the dream world... Though, they wouldn’t wave to us over there either. Actually, I did recall Lizardmen waving at me.

As I struggled to figure out what to say, I felt something soft press against my cheek with a smooching noise. A sweet, feminine scent remained, and Marie rubbed my cheek with her thumb. When I realized what that sensation was, my heart began pounding faster.

“Good morning, Kazuhiro-san. It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it?” That voice I loved so much whispered, and I felt her warm breath on my ear. Not only was my heart beating harder, but I felt myself grow warmer, and my mouth loosened into a smile.

Marie giggled, but she seemed to have let her guard down. When she looked at the back seat earlier, she must have seen Wridra sound asleep. That was why she figured Wridra wouldn’t see her, but her eyes widened when Shirley emerged out of my body.

Even a bright girl like her couldn’t notice the ghost haunting me. Marie gasped, staring wide-eyed, and Shirley rubbed her own cheek with a puzzled expression. She then tilted her head as if to ask, “What was that just now?” and it was Marie whose face turned bright red this time.

“I-It’s nothing! L-Listen. That was just a kind of greeting. It’s what people do in the morning. It’s completely normal in Japan, okay? Normal!”

R-Right... That was kind of a stretch. But this put an end to Marie’s teasing, and Shirley finally woke up and left my body. Now I could wake myself up with more coffee, so I picked up my cup that had gone cold.

Shirley was awake now, so her skin was slowly becoming more opaque. It seemed she had bought Marie’s earlier explanation, and she put a hand to the elf’s chin, tilted her head up, and gave her a smooch on the cheek.

I spit out my coffee.

Marie turned more and more red as she trembled. It seemed she hadn’t seen this coming at all. Meanwhile, Shirley seemed to enjoy the softness of Marie’s cheek and continued making smooching noises. It was enough to shock me wide awake.

As Marie screamed, the sleeping dragon finally woke up.

“Fwaaah... Hm? You lot are as noisy as always...” Wridra said as she stretched, then gave us an exasperated look. She was probably about to be the next target, so I figured she’d be the one screaming in a minute.

“Gah!” a voice shouted soon after, but the residents of the fantasy world would soon be arriving at Odawara. Things would get wild once we did, as we’d have a nice view of the sea. The girls got rowdy as expected, but I was smiling for some reason.

The car slowly drove along the Seishou bypass.

The gently sloping freeway could be seen overhead, and my passengers all pressed up against the window, marveling at the three-dimensional design. As they looked back toward the front, a blue vehicle crossed the road ahead.

“Oh, oh, look! A shinkansen! We rode on one of those before. I was on the special window-side seat, of course. They’re really fast, but so comfortable. Horse-drawn carriages are rubbish in comparison.”

“S-Stop that, Shirley! Do not stick your head through the car whenever you find something interesting! People will realize you are a ghost! Kitase, you should have taught her the rules of this world while I was asleep, you witless man!”

Aha, I didn’t really have the time for that. I didn’t think Shirley would be far more dangerous than the wildly unpredictable Arkdragon or the overly curious elf. I had let my guard down because she was so quiet. But I figured Wridra’s anger would subside soon enough. The road gradually sloped ahead, and colorful scenery should be awaiting us.

Marie looked out the window and gasped lightly when she saw the view. Having grown up and learned magic in the elven forest and the Alexei Region, this was the first time she had seen such a sight.

“Wow, wow, wow! Th-The sea! Look, look, is that the sea?!” Marie looked adorable as she glanced back and forth between me and the window. I couldn’t help but smile seeing her with the sunlight shining down on her, framed by the horizon in the background.

When someone was going to see this view for the first time in their life, I had to make sure they cherished it. Thinking back, my grandfather had done the same for me.

Fortunately, the weather was nice out, and we were able to arrive here without getting caught up in traffic. I appreciated that it was worth the effort of waking up early. As I took a sip of coffee, we passed by the wall obstructing our view, and the left-side window was filled with the view of a blue horizon.

“Wooow! It’s the sea! So big!”

“Hm, quite extravagant of them to build a road along the coast. The sky and sea are a beautiful shade of blue. Hah, hah, this will be quite enjoyable,” Wridra remarked.

This view was the reason this driving course was so popular. Though, I spent most of my time indoors, so I hardly ever went out to drive.

We would take our time driving along the coast today. The vast expanse of sea could be seen to the left, and vivid greenery filled our view to the right. Thanks to the weather being clear after the typhoon passed by, we got to enjoy this view to the fullest.

The girls were pressed flat against the windows, and when I rolled them down, the humid wind blew into the car. The faintly salty wind made their hair fly in all directions, and they laughed happily.

“Our vacation at sea begins here. This might be your first time seeing this view, but how is it, Shirley?”

She pointed at the horizon, then made the shape of a zero with her fingers in the back mirror. I already knew the answer from seeing her smile, and Marie laughed, saying, “I thought so!” I hoped they would enjoy the view some more.

Even Wridra’s eyes were full of joy, but the Arkdragon could fly, so I figured she was used to seeing this view already. As I considered this, she turned her black eyes toward me.

“Hah, hah, in my case, flying was simply a means of travel for me. Consider this. Just flying around strikes fear into the hearts of humans. I had been cooped up in my den because I found them a bother to deal with, so this is my first time staring at it from the shore, let alone while riding in a car.” She narrowed her eyes as she smiled happily, making her look like a friendly cat. Her lustrous black hair was being buffeted by the wind too, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit.

“Oh, oh, it’s so big! It’s just like what was in the books, but it’s nothing like the books! Say, can I go outside and look? I’ve read that you can hear endless sounds of crashing waves!”

“Yeah, seems like we’ll get there early, so why don’t we stop by that souvenir shop? Oh, it looks like they’re selling manju. What do you think?”

“Let’s gooo!”

Even Shirley mouthed along with the other girls, which made me smile from ear to ear. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing when I saw the three of them acting like sisters. It was strange to see, considering they were an elf, a dragon, and a former floor master.

I closed the door behind me and let out a “Whoa!” when I saw the view. My body walked toward the fences behind the parking lot of its own accord. Just beyond them were the summer sky and a view of the vast sea glimmering under the sun.

We could hear the waves rushing against the rocks below, and white foam could be seen when I looked down from the fence. There was a bit of wind today, and Marie stood with one hand holding the hem of her dress and the other holding her hair.

She watched the sight without saying a word. Yet somehow, I felt that she found this time rewarding. She had lived as an elf, a sorceress, and a spirit user for a long time, but she couldn’t have experienced this view without some sort of miracle. She stood with the wide horizon before her, and her eyes were shining like precious stones when she turned around.

“Hehe, would you look at that? I’ve finally come to visit the sea.” The fantastical sight of her smile lit by the morning sun filled me with joy. But from her view, my face probably just looked sleepy like usual.

I walked up to Marie, and she naturally held my hand as usual. Her soft skin against mine, I noticed her fingertips were a bit cold. Her white hair danced in the wind as she giggled next to me.

