Ch.201Chapter 21. The Art of Deceiving Each Other (13)

‘Living in Seoul and going on vacation to a Seoul hotel.’

I never quite understood this. Going on ‘vacation’ to a hotel in the city where you live. But now that I’m in this situation myself, I think I get it.

It was wonderful.

While everyone else acts like they normally would, I alone feel like I’ve ‘slightly’ stepped out of the timeline and am observing them.

This is Achillia City, not Orcon with its hot springs, nor is it near Ria, which is famous for its beautiful forests.

There’s no lake, but there is a river with a swift current. No high mountains or deep forests, but there are green, gentle fields, wide pastures, and vineyards that produce quality wine.

The cows have disappeared. The grapes are the size of golf balls due to some virus, which is unsettling. Zombie corpses occasionally float down the river. But since it was originally designed as a tourist resort, every building is beautiful.

And at the center of it all lies Camilla, seductively reclining in a pristine white bikini.

“It’s embarrassing when you stare like that…”

I was the one who asked for this date, but she was the one who chose this four-story resort building and dressed up for the occasion.

The building’s interior was incredibly clean, as if the zombie outbreak had occurred just as they finished remodeling and were bringing in furniture. There was hardly any furniture, and no food at all. Perhaps because of this, there wasn’t a single trace of zombies or human habitation inside.

The resort was situated on a hill. Looking down toward the main entrance, you could see the sparkling river flowing, and looking toward the back, you could see vineyards. When the wind blew, the sticky sweet scent of burst grapes filled the resort.

“Should we have filled the swimming pool?”

I regretted saying it immediately, but Camilla brushed it off casually.

“I think it’s fine as is. Look at how the river sparkles.”

Your sunscreen-coated skin sparkles too.

I lay down on the sun bed next to Camilla and gazed at her quietly.

She has such a beautiful body. Breasts as soft and round as hills, beads of sweat trickling between her slightly defined abs, leading to a slightly concave lower abdomen that looks like it would draw in my entire palm if I placed it there.

But before that could happen, those smooth, long legs—those pretty legs with toes slightly curled—would kick me away. And then she’d pretend nothing happened as she helped me up…

While I was lost in these thoughts, Camilla stared at me intently. Feeling like she’d caught my thoughts, my face flushed.

“Ahem. Camilla. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a break, hasn’t it?”

“Yes. We’ve been constantly on the move. Trapped between humans and zombies. But just not smelling that sour odor feels so good. I feel refreshed in both body and mind for the first time in ages.”

Camilla stretched out fully, arching her back. Her bikini rode up, almost exposing her chest. I suddenly wanted to slip my hand into the curve between her back and the sun bed. But not yet. It was nice seeing Camilla looking so content.

“You were very tired, weren’t you?”

“Tired? Well, I couldn’t let my guard down. All of us…”

“I’m asking about you specifically, Camilla.”

“Rather than tired, I felt a bit, how should I put it…”

Camilla covered her stomach with both hands. Her long fingers rested lightly on her lower abdomen. Her navel was visible between her fingers.

“A bit… empty, I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“I started wondering what I was doing here. I don’t know why I thought that.”

“Hmm?”

“Leticia wants to see her brother from Römer and his family. Cassandra wants to create a cure. Those fanatics want to see you and find salvation and joy. Everyone seems to have a direction, and just moving in that direction seems to fill them up.”

Camilla gave a bitter smile at the end.

“That’s just how it looks to me. I’m sure they all have their own worries and feel their own pressures. So it feels presumptuous for me to say this.”

“Feel free to talk.”

“Thanks. But when that crazy woman… announced she was married to you.”

Camilla pursed her lips. I waited patiently. Camilla sighed deeply, as if she couldn’t help it, and hunched her shoulders.

“I realized I was being selfish.”

“What?”

Camilla didn’t answer for a while. Instead, she got up from the bed and walked to the other side of the empty pool. She crouched down and turned on the faucet.

Surprisingly, water gushed out abundantly. It seemed to be connected to the water tank on the resort’s roof, flowing without the need for an electric motor.

Of course, sand and straw-like debris floated to the surface of the long-abandoned pool, but Camilla found a bucket somewhere and easily gathered them up. Finding it boring to just sit there, I followed her and helped clear the floating debris.

When the water had risen to a certain level, Camilla turned off the faucet. “Just a moment.” She went inside the resort and returned with pool disinfectant, which she sprinkled in. The pool wasn’t very large, so even a small amount quickly produced the smell of disinfectant.

The water in the pool sparkled as much as the river in the distance.

“Johan. Do you know how to swim?”

“No, not at all.”

