Chapter 16: The Waterfront Resort City of Venetia and a 0.2 Holiday
Morning.
Through the large window of the Mana Rail Express‚ pearly white sunlight slowly caressed the luxurious carpet of the passenger compartment.
Until last night‚ the only things burned into my retinas had been the lingering echoes of a soot-stained steel city and the cold lights of the magic circuits racing through the darkness.
But now‚ everything was different.
Beyond the window stretched an endless‚ dazzling cobalt blue that seemed to dye the entire field of vision.
Louis: “...The sea‚ huh.”
Still dragging the drowsiness of waking‚ I murmured quietly.
As if drawn by it‚ I approached the window.
Each time the train gently decelerated‚ that vast blue canvas swelled to fill my entire view.
What leaped into my eyes were magnificent architectural complexes built of white marble.
Winding through the gaps between them‚ an intricate network of waterways like a refined labyrinth.
Colorful little sightseeing magic boats gliding across the water’s surface.
The city was already full of lively energy from the morning.
At the floating market‚ the vigorous cries of shopkeepers arranging freshly caught‚ glistening seafood rang out‚ while children carrying fruit baskets laughed and dashed across the stone-paved arched bridges.
Selina: “Look‚ Louis-kun! That’s Venetia!”
Suddenly‚ from behind‚ came Selina’s bright voice—so lively it rivaled the morning light itself.
Selina: “See how the waterways stretch out like a net? There’s a famous cold confectionery shop on that street over there‚ and beyond it is a great white marble plaza where you can take in the entire sea!”
Louis: “...Wow‚ it really is amazing.”
Feeling a little embarrassed‚ I still couldn’t tear my eyes away from the polychromatic scenery flowing past the window.
Venetia.
One of the most historic waterfront resort cities on this continent.
I had at least read the name as a mere symbol in books‚ but this was the first time I was experiencing it with my own five senses.
It was completely different from the port town of Lipla where I lived.
What Lipla had was the rough‚ skin-piercing sea breeze and the rugged voices of fishermen.
And buildings of warm wooden construction that had been battered by high waves countless times‚ weathered by salt.
In contrast‚ Venetia had pure white marble that brilliantly scattered the morning sunlight‚ blue waterways that breathed with endless calm‚ and refined‚ colorful streetscapes that welcomed travelers from all over the world with the utmost sophistication.
Even so.
The sound of the waves in both towns carried the same scent and warmth of the sea.
Conductor: “—We will soon be arriving at the final stop‚ Venetia.”
The conductor’s gentle announcement seeped through the car.
The train let out a long braking sound and slowly came to a stop along the magic rails.
The heavy airtight door quietly opened.
In that instant‚ a refreshing sea breeze and the dazzling clamor of the city poured in all at once‚ as if a dam had burst.
Louis: “...”
I stepped out onto the platform.
And then.
Even though no one had called out to me‚ I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
The sea was there.
Right before my eyes stretched the real sea‚ filled with an immeasurable mass and depth.
The surface‚ blessed by the morning sun‚ sparkled with delicate light as if countless crushed sapphires had been scattered across it.
The horizon was dizzyingly far away.
The boundary between sky and sea melted faintly together‚ so vast that it became unclear where the heavens ended and the water began—beyond that edge‚ it seemed as though nothing existed at all.
Louis: “...The sea is...”
The next words wouldn’t come.
All I could do was stare blankly‚ burning the scene before me into my retinas.
Wide.
Far too endlessly wide.
In that moment‚ the usual cold‚ calculating sense of my occupational disease automatically rose in my mind.
—Total surface area of the sea visible in my field of view.
—Calculation of total water volume reverse-engineered from average depth.
—Distribution of salinity mixed with the atmosphere.
—Three-dimensional vectors of the rushing ocean currents and the heat they retained.
—Layered changes in water temperature as one descended into the depths.
—Marine ecosystem inferred from the types of drifting plankton.
—And the precise percentage of magical energy saturating the atmosphere.
Countless numbers and formulas clicked together on their own inside the processor in my head.
Every environmental element that made up this vast system called the sea.
Their respective correlations.
The total volume of the physical world before me‚ extrapolated from the initial values observable in the current range.
If I kept running the calculations like this‚ in a fraction of a second I would complete a full simulation of this vast natural world—.
Louis: “...”
There‚ I forcibly flipped the switch in my head and stopped thinking.
There was no need.
In this peaceful morning‚ there was no need to run such complicated calculations.
Louis: “...No.”
I exhaled quietly‚ as if dissolving it into the refreshing sea breeze.
Louis: “This doesn’t need to be calculated.”
The inorganic strings of numbers that had been trying to fill my brain vanished cleanly‚ like sand washed away by the waves.
What remained was the simply beautiful and immense
“sea”
itself‚ which needed no definition by calculation.
Waves rolled in.
Raising delicate white spray as they broke against the stone pavement.
Then quietly returned to the azure depths.
On the distant horizon‚ an elegant magic ship with pure white sails glided gracefully‚ catching the south wind.
A single seabird crossed above my head with a leisurely cry‚ looking thoroughly content.
Just beyond‚ on the white marble plaza‚ a family that looked like tourists pointed at the glittering sea and played innocently.
Child: “Dad‚ what kind of fish was that?! It jumped!”
Father: “Who knows.
Shall we ask the uncle at the market aquarium later?”
Child: “It was so big! It sparkled!”
Such peaceful‚ heartwarming parent-child conversation reached my ears on the sea breeze.
I gazed once more at the unobstructed‚ vast horizon.
Louis: “...The sea really is amazing.”
What exactly was so amazing about it?
I myself couldn’t explain it in clear words.
Was it the overwhelming mass spreading before my eyes?
The unfathomable azure depth that seemed ready to swallow me?
Or the stark fact that countless small lives were certainly breathing within those cold waters?
Or perhaps.
It was the change in my own heart—having tried to calculate the entire world in digital numbers‚ then stopping midway and accepting it as it was.
Selina: “Louis-kun?”
Before I knew it‚ Selina was standing beside me‚ staring curiously at my profile.
Selina: “Is something wrong? You’re making such a difficult face.”
Louis: “...No‚ it’s nothing.”
Without taking my eyes off the sea at all‚ I replied a little awkwardly.
Louis: “I was just thinking how beautiful it is.”
Selina: “I see♪”
Selina didn’t press any further.
That gentle consideration of hers‚ which never pushed too far‚ felt deeply comforting.
For a while‚ we said nothing and continued gazing at the blue sea as it rolled in and out.
A warm sea breeze slid across my cheeks‚ and the morning sunlight softly enveloped my skin.
From the distant floating streets drifted the scent of freshly baked sweet bread and the savory aroma of seafood grilling over charcoal.
Everything was a town I had never known‚ visiting for the first time.
A sea larger than any I had ever seen.
Crowds of strangers speaking words I had never exchanged.
Yet strangely‚ none of that unknown felt unpleasant to me at all.
Louis: “...I’m really glad I came here.”
The words slipped out of my mouth so naturally that even I was surprised—there was no forced effort in them at all.
Selina: “Eh?”
Selina spun around toward me as if struck.
Selina: “Louis-kun‚ what did you just say?”
Louis: “...You heard me‚ didn’t you?”
Selina: “I want to hear it properly with my ears one more time.”
Louis: “...”
In places like this‚ this lovely young lady could be strangely persistent.
Louis: “I said I’m glad I came here.”
Selina: “...Yeah!”
Selina smiled from the bottom of her heart‚ blooming like a sunflower in full glory.
Selina: “I’m also truly glad I was able to come here together with you‚ Louis-kun.”
Saying that‚ she stood right beside me.
The two of us continued gazing at the sea for a long time.
But.
Inside me‚ one serious problem was now occurring.
Louis: “...”
The sun shining overhead was pleasantly warm‚ and the breeze caressing my skin felt wonderful.
The sea surface was endlessly calm‚ and the surrounding plaza was filled with a perfectly moderated white noise—lively enough but never too noisy.
In other words.
An intense‚ irresistible drowsiness was crashing over me.
Louis: “...I’m going to rest over there for a bit.”
Selina: “Eh?”
Louis: “There’s a nice cool shade under the trees on that white marble street.”
Selina: “Louis-kun‚ don’t tell me...”
Louis: “What?”
Selina: “We’ve only just arrived at the sea and gotten off the train a few minutes ago‚ and you’re already going to take a nap?!”
Louis: “Well‚ I woke up early this morning.
And the fatigue from forcing that high-load remote calculation yesterday still seems to be lingering.”
Selina: “...”
Selina blinked her large eyes and thought for a moment.
Then she smiled softly—exasperated‚ yet extremely gentle.
Selina: “Yes‚ you’re right.
Then let’s rest a little first.”
Louis: “I’m the only one resting‚ though.”
Selina: “I have to check in at the hotel and arrange the luggage for Rosetta and the others.
Once things settle down‚ I’ll come find you‚ Louis-kun.”
Louis: “Got it. Thanks.”
A short distance away from the white marble promenade along the coast‚ a single large tree stood alone on a gentle hill‚ spreading its rich azure leaves.
Directly beneath it spread soft grass‚ manicured like a carpet down to the last detail.
The gentle south wind blowing from the sea rustled the branches with a soft whisper.