“I’m sure the other elves would have been shocked if they heard that I arrived at the sea right after spending time in the deserts of Arilai. They would be so surprised, I could picture their ears pointing straight up.”

“I’m sure they’d be just as surprised if they heard about everything you did at the ancient labyrinth. Those explosions after we got through the escape route gave me chills.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate. Does that mean you didn’t trust my skills as a Spirit Sorceress? I knew the exact distances I was working with, and I made adjustments so you couldn’t get hurt.”

And that was the result?! I nearly said it out loud, but come to think of it, no one ended up getting hurt. Though, the heat singed my hair and I fell over, so it wasn’t as if things went completely smoothly. Then, I noticed Marie giggling, and I saw that impish look in her eyes.

“Sometimes, I just get this urge to see your surprised face. It’s just so funny, you know?”

“Urgh, so you did design it to be risky. I knew something was off. Puseri was with me at the time, but she just sped off on her horse and left me behind.”

Hearing this, Marie’s eyes widened for a moment, and then she clutched her sides in a fit of laughter. She must have pictured my pathetic-looking face, but Eve and I did look pretty pale at the time, so I couldn’t deny it. Seeing her laugh so cheerfully, I began to wonder if we really were dating.

Once she finished laughing, Marie watched the sea again with her skirt billowing in the wind.

“It’s so windy today. Maybe it’s because of the typhoon that passed by.” The wind from the sea was quite aggressive, and there was a strangely primal scent to it. Although it was completely different, there was something about it that reminded me of the ancient labyrinth.

“I hear it should settle down by the afternoon. For some reason, the Lady Arkdragon’s weather report is always dead on. To be honest, I debated on whether or not we should postpone the trip. I’m really thankful to her.”

I glanced to the side to find Wridra flashing a peace sign at us. She was the last of Team Amethyst to wake up, but there was no denying that she was the biggest contributor to the Izu trip. It seemed she was wide awake now, and her boots crunched the sand as she walked toward us.

“Hah, hah, how strange it is to see a human show appreciation to a dragon. Though, I hear it is not uncommon for us to be worshipped as gods in this land. In that case, it would only be natural for you to provide offerings to me.”

Wridra glanced at the vendor in the distance, which I took to mean that she wanted some tasty food. She was right that there were many shrines that worshipped dragon gods, but I wondered if any of those dragons were as gluttonous as her. I cocked my head at the thought, but such a dragon existed right in front of me, so there was no point in thinking about it. Then, I noticed that Wridra looked unhappy for some reason.

“This fence is in the way. It is ruining the scenery.”

“You know, there’s a famous viewing spot in Izu. We’re about to head that way, and we’ll see Banana Wani Park if we drive a little more.”

Marie looked excited to hear this, and Shirley tilted her head curiously at the sound of “Banana Wani Park.” Come to think of it, we had brought her along without giving her much of an explanation. I remembered casually asking her if she’d like to tag along to the Izu trip as we were about to fall asleep on the second floor. It went without saying that she hopped right into my body as if to say, “I wanna go!”

“It’s kind of a wild place, full of animals and greenery. By the way, bananas are these tasty, sweet, tropical fruits, and ‘wani’ means ‘alligator’ in Japanese. They’re, uh...kind of like Fire Lizards.”

“Hah, hah, you fool. Your comparison is completely off the mark. Now, hurry and take us to this place with a view. After you purchase those manju confections, of course.”

It was a good thing we had left early to avoid traffic. It gave us extra time to stop by these shops, and we didn’t have to fight the urge to go to the bathroom. And so, we bought some drinks and manju and headed back to the car right away.

It was nice seeing new sights and doing things we didn’t usually do.

The girls clapped along and sang together in the car. They sang a picnic song for children, and they had an adorable rule where they had to imitate animals when they were mentioned in the song.

“Lalalala, and Mr. Goat too! ♪” Marie made a goat noise along with the song, and my face was dangerously close to smiling wide. Her straight, white hair and airy one-piece dress made her look like an adorable doe in my eyes.

The brilliant, majestic sea stretched out before us, and the traffic wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I was able to enjoy the summer weather and salty air through the windows as I listened to the girls’ lovely singing.

“Lalalala, and Mr. Cow too!” But when Wridra imitated a mooing cow... Sorry, I tried, but I couldn’t hold it in anymore. The moment I burst out laughing, she shoved a manju into my mouth in retaliation.

Mm, sweet and tasty.

Cheerful laughter and clapping followed once the song ended, and our car entered a tunnel. Once we got through the tunnel, Jogasaki Coast would be right there.

§

The residential buildings around this area looked completely different from those in the city. The pension-style houses stood out here, and there were far more shops geared toward vacationers.

I was a fan of the leisurely atmosphere. We got out of the car after stopping at a modestly sized parking lot, and I felt the peaceful air of sightseeing spots along with the sea breeze. Marie seemed to feel the same way and approached me with a hop in her step.

“We’re finally here! My back hurts.”

“Are you okay? I know this is your first time riding a car for so long.” We stood next to each other and stretched out our limbs. My back made a cracking noise after all that driving.

There weren’t many tourists around because it was still eight in the morning, and most of the people around us had come with their families. My companions sure did draw a lot of attention. They caught a lot of looks just walking around, but they didn’t seem to mind, so I decided not to think about it either. I glanced back to my side to see Marie stretching both hands into the air, and my heart thumped in my chest as I saw her smooth armpits.

“Oh, look! That looks like a nice path to go on a walk. I wonder where it leads?” Her eyes were full of curiosity as she stared at the path, and we naturally started walking in that direction. What awaited the girls was a surprise for once we got there.

The woods were full of trees and mainly consisted of black pines. Before we knew it, we were completely under the trees’ shade. But the path was a bit different from those in the country, with the occasional rough sea breeze and glimpses of the blue sea between the trees. Marie seemed to enjoy these unfamiliar sights, and she looked all around her as she spoke to me.

“The path is paved, but it’s still a bit bumpy. Be careful not to trip, okay?” Marie had a habit of acting like an older sister sometimes. It was heartwarming to see, but she was the one clinging on to me. Marie looked at her own hand holding mine and looked confused for some reason.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice I was holding your hand. Since when was that there?”

“Hm, that’s a difficult question. I think it’d be easier to remember when you let go.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Marie said, and smiled as we continued walking on this quiet morning.

There were small flowers growing along our path, and I considered that this was the perfect route for a nice stroll. As we continued walking straight along the way, the fatigue from the long drive all but vanished.

“Ah, the view is so nice when it’s bright out. As an elf, I’ve been called strange for reading all the time, but I still enjoyed going on walks every morning, so I thought I would go mad when I moved to Alexei.”

Come to think of it, she always seemed to be in a bad mood when I reunited with her there. I remembered her saying she was fed up with her room smelling like boiled noinoi, a vegetable that looked a lot like onions.

