Contrary to what one might expect, the depths of Fraus' great river is not devoid of charm–far from it. Sealife ranging from all the colors of the rainbow populate the area, but they are only accents to the breathtaking architecture that exists even underwater. Buildings from above the surface extend down into the river depths, glass windows and tunnels connect these structures. Bright lights accompanied with specks of shadows emanate from the glass, indicating that there's liveliness for all to enjoy no matter where they are in Fraus.
Perlina, gracefully swimming along, is a living testament to that.
"Aww, the shells in the glistening riverbed are so beautiful. Do you think I should wear them in my hair? Would they suit me?"
"..."
"Vex, you're so silly. Your puffed-up cheeks are cute, but you can breathe with the oxygen I blew on you. Or do you need more? You're not running low already, right?"
"Haaaah...no, I'm fine. It's still not natural for me to breathe underwater in any capacity, so–"
"Fuuuu"
Perlina turns towards her shoulder and blows a stream of bubbles into Vex's face, covering his entire body.
I'm sorry if I'm going against his wishes, but I cannot risk losing him at all. I hate to be somewhat selfish…so I hope he can forgive me.
"Just to be safe!"
"Sigh, you can't keep me from death forever, you know."
"I will prevent it as long as I'm with you!"
"You're such a…cheerful comedian, you."
"Comedian? I've never been called that before. Do you really think I'm funny? Though I wasn't joking."
"Still naive as ever."
"?"
Vex chuckles to himself, though it's closer to a scoff, only making Perlina raise her eyebrows more.
"Anyway to answer your question, I think the pearls you're currently wearing suit you just fine, but do whatever you want. Doesn't matter to me either way, as long as you are still efficient."
"So in other words, you are saying that I look beautiful to you no matter what? That's what you mean, right?"
"No, I meant exactly what I said–"
"I don't know how you do it, but you always know how to make my heart beat. I feel so elated, I want to swim towards the surface and leap out of the river!"
"Maybe you should refrain from doing that and put that energy towards swimming forward. The last thing I want is for you to cause a big flood of catastrophic proportions in the middle of the city. Besides, I'm still riding your shoulder."
"I know, I was just kidding. I'm a comedian, remember?"
Perlina winks, sticking out the tip of her blue tongue.
"Okay, I'll give you credit where it's due–you are rather amusing. I only recently met you, but I genuinely couldn't forget about you if I tried."
"Giggles, I'm glad to hear that from you!"
Ahh, I never had this much enjoyment from swimming in my entire life. I feel like I can go on and on for centuries with Vex by my side…maybe I can take a little detour just to spend a bit more time with him…
Perlina shakes her head.
No, perish the thought! I can't be any more selfish than I already have been–Vex is relying on me to get him to his destination as efficiently as possible. I won't let my heart get in the way!
It's time to focus!
"Please ensure that you are holding on to me tightly, okay?"
"I never loosened my grip the entire time, so–!"
At a gradual pace, Perlina's swimming speed steadily accelerates. She squints her eyes, laser-focusing on the path before her. Not even her lips are forming a smile–every part of her being is focused.
Oh, I am trying not to look, but I can see so many pretty things in the corners of my eyes. Oh how I really really really want to stop swimming and enjoy the view up close with Vex…but I cannot!
Focus, Perlina! You can endure it!
Focus!
Focus!
Fo…cus?
"...?"
Why do I feel so ticklish down there?...!
Unable to ignore it any longer, Perlina uses her eyes to search for the source of her sensation–a tiny human sliding down her slick thigh.
"V-Vex?! What are y-you–"
"Just keep swimming normally as you were–I'm trying to take care of something."
He wants me to keep swimming "normally"?! He says that, but it's…it's just too much!
I can feel his tight grip on my skin, his tiny crawl down my leg towards…towards…
"No more! Please, I-I can't b-bear any more of this!"
Perlina abruptly halts all of her momentum, bending her foot towards herself. Vex, along with a couple of serpent-like intruders, nearly lose their grip on her toes.
"Hey, watch it! I told you to keep going as normal, didn't I?"
"I'm sorry, but it's hard to focus when I can feel your body gradually descend mine…not that I mind your t-touch or anything, in fact, I w-welcome it but this is too dangerous. You almost fell off–you could've ended up drifting away!"
"Your sensitivity made it more of a risk than it ever was. How come your gigantic nerves felt me to such an intensity, but not those eels nibbling on your toes?"
"Eels?"
Perlina, who was solely focused on the smaller toe Vex is latched on to, finally pays attention to her big toe–the toe with two neon-colored eels latched on.
