With Team Nakajima's defeat, my interest in the Inter-Middle tournament has all but vanished.
Today, with only two days left of our protection detail, we're all at the pool.
The island, perpetually in summer, has year-round pools. This massive leisure facility has everything from water slides to lazy rivers.
The group includes Team Nakajima, the Yagami Dojo members, their guardians, and our charge, Her Holiness the Saint King. At this point, I'm not sure if we're protecting her or just goofing off.
The only girls from my house who are here are Yukina and Kokkoro. Everyone else, as usual, had other commitments.
"Aw, I feel bad for everyone else. Things got a little wild," I thought.
But our fun is about to end. Tomorrow is the final day of the conference. After observing the island's activities, they've decided to resume the special party on the final night.
This is our last day with the Saint King, so we have to make sure she has a good time.
"So, Yozuki-kun said he was bringing someone along, and I wondered what kind of woman it would be this time..."
"Ah, I think I told you yesterday. And is it women only?"
"I mean, I didn't actually think you'd bring her," the squad leader said. "I didn't think you'd bring a male friend, you know."
As I was talking to the squad leader, the Saint King stepped forward and bowed her head.
"Squad Leader Yagami, thank you for today."
"Well, I don't mind."
I don't know how close these two are, but they were together at the Holy King Church. It's not their first meeting.
"Well, it looks like the kids can't wait, so shall we go in?"
I pointed to the entrance.
---------
The girls, despite being all-female, were quick to change.
The younger ones, like Vivio, finished changing quickly and dragged Einhart and Kirin away. Nove, who changed just as fast, followed them.
Left behind were Yukina, the Saint King, and the guardians, Nanoha and the others.
"Hmm..."
"Hayate? What's wrong?"
Hayate was staring at Fate in a way that felt a little rude, even among the same gender. Fate, who had just finished changing and was only in her swimsuit, slightly covered herself and asked.
Fate was wearing a simple navy bikini.
Hayate's impression of it was:
"It's a little plain, isn't it?"
"Huh? What is?"
"Your swimsuit."
A statement that would probably get her stoned by most women. The swimsuit was indeed simple and unadorned. But with her voluptuous figure, it was more than enough.
Her body, honed by her demanding job, was supple and athletic, with curves in all the right places. She wore the swimsuit flawlessly. In fact, its simplicity only made it better.
But what Hayate was getting at wasn't that the swimsuit didn't suit her.
"Didn't you wear that same swimsuit the last time we went to the beach?"
"Oh... I guess so. When was the last time we went?"
"Wasn't it when the Sixth Division was disbanded? I don't think the three of us have been together since then."
Nanoha and the others began to remember. It had been three or four years since the Sixth Division was disbanded. That was the last time they had a proper vacation after working nonstop for a year.
It was also the last time they had worked in the same place. The three, whose jobs took them all over the world, rarely had a chance to even have a meal together.
"I think we bought them back then, didn't we?"
"Yeah."
"It was the first time since middle school that the three of us went to the beach together."
Back then, Nanoha and Fate, who had grown even more since middle school, found their swimsuits didn't fit, and Hayate, who had no such issue, decided to get a new one, too.
"Hmm... so that means..."
Hayate realized something. She had only pointed it out to Fate, but Nanoha and she were also wearing swimsuits they had bought years ago.
Was that really appropriate for three women still in their twenties?
"Maybe it's not a bad idea to give our new subordinates a little treat next month..."
"Hayate-chan?"
"Alright! You two—!"
Hayate gave the two of them an order.
A few minutes later, Yukina, who had finished changing, witnessed something strange.
"Huh? Yagami-san? Where are you going?"
"Hmm, just for a bit~. Yukina-chan, you go on ahead."
"O-Okay. Got it...?"
Hayate answered Yukina with a smile. The three of them, who had been wearing their swimsuits just moments ago, were now inexplicably dressed in their clothes and heading out of the locker room towards the entrance.
"Yukina-san? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no, nothing... but that swimsuit...!"
