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Adventurers on a Remote Island – Part 03

Meanwhile, Michael was sprinting through the back alleys. If the main streets were unpaved, the back alleys were worse. Narrow and worn down, their surfaces were uneven, turning the corner at random places. Any outsider venturing into these alleys would undoubtedly find themselves lost.

“Damn it, damn it! Those bastards! Jillarte belongs to me!”

His breathing grew heavier, and his footsteps gradually slowed.

“Those dimwits around her are in the way.”

Finally, he stopped, placing his hands on his knees.

“Damn it! Damn it! Send me on a run, will you?! How about you go instead, huh?! Ah, fuck, fuck, fuck! If only they weren’t around!”

Suddenly, Michael’s eyes glimmered darkly.

“I see, if they weren’t around, things would be better. This is an island. It’s difficult to leave. Jillarte should notice my charm.”

Michael resumed running, cheerfully this time, but it didn’t take long for him to grow tired again. Slowly, he walked back the way he came and made his way to the Adventurers’ Guild.

Upon entering the guild, Gogo immediately called out to him.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the little fox kid who rose to prominence in Einbiest.”

Michael chuckled. “There’s no need for the snide remark, Sir Gogo Zoro.”

Gogo was in the midst of devouring a sandwich filled with thick slices of meat. He wiped the juices dripping from his lips with the back of his hand.

Michael observed the individuals sitting at Gogo’s table. There was a mouse Beastman with bleary eyes, a tall and slender bat Beastman with a pointed nose, a man wrapped in bandages from head to toe, and a hunchbacked old man donning a dingy robe. And then there was Gogo Zoro. Michael was a member of their party before he left the island—the Axe Hunters, the strongest in town.

“Everyone here saw how those Einbiest guys were pushing you around,” said one guy. He was sitting on the same table, but he wasn’t part of Gogo’s party—probably someone who wanted to join but was turned down.

Others voiced their agreement.

Gogo casually raised his hand, silencing the table. “Don’t pick on him too much, all right?”

“Th-Thank you,” Michael said.

“You came here to propose a profitable venture, am I right?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not shameless enough to come without any gift, right?”

Michale broke out in cold sweat. A gift. A gift. A gift. There was no way he had prepared anything of the sort. Suddenly, a devilish idea crossed his mind.

What I need is to get rid of those Einbeast guys. Once they’re gone, Jillarte will be mine.

At this point, he was unaware that he was losing his sense of reason.

Which means it doesn’t matter what happens to them. Those guys have pretty decent gear despite being dimwits.

A sinister smile crept across Michael’s face as he opened his mouth to address the others.

---

The sky stretched out in a clear blue, so vivid that one might question if it was the same skies as the one above the Kingdom of Ponsonia. The sea mirrored the cerulean hue, its waters adorned with vibrant coral reefs that added depth to the scenery.

The scorching white sand touched Hikaru’s feet clad in sandals. Even at 9 o’clock in the morning, the sand was already hot, and he speculated that walking barefoot would be impossible by noon.

Dressed in a tropical shirt, a boater hat, shorts, and sandals—a quintessential attire for a tropical getaway—Hikaru blended seamlessly with the vacation vibes. The tropical shirt and sandals had been acquired on Southleaf Island.

After postponing their expedition into the Maze of Magic Locks for three days, Hikaru’s group decided to have fun on the beach. While they had obtained the necessary permits and a map for the dungeon, those were the extent of their preparations.

Only a handful of small groups dotted the beach, creating an ambiance that made it feel almost exclusive.

The precautions they took in case they got lost seemed futile given the lack of people. In this world, only a privileged few had the opportunity to have fun in resorts.

“Hikaru.”

Someone called his name, and when he turned, he found himself momentarily speechless.

There stood an angel. The vivid blue skirted swimsuit complemented Lavia’s blossoming femininity and showcased her beautiful legs. Despite being in the age of girlhood, she exuded the captivating charm of a young woman. The pure-white hoodie she wore atop her swimsuit glimmered under the sunlight. Squinting beneath her straw hat, she smiled at Hikaru.

“Uh…”

“What’s the matter?”

“Sorry, you just look so pretty.”

Lavia’s eyes widened, and she blushed as she clasped her hoodie in front of her.

“Uh… please don’t say that. Wearing a swimsuit is embarrassing!”

“It’s not. You’re very pretty.”

Lavia covered her face with both hands and crouched down on the spot.

“I-I don’t feel like showing myself…”

Paula, donning a matching hat with Lavia, appeared.

Three years older than Lavia, Paula had matured physically, her curves more pronounced. She was apparently the type to look leaner in clothing.

A colorful pareo was wrapped around her waist, revealing a traditional bikini underneath.

“H-How do I look, Lord Hikaru?!”

