Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 130
130. Mari-nee, the sea, and the return of peace
Swimsuits… and the various shocking things associated with them.
After going through a whole range of emotions, I finally calmed down and decided to enjoy the beach.
“Shall we go, Gils, Vel?”
“…”
“Pi-yo!”
Vel responded cheerfully, but Gils was still frozen, unable to turn towards me.
Gils was wearing grey swim trunks that looked like long shorts.
The body created by Roulette-san’s guild was well-proportioned, and his silver hair swayed gently in the sea breeze.
I might be biased, but if he walked around the city, he could easily be mistaken for a model.
Seeing Gils react so shyly made me chuckle. I took his hand and dashed out from the shade towards the sea.
Gils seemed flustered but didn’t seem to dislike it.
I wouldn’t be able to drag Gils out here by force, after all.
The sun-warmed sand felt hot underfoot, and I hurried to the water’s edge.
The fine white sand almost tripped me up, but as it got wet and changed color, it became firm underfoot.
The sea before me sparkled as the sunlight reflected off the waves.
The water was so clear that I could see the fish swimming.
As we reached the shore, the waves gently washed over our feet.
The sea was just a little cooler than lukewarm water.
But with the sun warming us, it felt just right.
As the waves receded, the sand around our feet flowed away, leaving just our footprints.
It was a ticklish, yet strange, thrilling sensation.
Just as I thought I might get addicted to this feeling,
“Whoa!”
Gils was struggling to keep his balance beside me.
His frame seemed to sink into the sand, probably due to the sturdy metal used in his construction.
I wanted to support him, but with my weak STR, I had to find another way.
Switching from “Moira’s Thread of Blessing” to “Bundled Puppetry,” Gils’ movements became smoother and more stable.
As I sighed in relief, I felt like I was forgetting something.
“What is it… Oh, Vel?”
Vel, who should have been on Gils’ shoulder, was nowhere to be seen.
I looked around frantically and saw him floating on the sea.
He must have fallen off when Gils was struggling to keep his balance.
I was worried, but he seemed to be having fun, bobbing up and down.
Feeling a warm fuzziness at the sight, Vel noticed me and flapped his wings excitedly.
“How cute.”
When I waved back, Vel chirped in response.
I was thinking how adorable his chirps were when they started to get further and further away…
“He’s drifting away!? Gils!!!”
“Got it!”
As soon as I called out to him, Gils tried to dash off and fell face-first into the water.
A huge splash soaked me completely.
Gils got up and apologized profusely, but there was no need.
More importantly, we had to get Vel back quickly. As I thought this, a figure sprinted through the shallow water, ignoring the resistance of the waves, and then executed a perfect dive.
“I’ll handle this!”
It was Kanna-san.
When she dived, the way her pareo clung to her legs made her look like a mermaid for a moment…
“Swimming is all about the butterfly stroke! After all, I’m a butterfly! It’s perfect for the graceful me!!”
Her swimming was fast, and I thought it really suited Kanna-san.
However, her appearance, spreading her arms and charging forward with a powerful stroke, reminded me of something.
What was it… Ah, yes, a shark movie.
Indeed, the cult members who were trying to help Vel were terrified at the sight of Kanna-san approaching.
Vel was foaming at the mouth.
After being rescued by Kanna-san, Vel trembled on Gils’ shoulder for a while.
He was wet and probably got cold from the wind.
Yeah, let’s say it was because of that, for Kanna-san’s honor…
When Vel calmed down and Gils got used to standing on the sand, I crouched down and slowly immersed myself in the sea.
I only felt the coldness creeping up for a moment.
The difference in temperature between my body and the sea soon faded, and it didn’t bother me anymore.
Stretching out my arms and legs, I lay down and relaxed, letting my body float naturally.
“Wow, this is amazing…”
The swimsuit made by Roulette-sany had various features indicating it was made with great effort.
One of them increased buoyancy, allowing even a non-swimmer like me to float like this.
As I swayed gently with the small waves, it felt like I was in a cradle.
Looking up, the sky spread wide above me.
It wasn’t exactly happiness, but I felt a kind of liberation that almost made me want to cry.
“This is incredible…”
I didn’t know what I was referring to, but that was what I thought as I gazed at the sky.
This sensation was something I wouldn’t have experienced if I hadn’t come to the world of Mebius.
Hehe, I need to report this to my younger siblings.
Thinking of how curious they’d be, I smiled quietly to myself. Just then, with a loud splash, a wave much larger than just a splash covered me.
“Cough, cough!”
Unexpectedly tasting the salty seawater, I brushed my wet bangs aside and glared at the culprit, Gils.
“Gi~lls?”
“Wa-wait! I was trying to do the same thing as you, Maria! But it didn’t work out!!”
To prove his innocence, Gils fell back with great force, lying on his back.
If you fall with such force, it’s going to cause a wave around you…
I got soaked again, but I had secured Vel beforehand, so he was safe from secondary splashes.
Incidentally, Gils remained submerged in the sea, not floating up.
Considering Gils’ weight, it was understandable.
Just as a seabird entered my sight and shrank into the distance, Gils rose with a splash.
“Do you believe me now?”
I knew Gils was serious, but his efforts felt a bit off the mark.
What to do? I wasn’t planning to be angry, but even if I said it was okay, he might still feel down…
After some thought, I scooped up seawater with both hands and splashed it at Gils.
“This is how you play at the beach, I hear.”
It’s my first time playing at the beach, but I’ve seen and heard about such scenes.
I always wanted to try this when I went to the beach.
Gils was initially confused, but when he realized I was genuinely enjoying it, he splashed back.
He did it enthusiastically, with all his strength.
As a result, I was hit by a wall of water rather than just splashes, and Vel and I were swept away.
I had completely forgotten that Gils’ strength was enhanced in his “Bundled Puppetry” state.
As I was coughing from being carried away a good distance, I saw Gils, looking worried, trying to come to me.
But then, blocking his way, were… well, who else could it be?
“How dare you do such an envious… disgraceful thing to the Holy Founder!”
“Ah, just being splashed by her is an honor… How dare you!”
“We must teach you what it means to play at the beach properly.”
I had a feeling this kind of exchange had happened before… but my inner self screamed at me to stop thinking about it.
I left the scene with Vel and lay down on the beach chair next to Roulette-san.
Immediately, a water splash rose, and though it was sunny, it felt like rain was falling.
It reminded me of a line from an old cartoon Maki had shown me, featuring a cat and mouse.
“Let’s all play nicely together and fight, shall we?”
As I watched the scene from a distance, Roulette-san handed me a coconut juice.
The juice had a slightly green taste, but it was gently sweet and very delicious, allowing me to fully enjoy this leisurely time.
It felt like peace had returned or been restored for the first time in a while!
…Wait a minute, could this be foreshadowing something bad?