Chapter 8: Tourist City San Marina
Summer! The ocean! Coastal academy!
And so, here we are in the resort city of San Marina!
We arrived on June twentieth, just as the summer heat was getting into full swing.
The journey took quite a while, but counting the instructors and escort knights, there were over eight hundred of us in total.
Supposedly, even including food, room, and board for everyone, the donations from the Freshmen Tournament covered the whole trip with plenty to spare. Just how much money had been donated anyway?
With those thoughts in mind, I made my way toward the lodgings where we'd be staying.
Incidentally, we in S-Class were staying in a different location from the other classes.
The general classes were staying at a hotel provided by Marquis San Marina.
I heard it was a lavish hotel, but where we were staying was staggering in its own right.
As the carriage trundled along a fine gravel path, the ocean sparkled in the distance, and a magnificent villa emerged from between the trees.
A sea breeze pleasantly brushed against my face while the gentle murmur of crashing waves washed over us.
When the path cleared, a silver-white beach opened up before us, with an emerald-green sea stretching out beyond it.
The carriage came to a slow halt before a towering wrought-iron gate. Karen was the very first to step out.
"This is the Duke Fressbald family villa. Per Clarice's request, the butler and maids won't be stationed here, so you can rest easy."
Indeed, where we were staying was the villa belonging to Karen's family, the Duke Fressbald house.
Normally, the butler and maids who managed this grand estate would be on site, but at Clarice's request—wishing for us to spend time by ourselves—they had agreed to step away.
Guided by Karen, we opened the iron gate engraved with a flame crest, climbed back into the carriage, and rode deeper into the estate grounds.
Stepping off at the slope in front of the villa, we were greeted by a brilliant building with gleaming white walls.
"Whoa... It looks like a grand temple..."
Clarice let out a breathless gasp of awe, while Misha stood agape in total amazement.
When Baron and the others following us got out of their carriage, even Dominic was struck speechless with awe.
Karen pushed open the heavy wooden double doors, revealing a dapper, distinguished man waiting inside for us.
"Welcome home, Lady Karen. And to the rest of your party, welcome as well. My name is Whispers, and I have been entrusted with the management of this villa. Should you require any assistance or have any questions whatsoever, please do not hesitate to make your desires known."
Whispers welcomed us with the refined grace expected of a master butler.
His composed voice and graceful deportment elevated the prestige of the villa even further. As Whispers ushered us into the grand mansion, a truly dreamlike space unfolded before our eyes.
A magnificent chandelier sparkled from a high ceiling that easily exceeded ten meters, and exquisite carpets swept across the floor. Through the massive windows, the emerald-green sea stretched out—a view as gorgeous as a masterwork painting.
"Allow me to show you to your respective rooms."
Rooms weren't assigned by party... Naturally, we split up by gender.
Even if everyone had a private room, there would still be extra space, but since Clarice wanted to get to know Karen and Misha better, all six girls—including Minerva and our instructor Sasha—roomed together. As for us guys, four of us—Baron, Dominic, Lorenz, and I—shared a single room.
Lorenz and Sasha were assigned to our respective quarters because, to us, this trip was both a designated quest and a coastal academy session.
Even the regular students weren't here just to play; they were expected to take proper classes as well.
That said, we had been informed beforehand that activities unique to this location would take priority, with classes centered as much as possible on the beach and sea.
"Mars? We have a few things to get ready, so go on ahead to the beach without us."
Parting ways with the girls, we set down our luggage in the room assigned to us guys.
"Instructor Lorenz? Just to confirm, our only scheduled item today is having dinner with Marquis San Marina, right? Do we have free time until then? There's something I'd like to do."
"Mm. Indeed, but what is this thing you want to do... Wait, Mars? Don't tell me..."
Naturally, there was only one thing to do after coming to a place like this.
When I explained it to Lorenz, he gave his instant approval, so leaving behind Baron and Dominic while they were still unpacking, I dashed out alone toward the private beach right in front of us.
The sea breeze felt divine against my skin while sunlight sparkled over the water. The sand underfoot was warm, yet grew pleasantly cool as I drew nearer to the waves.
