Sea

A warmth like lying on a floor with the boiler on.

Yet, it felt strange as it enveloped my entire body, front and back.

But the addictive comfort was so overwhelming that I simply indulged in its sweetness without a second thought.

“I came because no one was here, and….”

What pulled me out of that hazy state was a familiar voice. It sounded almost like a growl.

I blinked my blurry eyes, and red hair came into view.

The owner of the hair seemed to have woken up too, opening her hazy eyes with a disheveled face.

Veronica, the owner of the red hair, chuckled puhuhu with a sleepy face, then kissed my cheek.

As her soft lips pressed against my cheek and pulled away, I felt the owner of the voice that had woken me up getting closer and closer.

Thump, thump. The approaching footsteps soon turned into the sound of the bed mattress being pressed down.

“…I thought you were well-behaved.”

Soon, Veronica’s face, turning as red as a tomato, came into view. It was a face that had just realized what she had done.

As I saw her face, my head turned to the side.

I blinked my hazy eyes, and with a snicker,

Claudia’s face, the owner of the voice, rapidly approached.

In my sleep-dazed, gaping mouth, Claudia’s slightly rough tongue entered.

“Eup…? Um?”

“Chup… Cheueup….”

Her rough tongue gently pressed against mine, coating it with sticky saliva. It felt strangely sweet.

After kissing for a while, Claudia smiled with her eyes, seemingly satisfied, and finally pulled her face away.

“Puhaha….”

I was still dazed from the sticky kiss, unable to grasp the situation, and just stared blankly at her receding lips.

Meanwhile, Veronica, having regained her senses, frantically got up from the bed.

Veronica, scrambling to her feet, spoke.

“Ah, what, what are you doing this early in the morning!?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask.”

As the two distant figures bickered, I felt something stir behind my back.

I wiggled my body to check what it was.

“Asha-nim….”

It was Cecil.

Cecil, who had woken up from the commotion, lightly kissed my lips and smiled.

“Ehehe….”

And then Cecil hugged me tightly.

‘…What on earth is going on?’

At that moment, the door opened.

Master entered.

At the bang of the door opening, everyone except Cecil, who was hugging me, flinched and froze.

With a sigh, Master’s voice was heard.

“What kind of disgrace is this….”

Master, squeezing between the two people who were clearing their throats, lifted me up, as I was still unable to grasp the situation.

“Ah… Asha-nim.”

“Child, shouldn’t you get ready to go out? We have to go see the Sea.”

“Sea!”

Carried in Master’s arms, who had diverted Cecil’s attention, I left the room.

Master’s voice came from above my head.

“…Did you drink last night?”

“Ah… uh… Yes.”

“What am I to do with this fool?”

“Yes…?”

“…No. That’s not for me to say.”

Carried in Master’s arms, which naturally smelled of fruit, I entered the Bathroom.

It seemed Master had already sent the servants away, as not a single one of them was visible.

Only after the warm water touched my face could I regain my senses. My head spun with the sudden influx of facts.

“…Please put me down.”

“Have you only just come to your senses?”

“Yes, I’ve come to my senses, so….”

But Master ignored my words and splashed water on my face again.

“It seems you’re still not fully awake.”

Then, Master carefully soaped my face and rinsed it clean.

Though I disliked being treated like a child, my face softened into comfort.

“…Hmm.”

A voice that sounded somehow troubled.

After meticulously wiping every corner of my face for a long time, Master finally placed me down on the floor.

Master, having put me down, wiped my face with a towel and then met my eyes.

My reflection was faintly visible in Master’s emerald eyes, which resembled mine.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind these days.”

“…Was it obvious?”

“How could I not know when you’re making it so obvious? How many years have I known you?”

Master’s words sounded both joyful and bitter.

“…My appearance is different from back then, isn’t it?”

“Nonsense. In my eyes, there’s no difference.”

Master slowly stroked my head, then kissed my forehead and continued speaking.

“Didn’t I tell you last time? You are… no matter what form you take, my one and only disciple.”

Master’s words brought back memories of when I left home without knowing any better.

I recalled Master occasionally stroking my head back then. Though after I grew up, more bottles flew at me than hands.

As I recalled those days, my face flushed.

‘…Isn’t that just saying they’re treating me like a child right now?’

My mind suddenly turned cold, and I dodged Master’s hand.

“Hehehe… Are you embarrassed?”

“….”

Leaving Master, who was laughing teasingly, I returned to the room, which had been noisy but was now quiet.

Cecil seemed to have returned to her room to prepare for the Sea… and Veronica and Claudia would probably figure things out on their own.