Yukina turned around and was shocked by the Saint King's appearance. She hadn't looked closely, as it would have been rude, but she couldn't believe the Saint King had chosen that particular swimsuit.
However, the person herself didn't seem to mind at all.
"Yes? Is there something strange about it?"
"No, there isn't! But... are you really going to wear that?"
"Yes. My attendants said this was the safest option."
"The safest...?"
The attendants—she must mean those three girls who often appear with her. Yukina pictured their faces in her head.
"The safest..."
Puzzled, Yukina headed to the pool with the Saint King.
Meanwhile, outside, Hayate's group was:
"H-Hayate-chan? We don't need to buy new ones too!"
"That's right, Hayate! Besides, I don't need to go to all the trouble of buying a new one...!"
"Come on, it's a special occasion!"
Nanoha and Fate protested as they were dragged along, but Hayate paid them no mind.
"It's a given that these leisure facilities have shops like this," Hayate said with a cheerful smile as she entered a store.
---------
The first to emerge were the kids. Just like during our trip, kids change fast. And they have a lot of energy to spare.
"Onii-san! Sorry to keep you waiting!"
"No, no, I wasn't waiting at all."
The kids rushed over to me.
Their swimsuits were the same as before, except for Corona-chan, who used to wear the school-issued one. Kokkoro's swimsuit was her Princess Connect one. Seeing them all lined up reminded me of our last trip when we played in the river.
But the kids' physiques were noticeably different from the last time I saw them. I heard they weren't doing any intense muscle training, but they've gained a healthy attractiveness. I don't mean that in a weird way.
Einhart and Kirin... there's not much change there, especially since I saw their entire bodies a few days ago.
"Kids grow up fast, I guess..."
"You're a pervert."
What a sudden realization.
"Is that a threat?"
"Leering at young children. You deserve death."
"I said I wasn't!"
Yami, in her black swimsuit, was unchanged from the last time I saw her.
Her gaze was still cold, but I felt it wasn't as icy as before. Did she open up to me a little? I guess we did sleep together, after all.
"Did Vivio-chan convince you again this time?"
"Yes, she did!"
"But this time..."
"She said you agreed right away."
"Oh, really?"
The three of them, Vivio, Erio, and Caro, took turns explaining it to me.
"There's... no reason for me to refuse anymore."
Yami said, turning her face away.
"So you had no reason to refuse."
"That's right."
"I thought you didn't like crowded places."
"I don't. But that's not a reason for me to refuse."
Oh.
With that, Yami walked away. Oh dear, she left Vivio-chan behind.
Then, Vivio-chan came running over.
"Onii-san, Onii-san!"
"Hmm, what is it?"
I crouched down to match Vivio-chan's height.
"Did you and Yami-san become friends?"
"Hmm, why do you ask?"
I had a feeling it might be the case, but did Vivio-chan see it that way, too?
"Yami-san knew you were coming today. I told her when I invited her."
---------
"Yami-san! Do you want to go to the pool with everyone on this day!?"
"The pool, you say?"
"Yes! Mom said we all worked hard at the tournament, so she's taking us on a day off!"
"By 'everyone,' do you mean the members of Team Nakajima?"
"Oh, and some people from the Yagami Dojo, too..."
"Is that all?"
"Ruru is coming too! The girl who was with us on the last trip!"
"Is that everyone?"
"Oh, and... Onii-san is coming too..."
---------
It's humbling to think that even Vivio-chan was being considerate of me. She was being mindful of the discord between us, the adults.
Well, that aside...
"So Yami knew I was coming."
Did she walk away because she was embarrassed, thinking that since she had "no reason to refuse," that meant my presence was no longer a reason to say no?
"Nah. No way."
"You don't think so?"
No way. It's Yami. She probably didn't even care that I was coming.
"If it were Yami, she'd have thrown a Transformation at me before saying a word."
"Oh, Onii-san~. That's not true. Yami-san is very kind."
Maybe, but that kindness has never been directed at me.
"Vivio~, let's go!"
"Okay, I'm coming! Onii-san..."
