The Hedone Lake was so vast that its calm waters stretched beyond the horizon.
Thanks to its vastness, the students of the Academy could enjoy swimming as if they were at the sea.
But that was only for the students who stayed at the Academy during the summer break.
We were the only ones who came to swim in this huge lake.
“Oh~hohoho!! Monica! Do you like the swimsuit?”
“Yes! I really like it. I’ve even gotten used to the clingy feeling!”
Monica laughed brightly, moving her bare feet around, making splashing sounds.
The Saintess, wearing a sky-blue one-piece swimsuit, looked both elegant and adorable.
“Thanks to Citrine’s help, I can enjoy swimming today.”
“This much is just a natural help between friends.”
Citrine, with a cute snort, was wearing a simple bikini.
But with a skirt around her waist and a shawl over her shoulders, she looked more cute than sexy.
“I wonder if it’s okay for me to swim with the Saintess like this.”
“Balkan is guarding us, so it’s fine, right?”
Where Citrine pointed, Balkan stood like a statue under a large parasol.
How can he wear that butler outfit in this heat?
“I want to enjoy swimming with Anna!”
Monica laughed brightly, holding Anna’s hand and shaking it.
Anna looked at the hand with a puzzled expression but eventually nodded.
“Th-think about it! Swimming a little won’t make the Saintess unclean!”
“Of course not. Eating meat, drinking juice, and swimming a little won’t make someone unclean or impure.”
Anna let out an awkward laugh.
The nun was wearing a black swimsuit with a long skirt.
Citrine had recommended a bikini at first, but Anna insisted on a one-piece.
Seeing her choose black, maybe she thought of it as a kind of “nun outfit”?
“I don’t plan to go deep into the lake, so don’t worry.”
“Absolutely not! That’s dangerous, regardless of cleanliness!”
“Huhu, it’s safe here. The cold water touching my stomach feels amazing.”
Monica laughed brightly, slowly pushing herself deeper into the water.
The cold water quickly reached her lower abdomen, and before she knew it, it was touching her belly button and almost her chest.
Even though Monica was about the same height, Anna was much more relaxed.
“Murmur! Don’t just stand there watching! Come over here!”
“… …”
“I think Murmur is fine.”
As soon as I said that, Citrine walked out of the lake at an incredible speed.
Isn’t that too much?!
Are you really planning to make her swim in a school uniform?!
“Murmur~! Monica and Sister Anna said the swimsuit is cute, right?”
“Murmur is embarrassed…”
No matter how you look at it, this swimsuit feels perverted.
Citrine might not think so, though!
This swimsuit is something perverts would love!
And the bottom part is so tight, it’s really embarrassing!
How do Citrine and Monica even wear this?!
“Come on! Don’t be shy!”
Citrine grabbed my right hand and pulled.
“If you’re embarrassed because your skin is showing, I’m showing more!”
“Citrine, you really don’t understand… Sometimes, even if you cover your whole body, the outfit can still be embarrassing.”
“?”
Citrine looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Well, whatever, I guess.
I’ll just have to enjoy swimming in this navy and black school uniform.
… Today is Monica’s ‘very happy’ day, after all!
“Alright. Murmur will swim with you.”
“Murmur! You’re so cute for enduring the embarrassment!”
Citrine laughed and headed into the lake with me.
“Ugh…”
“Oh? That was pretty deep for Murmur.”
Unlike Citrine and Monica, the water reached my neck instead of my chest.
“Murmur is… fine.”
I can swim anyway.
And since I can use magic, I could just float around leisurely.
“Usually, the Demon Race seems scary… but seeing you like this, you’re really cute.”
Anna covered her mouth as she spoke.
“That’s right~ Murmur is an incredibly cute hero~”
“Oh~hohoho! Murmur is small and cute but does everything perfectly!”
Monica and Citrine showered me with incomprehensible praise and patted my head.
What’s this? How much do they think of me as a child?
Of course, I can swim!
“If Murmur is okay…”
Monica laughed brightly, scooping up water with both hands.
As soon as I saw that, I quickly dove underwater.
“Eek!”
“Eep?!”
The water Monica scooped up splashed Citrine.
“Mo, Monica! Where did you learn to attack like that?!”
As soon as I surfaced, Citrine scooped up water and splashed Monica.
“In the water…! Citrine taught me to play like this!”
“At least say you’re starting!”
Monica swayed her body, easily dodging Citrine’s attack.
“Eek…!”
Citrine hurriedly scooped up more water and splashed it everywhere.
But Monica calmly watched with her golden eyes and dodged everything.
She even cutely hid behind Anna’s back to avoid the water.
“Monica!!! Where’s the rule about seeing the future while playing in the water?!”
“I can’t help it. I just see it!”
“That’s cheating… Ugh…?!”
Monica splashed Citrine’s trembling face with more water.
“Citrine and Monica are playing like kids… Ugh?!”
The water Monica splashed got into my mouth.
“… Monica!”
“It was a child’s attack~”
Who attacks while talking?
I looked at Citrine.
“Citrine! Murmur will help you!”
“Oh~hohoho! Good! Monica, you better be ready!”
Monica smiled with her golden eyes shining.
“Citrine’s attacks won’t reach me!”
What kind of line is that?
That’s something a final boss who’s about to get attacked would say!
Anyway, while Citrine was busy creating a water curtain, I dove underwater.
Swimming this distance to reach Monica was incredibly easy.
“Yah…!”
“Kyaa…?! Mu, Murmur?!”
