Rayish
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Chapter 144
🕑 Added 2025-06-15 14:13:51 +0000 UTCAfter changing clothes inside his blue tent, Shirou stood for a moment to check his appearance. All the clothes he had been wearing earlier—
After changing clothes inside his blue tent, Shirou stood for a moment to check his appearance. All the clothes he had been wearing earlier—except for his underwear—had been converted back into prana, dissolving into the air. Now, he was only wearing plain navy blue swim trunks, without any flashy patterns, practical and simple, much like himself.
Taking a calm breath, he pulled aside the tent flap and stepped out into the open area.
The air on the 25th floor felt fresh and cool. The soft light from the crystals above reflected off the clear water's surface, making the pond shimmer like a gemstone.
But as he stood outside, waiting for his companions to emerge, his ears inadvertently caught a soft voice coming from the gray tent.
"Eh... Aiz, the strap around your neck is a bit crooked—wait, let me fix it..."
"...Like this?"
"Y-yes! But... the chest part—I mean, the fabric is clinging a bit... oh dear, I'm getting nervous too..."
Shirou froze. His eyes were fixed on the river, but his mind wandered... and his face turned red.
Ugh, not my business... not my business... He quickly slapped his cheeks lightly, trying to dispel the wild imagination creeping into his mind.
Shortly after, the sound of a tent zipper echoed, followed by light footsteps.
"Sorry for the wait!" Lefiya called out first, her voice slightly trembling but trying to sound cheerful.
Shirou turned his head... and his eyes widened for a moment.
Aiz stepped out first. Her swimsuit was a white, sleeveless mini-dress with a halter-neck design, accentuating her slender shoulders and graceful, long neck. The soft fabric fell to mid-thigh, swaying gently with every breeze. At the bottom, golden star motifs were elegantly embroidered, adding a mesmerizing touch to her appearance, as if she had stepped out of a fairy-tale painting.
Beside her, Lefiya wore a playful yet charming red mini-dress with a slim neck strap and a large golden ribbon adorning her chest and waist, creating a cute and alluring impression. The light ruffled skirt swayed with each step, adding a cheerful aura to her look.
Lefiya's face was flushed, and she lowered her head briefly before mustering the courage to ask, "U-umm, Shirou... how do I... look? I mean... how do we look?"
Next to her, Aiz remained silent as usual. But upon closer inspection, her eyes were fixed on Shirou without blinking, and her fingers gripped the hem of her skirt slightly tighter. She, too... was waiting for an answer.
Shirou looked at them alternately. It took him a second or two to compose his words.
"...Both of you... look perfect," he said sincerely. "Both of you are beautiful, but in different ways."
He looked at Aiz. "Aiz... you look... incredibly elegant."
Then at Lefiya. "And you, Lefiya... are adorable. The red suits you well."
Lefiya immediately bowed her head deeply, as if about to melt. "T-t-t-t-thank you..."
Aiz turned toward the pond and said softly, "...Good if it fits." But her eyes sparkled slightly, and her cheeks were... a little redder than usual.
And in Shirou's heart?
...I need to stay focused. Don't drown... not in the pond, but in my own desires.
As Shirou's praise reached the elf's ears, Lefiya's face instantly heated up like boiling water. She bowed deeply, unable to meet Shirou's gaze, and tried to hide her wide, uncontrollable smile.
"I-I'll go first!"
With a quick step, she dashed forward and splashed! She jumped into the small, clear pond, creating a beautiful arc of water in the air. The sound of ripples echoed softly around the rocks and moss.
Once she surfaced, Lefiya's light brown hair was wet and clung to her face and shoulders. She let out a small laugh, enjoying the freshness of the water, then swam toward the center with light, graceful movements.
"Come on, you two! Join me!" she called, waving from the middle of the pond.
Aiz remained standing at the edge of the pond, her gaze not on the water... but on Shirou. Her stare was steady, calm, but clearly, she was thinking about something. Shirou, noticing this, tried to break the silence.
"Lefiya, how... deep is this pond?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.
Lefiya paused, then turned from the center of the pond. "It looks quite deep, even though the pond itself is small. But the bottom slopes downward toward the middle."
"Alright..." Shirou murmured, then turned to Aiz. "Come on, Aiz. Take it slow. We can start from the edge here. Hold onto the rocks if you're still unsure."
But Aiz's response wasn't a nod or a step forward.