"I'm still on duty. I'll wait until the Saint King arrives."
"Okay! See you later!"
Vivio-chan ran off energetically.
As I watched her go, I heard a voice from behind me.
"Sho-san."
It was our charge, the Saint King.
"Ah, Saint Kin—"
I turned around and was speechless.
The Saint King wasn't alone; Yukina was beside her. Of course, Yukina was also in a swimsuit—a simple, light blue bikini. Her toned body reflected the sunlight, and... well, it was hard to contain myself.
Yukina, however, was constantly looking around with a guarded expression.
"Senpai. Don't stare."
"R-Right. I also find it embarrassing to be stared at..."
Was Yukina telling me not to stare at herself or at the Saint King?
Yukina shot me a narrowed, sidelong glance. Her expression said, "You know the answer." The answer was "both."
The Saint King was also nervously hugging her body.
The problem was the Saint King's swimsuit.
It was the most revealing outfit I had ever seen her in. I could even see the tops of her thighs. Unlike Yukina's healthy white skin, the Saint King's was a translucent, almost transparent white.
Given her position, this was probably the first time she had ever been so exposed, even to people of the same gender.
Who came up with a swimsuit that so clearly showed off her body line? I can't believe girls this age wear something like this in school.
Yes, the Saint King was wearing a school swimsuit, the kind you see in school swimming classes.
I've heard about school swimsuits, but I've never actually had the chance to see one on a girl my age.
But it's actually... dangerous. It's so much more than any other swimsuit. I can understand why the guys around are all leaning forward.
Maybe it's because it's the Saint King, but the fact that it leaves nothing to the imagination is incredibly erotic.
"My, my..."
"Senpai..."
I had stared at her from top to bottom, and I was sure Yukina was thoroughly disgusted with me. At least in her heart.
"Well, you know..."
She's an adult now, but seeing a high schooler in a school swimsuit at a public pool... It feels a little criminal. Is it criminal?
Wait, what? Is the Saint King being bullied? No, that can't be it.
"That's not it. This is the only swimsuit I have."
"I guess so, but..."
Given the Saint King's position, she probably can't just go to the pool whenever she wants. The only swimsuit she had was the one from the prestigious school she was enrolled in but rarely attended.
I thought someone in her position could easily get a new one, but then I remembered we're supposed to be on a secret excursion.
"There's no rule against wearing a school swimsuit at a public pool, right?"
"Yes, that's right, Senpai."
"But we have to be on alert. We'll have to watch out for not just mystery attackers, but for guys trying to pick her up, too."
"But, Senpai..."
"There are eyes on us, and everyone's in a relaxed mood..."
"Senpai?"
"What is it?"
Yukina seemed to have something to say.
"Since the Saint King is dressed like this, I'll be the one to guard her, okay?"
"Dressed like what? We're on a job; we can't be picky."
"I understand now. I can't let you near the Saint King today."
"Yukina-san?"
Yukina stepped in front of the Saint King, took her hand, and said, "Then, Senpai, please take a break. And please, don't try to pick up any girls you don't know."
And with that, the two of them walked away.
Well, I guess... this might be the first time Yukina has been to a place like this, too. Maybe she wants to have fun without worrying about people she knows. Even though we have a job to do!
"Sigh..."
Left alone, I wondered what I should do next.
---------
"Y-Yukina-san!? Are you sure about this!?"
"It's fine! We'll just have to do without Senpai today!"
"Is that so..."
As soon as Sho was out of sight, Yukina let go of the Saint King's hand.
Yukina glanced at the Saint King.
The school swimsuit, which clearly showed off her well-proportioned figure, was quite dangerous, even from Yukina's perspective.
But the actual reaction was even more than she had anticipated. You could tell just by looking around, and Sho's reaction was dramatic.
Most importantly, everyone's eyes were on the Saint King, not on Yukina, who had just unveiled her own swimsuit.
"Don't tell me you did this on purpose..."
"No, I didn't!?"
The two girls, who were drawing everyone's attention, continued their conversation like close friends.
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