Ran's lavender eyes widened in surprise at the sudden appearance of the young boy.
But Akashi simply shook his head, sending water droplets flying in all directions.
Ran chuckled, covering her face with her hands.
"Stop it! Akashi, you're so naughty!"
So defenseless.
The young succubus then explained, his voice light and matter-of-fact.
"A rock fell at the bottom, and it left a hole. I slipped through it and ended up here."
Hearing this, Ran's curiosity was piqued.
Without hesitation, she took a deep breath and dove.
Akashi followed closely behind.
Beneath the water, the young succubus watched Ran's slender figure glide effortlessly.
Like a mermaid, she moved with fluid grace, twisting her waist as she propelled forward.
The way she moved… it was almost life-threatening.
So beautiful.
Akashi found himself momentarily dazed.
However, despite her elegance, Ran's diving ability had its limits.
She wasn't as skilled as Akashi.
No matter how long her legs stretched or how much she arched her back, she couldn't dive past two meters!
The boy could tell—she was getting frustrated.
Naturally, she didn't see the gap.
Unable to hold her breath any longer, Ran gave a final kick, her long legs slicing through the water as she resurfaced.
As she emerged, water clung to her skin like dewdrops on a flower—a vision of elegance, like hibiscus rising from clear waters.
She gasped for air and turned to the young boy.
"Akashi, you're amazing! You actually swam all the way here… I couldn't even get close."
Then she suddenly paused, glancing around.
"Hey… where's Conan?"
Akashi chuckled.
"Conan? Oh, he's fine."
"Grandma Juzi is taking good care of him over there!"
"She's even showing him her 'magical dance'!"
Ran blinked in curiosity.
"Magical dance?"
The boy swam closer, lowered his voice, and described it in detail.
The moment Ran heard what Conan had experienced, she couldn't hold back her laughter.
"I never expected Grandma Juzi to be so fond of Conan!"
"So this is the dance you were talking about?"
With a playful smirk, she mimicked the movements Akashi had just described.
At that moment—Akashi froze.
His eyes widened as he stared, completely captivated.
The same dance—
but when performed by an elderly woman, it was terrifying.
And when performed by a beautiful, youthful girl… it was an entirely different experience.
His heart skipped a beat.
Is she an angel?
A goddess?
Maybe his gaze was too intense, because Ran suddenly felt self-conscious.
Her cheeks tinged pink, and she sank into the water, leaving only her small head exposed.
Meanwhile, deep down, she began to wonder—
Could Ai have been right?
She reached out, gently pinching Akashi's ear.
"Akashi, tell me honestly…"
"You were asleep in the car earlier, weren't you?"
As she spoke, her lavender eyes locked onto his, filled with suspicion.
Akashi, an expert actor, immediately put on a confused expression.
"Huh? Asleep? Oh! I was dreaming!"
"In my dream, I was making dumplings… and I kept turning the dumpling wrappers!"
To demonstrate, the little boy twirled his hands in the water with expert precision.
Da da da da!
Water splashed in all directions!
Ran's face turned red in an instant.
She quickly grabbed his little hands, pressing them down before he could cause more chaos.
But deep inside, she let out a sigh of relief.
I knew it.
Akashi really was just sleeping.
My Akashi isn't that bad!
Feeling a little guilty for doubting him, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
Just then—a strange sensation rippled through the air.
It was as if an invisible force connected them.
Akashi suddenly froze, his small body going stiff.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Something unseen flowed between them.
A strange energy.
Neither of them understood it—
But neither of them wanted to let go.
The two swam together, cutting through the water with ease, until they reached the shore. Sitting in the shallow water, they took a moment to catch their breath.
Ran perched on a large, smooth black rock, her fair skin appearing even more delicate and radiant against the dark stone.
Beside her, the young succubus nestled comfortably against her side, leaning into her warmth.
Both tilted their heads back, letting the cool night air wash over them—utterly at ease.
Meanwhile, Akashi was lost in thought, his mind replaying Ran's attempt at dancing just moments ago.
Tears? No—his heart was too full of memories to cry.
Then, as if something clicked in his mind, his expression shifted.
"Wait a second… Where's Ai?"
The young succubus lazily waved a hand.
"She said she was fine and went back to her room to rest."
Akashi let out a breath of relief.
Good. No interruptions.
But just as he relaxed, Ran's casual voice floated through the air.
"Since Ai's gone, there's no one left to rub my back."
She turned slightly, casting a glance at the young succubus.
"Akashi, that means it's up to you~"
She said it so naturally, as if it were the most ordinary request in the world.
Once raw, twice familiar.
Akashi, without hesitation, patted his chest confidently.
"No problem! I promise to scrub you until you're squeaky clean!"
At that moment—critical hit!
[Ding! Constitution +1!]
Ran's legs wobbled slightly, her thoughts short-circuiting.
She wanted to say something—but the words refused to come out.
Still, neither of them moved to pull away. The two remained leaning against each other, bathed in the gentle glow of the water's reflection.
A scene like a painting—
A fairy and a spirit child, perfectly at ease.
Meanwhile, on the other side—chaos.
Conan's entire world was crumbling before his eyes.
The scene in front of him was a complete horror show.
The little detective was desperate—he hated nothing more than the fact that, at this moment, he was a child.
He had no authority, no voice.
"Stop! Stay back! Don't come any closer!"
His cries were filled with panic, but the old woman in front of him—Grandma Juzi—didn't listen.
She was unstoppable.
And the worst part?
Conan had no means of escape.
When he tried to swim into deeper water, seeking refuge—he realized, too late, that there was no foothold beneath him.
He was helpless.
Grandma Juzi, however, was completely unbothered.
With a mysterious glint in her eyes, she stood tall in the water like some ancient sea creature.
"Come, child! Let me show you the beauty of the crane dance!"
Conan shuddered.
He wanted to run. Fly away. Disappear.
Why, oh why, didn't I bring my booster shoes?!
If only he could kick her away!
But alas, fate was cruel.
Grandma Juzi had been summoned by some strange, cosmic force, her sole purpose—to play with children.
And in her mind, there was nothing wrong with that.
Not only was she making sure Conan didn't drown, but she was also performing a carefully rehearsed crane dance—
Just for him.
All she wanted in return…
Was for Conan to perform the little elephant dance.
What was wrong with that?
Nothing.
Nothing at all!
Yet, for Conan, this entire experience was a mental and emotional nightmare.
His young mind was under siege!
A lifetime of psychological scars, carved into his very soul!
A growing, unshakable fear of women!
Fortunately, Akashi had left just in time.
If he had stayed even a moment longer, he wouldn't have escaped unscathed.
This new skill—this Lv1 Crane Dance ability—was far too terrifying!
Conan, now in absolute survival mode, no longer had the luxury of caring about Akashi's whereabouts.
There was only one thought on his mind.
Would someone—
ANYONE—
come save him?!
But no.
There was no one.
Not a single soul.
On the other side of the water, Ran lifted Akashi into her arms and stood up.
The two, adhering to the sacred principle of mutual assistance, began scrubbing each other's backs.
They had no time to worry about Conan's distant cries.
"With Grandma Juzi watching over him, he'll be fine~"
Thus, Ran—completely entranced by the little succubus, Akashi—let her worries drift away.