"Oh, those things? I didn't feel them at all…"
Perlina gently brushes them off, careful not to catch Vex in the crossfire. She then carefully cups her hand around Vex and returns him to her shoulder.
"I'm surprised–I just didn't expect you to do something like that for me."
"Well, those eels were steadily nibbling on your toes, and it was annoying me, especially since it seemed like they wouldn't go away and more were lurking around your feet. Plus, more importantly, I didn't want them to hamper your ability to swim efficiently."
"You had my safety in mind…even though you are way more at risk than I could ever be in the water…"
Those little leeches were in no way a threat to me in any capacity, but Vex's heart was to keep me from potential danger. He's not just relying on me, but he's also looking out for me in return. Our bond is truly special!
"I just thought it'd be better for both of our sakes that I would be the only thing latched onto you, although if that's natural to your kind, then I won't bother interfering again. As long as nothing gets near me, that is…"
"I couldn't have prayed for a more perfect man to bind with. No matter what, you may think, to me, our connection is the best thing that could've ever happened."
"...how much longer 'till?"
"Right, I need to pick up the pace! I think we are in the final stretch, so hold on tightly by any means necessary…even if it's with your teeth, I wouldn't mind at all.."
"I'll just keep the handgrip that has been working for me, thanks."
"That's fine! Here we go!"
Perlina once again accelerates her speed, zooming ahead without any resistance.
One day, my dearest…one day…
________________________________________________________
Somehow, this experience is simultaneously relaxing and stressful. Guess that's to be expected when hitching a ride on a proficient sea dweller who can also inadvertently shake me off along the way with ease…
In other news, there's nothing of value at the bottom of this exceptionally deep river. No gold coins, no valuable equipment, and certainly none of the goddess' crystals. Why does she have to be so picky in the first place? I swear she is just doing this for her own amusement…crap, there I go again, ranting to myself about something that ultimately doesn't matter–the mission stays the same.
It always will.
I need to distract my mind somehow before I lose composure, just about anything will do at this point…
Right on cue, Vex's eyes stop drifting, firmly fixed downward towards an ample bosom. Being that the bosom in question belongs to a giantess, "ample" is a severe understatement.
So much of her breasts are exposed from this angle, I couldn't imagine someone with a bashful personality like Perlina's would be exposed like this. Looks like I would suffocate if I were to sink into them…or get outright crushed to death. Though I could've sworn that she was wearing a bra when we first met. Is she completely…
"What am I thinking? The mind of a man is truly disturbing, sigh."
"Vex, you're looking there, aren't you?"
"!"
In a mechanical fashion, Vex's head instantly snaps into its default position; his entire face resets.
"'There'? Where exactly? I need the specifics."
Perlina lifts her hand upwards, pointing her finger towards the surface above. It seemed like as she lifted her hand, for only a split second, it grazed her breasts.
"Look, light is beaming down from above that area just ahead. Not only that, water is also flowing down, so it must be a waterfall. It makes sense that the Water Palace would be above a waterfall, so that means we have likely reached our destination!"
"Great news. I've reached my limit for underwater travel."
"Oh no, I should've realized this sooner; your body is stressed, isn't it?"
"I'm perfectly fine, let's just move on and–"
"No can do! I can't bear the thought of you feeling that way after our time together–I must take responsibility!"
"But it's not your fault."
"What if your mental stress interferes with your mission? What if it gets worse from here and you end up doing something reckless?"
"I'm an adult, Perlina. It's up to me to handle my issues as I see fit."
"But we are now bound together, so your issues are mine to solve too. My sisters taught me how to get rid of a man's mental stress in an instant–this won't take long at all, but I have to put you to sleep during the process…otherwise, you might reject it and never get better."
"Everything about this seems underhanded, I want no part of it. At least tell me directly what you mean by–"
"Bubbububub"
"..."
A stream of bubbles from Perlina's breath consumes the consciousness of Vex, nearly shutting down his body instantly. As a result, he loses his grip on Perlina's shoulder, but before he can drift away, the last thing he sees is something reaching out towards his body. Not a limb, but rather a giant, light blue muscle slowly wrapping itself around him…dripping…dripping…dripping…
_________________________________________________________
"O-okay, I'm all done! How do you feel now?"
"...Huh? I feel…"
With his body and mind gradually resuming functionality, Vex finds himself resting in the palms of Perlina. Before speaking another word, he surveys his body thoroughly.
"...elated. Like genuine bliss. Though it feels odd since I don't feel particularly happy or have a reason to be…"
"Your mind may not feel that way, but your body certainly did."