“Hmm, you’re not afraid of water, are you? The deepest part here would barely reach below your chest.”

“This much is fine.”

“Then.”

Camilla’s voice cracked. But her eyes were shining brighter than the sunlight hitting the pool water, even brighter than the sparkling river beyond.

“…will you get in with me?”

“Together?”

“Y-yes.”

Camilla didn’t hide her agitation. Though it wasn’t a cold day, her knees trembled and knocked together slightly, and her mouth kept swallowing dry saliva as if parched. Yet her eyes sparkled more than ever—eyes that held your gaze, impossible to look away from.

“If, if I go with you… I think I can, can get in.”

I raised my right hand lightly. Camilla shyly took my hand. Gently interlocking our fingers, we walked to the pool steps.

The sun-heated pool tiles were warm, and the breeze was sweet. The closer we got to the water, the more Camilla trembled, but each time, I moved a little closer to her.

By the time we stood at the edge of the pool, I was pressed against Camilla, my arms around her waist. But I didn’t dare suggest turning back or not pushing herself.

Camilla was silently sobbing. Her body trembled, her head kept turning away, and her fingers dug painfully into my side.

“Ah.”

Just dipping her foot slightly seemed to drain all her courage. “Ah, ah, ah.” With short, broken moans, Camilla finally tried to back away.

I held her tight so she couldn’t escape. Camilla seemed like someone who didn’t know what to do with her body. She looked like she wanted to sit down, but also like she wanted to back away. I hesitantly walked toward the side of the steps.

“Camilla.”

“Yes.”

Her face was buried in my chest, muffling her words. I gently wrapped my arms around her back and the back of her head.

“Teach me how to swim.”

Then I fell backward.

I think I heard her shout “Hey,” but the splash came first, so it didn’t register clearly. My backside barely touched the pool floor, but fortunately, I didn’t hit it hard.

Standing straight while lying down, I felt air bubbles tickling my ear canals, but I knew if I shook my head like a dog, the bubbles would escape and water would enter my ears.

Of course, it was only a brief moment. The pool was quite shallow, and Camilla quickly regained her balance and forcibly pulled me up.

“Are you crazy?!”

Her palm came flying toward my back with a smack. I stuck my tongue out slightly and splashed water at her. “What are you doing! Ah, hey!” I splashed water vigorously, preventing her from opening her mouth, and ran away in a hurry.

Camilla gritted her teeth and plunged into the water. Something “bobbed” up as her back and buttocks appeared on the surface one after another, and then her strong hands firmly grabbed my legs.

“Seriously, what are you doing?! We’re not children! You scared me! People can drown even in water like this! Swimming isn’t a joke…?”

Only then did Camilla seem to realize what she had done. Her soaked body. Her long hair clinging to her skin. Her chin dripping with water. And the rippling surface. Camilla hesitated.

“I…”

“You’re doing great. Really.”

“I’m… in the water…?”

I spread my arms and said,

“Yes. You got in.”

Camilla threw herself into my arms. For a long time, she cried, making incoherent sounds. She hit the water’s surface, laughed heartily, and apologized for being sorry.

But she no longer trembled. Far from it, without even realizing it, she gently swished her legs and caressed the water with her hands.

“You know what?”

Camilla said to me, crying brightly.

“I’m good at swimming?”

I kissed her. Despite being soaked in water, her body was hotter than usual. Like someone who had been shivering outside and was now warming up by a fireplace.

“I used to love swimming.”

“Do you still?”

“I still do.”

She’s just like a child, I thought. Like those little ones who stubbornly refuse to get in the water, but once they’re wet, they play more enthusiastically than anyone else.

“…I’ll replace it with good memories.”

“Really?”

Camilla pinched my stomach lightly. Giggling, she playfully asked,

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

“Yes.”

“Then take responsibility.”

Camilla pulled my hand and placed it on her chest. I could feel her heartbeat pounding so strongly it seemed to echo in my head.

“Johan.”

“Yes.”

“I was always a step behind the others. I measured myself against them. I was often jealous. But I didn’t really know why I was like that. I just… didn’t like anyone getting that close to you.

After going through various things and understanding that I couldn’t have you all to myself, I thought I’d just focus on training. But I can’t do it. I can’t. I like you too much.”

The sun-warmed water splashed around, gently squeezing me. Camilla smiled and said,

“I may be a step behind, but… will you marry me?”

What would it have been like if I hadn’t met Camilla?

I’m not sure. I think I could have lived happily on my own. Of course, I would have been exhausted to death, worn out by the constant fear of what might attack me and when, and eventually I would have grown tired of it all, as I had in countless playthroughs.

Conversely, if I had lived alone and finally achieved stability, I would have pressed “New Game” because there would be nothing left to do, nothing left to continue.