Sprinting down to the water's edge, a seamless expanse of vibrant blue sea and sky opened up right before my eyes.
With scenery fit for paradise, this private beach was a special realm reserved strictly for us.
The cool seawater felt wonderful, and dipping my feet in instantly refreshed my whole body.
There was no one else on the beach yet, leaving the vast stretch of sand entirely to myself.
Alright! Time to get down to business!
To accomplish my goal without delay, I sprinted straight down the beach. I dashed across the sand, running from the private beach reserved for Duke Fressbald's house all the way to the public beach where ordinary tourists and Lister students were playing.
Yes, this was one of the top things I had wanted to do in San Marina—sand sprints.
The soft sand kicked up beneath my feet, sparkling brilliantly under the sun's glare.
Every time my feet sank into the sand, I felt the heavy resistance, but that novel sensation felt strangely exhilarating. It only compelled me to push harder and sprint with everything I had.
As I ran in total concentration, I spotted Gon and the others playing in the distance with some girls from E-Class.
"Mars! What're you up to?! Come play with us!"
Once Gon noticed me, the girls in bikinis joined in calling out invitations of their own.
"Mars! Come hang out with us for a change!"
"We'll be waiting in your room tonight!"
I knew it was just friendly banter, but it still put a smile on my face... Though tonight, I had the single greatest highlight of this trip waiting for me.
"Thanks! If Clarice and the instructor give me the green light, I'm there!"
Waving back on the fly, I kept up my training while passing by the students enjoying themselves.
I had heard that running on unstable sand was an effective way to strengthen foot and ankle muscles. On top of that, it was said to work wonders for the quads and glutes.
It would be a disaster if my ankle buckled out of nowhere in the middle of close-quarters combat.
With the wind caressing my skin and the sun warming my back, engaging every muscle in my body felt supreme. Sprinting at full power set my mind and body free... though fatigue slowly began to settle in.
Normally, I could have kept going effortlessly, but the heavy drag of the sand had clearly taken a toll. Here, I finally turned back along the stretch of beach I had just covered.
Waves washed ashore and receded, their cadence beating a pleasant rhythm in my ears. Even as my breath grew ragged and sweat drenched my body, I didn't stop running.
When you're exhausted is when you push the hardest. After all, you can't just call a timeout in combat because you're tired.
I could feel my body screaming, yet I refused to slow my pace. I kept telling myself that an exquisite reward was waiting for me once I returned to the private beach.
In the end, I managed to run along the beach for just over an hour. At long last, Duke Fressbald's private beach came back into view.
There, a massive white beach parasol had been set up where none stood before, accompanied by the playful laughter of the girls.
Among them, one person resting under the parasol caught sight of me and dashed over at terrifying speed. Noticing her move, the others rushed over behind her.
"...Mars...! Where... were you...?"
Clad in a white bikini with yellow accents, Ellie peered anxiously up into my face. The halter-neck top securely contained her bountiful melons, and my gaze couldn't help but wander in that direction.
Flustered by a stunning view I rarely got to witness, I stammered a response.
"A-Ah, I sprinted all the way down to the public beach over there. By the way, that swimsuit looks really cute on you."
"...Thank you... Clarice... picked it out..."
When I gave my honest compliment, Ellie offered a bashful smile.
Next, Karen and Misha showed up before me.
"How is it, Mars? What do you think of my swimsuit? Pretty amazing, right?"
The speaker was Misha, clad in a swimsuit featuring large frills on both top and bottom.
Though overall smaller than the average twelve-year-old, it fit Misha's image to a tee.
"Yeah, it suits you great."
Delighted by my compliment, Misha got so pumped up that her runaway wind magic launched her clear across the sand.
"Mars... what about me? Clarice chose this one for me as well, but..."
The one asking shyly was Karen, wearing a high-neck bikini that offered generous coverage over her bust all the way up to her neck.
Was she the type who looked slimmer in clothes...? For a twelve-year-old, she seems remarkably well-developed.
Furthermore, picked out by Clarice with her impeccable taste, the suit looked so perfectly suited to Karen that it felt tailor-made for her.
"It looks amazing!"
I flashed her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and she beamed with delight, blushing all the while.
