Marine Biology Research (4)

Although Ethan and Thomas had slightly overstepped their bounds to chase away the men who were bothering me and Natalie, the situation was somehow resolved amicably after Antonio’s intervention.

Only then did the three of them finally have the leisure to look at my and the other girls’ swimsuits, and they stood before us, each looking subtly hesitant.

“…Lilith.”

“Yes, Ethan Young Master.”

“…The swimsuit suits you well.”

“…Thank you, Ethan Young Master.”

“It, it really suits you. It’s pretty because it’s so Lilith-like.”

Ethan, evaluating my swimsuit with a simple yet most certain compliment.

It was a swimsuit I had painstakingly chosen for hours, hoping to hear such words… but actually hearing them directly from Ethan, I couldn’t help but feel strangely embarrassed.

“Na, Na-Na, Na, Natalie… Wh-what is that swimsuit…?”

“This? It’s a swimsuit Lady Lilith-nim personally chose for me. She said she couldn’t just let me wear anything, so she spent two hours picking it out. What do you think of it, Thomas?”

“It, it-it’s re, really pretty… Ah, no, that is, it’s, uh, how should I put it… charming…?”

“Huh? Do you mean it suits me well?”

-Nod, nod, nod!

It seems things are going fairly well for Natalie and Thomas too.

Thomas was nodding vigorously, as if quite pleased with the swimsuit I had chosen for Natalie, responding to her, so it was a moment when I became convinced that the swimsuit I had picked for Natalie was indeed the right choice.

Meanwhile, Agnes and Antonio…

“Lady Agnes! You are so beautiful! Of course, Lady Agnes is always truly beautiful, but I dare say that today’s Lady Agnes seems dozens of times more beautiful than usual!”

“…What are you blabbering about, suddenly appearing like that? You’re being a nuisance, go away.”

“Did you choose that swimsuit yourself? Is there perhaps someone you want to show it to…? S-surely you didn’t wear it to show it to another man, did you…?”

“Shut up, it’s not like that.”

“…H-huh! Th-then, surely you wore it like this to show it to me?! I, I am truly moved by Lady Agnes…”

“I said it’s not like that! I just wore what my friend picked out! Don’t get the wrong idea, it’s annoying!”

“I-is that so…? …S-surely that friend isn’t a male friend, are they?! O-of course, it’s not my place to interfere with Lady Agnes befriending someone of the opposite sex, but still, for a man and a woman to go shopping for something like a swimsuit together is a bit against propriety…”

“I went with my female friends, okay?! Why are you so nosy about me just buying a swimsuit?!”

…It seems that side is continuing in its usual atmosphere.

Prince Antonio was still just fumbling around Agnes, his heart running ahead of him, but perhaps one hopeful point is that Agnes’s reaction isn’t all that bad.

In the past, she would have looked at Antonio with a truly disgusted face and an unpleasant expression, but now, Agnes’s reaction had risen to the level of early tsundere.

In the original work, at this rate of conquest, the Agnes ending would have been considered out of reach, but since Agnes in this world is having a ‘something’ with Prince Antonio, not the Hero, there’s no need to rush the pace.

Above all, Prince Antonio is also a character with different variables than the original protagonist. I could only hope that he possessed something that would allow Agnes to open her heart to him even more than to the Hero.

“S-sorry I’m lateee…”

And then, the rest of the Hero Party appeared, a beat late.

Saint Celista, who must have used the same women’s changing room, appeared much later, rushing over with an apology, and behind her, Seraphine and Silena were bickering as they walked towards us.

“We’re late because of Silena-yang. Honestly, why were you so stubborn about wearing that kind of swimsuit…?”

“What about me? We’re late because you unnecessarily told me to change into another swimsuit.”

“Do you think this is the Forest of the World Tree where only Elves live? What Silena-yang was wearing wasn’t a swimsuit… it was practically a, a cover-up!”

“…Whatever I wear. Short-lived races are unnecessarily fussy, honestly.”

“Isn’t it because Silena-yang grew up in an uncivilized place that she doesn’t know the feeling of shame?”

“Ahhh, Pr-Princess Seraphine-nim! Silena-ssi! D-don’t fight…!”

Just by listening to the conversation, I could tell what was going on. Silena was probably trying to come out wearing something akin to nipple covers, claiming it was a swimsuit, and Seraphine desperately stopped her, which caused the delay. I had seen it a few times in the original work, so I couldn’t help but remember.

Silena, being an Elf, tended to have a much looser boundary regarding shame than the others.

