Once we finished changing and stepped out of the locker rooms, we found Raven and David waiting near the entrance.

    Judging by their vacant stares off into the distance, they’d probably been waiting for a while.

    Both of them wore simple swimming trunks—nothing flashy, just the kind of swimwear you’d see anywhere at a beach or pool.

    That said, with their tall builds and well-trained physiques, they still managed to stand out.

    There was a quiet strength about them that gave off an aura a little more impressive than your average person.

    “Jin! We’re here!” Alice called out cheerfully, raising a hand as we approached.

    “Finally. What took you so long? We’ve been waiting forever,” Raven grumbled.

    “Haha... sorry for making you wait,” Alice replied sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck.

    It was true—we’d taken longer than expected, mostly because we’d been admiring and commenting on each other’s swimsuits. Not much of an excuse, really.

    But who could blame us? Everyone had such distinct and charming swimwear, it was hard not to gush over each other.

    Still, Alice’s genuine apology seemed to soften Raven up. He scratched his head, grumbling, “As long as you know you made us wait, it’s fine. Let’s just go already. It’s too noisy here; it’s giving me a headache.”

    Alice nodded apologetically, but then she suddenly seemed to remember something. Without hesitation, she unzipped her parka all the way down, revealing her bikini with a bright, innocent grin.

    “Oh, Jin! How does my swimsuit look? Cute, right? I bought it when I went out with Yuria the other day!”

    “...Uh, yeah. It’s... cute. It suits you,” Raven replied awkwardly, his voice noticeably stiff.

    “What’s with that reaction? Do guys not find it cute? Why won’t you look at me?”

    Jiggle.

    With the parka now off, Alice’s Tsar Bomba made a brief but noticeable bounce, and Raven instinctively turned his gaze elsewhere, looking as if he’d just been hit by a truck.

    It wasn’t surprising—her usual kimono was thick and concealing, so seeing her like this was a complete shift.

    Raven, who clearly didn’t view Alice as a woman, seemed overwhelmed. It was the kind of reaction an older brother might have when seeing his kid sister suddenly dressed up in something provocative.

    Honestly, it was impressive that Raven was managing to keep his composure in front of someone with Alice’s... destructive power.

    Still... I should step in before things get too awkward for him. Poor guy.

    Exchanging a glance with Sabrina, we silently agreed to intervene. I approached Alice, grabbed her right hand, and Sabrina quickly took her left.

    With both her hands effectively sealed, Alice had no choice but to let us lead her toward the pool.

    I didn’t mind the idea of Alice and Raven growing closer—they made a great pair, even in the original story.

    But now wasn’t the time. They needed to build up their relationship properly before crossing that bridge.

    Alice tilted her head curiously at our sudden actions, but she seemed to interpret it as eagerness to swim.

    With a soft, amused smile, she matched our pace and said, “You two must be really excited to start swimming, huh? Alright, let’s hurry!”

    “Y-Yeah, let’s go!” Sabrina replied, her voice a little shaky.

    I nodded silently and glanced back over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of Raven letting out a long, exhausted sigh.

    Yep, they’re definitely not seeing each other as romantic prospects yet.

    It reassured me, but it also made me wonder—where had Reine gone?

    Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard a familiar male voice shout in distress from somewhere nearby.

    “Don’t look!”

    “Ahhh! My eyes!”

    Apparently, David had fallen victim to Reine’s... pure intentions. Poor guy.

    Leaving behind the echo of David’s anguished cries, we finally arrived at the pool, the start of the long-awaited water fun.

    ***

    The Saint Maria Hotel, known for being nearly impossible to book, naturally had a swimming facility that matched its reputation.

    Aqua Marina, the sprawling indoor pool, was packed with people.

    With so many visitors, it was inevitable that there were plenty of curious eyes glancing in our direction.

    For someone like me, who usually kept my skin covered, being in a swimsuit felt especially awkward.

    Then again... with Alice acting like a black hole for attention, no one’s really paying any mind to me.

    Her overwhelming presence helped me calm down over time, and I began to feel more at ease, returning to my usual energy level.

    “Whoa, Yuria, your skin is so pale! Seeing it in the bright light, it’s like mochi—so smooth and soft, like baby skin!” Alice exclaimed, leaning in close to inspect me.

    “...!”

    “Right, Sabrina? Sometimes when I hold Yuria, I get this weird urge to nibble on her ears. Doesn’t it make you want to try it too?”

    “...!!”

    Alice, what are you even saying?! Are you saying you want to eat me?!

    Horrified, I backed away from her, but she hurriedly tried to explain herself.

    “No, no! I don’t actually want to eat you—I just want to, you know, try putting them in my mouth once!”

