Crash Splash Splash
A high cliff stood proud and mighty against the ravages of time, withstanding the ruthless waves as it crashed against its rocky surfaces, hammering and tempering the cliffside, ripples forming all over the water's surface.
Atop the cliff, eight figures stood still, watching the waves crash and splash. The winds blew past them, howling ever so freely as they danced to their own tune, unfazed by the circumstances and watching over everybody else.
"Hey... Should I really do this...?" ［Julius］
A trembling voice echoed in the air, his eyes watching the waves below him. His whole body trembled slightly with every crash, his heart pounding wildly as if it wanted to escape his chest.
"Of course. This is the loser's punishment." ［Grey］
"Hey... Isn't this a bit too much? We didn't agree about a punishment in the first place, you know? Can't we tune it down a little?" ［Julius］
"I'm afraid we can't do that. In the first place, you aren't even part of our swimming race... No one told you to join in, am I right?" ［Grey］
"Ugh... Dammit..." ［Julius］
Julius clenched his fist and grit his teeth. At first he was just trying to annoy Grey and Yuna, but now, he was on the verge of being forced to jump off a cliff. It is only now that he wholeheartedly regrets his previous decisions.
In the first place, Grey and Yuna didn't even agree on a punishment. Julius being forced to jump off a cliff is simply them teaching him a lesson, and not because they were ticked off that time together has been ruined. No, not at all.
"Don't worry, there aren't any rocks at the bottom. It's completely safe." ［Grey］
"No, that isn't the problem,.. Isn't this a little too high?" ［Julius］
Nope, it wasn't just a little. In fact, it was so high that one might faint just looking at it from above, easily exceeding fifty meters in height with just a rough estimate. It was one of the few places Yuna and Marika took note of in their previous exploration.
And now, that place has become a place of execution for the Kingdom's second prince. He isn't one to be afraid of heights, but that doesn't mean he's willing to leap such an absurd height. Just looking down was enough for him to have a heart attack.
"A little too high? Didn't you jump off a cliff not too long ago just to give me a scare? This isn't that different, you know?" ［Grey］
"Hey... Are you really still holding a grudge over that?" ［Julius］
"Hahaha. I don't know what you're talking about." ［Grey］
Grey was laughing, but his smile was not. Though he doesn't usually hold grudges against other people, Julius was a totally different matter. Be it yesterday's or a few year's grudge, he'll be sure to remember it.
It was futile trying to convince Grey, and so, in an effort to ask for her, Julius turned his head around to the others. But rather than a helping hand, what he got was a cold shoulder. Not even Amelia looked him in the eyes.
"Now, now, Julius, I'm sure Amelia would love it if her fiancé is a bit more gutsy. Showing a little bit of courage won't hurt!" ［Yuna］
"Yes! That's right, Your Highness! I'm sure Amelia would love it!" ［Elaine］
"Yes～! Please give us a good show!" ［Elise］
It was over. No matter who he turned to, they were all on Grey and Yuna's side. Even Helen and Tilda, whom he just met today and doesn't have a full grasp of what was happening, were encouraging him, cheering on him to jump off the cliff.
"Agh! Fine! I'll jump! I'll jump, alright?!" ［Julius］
"Good! That's more like it!" ［Grey］
"Woohoo! Julius, you can do it!" ［Yuna］
The young prince has fully been gaslighted. With such a crowd cheering on him, there was only one thing he could do. He was just a little brokenhearted when he saw Amelia clapping and also cheering for him to jump.
Mustering all the courage he could, Julius stepped forward and watched the waves crash against the cliffside one last time. His legs were trembling a little but he had no other choice left. He needs to be a man!
"Then... Here goes nothing!" ［Julius］
Julius backed away a couple steps and as fast as he could, he rushed towards the cliff, his footsteps echoing. Silence soon swallowed the air as Julius took a leap of faith, shooting headfirst as he dropped dozens of meters towards the sea.