But this life doesn’t end. I don’t know what lies at the end of it. I can’t start over, and I can’t just die with peace of mind.

Only at the end of the life I’ve thought about, dreamed about, and envisioned… do I see how long the road ahead still is, the road I must walk.

For Camilla, that realization came a bit earlier. For me, it’s just arrived.

“Yes.”

Perhaps a new path will open.

“Thank you.”

Camilla whispered.

“Thank you. Really.”

“Me too.”

Camilla stroked the water’s surface with her palm. She twirled her fingers to create a small whirlpool. She inserted her ring finger into the whirlpool she created. As if by agreement, I also created a small whirlpool with my other hand, and Camilla inserted her ring finger. It was just like a ring.

She smiled. I smiled too.

But what do we do now?

Camilla flicked my nose bridge lightly with her finger.

“I really am good at swimming, you know? I’m good at artistic swimming too. I’m a completely different person in water than on land. It’s been a while, so I’m not sure how well I’ll do, but my body isn’t stiff yet.”

“I’d like to see that.”

“It’s no fun alone. Let’s do it together. But in exchange…”

“In exchange?”

Camilla’s face flushed. She seemed about to say something but held back, shook her head vigorously, and pulled my head toward her.

“There’s no one watching us right now, right?”

Probably not. The fanatics are out enjoying themselves in the city, Cassandra is taking a nap, and Leticia might be peeking, but what can I do? I made it clear that today is my date with Camilla.

“No.”

“Then, um. That’s good.”

“What is?”

Camilla lowered her hand below the water’s surface. I wondered what she was doing, but then she held up something white and shook it slightly.

It was her bikini bottom.

The bottom flew in a parabolic arc to the corner of the pool.

“Uh, Camilla?”

“You said you’d fill it with good memories. You said you’d take responsibility. I didn’t mishear, did I?”

“No, you didn’t. I’m confident. I didn’t say it lightly.”

“Then do it here.”

Camilla leaned her upper body backward. I was startled and tried to support her waist, but there was no need. Somehow, she was supporting herself perfectly.

Still lying down, Camilla flipped over. Not a drop of water splashed. Her round, firm, bare buttocks emerged above the water. They were nicely tanned, with a slight tan line following the outline of her underwear.

“But I don’t think you can catch me.”

Camilla wiggled her fingers. I walked forward, breathing heavily. Camilla laughed and laid her body sideways. It was incredible that a person, not a fish, could move so swiftly. It was astonishing.

“Just wait until I catch you…!”

“Hmm, this makes me not want to be caught. You’re so slow.”

“If I’d known this would happen, I would have brought ‘that’.”

“We don’t need it?”

Camilla, who had somehow escaped to a distance, slapped the water with her palm. Even though I wasn’t hit, my head felt dizzy.

“Hmm? We don’t need it?”

“No, we don’t. Because…”

Camilla reached for her bikini strings.

“Today is a very dangerous day for me. Very. Very. Much so.”

“…Huh?”

“Try your best.”

The rest of her bikini flew toward my face.

Naked, Camilla danced with the water and sky. It was hard to catch someone who was dancing. When I was exhausted and my body went limp, I floated to the surface of the water.

Only then did the liberated person approach me.

For Camilla, water seemed as comfortable as a bed and as cozy as a blanket. She threw me onto the water, pulled me down, and entangled with me. Was it because my body had no strength left, or was it because Camilla handled her body as freely as water?

Only after the sun had set considerably did we drift to the edge of the pool.

* * * * *

She seemed fine in the water, but when we tried to get out, Camilla let out a small “Ouch.” She seemed to be limping slightly.

“I’m sorry. Did it hurt a lot?”

“Hmm…”

Her lips seemed slightly swollen, but Camilla smiled faintly.

“It feels like my body is being split in half. You?”

“I feel like all the air has gone out of my body.”

I have no strength left at all. This is manageable in water, but once outside, I’d surely get cramps. I was almost afraid to walk out of the pool. As I leaned against the edge, catching my breath, Camilla waded through the water toward me.

“Didn’t you say it hurts?”

The person who claimed to be in pain raises one leg and inserts it between my knees.

“Didn’t you say you’re deflated?”

“This much is nothing.”

I said that, but honestly, it’s a bit scary. And I had forgotten how foolish it was to boast about stamina in front of Camilla. Camilla stuck out her tongue and licked her lips.

“Well, you’ll need at least this much stamina to be a father.”

“Huh, what?”

“I’m confident about the first child, if nothing else.”

“No, that’s not it, that.”

Far away in the sky, black dots were visible.

Dots that were growing larger.