In that ultimate cool shade‚ I plopped myself down.
The sound of waves rolling in and out continued to reach my eardrums from afar in a regular rhythm.
From the bag I was carrying‚ I took out a single thick‚ heavy book.
“Fundamental Theory and Applications of Alchemy.”
A specialized text I had been reading a little of yesterday on the private train as well.
I opened it to the page marked by a bookmark.
Louis: “...Alright then.”
I had come to see the beautiful sea.
It had been an unexpectedly wonderful stimulus and a very meaningful experience.
But.
Since I had this quiet‚ cool time where no one would disturb me‚ I wanted to advance my studies just a little.
With my fingertips‚ I quietly turned a paper page.
The essential definition of magical catalysts.
Fusion reactions between materials of different attributes.
Thermal efficiency in mass conversion.
And the limit values of magical coefficients required when forming higher-order catalysts.
Louis: “...With this magical formula‚ if I rewrite these excess constants‚ I can make it more efficient.”
I murmured quietly.
In my head‚ I calmly and carefully assembled a smarter‚ more beautiful new formula.
Zaaah‚ the sound of waves echoed in the distance.
The sea breeze stroked my cheeks.
One open page fluttered playfully in the wind.
This was the continent’s most beautiful waterfront resort city.
In the dazzling shade by the seaside.
I began reading quietly‚ as if tracing the unchanged daily routine I always followed.
I turned another page.
While carefully following the formulas describing mass conversion efficiency in magical catalysts with my eyes‚ I gave a small groan in the back of my throat.
Louis: “I see... so that’s the structure...”
It didn’t depend solely on the basic performance the catalyst itself retained.
The purity of the materials used.
The temperature environment surrounding the synthesis.
And the inflow speed of the poured magical energy‚ along with its progression vector.
By slightly adjusting each of those initial conditions‚ the synthesis results produced from the exact same materials could change dramatically.
The discipline of alchemy was far deeper and far more interesting a system than I had imagined.
Even though I had come all the way to the finest resort to see the sea.
Before I knew it‚ I had become completely immersed in the world of formulas released by the ink on the pages.
Selina: “Hey‚ Louis-kun.
What on earth are you doing there?”
Louis: “...Hm?”
At the sudden voice like a rolling bell falling from above‚ I looked up.
There stood Selina‚ bathed in the dazzling summer sunlight‚ her outline rimmed with light.
Louis: “As you can see‚ I’m reading a book.”
Selina: “Yes‚ I can see that—or rather‚ it’s leaping into my field of vision whether I want it to or not.”
Selina gave a troubled yet affectionate wry smile.
Selina: “We’ve come all the way to the beautiful sea of Venetia‚ so it would be a waste not to properly swim!”
Louis: “I’ll just stay here quietly. It’s fine.”
Selina: “Eh?”
Louis: “You and the others go enjoy the best of the sea for my share as well.”
Saying that‚ I calmly returned my gaze to the specialized book open in my hands.
It wasn’t that I disliked the sea.
I had already sufficiently gazed at the beautiful azure from the platform earlier‚ and that had satisfied my intellectual curiosity.
More than anything‚ reading a book on the cool grassy shade while feeling the sea breeze on my skin wasn’t bad at all.
In fact‚ for me‚ it could be called the most comfortable ideal holiday.
Then.
A soft‚ small human silhouette fell with a plop onto the white page open in my hands.
Selina: “...Louis-kun.”
Louis: “What is it?”
Selina: “I think it would be best if you came with me as well.”
Louis: “...”
I looked up once more‚ listlessly.
Selina was looking down at me‚ her white cheeks puffed out cutely like a squirrel’s‚ just a little dissatisfied.
Selina: “We went to the trouble of coming all the way to Venetia together like this‚ you know?”
Louis: “That’s true‚ but...”
Selina: “So let’s swim in the sea together?”
Louis: “...”
When pressed with such purely earnest eyes‚ even my logic found it extremely difficult to refuse.
Seeing me completely at a loss for a reply‚ Selina smiled small‚ as if certain of her victory.
Selina: “Come on‚ okay?”
Louis: “...Alright.”
Selina: “Really?!”
Louis: “Yeah.
I’ll keep you company for a little swimming.”
Selina: “Yay♪”
Selina’s voice bubbled with joy‚ as if a sunflower had suddenly bloomed in the spring sunlight.
Faced with that pure‚ full smile free of any impurity‚ no further reason to refuse remained in my head.
And then.
It was only then that I finally ‘properly’ captured the full figure of Selina standing under the dappled sunlight in my retinas.
Selina: “And also‚ Louis-kun.”
Selina spun around once on the grass with the blue sea as her background‚ looking delighted.
Selina: “How do you like this swimsuit?”
Louis: “...”
It was a pure white swimsuit that stood out against the marble cityscape‚ pure to the extreme.
The thin pareo fluttering in the sea breeze and the delicate silver-thread decorations on the fabric sparkled as they caught the dappled light filtering through the leaves.
It was completely different from her usual luxurious dress appearance.
Yet her refined beauty remained perfectly intact.
Louis: “I think it suits you very well.”
Selina: “...Eh?”
Louis: “Yeah.
It’s really‚ truly beautiful.”
Selina: “............”
Selina’s movements froze solid‚ as if she had locked up.
Selina: “...Louis-kun.”
Louis: “What is it?”
Selina: “Are you saying that while properly looking at me?”
Louis: “Of course. I looked properly.”
Selina: “Really...?”
Louis: “Yeah‚ really.”
I nodded deeply‚ as a fact without any falsehood.
But.
This time‚ a different fatal problem occurred in my thinking.
Until just now‚ it had been captured normally as merely
“part of the scenery of Venetia.”
But once I clearly recognized her as a ‘lovely girl in a swimsuit’ of the opposite sex‚ it became far too dazzling‚ and I no longer had any idea where to direct my gaze.
Louis: “...”
My gaze‚ having lost its place‚ first fled to the distant blue sea.
Next‚ it fled to the clouds high in the sky.
And finally‚ it fled pitifully into the safest territory—the book in my hands.
Selina: “...Louis-kun?”
Louis: “No‚ it’s really nothing.”
Selina: “Could it be... that you’re a little embarrassed?”
Louis: “...”
I couldn’t answer.
It was a perfect bullseye.
Selina watched my blatantly awkward reaction from close range and chuckled affectionately.
Selina: “Fufu♪”
Louis: “...Don’t laugh like it’s that amusing.”
Selina: “Because I realized that you properly saw me as a special girl.”
Louis: “...That’s why I said it was beautiful‚ didn’t I?”
Selina: “Yeah!”
Selina wore the happiest smile in the world‚ as if everything in her heart had been filled.
Selina: “Whether it was flattery or not‚ being praised by you like that makes me extremely happy.”
Louis: “...Then it was worth changing into.”
As a desperate way to hide my embarrassment‚ I forced my gaze back down to the open book once more.
Then Selina quietly crouched on the grass right beside me and peeked at the page over my shoulder.
A faintly sweet coconut-like scent of sunscreen mixed with the sea breeze tickled my nose.
Selina: “Is that a specialized book on alchemy?”
Louis: “Yeah.
It’s the continuation from yesterday’s train.”
Selina: “Hey‚ Louis-kun.
Is looking at the formulas in that book more fun than playing in the sea?”
Louis: “...”
I thought for a moment.
Louis: “Right now—both are about equally‚ extremely fun.”
Selina: “...I see♪”
Selina smiled sweetly‚ meltingly.
Selina: “Then today‚ let’s thoroughly enjoy both studying with the book and playing in the sea.”
Louis: “Yeah‚ that’s right.”
After answering that.
I suddenly closed the half-read book I had been stubbornly keeping open with a soft pat.
The vast sea spreading before my eyes would never run away anywhere.
The specialized alchemy book in my hands could be opened again anytime tomorrow.
In that case.
For a special day like today‚ it wouldn’t be so bad to go along with her selfishness a little and play with all my might.
Louis: “...Then shall we head to the sandy beach soon?”
Selina: “Yeah!”
Selina held out her white‚ slender hand to me‚ her eyes filled with supreme joy.
Feeling a little embarrassed‚ I firmly took that warm‚ soft hand and stood up from the grass.
A thick specialized book left behind in the shade‚ having lost its owner.
It was being flipped through‚ page by page—lonely yet as if in blessing—by the summer south wind blowing from the sea.
When we walked to the water’s edge‚ I was overwhelmed and involuntarily stopped in my tracks.
Perhaps because of the rebound from having been in the cool shaded premium seat until now‚ the endless pure white sandy beach mercilessly scattered the intense midsummer sunlight‚ and for a moment my vision dazzled.
Narrowing my eyes a little‚ I quietly gazed at the vast horizon that seemed to continue to the end of the world.
Louis: “...It really is wide.”
Selina: “Right♪”
Walking beside me‚ Selina laughed happily in a voice that didn’t lose to the sound of the waves.
Selina: “Today‚ let’s forget all the difficult things and play slowly all day long‚ Louis-kun.”
Louis: “Yeah‚ that’s right.”
I nodded deeply and once again looked out over the dazzling seaside.
Now then.
If we were actually going to swim‚ we first needed to leave our belongings somewhere safe.