And finally, Clarice's entrance was an absolute shock to the system.
Where Ellie wore white with yellow accents, Clarice sported a white bikini adorned with delicate pink floral embroidery.
The triangular cups of the top hugged her bust perfectly, the straps tied behind her neck swaying gently in the breeze.
The low-rise bottoms rested snugly above her hipbones, detailed with tiny pink flower embroidery along the sides.
Showing off her extraordinary figure and radiant, translucent skin, she left me completely lost for words. Seeing my silence, Clarice asked anxiously.
"H-Hey... say something to me too..."
However, I simply lacked the vocabulary to properly describe how stunning she looked.
"Huh? A-Ah, right... Well... I love you."
"Wh-What!? A-Ah, thank you... I... love you too."
Flustered by my sudden confession, Clarice beamed with bashful happiness.
"Hold on a minute!? You two!? We're standing right here, you know!"
As I felt myself getting drawn into Clarice's deep blue eyes, Karen barged in between us.
That was close. I was seriously about to lose the ability to look away.
"...Always like this... get used to it... soon..."
Ellie let out an exasperated sigh.
"Th-That's not true!? Still... Mars, I had no idea you were this muscular."
Clarice turned bright red staring at my bare upper body, and Misha jumped in next.
"Whoa! It's so hard! This is what they call a six-pack, right?!"
As Misha poked my abs, Karen followed suit.
"To think you're supposed to be a magician..."
Karen's fingers traced back and forth across my stomach over and over.
"...Back... so muscular... amazing..."
Ellie nuzzled her cheek against my broad lats.
"Huh? Ah, yeah... I work out every day, after all."
As someone who trained religiously, getting complimented like this felt great.
However, the sensory overload was getting a bit too intense.
"Thanks. But more importantly, where did Baron and Dominic go?"
Hoping to steer the subject elsewhere, I asked while glancing around.
"If you mean Baron and Dominic, they're right over there."
Following Karen's finger, I saw Baron, Dominic, and Lorenz buried up to their necks in the sand, with only their heads poking out.
"Oh! A sand bath!"
Just as I turned to jog toward the three of them, a woman intercepted me.
"Mars, that isn't a sand bath. It's punishment, plain and simple."
Puffing out her cheeks was Sasha, her fair body wrapped in a black bikini top and bottom.
In her triangle top and double-string bottoms, she looked like a vision straight out of fairy lore.
With an amount of exposed skin rivaling Clarice's, I struggled to figure out where to avert my eyes.
"What do you mean, punishment?"
She puffed her fair cheeks out further before answering my question.
"They kept eyeing us with such sleazy, lustful gazes that I decided to teach them a lesson!"
Ah... So they surrendered to basic male instincts, huh?
Honestly, I couldn't blame them too much. I was using every ounce of self-control to hold back right now myself.
Well, approaching them right now would probably only stir up trouble, so I'll just focus on completing my own agenda.
Since my sweat hadn't dried yet, I headed toward the sea, where a sign caught my attention.
"DANGER! DO NOT VENTURE INTO OFFSHORE WATERS!"
I only intended to wade in up to my torso anyway, so ignoring the warning, I walked into the sea, with Clarice and the girls following right behind me.
The cool water felt heavenly, soothing my exhausted body.
After enjoying a swim with Clarice and the girls for a while, I stepped out of the sea to do another round of sand sprints, whereupon Sasha handed me a towel.
"Mars, why don't you play beach flags with us? It's great training for explosive speed, so I was thinking of having just the girls do it."
"Sure, I'd love to. I was just planning to go for another run anyway."
Whatever fatigue I felt earlier had completely vanished after catching sight of Clarice and the girls in their breathtaking swimsuits. This was the perfect chance to vent all my overflowing energy.
Giving my assent, I headed to the start line before anyone else and lay face down in the sand.
The reason was simple: if I watched Clarice and Ellie lying face down, I would end up buried in the sand right alongside the other guys.
Clarice and Ellie lay face down on either side of me, with Karen and Misha lying on their outer flanks. Minerva didn't seem to be joining in, opting to stand nearby to cheer us on.
"Alright, is everyone ready?"