SPLAAASSSSHHHHHH
Silence was soon broken as a loud splash rippled about the gentle winds, splashing a cascade of droplets all over the water's surface as the waves continued to turn. It was a magnificent dive, worthy of an olympic medal.
As soon as they heard the splash resounding in the air, everyone looked down the cliff and watched the waves crash and splash. Julius was nowhere to be seen as he dove quite an impressive depth.
"In three... two... one... and...." ［Grey］
"What the f*ck! It's so damn cold!" ［Julius］
It was just as they expected. Just as Grey's countdown finished, Julius resurfaced on the water and the first thing he did was curse with rage, his voice echoing loud and clear all over the place, heart still thumping madly.
Well, who could blame him? After all, the water in the area was not just cold. It was super cold! It was also another one of the reasons why Grey and Yuna chose the place to punish Julius. It was more than perfect.
Meanwhile, everyone else was chuckling and giggling to himself after hearing Julius' reaction. They were a little worried, but also laughing at the same time. Especially Grey. He was laughing so hard, he was about to cry from the pain in his stomach. Friends, am I right?
"Haha... Haah... Then, should we also join Julius down there?" ［Grey］
"Mmn... I'll pass. I don't know how to swim, after all..." ［Helen］
"Me too. And it's also a little scary." ［Tilda］
"Same here. I'll also pass for now. It's just too high." ［Elise］
It was a shame, but there was nothing Grey could do about it. After all, even he thinks the cliff was just too much and it was surely intimidating for first timers. In the end, only he and Yuna would do the jump.
"Then, we'll meet you back at the beach!" ［Grey］
"See you later, everyone～!" ［Yuna］
"Yes, see you later. Be careful, okay?" ［Amelia］
It was a pointless worry, but Grey and Yuna were happy to hear it nonetheless. As soon as they waved their hands goodbye, they quickly leaped quite the height and dove straight towards the sea, one after another.
SPLAASSSHHHHH SPLAASSSHHHHH
A pair of splashes echoed in the air once more, and two figures joined Julius down the sea. But until Julius, they weren't even a bit affected by the cold, simply regarding it as a cool bath, refreshing to the skin.
After their little exhibition, everyone then headed ashore and back to where everyone else was. And throughout the whole journey back, Julius argued with Grey and Yuna about how cruel they were. Words which entered one ear and exited the other.
As soon as they arrived, all kinds of sights greeted them. There was the children playing tag with the familiars, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess having a boat sate, the adults playing board games at the shed, and even, the King buried in sand.
Of course, the one burying the King was none other than the Little Princess. She was having a lot of fun with her toy shovel and clearly spent a lot of time gathering a lot of sand to bury her grandfather. There was a cute smile on her face.
"Oh! You're all back. How was your trip?" ［Ernes］
"Fufufu! It was really fun!" ［Yuna］
"Yuna's right. It was quite fruitful, Your Majesty," ［Grey］
"Fruitful my ass... You lot just tormented me." ［Julius］
Julius grumbled, but the King paid little to no heed about it. After all, he was his son, and he knew quite well just what kind of shenanigans he's up to sometimes. If anything, he was happy he could spend time with his friends.
"Princess Natalia, do you want me to help?" ［Amelia］
"Um! Lia, help! Nalia bury Gwampa!" ［Natalia］
"Fufufu! In that case, I'll be helping out too!" ［Yuna］
And in a strange turn of events, everyone suddenly started helping out the Little Princess bury the King in sand. Especially Julius. He was strangely enthusiastic about burying his father, making all sorts of weird things to design the body.
Soon, what was once a mound turned into an intricate piece of art... Well, it was actually one every artist would tilt their head against. After all, with Julius as its artist, things were only bound to get weird. Now, the King looked like a decrepit chimera.
The beautiful sea, the windy breeze, the white sands, and everyone having fun. It was a beautiful sight to behold, but it wasn't perfect. There was still one thing which was missing, and that was... Cold refreshments!