Instead, she turned her head and asked a question that nearly made Shirou choke on his own saliva.
"Shirou. Which one do you think suits me better?" she said, pointing at herself. "The white bikini from Melen... or this swimsuit I'm wearing now?"
Shirou froze. His brain processed the question at lightning speed, recalling Aiz stepping out from behind a rock on Melen's beach in a simple white bikini, her body reflecting the sunlight—a stark contrast to her current soft and elegant appearance.
"...Eh?" was his initial reaction. But he quickly took a breath and answered.
"Both... have their own charm. One is brighter and refreshing, the other... elegant and captivating. So, yeah, both are good."
Aiz stared at him intently for two seconds, as if analyzing something profound.
Then, without another word, she turned away, stepped into the pond, and slowly descended.
So Shirou... doesn't mind any swimsuit style. That means... even shameless women might be fine with him, Aiz thought innocently, unaware that her hand was still covering the hem of her skirt even as she stepped into the water.
Shirou slowly entered the water, following Aiz, who was now standing at the edge of the pond. He approached, keeping a close but respectful distance to avoid making her feel pressured.
"I'm here, so don't worry. We'll start with the basics," he said with a smile, trying to reassure her.
Aiz nodded slightly, then took a step deeper... until—
"Ah."
Her body swayed slightly. Her feet no longer touched the bottom. She tensed up reflexively and grabbed Shirou's shoulder with her left hand.
"Easy, Aiz. I've got you," Shirou said quickly, supporting her with one hand. "It's a bit steep here. Just hold onto me until you regain your balance."
Aiz nodded slowly, though her gaze was slightly panicked. But before Shirou could continue with his swimming instructions, a panicked voice from the center of the pond shattered the calm.
"A-AWAAAAHH!!"
It was Lefiya—her scream was loud, and from the corner of his eye, Shirou saw the elf flailing wildly, bobbing up and down in chaotic movements. Water splashed violently around her, the high sprays signaling her panic.
Aiz immediately reacted. "I'll—!"
But Shirou quickly grabbed her arm. "Wait! Don't! You can't swim yet—you might drown too!"
Aiz paused, her lips tightening, then nodded slowly.
"Then help me by getting a potion. If she's hurt, we'll need to treat her quickly."
"Got it!" Aiz turned and sprinted out of the pond toward the blue tent where Shirou's bag was.
Meanwhile, Shirou shifted his gaze to Lefiya, who was still panicking in the center of the pond. Taking a deep breath, he pushed forward.
Swash!
The water parted as Shirou swam swiftly toward the middle, his arms and legs moving deftly. His eyes were locked onto Lefiya's struggling figure.
Stay calm... I'm coming, Lefiya.
As Shirou reached the center of the pond, he found Lefiya—her body flailing, her light brown hair disheveled, and her limbs thrashing wildly. Her eyes were wide with fear and confusion.
Shirou quickly positioned himself beside her, but before he could touch her shoulder, a sharp premonition flashed in his mind.
Mind's Eye... activated!
Instinct screamed danger. He sensed strange movement beneath the surface, approaching rapidly from below.
With razor-sharp reflexes, Shirou twisted his body and kicked hard.
—WHUMP!!
Something was flung out of the water. A splosh! echoed as a small, sharp-toothed fish-like monster—a Dungeon piranha—was sent flying, writhing in the air before landing on the shore with a short growl.
Lefiya let out a stifled scream. "A-Ahh! So that's... what bit me!"
Without wasting time, Shirou wrapped an arm around Lefiya's waist, supporting her from behind.
"Stay calm, I'll get you out of here," he said quickly but gently.
With practiced movements, he swam toward the edge of the pond, holding Lefiya tightly but carefully to avoid worsening her injuries. Water splashed around them as he paddled faster than usual.
Once they reached the shore, he pushed himself onto the rocks first, then gently pulled Lefiya up, lifting the petite elf onto the flat stone surface at the pond's edge.
But as his eyes scanned Lefiya's body, Shirou froze for a moment.
Several parts of her skin—especially her arms, thighs, and waist—were covered in small bite marks from the piranhas that were still clinging relentlessly.
"This is bad..."
Without hesitation, Shirou extended his palm.
"Trace, on."
In an instant, a small, precise knife materialized from a blue light. Shirou's eyes narrowed in focus.
With utmost care, he began removing each piranha one by one. The small knife stabbed precisely into the center of each monster's head, severing its nerves without deepening Lefiya's wounds.