Casting my gaze around‚ I saw that on a public sandy beach a short distance away‚ tourist families and local youths were struggling‚ dripping with sweat‚ to plant simple rental parasols into the hard sand themselves.
Louis: “...Then we should also leave our bags in some open space around there and sit—”
Rosetta: “There is no need for our Louis-sama to place himself in such a barbaric and inefficient space.”
Louis: “Eh?”
Suddenly‚ from right beside me‚ Rosetta-san’s cold‚ clear voice reached me.
Startled‚ I turned in that direction.
There—.
Somehow already arranged on the sandy beach were two splendid beach chairs luxuriously furnished with the finest teak wood and extremely fluffy cushions.
On the pure white seats‚ ironed towels were folded with geometric precision‚ not a millimeter off.
Furthermore‚ overhead towered an oversized parasol fixed after perfectly reverse-calculating the range of shadow produced from the sun’s orbital path and the angle of the sunlight.
Between the two premium seats was even an elegant crystal glass side table‚ upon which were neatly arranged tropical drinks adorned with cool condensation droplets and bite-sized light snacks refined in appearance.
Louis: “............”
I completely froze and fell silent.
Rosetta-san was staring at me in her usual impeccable upright posture‚ saying nothing.
As for Agreas‚ he stood there in his tailcoat on this damn hot sandy beach without shedding a single drop of sweat‚ looking cool as if this were simply the natural order of the world.
Louis: “...Hey‚ you two.
What exactly are you doing in the middle of this midsummer sandy beach?”
Rosetta: “This is the standard vacation preparation of our ducal house.
Louis-sama‚ please‚ this way.”
Rosetta-san respectfully indicated the finest chair with her slender white fingertips.
Louis: “...Well‚ looking at the lineup of furnishings‚ I can tell what you want to do.”
Rosetta: “In order for Louis-sama to thoroughly enjoy the sea of Venetia in comfort‚ I have arranged the minimum environmental design as a maid.”
Louis: “Is this your standard for ‘minimum’?”
Rosetta: “Yes.”
An immediate answer without a millimeter of hesitation.
I shifted my gaze from this luxurious space to the surrounding scenery once more.
Compared to the general guests in the distant public area wrestling while covered in sand‚ no matter how objectively one observed it‚ this looked like nothing other than the supreme vacation enjoyed by some royal family under state guest treatment.
Louis: “...In the first place‚ when and who prepared all this furniture?”
Rosetta: “Myself and Agreas.
The furnishings handled by the local rental operators all failed to reach the level of durability and hygiene suitable for contact with Louis-sama’s skin‚ so we arranged a few from the warehouse of the ducal house’s private train.”
Louis: “When?”
Rosetta: “In the gap of time while Louis-sama and Selina-sama were walking very sweetly side by side from the shaded grass toward the seaside.”
Louis: “Isn’t that way too fast no matter how you look at it?!”
As I desperately fired off retorts‚ Rosetta-san smoothly pushed up the bridge of her glasses with a fingertip and added a shocking fact in an extremely matter-of-fact tone.
Rosetta: “Incidentally‚ this private beach area‚ as well as the waterfront resort hotel towering behind it‚ are all property of the Elferia Ducal House.
Please relax at your leisure without concern for the ordinary gazes of others.”
Louis: “Eh...?!”
An involuntarily absurd voice leaked out.
Louis: “Did you just casually say something on the scale of a national budget?!”
Rosetta: “Is that so?”
Rosetta-san tilted her beautiful head in genuine puzzlement‚ as if she truly didn’t understand the reason for my surprise.
Rosetta: “Yes.
This degree of modest asset management is not particularly rare within the Elferia family.”
Louis: “From the monetary sense of an ordinary person like me‚ it’s rare enough to turn heaven and earth upside down!”
I ended up shouting at the top of my voice.
Then Selina‚ who had heard my shout‚ suddenly began surveying the surrounding white marble scenery with a serious face‚ as if realizing something.
Selina: “...But‚ Rosetta.”
Rosetta: “What is it‚ young lady?”
Selina: “Isn’t the overall years of operation of this hotel a little too old for us to properly entertain Louis-kun?”
Louis: “No‚ no matter how you look at it‚ I think it’s more than sufficiently clean and luxurious...”
I hurriedly turned around and looked up at the full figure of the building rising along the coastline.
White walls gleaming under the brilliant sun.
Blue roofs that blended with the azure of the waves.
Giant single-pane glass windows designed to take in the entire sea.
No matter how you looked at it‚ it was a super-luxury resort hotel without a single flaw‚ the kind that would grace the cover of a top-tier nation’s tourism pamphlet.
However—.
Only Selina’s blue eyes were deeply contemplating‚ as if facing a terribly serious problem.
Selina: “This is the sanctuary where Louis-kun will spend his precious holiday‚ you know?”
Louis: “Yeah.”
Selina: “In that case...”
Selina fixed her transparent blue eyes firmly on the white marble hotel.
Selina: “This requires a fundamental reconstruction.”
Louis: “Huh?”
Selina: “Rosetta‚ immediately arrange for the highest-grade white marble and emergency dispatch of the palace’s exclusive magic architects!”
Louis: “Wait a second‚ calm down once!”
In a great panic‚ I firmly grabbed Selina’s delicate shoulders and held her back.
Louis: “Wrong‚ wrong‚ wrong! The direction is completely off!”
Selina: “Eh? What’s wrong about it‚ Louis-kun?”
Louis: “There’s not a millimeter of dissatisfaction with that wonderful building! We’re only staying for today‚ so reconstructing the hotel—what kind of astronomical scale of sense is that?!”
Selina: “But if Louis-kun can spend time even more perfectly and comfortably—”
Louis: “Even at this very moment‚ it seems more than sufficiently luxurious and comfortable!”
As I desperately tried to persuade her‚ Rosetta-san beside me nodded small‚ as if understanding.
Rosetta: “I see.
Louis-sama wishes to maintain the current scenery.”
Louis: “Oh‚ you got it?”
Rosetta: “Then‚ without touching the exterior at all in a rush job‚ let us completely renovate only the structural body of the interior into the latest magic air-conditioning system.”
Louis: “It’s not that physical approach either!”
I clutched my head with both hands in despair.
Why was it that the excessively excellent people around me always lost all sense of scale whenever they tried to improve something?
Only Agreas quietly‚ and just a little enjoyably‚ watched our lively exchange.
Agreas: “Louis-sama.
Incidentally‚ if I may.”
Louis: “...Hey Agreas‚ is there still some explosive statement waiting beyond this?”
Agreas: “The majority of the island visible ahead is also private property of the Elferia Ducal House.”
Louis: “............”
I blankly cast my gaze out toward the distant blue sea.
A small‚ verdant island floating alone before the glittering horizon.
Several white buildings sparkled under the sunlight‚ looking like a high-class tourist destination.
Louis: “...That green island over there too?”
Agreas: “Yes.”
Louis: “Then the island floating right next to it?”
Agreas: “That is also included among the properties of our ducal house.”
Louis: “And the large island visible much farther beyond?”
Agreas: “With the exception of areas designated as national nature preserves‚ we own all of it.”
Louis: “............”
As I completely overflowed my capacity and lost my words‚ Selina clapped her hands brightly in the morning light.
Selina: “That’s right! Louis-kun‚ if this beach gets too crowded and noisy‚ shall we have a new private beach made exclusively for you on that island? If we shave the mountain just a little and change the terrain‚ the waves can become even prettier—”
Louis: “I told you not to try rewriting the world’s terrain for the sake of my vacation!”
I stopped her rampage with all my strength.
Rosetta: “Louis-sama.
...If it is not to your liking‚ would it be better to immediately change the location to another island?”
Rosetta-san asked without changing her expression while opening her black leather notebook.
Louis: “Here is enough.
More than enough.
I don’t need any further hospitality!”
Rosetta: “Understood.”
An immediate answer.
Agreas also placed a hand lightly on the chest of his tailcoat without showing a single drop of sweat and performed a flowing‚ elegant bow.
Agreas: “Then‚ please enjoy your supreme holiday here to your heart’s content.”
Louis: “Yeah‚ I’ll do that...”
I gingerly lowered myself into the prepared beach chair.
—Soft.
The sitting comfort was extraordinarily good.
As if it had calculated my skeletal structure from the very beginning.
On the side table‚ a cold tropical drink with ice making cool sounds.
The ferocious sunlight from the sea was perfectly blocked by the ducal house’s parasol at an exquisite angle of incidence.
Before my eyes was a cobalt blue sea filled with pure beauty alone‚ like a painting.
And right beside that premium seat—.
Selina: “Louis-kun.”
Selina was smiling softly‚ completely satisfied from the bottom of her heart.
Selina: “Today‚ let’s make lots of fun memories together with me.”
Louis: “...Yeah‚ that’s right.”
Completely disarmed by the supreme comfort‚ I smiled small.
Apparently‚ the holiday I was about to spend in Venetia was going to become far more elaborate‚ lively‚ and endlessly pampering than I had anticipated.
A little while later.
As I surrendered my body to the ultimate beach chair‚ bathing my whole body in the pleasant sea breeze while pouring the prepared cold tropical drink down my throat—.
General Manager: “Selina-sama.”
From the direction of the white marble resort hotel‚ a man approached in a hurried half-run‚ repeatedly wiping the oily sweat from his forehead.