“Lately, we’ve been walking along the path by the riverbed and through the second floor. It’s really nice going on strolls at places like these too.” I nodded in agreement. I had enjoyed exploring the dream world since I was young, and walking was a big part of my daily life. The peaceful feeling from looking at plants native to each region and seeing animals that lived there was something that could be enjoyed by elves and humans alike.

“Though, in my case, it was only recently that I’ve come to realize Japan’s charms,” I said.

“What’s with that? You make it sound as if I’m the one who invited you here. Hehe, you’re so strange,” Marie laughed, but she was right. In my memories of seeing cherry blossoms on a weekday, going on a hot springs trip, and returning to Aomori, Marie was always there. It was like we were complete opposites. I led Marie by the hand in the dream world, while Marie led me along with her curiosity here in Japan. Maybe we saw the charms of each other’s world because we felt that the grass was greener on the other side.

The sloppily paved path was quite bumpy, with many ups and downs because it was designed without flattening the natural shape of the ground much. Because of this, Marie gradually became short of breath and fell quiet. Despite her elven blood making her a good walker, she didn’t have much stamina as a Spirit Sorceress.

Maybe this path was intentionally made like this. The thought came to me when we reached the top of the slope and the sea breeze embraced us.

The sound of crashing waves could be heard, and the vast sea filled our vision. Marie gasped as a gust blew by and waves crashed against the rocks, the hem of her dress fluttering in the wind.

“It’s so pretty... The complex blend of different blues makes me feel like I’m looking at some sort of painting.” Her voice sounded dreamy in my ears.

The Japanese sea was quite nice. It sounded majestic, and there was a grandness to it that hinted at the size of this earth and the fact that there were even bigger worlds beyond. We stayed motionless for a while, trying to comprehend what we were seeing. There was such an overload of information that we couldn’t process it, and just stared into the colorful depths of the sea. In the end, my brain came up with one simple word: beautiful. Marie kept her gaze fixed upon the sea that was just bright as the sky and spoke faintly.

“I’m so glad I came. This is definitely a view everyone should see at least once in their life.”

“I think it’s a bit too early to say that. Our trip is just getting started, and there’s plenty more to see.” Marie slowly turned around. Her expression told me she had gained something from this experience. She held on to her hair as it swayed in the wind and moved her bare shoulders closer to me.

“I wonder if the wind is so strong because of the typhoon. Let’s keep going. I want to see what else there is.” And finally, the elf girl started walking again.

The paths along the sea were some of Jogasaki’s highlights. The beautiful blue sea filled most of my vision, but the soil here was poor due to being on a lava plateau. Yet, since there was plenty of sunlight, the plants here emerged victorious over the unfavorable conditions.

We walked through the path surrounded by plants, enjoying the contrast between the greenery, the rocks, and the sea adorned with black pines. The waves constantly hit the sheer black rocks, and we lost ourselves staring as they changed from marine blue to platinum white.

“The colors are so pretty. It’s like aquamarine melting in water.”

“I hear that gemstone means ‘seawater.’ By the way, I think there’s another spot up ahead, Marie,” I said as I turned around, and then I realized we had left Wridra and Shirley behind. I wasn’t sure if they were keeping their distance to be considerate to us or because they were brainstorming ideas on how to arrange the second floor.

We continued along the gently curving path, and our destination slowly came into view. The bridge held by wires was suspended from a sheer rocky outcrop and supported by sturdy-looking brown posts. Here, we were able to see the sea underfoot in addition to the scenery before us.

It was fifty meters in height and secured by wires, but it had an excellent view without anything blocking the way. The sign read, “No more than a hundred people should be on the bridge at a time,” which sounded kind of scary. I stood in front of it so Marie’s view of it would be obscured. Otherwise, we may have ended up having to go back.

“Ah, a suspension bridge! Hm, this must be worth seeing!” Wridra exclaimed.

“I hear there was a volcanic eruption around here four thousand years ago. They say there’s some amazing sights of naturally formed beauty. You should look forward to it.” Wridra must have flown much higher before, but she seemed giddy about these places with high elevation for some reason. I stepped forward so we could check it out in person, then felt someone grab my hand. I turned around and saw that Marie looked rather pale.

“What’s wrong, Marie?”

“Everyone, don’t let your guard down. Look, the bridge is moving.” I looked at the bridge as I was told, and... Well, I supposed it was kind of moving.

“Well, it is a suspension bridge. A typhoon has just passed by recently. Regardless, a bit of wind would obviously cause it to sway to some degree,” Wridra said, then laughed. “Do not be such a coward.” Although, I had already given up at this point. Marie had a terrible fear of earthquakes, and walking on unstable footing was out of the question for her.

“We have no choice. Let’s give it up,” I said.

“Yes, that’s a wise decision,” Marie agreed. “Even if it has the best view in Izu, there’s no need to put ourselves at risk just to see it. We can save the adventures for the ancient labyrinth.”

Wridra looked at us, mouth agape with shock.

“Stop right there! Kitase, you coddle Marie far too much. She is not some newborn! B-Besides, what makes the ancient labyrinth acceptable while you turn away from a suspension bridge? I cannot even fathom your reasoning!” I had trouble deciding how to respond.

“Um, well, the ancient labyrinth isn’t really dangerous. It’s more like a place to have some fun and exercise. When strong enemies come up, it’s a nice form of stress relief, and...”

“No!!! Do you think of it as some sort of sports ground?! Look, even Shirley is confused.”

With that, Wridra pulled Shirley closer by her shoulder, but I had heard that Wridra herself had punched “Demon Arms” Kartina after being influenced by a certain boxing manga. With her bare hands, no less.

Shirley didn’t say a word, but I could see that she kind of understood where we were coming from. Between the pizza tasting party, kind friends, time spent doodling in her Monster Book, and our little lap pillow moment, there wasn’t really any point when we were in real danger.

Shirley wordlessly held Marie’s hand, then lifted it above her head. The gesture meant she had declared the winner.

“We won,” I said.

“Yes,” Marie replied.

“So there we have it. The ancient labyrinth is the perfect place to lose some weight.”

“You traitor! No, no, I want to cross the bridge! I do not want to leave after walking all this way without experiencing the best part of traveling!”

I’m not sure an Arkdragon should be whining like a child in public... Not to mention, the other families nearby were staring at us.

In the end, Shirley and Wridra ended up crossing the bridge together, and we watched them take a bunch of pictures in our stead.

After waiting for some time, the two finally returned.

“Ohh, that was a beautiful sight. Such majesty can only be experienced in person. I am certainly glad we have come to visit eastern Izu. It seems that human and that elf over there do not understand. Bleh,” Wridra boasted out loud before sticking her tongue out at us. She sent sidelong glances at Marie, and I wondered if she was trying to get her to tag along.

Although Marie was really bad with earthquakes and heights, she had an incredibly curious nature. I felt her restlessness while holding her hand, and I could tell that she was struggling between her fear and urge to see the unknown. All I could do here was give her a little encouragement.

“There’s no need to cross the bridge all the way. Why don’t you try taking a peek, then coming back right away?”

