Episode 31
Summer vacation means the beach!
And the beach means bikinis!
That equation has never failed me.
Even in my previous life, I enjoyed sneaking glances at beautiful women in bikinis and sunglasses at the beach.
But…
“Why am I the one wearing a bikini?!”
I never considered this possibility.
Well, I know that’s how it is at the beach.
Even guys just wear swim trunks, but…
But still!
Bikinis are meant to be admired on beautiful women!
Why! Why am I the one wearing a bikini and becoming the object of attention?!
“Kyaa! Yuri! It looks amazing on you, just as I imagined! Would you like to see yourself in the mirror?”
No, I don’t want to see…!
Myself in a bikini…!
… …
Oh, uh…?
It actually looks pretty good…?
Ah, right.
This body is quite attractive.
Of course, a bikini would look good on me.
But… I’m a guy who’s experiencing the feeling of wearing a bikini…!
I’m a guy, even though I’m in a girl’s body!
This is so lewd!
I’m going crazy!
Wow, girls are amazing for wearing these things!
“T-try this one on too! And this one, and this one!”
Roa, completely ecstatic, pulls out several swimsuits from the pile on the sofa and urges me to try them on as if I’m her doll.
“No, no, let’s just stick with this one.”
They’re all basically the same.
They’re definitely not any more modest than the one I’m currently wearing.
There’s even a string bikini…
So you have that kind of taste, Roa…?
Ugh… if that’s what you like, I’ll do anything to…
No!
I can’t wear that!
You wear it!
“What is this dangerous string thing? Roa, you’ll wear it for me, right? Wow! It would look amazing on you!”
“Wh-what?! Yuri, is that… your taste…?”
No, why are you blushing and asking about my taste, you perverted little…
“L-later… when it’s just the two of us… I’ll show you. N-no! I’m not doing it because I want to please you…!”
You just asked about my taste, and now you’re denying it?!
This girl is so bad at hiding her feelings!
Bang, bang, bang!
As I’m staring at Roa, dumbfounded, I hear someone pounding on the door.
That must be Celia.
“Master, come out now.”
“Okay, okay, I’m dressed. Let’s go.”
Ugh, this is so lewd, but…
Hmm, hmm… actually, aren’t men’s swimsuits even more lewd?
When I was a guy, I just wore swim trunks!
Well, I don’t have the… you know… the… thing… anymore…
But I still have the bottom part!
Ugh, why am I thinking about this again?
“You finally decided to grace us with your presence?”
Roa opens the door with a haughty and smug expression.
“What’s with that bright red thing?”
Roa’s swimsuit is a daring red, with a plunging neckline that accentuates her curves.
I briefly wonder if modesty is even a concept for women in this era, but then I remember the string bikini and abandon that thought.
“I have a voluptuous figure, so it would be a sin to hide it, wouldn’t it? Yours is rather… childish, isn’t it?”
Roa smirks and mocks Celia’s flat chest, sparks practically flying from Celia’s eyes.
Sigh… the battle of the women…
“…Master, you don’t like this kind of thing?”
Celia’s wearing a navy blue one-piece swimsuit.
A classic school swimsuit.
You know, the kind you often see in anime.
Wait, why do I even know that? Damn it!
“I… prefer a more… voluptuous look…”
“Wahaha! So I’m your type, Yuri?!”
Ugh, Basilia! Why does she always appear out of nowhere?!
She’s just like Dustin.
And I can’t exactly say “friends shouldn’t talk like that” because Lia is incredibly beautiful.
Those perfectly sized curves… oh my…
“No, you guys! Stop it! This isn’t rated R!”
Whoa, that was almost crossing the line.
That was a close call.
Ahem! Ahem!
“And Lia, go show Dustin! He’s probably waiting!”
“Dustin already went to the beach.”
A wise decision.
It took us forever to get ready and chat.
“Seriously, you need to seize the moment! Guys go crazy for that innocent school swimsuit look!”
Lia’s wearing a pink, lace-trimmed two-piece swimsuit that emphasizes cuteness over sexiness.
Some people might prefer it over a bikini because it’s less revealing, but it has a certain charm that can be incredibly alluring to the right person.
“I-is that so?! Then I’ll be going! And Master Yuri, that swimsuit looks great on you! Wahaha!”
Lia showers me with compliments and then dashes off.