There were even occasional instances where she appeared claiming something that was no different from three bandages over her private parts was a swimsuit, but in this worldline, Seraphine and Celista seemed to have successfully prevented that.

‘Seeing them bickering yet appearing all together like this, it seems their affection levels are being managed well…’

If Seraphine and Silena weren’t on good terms, or if Celista and Silena had an awkward relationship, they wouldn’t have gone through such a struggle to make her change into a swimsuit and come here.

Seraphine wouldn’t care if Silena walked around with nipple patches, thinking it didn’t expose her own body anyway, and Celista is timid, so she would hesitate quite a bit to offer advice unless they were close.

Considering that he’s not only maintaining the affection levels of the three of them at a similar level but also coordinating their relationships, it’s clear that the route Gyeotmwa is currently on is a harem ending consisting of Celista, Seraphine, and Silena.

-Paaaan…

“…Luke-yang? Do you perhaps have something to say to me?”

“Indeed, a professional Maid must prove herself as a Maid even in a swimsuit. I have learned much, Lilith-nim.”

“……Huh?”

Behind them, Luke appeared in a black and white swimsuit, looking at my swimsuit and writing something in his notebook.

“Ah, everyone was gathered here? Was I the last one?”

“…I recall you were the first to leave the changing room, so why are you so late?”

“I was late because I went to the restroom. Perhaps it’s because I was in the carriage all day yesterday, but my stomach has been feeling a bit bubbly since morning…”

“Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot! There’s no need to explain in such detail in front of the ladies!”

And then, Gyeotmwa, who was clearly late because he was preparing for the boss battle of this Marine Biology Research class, joined them with a different excuse, completing the group of three besides the Hero Party.

Even in the original work, gathering this many people at once would have been virtually impossible, but at this rate, it seems the boss battle for this Marine Biology Research class will pass without any issues.

“So, what do we do now?”

“Huh?”

“You must have something planned this time too, right? Like going to find the Temple of the Sun in the desert, or entering a Dungeon that requires eight people to clear.”

“What are you talking about, Agnes? The Professor-nim just said it. The class is to diligently play for five days while monitoring the coast.”

“…That’s it?”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“……”

Agnes slightly frowned, as if Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot’s refreshing answer didn’t quite sit well with her.

It seemed that for Agnes, true to her nature of joining the Hero Party due to the succession competition of the Elizabeth Family, enjoying a vacation rather than achieving something wasn’t to her liking.

“Haa, if I’d known this, I would’ve just taken Forestry Studies Exploration for my last lecture.”

“What’s wrong with that, Agnes-yang? A person can’t always just run forward, you know. In your case, Agnes-yang, you work tirelessly every day, so sometimes you need to relax like this.”

“…If I’m going to rest, I’d rather read magic books in the library. It’s much better than wasting time in a place like this, with blazing sun.”

Agnes wore a sulky expression, as if displeased, and as always, Prince Antonio seized the opportunity to approach her.

“Lady Agnes, I have prepared a shaded mat over there. If you dislike the sun, would you like to go and rest with me?”

“…Shade?”

“Thinking Lady Agnes might like them, I also brought a few magic books from the Imperial Palace Library.”

“…Imperial Palace magic books? Can I read them?”

“Yes. Although I cannot lend them to you due to national law, it is fine for you to read them in my presence.”

“Wait, Antonio! Did you get Father’s permission to take those out…?”

“I only brought books that have copies, so you don’t have to worry, Lady Sarah.”

“I want to read them. Where is it? Where should I go?”

“Ah, over there, our servants have made a shaded area…”

Prince Antonio, who had always fumbled around Agnes, finally brought a proper bait after a long time.

He successfully lured Agnes by properly utilizing the fact that he was an outsider, not a student officially taking classes.

“Honestly, what are you going to do if Father finds out later…”

“So what? Thanks to Prince Antonio-nim, Agnes calmed down, didn’t she, Seraphine? It seems they’re better off like that, so let’s just play among ourselves. We came all the way to the sea, after all.”

“…Alright. If Gyeotmwa Jyosyegigot the Hero-nim says so.”

“Let’s set up our own tent first. We can set it up not far from where Agnes and Prince Antonio are. Oh, and Prince Ethan. Would you like to come to our lodging tonight? We were already planning to have a barbecue party with everyone tonight, and if your lodging is close, we can invite you and Lil… Lady Rosewood too…”

With the protagonist’s appearance, the atmosphere gradually transformed into something like a summer vacation at 『Luminor Academy』.

Although it was Ethan and I, not part of the Hero Party, we somehow naturally blended into that atmosphere.