Chapter 57. Said What Shouldn't Be Said
Don't be fooled by how aggressive Veliona gets every time she comes out.
In truth, she might be the easiest one to handle.
There's no helping it.
Her defense is just too low.
Get a little closer and Veliona's defenses crumble in an instant.
That yearning for touch, that craving for acknowledgment, and the tsundere awkward shyness that comes out because of it are just too cute.
"That would be your problem, then."
He could only offer Seele some helpless sympathy.
After all, she was the one who got sneaky first.
"It was obviously you bullying the other me..."
Ignoring Seele's soft grumbling, Xander nudged her aside, stood up, and stretched.
Too bad it wasn't the afternoon, or he could have held Seele for a short nap.
The volleyball match in the distance had paused for now.
Patting Seele's head, Xander took over her drink-runner duty.
No helping it.
The kid still had someone to coax.
Seele's problem naturally had to be solved by Seele.
Xander picked up a tray with a few glasses of juice and some sliced fruit, and held a large watermelon in his other arm.
The glaring sunlight beyond the parasol made him squint, and his whole body felt warmly toasty.
"Xander , over here!!"
Keeping an eye on him, Elysia quickly noticed him and stood up, happily waving him over.
With both hands full, Xander could only smile and nod, then quickened his pace to reach them.
"Where's Seele?"
Bronya picked up a glass of orange juice.
While drinking, she glanced behind Xander in puzzlement.
That little tail not tagging along was a bit unusual.
"She's sulking."
"?"
Catching the amused look on Xander's face, Bronya frowned.
"Relax.
She dug the hole and fell in herself.
I didn't bully her."
Taking a glass of orange juice too, he lightly clinked it with Elysia's and turned to the girl drinking with heroic gusto.
"Ha~ So satisfying."
After downing a glass, Elysia narrowed her eyes in bliss.
Seeing that her tummy looked a little fuller—and lower down, that there seemed to be a bit of softness at her waist—Xander couldn't help noticing.
"What is it, Xander ?
Were you bewitched by Elysia's beautiful figure?
Hehe, you can praise me anytime~"
Hands on her waist, Elysia bent toward him with a cute wink, her face brimming with affection.
Unfortunately, Xander's gaze was caught by how her fingers slightly sank into the soft flesh at her waist, and—maybe his brain glitched—he blurted out:
"Elysia, did you put on weight?"
"..."
Elysia's smiling face froze.
"Pfft!!!"
Kiana was mid-sip and sprayed her juice.
Bronya's expression stalled, then shifted into a look of pure schadenfreude.
Mei widened her eyes and opened her mouth, unsure what to say.
Sirin also went quiet, looking at Xander with pity.
"Hmph-hmph, what did Xander just say?
Elysia doesn't quite understand."
Teasing the side-locks at her forehead with a fingertip, Elysia's faint gaze turned threatening.
As a cute, pretty girl weighing 54.8 kilograms (rounding not allowed), Elysia would absolutely not admit she'd gained weight.
Realizing his slip, Xander hurried to smile and flatter.
"No, no, that's not what I meant.
Someone as beautiful as Elysia could never get fat."
"Yeah, yeah!
Elysia's so cute—she couldn't possibly get chubby.
Xander , don't talk nonsense."
Best bro Kiana chimed in at once, and Xander shot her a grateful look.
"Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue.
Don't take it to heart, Elysia."
Mei helped smooth things over.
"Yeah, yeah.
Rain here just accidentally said what he really thinks.
Elysia-sis, don't take it seriously."
Elysia's expression had been recovering, but darkened again the moment she heard that.
Xander whipped around and saw Bronya behind him, snickering nonstop.
Bronya, you set me up!
Before he could settle accounts, Elysia's slender hand had already rested on his shoulder.
"Xander ~"
The soft voice by his ear made him tense up.
"I'm here, Elysia-sis."
"Will you play a game with me?"
"...Can I refuse?"
"Mmhmm.
What do you think?"
...
A little over ten minutes later, Xander was buried in the sand with only his head sticking out.
Beside him sat the big watermelon he'd brought.
"Left, left!!"
"No, no, to the right!!"
Elysia had a cloth tied over her eyes.
From twenty meters away, she spun in place a few times, then followed their voices step by step toward Xander, holding a long wooden practice sword that Mei had helpfully provided.
Kiana, Sirin, and Bronya stood to the side, happily calling out directions for Elysia.
Watching Kiana repeatedly point her straight at him, Xander sighed inwardly.
He'd thought she was a real bro—turns out he'd misjudged.
Soon, Elysia edged closer and closer to Xander.
The wooden sword began to hesitate between his skull and the melon rind.
He strained to lift his head, but the towering, trembling twin peaks blocked his view so he couldn't see Elysia's expression.
After a moment, Elysia finally made up her mind.
The wooden sword stood straight over Xander's head.
Seeing that, he could only sigh helplessly and close his eyes to await doom.
Surely Elysia wouldn't hit too hard… right?
As he thought that, a sharp whoosh of wind came to his ears.
Elysia gripped with both hands and swung down hard.
But as Xander waited for the pain, something felt off.
It had been so long—why hadn't the strike landed?
He opened his eyes in confusion and found the brown wooden blade hovering mere centimeters from his forehead.
Elysia was looking down at him, a delighted prankster's grin on her face.
"Thud~"
Their eyes met.
Elysia made a playful sound effect, then tapped his head lightly with the wooden sword.
"Okay, I didn't hit the watermelon.
Looks like I lost."
Tossing the sword aside, Elysia knelt in the sand with a little "heave-ho," leaned down, and gently brushed the few grains clinging to his face.
The sea breeze blew.
Pink hair swept across his cheek, tickling him.
Taking in that focused smile, feeling the soft touch of her fingertips on his cheek and behind his ear, and hearing Elysia's gentle voice by his ear, Xander's gaze went still as his heartbeat began to race.
"Hic~"
Kiana obviously hadn't eaten anything, yet she suddenly felt full.
Beside her, Bronya's happy smile slowly faded as she watched in silent stillness.
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