I jumped into the pool as everyone called me over. The area was full of kids, just like the trip we took before, but with more people this time.
The new members included Coccolo, who recently came to my house, and Yuki and Miura from the Yagami Dojo. It seems these two became friends through the tournament.
"Thanks, everyone, for being so nice to Coccolo."
"No problem!"
"Coccolo-chan is such a good kid!"
"We're happy to be her friends, too!"
I wasn't too worried, but it looks like Coccolo is fitting in well.
"My Lord? Weren't you guarding the Holy Empress?"
Coccolo asked with a puzzled look.
"Ah... well, yeah. It's okay for now."
"Is that so...?"
I definitely can't tell Coccolo what really happened.
"That girl, Coccolo, wasn't on our last trip. Did you just meet her recently?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Hmm, okay."
Lutecia seemed to accept it easily. The world's correction force is probably at work here.
"Speaking of which, Lutecia, what happened with your match?"
"You never came to cheer me on!"
"I had work."
I decided to convince her that it couldn't be helped.
It turns out she placed fourth in the block finals. Considering she managed to fight this well without using her main weapon (because you can't use summoned beasts in the Inter-Middle rules), her skill must be considerable.
"Hmm, hmm, but you're saying my efforts meant nothing to you? You'll have to make it up to me sometime."
"Make it up to you?"
Does she want me to go shopping with her? Or treat her to a meal? Thanks to my bodyguard duty for the Holy Empress, my wallet is pretty full right now. I could treat her to a meal or two.
"Hmm? No, that's not what I mean. Maybe something else?"
What is it? What's she going to demand?
"Big Brother, us too!"
"Huh, Vivio-chan and the others...?"
Why?
As I tilted my head, Einhart, Kirin, and Kuro came closer.
Einhart and Kirin looked apologetic. Kuro looked annoyed and exasperated.
"You gave those items you got to Einhart and Kirin, right?"
"U-Uh, yeah. I thought they could use them better than me."
On this island, having one or two unknown technologies isn't a big deal. That's the kind of environment it is. The problem with me is that too many of these things are concentrated on one person.
So it should be fine to use them in a tournament, but...
"No, that's not it at all. It might look that way to people who don't know anything, but it looks different to all of us, right?"
Oh, I see.
"Sho-san, I'm sorry. They told me not to say anything, but I let it slip."
Einhart apologized. Apparently, after her match with Corona, the injured Corona asked her about it, and she blurted it out.
"And then, they asked if mine was the same..."
Kirin added.
Indeed, the Build Burning and the Red Frame have similar parts because they're both the same type of MS.
From there, the news spread like wildfire.
After all, they're still just kids. It's only natural for them to be curious when their teammates suddenly get a weapon they've never seen before, especially if it's from their acquaintance, Big Brother.
"Big Brother, how did you get that armor?"
"Please tell us!"
"Since you gave them to Einhart-san and the others, they can't be that expensive, can they...? But then, that performance..."
"I-I'm just..."
"I feel like I lost to that armor, so I want to know what it is."
"That's how it is. Everyone wants to know about the armor you gave to those two only. Will you tell us?"
Lutecia, standing behind the kids, had a sly smile on her face.
Not only Vivio-chan but even Yuki was begging me. Miura was the only one who didn't say anything directly, but she looked like she wanted to know, too.
"Ah, speaking of which, I haven't properly introduced myself to you, Big Brother! I'm Konno Yuki. Nice to meet you, Big Brother!"
"M-Miura Rinaldi! It's a pleasure to meet you!"
They both bowed their heads.
"Yeah, nice to meet you both. I'm Yozuki Sho. I'm Kuro's brother... well, we're not related by blood. And I'm Coccolo's guardian... Coccolo calls me 'My Lord,' but don't worry about it. As for Team Nakajima... I haven't really done anything for them."
"???"
"Brother... you added too much unnecessary information to your self-introduction! Look! You confused them!"
I need to explain things properly from the start so there's no misunderstanding, right? I'm already easily misunderstood.
In short, I wanted to say:
"I'm a normal person. Okay?"
"Senior is normal...?"
"Sho-san being normal... seems a bit far-fetched..."