He wore a well-tailored suit that was clearly of the highest quality—likely the local general manager of this hotel.
However‚ his expression was colored with deep confusion and apology.
Selina: “What is the matter‚ rushing so?”
Selina placed her elegant glass on the side table and asked leisurely.
General Manager: “Actually... a certain unexpected situation has occurred that I must inform you of.”
Selina: “What is it?”
The general manager once stole a glance at me with his troubled gaze.
Then‚ as if struck‚ he returned his eyes to Selina again.
General Manager: “Today‚ members of the neighboring country’s royal family were scheduled to stay at this hotel‚ but—”
Selina: “Ah.”
Selina nodded as if remembering.
Selina: “That matter that Rosetta and the others arranged behind the scenes yesterday‚ yes?”
General Manager: “Yes‚ that is correct.”
Apparently‚ when we had reserved this entire private beach and hotel yesterday‚ the neighboring country’s royal party—who had originally held a prior reservation—had been made to withdraw by the ducal house’s authority‚ with an even higher-grade hotel from the same chain arranged for them free of charge.
As someone with the sensibilities of an ordinary person‚ even that alone felt stomach-achingly apologetic.
General Manager: “However‚ the prince of the neighboring country insisted that he would not use the alternative hotel but ‘utilize this hotel as originally planned‚’ and would not yield...”
Selina: “...Is that so?”
General Manager: “Yes.
We desperately explained from our side that the alternative hotel was far superior in both facilities and scenery‚ but ultimately‚ by the prince’s personal decision‚ he forcibly headed here‚ bringing along the two princesses and their exclusive escort knights.”
Selina: “I see...”
I thought a little while still holding the straw in my mouth.
Since it was a vacation they had been looking forward to‚ I could understand their uncompromising insistence on staying at the favorite place they had originally chosen.
However—.
Louis: “Did some practical problem arise?”
General Manager: “That is... it is not merely at the level of hoping to stay...”
The general manager trailed off as if finding the words difficult.
It was at that moment.
Assistant Manager: “T-This is terrible!”
From the marble stairs leading to the hotel entrance‚ another man came running at full speed‚ kicking up sand‚ his face pale.
Likely the assistant manager of this hotel.
His necktie was miserably disordered as he dashed under our parasol‚ gasping for breath to the limit of his lungs.
Selina: “What is the matter‚ becoming so discomposed?”
Assistant Manager: “The prince and the princesses—!”
The assistant manager collapsed to his knees on the sand and violently raised and lowered his shoulders as he desperately regulated his breathing.
Then‚ with his face dyed pale and a voice trembling with fear‚ he announced the shocking fact.
Assistant Manager: “They were entirely abducted on the way to this hotel by a mysterious armed organization calling itself ‘Shadow Gate’!”
Louis: “............”
For an instant.
I fell under the illusion that time itself on this beautiful seaside had come to a complete stop‚ leaving only the hollow sound of waves rolling in and out.
Louis: “...Abducted?”
I asked back involuntarily‚ still holding the straw in my mouth.
Assistant Manager: “Yes!”
Louis: “The royal family of the neighboring country?”
Assistant Manager: “Yes!”
Louis: “Right under the nose of the hotel that the Elferia Ducal House has reserved?”
Assistant Manager: “Yes‚ there is no mistake!”
The assistant manager nodded desperately again and again with a face that looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.
At the far too abrupt sudden development‚ I involuntarily pressed a hand to my forehead.
Louis: “...Why would something like that happen?”
It was far too sudden.
Until just now‚ we had only been reading books peacefully in the shaded grass while looking at the beautiful sea.
As for Selina herself—.
Selina: “............”
She was completely silent.
From the depths of those blue eyes‚ every trace of temperature had vanished.
Rosetta-san as well—.
Rosetta: “............”
With her usual cold expressionlessness‚ she stared fixedly at her notebook in silence.
Only Agreas stood there in his tailcoat with an elegant smile‚ as if this were simply the natural order of the world.
Rosetta: “...What happened to the exclusive escort knight order?”
Rosetta-san asked in a voice as cold as a blade.
Assistant Manager: “All of them are at least alive.”
Rosetta: “The extent of their injuries?”
Assistant Manager: “Fortunately there is no threat to their lives‚ but... the combat professionals among them were thoroughly beaten to a pulp and stripped of everything they wore.
They are currently under emergency protection in the hotel lobby.”
Rosetta: “Is that so.”
Rosetta-san replied only that much‚ matter-of-factly.
The assistant manager continued speaking‚ still trembling with fear that would not stop.
Assistant Manager: “Five male escorts and three female escorts had definitely been accompanying them‚ but...
The enemies who attacked were of unimaginable skill‚ and it seems all of them were restrained in an instant without being able to put up any resistance.”
Rosetta: “And the whereabouts of the prince and the two princesses?”
Assistant Manager: “They were carried off somewhere as they were.”
Rosetta: “The location?”
Assistant Manager: “It has not been ascertained at all yet...
Witness information and tracking of magical traces have both been rejected...”
Hearing that far.
Selina rose soundlessly from the ultimate beach chair.
Selina: “...I see. So that’s how it is.”
Those words were extremely quiet.
So quiet they seemed ready to be casually erased by the sound of the waves rolling in and out.
And precisely because of that‚ they were terrifying enough to freeze the core of one’s spine.
Louis: “Selina?”
I called out to her cautiously‚ as if probing her state.
Selina: “Yes.
What is it‚ Louis-kun?”
Louis: “...What do you intend to do?”
Selina looked straight into my eyes with those transparent blue pupils.
And then—.
Selina: “We will go rescue them at once.”
Louis: “I see.”
I nodded.
But what I thought was not some difficult talk about royal power struggles or the like.
Louis: “...The people who were taken hostage and carried off must be feeling terribly frightened right now.”
Selina: “...”
Selina’s lovely expression moved just a little‚ looking slightly surprised at my words.
Selina: “Yes.
I think so as well.”
Louis: “Then it would be better to find them and help them as quickly as possible.”
Selina: “Yes‚ that is truly correct.”
Selina smiled beautifully and refreshingly‚ like a sunflower.
Selina: “Exactly as you say‚ Louis-kun.
If that is what you desire‚ then that is the most rational course.”
Beside her‚ Rosetta-san closed her notebook with a click and rose with uninflected movements.
Rosetta: “Then‚ young lady‚ let us proceed at once to the search and elimination.”
Selina: “Yes‚ please.”
Agreas also placed a hand lightly on the chest of his impeccable tailcoat under the blazing sun and performed a deep‚ flowing bow.
Agreas: “Understood.
It is time to clean up the pitiful trash that interferes with our master’s peaceful holiday.”
I saw off the three of them as they entered combat readiness.
Somehow.
The atmosphere had shifted in a considerably more dangerous direction than the warm‚ peaceful southern country holiday I had been imagining until just now.
Louis: “...But isn’t the kidnapping of a nation’s royalty the kind of major uproar that would normally have the regular army of a country mobilizing en masse?”
I murmured the obvious question.
Selina elegantly turned around at the foot of the stairs leading to the hotel entrance.
Selina: “Yes‚ exactly as you say‚ Louis-kun.”
And she floated the ultimate smile on her lips.
Selina: “Therefore‚ we shall take care of a ‘little’ of this trash of Venetia in place of that army’s trouble.”
Louis: “Yeah.”
I nodded honestly.
Louis: “Please be careful.”
Selina: “Yes♡ Well then‚ we’re off!”
Selina.
Rosetta-san.
Agreas.
The overprotective backs of the three who hid the strongest power quietly disappeared into the depths of the white marble resort hotel.
I simply watched those reliable family members’ retreating figures with calmness.
And then—.
I once again sank deeply into the fluffy beach chair tailored to my skeleton.
Louis: “............”
What returned to my hands was the specialized book “Fundamental Theory and Applications of Alchemy” that I had been reading so intently until just now.
The sea of Venetia spreading before my eyes remained endlessly calm as ever‚ sparkling as it scattered the dazzling morning sunlight.
The sound of waves rolling in and out also continued to maintain the same perfect environmental noise as before.
Louis: “...Alright‚ shall I continue reading?”
I opened the book I had closed with a pat once more.
With my fingertips‚ I turned a paper page.
—At the resort hotel right before my eyes‚ the entire royal family of the neighboring country had been abducted.
Under ordinary thinking‚ it would be a situation where one might turn pale and become discomposed like the surrounding guests.
But.
Those Selina and the others had gone directly to the scene.
In that case‚ no matter what means were used‚ the situation would absolutely be resolved perfectly.
I concluded as much.
And once again gently lowered my gaze to the difficult formulas inside the book.
—Around that time.
What our private train party still had no way of knowing was that the pitiful armed organization calling itself “Shadow Gate‚” which had caused this dangerous kidnapping incident—.
This time‚ in this world‚ they had picked a fight of unforgivable‚ absolute scale against an opponent of a literally different dimension whom one must never lay a hand on.
In the deepest underground of the hotel.
A special communications room isolated by heavy physical barriers and multiple layers of cipher locks that were never normally opened.
In the center of the cold‚ dim concrete room‚ a large magic communication board floated uncannily pale blue.