"Little Princess, would you like to eat some watermelon?" ［Grey］
"Wate... meon? Tashty?" ［Natalia］
"Of course. It's really good! But first... Let's wash our hands, okay?" ［Grey］
"Um! Okay～!" ［Natalia］
Grey flicked his hands and a small stream of water started to flow. With a little bit of wish and wash, the Little Princess' hands were rid of sand, and so was her face. All that was left was a bright, beautiful, and adorable smiling face.
"Here you go..." ［Grey］
"Shank you!" ［Natalia］
A high-pitched and adorable voice resounding in the air, the Little Princess soon bit down on the watermelon slice Grey handed her. As soon as she did, a cold rush of sweetness flooded her mouth and her smile became much brighter.
"Do you like it?" ［Grey］
"Um! Like it!" ［Natalia］
The Little Princess smiled once more and continued to chomp on her watermelon. But as such an adorable scene was happening, Grey couldn't help but feel the stares prickling on the back of his head.
As soon as he turned around, all he saw were expectant eyes staring at him, their hands not moving anymore and some even had their mouths watering. It was obvious what they wanted. He didn't even need to ask.
"Haah... Everyone can have one as well..." ［Grey］
""""Yaaay～!!""""
They all cheered in unison as soon as Grey said the key words, lining up like excited children as Grey took out the watermelons from his "Inventory". Everyone's eyes were sparkling so brightly that it was a little burdensome.
In the first place, Grey had already told everyone there were some refreshments available in the sheds yet for some reason they didn't head there. Grey didn't know whether they've forgotten or were just lazy. All he knew was that his watermelon reserves were under attack.
"Hey, Julius, feed me." ［Ernes］
"Ehh...?" ［Julius］
But perhaps the most disturbing thing was the King asking to be fed by his full-grown son. At his words, everyone suddenly stopped and looked at him with disturbed eyes, conflicted about what was the right thing to do.
It wasn't that he was too lazy to get up from the sand, he just didn't want to destroy the Little Princess' handworked work of art and risk making her cry. He was a fool for his granddaughter, after all.
"Umm... Your Majesty, please wait a moment... I'll go get Her Majesty." ［Amelia］
"Oh! Good thinking, Amelia! Please do so, and thank you." ［Ernes］
"Fufu! You're giving me too much credit, Your Majesty," ［Amelia］
Thankfully, his ever so reliable future daughter-in-law was around to save the day. With Amelia's volunteering, things eased quite a bit and soon enough, she brought the Queen back with her.... And a lot more people.
"My, it seems like everyone's having a party over here." ［Talia］
"Oh, Natalia, what are you eating?" ［Natasha］
"Wameon!" ［Natalia］
"Oh, watermelon, huh... Would you let Mama take a bite?" ［Natasha］
"Um! Nalia share wif Mama!" ［Natalia］
There was nothing more to say, Grey needed to bring out more watermelons than he previously expected. Though it was heartwarming seeing the Little Princess share with her mother, it was still for the best for everyone to have a share.
Soon, not just watermelons, a load of refreshments were brought over the beach from the sheds with the help of the men. There was ice cream, milkshakes, iced tea, fresh fruits, cold desserts, and many more. Regardless, everything was fun and delicious!
"Hey, Grey, do you have some more of those ice cream mochi from before?" ［Kris］
"Hmm... I think I still have some, but... I won't be giving any. I was planning on giving them to the kids later." ［Grey］
"Eh... But surely you still have some to spare, right? Even just one is enough. Even if it's not ice cream flavored, it's fine." ［Kris］
"Mister Kris..." ［Grey］
And as one would expect with so many people around, Grey couldn't simply spend his leisure time in peace. Apart from Julius, Kris was also there to cause troubles for him. And just by his luck, Aria wasn't there to scold him. She was still resting in a nearby shed, a little distance away from them.