When Sasha called out, we exchanged glances while eagerly waiting for the signal. Feeling the ocean breeze, I locked in my concentration for the upcoming race.
"Go!"
At Sasha's signal, we pushed ourselves up in unison and sprinted for the flags.
My feet had already logged tens of kilometers today, making me thoroughly accustomed to the sand.
However, the top contender, Ellie, didn't seem used to running on sand yet, causing her start to be slightly delayed.
Karen and Misha tried desperately to keep up, but matching our pace was impossible. Victory boiled down to a head-to-head match between Clarice and me.
As we sprinted flat out, my skin unexpectedly brushed against Clarice's. In that instant—
"Eek!?"
Clarice let out a soft gasp while pulling back slightly. It seemed our bump had loosened her swimsuit strap just a fraction. The sight burned vividly into my retinas.
This is bad... Realizing the danger, I ran past the flags without grabbing one and sprinted straight down the beach.
In the end, we enjoyed sand sprints and swimming until the sun began to tilt, taking a refreshing bath before heading off to our dinner with Marquis San Marina.
"Welcome to the resort city of San Marina! I am Marquis San Marina. Your performance at the Freshmen Tournament was truly spectacular! Shall we begin with a toast?"
Invited to this gathering were the S-Class students, plus Lorenz and Sasha—ten of us in total.
Furthermore, more than ten women stood waiting in attendance behind Marquis San Marina.
The marquis possessed the charming features of a stylish, silver-fox gentleman. Dressed in flashy, opulent attire, he welcomed us warmly. As he raised his glass, we followed suit and lifted ours.
"Cheers!"
At first, a refreshing coolness washed down my throat, followed by a slow, creeping heat. It was dangerously easy to drink, but the alcohol content was clearly high.
Considering my plans for tonight, I needed to avoid overindulging. I decided to stop after a single glass.
In stark contrast, the girls were knocking back drinks at quite an impressive pace.
Clarice, who usually matched my pace, was already on her second glass. Ellie and Karen were working on their second as well, and Misha was already sipping her third.
Judging by Sasha's frantic reaction, Misha was definitely drinking actual alcohol. Well, Misha managed to get drunk off whatever she drank anyway—even if it were just water.
Once everyone had loosened up, Marquis San Marina began explaining the details of our quest.
"I believe Duchess Regan has already informed you, but I invited you here to forge friendly ties. Consider sharing drinks and dining with me like this every evening to be your quest."
Could a quest really be this effortless?
"Is there truly nothing troubling you, My Lord? Doing nothing but idling about feels a bit..."
Of course, I didn't plan on just fooling around the whole time. I had a specific goal I wanted to achieve during this trip.
Still, having so much money lavished on us while offering nothing in return made me feel guilty.
"Troubling things, you say..."
The marquis slid an ornate, ring-bedecked finger across his chin. Pondering for a moment, he leaned back and whispered into the ear of one of the women standing behind him.
The woman nodded respectfully and retreated backstage with the others, returning shortly to lay out lavish platters of sashimi before us.
"This is Diamond Tuna, a monster that inhabits the coastal waters of San Marina. Please, give it a try."
Diamond Tuna? It sounded mouthwatering from the name alone. True to its reputation, every slice radiated a deep, striking red that sparkled like a gemstone. The thick cuts featured a gradient from vibrant ruby to pinkish red, looking like a veritable work of art. Under the light, the surface glistened softly, practically radiating the scent of the fresh ocean breeze.
While the others were mesmerized by its beauty, I picked up a slice and popped it into my mouth.
"D-Delicious!"
The moment it touched my tongue, the sashimi began to melt, filling my mouth with flavor. Before I could even chew, the Diamond Tuna was gone, leaving only the luscious sweetness of its fat behind.
"I am delighted it suits your palate! Come, everyone else, dig in as well."
The others followed suit, putting pieces into their mouths and crying out in delight at the exquisite flavor. Clarice, Ellie, Karen, and Misha all savored the taste with sparkling eyes.
Naturally, Baron, Dominic, and Lorenz were scarfing it down with gusto as well.
"As many of you likely know, eating Diamond Tuna is said to accelerate physical growth."
