“Do you really think you’re the normal one?
That’s a bit serious.
I’m already getting a headache.
At that moment.
“… This is青春.”
A familiar voice comes from afar.
I turn my head.
There stands the Chairman, gracefully fanning herself with a lace fan.
Fortunately, Seira, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, isn’t in a school swimsuit; instead, she’s in a black lace one-piece swimsuit reminiscent of her usual gothic lolita dresses.
It’s flashy, but a hundred times better than a school swimsuit.
[Thank goodness, this time it’s a proper swimsuit…]
The Black Prince lets out a sigh of relief in my mind.
Just as I think how pitiful the Black Prince is this time,
“… I told you, inappropriate relationships are prohibited. Kurosawa Haru.”
A cold voice echoes from afar.
Step, step, step!
With her silver hair flowing like a radiant silver stream, Saionji Aris approaches with determination.
“Get away this instant!”
Aris shouts as she separates Haru from my embrace.
“Heh, as expected of Big Sister A-chan. So cold. What a totally boring girl. A-chan! Girls who are uptight and rigid don’t get popular with the boys, you know. Nishi nishi nishi.”
After being let go, Haru squints her eyes and responds to Aris.
“… I don’t understand the intent of your story. What does my popularity have to do with your inappropriate relationship?”
“Nishi nishi nishi. You really don’t get it? If you don’t, then Haru…”
Just when Haru was about to say something to Aris,
“Shut up!!”
A sharp voice rings out from afar.
With that, silence falls over the valley.
Even Haru, who was being obnoxious until now, goes silent.
Everyone’s gaze turns toward the source of the voice.
There she stands.
Her platinum hair shining under the summer sun.
In a lace-trimmed white swimsuit fit for a princess, holding oversized plastic bags in both hands, is the beautiful girl.
It’s Olivia.
“Everyone, be quiet! Especially you! Kurosawa Haru! If you keep causing unnecessary disturbances, as a personal maid, I will kick you out! If you don’t want to be thrown out, behave yourself. Do you understand?”
“Um… uh… wow, amazing, Olive-nee. Is this the dignity of a legitimate wife? Ridiculous. Nishi nishi nishi.”
Haru nods in response to Olivia’s piercing blue gaze.
Seeing this, Olivia drops two bags onto the gravel with a thud and says,
“Stop with the senseless chatter! Good, now it’s quiet.”
In an instant, the situation is under control.
[Hahaha. That’s my little sister. She definitely knows how to seize the initiative!]
For once, I agree with the Black Prince’s praise.
Olivia really is the best fairy.
Clap, clap.
Olivia dusts her hands off.
“Hey, Olivia. What’s that?”
I point with my finger at the black plastic bags Olivia brought.
Olivia pointed to the black plastic bag she brought over.
What on earth did she bring that made the bag so bulging?
“Oh, is this it? It’s the ingredients for baeksuk.”
Olivia said, looking at me.
Wait, what?
“Baeksuk?”
Why is baeksuk coming up here?
“I heard Koreans have a culture of eating baeksuk by the valley, so I prepared it… Well, I didn’t prepare it specifically for you!! It’s just natural to follow Korean culture when you’re in Korea, so I prepared it! Don’t get the wrong idea!! Do you understand?!”
Olivia yelled while her face turned red.
The little sanity I managed to hold on to just flew out the window.
Where on earth did she learn about Korean culture?
How crazy can she be?
Coming all the way to a high-end resort in Gangwon-do with good water, air, and mountains just to boil and eat baeksuk on an artificially made valley-like platform is an absurd waste of money that makes me dizzy.
“What’s with that sour face?! You’re not saying that you don’t want to eat this specially made herbal chicken baeksuk by none other than Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, the noble French princess, are you?!”
Olivia puffs her cheeks, her face flushed.
Her blue eyes twitch slightly.
Not just any baeksuk, but the herbal chicken baeksuk that was loved by the tyrant Yeonsangun. Who on earth told Olivia that recipe?
[Partner. You’re not seriously thinking of rejecting my sister’s homemade dish, are you?]
The Black Prince’s voice pressured me in my head.
“Well, since you’ve gone through all this trouble, I guess I have to eat it. But baeksuk is not originally a Korean culture thing to eat by the valley.”
“What?!”