On the other side of the transmission source stood a man deeply hooded in a black robe‚ as if covering his own face.
Louis: “Shadow Gate.”
This was the leader of the armed organization that targeted the wealthy and high-ranking nobles in this coastal resort region‚ repeating kidnappings and ransom demands through underhanded means.
Shadow Gate Leader: “Listen well‚ people of Elferia.”
The robed man declared in an unpleasant low voice mixed with noise.
Shadow Gate Leader: “We have already completely secured the persons of the neighboring country’s prince and the two princesses.”
At the edge of the pale blue screen were projected the figures of the three neighboring royals‚ roughly bound with magic chains.
Their noble clothing was soiled beyond recognition; fortunately none of the three appeared to be in life-threatening condition‚ but they looked around the surrounding darkness in deep fear‚ unable to fully comprehend the sudden‚ unreasonable situation they had been thrown into.
Shadow Gate Leader: “Our demands are simply two.”
The man arrogantly raised one finger‚ as if certain of his victory.
Shadow Gate Leader: “One.
Transfer to us all territorial rights held by you Elferia Ducal House in the Venetia surrounding region where this kidnapping incident occurred‚ and immediately abandon them.”
Then‚ floating a vulgar smile‚ he raised a second dirty finger.
Shadow Gate Leader: “And the second.”
The man’s mouth twisted uglily‚ as if savoring our reaction.
Shadow Gate Leader: “Have those rumor-true cute young ladies of the ducal house over there immediately send us their terribly ‘embarrassing photographs’ via magic transfer.
If you want the hostages returned alive and unharmed.”
Selina: “............”
Selina‚ who was receiving the communication head-on‚ remained silent in an uncannily quiet manner.
Rosetta: “............”
Rosetta-san as well remained silent‚ staring coldly at her notebook.
Only Agreas narrowed his sharp eyes slightly from the shadows in the corner of the room‚ as if melting into them.
It was by no means fear or agitation toward the criminal organization’s threats.
It was pure killing intent itself—quiet‚ and far below absolute zero.
Shadow Gate Leader: “Hey‚ are you listening?”
Completely mistaking the excessive silence for one born of fear‚ the robed man raised his voice irritably.
Shadow Gate Leader: “Selina Elferia‚ the treasure of the Elferia Ducal House that silences even crying children.”
Selina: “............”
Shadow Gate Leader: “And Rosetta‚ the former S-rank adventurer who is said to make even crying children beg for their lives and flee.”
Rosetta: “............”
Shadow Gate Leader: “I don’t know how much power or barbaric force you lot have brandished until now‚ but—”
There.
Selina exhaled a single breath as cold and quiet as an ice blade.
Selina: “...An organization this incapable of understanding conversation should be incinerated entirely.”
Rosetta: “Yes‚ young lady.”
Rosetta-san affirmed coldly and immediately without a second of hesitation.
Rosetta: “Let us reduce even this world’s history to ash at once.”
Agreas: “Now‚ now‚ please wait‚ both of you.”
Agreas gently restrained the enraged pair with an elegant hand gesture‚ exactly as in his usual precise serving manners.
Agreas: “When fearlessness reaches this extreme—”
That refined mouth curved upward just a little into a wicked arc.
Agreas: “It becomes so supremely comical that one cannot help but laugh.”
On the other side of the magic communication board‚ the Shadow Gate leader distorted his face deep within the black robe‚ as if completely unable to understand the meaning of the reaction the three were showing.
Shadow Gate Leader: “...What’s so funny about that‚ you dogs of Elferia?!”
Agreas: “No‚ please excuse me.”
Agreas shook his head small while still wearing a cruel smile.
Agreas: “It was merely the unpleasant buzzing of an insect resounding in the room‚ so please pay it no mind.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “You bastard‚ don’t mess around!!”
Completely looked down upon by the three’s attitude‚ the robed man flew into a rage and shouted as if striking the communication board.
Shadow Gate Leader: “In our hands are the noble royals who hold the fate of the neighboring country! Depending on your reply‚ what happens to these people’s lives—”
Selina: “Yes‚ you are correct.”
Selina spun her words in an endlessly calm and pure voice‚ as if elegantly deciding the type of herbal tea to drink at today’s tea party.
Selina: “Therefore‚ we will go rescue those persons at once.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “Hoh‚ intending to come to our stronghold?”
Selina: “Yes.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “Hah‚ you fools!”
The man let out a vulgar high laugh from beyond the communication‚ as if certain of victory.
Shadow Gate Leader: “This magic communication route has been perfectly disguised by routing through multiple overseas servers! Do you think the exact location of our underground hideout can be identified so easily?!”
Selina: “Yes‚ it is easy to understand.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “............What?”
Rosetta: “All analysis was already completed approximately thirty seconds ago‚ and the coordinates of the hideout have been identified.”
Rosetta-san declared coldly without taking her eyes off the screen of her beloved magic calculator for even an instant.
Rosetta: “The positional information of the target hideout‚ the structural design of the underground composing the base‚ the full coordinates of the mediocre ambush forces deployed in the surroundings‚ and the emergency underground escape route extending from the deepest section.”
After a brief pause.
Rosetta-san smoothly adjusted the position of her glasses with a fingertip‚ then made the sharp eyes behind them gleam coldly.
Rosetta: “I have just completely mastered all of it.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “W-What did you—”
The expression of the robed man froze solid across the magic communication board screen.
Even so‚ he still could not accept his own ruin and refused to drop his strong front with a desperate look.
Shadow Gate Leader: “E-Even if the location of the base is exposed‚ we have numerous armed members who have survived actual combat lurking here! Even if you few recklessly charge in—”
Rosetta: “Is that so? And what of it?”
Shadow Gate Leader: “If you want the royals returned even a little safely‚ right now our—”
Selina: “We will not allow them to be harmed even one millimeter further.”
Selina mercilessly cut off the man’s unpleasant excuses with the absolute pressure of a sovereign.
In that voice‚ not a particle remained of the sweet‚ soft girl-like resonance she had directed toward Louis on the white sandy beach just a short while ago.
Selina: “...We will not allow even a single finger to touch the prince or the princesses.
If they are touched—we will completely erase your organization from this world.”
It was an extremely quiet‚ matter-of-fact statement.
Yet.
With that alone‚ an overwhelming and absolute aura of domination instantly froze the entire space across the screen.
The Shadow Gate leader‚ for an instant‚ gasped in biological instinctive fear and lost his words.
Shadow Gate Leader: “...W-Why can you remain so composed...? You lot‚ just what...”
Selina: “Composed‚ is it?”
Selina tilted her head adorably in genuine puzzlement.
Selina: “Yes...
I wonder why.”
After entertaining herself with a little thought.
She floated on her lips the ultimate cold smile‚ devoid of even a fragment of mercy‚ as if looking down on a pitiful prey.
Selina: “Just what did you take us for when you picked such a serious fight?”
Shadow Gate Leader: “It’s obvious! An ignorant young lady of the Elferia Ducal House‚ a former S-rank adventurer woman‚ and just a butler!!”
Selina: “I see. So that’s how it is.”
Selina nodded deeply‚ as if convinced.
And then—.
Selina: “Then please remain with that extremely comical and supremely pitiful recognition.
...Well‚ it will only last a few more minutes.”
Shadow Gate Leader: “...Ah?”
Pssht.
Having completely extracted all the information she wanted‚ Selina unilaterally and unceremoniously cut the communication.
Heavy yet absolute silence of domination returned to the special communications room.
A little while later.
Rosetta-san closed her black leather notebook with a click and opened her mouth as if switching the wavelength of the space.
Rosetta: “What shall we do‚ young lady?”
Selina: “Let us clean up this trash of Venetia a little—without leaving a trace‚ yet at the world’s fastest speed.”
Rosetta: “Understood.”
Agreas also nodded deeply and flowingly while maintaining his impeccable perfect posture.
Agreas: “Then I too shall humbly accompany you as the cleaning role to protect our master’s vacation.”
The three opened the heavy door of the special communications room with refined movements free of any hesitation and began walking.
While gazing at those far too reliable family members’ backs‚ Rosetta-san suddenly murmured in an extremely businesslike tone‚ as if recalling something.
Rosetta: “Come to think of it‚ there is one confirmation matter.”
Selina: “What is it‚ Rosetta-san?”
Rosetta: “In the base demands of those fools this time‚ there was no intent or scheme targeting Louis-sama personally included at all.”
Selina: “...Yes‚ that appears to have been the case.”
Selina smiled with a clear‚ sunny expression in which the absolute-zero killing intent until then had vanished as if it had been a lie—genuinely relieved from the bottom of her heart.
Selina: “In that case—all the more reason to finish everything quickly.
I cannot leave my most beloved Louis-kun alone any longer in the shaded grass by the seaside where ordinary guests are present.”
Rosetta: “Yes.
We shall execute the maintenance of our master’s peace as the highest-priority order.”
The three figures slid soundlessly into the darkness beyond the white marble corridor and disappeared.
```
◇
```
And.
A little earlier in time.
On that beautiful seaside where the brilliant midsummer sun poured down and sapphire-like radiance was released.
Louis: “............”
I simply continued reading alone in the ultimate cool shade on the carefully tended soft grass.
With my fingertips‚ I turned a white page.