Monica, who couldn’t have seen me diving, let out a cute scream.
I grabbed her soft and cute belly with both hands.
She’s definitely softer and cuter than me!
“Citrine! Now’s the time!”
“Th-that’s cheating!”
“That’s what I wanted to say first!”
Citrine laughed cutely, wiggling her fingers as she approached, then scooped up water and splashed Monica’s face.
“Kyah…!”
“Ugh…! Citrine! Where’s the rule about attacking Murmur?!”
Didn’t you splash too much water?
In an instant, Monica and I were soaked like wet mice.
“Monica, this time Murmur will help you!”
“Eh… eh? W-wait a minute! Murmur!”
“Citrine, you better run!”
As I held my breath again, Monica screamed and backed away.
“Skin contact with Murmur is welcome…! But not like this…!”
Citrine, screaming, ended up being caught by me, looking both happy and sad.
* * *
“Murmur is really good at making sandcastles!”
“The sandcastle I made crumbled quickly, right?”
After the fun water play, we played by making sandcastles for a while.
Hedone Lake was truly vast, and of course, it had a sandy beach.
“Anyone can do this, Murmur thinks.”
Honestly, it doesn’t require any special skills.
I patted the sandcastle I made with both hands.
“Murmur just has experience making them before.”
“… Murmur, did you make sandcastles because you didn’t have toys to play with?”
“Ah…! I think I know how that feels!”
I don’t know what kind of imagination they have, but that’s not it, guys?
I pinched Citrine’s cheek with my sandy hand.
“Ummph! Why, why only me?!”
“Because Citrine likes Murmur’s hands?”
“Th-that’s not it?!”
What do you mean it’s not? You’re blushing and liking it right now.
Citrine’s face was covered in sand, but she didn’t complain once.
“But… Murmur? What inspired this sandcastle?”
“Huh? Murmur just made it as I thought.”
I didn’t think of anything specific.
I just patted and shaped it as my hands moved.
“… It feels like I’ve seen something like this before.”
“Murmur thinks all sandcastles are pretty much the same.”
“Hmm, it’s not that, but more like… Mali…”
Citrine furrowed her red eyebrows and muttered.
“Saintess! Murmur! Citrine!”
Anna called us at the perfect timing.
Citrine, who hadn’t been deep in thought, stood up with a smile.
Our butts were covered in sand, so I diligently brushed everyone’s butts.
We have to enjoy the fun party now.
“Ah, Anna…”
Monica looked at her hands, then her feet, and suddenly hid behind me.
She must be worried that Anna would be concerned about her getting “dirty.”
But there’s no need for that now, right?
“Did you have fun? Are you hungry… Saintess?”
Monica looked at Anna, who was smiling and talking, with apologetic eyes.
“Ah, come on… I told you it’s fine now, right? Right, Murmur?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Don’t worry, Monica. It’s okay if your hands or feet get sandy.”
Anna smiled and held Monica’s hand, using a “cleanliness” spell.
In an instant, Monica’s hands were spotless, without a single grain of sand.
“If your hands get dirty, you just wash them.”
“Sister Anna…”
Monica, with a relieved expression, mumbled and hugged Anna tightly.
Then she hugged me tightly too.
“Monica, you shouldn’t be so moved already.”
“Huhuhu, that’s right~ If you get so moved already, you’ll end up crying today.”
Monica rubbed her golden eyes with the back of her hand.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“… You don’t understand? Not understanding is a happy thing, Saintess!”
Anna smiled, waved her hand, and walked towards the parasol first.
Citrine and I held Monica’s hand tightly and followed.
“Wow…”
Monica gasped in admiration when we reached the parasol.
While we were enjoying the water play and making sandcastles, Balkan, Anna, Paladin Irene, and the nuns had prepared a small party.
They brought large wooden chairs and a long table, setting up various foods, making it look like a “birthday party.”
Even a large “fruit cake” was prepared for Monica’s seat.
“I, I didn’t know…! Really, I didn’t know! I didn’t pretend not to know!”
Monica laughed like a normal child, her voice filled with joy.
“It’s thanks to Murmur.”
Anna smiled and looked at me.
“Saintess!! You were surprised, right?”
“We prepared it in secret~! Very hard!”
“We prepared as much as we could! Just take a bite, it’s fine!”
The nuns laughed as they served the food.
“B-but… today isn’t… my birthday?”
Monica spoke with a worried voice.
“We know, Saintess. We didn’t prepare this because we thought it was your birthday.”
Paladin Irene approached Monica with a handsome smile, knelt, and looked into her eyes.
“… After the Saintess’s coming-of-age ceremony, the first time you make a prophecy, we hold a joyful party like this.”
“Sister Irene… Sister Anna…”
Monica looked at them with eyes full of anticipation.
“We were foolish not to take care of it before. The coming-of-age ceremony isn’t important. What’s important is that you made a prophecy.”
“Unlike the grand words, the food isn’t fancy. But we still want to celebrate you now.”
Monica nodded vigorously, holding my hand tightly.
“I like it! Just the fact that everyone believes in my prophecy is a big gift! But… but…”
Monica was at a loss.
“Monica, just enjoy the party with Murmur.”
“… Alright! I’ll enjoy the party celebrating my first prophecy with the hero!”
A future I’ve never seen before.
A soft and joyful party hidden in the shadows.
Monica didn’t refuse the sudden happiness in her hands.
“Citrine! Sister Anna! Sister Irene…! Everyone! Everyone! Please enjoy my joyful party!”
Monica’s bright smile was incredibly lovely!