"Sho-kun, that's not even funny as a joke. Someone who can go one-on-one with Nanoha-san can't possibly be normal, can they?"
"HMMMM??"
Kirin, Einhart, and Lutecia all completely denied it. Because of that, Miura and Yuki looked even more confused.
"It's only natural for us to be curious when someone so not-normal starts handing out shady items. Of course, if you can't tell us because of some contract, we won't force you."
Hmm, I guess I can explain what they are.
"That armor is the latest powered suit created by Doctor X. The overall name is Mobile Suit, but these are special prototype Gundam types. Recently, a new model was finished, and they were looking for testers, so I thought Einhart and Kirin would be a good fit."
That's the backstory I'll go with.
Doctor X is the person who is said to create the strange tools given to me. He doesn't actually exist. But if I use his name, I can usually get away with it.
"So, does that mean they might be looking for a tester for a new MS? A Gundam?"
"That's right. Well, if they have a request, I'll let you know... yeah."
The kids cheered at my words.
"You're a big liar."
"I had no choice."
Kuro gave me a cold stare.
"It's really just an item you got from having sex."
"Right?"
"Don't you get a weapon that's more compatible with you if you have sex with that person? That's what happened with Einhart and Kirin."
"I can't say for sure."
"So that means you might have sex with all of us eventually. Who should I report this to first?"
"..."
I managed to deflect the questions and started playing with everyone.
---------
"Looks like you're having fun, you ladies' man."
After playing with everyone for a while, I went to our designated area. Hayate-san was waiting there with a smirk.
"Is your bodyguard work okay?"
"Yukina is doing it for me now. She actually told me not to get too close to the Holy Empress today."
"Pfft, hahaha!"
She's laughing so hard!
"Seriously, you're a sinful man."
"She's probably worried about a little accident. Since we're in swimsuits, maybe something slipping off."
"Nothing's slipping off in that swimsuit. Not unless you stick your hand in the gaps. It's not like she's Fate-chan."
"Fate-san?"
I couldn't find her after what happened, but was she here? And she knows about it?
"Yeah. She was here a little while ago. I already got chewed out. She was like, 'Dummy, dummy, it's all your fault, Hayate...!' She went to change her swimsuit and then went to the kids' area."
That's right, it was this person's fault that she ended up wearing that slightly loose swimsuit.
She deserves to be scolded, but she probably doesn't regret it or feel bad about it.
"Well, that's what happens."
"Please don't say that."
"I couldn't have predicted her swimsuit would slip. All I wanted was for her to show off her new swimsuit."
When she puts it that way, she's not wrong.
But "show off"... Hayate-san seems to think that's the reason for all of this.
"Well, I can see it just by looking at you. I haven't been friends with them for this long for nothing. Ahh, this is so troublesome. You have your pick of the litter, from older women to younger girls."
The truth is, I've already taken most of them.
"Ah, but seriously, I never thought someone would wear a school swimsuit here. Is that the Holy Empress's hobby?"
"That's disrespectful."
"But you thought the same, right?"
I agree with her on that one. That thing is a fetish item!
"Hmm, Yozuki-kun. Are you one of those people?"
"No, I'm not!"
Wait, so Hayate-san knows the Holy Empress was wearing a school swimsuit, too?
They should have been scattered when these people arrived.
"She was here a little while ago. We just missed each other. She told me to hold you here if you came."
"Hmm."
"So? What's a school swimsuit to you? Life?"
"I said no!"
"Hmm? You say no, but you were staring at it, weren't you? Himeagi-chan was pretty mad, but maybe it's because you got excited about the Holy Empress's school swimsuit?"
Th-This person...! It's true I was mesmerized, but anyone would be! Isn't she the same way?
"Well, of course. But there's a difference between me being mesmerized and you licking her up and down with your eyes."
"You're saying that with ill intent."
"In your case, you were looking at the Holy Empress even though Himeagi-chan was right there, right? And because of that, you didn't say what you should have said to Himeagi-chan."
"Ugh..."
She says it as if she saw it, but everything she's saying is true.
"Of course she'd be mad. It's only natural for her to be mad."
I can't say anything back to that.
"In that case, don't you have something to say to me?"