Ugh, that idiot.
She should have gone straight to Dustin!
“Let’s take our time.”
“Well, we can’t interrupt their youthful endeavors. I prefer being alone with Yuri… N-no! That’s not what I meant! Who would prefer that?!”
…Are you having an identity crisis?
You’re exhausting.
And we’re not alone.
“Celia’s here too.”
“Oh my. You’re still here? How clueless.”
“You’re the clueless one, you idiot.”
“Who are you calling an idiot?!”
They always get loud whenever they’re together. They’re so entertaining.
“Alright, alright, stop fighting and let’s go.”
“Hmph, I’ll let you off the hook today, for Yuri’s sake!”
“Idiot.”
Even cats fight when they meet.
Wait, is this a catfight?!
Calm down.
Stop having weird thoughts.
I shake my head and step outside, only to spot a handsome couple strolling along the deserted beach.
Dustin and Basilia.
They look like a picture-perfect couple.
There’s something aesthetically pleasing about a beautiful couple together.
“Hmm, those two look good together, don’t they?”
Roa, who used to have a crush on Dustin, comments nonchalantly.
“It’s amazing, you know.”
“Hmm? What is?”
“Oh, nothing.”
It’s just fascinating how quickly someone’s passionate feelings can disappear.
I wasn’t exactly a one-true-love kind of guy in my previous life, but…
“Oh, Master..! M-Master… Ugh… My heart… my heart hurts…!”
Ugh, here he goes again with the over-the-top dramatics.
He was just having a romantic moment with Lia.
Why does he always overreact like this whenever he sees me?
I would be offended if I were Lia.
I glance at Lia, but…
“You’re right! Master Yuri is irreplaceable and adorable!”
She’s equally dramatic.
Hmm… I’m a little scared to imagine what they’ll be like if they end up together.
“Ugh… I’m glad I’m alive…!”
Yes, live a long and healthy life.
I sigh and put on the beach cardigan I brought.
“Eh, why are you covering up…?”
“..? Are you a pervert? Why do you care if I cover up?”
“Ah, n-no, that’s not it. I’m not disappointed or anything… Master is beautiful no matter what.”
He seems a bit disappointed.
If he wants to see skin, he can stare at Lia’s swimsuit.
Wait… is he a bikini enthusiast?
Did I misjudge his preferences?!
“Are you… into bikinis…?”
I ask him seriously, and Dustin tilts his head in confusion.
“I’m a Master enthusiast…?”
…Sigh, what am I even expecting from this guy?
“Whatever, go have fun.”
Feeling slightly exhausted, I retreat to the shade of a nearby parasol.
Dustin and Lia resume their stroll, seemingly engrossed in their conversation, while Celia starts examining the seaweed floating nearby.
And Roa…
“Can I lie down next to you?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
There’s plenty of space.
It’s not like this is all my territory.
Technically, it’s all Roa’s.
There’s no need to ask for permission.
“Did you come to the academy with a goal in mind, Yuri?”
“Hmm? Not really. My parents told me to come.”
Well, there’s the whole hidden story about my secluded training request, but…
There’s no need to bring that up.
And it’s true that my parents sent me here.
“I begged my parents to let me come to the academy.”
That’s actually surprising.
I thought Roa, the most traditional girl I’ve met, would have preferred a conventional life with marriage and family.
“My older brother graduated from the academy, and I thought it was so cool when I was younger.”
“Hmm… I thought you would have preferred a normal life with a husband and children. That’s unexpected.”
“Honestly, my biggest goal was to come to the academy and meet a handsome man.”
Ooh, she came to the academy to find a husband?
What a proactive lady.
“So that’s why you liked Dustin?”
“Ah, well, yes. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen.”
Well, he’s a commoner who entered the academy and became the youngest Imperial Knight Commander.
He’s undeniably handsome.
“O-of course, not anymore! I don’t like him anymore…!”
No one asked.
It’s pretty obvious.
“I know, I know. You like me.”
Oh no.
I just blurted out my thoughts!
“Wh-what…? N-no, I don’t…!”
She turns beet red, jumps to her feet, screams, and dives into the ocean.
…She’s so easily embarrassed.
“Well, that’s what makes her cute. I wonder when she’ll come back.”
She seemed like she wanted to have a serious conversation.
Did I tease her too much?