“Yes, you’re right. Let’s do that. I’d like to take just one picture with the sea at our backs.” I was more than happy to take it for her, of course.

Marie held my hand with a far stronger grip than usual, then bravely took her first step forward.

The contrast of the majestic sea in the background and Marie’s weak-kneed posture made for a nice picture. A picture of a teary-eyed Ms. Elf flashing a peace sign was quite rare, so I had to thank Wridra later.

Everyone was starting to get hungry after all that excitement. And so, we decided to get a boxed lunch so we could look out over the sea with our meal.

The sun had risen, and the Higashiizu Highway was getting quite congested. But we didn’t mind, and our car remained stationary. After all, we had a view of the Pacific Ocean from our parked car, making it the perfect spot to have some lunch.

All that could be seen through the window was a short hedge. There was a sheer, arching cliff in the direction the car was facing, and once we opened the windows and shut off the engine, we could hear the waves in the distance. I turned around and asked the girls what they thought of this spot, and all three of them nodded.

“It’s perfect! It’s bright, the view is pretty, and it feels like we have the ocean all to ourselves!” Marie tapped her feet happily. It was a bit windy, but our meal would probably taste better with the sea before us.

“Ah, what a wonderful view. Having lunch with a view of the Pacific Ocean is quite the luxury.”

“Yeah, I’m glad we found such a nice spot. Can you grab that bag over there? The food is in it. There are only three boxed lunches, so I don’t mind sharing with Shirley.” And by “sharing,” I meant I would eat the meal while she haunted me. Shirley had been looking at the food longingly, and she nodded cheerfully upon hearing my suggestion.

Judging by the look on her face, it seemed she wasn’t against the idea of haunting me. Her body became semi-transparent, which I assumed was because she was getting ready. She held onto my shoulders, and then I felt her going inside of me as I thought I heard someone say, “Pardon me.” I wasn’t sure if her heart was thumping from the excitement of the view or her anticipation for the meal.

“This one is Marie’s, and the big one is for Wridra.” I handed the meals to each of them, and they smiled and thanked me. The beautiful sight of the elf girl’s white hair and the dragon’s black hair fluttering in the wind with the sea at their backs made me think I was dreaming or something. Well, they had literally come from a dream world.

It was right around noon, and the sun was high in the eastern sky. It was bright in the car thanks to the sunlight reflecting off the water, and Marie happily undid the sky blue wrappings on her lunch box.

“I’m starving. Maybe it’s because I had that terrifying experience at the bridge.”

“You only crossed a small portion of it. And when you finally managed to speak, you barely squeaked out that you wished to go home,” Wridra pointed out.

“Hey! You won’t get any of the food we made if you’re going to say things like that. What a shame, they’re some of our best work after we spent so much time making them,” Marie said, her brows furrowed, but Wridra hugged the lunch box defensively.

“I will not give it back!”

It was true that we had spent a lot of time on them. In fact, it took about two hours of work. It was probably...no, definitely the most time I had spent on cooking anything. The reason it took so long was...

Wridra was giddy as she undid the wrappings for the boxed lunch. There, she found an adorable character smiling right back at her. She blinked several times, then opened her mouth wide.

“Aha ha ha! The resemblance is uncanny!”

“Oh my goodness, sooo cuuute!!!”

I could understand their reactions of rolling on the floor laughing and squirming. Our lunches were character bentos, which were literally boxed lunches arranged to look like famous characters.

The elliptical rice balls used seaweed to form eyes and mouths, and they greeted us with both hands raised in celebration. The original motif was popular among both children and adults, and it was the main reason Marie had taken such a liking to anime in the first place.

The characters had adorable faces with meatballs and quail eggs for eyes. The colorful decorations consisting of lettuce, rolled omelets, and mini tomatoes made Marie’s face loosen into a lovestruck smile.

“Ohh, I can’t believe it! How can such adorable bentos exist?! Oh, pictures, pictures! Take a picture for me, quick!”

Whoa, she’s really excited.

I couldn’t blame her, considering she just saw one of her favorite things at a perfect leisure spot after spending all that time making these lunches. And so, I pulled out my smartphone and pointed it at Marie grinning with the boxed lunch in hand. Wridra also moved her face closer and flashed a grin just like the featured character, and I snapped a picture.

Hmm, this picture’s perfect. I’m saving it forever.

“Well then, let us eat. It looks delicious!”

“...”

But Marie froze in place. She stared at the character before her with her chopsticks in hand, then glanced at the rest of us several times, and her expression turned sadder and sadder. She looked as if tears would fall from her eyes any minute.

For some reason, her cheerful smile had collapsed all at once. Wridra and I looked at Marie.

“I-I’m not a child. It’s not like... I can’t eat it...” It was as if she was trying to make excuses to us. I had kind of expected this, but she had become emotionally attached to the cute character.

Wridra and I exchanged looks. Apparently, it was my role to step up at times like these, as the Arkdragon raised an eyebrow at me. The gesture probably meant something like, “Good luck,” or “You handle this.” Of course, I couldn’t just make her eat her favorite character. But there was no need for me to convince her in my own words. Since it was a character she liked, all I had to do was let him talk to her.

“Marie, the best part of character bentos is appreciating their cuteness and having fun eating them. If you don’t, you might make him sad.” I picked up a pair of chopsticks and moved the character’s pupils slightly.

He was now looking up at Marie, as if to say, “Aren’t you gonna eat me?” Marie and the character stared at each other, and I saw her purple eyes light up.

“Did he say something?”

“...He’s asking me why I’m not eating him, even though he’s delicious. This isn’t fair. How can he want me to eat him when he’s so adorable? Doesn’t he know how this makes me feel?” She pouted her lips as she picked up her chopsticks. Then, she flashed her white teeth to match the character’s expression.

“Oh, fine. Let’s dig in then.” Wridra gave me an approving look, and then we all said our usual pre-meal greeting of “Itadakimasu.”

And so, our lunch with the view of the Pacific Ocean had begun. The main attraction was the character with a distinctive physique. It was wrapped in seaweed like a rice ball, and there were some fun surprises inside once opened up.

“Hm?! There is tuna mayo in here! Quite admirable of you to know my favorite food!”

“Yes, we secretly put in your favorites. Kazuhiro-san made mine, so I’m not sure what’s in here... Oh, hamburg steak with cheese!” Yes, the characters had an important role. They were to spread happiness and satisfy everyone’s taste buds by containing their favorite dishes within them. Joy lit up in Marie’s and Wridra’s eyes as they ate.

As for me, my sense of taste was dulled due to Shirley haunting me. Although it was tasteless and odorless, I could sense her emotions as she enjoyed the food, so it was very satisfying for me.

I couldn’t actually see her, but the thought of her squirming blissfully with each bite made me quite happy. That was part of the reason why I put so much effort into cooking.

“Mmm, I love it! It feels even better than usual with this view.” The blue sky and blue sea. Izu Oshima Island could be seen on the horizon. It was a lively lunch with residents of a fantasy world and anime characters coming together. The summer sun was quite strong, but the wind passing through the car windows made the heat more manageable.