Well, you hear tales like that everywhere. Best to take it with a grain of salt.
"Diamond Tuna has always possessed immense value due to its rarity, but recently catches have dropped off even further. You see, while Diamond Tuna is a Rank C monster, word has it that an outrageous creature far exceeding its strength has taken up residence nearby."
"What kind of creature?"
"It appears to be a monster called an Afanc... From what I hear, its body is so massive it can swallow a five-hundred-kilogram Diamond Tuna whole. If there is anything troubling me, it would be that because of this beast, we can't harvest Diamond Tuna—or any other fish, for that matter."
The size of a Diamond Tuna was staggering on its own, but an Afanc that could swallow one whole was a truly terrifying beast.
"Then that means we just need to hunt down this Afanc, right?"
When I asked Marquis San Marina, he frantically shook his head.
"Goodness no, I could never subject you to such peril! I merely answered because you asked what was troubling me; I didn't say a single word about wanting you to slay it!? If anything were to happen to you, what on earth would Duchess Regan do to me..."
It seemed Marquis San Marina was utterly terrified of Duchess Regan. He pressed the point even further.
"The adventurers who harvest Diamond Tuna are B-Rank parties. Yet reports indicate even they were swallowed whole by the Afanc. Fighting at sea is brutally difficult unless you are experienced, primarily because your offensive options are severely limited. Thus, even an A-Rank party couldn't manage without proper knowledge and experience. Please, under no circumstances should you go near it."
To be fair, Marquis San Marina made a very sound point.
"Understood. By the way, do you know roughly where it appears? We'll make sure to stay away from that area."
"That would be a great help. It was spotted offshore to the south of Duke Fressbald's villa. That is why warning signs were posted along both the private and public beaches cautioning people not to head out into deep waters."
Come to think of it, there was a warning sign posted right where I waded into the sea.
"Thank you very much. We'll be careful. Thank you for the wonderful feast tonight."
As I prepared to rise from my seat, Marquis San Marina flustered once again.
"Now, now, my dear Mars! There is night entertainment prepared for you..."
Marquis San Marina motioned for the women standing behind him to step toward my side.
Well, I had a hunch this would happen; Karen had warned me in advance that there might be that kind of hospitality.
"Marquis San Marina, while I appreciate the thought, I am already supported by more than enough wonderful women, so please refrain from offering such arrangements in the future."
Sitting to my right, Clarice maintained a smile on her lips, though her eyes held not a trace of warmth.
As for Ellie, she radiated murder intent so thick that it terrified not only the female attendants, but Marquis San Marina himself.
And Karen delivered the finishing blow.
"Assigning women to Mars is strictly forbidden. Should any such conduct be witnessed, consider it an act that turns both House Duke Fressbald and House Duke Seleance into your sworn enemies."
The marquis looked utterly dumbfounded for a moment, but reading the atmosphere, his face tightened and he bowed his head deeply.
"Understood. I shall respect your wishes. However, my dear Mars, should you ever find yourself in need..."
However, Marquis San Marina's words were abruptly cut short by Clarice.
"He won't be. Whatever troubles arise, we will handle them ourselves."
Clarice stood up and boldly linked her arm with my right for everyone to see. Ellie followed suit by clinging to my left arm, while Karen and Misha stepped up right behind me.
"Now then, Marquis San Marina, we shall take our leave as well. Until tomorrow."
Sasha rose from her seat and bowed deeply, and the rest of us followed her lead.
"Mars, don't you go getting any funny ideas either, alright?"
On the way back to the villa, Clarice and the girls laid down strict warnings for me.
Naturally, I had no such intentions to begin with.
"Of course. I already have all of you, after all. Make sure you girls get to sleep early, alright?"
Splitting up by gender, we returned to our respective rooms.
I took a bath as well and waited for everyone to fall fast asleep.
And at last, the time had arrived. Baron, Dominic, and Lorenz were exhausted, showing no signs of waking up.
Achieving the number one thing I had wanted to do during this coastal academy was just moments away.
Feeling a spark of adventure and excitement swelling in my chest, I slipped stealthily out of the room like a ninja, completely unnoticed by anyone—
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