The next day, August 1st, Sunday.

It was time to go to the private beach again.

As per the usual plan, everyone first gathered at Ryohei's villa, and then Lucoa would open a space portal to take them there.

Early in the morning, the Ice Clan sisters, Yusa and Kōji, arrived. The two brought souvenirs from their trip back to the Demon Realm, as well as a local specialty from their hometown: an Ice Crystal Fish!

It was a creature that lived in glaciers, translucent, with a flat, oval-shaped body, a distinctly raised back, and a rounded belly.

Yusa, with her gentle smile, said it was just a local specialty. Jashin-chan, however, stared wide-eyed and exclaimed that this thing was a treasure. It lived in the extreme cold, was incredibly rare, and extremely difficult to catch. The one in front of them, nearly half a meter long and weighing three or four jin (1.5-2 kg), was worth at least 1,000,000 yen!

Ryohei Tanaka was stunned as he looked at the fish swimming inside a large block of ice. Holy crap, you're that valuable an ingredient?

He looked at Yusa and Kōji, a little uncertain. Are you two actually rich young ladies? Giving away such a precious ingredient just like that? He vaguely remembered that the sisters had an uncle who owned a factory, but he didn't know the details.

"It is quite valuable," Yusa said, her lips curling into a smile. "But Kōji and I caught this one ourselves, so it didn't cost us anything."

Kōji crossed her arms and lifted her chin, a smug expression on her mole-like face. She had been the one to spot the fish first; her contribution was huge!

'They're master fishers!' Ryohei thought to himself, before saying aloud, "Good work!"

He didn't say anything corny like, "This is too valuable, you should sell it." Instead, he just smiled. "I'll figure out the best way to prepare this later."

"It's perfect for sashimi! And it's especially good thick-cut!" Minos, who had finished her morning workout, showered, and changed into her swimsuit early, chimed in, wagging her tail. She held up a slender finger and began to elaborate, "Thick-cut Ice Crystal Fish sashimi has an amazing texture. It's firm, tender, and smooth, and the fatty aroma just bursts in your mouth... It's super delicious! And it goes great with sake!"

As she spoke, she looked like she was about to drool, her fingers unconsciously bending into the shape of someone holding a cup. If they had been at a table, Ryohei would have had to hand her a drink and say, "Here you go."

"Exactly!" Jashin-chan, arms crossed, nodded vigorously. She closed her eyes, a look of fond remembrance on her face. "That rich texture and the aroma of the fat... once you've had it, you'll never forget! Right, Medusa?"

Jashin-chan grinned at Medusa. The last time she'd eaten this, Medusa had paid. Medusa was so generous; she loved that!

"Yes, thick-cut Ice Crystal Fish sashimi is truly delicious," Medusa agreed with a smile.

Seeing them all recommend it so highly, Ryohei went with the flow. "Alright, thick-cut it is."

Speaking of thick-cut, Ryohei thought of a different cutting method from the Japanese style. 'Later, I'll let you all experience the charm of a Chinese-style thick-cut!'

...

Time passed quietly.

Ryohei led the others in the preparations for the trip—mainly making fruit tea, mixing cocktails, washing ingredients, and marinating what needed to be marinated. Because the Ice Clan sisters had arrived early, Ryohei roped Yusa into helping him make a batch of ice cream. (The Ice Clan Quick-Freezer: You're worth it!)

Not long after, Poporon, Pekola, and Pino also arrived.

Minos, Medusa, and Jiru already knew about Pino. The day they returned, Jashin-chan had, with her head high and nostrils flared, arrogantly bragged to them about how she had knocked out an angel with one hit and eaten her halo.

Naturally, Minos and the others hadn't believed her, assuming she was exaggerating or joking. It wasn't until Ryohei and Yurine confirmed the story that they were forced to accept the shocking fact.

Now, with the angel in question standing right in front of them, Minos and the others couldn't help but stare curiously. Yusa and Kōji, seeing a new angel, also paused and cast curious glances.

"..."

Although she had already decided to temporarily ally with the demons and had heard about the others from Poporon and Pekola, being suddenly stared at by several demons she didn't know—even if they looked harmless, even cute—Pino couldn't help but feel a wave of anxiety.

Under their gazes, her body tensed, and her breathing instinctively slowed, as if she were afraid of disturbing anyone.

"This is Miss Pino. She'll be working at the restaurant with us from now on."

Noticing Pino's nervousness, Yurine stepped in to introduce her to everyone, easing the atmosphere.

Once the introductions were done, Ryohei had the preparations finished. He smiled and called for everyone to change into their swimsuits so they could head to the beach.

Ten minutes later—

A private beach in Okinawa.

"Today, I, Jashin-chan, will swim the great sea in this human form!" Jashin-chan declared, standing on the sand with her hands on her hips, full of vigor.

"It's so beautiful!" Jiru looked at the boundless, sparkling blue sea under the sun, and at the dozen or so seagulls circling overhead. Her ruby-red eyes widened.

"The fruit tea is here... and the cocktails are here. But it's best not to drink if you're going in the ocean, in case you get drunk and drown," Ryohei said, placing the cocktails under a separate parasol, telling a cold joke.

"So cold!" Yurine shivered, hugging herself.

"Haha—!" Ryohei laughed. He looked at Yurine, then at Lucoa, and invited, "Let's go for a swim."

"Mhm," Yurine and Lucoa replied one after another.

A few meters away, Jiru picked up a beach volleyball and a float ring. She and Kōji invited Pekola and Poporon to play in the water.

Pekola instinctively looked at Pino, intending to bring her old subordinate along to help her integrate. "Pino, come with us!"

"No, you all go ahead." Pino, wearing a stunning white bikini that showed off her figure, gently shook her head. She couldn't understand, nor could she bring herself to, play happily with demons.

"Alright, then." Pekola wasn't surprised by her refusal. She knew well that acceptance was a process.

The two angels and two demons went to play volleyball in the sea. They tossed the ball back and forth, having a great time.

Pino, watching from the shore, was completely baffled. 'Lady Pekola hated demons so much in Heaven... Poporon too... Why... Why are they having so much fun now?'

She just didn't understand.

On the other side of the water, Jashin-chan and the others were floating leisurely on the waves.

Suddenly, the snake-scum clenched her teeth and frowned, as if enduring something. Minos thought it was strange, but before she could ask, Jashin-chan suddenly shivered violently.

Then, she tilted her chin up, a look of pure relief spreading across her face.

"Eh? Wait a minute... WAAAH!" Minos shrieked, suddenly paddling far away from Jashin-chan. She looked at her in disbelief and yelled, "Jashin-chan, did you just...?"

"Ehehehe—!" An unnatural blush appeared on Jashin-chan's face.

"You're kidding, right? Jashin-chan!" Medusa, in a cartoon floatie, looked exasperated and also quickly paddled to get away.

"Isn't it just peeing? Why are you making such a big fuss!?" Jashin-chan felt zero embarrassment. She was utterly shameless, spreading her hands at the two of them. "And Medusa, you're not allowed to judge me!"

She put on a ferocious expression, yelled at Medusa, and began swimming aggressively toward her.

"Don't... don't come over here!" Medusa cried out, half-joking, half-serious.

~~~

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