But just as Kris bothered him, a single object appeared in his peripheral. It was a rope laying down the sand, not doing much. And like a light bulb lighting up, a certain idea popped up inside his mind. It was time for a little bit of fun.
"Haah... Alright, I'll give you some." ［Grey］
"Nice! That's what I'm talking about!" ［Kris］
"But! Under one condition... You need to win in a tug of war against those cute little puppies over there." ［Grey］
Said Grey as he pointed towards the familiars playing with the children. To which, Kris' eyes immediately widened in shock. After all, he knew full well the little furballs are not what they seem. Looks can be deceiving.
"As if that's possible! There's no way I can win against all of them!" ［Kris］
"Hm? You don't need to fight all of them though. Only one is enough." ［Grey］
"Yeah, thanks! Big difference!" ［Kris］
It doesn't matter if it's one or seven, the result would remain the same. After all, even if Kris is an A-ranker, each one of the familiars are at least S-rank. He would need at least five of him to stand a chance.
But Kris has no other choice. After all, he wasn't asking Grey for some mochi for himself. He wanted to give some to a certain someone, but he doesn't have any ability to make some. His kitchen skills still weren't enough.
"Then how about this? You just need to make them move from where they were standing. For every inch, I'll give you a mochi!" ［Grey］
"Ugh,..! Dammit! Fine! I'll do it! But make it two per inch!" ［Kris］
"Ohh! As expected of Mister Kris! You really are a man!" ［Grey］
Grey applauded happily as Kris marched off towards the familiars, asking one to follow him. And though he didn't pick Polaris and Sirius, he was unlucky because he picked Canopus, the most competitive of them all.
As for Grey, he simply flicked his hands and brought the rope to himself with a little bit of wind magic. A simple chant and engraving, and the rope was quickly enchanted to withstand extreme strength and tension. Everything was ready.
"Here you go, Mister Kris!" ［Grey］
Grey threw the rope and Kris caught it easily with one hand, a snappy whip echoing as he caught it. With such an eye-catching spectacle, it quickly got everyone's attention. Before long, everyone was looking at Kris and Canopus by the shore.
"Hm? What's Kris up to again?" ［Aria］
"Oh, Miss Aria! Perfect! You came just in time! Please have a seat. The show is about to begin." ［Grey］
"A show... Is this one of Kris' shenanigans again?" ［Aria］
"Well... Something like that, I guess..." ［Grey］
The spectators have gathered and the people's interest was directed to Kris and the little furball before him. Though they don't really know what's going on, they were still excited nonetheless. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of entertainment, after all.
Though, for others, they showed a little bit of concern. They were the side who still doesn't know about Grey and Yuna's familiars. Concern which will soon turn into shock and surprise sooner, rather than later.
'Right... I should probably create a barrier.' ［Grey］
And just for the safety of everyone, Grey quickly made a barrier to shield everyone from the incoming sandstorm, enchanting it so that they could see thoroughly what would be happening without their sight getting obstructed by sand and dust.
"Then, in three! Two! One! Go!" ［Grey］
BOOOOMMMMMM
Grey's signal blared like a loud siren and following it was a loud, bellowing boom which ruptured through the air. Clouds of dust and sand flew everywhere as the shockwaves reverberated in the air, dragging the once undisturbed beach to chaos.
Kris put in more strength and the sandstorm became wilder. But despite all his efforts, Canopus didn't budge an inch. With his little mouth, he bit down on the rope and stood his ground. An intense battle of strength was unfolding.
"Ohh! Mister Kris is doing well against Canopus!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha! That little pup sure got a lot of power!" ［Ernes］
"Ohh... So this is one of the rumored familiars, huh..." ［Abraham］
Everyone was impressed at the sight of Kris and Canopus battling with raw strength, but some were more shocked than impressed. Namely, they were the folks who only saw the familiars as some cute wolf pups. They never knew they held such power,
"W-W-Wait! Grey, Yuna, what's the meaning of this?!" ［Elaine］
"Hm? It's a tug of war, of course, silly!" ［Yuna］
"Obviously, I know that! What I meant is the puppy! How is that puppy so powerful! This doesn't make any sense!" ［Elaine］
Shouted the usually prim and proper Elaine as she argued against the two. To which, many agreed. Especially Tilda. She was so shocked, she was frozen, eyes wide open as her soul escaped her body. It was just too much for her to handle.