She stood up from her chair and twisted her body, putting one hand on the back of her head and the other on her hip, as if to show off her body.
I know what she's getting at.
"You can compliment my swimsuit and flirt with me like you do with the other girls, you know?"
I don't remember flirting with anyone. I've hardly ever complimented anyone's outfits, either.
But if I honestly compliment someone who's saying this, I feel like I'll lose.
"I think it's very nice. You're very slender. There's nothing unnecessary about you."
"What is that supposed to mean? Are you making fun of me? Making fun of your future boss?"
"No, I'm not."
I said it in a slightly twisted way, but I didn't mean it maliciously.
In reality, Hayate-san is petite compared to her peers like Nanoha-san. Not just her height, but her body's curves are also slightly more modest than the other two. I'd say she's a normal size. That's incredibly rude of me.
In other words... she's perfectly proportioned. Not in a bad way! Not in a bad way!
"Isn't there a different way to say that?"
"Hmm... Hayate-san, are you eating properly?"
"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you saying my body is so thin?!"
But... I feel like she's lost weight because she's been so busy lately. She works herself to death. She must be busy with work.
"Hmm, whatever. You complimented me properly, so I'll give you a reward!"
"No, thank you."
"Come on, here."
Ignoring me, Hayate-san lay down on the sheet.
"What is it?"
"That."
She pointed at the table. Conveniently, there was a bottle of sun oil there.
"This is..."
"Rub it on me."
"..."
"Don't make such a disgusted face."
She turned her face to me in a prone position. Her mouth was pouting, but she probably wasn't really mad.
"Do you want me to rub it on your back?"
"You can do the front, too?"
"Haha, please do that yourself."
I squeezed some oil into my hand, wanting to get this over with quickly. I warmed it up properly to avoid the common "Eek! It's cold!" reaction.
"Okay, I'm going to rub it on now."
"Mmm."
I said something a little negative earlier, but Hayate-san's back is beautiful. She's not porcelain-white since she's Japanese, but a back with no blemishes was exposed to me defenselessly.
"Oh, is the swimsuit string in the way? Should I untie it?"
"Do as you please."
But with her size, if she arched her back with the swimsuit off, I feel like I'd be able to see that part in the front.
While thinking that, I rubbed the oil in. Wow, this person's back is rock hard.
"Ah, right there, right there. Rub it harder~."
"I'm just putting on sun oil. I'm not giving a massage."
"Just give me that much service, come on~, ohhh...!"
But I decided to fulfill her request.
I didn't just rub in the oil; I massaged her stiff, tight back. I wonder if I could do this more efficiently using the Gyro's medical knowledge.
"Hayate-san, have you been sitting at your desk all the time recently?"
"Mmm, hmm, well, I haven't been in the field at all lately."
I think it's a little strange for someone her age not to be in the field, but I'll set that aside for now.
"Aren't you getting out of shape?"
"I am, but I hardly ever have to fight at full power anyway. Even when I fight, I don't move around that much..."
"I see..."
"What? Are you saying you have the ability to manage health, too?"
"I can tell just by looking. You need to move around more. You're still young."
"Mmm, there's no time..."
I kept massaging.
"Mmm, ah, Yozuki-kun, that touch..."
"..."
"That's so good~, so good~."
"Is that so..."
"Mmm, what's wrong? You have such a strange look on your face."
You don't have to make such a confusing sound. No matter how much of a pool this is, there aren't many couples doing something like this. Doesn't she care about the people around us?
Just then...
"Sho-san..."
"Senior, what are you doing?"
I heard a very cold voice.
"Thanks, Yozuki-kun. Now I can take a nice nap without worrying about the sun."
Hayate-san had stood up at some point. She put on a large pair of sunglasses and lay down on a beach chair, as if she had no intention of continuing the conversation.
"Y-Yukina-san. Oh, and the Holy Empress, too."
That's right, Hayate-san said it.
She said Yukina was here earlier and told her to hold me here if I came. That means she wanted us to meet up.
I can't believe it, but did Hayate-san plan all this?
"...I thought I was being a little stubborn back then, too... but it seems you were having a lot of fun."
"Well, I was having fun, or rather, I was forced to..."
It looks like I made her mad again.
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