Then another‚ fluttering it over.
Louis: “...Still‚ it’s quite quiet.”
Zaaah‚ the gentle sound of waves arriving in a constant rhythm.
The cool whisper of the sea breeze swaying the rich branches and leaves of the trees.
From the distant floating streets‚ the leisurely steam whistle of a sightseeing boat and the cheerful laughter of tourists enjoying the dazzling summer sunlight faintly echoed.
Until just now‚ right beside me‚
“Shall we swim in the best sea together?”
Selina and the others‚ who had been bouncing their lovely voices‚ were no longer here.
Louis: “...Well.”
I returned my gaze to the difficult formulas of “Fundamental Theory and Applications of Alchemy” spread open.
Louis: “With those three’s out-of-spec strength‚ there’s absolutely no need to calculate the result—they’ll be fine.”
Then‚ as if rewinding my thoughts a little‚ I considered.
Louis: “But the people who were unreasonably taken hostage and carried off must still be feeling terribly frightened at this very moment...”
What snagged in my thoughts was only that one point.
From the common sense of an ordinary person like me‚ the possibility that Selina‚ Rosetta-san‚ or Agreas would fall behind some miscellaneous armed organization did not exist even one in ten thousand‚ even if they stood on their heads.
Therefore‚ what I was worried about was not the process of victory or defeat in combat itself.
Simply—.
If there were currently unrelated people being exposed to unreasonable malice and feeling fear‚
then it was better to find and rescue them even one second sooner.
That was all there was to it.
I quietly closed the book in my hands once with a pat.
Slightly narrowing my emerald eyes‚ I stared fixedly in the direction of the white marble hotel where the three had disappeared.
Louis: “...I hope everyone comes back safely soon.”
And then.
As if brushing away any further noise‚ I gently opened the book once more.
—While I was reading peacefully as usual in this leisurely shaded seaside‚ I still had no way of knowing.
Just how tremendous a world-ending-class inferno that second base‚ vulgar‚ and extremely low demand which Shadow Gate had thrust forward as a negotiation card had ignited against the reverse scale of the “strongest overprotective team.”
And above all.
That the opponents they believed to be merely
“a young lady of the ducal house”
and
“a former S-rank adventurer woman‚”
plus
“just a butler”
were not beings that could be explained by such diminutive human titles to begin with—the overwhelming and absolute truth of that despair.
How much time had I continued pursuing the formulas in the book?
The sound of waves arriving continued to reach the depths of my ears in a constant‚ pleasant rhythm.
The warm sunlight gently enveloping me.
The cool‚ refreshing sea breeze passing through the azure shade.
There was no longer any reason left for me to resist my eyelids‚ which were growing heavier little by little yet surely.
Holding the open book against my chest‚ I quietly fell into the abyss of deep sleep.
—And then.
Louis: “...This is my dream after all‚ right?”
Ciel: “Yes.
To define it strictly‚ it is Louis-sama’s deep-layer mental dream.”
Suddenly‚ I lifted my eyelids.
There stretched a transparent blue sea with a slightly higher polychromatic saturation than the real world.
At my feet was smooth pure white sandy beach.
An overwhelming blue sky continuing endlessly‚ without a single cloud in sight.
And—.
Louis: “............”
In the very middle of that world‚ Ciel was standing.
Not the usual inorganic figure like a translucent hologram that floated up in my mind.
It was a fully materialized‚ breathtakingly lovely swimsuit appearance.
Louis: “............”
Ciel: “............”
Ciel and I.
With only the quiet sound of waves rolling in and out in the dream sandwiched between us‚ we remained silent for a while.
Louis: “...Hey‚ Ciel.”
Ciel: “Yes‚ Louis-sama.”
Louis: “That appearance is... what exactly...”
Ciel: “As you can see‚ I am wearing a swimsuit.”
Louis: “No‚ I can tell that just by looking—or rather‚ it’s occupying my field of vision whether I want it to or not...”
Ciel: “Is that so.”
Ciel answered in an endlessly composed voice.
However.
If one carefully observed her expression.
Those white‚ transparent cheeks were dyed just a little lovably crimson‚ like a sunset.
Louis: “...Dreams really are amazing‚ with the concepts of real-world calculation not applying.”
Ciel: “If Louis-sama’s wish is there‚ then anything can be constructed here.
This is a secret space for Louis-sama and me alone‚ where no one in the world can interfere.”
Louis: “When you say it so straightforwardly‚ it feels a little embarrassing and scary.”
Ciel: “Is that so?”
Louis: “Yeah‚ seriously.”
I nodded deeply while giving a wry smile.
There‚ I suddenly recalled the major incident that should be occurring in the real world right now.
Louis: “That’s right.
Are the neighboring country’s prince and princesses who were kidnapped at the hotel alright?”
Ciel: “Ah‚ those people...”
Ciel showed a little thinking gesture‚ as if receiving a trivial error report.
Ciel: “There is no need to worry about those hostages at all.
They are completely fine.”
Louis: “Really?”
Ciel: “Yes.
The moment the kidnapping information flew in from the front desk‚ I had already applied invisible physical and magical protection formulas to them from my side in the background so that they would not be injured under any circumstances.”
Louis: “Eh‚ Ciel‚ you already knew the exact coordinates of the enemy’s hideout at that point?”
Ciel: “Yes.
The security the enemy had constructed was unbelievably full of holes‚ so I was able to identify it in an instant.”
Louis: “I see.
...That’s good.”
I exhaled a sigh of relief from the bottom of my heart‚ as if truly saved.
If my most beloved partner Ciel was directly applying protection‚ then at the very least there was not the slightest need to worry about the safety of the hostages.
Ciel: “More importantly.”
Ciel stared fixedly at me with cold emerald eyes from which all emotion had been eliminated‚ in contrast to her sunset-dyed cheeks.
Ciel: “The boss of that pitiful organization called ‘Shadow Gate’ can only be described as ‘my condolences’ right about now.”
Louis: “Haha‚ you’re completely right...”
I imagined the figures of my family members who should be storming the hideout in the real world at this very moment‚ and let out a strained‚ dry laugh.
Louis: “I just hope Selina and the others don’t go overboard and physically destroy the scenery of Venetia.”
Ciel: “Well‚ it is Selina-san‚ after all~”
Ciel gazed at the horizon in the dream with slightly distant eyes.
Ciel: “I have confirmed that there was no intent to harm Louis-sama personally this time.
Therefore‚ I do not think Selina-san will become angrier than necessary.”
Louis: “Me being the target... please don’t advance the rest of the conversation from such a terrifying worst-case premise.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Ciel returned to a serious face and nodded deeply.
Ciel: “If‚ by any chance‚ Louis-sama had been set as the target‚ ...it would truly have been the end of the world‚ and that would have been frightening.”
Louis: “............”
Somehow.
In those endlessly quiet girl’s words resided a strangely overwhelming and despairing persuasive power that froze the core of my spine.
Ciel: “By the way‚ Louis-sama.”
Louis: “Hm?”
Ciel: “Since we have come all the way to a seaside for just the two of us like this‚ what exactly should we do here?”
Louis: “You’re asking me that?”
Ciel: “Yes.
My database is lacking logs on the concept of vacation.”
Louis: “I’m not knowledgeable about this kind of leisure either.”
Ciel: “Then I will search the network a little.”
Ciel quietly closed her eyes.
Several seconds of processing.
Ciel: “Understood‚ solved!”
Louis: “Did you find some interesting information?”
Ciel: “Louis-sama‚ when humans come to the sea‚ they first ‘enter the water and swim‚’ it seems.”
Louis: “...Selina said exactly the same thing when we got off the train.”
Ciel: “And—”
Ciel placed an unnatural pause there.
Ciel: “When coming to the sea with a member of the opposite sex‚ if a man sees a woman’s swimsuit appearance‚ the first thing he should do above all else is ‘praise’ her‚ it seems.”
Louis: “Ah...”
I returned my gaze to Ciel’s figure standing on the sandy beach before me.
Louis: “I think Ciel’s swimsuit is extremely cute.”
Ciel: “............”
Louis: “? What’s wrong?”
Ciel: “...Those words do not contain 100% heart.”
Louis: “Eh?”
Ciel: “System evaluation: 50 points.”
Louis: “I intended to speak straight from what I truly thought!”
Ciel: “Whether the words are fact or not is not the issue.”
Ciel puffed out her white cheeks just a little in dissatisfaction.
Ciel: “Please look properly at my figure from the front and say it a little more carefully.”
Louis: “............”
Caught off guard by the sudden demand‚ I became stuck for words while once again looking straight at Ciel’s existence.
Completely different from the cold‚ inorganic translucent OS that usually floated up in my mind.
Against the high-saturation blue sea and sparkling white sandy beach as background‚ her figure with a living body was—.
Louis: “...I really think it suits you extremely well.”
Ciel: “............”
Louis: “Yeah.
My vocabulary isn’t good enough to say it well‚ but it’s extremely‚ cute.”
Ciel’s white cheeks dyed even deeper and more vividly than the previous redness.
Ciel: “...Now executing scoring.”
Louis: “Do you really need to run the scoring function every single time there?”
Ciel: “............”
After a short silence.
Ciel: “—Seventy-eight points.”
Louis: “I said it seriously‚ and it went up from before but is still subtly low.”