“Oh, let’s have some tea. Uva tea is kind of similar to the tea leaves from Arilai, I think.” The jellyfish Marie had summoned earlier added ice to our paper cups for us. The tea leaves coming out of the pot smelled like sweet, fragrant roses. The nice thing about uva tea was that you could enjoy the scent as well as the flavor.

“Oh, it smells a lot like what you’d find in Arilai! Mm, it’s nice and refreshing when it’s chilled like this.”

“Thanks to you two, I have come to enjoy tea as well. It feels quite depraved for a dragon to savor such indulgences.”

That’s odd. Isn’t this the same dragon that stuffed her face with beer and a katsu bowl the first day we met?

They seemed to be reminiscing about the distant land of Arilai as they smelled the tea. Apparently, they had become fond of that place after making so many fun memories there.

“So, are we finally going to Banana Wani Park after this?”

“Of course. It’s really close, so we should get there in no time even if there’s a bit of traffic. There’s a lot of plants and animals, so I’m sure Shirley will have fun too.” I felt her heart thumping inside of me. Her child-like excitement felt a bit ticklish, and I squirmed slightly from the sensation.

I took a few more pictures as the girls ate, and after getting some shots of their happy smiles and peace signs, our bento boxes soon became empty. And so, having finished our meal, we got in the car and I started driving slowly. I wasn’t able to taste the food at all, but it was quite a wonderful lunch.

§

The traffic calmed down significantly as we turned into the back roads away from the coast. The scenery was replaced by mountains, and it looked a bit drab without a view of the sea. Marie was staring out the window as we drove up a slope, and she suddenly raised her voice in surprise. A dome-shaped structure that looked like a botanical garden had come into view. I turned on my blinkers and parked the car.

I considered how strange Japanese tourist attractions tended to be. The Banana Wani Park building looked plain like a community center, and I wondered for a moment if we were really at the right spot. There were no real distinguishing features about the parking lot other than the few tropical plants growing there, so it was natural to wonder. I murmured to myself as we got out of the car, then noticed that Marie was waving her pointer finger side-to-side for some reason.

“You’ve lived in Japan for twenty-five years and you still don’t understand?”

“What do you mean?” I wasn’t sure why she was asking me this. As I tried to figure it out, Marie lined up next to me. She then looked up at me with a smug expression.

“Japanese tourist attractions first trick you with their appearance. You let your guard down, but then they getcha with the gap between your expectations and reality.” She made an eating gesture with her hands, and I worried that Marie was a bit too lenient when it came to anything Japan-related. I hoped she wouldn’t end up being disappointed.

As I considered this, I noticed that Marie’s hand was wandering in the air, as if searching for something. She mentioned that she didn’t notice when she held my hand, but it seemed her hand really was seeking mine subconsciously. Our hands met as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and her slender fingers wrapped around mine. It seemed she didn’t even notice, and she looked up at me and tilted her head as if to ask, “What is it?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I welcome it wholeheartedly.”

“What in the world are you talking about? Anyway, it would be terrible if it got too crowded or they ran out of tickets. We should hurry, unless you want to cry yourself to sleep tonight.”

Whoa, she looks serious.

Marie called out to the others to hurry as they exited the car, and I could see she was raring to go. Come to think of it, this was Marie’s main destination of the trip.

Wridra gave me a strange look that seemed to mean, “What is going on with Marie?” but I couldn’t respond as I was getting led by the hand.

Amidst the lively atmosphere we entered the building labeled, “Atagawa Banana Wani Park.”

The building was quite... cozy. If it wasn’t for Marie, I doubt I would have picked it as a tourist destination. Though, the old me wouldn’t have even left my room during Obon week to begin with. Considering that, it felt strange that I had come to a foreign place like this, and the thought of something new awaiting me made my heart beat with anticipation. It almost felt like traveling through the dream world.

“Wow...”

The blue sky was shining through the dome-shaped greenhouse, bringing in plenty of the summer sunlight. But this meant the seasonal heat was even worse than outside, and I regretted coming here in the middle of summer.

“Sooo hooot!” But for some reason, Marie was all smiles.

She fanned her face in the midday heat, but her smile was just as bright as the sunlight. It was no wonder; she was here in the Banana Wani Park, the facility she was looking forward to so much that it appeared in her dreams... Though, she didn’t actually dream, considering we just traveled between worlds whenever we fell asleep.

There were many couples and families with children among the other guests. They were all dressed lightly with short sleeves, and they were sweating profusely while complaining about the heat like us. It seemed they were all enjoying their leisure time during Obon vacation. Come to think of it, Izu’s Obon timing was different from the rest. It went from the end of July to the beginning of August, if I recalled correctly. So, the people enjoying their vacation now were mostly people who had Obon sometime around August 15th or so.

Of course, this facility wasn’t just hot. There were plants that looked like tropical palms all over, and the pale brown boulders decorating the place gave it a tourist attraction type of atmosphere. The aquatic smell in the air made me feel like I was traveling through a distant tropical world.

“This place has a sort of easy-going atmosphere to it, doesn’t it? I wonder if it’s because of this dopey-looking character,” I said as I poked the mascot stuffed animal at the entrance. There was something humorous about the silly-looking, bipedal alligator in loose clothing. But Marie took this opportunity to poke fun at me and nudged my chest with her bare shoulder.

“Oh, look who’s one to talk. You’re the laid-back mascot character of Team Amethyst, you know. It’s easy to tell just by your name, Kazuhiho.” I didn’t realize that even my name sounded laid-back. Though, I felt like Marie was more laid-back than I was as of late.

In any case, it seemed she didn’t mind sweating so much in the tropical environment. In fact, she claimed that feeling the sweat on her skin was part of the experience and added to the ambiance. I kind of understood what she meant, perhaps because I felt a sense of nostalgia that reminded me of the Showa era. I had heard this was a place that adults could enjoy too, probably because of the familiar atmosphere that brought back one’s inner child.

Maybe “tasteful” was an apt way to put it. Rather than just being pristine, the distinct atmosphere of the Showa era gave it a sense of history. We walked around the park as I thought about this, then felt someone squeeze my hand. I looked over and saw Marie looking at me as if she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Come on, come on! Let’s go see the alligators!”

“Ha ha, sure thing. Let’s go find the scary alligators that are after a certain elf.” When I made a biting gesture with my open hand, Marie shrugged her head ticklishly and flashed her white teeth with a big smile. She really was the cutest when she smiled.

“Oh, how scary. But they might prefer sleepy humans over elves. After all, they would be easy to catch and gobble up.” She kind of had a point there. I mean, I did get caught by monsters all the time.

I turned around as I was guided by my hand, and I saw that Wridra and Shirley were following us while looking around curiously. They didn’t seem to understand what kind of place this was, but it would be faster to show them rather than explain. And so, I kept walking with Marie leading me forward. I sensed a smile creeping up because of all the exuberance I could feel through her hand.

