NOVEL WEB “…Hua. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the ocean. The last time was last summer, after all.”
“Ahaha, I guess that’s true when you mention it.”
Was it really at the summer festival when I last visited the beach? Now that I think about it, it’s about time to start preparing for this year’s festival. I need to properly prepare to redeem last year’s defeat.
I should gather the kids from Trinity Academy who are willing to participate and start practicing for the matches… Well, those little details are something my underlings will handle well, I suppose. It’s not really something I need to worry about.
“Hmm. You know, there’s no rule that says we can only go to the beach in summer. Later, just the two of us…”
“No.”
“Euhng?”
What’s with this reaction? Did I just get rejected?
“Next time… I’ll make sure to take others along too. Of course, that doesn’t mean I dislike spending time just the two of us. There’s a saying about going overboard being a bad thing, but no matter how much time I spend with you, it always feels too little. It’s just…”
Nagisa brushed aside a few strands of hair that were swaying in the wind. She then looked at me and gave a cute little pout.
“Knowing that feeling isn’t just mine, I thought I should concede a little for the sake of others. If we end up fighting between ourselves, it’ll only hurt each other’s feelings, but that’s not the case for Mika-san…”
I couldn’t argue with Nagisa’s words. After all, it’s always awkward when someone gets caught in the middle of a dispute.
If this were a conflict between my partners, it would be difficult to pick a side, and mediating that would be a tough job too.
Unless one were in a position to suppress all dissatisfaction while maintaining a somewhat hierarchical relationship, that would be a different story… Realistically, it would have to be someone like a king from the medieval era to have that kind of power.
“In short, this choice is merely for Mika-san, and not for anyone else.”
“Heueng… I see. Well, if that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do about it~ Ahahaha!”
While I was teasing Nagisa verbally, my true feelings were a bit different. To be honest, I was so excited that my heart was racing like crazy.
Fortunately, I seemed to have hidden that well.
“Mika-san, I often find myself wondering how I ended up falling for a person like you.”
“Wow, that’s interesting! I feel the same way.”
“Nehe?”
How on earth can Nagisa’s face, filled with confusion and astonishment, be so cute? As I reached out, I cupped her cheek and smiled wide. My eyes curved into a round shape, and the corners of my mouth lifted as well— an irresistibly charming smile.
When I say “charming smile,” I mean one that instantly draws people in and captivates them.
No matter how much our husbands insist that they didn’t fall for me purely based on looks, you can’t cover the sky with one hand, right?
While those assertions aren’t just sweet talk, Mika’s blessed looks certainly carry their own weight.
Just like now, with a single smile, I could silence Nagisa, making her face flush with a bit of red— that ability springs partially from the beauty that Hina bestowed upon me. And considering that this is the body I’ll live in for the rest of my life, there’s no reason to feel uncomfortable about it.
“I often wonder if Nagisa-chan fell for someone like me by chance, too, it’s fascinating☆”
“Well, it’s true that before love, even the smartest person can become a fool. For those who have fallen for you, that’s quite unfortunate.”
“Wow… Is that an attempt to say you’re smart right there?”
“No, I would be the biggest fool in the world. Sadly. I can’t even blame anyone since I’m in a position where I can act selfishly but still, just one person… Huh, never mind, I should stop talking.”
Surprisingly, despite the content of Nagisa’s words, her expression didn’t seem too bad. Inwardly, I was curious about what kind of conversation was going on in the group chat I wasn’t invited to, as Nagisa was diligently taking care of the other kids.
Of course, considering Nagisa’s kindness and overflowing affection, it isn’t surprising at all. But when I recall the time she was at odds with Haruna, it’s quite a remarkable change.
“Ehehe.”
As I gently stroked Nagisa’s cheeks, I unconsciously leaned forward. Perhaps expecting something different, Nagisa’s body stiffened slightly in response.
But that didn’t matter. I buried my head in her neck and took a deep breath. The scent of her shampoo mixed with a light body wash fragrance enveloped me.
At a harbor where the horizon expanded to reveal the clear blue sea, we silently felt each other’s warmth against the ocean breeze.
From afar, a massive ship, a cruise liner, was approaching port.
*
“I’ll check your boarding passes.”
Once we boarded the ship, we promptly presented our boarding passes to the Bunny Girl Guard. The Bunny Girl Guard pulled out something resembling a barcode scanner and held it over my boarding pass.
