落とし穴１２６堀：正当な？夏休み (Part2)
“Lord Taiki. Lady Airi. Let’s swim together! It is such an honor to be able to swim in a sea that looks like a field of jewels.”
“You’re right. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“Yes!”
“Lady Kagura, won’t you join us?”
Soel extended the invitation to Kagura and her group, but for some reason, they didn’t budge.
“E-Err, well… the thing is, we don’t know how to swim…”
“Ahaha… we’ve played in the shallows of rivers before, but…”
“Come to think of it, I’ve never actually swam either.”
Ah, I see. That makes sense. Unless you live near the ocean, a large lake, or a calm river, you generally don’t learn how to swim. Besides, water sources tend to attract monsters, making them dangerous places to linger.
Wait, I forgot—the New Continent where Kagura and the others live barely has any monsters. That means they simply never had the opportunity or a suitable place to learn. I remember hearing that even in Japan, surprisingly few people could swim until swimming lessons were added to the school curriculum. Apparently, it was a major drowning accident involving students back in the Showa era that led to the mandatory classes.
Now, the question was who would teach them. There was really only one person for the job.
“Well, if the three of you don’t mind, I’ll teach you,” Yuki offered. “Taiki, you and your group should go enjoy Weed’s ocean. You’re here as tourists, after all. Even if you can’t swim on your own, we’ve got the ultimate weapon: inner tubes. I’ll help them out for a bit.”
Soel looked at the inner tubes in surprise.
“Oh, so that’s what those are. If you use these tools, you can stay afloat? I see… so even those who can’t swim can enjoy the water with these.”
“Exactly. Well, if you want to learn how to swim properly, I can give you a few pointers later. For now, Soel, you should have Taiki and Airi show you how to move and use the tube.”
“I understand. Thank you for your consideration. Lady Kagura, would you be alright with Yuki-sama for a while?”
“Not at all!”
“In fact, we’d be delighted!”
“…Sorry for being so obvious about it.”
They perked up instantly. It was clear as day that their excitement stemmed from being with Yuki. Samantha and Cleena just watched with "here we go again" expressions.
By the way, Yuki’s other wives were off doing their own things—some were securing tonight’s dinner, others were already lounging on the beach or swimming. They were all enjoying summer in their own way. It was a thoughtful gesture on Yuki’s part; it would have been awkward for Kagura’s group to be surrounded by all the high-ranking ladies of Weed right away.
“Now, let us go. I want to dive into that beautiful sea I’ve never seen before!”
“Alright, let’s go! Airi, you ready?”
“Yes!”
With that settled, the three of us ran across the sand toward the water.
Yes, this was it. This was exactly what I wanted. Two beautiful women, and they were both my wives. I finally felt like I was living the dream—the ultimate romantic summer. Up until now, it always felt like I was just moving from one task to the next. This is the kind of summer I’ve been waiting for!
Into the emerald green sea we go! Last time, I swam all the way to that distant island with Yuki and the guys, but this time, it’s all about frolicking with beautiful girls!
*Splash!*
I dove into the water without hesitation, sending up a spray of droplets.
“Eek?!”
“Wah?!”
“Take that!”
I scooped up seawater and splashed it toward the flinching Soel and Airi.
“Oh, honestly, Lord Taiki! You’re surprisingly childish. There!”
“Ufufu. I’m just glad to see you having so much fun, Lord Taiki! Here!”
Soel and Airi began their counterattack, splashing me back. This was great. Their figures were swaying beautifully in the water. I felt like I might have finally grasped true happiness in this other world—
*Thump!*
Something hit me, and I went face-first into the ocean.
“*Puh!* What was that for?!”
I hurriedly wiped my face and looked up to see Yuki standing there.
“Ah, sorry. I just couldn’t help it. You were radiating way too much ‘youthful rom-com’ energy right in front of me.”
“Hey, it’s not like you aren’t over there frolicking with Kagura and the others while teaching them to—”
“Look at them and say that again.”
“Huh?”
I looked in the direction he was pointing.
“*Ugh…* No one told me it was salt water…”
“I feel sick… why does it taste like salt…?”
“Well, the sea *is* salt water. You’ve never seen it because you lived inland, but surely you knew that as a bit of trivia…”
“But the water is so pretty, I thought it would taste delicious…”
“Me too… Mikos-chan made a huge blunder…”
“Sigh. For now, both of you, drink this fresh water and try to wash the taste out.”
“Mm. Excessive salt intake is dangerous. Gulping down seawater is practically suicidal.”
Kagura and the others were busy drinking fresh water and spitting it back out repeatedly.
“So, any comments for me?” Yuki asked.
“I’m… kind of sorry.”
In the end, we all joined up to teach Kagura’s group the basics of the ocean before spending the rest of the time playing together.
I suppose this kind of summer isn’t so bad either. It might be hard to believe now, but in the old days, the only people who could swim were those who lived near large bodies of water. Maybe spending a summer vacation teaching someone to swim is its own kind of reward. I learned how to swim normally in school, so I didn’t quite get it at first, but there’s room for all kinds of summer memories.
As for Yuki, his summer was spent as an instructor. Poor guy…