The stars of the show, the alligators, looked down at us beyond the brown fence. Marie’s light purple eyes lit up with excitement as she saw the creatures with large, craggy scales the color of rocks on the riverbank with their mouths half-open.

She beckoned me over for some reason, then stood on her tiptoes to whisper something in my ear. She put a hand around my ear and said, “Monster!” softly into my ear. I had to correct her mistake before she made my face break down into a sloppy smile.

“They aren’t monsters. They’re animals that live in the tropics.”

“Oh, you must be right. They would have attacked us already if they were monsters.” She may have been a bit confused by what she saw. The animals laid completely still in the sun. They seemed to be sunbathing, each of them peacefully resting at their favorite spots near the rocks or water.

They seemed quite powerful, with their spiky backs and massive jaws. But they were far more immobile than we had expected, and I felt as if we were watching some elaborate stone statues. Marie crouched down next to the fence, her knees peeking out from her white dress.

“So this is what happens when you remove the ‘man’ from a Lizardman.”

“Hm, they do look similar. Perhaps this is how they would look if they decided to stop walking on two feet,” Wridra said as she approached from behind, then placed her hand on Marie’s shoulder and peeked over. I was surprised by how immobile they really were. Some of them slept with their mouths wide open, which made Marie giggle.

“Alligators and crocodiles are mostly nocturnal. That’s why they bask in the sun like that during the day,” I explained, and Wridra and Marie looked at me, impressed.

“They are even more alike than I thought. I have had them working under me for some time now, but there have not been any intruders as of late, and they are a tad too crude to look after my children. With less work for them to do, they have been spending most of their time sleeping just like this.”

“They were such nice Lizardmen. I remember they taught me how to speak their language. Come to think of it, they showed me where your sleeping spot is too.”

“Yes, they are not too intelligent, so giving guidance and cleaning are about all they can manage. Though, they are quite useful for simple tasks... Hm.” Wridra seemed to realize something and turned to face Shirley beside her. Shirley seemed curious about this unknown creature, and she was staring with her sky blue eyes through the fence.

“Shirley, I would not mind letting the Lizardmen work under you. You must be thinking of expanding the second floor soon. That would be far better than letting them lie around in boredom.” Marie and I blinked. We didn’t expect Wridra to talk about expanding the second floor, and we were surprised that it was even possible, considering it was already as spacious as the Tokyo Dome. Shirley smiled.

“Wait, are you serious? That place is going to get even bigger?”

“What are you surprised about? Do you not recall how many monsters have been added to Shirley’s book on the third floor? It is only logical that we must expand the space for the circulation of souls.” I never thought of it that way. We listened to her explanation about the second floor as we walked around the park. The small alligators we saw through the tank had funny, somewhat nihilistic expressions on their faces. One alligator stared at Marie for a while, then blew a bubble out of its mouth.

“If you’re expanding the place, it must be difficult to manage it. I’d like to have more fun with Shirley and keep raiding with her, if possible.”

Hearing this, a wide grin spread across Shirley’s face. Her smile was so genuine, I could feel her emotions even without the use of words. Strangely, it made me wonder if words were even necessary at all.

“Regarding that... There are many monsters with high intelligence that serve Shirley as well. That ‘Demon Arms’ Kartina is one of them, and there will be much less of a workload for Shirley with the additional help from my Lizardmen.”

“Huh, I didn’t realize Kartina was considered a monster. I couldn’t really tell whether Demon Arms was equipment or a monster. But I guess if she’s stored in the Monster Book, that explains it.” Wridra smiled as if in agreement.

That meant the second floor was going to get even more lively. The pumpkin seeds we had sown wouldn’t sprout for some time, but maybe we could have the monsters handle growing the vegetables. I looked at the fence as I considered this, then yelped in surprise. A creature about four meters in length was floating in the water. It went without saying that Marie also reacted to its appearance.

“Wow! So big! Look, Kazuhiro-san, that one could probably swallow you whole.” With that, she made clawing motions on my shoulder. It tickled, but at least I wasn’t actually getting eaten.

“Wait, why do you want me to get swallowed up so much? But boy, that thing’s as big as a car.” There was something fascinating about massive animals. Although it moved rather slowly, there was a sense of presence about it from having lived for so many years.

Judging by the fact that it was in a cage by itself, perhaps it was too aggressive to mingle with the others. They were carnivores after all, so it could have been a way to prevent them from fighting among one another. The crocodile’s eye membrane opened as it emerged from the water, and its demeanor changed as its golden, reptilian eyes turned to us. The creature splashed around as it swam right up to the fence.

It pressed his massive front legs on the edge and pushed against it forcefully. The fence creaked against the crocodile’s scales, and the sightseers around us cheered at the intensity. The park full of nocturnal creatures was rather quiet, but the animals there became ferocious once they actually started moving.

“Hah, hah, what a magnificent female. I see, I see. You bore many children here, did you?” Only Wridra was unfazed, and she simply smiled at the reptile. As a friend of the Lizardmen, the Arkdragon seemed to be able to communicate even with large estuarine crocodiles. They stared at each other for some time. Then, seemingly satisfied, the crocodile closed her eyes, then slowly swam away.

The park fell quiet once again as if nothing had happened, and Wridra muttered.

“I had assumed they despise being caged in here, but it seems that one does not mind too much. She says she has been enjoying her time in leisure here. And supposedly, the food is quite good.” I really didn’t expect her to be able to communicate with these reptiles so well. But considering she was an Arkdragon, there probably weren’t a lot of things she couldn’t do. Just then, I remembered something.

“Oh yeah, I heard you took down Kartina in one punch. I wish I could’ve been there to see it.”

“Aha, it was quite a battle. My signature move, the Phantom Left, was the deciding factor. I now have an interest in Japanese martial arts as well, so I can teach you sometime if you wish.”

Uh, no thank you.

Why in the world would I want to learn boxing in a fantasy world? I made a face that meant I was obviously against the idea, but Wridra paid no mind. Her eyes were full of excitement as she threw out lightning-fast right jabs. I wanted to warn her that the fathers around us would stare at her breasts if she kept throwing out punches in her tank top like that.

“I will have you know I am quite the strict teacher. But if you can endure my training, you can become the greatest in the world.”

“Then I’ll have to decline. Ha ha, I’d probably reek of sweat if I picked up boxing anyway.” A fist sank right into my stomach.

I see, Kartina must have shouted “Guh!” and sank to the ground just like this. It would have been impossible to win against this. I probably would have ended up in even worse shape if Wridra decided to hit me with her so-called “Phantom Left.” My girlfriend Marie was completely absorbed in the crocodile and didn’t even notice that I was curled up on the ground.

We stopped in our tracks as soon as we entered the greenhouse. It was due to the sunlight beaming down on us through the glass and the humidity that was even higher than the crocodile and alligator park we were just in.

“Wow, it’s just like our bath at home!” Marie said, turning around from the front to face us. Her expression was cheerful despite the situation, and her light purple eyes were more colorful than the hibiscus flowers around us. Wridra looked up at the plants with folded leaves with a sparkle in her eyes.