Ah, is it a QR code? Well, scanning codes is basic courtesy in this day and age. Usually, it’s done automatically, but it seems they’re manually operated here for security.
I noticed Nagisa glancing at the Bunny Girl’s outfit and sunglasses with a strange expression.
Then, she shot me a quick look. What she was thinking was probably pretty obvious without needing to ask.
Was I bringing her to a strange place? Or did I choose this location just to enjoy this kind of scenery?
She must have been thinking something like that.
But it was all a misunderstanding. The way our husbands look on a regular day is much more appealing than some random Bunny Girl outfit… Besides, if I asked nicely, they’d wear that Bunny Girl outfit at least once, right?
However, raising those points in public seems a bit awkward, so I’ll save that for when we’re in our cabin. Yeah.
While I was quietly constructing a defense against Nagisa’s gaze in my mind, the Bunny Girl Guard finished verifying our boarding passes and handed them back.
“Your boarding pass has been confirmed. Welcome aboard the Golden Fleece, Misono Mika, T-party host.”
“…Huh?”
As the Bunny Girl Guard stuttered midway while bowing her head, an awe-inspiring sight…
Thud thud.
I felt Nagisa gently poke me in the side.
No, Nagisa-chan, I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see a thing.
…Sorry, I did see it. Just a little. But since that was shown by her, it’s not my fault, right? Nod?
Though I felt a bit wronged, since seeing it was the truth, there’s nothing I can do about that.
More importantly, when I got the boarding pass, all I needed was my academy and name. Yet, somehow, this Bunny Girl Guard knew my title.
“On our Golden Fleece, orders have come from the admiral to give special treatment to the T-party hosts. Therefore, all facilities for you and your companions will generally be provided with B-class services.”
“…B-class?”
“For guests who seem unfamiliar with this, allow me to explain. All facilities and services on the Golden Fleece are determined by the grade of the lottery that can be held in the Play Lounge. Lottery grades range from D-class to S-class, and typically, reaching A-class means you can enjoy top-tier services aboard the Golden Fleece.”
Ah… Oh? Is that how it works?
I don’t know the details, but it seems that the higher-ups from the Odyssey Maritime School, which I encountered last year, issued instructions for my convenience. Even aboard the Golden Fleece, which is considered half a vessel, that seems to be an exception.
“But the fact that such special treatment indicates B-class seems a bit puzzling. I get the general idea of how this ship operates. In short… it’s a gamble, isn’t it?”
While I was addressing the Bunny Girl Guard, Nagisa was looking more towards me. The temperature around her seemed to dip dramatically in real time, so I quietly diverted my gaze and held back my words.
Misunderstandings can be cleared up gradually.
Moreover, the fact that they are providing a basic B-class service was indeed an unexpected gain. Not bad at all.
Although it seems a bit far from “special treatment,” it’s still better than not having it at all, right? Kind of like a safety net, I guess?
Realistically speaking, if I played the lottery hundreds of times but had the worst luck, I could end up with nothing but C-class or D-class.
Of course, humans tend to hope for good luck rather than worrying about such things before rolling the gacha, right?
But life isn’t that simple, is it?
Even so, I still intended to give the lottery a shot. I had money, and if I’ve come all the way out here, I should at least pull an A-class or better.
“Of course, by ‘special treatment,’ we mean services that would normally require A-class or above, but our Golden Fleece generally doesn’t welcome intervention from the main school and also has fairness concerns for other passengers, so the extent where we can give special treatment is B-class. Please understand.”
“Ahaha, that’s fine, that’s fine! I actually came with the intention of playing the lottery anyway. So starting with B-class is something I should be grateful for, right?”
“…Mika-san! Gambling?!”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Nagisa-chan, I did do something good before coming here! So I think a little deviation like this is fine!”
“It wouldn’t be fine, would it…? Honestly, I can’t take it anymore…!”
Once Nagisa learned that I had donated the entire monthly allowance for maintaining dignity in the T-party, equal to six months’ worth, to kindergartens and childcare centers within Trinity, her mood would surely improve quickly. Fufu.
“Then, I hope both of you create wonderful memories on our Golden Fleece… Ah, but before that, I still need to check the boarding passes for your companions.”
Overall, I was quite pleased that we had a place to drop our luggage before heading to the Play Lounge.
This was the perfect condition for soothing Nagisa.