Ciel: “Then‚ the next step is... this.”
Ciel smoothly extended a pure white fingertip forward.
In that instant.
With a small sound unique to the dream stratum—pon—a single sunscreen bottle suddenly appeared in her hand.
Ciel: “Apparently one applies this directly to the body.”
Louis: “Heh‚ because the sunlight is strong.
Is that so.”
Ciel: “Yes.
Therefore‚ please do your best.”
Louis: “............Eh?”
Ciel continued staring fixedly at me while holding the sunscreen bottle straight out.
Ciel: “Louis-sama will apply this to me‚ yes?”
Louis: “?!”
Ciel: “Why are you so surprised?”
Louis: “No no no‚ no matter what‚ that’s strange...!”
Unable to bear it‚ I jumped one step back on the pure white sandy beach.
Louis: “That information Ciel searched is definitely distorted and biased from somewhere.”
Ciel: “No.
In the recommended logs of ‘couple activities’ at the seaside‚ it is always a royal-road item positioned in the upper ranks.”
Louis: “What the heck is that couple item?!”
Ciel: “It is the optimal solution for this situation derived from the search results.”
Louis: “If you insist it’s such a strict search result... then I guess it can’t be helped?”
Ciel: “Yes.
It is an absolutely unavoidable main event.”
Louis: “............”
Ciel thrust the sunscreen bottle toward my chest with pressure that allowed no refusal.
Ciel: “Come‚ please.”
Louis: “No‚ in the first place Ciel is an avatar‚ so physical sunscreen shouldn’t be necessary—”
Ciel: “............”
Ciel’s white cheeks puffed out completely to the limit this time.
Ciel: “...Geez‚ that’s not the kind of talk this is‚ you idiot Louis-sama.”
Louis: “Eh?”
Ciel: “System evaluation—minus thirty points.”
Louis: “Why did it drop that far all at once?!”
Ciel: “Does Louis-sama truly understand nothing?”
Louis: “I don’t understand the logic at all‚ not one bit.”
Ciel averted her gaze just a little and stared fixedly at the gentle water’s edge of the dream stratum.
Ciel: “...Events like this are not measured by the logic of necessary or unnecessary.”
Louis: “............”
Ciel: “Simply‚ the meaning lies in Louis-sama and me executing the same process together.”
Louis: “...I see.
Sorry‚ I was being tactless.”
I thought a little and exhaled small.
Louis: “Then I give up.
...I’ll properly apply it to your back.”
Ciel: “Yes♪”
Ciel turned her back to me happily with a spin.
In the palm of my hand‚ the cold oil bottle had been gripped naturally‚ as if it had been there from the beginning.
Louis: “...Then‚ here I go.”
Ciel: “Please‚ whenever you’re ready.”
While desperately suppressing the irregular pounding of my heart‚ I fearfully took the oil and extended my fingertips straight toward Ciel’s delicate white back.
Louis: “............”
Ciel: “............”
Suddenly‚ I fell under the illusion that the entire world had become strangely silent.
Only the zaaah of the waves resounding from the azure sea of slightly higher saturation than reality echoed far too largely and vividly into the depths of my ears.
Louis: “...Is it alright to apply it around here as well?”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Louis: “Then around here?”
Ciel: “Please shift just a little more to the right.”
Louis: “Here?”
Ciel: “Yes‚ the perfect point.”
Louis: “Got it‚ I’ll continue.”
As much as possible‚ I switched my own thinking to a mechanical routine.
Without thinking any unnecessary things‚ without being conscious of her as the opposite sex.
Simply immersing myself in the work of accurately applying the oil to the places she designated.
Eventually‚ that extreme task that had seemed eternal finally reached its end.
Louis: “...Alright‚ it’s all finished.”
Ciel: “Thank you for being careful‚ Louis-sama.”
Ciel turned around with a satisfied flutter.
As for me‚ I was extraordinarily exhausted‚ as if I had forced another national-class magic furnace to emergency stop.
Louis: “...My remaining mental gauge is about to hit zero any second now...”
Ciel: “Louis-sama should become a little more accustomed to the existence of women.”
Louis: “I think even standing on my head‚ such an advanced update is impossible for me.”
Ciel: “Or rather‚ an ordinary man of the world would produce a few more proactive errors at this proximity‚ you know?”
Louis: “Haha‚ spare me...”
I smiled weakly‚ as if admitting complete defeat.
Louis: “With my current specs‚ that hurdle is too high and I’ll error out.”
Ciel: “Well‚ that is probably so.”
Ciel laughed small in a very human way‚ endlessly affectionate‚ from the back of her throat.
Ciel: “However‚ successfully applying the sunscreen oil all the way to the end is a large step forward in human relations.”
Louis: “Is that the kind of thing it is from the world’s common sense?”
Ciel: “Yes‚ without a doubt that is the kind of thing it is.”
Louis: “I see.
Then that’s good.”
I once again gazed at the dream sea spreading before us.
The calm water surface reflected the morning sunlight fully and sparkled‚ waving endlessly and forever gently.
Louis: “Now then‚ what shall we do next? Is there still time?”
Ciel: “Hmm...”
Ciel looked up at the sky with just a little lingering attachment.
Ciel: “I have a very regrettable report.”
Louis: “Yeah‚ what is it?”
Ciel: “This secret date appears to end here.”
Louis: “Eh?”
Ciel: “Louis-sama.”
Ciel looked straight at me with those transparent emerald eyes.
That lovely outline of hers clad in a swimsuit gradually melted into the light and became faintly uncertain.
Ciel: “In the real world‚ the time of awakening appears to have arrived.”
Louis: “Ah... you’re right.”
Now that she said it‚ I felt the sensation of my real body suddenly surging into my brain like the rising tide.
The high-saturation dream scenery was gradually covered by a thin white veil from the edges and receding.
Louis: “I see.
A little regrettable.”
Ciel: “Yes‚ the same for me.”
Louis: “Then‚ let’s meet again in tonight’s dream.”
Within the boundary of receding consciousness‚ I gently waved my right hand toward her.
Louis: “Bye-bye‚ Ciel.”
Ciel: “............”
Ciel also‚ while disappearing into the dazzling pure white light‚ waved her white slender hand small and bravely in front of her chest.
Ciel: “Yes.
Please take care‚ Louis-sama.”
The final words that reached my deepest part.
Resounded just a little—truly‚ from the bottom of the heart‚ happily and warmly—more than the usual clear system voice that echoed in my mind.
And then.
My consciousness slowly rose into the pleasant afternoon light of reality‚ together with the gentle sound of waves rolling in and out.
Louis: “...Nn.”
I slowly opened both eyes as if adjusting the focus of reality.
Through the fine gaps in the leaves‚ dazzling afternoon sunlight was pouring onto the face of me lying on the grass.
Louis: “...I fell asleep again.”
Placing a hand on the grass‚ I slowly raised my upper body.
My head was still a little hazy‚ but mysteriously my mood was more refreshing than ever and not bad at all.
I retained the memory of having held a truly trivial yet warm conversation with Ciel in the dream.
In the high-saturation blue sea.
Toward her fully materialized‚ breathtakingly lovely swimsuit appearance.
With this hand‚ I had applied that cold sunscreen oil directly to her back—.
Louis: “............”
The moment I unexpectedly recalled the soft sensation that seemed to remain on my fingertips.
My face rapidly grew hot.
Louis: “...What the heck was that heart-attack-inducing dream?”
I vigorously shook my head left and right as if forcibly dispersing my own heat.
It was precisely at the moment I was trying to cover up the embarrassment.
Selina: “Louis-kun!”
A familiar lovely voice that seemed to repel the dazzling southern light reached my eardrums.
Startled‚ I turned in that direction.
From the marble stairs leading to the entrance of the white marble resort hotel‚ Selina and the others were walking elegantly toward me.
On the clothes of the three who should have stormed the criminal organization’s hideout and performed “trash cleanup‚” not a single wrinkle or speck of soot remained.
Louis: “...Welcome back.
You were fast.”
Selina: “I’m home‚ Louis-kun! You were a good boy keeping house‚ weren’t you♪”
Selina released a carefree smile like the midsummer sun itself.
Louis: “How was the kidnapping incident over there?”
Rosetta: “All administrative processing has been completed perfectly.”
Rosetta-san answered extremely matter-of-factly and expressionlessly‚ as if she had merely finished wiping the floors of today’s rooms.
Louis: “I see.
Then that’s good.”
I nodded deeply.
I did not ask any further details about how many armed members had been forcibly eliminated from this world by what means.
Probably.
For the mental hygiene of an ordinary person of common sense like me‚ it was better not to know any more details—I was intuitively certain of that.
Louis: “More importantly...”
I firmly stepped on the soft grass and stood up vigorously.
Then I looked straight at the overwhelming blue sea of Venetia spreading before my eyes.
The specialized book “Fundamental Theory and Applications of Alchemy” that I had been reading so intently until just now remained gently placed on the side table in the shade.
Today’s studying had already been sufficiently charged.
Therefore.
Louis: “Then... shall I go into the sea and swim together soon as well?”
Selina: “!”
The moment she heard that single sentence‚ Selina’s lovely face shone dazzlingly‚ as if a midsummer sunflower had bloomed in an instant.
