Chapter 56

Yustia and Dominic sang into the blue sky, while Ilmhirld played the lute, creating a melody. Of course, it was ordinary music, but the tune was refreshing and bright, fitting well with the scenery.

Today was particularly sunny. The temperature was gradually rising, making it the perfect time to go swimming in the sea.

On the other hand, the coats they planned to wear in the labyrinth would be too warm, but since the temperature inside the labyrinth was relatively constant throughout the year, they could change clothes before entering without any problems.

We had come out from Termwillis and were moving along the coastal road in a carriage. The white sandy beach and the clear blue sky. The color of the sea was a bright, light green—emerald green, as it is often called, and it was very beautiful.

The carriage was a canopy carriage with the canopy removed, borrowed from the stables so that everyone could ride together. Although it lacked the interior of a regular carriage, it was spacious and open, which was not bad at all. I had also invited Forestbird and Rosetta, but they seemed to have a backlog of requests and work, so their schedules didn't match up. It was a bit disappointing, but this time, it would be just the party members and the monster girls.

"Beautiful..."

"The sea... is so clear."

Grace and Ashley were staring at the sea from the carriage. I thought the sea was beautiful, so for them, who were seeing it for the first time, it must have been quite a moving experience. I felt that coming here was worth it.

"By the way, how far are we going? This beach looks nice enough."

"We're told there's a good spot a little further."

Siera didn't react much when she heard we were going to the beach, but her tail was standing up, so it seemed she was enjoying it. With her, it's easier to understand her feelings by paying attention to her ears and tail rather than her expression, especially when she's relaxed.

Since I knew the terrain around Termwillis, I was familiar with the places suitable for playing in the sea nearby. I pretended to have researched and heard about it in town, and we were heading to that spot.

We drove the carriage towards a cape. Changing direction halfway, we proceeded along a path between the rocks and the forest, and we could see a natural tunnel opening up in the shade of the rock face, wide enough for the carriage to pass through. It was a bit hard to find, but it was a popular spot in the BFO area near Termwillis.

"There it is. It's just beyond there."

I was wondering how far we could go with the carriage, but it seemed we could make it to the other side of the tunnel. The tunnel itself wasn't very long, and we soon reached the end.

"Wow..."

Ashley let out a small exclamation.

"I like this atmosphere."

Yustia said this as she looked at the scene. I didn't expect her, a siren, to be so impressed.

Beyond the tunnel was a beach and sea surrounded by cliffs on three sides. It was a cove. It was spacious enough, and the sunlight shone brightly, so despite being surrounded by cliffs, it wasn't dark. It was a quiet, mysterious, and secret space. In the middle of the cove, a small island or rather a round rock peeked out of the water. It seemed like a good spot for fishing.

"Then I'll change in the shade of that tree."

"Okay, got it."

I decided to change in the shade of the rocks. I quickly changed and returned. First, I used the fifth-class dark magic, Dark Field, to create a thin protective barrier over a wide area. Since its effect was to reduce light attribute damage, it might also cut out the effects of UV rays.

Yustia ran towards the sea with her harp in hand, her face beaming with a smile, quite different from her usual cool demeanor. She dove into the water and then emerged, undoing the human transformation spell.

"Ahaha!"

...Well, I'm glad she's enjoying it. She's like a fish in water. Dominic also undid the human transformation spell and was flying just above the surface of the sea. It wasn't exactly a beach, but it looked like he was having fun.

"Oh dear. Everyone has undone the human transformation spell. Well, there's no one around to see."

Ilmhirld also undid the human transformation spell as she said this. She seemed to be planning to swim, as she entered the sea with her lower body still in the form of a snake. She swam skillfully, wriggling her body. It was the first time I saw a lamia swim, but... I couldn't help but look a bit too closely. Her human-like form was quite revealing... I was a bit at a loss for where to look.

Next, Siera came out.

...The rather daring low-rise bikini... was probably to avoid hindering her tail. It might be necessary, but those two were quite a sight...

"I want to eat fish."

Siera, holding a fishing rod, headed towards the rock in the middle of the cove. She swam in a doggy paddle or cat paddle style.

"Theo."

I turned at the sound of my name. Grace and Ashley walked over together. Both had translucent white skin. In the bright sunlight, it seemed to shimmer... It was a completely different experience from seeing it in a bathroom. Beaches are definitely the place for swimsuits.

"Can Grace swim?"

She was raised inland. When I fell into the waterway, she was the one who pulled me out, I think. I can't remember the details, but she definitely jumped into the waterway.

"Yes. I haven't swum in the sea before, but the waves here seem calm. I think I can swim without any problems."

At least, the current didn't seem to affect Grace. Maybe it was because she was a dampire, or the effect of the ring. Or maybe the vampires in this world don't have that weakness. Water magic wasn't particularly effective against them either.

They definitely dislike sunlight, but there are significant individual differences among vampires. The vampires described on Earth... are a mix of various folklore, and the fear of running water might have been confused with the fear of water by rabies patients.

In any case, if Grace is fine, that's good.

"What about Ashley?"

"I've never swum before."

Ashley looked a bit nervous.

"Then we'll start in the shallow water. I've learned water magic for swimming, so you don't have to worry about drowning."

"Okay!"

Playing in the shallows is also a good experience. Grace seemed a bit worried about me, but I was fine. As long as I had the water breathing spell, I wouldn't drown.

"That's it. Relax your body. You're doing great."

Ashley quickly learned to swim following Grace's guidance. Since she could breathe underwater, she didn't have to worry about learning to hold her breath, and the lack of fear of drowning helped her relax. Grace was a bit surprised by the saltwater but quickly got used to it since she could swim.

I floated on the surface, testing the water activity magic. Siera's fishing seemed to be going well. As soon as Yustia started playing the harp on the rocks, the fish started swarming. Her tail was standing up, and her mouth was slightly curved, clearly showing her happiness.

"Hmm?"

I was floating in the shallows, watching everyone... When I saw Dominic flying over the waves with her toes touching the water, I had an idea. I decided to try it out immediately. First, I used the water magic Aqua Walk to stand on the water and simultaneously used water manipulation magic to create propulsion.

"Whoa!"

I cut through the water, moving forward. I controlled the magic to turn right and left. ...It works. If I add more control magic, I might be able to slide on water on land as well. I tried it on the sand, combining it with the water creation life magic, and it worked as planned.

...It's not just practical. It's also fun. I could reach high speeds, giving me a feeling like water skiing. It was a different kind of fun from flying. Everyone looked surprised when they saw me.

"Impressive. I didn't think a human could impress me with water."

That was Yustia's comment.

"Mr. Theodore, that's amazing!"

"Really. It looks fun."

"Do you two want to try?"

When I invited the two, who were looking at me with shining eyes, they nodded enthusiastically. I used the water walking magic and held their hands, acting as a water bike.

"Let's go?"

"Okay!"

We sped across the sea like skating on an ice rink. I controlled the speed to be gentler than before, and both of them were very happy.

...It was supposed to be a training exercise, but in reality, it was more about having fun. I ended up learning a new skill. This could be useful in the labyrinth as well.

However, it was a bit unstable when pulling someone. The balance was a bit off when accelerating or decelerating. If I were to use it in a real situation, I should do it alone.

"This is... fun."

"But your feet might feel a bit ticklish."

Unlike me, who was providing the propulsion, they were being pulled, so the sensation was different. They laughed happily, almost losing their balance and clinging to my arms.

Of course... in swimsuits. The soft, warm sensation spread through my entire arm.

...I wanted to praise myself for not losing control of the magic.