Amusement parks, on the other hand… if you incorporated magic, they could probably create attractions that were even more exciting than the ones back on Earth.
As I finished explaining, Al nodded with a thoughtful expression, genuinely impressed.
“Wow… so in your world, there are places where anyone can just go and have fun, huh?”
“Amusement parks sound fun,” Origa said softly, her eyes lighting up with quiet curiosity.
“Right? I’d love to go sometime!” Saria added with a grin, practically bouncing in her seat.
Hearing her say that got me thinking.
Wait a minute… is it actually possible for me to go back to Earth someday?
I mean, we’ve already traveled between planets. Interplanetary travel was a thing now. That much had been proven.
Yeah… I feel like it might actually be doable.
Of course, it’s not something I could check right away. Not with the Cult of the Wicked One still stirring up trouble. And if I were going to return seriously, I’d want to do it when Shouta and my senior Kannazuki were around.
“Then how about this?” Al said, folding her arms. “Is there anything in this world that’s similar to what you did back on… what was it? ‘Earth’?”
“Huh?” I blinked. “Well, let’s see…”
Al leaned in, egging me on. “Remember how hot it was in the Wailing Lands? What would you usually do on days like that?”
“Oh, summer stuff? Well, back on Earth, we’d go to pools or the beach to cool off and relax. Swimming, playing in the water, that sort of… wait.”
I stopped mid-sentence, something dawning on me.
Come to think of it… I’ve never gone to the ocean in this world.
“Huh?” Saria tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, technically, there was that one time… when I dumped a bunch of Kaizell Empire soldiers and one of the Cult’s Apostles into the ocean… along with the land they were standing on…”
Al squinted at me in disbelief. “And it didn’t occur to you that there might be something insane about that situation?”
Yup. No arguments here.
She’s absolutely right. What the hell was I even doing? Just going with the flow, I guess. That whole scene’s a walking disaster. Honestly, I updated my personal cringe archive just yesterday, too…
“A-Anyway,” I said, clearing my throat, “what I’m trying to say is I’ve never really gotten to enjoy the sea here. You know, like properly.”
“The ocean, huh…” Al muttered, crossing her arms. “Now that you mention it, it’s been years since I’ve been that way myself.”
“What’s the ocean like?” Saria asked innocently, tilting her head.
“Huh? Wait… Saria, you don’t know what the ocean is?” I blinked, surprised.
Saria looked genuinely puzzled, which made Al’s eyes go wide with shock.
“Nope! Before I started traveling with Seiichi, I lived in the forest the whole time!”
“I know you’re technically a monster… but thinking about a beautiful girl like you living alone in the forest all her life… Man, that’s just hard to wrap my head around,” Al muttered.
“Huhh?! Al just called me beautiful! He he!” Saria giggled, cheeks flushed with delight.
“Yeah, and it really doesn’t match up,” Al added dryly.
Still, Saria beamed with a bashful grin. She was so cute it was almost easy to forget that deep down… she was a gorilla. A really adorable gorilla, but still.
“Well, that explains Saria,” I said. “But what about the rest of you? Like Origa and Zora, have you two ever seen the ocean?”
“N-No,” Zora said quickly, shaking her head. “I’ve heard the name before, but I’ve never actually seen it in person…”
“Me neither,” Origa added softly. “Even when I went to other countries on requests, I always traveled by land. I never visited any coastal nations.”
“I see…”
“That tickles,” Origa murmured as Al gently patted her on the head.
She’d probably been to more places than any of us back when she was under the Kaizell Empire’s control, but I doubt she ever got to actually enjoy any of them.
“And Lulune… well, never mind.”
“Huhh?!” Lulune cried. “Lady Al! Isn’t that a bit cruel, singling me out like that?!”
“I mean… I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to handle you…” Al replied, looking exhausted already.
“If even Al, the party’s designated voice of reason, gives up on me, then I’ve got no hope left!” Lulune wailed. “You too, Master?!”
“Hey, it’s not like I want to be the one constantly pointing things out,” Al said, sighing. “If you all acted like normal people, I wouldn’t have to say anything.”
“Wait, are you saying I’m not normal either?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re the least normal one here!” she snapped.
This makes no sense.
No way Lulune’s way less “normal” than I am. Just look at her. You can’t tell me that’s what a regular person looks like. I should be offended.