“It’s hard for me to answer when you’re covering my eyes.”

“But it’s so embarrassing!”

“Right?” Lavia chimed in.

“Maybe you should keep your eyes closed the whole time,” Paula said.

“Great idea,” Lavia agreed.

Though his vision was obstructed, Hikaru managed to catch a glimpse of Paula’s swimsuit. Compared to her usual habit of wearing conservative attire, it seemed rather daring.

“Your swimsuit looks so nice,” Lavia said.

“It pales in comparison to yours,” Paula replied.

“That’s not true. It’s highlighting all the right features.”

“Please don’t give me that dirty look!” Paula shielded her chest with both hands, freeing Hikaru’s eyes.

“You look pretty good in that swimsuit as well,” Hikaru commented. “Honestly, it’s bewitching.”

“Please look away.” Paula crouched down, just as Lavia did earlier.

“Well… What now? We can’t get into the water like this.”

“Come on, Paula. You’ll get used to Hikaru’s gaze soon enough.”

Before Paula could say anything, Lavia grabbed her hand and took off running. The two of them awkwardly made their way across the sandy beach, squealing with delight, until they eventually tumbled at the water’s edge, bursting into laughter.

---

A hoodie, a pareo, and two straw hats hung on a rope stretching between two palm trees. Deckchairs were lined up underneath, where Hikaru’s clothes and hat sat.

“Hyaah!”

“Waah!”

“Oops!”

They had purchased a ball at the souvenir shop, crafted from material harvested from a monster. Shaped like an irregular sphere, it apparently used an inflating stomach as material. Dyed in Southleaf Island’s traditional colors, the combination of white, emerald green, and sapphire blue depicted the sandy beach, palm leaves, and the azure sea.

It was perfect for some fun in the water, so they had acquired it beforehand.

Lavia tossed the ball, Paula punched it, and Hikaru leaped sideways to catch it. The seawater was pleasantly cool, soothing their sun-warmed skin.

After playing for a while, fatigue started to set in from the unfamiliar movements. While Paula’s healing magic could deal with sunburns, fatigue was a different matter. There was a way to restore energy, but Hikaru believed that this was the perfect opportunity for some endurance training, so for today he decided to enjoy themselves and then take a proper rest.

“Phew… it’s almost lunchtime. Shall we head back?” Hikaru said.

“Yeah, I’m tired,” Lavia replied.

“We’ve been quite active,” Paula added.

Everyone was drenched, and as Lavia had mentioned, they had grown accustomed to Hikaru’s gaze, strolling without a care in the world. Paula’s jiggling breasts were especially dangerous, so Hikaru walked slightly ahead of them, making a conscious effort to avert his eyes.

“I’m surprised you’d wear such a daring swimsuit,” Lavia remarked.

“What?! You’re the one who recommended it!”

Apparently, it was Lavia who had chosen Paula’s swimsuit.

“I figured if you really didn’t want to wear it, you could have just refused. Besides, the Church doesn’t explicitly prohibit it, right?”

“There are various teachings within the Church. It’s because there have been several saints in the past. In my hometown of Cotton-elka, our tenet is ‘simplicity and frugality.’ But in the Holy City of Agiapole in Bios, people don’t really talk about them that much.”

“Hmm? So the doctrines change depending on the location?”

“I suppose so… Apparently, the priests in the holy city lead much more extravagant lives than even the average nobles.”

Corrupt individuals existed in this world’s religious society as well, it seemed.

“Also, I’ve heard that the equipment of the Knights Templar serving directly under His Holiness is like a work of art.”

“Knights Templar?” Hearing a new term, Hikaru looked over his shoulder.

“Yes.”

Paula nodded, causing her chest to bounce. Hikaru quickly redirected his gaze to the front.

“Hmm? Lord Hikaru?”

“Uh… s-so, how big is the Knights Templar, if I may ask?”

“You’re being too formal again.”

An image of Paula pouting flashed in his mind, but Hikaru kept his gaze forward. Those breasts were a trap. A snare that led people astray. The Devil’s temptation—though she was a clergywoman.

“I believe there’s about a thousand of them,” Paula said. “And then there’s another faction known as the Knights of the Saints.”

“How are they different?”

“The Knights of the Saints are organized by countryside priests to protect believers. The Theomilitary, on the other hand, is an entirely different entity, and is basically like the military of other countries.”

“Hmm…”

“Is something troubling you?”

Paula’s face suddenly appeared from the left, so Hikaru swiftly turned his head to the right.

“No, just asking.”

“I see.”

Then, her face popped out from the right, prompting Hikaru to quickly shift his gaze to the left.

“Really, I was just asking.”

“Really?”

Pop. Turn.

“I mean it.”

“Then why won’t you look at me?!”

Lavia, aware of what went on in Hikaru’s mind, chuckled softly.