Olivia jumped in surprise at my words.
Her blue eyes shook violently.
“Baeksuk is just a famous overpriced dish sold by shady vendors around Korean valleys! I have no idea who taught you such a misconception…”
“Shut up!!”
Olivia cut off my friendly explanation.
Her earlobes turned bright red.
Why is she making a fuss when I’m just trying to teach her?
“You fool, idiot, sea cucumber, sea squirt, Kim Deok-Sung!! How dare you be oblivious to someone who went through the trouble of preparing something?! You really are the dumbest person in the universe!!”
Olivia yelled, her face reddening.
“You said it wasn’t prepared for me earlier, right?”
“Th-that’s…!! You’re nitpicking at such trivial details, which just shows that you’re a petty, narrow-minded commoner! Do you understand? Hmph! It can’t be helped. As your devoted maid, I’ll have to take proper care of you! Be touched by my broad-mindedness as a French princess! Hurry up!”
She posed dramatically, hand on her chest, and yelled with a flushed face.
That tsundere habit of hers is still not fixed.
Seeing it continuously, it’s kind of cute, but I wonder if it doesn’t tire her out.
[Partner. What’re you gonna do if you’re not touched?]
The Black Prince’s voice flew into my head again.
I can’t help it.
I have to say it’s touching.
“Ah, yeah. It’s touching.”
“Hmph. Saying it’s touching about something so obvious won’t stir any feelings!”
With her face still red, Olivia crossed her arms and turned her head away.
Seeing her lips twitching, it seems she feels better.
Just when I thought it was a typical tsundere response,
“Kim Deok-Sung! We’ve arrived!”
A familiar Korean voice broke through the previous chaos of Japanese.
Korean can be heard.
I turn my gaze.
There stood Yoo Se-Ra.
Wearing a white bikini, with her beige hair fluttering in the breeze, Yoo Se-Ra stood before me with a confident expression befitting an idol.
Behind her was Han Seo-Jin.
In an unexpected move, Han Seo-Jin, usually calm and composed, blushed and hid behind Yoo Se-Ra.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her like this since we’ve met.
Is she really embarrassed?
“Seo-Jin? What’s wrong?”
“Is something bothering you?”
Eri and Hoshino Kasumi, noticing Han Seo-Jin’s unusual behavior, asked.
“Our Seo-Jin, embarrassed? Come on out.”
“······I’m not embarrassed.”
Han Seo-Jin responds with a trembling voice to Yoo Se-Ra’s comment.
[Partner, what’s wrong with that lady? Is she sick?]
Even the Black Prince is surprised.
It’s not like a fuss, but it’s so different from her usual self that I’m genuinely curious.
What on earth is going on?
“Why aren’t you coming out?”
Grab!
Yoo Se-Ra takes hold of Han Seo-Jin’s wrist and pulls her forward.
Only then was I finally able to see her.
“Oh, hello······.”
Her voice trembles awkwardly, quite unlike her usual self.
Under the summer sun, her gray bob hair shimmers as her face, tinted red, is revealed, along with her toned abs showing off through her black bikini.
“Kim Deok-Sung, I’m sorry. I acted out of character. I’m just not used to this outfit······.”
Han Seo-Jin stumbles over her words, bowing her head to me.
Her gray bob sways.
The tips of Han Seo-Jin’s ears turn red.
It seems the bikini outfit made her feel embarrassed after all.
Isn’t it ironic that the bikini is what broke her usual poker face?
“Kim Deok-Sung, what do you think? Don’t you think Seo-Jin looks great in her swimsuit? She’s charming, right?”
Grab!
Yoo Se-Ra, sticking to my side, smiles radiantly with her characteristic friendly vibe.
“Yoo Se-Ra, what nonsense are you saying! I don’t look good in clothes like this······.”
This time, emotion laces Han Seo-Jin’s voice.
With her face still flushed, she looks at Yoo Se-Ra, then lowers her head.
“Your self-esteem is way too low. Seo-Jin! Hiding a body any guy would fall for is a crime!”
Yoo Se-Ra winks playfully.
“But······ my body is ugly······.”
Han Seo-Jin’s face is red.
When her eyes accidentally meet mine, she quickly looks away.
It’s refreshing to see her looking this shy for the first time.