Stab.
Stab.
Stab.
With each stab, a piranha released its bite and fell with a plop onto the ground. Shirou worked swiftly but calmly, ensuring Lefiya's safety.
Though her body trembled, Lefiya remained still, enduring the pain with her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed—whether from pain, embarrassment, or Shirou's close proximity as he touched her skin without a word, focusing solely on the task.
Hurry, Aiz... bring the potion, Shirou thought, maintaining his composure amid the chaos.
Just as Shirou's knife pierced the last piranha clinging to Lefiya's ankle, the small monster twitched—crrk!—then turned to ash, vanishing along with the knife, which dissipated into prana.
And at that exact moment—tap tap tap!—the sound of rapid footsteps approached.
"I've got the potion!"
Aiz appeared from the direction of the blue tent, slightly out of breath, but her eyes immediately focused on Lefiya, who was sitting weakly on the ground, some of her wounds still open, though others had begun to dry.
Without another word, Aiz knelt beside Shirou, uncorked the potion bottle, and began applying the clear green liquid to the wounds on Lefiya's arms with her fingertips.
"...Does it hurt?" she asked curtly, but her tone carried unmistakable concern.
Lefiya gritted her teeth briefly, then quickly straightened her posture, pretending to be strong. "E-Eh? N-No, not really. It's just... a little sting."
Shirou observed quietly. Most of the visible wounds were on Lefiya's arms and legs—areas exposed by her swimsuit. But he also noticed a few bite marks around her stomach and waist, one of which had even torn a small hole in the side of her bright red swimsuit.
The hole was small but noticeable.
"What a shame," Shirou sighed. "You just bought this, didn't you?"
Lefiya, who was starting to recover and could sit upright, gave a wry smile, then turned to show Shirou the small tear.
"It's fine," she said lightly. "Just a tiny hole. Besides... It's my fault. I was too careless, swimming to the middle alone."
Aiz, who was still tending to the wounds on Lefiya's legs, nodded slowly and added, "If Riveria finds out about this...We'll be scolded mercilessly."
The three of them exchanged glances.
Lefiya shivered slightly—not from the pain, but from imagining Lady Riveria's cold, sharp expression if she learned they'd had such an incident without proper preparation.
"...Let's not tell her for now," she whispered almost inaudibly.
"Agreed," Shirou and Aiz replied almost simultaneously.
The three of them now stood side by side at the edge of the pond, which had just been the site of an unexpected incident. The water was calm again, reflecting the pale crystal light from the Dungeon's ceiling, as if nothing had happened.
But behind their gazes fixed on the water's surface, each of them carried a newfound wariness.
"I didn't expect..." Shirou murmured softly, his eyes still on the water. "Even a small pond like this could hide monsters."
Aiz nodded, her expression as calm as ever. "That's the Dungeon. Behind its tranquility... danger always lurks."
Lefiya hugged her staff, which she'd left on the rocks earlier, then glanced alternately at Shirou and Aiz. "So... what about our swimming plans?" she asked cautiously. "Are we still continuing?"
Shirou thought for a moment. He looked back at the water, which seemed peaceful but now held the possibility of hidden attacks.
"Well, if we want to continue practicing... we should clear out any remaining monsters first," he said quietly, already formulating a strategy in his mind. His hand moved to his waist, ready to perform a Projection if needed. "I just need to figure out which projection would be most effective underwater..."
But Lefiya, who seemed to have been thinking ahead, raised her hand.
"In that case... why don't we lure them out?"
Aiz turned slowly, as if remembering something. "Like on the ship, during our sea voyage in Melen with Loki?"
Lefiya nodded quickly. "Yes! Back then, we lured out the Violas by using a similar tactic!"
Shirou raised an eyebrow, then smiled slightly. "That could work."
He raised his hand.
"Trace, on."
In an instant, three slender yet sturdy fishing rods appeared in his hand, two of which he handed to Aiz and Lefiya.
"Then let's use these. And for bait..."
He picked up a few small magic stones emitting a faint purple light, dropped by the piranhas earlier.
"We'll use these. Just like when we fished for Violas before—those plant monsters that could swim and attack the unwary."
Aiz accepted the rod without a word, while Lefiya looked more excited than ever.
"Then... let's lure them out," she said, gripping her rod tightly.
The pond was no longer a place for leisurely swimming—it was now a battlefield to be cleared before they could enjoy true peace.