“Hm, so these are the kinds of plants that grow in tropical rainforests. They have such peculiar, bendy shapes. I did not think plants could be gathered to be used in a business like this.”

Beads of sweat had formed on their necks from the humidity. But their curiosity piqued by the interesting sight seemed to have taken priority, and they just poked at the decorative plants without concern for the heat. Shirley’s sky blue eyes were also sparkling with wonder, her mouth hanging half-open. Her head swayed to the left and right as if she was dancing, and she was completely mesmerized by the rows of various unusual plants here.

“Shirley, if you’re interested, why don’t we make a botanical garden? I’m sure you could make a greenhouse with Wridra’s help too,” I whispered, and her eyes lit up even brighter. The greenery on the second floor was beautiful, and it made me feel at peace just looking at it. She must have pictured adding small footpaths with pretty flowers planted on each side, and a greenhouse full of rare, foreign plants. I had heard Wridra talking about expansion earlier, but I was sure they could work on other kinds of development as well.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Shirley expressed her joy by stamping her feet in place. It was rare seeing Shirley this excited. Come to think of it, she had existed since a long, long time ago. Having continued to protect her forest for all this time, it must have been an amazing feeling to discover plants she had never seen before.

“Since we’re here, you should look at them to your heart’s content. But some of them are interesting to touch. Look, like this one.” I drew their attention to a plant that seemed to be a type of fern. I crouched in front of the plant, then gestured for them to touch it. Marie gingerly extended her finger, then...

“Wow! It closed! What is this?!”

“Hm, what a curious plant. It closed its leaves on touch.”

I also reached out and touched the leaves, which closed up in response. It felt a bit ticklish to touch, and it took me back to when I was a child. I looked over at the girls who were staring in wide-eyed wonder and pointed at a nearby sign.

“These are called Mimosa pudica. Supposedly, they shrink their leaves so animals won’t eat them.” It was just a common theory, but it seemed to be effective, considering they could be found around the world.

“My, what a clever plant! This does make them look wilted and unappetizing. There are plants that attack you in the other world, so these are like the complete opposite.”

“Oh, those. I don’t know how many times I got dissolved by them. They’re surprisingly strong.” It was hard to tell them apart from the other plants, so I usually had to fight them with my foot caught in their vines. They were pretty much the perfect counter to a mobile fighter like me. We all reminisced about the past and laughed together.

Seeing something for the first time was always a curious experience. I was having fun seeing plants that were only found in tropical climates too. It was said that there were over five thousand species of these plants, and the elf girl, dragon, and ghost all stared with childlike wonder.

The water lily, a type of flower that resembled Marie’s eyes, was among them. The open petals had a purple color that grew darker toward the tip and made the viewer want to move closer to get a better look. They had a gentle, clean sort of scent that tickled my nose. There were other plants floating in the pond, like the Victoria amazonica, which was known as the queen of water lilies and could even hold up small children.

I had thought Banana Wani Park was somewhat mundane at first, but I came to realize it was a place where I could discover new things everywhere I looked. It was a strange feeling, and I couldn’t help but express how I felt.

“They did such a great job making this place entertaining despite its unassuming building.”

“Oh, I see you’ve finally figured it out. Japanese tourist attractions are never what they seem on the outside. This is why you...” Marie trailed off. She was distracted by the big, round creature drifting beyond the acrylic panel in the middle of the botanical garden. The beady-eyed animal known as the mermaid of the amazons floated serenely in the water. This was the only place in Japan where one could see the Amazonian manatee.

“Wooow...” It had been facing away from us at first, but as soon as it noticed Marie, it blew out some bubbles and turned around. It then moved its short fins and pointed its puffy, pig-like snout at her.

It was a strange sight, seeing a manatee and elf meet for the first time. They were each in their own world of vivid blues and verdant greens. Somehow, I felt like there was a fantasy-like quality to the scene.

Marie placed her pale, slender hand on the acrylic panel, and the manatee pressed his nose on the other side. This image at Banana Wani Park was ingrained into my mind. This was what making memories on trips was all about.

Seeing these two wondrous beings meet was strangely touching. I snuck a picture to capture the moment, which I was sure the rosy-faced Marie would appreciate. I decided to show it to her after we got back from our trip.

The skies were clear above the rooftop terrace, with a view that was completely worth the trip up the mountain. Mountains surrounded us on both sides, and ahead was a sea of cobalt blue. It was a summery, colorful sight, and we could even see Izu Oshima Island in the distance.

Bright yellow soft serve ice cream was somewhat unusual. It was made with the park’s theme, bananas, and Marie gave me a curious look when she saw one for the first time.

The girls leaned against the railing and dug into their soft serves. The airy ice cream melted on their tongues, leaving a natural sweetness as it passed through their throats. The icy treat was perfect for cooling down after hanging out in the greenhouse, and it left a sweet, tropical, banana-flavored aftertaste.

“Mmm, so cold and tasty!”

“Mmf, I can taste the banana within the sweetness!”

Their bodies interpreted it as necessary sustenance, so all they had to do now was enjoy it to the fullest. They took in the surrounding leisure area full of hotels as they continued tasting the delicious soft serve. I was having fun just watching them enjoy themselves.

Marie stretched her limbs, then sighed contentedly.

“The beautiful sea, all this nature around us... I’m so glad we came to Izu.”

“This is quite unfair. Japan is simply unbeatable when it comes to flavor. I cannot help but feel glad to be here whenever I eat something delicious.”

Despite her pseudo-complaint, Wridra was smiling happily, completely mesmerized by her soft serve. Shirley nodded with a dreamy expression, perhaps because she had liked the greenhouse so much, or because she had just tasted ice cream for the first time. She paid no mind to her blonde hair billowing in the wind and simply enjoyed the flavor and view. As I watched them, I felt that they had taught me how to truly have fun while on vacation.

I stared at the sea with the girls, work completely out of my mind, and felt a sense of excitement and wonder welling up inside me.

The faint smell of salt carried on the wind reminded me that we were indeed on a trip away from home. It was completely different from the city I was so used to, and it still felt strange that we were out here having fun. I even felt tension that I didn’t know I had escaping my shoulders.

Then I noticed someone warmly embracing me from the side. The elf girl was soft and slender, and my finger brushed against her shoulder blades as I put my arm around her.

“I’ve been looking forward to coming here for so long, and I’m glad I did. Thank you for bringing me here, Kazuhiro-san.”

Her happy smile made my mouth curl just a bit more than usual. It seemed Marie was completely relaxed, just like me. To be honest, she was the one who made this all enjoyable for me. I was a bit embarrassed to say so out loud, so I decided to say something else instead.

“We’ll be heading to the hotel soon, but it’s always a good idea to take a hot bath after a long day of travel. What do you say to spending some time in an open-air bath?” It wasn’t just Marie’s eyes that went wide with surprise. With the beautiful, vivid sea and clear skies here, the view from the bath would be exquisite.

