Astral Online: Cursed by the Demon Lord to Become the Strongest Beautiful Girl, I Rapidly Grow and Dominate with Cheat Skills Despite Being the Weakest Profession - Chapter 231
Chapter 231: Swimsuit Service
The Futaba family, one of the wealthiest in Kamisato City, has a sprawling private pool on their estate.
Designed to mimic a natural pond, the pool is surrounded by lush greenery, giving off a serene, natural vibe. A variety of drinks and a selection of light Japanese, Western, and Chinese snacks had been prepared in advance, and I couldn’t help but be impressed once again by the sheer wealth of Inori’s family.
—But why, on a holiday, were we gathered at the Futaba family pool instead of progressing through ?Astral Online?, the adventurer’s duty?
This was because Inori had suggested we take a break, as everyone had been focused on the game all summer. The main reason, however, was that Inori’s frail health had improved somewhat thanks to the adventurer’s effect of ?Astral Online?, and she wanted to seize this rare opportunity to experience swimming and having fun.
A few years ago, we had planned similar outings, but they were often canceled due to her health issues. For someone like Inori, who had only experienced the joy of playing at a pool within a game, this was a precious chance.
Even if it was influenced by ?Astral Online?, I felt a quiet sense of wonder that one of her long-held dreams had finally come true.
“Th-thank you all for coming today…”
Standing before us, Inori wore a blue cardigan over a triangular bikini.
Her slim arms and legs highlighted her elegant figure, but what stood out the most were the two melon-sized “pecs” that seemed almost unreal.
Confronted with this overwhelming presence, we were all thoroughly captivated.
(Big…)
This reaction wasn’t limited to me, Shinji, or Shirou, the boys. Even Kuro and Shiori couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
The only one unaffected by Inori’s impressive proportions was Yoru, the leader of the ?Hunters of the Twilight? guild, who had surprisingly joined us this time.
Yoru, whose gender remained ambiguous, stood tall in a black skirted swimsuit, his long, black twin tails swaying as he faced Inori.
“Man, those things are still enormous. What do you eat to grow like that, Inori?”
“Yoru, could you *not* talk about my chest…?”
“Sorry, sorry. It’s just hard not to comment when I see them. Usually, they’re hidden under your uniform, but in a swimsuit? A hundred times the impact! Look at Shin and Rou over there, they can’t even look straight at you, they’re staring at the sky!”
“Hey, it’s rude to stare, alright?”
“Honestly, Yoru, your crudeness is why I hate inviting you anywhere,” Shiori added with a sigh.
Shinji and Shirou, for once, voiced their complaints in unison.
But Yoru, completely unfazed, ignored their remarks and turned toward me with a mischievous grin.
“Well, Sora, what do you think? Isn’t my swimsuit look stunning?”
“Yeah, I think it’s beautiful. But, as always, you somehow manage to pick swimsuits that make your gender completely ambiguous…”
“Keeping people guessing is the best way to spark their imaginations. I strive to live a life full of mystery!”
“Uh… I see?”
A statement that almost made sense, but not quite.
Caught off guard by Yoru striking a model-like pose, I found myself nodding in confusion.
It was true, Yoru’s physique was free of any excess fat, and their pale, flawless skin was undeniably attractive.
Satisfied with my compliment, Yoru, looking pleased, went off to tease Shinji and Shirou, who were clearly not enjoying the attention and fled with grimaces. Watching the scene unfold, I was distracted by a cheerful voice.
“Sora, let’s swim together!”
Kuro, wearing a modest one-piece white swimsuit, clung to my arm with a bright smile.
Her silver hair perfectly complemented the outfit, giving her the appearance of a classic, pure-hearted heroine.
Caught up in her dazzling smile, I nodded in agreement.
“Of course, that’s why I chose this outfit.”
My swimsuit was a low-key fitness style, designed for practicality rather than appearance.
The top was a sleeveless, snug-fit design that subtly emphasized my modest chest, while the bottoms resembled spandex shorts, made from a stretchy material that was both flexible and comfortable.
It wasn’t cute or girly in the slightest—more like the attire of a disciplined athlete.
—This was the best swimsuit I could manage to wear right now.
I shuddered, recalling the earlier nightmare of being caught by my sister in the changing room. She had turned me into her personal dress-up doll, trying out all kinds of swimsuits on me.
And as if that weren’t enough, once I was changed, Shiori had asked me to apply sunscreen, which quickly escalated into Kuro and even Inori making the same request…
No, no, I can’t dwell on that. My blood pressure will spike.
I resolved to bury those sensitive memories deep and focus entirely on enjoying this time with Kuro and my friends.
As I steeled my determination and admired my girlfriend’s swimsuit, another voice interrupted.
“Big brother, let us join in too.”
“Me too… I’d like to join,” Shiori said, pulling along Inori, whose face was still bright red, while wearing a floral string bikini.
“Of course! What should we do with four people?”
“How about the water slide?”
Shiori pointed to an enormous slide that looked like it belonged in a large recreational water park.
It was massive enough to fit four people on a raft, making it a pretty good suggestion.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder.
“Why does your private pool have something like that…?”
“…It’s my mother’s hobby,” Inori replied.
“That’s quite an interesting hobby,” Kuro remarked, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the gigantic water slide.
And so, the four of us made our way to the starting point of the slide, chatting along the way. When we reached the top, we found a round inflatable raft prepared for us by the maids.
“Are these rafts always this small? It’s going to be really cramped with four people…”
“You’re riding with three girls, you know. Most guys would silently count their blessings,” Shiori teased.
“I don’t mind at all,” Kuro chimed in cheerfully.
“Neither do I…” Inori added softly.
The three of them quickly decided on their spots and boarded the raft, leaving me the remaining narrow space. Even sitting cross-legged, the closeness was almost suffocating, with everyone’s skin practically touching.
I could already imagine the potential chaos that might ensue once we started sliding.
Still, skipping out just because I felt embarrassed wasn’t an option. With Kuro and Inori both looking at me with hopeful eyes, I sighed and squeezed myself into the last available spot, curling into a seated position.
“Have a safe trip, my ladies,” one of the maids said as she and another gave the raft a push.
The raft tipped from its flat position to an angled descent and began sliding rapidly down the long slope.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”
“Everyone, hold onto the handles! Don’t let go!” I shouted, trying to keep some semblance of control amid the thrilling screams.
The straight, high-speed slide felt more like a roller coaster, and in no time, we reached the end. The raft launched into the pool with a massive splash, sending water flying everywhere.
“Yikes!”
As the spray rained down on us, Inori, who had accidentally let go of the handle, clung to me for support.
Her chest, larger than my face, pressed into me, completely cutting off my ability to breathe.
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, I lost my grip and tumbled out of the raft.
“Ugh—guh! Blub blub blub!!”
While Inori stayed safely above the surface, I sank below, overwhelmed by the soft, overwhelming force I’d been trapped between.
I’d heard people say being enveloped by such “great maternal warmth” was a man’s dream, but was this what they meant?
Smothered and stunned, my consciousness faded into the dark depths of the pool.