I sighed deeply and sat on the bed, and the events from a moment ago came to mind.

Veronica kissing my cheek… Claudia suddenly putting her tongue in my mouth… and the two of them bickering.

Cecil often snuggled into my bed anyway, so that didn’t feel like a big deal, but…

…Thinking about it, it was pure chaos.

‘I feel like something similar happened before.’

I don’t know.

It seems women sometimes kiss instead of giving a morning greeting.

I shook my head and looked out the Veranda, seeing the Sea.

…Right, let’s get ready for the Sea.

As I packed the Swimsuit I had chosen with my companions, a good idea suddenly came to mind.

‘If I wear my Swimsuit beforehand, I won’t need to wear underwear, right?’

There was also the advantage of being able to go straight into the water at the beach without needing to change.

It was a truly excellent idea, even if I did come up with it myself.

I put on the Swimsuit I had worn last yesterday and then put my clothes over it.

Checking in the mirror, it barely looked like I was wearing a Swimsuit.

I nodded contentedly and finished packing my belongings.

*

*

*

*

Asha, having packed her belongings, moved to the mansion’s Hall.

Then, as if on cue, everyone else appeared one by one, having packed their bags.

Veronica, spotting Asha, approached with a flushed face and whispered softly.

“Th-that was just a greeting….”

“So it was.”

At Asha’s reply, Veronica’s flushed face returned to its original color. She looked at Asha with a strange gaze, then turned and left to prepare the Carriage.

Cecil, who came down next, rushed to Asha and hugged her.

“Asha-nim! Are we finally going into the Sea?”

“Yes, we couldn’t go in yesterday, but we have plenty of time today, so let’s go in to our heart’s content.”

“Yes!”

Soon after, Ariel and Claudia also came down the stairs and took their places beside Asha.

Claudia, meeting Asha’s eyes, grinned and looked at Asha.

Asha, remembering the kiss from a moment ago, shook her slightly flushed head.

‘…It was a greeting, a greeting.’

Asha tried hard to repeat that to herself, comforting herself.

Thinking about it, she vaguely remembered hearing that even among friends, not just women, such greetings were sometimes exchanged.

Asha’s memories of a past life insisted it wasn’t so, but now she had lived longer as Astarote Asha than in that previous life.

‘…It must be because my social circle is so small that I didn’t know.’

Though Claudia seemed to have a bit of ulterior motive.

Anyway.

Before long, Veronica drove the Carriage over, and Asha’s worries quickly dispersed, her mind filled with thoughts of the Sea.

The Carriage carrying the companions moved forward, crossing the golden sandy beach.

Asha asked Veronica in a questioning voice.

She had expected to arrive immediately after leaving the mansion, but contrary to her expectations, they seemed to be going a bit further.

“How far are we going?”

“This area is owned by our Family anyway, so there won’t be anyone around… but I thought it would be better if the servants weren’t nearby.”

“I see.”

Asha nodded at Veronica’s consideration.

The Carriage finally stopped when the mansion was visible as a small dot far in the distance.

The servants who had followed behind were seen moving the luggage to the sandy beach.

‘…There’s a lot.’

Even excluding the items they had each packed, Veronica’s servants seemed to have prepared quite a lot of things.

Asha couldn’t help but let out a laugh at their enthusiastic demeanor, just like yesterday.

The servants, having finished all preparations, approached Veronica and bid their farewells.

“Then we will come to pick you up tonight… but are you truly alright without us?”

“…Do you still think I’m a child? It’s fine, go back and rest.”

“Understood. Then, please enjoy your time, Young lady.”

The servants, having unloaded all the luggage, drove the Carriage back towards the mansion with strangely satisfied expressions.

“How boisterous….”

As Claudia stretched and laughed, Veronica, for some reason, retorted defensively.

“…Then, are you returning to the mansion?”

“I can’t do that when there’s a cheat trying to break the rules right in front of me.”

“…I-it was because of the alcohol.”

“Let’s stop talking about this.”

“…Hmph.”

Veronica and Claudia, having ceased their growling, simultaneously turned their heads towards the beach.

And then.

Asha was seen swiftly, swiftly taking off her clothes.

Ariel, who was next to her, also looked at Asha, seemingly surprised.

“…?”

“Huh…?”

In the eyes of the two, who thought it was too open even if no one else was around,

The familiar Swimsuit underneath her clothes was visible.

The two of them, one after another, burst into small laughter.

“I wonder if she brought any underwear to change into.”

“…She definitely wouldn’t have.”

‘As expected, if I’m not around.’

The two, as if they had made a promise, thought the same thing and walked towards the sandy beach.