Selina: “Yeah! Of course‚ Louis-kun!”
A voice of supreme bliss that bounced from the bottom of her heart resounded refreshingly across the seaside under the endlessly high blue sky.
Selina: “Finally‚ finally Louis-kun will swim in the sea with me!”
Louis: “Ahaha‚ is it something to be that exaggeratedly happy about?”
Selina: “Of course! Because it’s the most beautiful sea of Venetia that we came to together!”
Louis: “Well... that’s certainly true.”
I reflected a little on my own indoor thinking and smiled small and calmly.
Louis: “Then let’s go‚ Selina.”
Selina: “Yes‚ let’s go!”
That day.
For the first time since losing my memories after that harsh battlefield‚ I completely emptied the complicated formulas and arithmetic systems in my head‚ thought of nothing difficult‚ and immersed my body straight into the real sea.
The transparent azure water was pleasantly cool and surprisingly gentle against the skin.
Surrendering my body to the waves rolling in and out‚ being rocked this way and that—a mysteriously pleasant physical floating sensation.
Selina‚ who unexpectedly splashed water on me and laughed like a rolling bell‚ as innocently as a young girl.
Rosetta-san watched over our safety from a white marble sandy beach a short distance away‚ silently yet proudly‚ without any noise.
Agreas stood by on the sand with a tray of ultra-cold tropical drinks at the perfect timing before we could even feel thirst.
Simply swimming absorbedly.
Gently resting my flushed body in the cool shade.
Then entering the sea again as innocently as a child.
While repeating such completely carefree time absorbedly‚ before I knew it the world had welcomed a lively evening.
The sun that had been at the zenith slowly and solemnly sank toward the far horizon while releasing dazzling orange light.
The sky gradually dyed itself into a luxurious gradient of red‚ purple‚ and indigo‚ and on the quietly waving sea surface of Venetia‚ a dazzling golden path of light stretched straight‚ as if continuing to the end of the world.
Louis: “............”
I plopped myself down on the fine golden sand and quietly continued gazing at that far too dazzling twilight scenery.
With my usual brain.
The moment I visually recognized the beauty of the great nature before me‚ I would unconsciously have been running calculations to define it.
The exact descending altitude of the sun toward the horizon.
The refractive index and incident angle of light irregularly distorted by atmospheric density.
The reflectance of the golden color released by the waving water surface.
The vectors of the ocean currents that determined the tides.
The rapid changes in water temperature by depth.
The current air temperature.
And humidity.
—With my specs‚ I could instantly calculate and quantify any number of such environmental elements.
In fact‚ behind my retinas‚ formulas had been trying to assemble themselves automatically just a little.
Louis: “............”
But.
I stopped the calculation formulas that had been about to run midway‚ by my own will.
Louis: “...The sea really is truly amazing.”
I had thought exactly the same thing when I stepped down onto the platform in the morning.
But I put it into words once more with heat from the bottom of my heart.
Selina: “Yeah‚ that’s right.”
Selina‚ who had been sitting right beside me nestled close‚ heard my words and leisurely turned her head to look at my profile.
Selina: “Hey‚ Louis-kun.
Just now‚ you were about to do something difficult‚ weren’t you?”
Louis: “Yeah.
As usual‚ I thought of replacing the entire scenery before me with numbers.”
Selina: “Yeah.”
Louis: “But I stopped midway.”
Selina: “Why? Louis-kun could produce the correct answer in an instant.”
I thought a little‚ as if tracing my own emotions.
And then—.
Louis: “...Because it felt more fun not to calculate.”
Selina: “............”
Selina returned no words to that.
Simply.
Perhaps because of the dazzling sunset‚ she smiled meltingly and happily with her blue eyes filled to the brim with affection and joy that looked ready to overflow into tears at any moment.
Selina: “I see♪”
Truly‚ that was all.
```
◇
```
Night.
I returned to my room in the ultra-luxurious suite on the top floor of the resort hotel‚ the kind used by state guests of a nation.
Beyond the large cut-out window stretched the dark‚ endless night sea.
Completely different from the lively polychromatic bustle of daytime‚ there was only the absolute calm silence held by the sound of waves echoing from the depths of the abyss.
Just as I was about to slip my body into the highest-grade fluffy bed.
Leon: ‘—Oi‚ Louis.
Can you hear me?’
Suddenly‚ the magic communication device placed by the pillow faintly flickered‚ and the voice line connected.
Louis: “Yeah‚ I can hear you.
Is that you‚ Leon?”
Leon: ‘Yeah‚ it’s me.’
From the other side of the communicator came Leon’s characteristically overly powerful voice‚ the one that had survived that battlefield.
Leon: ‘I forced the boring postwar processing of the army onto the civil officials.
Around noon tomorrow‚ I should be able to join you at that white marble hotel.’
Selina: “Leon-kun‚ you’re really coming here!”
Right beside me‚ Selina—who had somehow already changed into a cute pink pajama outfit adorned with frills—leaned forward happily from on top of the bed.
Leon: ‘Yeah‚ of course I’m going.
It’s a direct invitation from the young lady of the ducal house; there’s no reason to refuse.’
Leon placed a slightly strange pause there‚ as if hesitating over something‚ and continued.
Leon: ‘Also... I’m sorry for deciding on my own‚ but I’ll be bringing along one persistent “companion” who insists on coming no matter what—is that alright?’
Louis: “One person? Who is that?”
Leon: ‘Yeah‚ about that—’
Somehow‚ from far down the communication line‚ I thought I faintly heard the shouting of a violently energetic and strong-willed girl whose voice I seemed to have heard somewhere before: ‘Hey Leon! Lend me that magic communicator already! That Louis person who’s there‚ the one who constructed a 0.2-second ultra-precise remote magic circle in the center of that hell...!’
I tilted my head a little in mild puzzlement.
Whose voice was that‚ I wondered.
But.
Louis: “If it’s Leon’s companion‚ I don’t particularly mind.
Welcome.”
In particular‚ I couldn’t find any reason to refuse it.
Louis: “Tomorrow as well‚ we plan to play all day long in this sea of Venetia.”
Selina: “Yeah! Let’s make it an even more fun day together with everyone‚ Louis-kun!”
Selina also floated a smile of supreme bliss and fully agreed with my opinion.
After exchanging confirmation of the practical exact arrival time for tomorrow‚ the communication was casually cut with a pssht.
In the luxurious room‚ the calm silence of the night waves rolling in and out slowly returned once more.
I gazed at the endlessly deep night horizon beyond the large window.
On the night water surface waving like first-class black velvet‚ the pure white light released by the white moon at mid-heaven swayed gently‚ gently.
Louis: “...Tomorrow as well‚ huh.”
Not only this special day today.
Tomorrow as well‚ the dazzling sea would be waiting for me.
Right beside me would be Selina‚ and on the sandy beach Rosetta-san and Agreas would also be standing by.
And—my one and only best friend Leon would also deliberately come here.
Then‚ one more person.
Louis: “............Who in the world could it be?”
I was just a little curious about the sender of the new message.
But.
For now‚ that alone was enough.
There was no need to forcibly solve the unknown future with calculation formulas in my brain and produce the correct answer this very instant.
When tomorrow came‚ when the time arrived‚ I would surely understand it naturally.
I quietly closed the large glass window as if shutting out the sea breeze.
Louis: “...Everyone‚ good night.”
This time I truly slipped my body into the highest-grade bedsheets.
This day.
In my memories‚ it had been the day on which I ‘did not calculate the world’ the most.
And the result—had been far‚ far more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
Selina: “—Wait‚ Louis-kun! Don’t try to go to sleep looking so satisfied yet!”
Louis: “Eh‚ yeah.
It’s already late at night‚ so of course I plan to sleep.”
Selina: “The night vacation is still only beginning! More importantly‚ the bath in this suite is extremely spacious and has a wonderful view of the night sea‚ so... hey‚ let’s enter together!”
Louis: “No no no‚ entering together is impossible no matter what!”
Ciel: ‘—Warning; after Louis-sama transitions to dormant state from now on‚ a schedule has already been built into the system for going to the bath together with me in the local dream stratum.
Selina-san of the real world‚ please immediately refrain from that place.’
Louis: “No no no...! Whether awake or asleep‚ there’s no escape—I’ve fallen into the worst ‘no solution’?!”
In times of such absolute crisis‚ the figures of the usually excellent Rosetta-san and Agreas‚ who would finish administrative processing in an instant‚ were nowhere to be found no matter where I looked in the room.
(Probably‚ they were intentionally being extremely considerate and had completely erased their presence.)
Ciel: ‘— Beep ’
Ciel: ‘Personality function restoration rate has been updated from 39.9% to
“40.0%” ’
Only the digital text of the system log in my brain was impressively and proudly engraving numbers‚ completely out of place with regard to this master’s crisis.
While being pulled with full force by the slender arm of pajama-clad Selina‚ I gazed at the darkness beyond the window as if seeking help.
The endlessly deep‚ gentle night sea.
From beyond the far horizon‚ the faint driving sound of a direct magic train running on the water reached my ears small.
Louis: “Anyone is fine! Leon‚ please‚ just get here even one second sooner—!”
(Side Story · Chapter 16: The Waterfront Resort City of Venetia and a 0.2 Holiday · End)
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