落とし穴番外：夏休みがやってきた (Part1)
Pitfall Side Story: Summer Vacation Has Arrived
Summer Vacation Has Arrived
Side: Labyris
"...chan. ...is-chan. Labyris-chan."
Before I knew it, Aslin was calling my name and shaking me with all her might.
"Mmm... What is it?"
Still half-asleep, I asked, wondering what could possibly be the matter. The alarm hadn't even gone off yet, so it couldn't be time to wake up. Honestly, I’m not a morning person, so I’m used to being woken up by Aslin like this, but I had no idea why she’d be doing it at such an ungodly hour. I was just about to drift back into a dream when...
"Wake up!"
"Eek!?"
Firia had joined the fray, shaking me violently. I don't have the nerves of steel required to sleep through that, so I reluctantly sat up. The sun hadn't even thought about rising yet; it was pitch black outside. I blearily glanced at the clock: 4:00 AM.
Yes, four in the morning. Even on days when we prepare breakfast together, we don't get up this early. I felt a flicker of irritation, but I knew Aslin and the others weren't the type to do this without a good reason.
"So, what’s going on?"
"Labyris-chan, we’re going out today. You haven't finished packing, have you?"
"That’s right. Today is the long-awaited 'Summer Vacation'."
"...Ah."
Only then did it all come back to me. That’s right—today was the start of our long-awaited summer vacation. We were all heading to the seaside cottage as a family.
"Labyris-chan, you said you were busy lately, so you wanted to wake up early today to get ready."
"Exactly. And since you wouldn't wake up, we had to do it for you. You said you hadn't even picked out your swimsuit yet."
"I did!?"
I finally grasped my situation. I’d been so swamped lately that I’d completely neglected my preparations. Knowing Yuki, the basic necessities were already stocked at the cottage, but that only covered the bare minimum for sleeping and staying there. Things like beach gear and swimsuits were strictly personal choices.
Sure, there were swimsuits provided at the cottage, but they were the athletic, functional kind. As someone who prides herself on style, I wanted to avoid those. It’s not that they’re *bad*, but for showing off? Not quite right. That’s why I’d asked Aslin and Firia to wake me up early to help me choose.
"Alright, just a second. Let me wash my face and I'll be ready."
"Okay."
"Leave it to us."
Thanks to their help, I managed to get everything in order. By the way, the swimsuit I chose this time is a bit more modest. Yuki has been even busier than usual and is quite exhausted, so if I were to be too provocative, he might just collapse. We’d all discussed it and decided on this direction for the vacation. Even the "erotic-bold" duo of Eris and Cleena said they’d be keeping it low-key this time... though, I suppose we’ll see how long their common sense lasts.
As I was double-checking my luggage, a voice called out:
"Hey, breakfast is ready."
"Coming!"
"Yes!"
"On my way."
Yuki had come to the room, just like always. Since we were mostly ready, we headed to the banquet hall together.
"Are you all packed?"
"Yep, just need to pick out some things to play with tonight."
"Brother, should we bring cards? Or maybe Uno?"
"Maybe a handheld game, Yuki?"
"Nah, I’ll bring one, but I play those at home all the time. We’ll probably stick to cards or Uno. It’s best to just sit around and chat at a time like this."
"That’s true. Shall we play for prizes again this time?"
"I like that. The winner gets first pick of the loot, right?"
"Oh, Milly will just go for the booze, won't she?"
Everyone was already lost in the excitement of the beach. As we chatted, I noticed someone standing off to the side, unable to join the circle. It was Fiora. It didn't seem like her usual character, but she was watching our conversation with a lost expression. Concerned, I walked over to her.
"What’s wrong, Fiora?"
"Ah, Labyris. Well... this is my first time experiencing a 'Summer Vacation'... I’m not quite sure what one is supposed to do."
"Ah..."
Come to think of it, Fiora was always incredibly diligent. She wasn't the type to take a break as easily as Seraria. I glanced over at Seraria, who immediately noticed my gaze and looked my way.
"What is it?"
She really is sharp. I didn't hesitate.
"Fiora isn't sure how to spend her 'Summer Vacation.' As a fellow princess, could you give her some advice?"
"Oh, is that so? Of course. If you're done with breakfast, let’s have a little chat."
"Oh, um, yes. Understood."
Fiora, though bewildered, followed Seraria’s lead and began to talk. Usually, I would join in to help coordinate Fiora’s outfit, but I still had a few final things to take care of.
"We’re going to do a final check of the luggage and run a few errands."
"Got it!"
"And we need to stop by the shop, right?"
"That's right. We’ve been so busy lately that we left buying our favorite snacks until the very last minute."