kscans

Chapter 529 - Night, on the Beach

When you're having fun without holding back, time flies in the blink of an eye. Several hours after the recreation tournament, which had ended on a high note.

Maybe it was the typical vacation high, or maybe I couldn't sleep, or maybe I just didn't want to. I left my bed, left my room, and then left the villa, where a cool night breeze and a magnificent starry sky greeted me.

Ahh, the quiet of the night really stings the wound of defeat—damn that perfect superhuman princess.

Just when we thought the guys would be partying all night, the girls burst in as if to say, "How long are you going to keep this up?" and the game was over when Ashe, along with Irori who was engaged in a rally of endless tenacity, was thoroughly trampled. I'm not satisfied with that in the slightest.

Seriously, I can't find a single thing she's bad at. From what I saw, she was a master at darts too. It's not just her real-world stats; the extent of her real-world skills is just too absurdly powerful—

"Whoa there…?"

As I walked along, lost in thought, I found myself at the fence by the cliff's edge.

I had planned to watch the night sea for a bit, indulge in some moody contemplation, and then head back… but I spotted a figure on the sandy beach below. I hesitated for a moment, then,

Well, that could be interesting too, I thought, and turned towards the slope leading down.

I went down the beautifully paved path, and my feet crunched onto the sand. Fine particles immediately clung between my toes, but I was wearing sandals, just-popping-out-for-a-second style, so it wasn't a problem. And there she was, the figure with her back to me.

We haven't really interacted enough to call ourselves close, but it's a vacation. No need to be shy about saying hello; just throw caution to the wind.

My first line should be… 'Good evening?' No, we already saw each other tonight. In that case…

"The owner of the house said it was strictly forbidden to go down to the beach alone."

"…I had no intention of approaching the water's edge, so I would appreciate it if you would turn a blind eye."

"I see. In that case, I'll be coming here to brood by myself on another day, so please keep it a secret."

"That, I'm afraid I cannot condone. A single, somber adult woman is one thing, but I can't say for sure that an energetic young man wouldn't get carried away, even if he's alone."

"You know, in the real world, I'm basically an introvert when I'm alone—okay, stop right there. Please disclose the reason why you just chuckled as if to say, 'You're kidding, right?'"

"I shall remain silent."

"Hah, so that's how it is? I'll take that as an affirmation and a declaration of war."

"This is a grave situation. If the renowned [Acrobat] has set his sights on me, I may have no choice but to summon the [Sword Queen]."

"Isn't deploying overwhelming force from the start just plain lawless?"

"…It's not humility. Nor is it sarcasm. I wonder if that's what makes you you—the way you can calmly analyze her and be certain she's 'superior.' I don't dislike people like that."

"Well, it's an undeniable fact—the stars are beautiful, aren't they?"

Surprised that our lighthearted exchange had lasted longer than I expected—though it might be rude to say—I stood three steps beside her and looked up at the night sky, letting out an honest thought… for some reason, Helena-san let out a refined chuckle.

"If you were ten years younger, I might have mistaken that for a pickup line."

"Nah, that's pushing it a bit too far. If a guy could pick up a girl these days with just 'the stars are beautiful,' men all over the world wouldn't have such a hard time. Not that I'd know."

I knew she was just teasing me, and she probably said it assuming I'd understand.

It's like, uh, how do I put this?

Ui-san… no, that's a bit different. Right, it's that sense of余裕 that an older woman like Hinayo-san has—that demeanor filled with composure, an atmosphere where you can't see the bottom of her emotions.

She's not a type I dislike, but she's a type I'm bad with.

In the sense that I feel like I could never win against her. For the record, a certain maid is in a separate category—an exception—because she's just too much of a free spirit.

"Haru-san."

"Yes?"

I was spacing out, gazing at the stars during a lull in the conversation, when she called my name. I turned my gaze back to her. Her intelligent black eyes weren't looking at me, but at the sea and the sky, yet I could feel her attention was clearly directed my way.

And because I could read what was coming next…

"I've already received my thanks from Uni."

"…"

I cut her off with a pre-emptive 'no thank you,' and Helena-san swallowed the words she was about to say. I see, just as I thought. My gratitude was already conveyed.

"I already accepted it head-on once, without any shyness. Having my selfish, freewheeling actions praised over and over… well, it's more than just a little embarrassing…"

When I implied that she should spare me, she thought for a few seconds and then—

"—Then, not as a member of the Southern Faction, but as Iris's friend."

"…,…"

"I won't put it into words, but please accept it."

—she tossed her 'feelings' at me with a prim face.

See? There's no way an eighteen-year-old boy can stand up to something like this. No matter the situation, I'll just end up being wrapped around her little finger.

As for the hypothesis, overflowing with evidence, that I'm just hopelessly weak against older women? I move to reject the introduction of that debate.