Meanwhile, the other side of the family had a completely different reaction from her. They simply looked at the familiars with smiling faces, some bright and some wry, tapping Elaine's shoulder and cheering her up.
"It's okay, Elaine. I know how you feel." ［Elise］
"Huh? Yes...?" ［Elaine］
Elise could completely relate to her cousin. After all, she also experienced such a thing first hand when she went home for vacation. She was so shocked, she almost fainted. As for her mother, Eleanora, she was calm as one can be, applauding and smiling even. She was a totally different breed.
The tug of war continued and more clouds of sand and dust brewed all over a place, and after painstaking effort and hard work, he finally made Canopus budge ever so slightly, dragging him closer and closer with each passing moment.
Thud Huff Huff Huff
Soon, the sandstorm finally settled down, revealing the outcome. Kris had lost all the strength in his arms and fell helplessly on the ground butt first, grasping for his breath as he looked up towards the sky.
"Hey, Grey, that's worth six mochis, right?" ［Kris］
"Yeah, that's six... You did well, Mister Kris." ［Grey］
But his efforts were not in vain. Though minuscule, he managed to move Canopus by a whole three inches, earning himself six ice cream mochis from Grey. It may not be much, but it was a commendable achievement.
A grand round of applause welcomed him as he got back from such an intense battle, and before long, he received his hard-earned prize from Grey. They were still cold and soft, exactly as he remembered.
"Here, Aria. You like these, right?" ［Kris］
And as one would expect, the moment he received his prize, he quickly offered it to his Queen. Though the latter was a little surprised, she accepted it nonetheless, a smile blooming on her face as a rosy ring spread on her cheeks.
"Fufufu! Thank you, Dear!" ［Aria］
"Yeah... Sure..." ［Kris］
Though not as much as Aria, Kris cheeks were also burning a light red color, trying to cover it with his hand. It was obvious, but since they got married, he only fell deeper and deeper for the lady before her. He was in love, alright.
Such an affection only garnered warm eyes from the onlooker, giggles and chuckles echoing in the air. Especially the ladies, their hearts were fluttering as they admired how Kris showed affection for his wife. A gaze the men couldn't help but notice.
"Hahahaha! Great! I'll challenge your familiar as well!" ［Ernes］
"Alright, I'm going next! And Grey, it'll be a parfait for me!" ［Julius］
"Hahaha. I'll be joining after His Highness then." ［Jiro］
"I would like to participate as well. I may not be much in terms of strength, but I'll try my best." ［Abraham］
One after another, the men volunteered to participate at the little game. And though Grey didn't really anticipate it, he didn't object to it. After all, it wouldn't hurt seeing them try, and it's not like he doesn't know the feeling of wanting to show off for their loved ones. It's what makes a man, after all.
But as one would expect, they didn't stand a chance at all. No matter which familiar they picked, the result was the same. Of course, they still received a consolation prize for their efforts. Everyone was happy.
"Everyone～! Time for lunch! Wash your hands, okay?" ［Yuna］
"Yaay～!" ［Eliza］
"Finally! I'm famished!" ［Julius］
Before long, the sun finally reached its zenith and lunch had arrived. The moment Yuna mentioned the word "lunch", everyone's faces beamed with a bright smile and they all headed to the sheds to fill their stomachs.
The sun gracing them with radiant sunlight, the sea and sky providing them with a beautiful background, and the winds and waves playing a sweet and calm melody. A time of calm and peace was about them, enjoying the time of leisure they have.
The waves continued to turn.
CHAPTER 245 END