[Partner, you should tell her she looks good. That’s what guys do.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoes in my head.
Even without his advice, she does look good.
While Han Seo-Jin isn’t overwhelmingly glamorous like Rin, she has well-defined abs and a reasonably proportionate chest.
But spitting that out of my mouth feels a bit awkward.
“What do you think? Hurry up and tell me, Kim Deok-Sung.”
Yoo Se-Ra keeps pressing, and with everyone’s eyes on me, I have no choice but to respond.
“I think it suits you.”
Han Seo-Jin flinches at my words.
She places her hand over her heart.
“······Um······.”
Han Seo-Jin stammers.
“······Thank you, Kim Deok-Sung.”
She bows her waist.
“Alright! Now that we’ve reached Han Seo-Jin, all the girls gather here! Under my command, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, we will make the most perfect chicken soup in the world!”
From afar, Olivia’s voice rings out.
“Now, I will go prepare the meal. Kim Deok-Sung, I hope you have a wonderful time.”
“I’ll go prepare the meal now, Kim Deok-Sung. I hope you have a good time.”
After hearing Olivia’s words, Han Seo-Jin bows to me.
Han Seo-Jin has finally returned to her usual tone.
I leave behind the group of girls bustling around Olivia and head towards the valley.
Since I’m at the valley now, it’s time to enjoy some water play.
*
Splash.
I immerse myself in the valley water.
Even though it’s the middle of summer, the valley water feels as cold as ice.
There’s no salty taste like the sea or any sticky feeling, and it’s nice.
Indeed, summer vacations are best spent at the valley.
Suddenly, memories of going to the valley during my original world’s summer vacation resurface.
I used to play like this with my family back then.
I can’t help but feel a bit sentimental.
“Oh, brother! Have you come in!”
I hear Ishihara’s voice from a distance.
Yuji is splashing around beside her.
It’s a relief to see them having fun together.
I just hope they keep playing together and don’t come near me.
I dive back into the water.
Playing in the valley used to be fun in my original world, but today for some reason, I can’t shake off this boredom.
There’s something missing.
I feel like summer school was more enjoyable than this.
What’s the difference between back then and now?
[It’s all because you don’t have your ladies around, partner.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoes in my head.
Well, all the heroines are busy making boiled chicken.
I can see them working hard to make it at the camping site near the valley.
“Hey, Cow! That’s not how you prepare the ingredients!”
“Ugh…”
Unlike the cooking competition back at Imgan School, they’re bickering but managing to work well together to make the boiled chicken, which is quite nice to see.
Nice to see? Heartwarming?
I must be losing it.
Just as I was pouring the cold water from the valley on my head to clear my mind of silly thoughts.
“Hehe, little one. Are you enjoying your water play?”
I hear a familiar voice nearby.
I turn my head.
There is Yoshizaki Seira, a silver-haired, red-eyed beautiful girl in a gothic lace swimsuit, riding a pink lace tube.
“What brings you here, Principal?”
“I’ve come as the Principal to oversee the students’ safety during water play.”
Seira says without batting an eye at my question.
Her red eyes elegantly curve in amusement.
That smile is now inescapably charming.
I wonder if she knows how ridiculous it is, with that 15-year-old appearance.
Moreover, “overseeing safety”?
Anyone could tell.
“You’re just slacking off, aren’t you?”
Aren’t you just sneaking away because you don’t want to cook?
The students can’t possibly object to the Principal’s lax day off.
“Abuse of power, much?”
[Why must it be like this… Sister…]
The Black Prince sighs at my words.
Seeing him react like this every time I meet Seira makes me worry about his mental state.
What would it feel like to see a comrade trapped in a sword, now in a younger body, acting so ridiculous?
Just imagining it is horrifying beyond words.
So this is how it feels.
“Ahem…”
Seira coughs, blushing at my remark.
Her feet jiggle on the tube.
Swish.
She takes out a lace fan from somewhere and opens it.
“Ah, anyway! To entertain the bored little one, I have prepared a special little amusement!”
Seira fans herself with her flushed face, hastily changing the subject.
It’s obvious what she’s up to, but I decide to let it slide.
“What kind of amusement is it?”
I’m curious about what kind of event Seira has prepared.
“It’s watermelon smashing!”
Ahem.
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