"What do you mean by that? What the heck did you do that warranted incapacitating me?!"
"I can't tell you–it's supposed to be a nymph's secret!"
"Just how many of these 'secrets' do you have???"
"That's also a secret, silly!"
Perlina playfully places her finger to her lips, blushing as per usual.
I hope that curses afflict her sisters for the things they have filled her head with!
"But what I can tell you is that it only took two minutes, so practically no time was lost."
"How can you say that for sure when the culprit I'm looking for could have gotten away completely within those two minutes? Lift me to the surface so I can survey the area."
"Okay!"
Perlina lifts Vex and places him on the crown of her head, confusing him to the point of shaking his head.
"?"
"You need a solid surface to support you as you look around up there, right? Also, I can remain under the surface this way, out of sight."
"I can't argue with that. You got me."
"Teehee, I love this process of learning about you–it's paying off! Please hold on to my hair if you need extra grip, no matter how tight–I won't mind at all."
Perlina swims up from the dark depths of the river to the bright surface, acting as Vex's personal elevator. Up above, Vex gets an eyeful of the palace before them, in all of its majestic splendor at the top of a tranquil waterfall.
"At last, I can breathe air like a normal human again. Now then…"
Looks like we have indeed arrived at the Water Palace, just underneath its bridge to be exact. Not sure how I'm supposed to enter from down here; I for sure cannot climb a waterfall either, let alone a huge one like that…
Taking a closer look at the bridge several meters above, he notices people walking towards and away from the palace. Guards stand at the entrance gate, greeting guests of varying statuses.
…nor how to enter and pass those guards without rising suspicion. Maybe I can skid by as a common person like everyone else? But if I'm stopped and asked for my reasoning for visiting, how can I phrase the fact that I am looking to get back at a woman who cheated me out of my money and kidnapped my party member? If I'm too vague, they'd just ask more questions, and if I'm too elaborate, then they'd get involved and make things worse…!
A person waiting in front of the line at the gate happens to look towards Vex's direction–their eyes met for a split second.
"Tch!"
SPLOOSH
Vex hurriedly dives straight downwards back into the water, unconsciously, his grip of Perlina's hair tightens.
"Is there something wrong up there, Vex?"
"..."
"Oh yeah, s-sorry."
Perlina carries Vex into her palms and blows air bubbles towards him, allowing him to stop withholding his breath.
"Saying that there is something wrong would be an understatement. That bunny is actually waltzing up to the palace, thinking that she got her way over me–not on my watch!"
The money she swindled from me, the time she's making me waste to find her tail, I'll personally ensure that I am fully compensated without any further delay!
"...so that 'bunny' is making you upset. Is she perhaps your enemy?"
"That's what she chose to become."
"Then…then s-she's my enemy too! What can I do to assist you take her down?"
"I need to catch her all the way up there–but it doesn't seem feasible to enter the Water Palace from this river below it. At least, not an authorized entrance….! Say, can you teleport me to a water spot within the palace? They have plenty of fountains and other water sources within the gates, so that would help me enter quickly."
"But if you just appeared out of nowhere like that, wouldn't you get in trouble?"
"I'm used to dodging authorities when necessary, so don't be concerned about that. Besides, if you perform your part, I won't."
I'll just wear my hood to help conceal my identity. If the situation with the guards gets too bad, I have the easiest way of escape thanks to Perlina.
"You're u-used to t-this? I'm c-concerned! What kind of job do you do for a living–"
"You'll find out later at a better time. Right now, my enemy is up there, and can slip away from me the longer I hesitate!"
"...the truth is that I don't have such an ability. I can only transport to a body of water where you already are."
"Curses! Then–"
"There's something else I can do to get you directly to the palace, so leave it to me!"
"What would that be?"
"Are you good at landing, by chance?"
"If the situation calls for it."
"Okay, please brace yourself!"
"Specify exactly what I'm bracing myself for so that I can-!!!"
"SUUUUUU"
A large vortex from Perlia's mouth sucks him in. With her cheeks puffed up with water and Vex, she lifts her head at an angle, looking towards the surface.
"Perlina, what are you about to do?! Why did you suck me into your mouth? Hey, answer me! I need to know what you're thinking before you act arbitrarily!"
No matter how loud he yelled, or how much he squirmed in an effort to free himself from Perlina's tongue's grasp, she carried on as though she felt nothing.
"Wait, don't tell me she's gonna–"
"SPLATOO!"
"!!!"
Exerting a lot of force, more than her typical output, Perlina launches a jet stream out of her mouth, slicing through the water to the surface and high into the air.