I let out a sigh and shrugged. “Whatever. But hey, if none of you’ve ever been to the ocean, then this might be the perfect chance to go.”
“Yay! A group trip!” Saria cheered, her voice full of excitement.
“Well, not right away,” Al added quickly. “You all had stuff you wanted to do today, right? Like Saria and Origa said. Let’s each do our own thing today, then head for the ocean tomorrow or something.”
“Agreed!” we all replied in unison.
It was a good call on Al’s part, and the rest of us were happy to go along with it.
As we were wrapping up breakfast, the inn’s waitress and resident poster girl, Mary, came over to collect our empty dishes, grinning from ear to ear.
“Hey, hey, Seiichi-san,” she said, leaning in mischievously. “Are you guys going to the ocean?”
“Hm? Yeah,” I replied with a nod. “We just decided.”
“Oooh, lucky you,” she said, smirking. “Going to the beach surrounded by such cute girls… Seiichi-san, you’re living the dream.”
“I-I mean, yeah, I guess so…” I mumbled, suddenly flustered.
Now that she mentioned it, I was about to go to the beach with a group of incredibly cute girls: Saria, Al, Origa, Zora, Lulune… Yeah, okay. That realization hit me all at once, sending a wave of embarrassment through my body.
Saria kept smiling as if nothing had changed, but even Al, who was usually composed, had turned red and was now fidgeting awkwardly.
“But still,” Mary added, tilting her head, “why the sudden decision to go to the ocean?”
“Huh? Oh yeah…” Saria blinked. “I get that Seiichi wanted to go since he hadn’t been before, but… why’d you say you wanted a day off in the first place?”
“Ah… right,” I said, glancing up as I tried to retrace the events. “Well, think about it. We just got back from a dungeon yesterday, right?”
“True,” Al nodded.
“And before that, we were in another dungeon with Helen. Then, somehow, without even realizing it, I ended up in the Valshe Empire and got roped into a war. And then I chucked the entire enemy force into the sea…”
“Wait, WHAT?” Mary’s voice cracked. “You got caught up in a war? And excuse me… what do you mean you threw the enemy into the sea?!”
“Ah, thank goodness…” Al muttered with visible relief. “I was starting to think I was the crazy one… but no, that reaction’s totally normal.”
“Wait, what?! Altria-san, why are you crying?!” Mary cried, pointing in disbelief. “Every word out of Seiichi-san’s mouth has been pure nonsense!”
“It’s all true, though,” I said casually.
“I’m going to lose my mind. I’m going back to work,” Mary muttered, holding her head like she had a migraine before stumbling off to return to her duties. Honestly? Rude.
“Well, anyway,” I said, brushing it off, “the point is, a lot’s happened lately. Things have been pretty hectic. Not that I’m physically tired or anything; in fact, I feel fine. And being an adventurer is kind of a freelance job, right? You take on requests, or you don’t. It’s not like I’m tied to a schedule, so it’s not even like I feel like I’m really working and… Wait, then why do I want a break?”
“How should I know?!” Al snapped. “That’s exactly what we’ve been asking you!”
Wait… crap. Am I thinking like a corporate drone right now? Have I become a workaholic without realizing it?
“R-Right! Mental fatigue! I’ve got emotional stress! Probably… Maybe. Or not? Ugh, why do I want a break?!”
“Yeah, no. You’re taking a break,” Al said with a dead-serious expression.
This is bad. If I keep going like this, I’ll turn into one of those people who literally forget what a day off is.
No, Al’s right. I have to rest. For my own sake, if nothing else.
“Haaah…” I sighed. “Yeah, now that I think about it, I really have been busy. And it’s not like we’ve got any urgent quests right now. Taking a break while we can doesn’t sound so bad.”
“I agree,” Origa said quietly. “Last night, after we got back, I stopped by the information broker to ask about the Cult of the Wicked One. But it doesn’t seem like they’re moving at the moment. As for the Kaizell Empire, they haven’t made another move since they failed to invade the Kingdom of Winburg.”
Wait… she went to an information broker last night?! That’s amazing. I’m more shocked that such a profession actually exists than I am by the fact that Origa knows how to use one.
And just like that, with no enemies breathing down our necks and no deadlines hanging over our heads, we decided on our next destination.
We were going to the ocean.