“Oh, oh, that sounds amazing! I can’t wait!” She tapped her feet in place adorably, and I mentally told myself that I had to make sure she would have the time of her life.

The girls were absolutely giddy as we left the terrace and headed toward the hotel.

Oh, that’s right. I forgot there’s something I need to ask of Shirley first.

Epilogue

It went without saying that inns existed in the dream world as well. Many of them had a dining hall and reception area on the first floor, with rooms for lodging on the second floor, and payment was usually done on a pay-as-you-go basis. There were even inns like dilapidated hovels or stables in the dream world, but their basic principles remained the same. That being said, the workers there didn’t trust their guests one bit. They often had to intimidate their guests to make sure they coughed up what they owed, as it was very common for ruffians to refuse payment.

“Wow, so spacious! This place has such a modern design.”

“Hm. Despite the Japanese-style design, the flooring is made of marble. Not to mention, I smell incense in the air. It is hard to believe this is the reception area of an inn... I do wonder why so much money was spent on the entrance.”

As for inns in Japan, it was the complete opposite of the dream world.

Though they were alike in the sense that they took care in managing their customers, in this case, they provided the carrot rather than the stick. For example, the sunlit sofa that could be seen on the other side had been put there for weary travelers, or perhaps for guests who wanted to have some tea after their morning walk. Such thoughtful treats had been placed throughout the facility.

What guests wanted differed greatly depending on whether they were there for the view of the ocean, peace and quiet, or something to fill their stomach. The inn’s management had provided these places of respite in such a way that guests would naturally gravitate toward them.

These little clever elements of design had been tempered through years of welcoming guests since the old days. As the girls stood there in shock, I called out to them.

“You should enjoy this place to your heart’s content. It’s best that you don’t shy away from things that interest you.”

They looked at me with expectant eyes and nodded. I wasn’t really worried about Wridra, but Marie had a tendency to be a bit too reserved as an elf who had lived in the city. But since we had come all the way here, I wanted her to have as much fun as possible.

I noticed she had gently taken my hand, so I crouched slightly to make eye contact with her. I whispered, “Don’t be shy.” Marie blinked, then turned to me.

“You mean like this?” I made a muffled noise as I felt something faintly touch my lips. She had taken me completely by surprise, and her smile deepened when she saw the look on my face. She put a finger up to her lips as telling me to keep quiet.

“How much time do you think we’ve spent together? Now, don’t worry about me. Let’s go to the reception desk, shall we? The staff member there is giving us a troubled look.” I wanted to point out that it was probably her fault the receptionist looked troubled, and I could see Wridra staring at me with a teasing grin. Hiding my red face with my hands wasn’t enough for me to recover from the shock, so I cleared my throat.

We passed through the old-fashioned entrance, and the receptionist bowed to us. She must have known we were guests here from the travel bags we had brought with us.

“Welcome, Mr. Kitase. We thank the three of you for staying with us today.”

“Thank you. These two can speak Japanese without issues, so please don’t hesitate to interact with them.” The woman in the muted uniform glanced at the two girls looking around their surroundings, then smiled.

“Yes, of course. Please let us know if you would like to speak to any English-speaking staff. Now, I would like to show you all to the Shiosai Room. This way, if you please.”

The girls must have been surprised to be guided to our rooms by a staff member like this. Marie in particular was bewildered by being treated like royalty, and she seemed to be wondering if they were mistaking us for someone else.

The staff member smiled as we went up the stairs. She looked very young. I wondered if she was a student working here part-time.

“You must be tired from your trip. I apologize for the long set of stairs.”

“Oh, this is nothing. This place must have a long history.”

The woman with the bob cut laughed pleasantly, then said, “Oh, it’s simply old.” I saw a hint of pride in her eyes and wondered if she was a relative of the owners.

We stepped out into a bright area, and she gestured behind her. We turned around as directed and were surprised to find large glass windows overlooking the ocean.

“Ah, what a luxury. To think we can enjoy such a view from the staircase.”

“Yes, we are quite proud of this view. It was designed as such so our guests could enjoy their long climb up the stairs.”

Wridra seemed to be deeply impressed. Come to think of it, glass was rare in and of itself in the other world, and it was the perfect material to enjoy scenery like this. The building on the second floor was still under construction, and she had mentioned using Izu inns for reference, so we may have hit the jackpot here. As I considered this, the staff woman spoke to us once again.

“You are quite lucky. The fireworks contest was delayed due to the typhoon, so it will be held tonight instead. Perhaps you would like to go take a look?”

“Oh, really? I thought Obon was already over here...”

“Yes, it ended some time ago. We were disappointed about the fireworks being pushed back because of the typhoon. That’s why I was planning on going to see it tonight with a friend of mine.” She stuck her tongue out to the side with a youthful expression, then opened the door to a room.

Sunlight poured in, and the ocean could be seen beyond the window. The seemingly old-fashioned building had an excellent view, and I remembered hearing somewhere that historic buildings had a monopoly on locations with good views.

There was an open-air bath in the garden with hot water gushing out of it, and we could hear the sound of the sea from here. The antiquity of the place no longer bothered us at all; in fact, it looked like an entirely different world to us.

The staff woman seemed rather pleased by our reaction.

“Welcome to the Shiosai Room, also known as the Sea Roar room. We hope you enjoy your stay,” she said cheerfully, with a bright smile.

-- Chapter of Midsummer to be continued in the next volume --

Afterword

Hello, this is Makishima.

I am thrilled that I’m able to write the afterword for volume 7 of the series. It’s thanks to all of the readers that we were able to come this far. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

We entered the summer season in the previous volume, and it’s become summer in earnest now in volume 7. Will the leisure facilities of Japan pique Mariabelle the elf’s interest? I’m sure the readers would like to see her experience many different cultures.

There are many events that come to mind upon hearing the word “summer,” but there are several difficulties when it comes to Koto Ward in Tokyo, where the story takes place. Some of them being the Kitase household’s income, and the fact that every place is crowded due to the dense population. Even with all of the excitement for events in Japan, it’s hard to enjoy them properly when they’re absolutely packed with people. That’s why Kitase racked his brain to find a place where Marie could have fun. Despite his sleepy-looking face, he’s quite the hard worker. He also certainly faces difficulties at work that he doesn’t openly talk about, which explains why he likes to spread his wings while in the dream world. He can spread them a bit too wide sometimes, but hopefully, you can let that slide.

Now, I’d like to thank Yappen for drawing the summer illustrations that are so adorable and full of energy. My wife and I kept repeating how cute they were countless times. They really are amazingly cute.

Thank you, Aonoesu, for the pages upon pages of the lovely manga. I always read them with a huge smile on my face. Wridra has finally become a regular member of the cast! She may seem like a troublemaker, but she’s quite a thoughtful woman. Seeing the positive comments about her from readers also makes me smile from ear to ear.

This volume should be released in July, which should be right in the midst of full-blown summer. Let’s enjoy the summer while cooling off and hydrating in moderation and listening to the sounds of wind chimes.

I look forward to greeting you again in the next afterword.