    That’s the same thing, you lunatic!

    Despite my protests, Alice was far too strong for me to escape from.

    Before I knew it, I was pulled back into her arms, unable to resist as she hugged me tightly.

    The sensation of bare skin against bare skin was dizzying, leaving me no choice but to promise not to run away again.

    “Ahem! Anyway, let’s start with some warm-ups. People who don’t exercise regularly shouldn’t just jump straight into the water—it could be dangerous,” Alice said, seamlessly changing the subject.

    “Got it,” Sabrina replied.

    “....”

    By people who don’t exercise regularly, she was clearly talking about me.

    Alice’s superhuman strength could easily fold an average person in half, and Sabrina had the fitness level of a full-grown adult despite her young age. How was I supposed to compete with that?

    Still, my body was surprisingly flexible, so I had no problem stretching through the warm-up routines. My joints moved so smoothly it felt like I had brand-new ligaments.

    While finishing my stretches, Alice suddenly looked at me, as if realizing something.

    “Wait a second, Yuria... doesn’t wearing a mask make it harder to swim? Like, won’t it mess up your breathing or something?”

    “Oh, right! I was wondering about that too. Yuria, is it okay for you to keep your face covered?” Sabrina added, her curiosity piqued.

    “...?”

    I could understand why they were concerned. Swimming while wearing a mask wasn’t exactly a normal thing to do—it seemed uncomfortable and inconvenient at best.

    But removing it here, in front of Alice and Sabrina? That wasn’t an option. They both knew my face, and exposing it in such a crowded place would undoubtedly attract attention.

    In fact, it might end up drawing even more interest than Alice’s Tsar Bomba.

    Still, their worry is unnecessary. I can swim just fine with this mask.

    The truth was, they were entirely mistaken.

    This wasn’t just a mask—it was an artifact, designed with functions far beyond an ordinary face covering.

    It clung securely to my face without needing straps and wouldn’t come off unless it was physically yanked.

    It didn’t cause sweat to build up, didn’t obstruct my breathing, and didn’t limit my vision.

    There were times I even forgot I was wearing it. It also had a special feature: it allowed me to breathe underwater. I’d tested it before, so I was certain of its capabilities.

    But how could I explain all that to them without sounding ridiculous?

    “...!”

    “Yuria!”

    Instead of wasting time trying to explain, I decided to show them. Without hesitation, I dove straight into the pool.

    The cool water enveloped me as I plunged in, and my body floated effortlessly.

    After a moment, I surfaced, proving that there was absolutely no issue.

    Alice let out a small gasp before shaking her head.

    “You scared me... but oh, right. Greg mentioned that mask was a gift—it’s an artifact, isn’t it? That explains it.”

    “I’m coming in too!”

    SPLASH!

    Sabrina followed suit, leaping into the pool without hesitation.

    The water wasn’t very deep—even I could stand comfortably—so Sabrina easily rose out of the water and swam over to me with a bright smile. Cute.

    Alice, however, entered the pool more cautiously, stepping in slowly before scolding us.

    “You two need to be more careful when jumping into the pool like that. What if you got hurt?”

    “Yes, ma’am,” Sabrina and I replied in unison, though I wasn’t sure how much either of us meant it.

    Alice’s gaze shifted to me, her expression softening into something more concerned.

    “Especially you, Yuria. You’re more fragile than most, so no dangerous stunts, okay?”

    As much as it stung to admit, she wasn’t wrong.

    While I might seem reasonably sturdy compared to others my age, next to these superhumans, I was nothing but a flickering firefly under the sun.

    I nodded obediently, agreeing to her warning.

    From then on, the rest of our group joined us, and we spent hours enjoying the pool.

    The most energetic of us all was Raven, despite being the oldest. For some reason, he kept sneaking up on me underwater and pulling at my ankles, dragging me down just to tease me.

    After the third time, I was so furious I forgot my embarrassment and begged Alice to help me get revenge.

    We played, splashed, and laughed until the sun began to set, painting the sky a deep orange.

    Realizing the time, we decided to call it a day.

    After a quick shower and a change of clothes, we walked through the corridor back to the hotel together.

    “That was so much fun,” Alice said, stretching her arms above her head. “It’s been ages since I last swam—it felt great!”

    “You’re the one to talk,” Sabrina muttered, throwing a side-eye at Raven. “Why do you keep picking on Yuria? She looks so miserable.”

    “...!”

    “What? Her reactions are hilarious,” Raven replied unapologetically. “You’re all too dull to prank, but she gets so mad she doesn’t know what to do. How could I resist?”

    “That’s awful! You’re supposed to be the grown-up here,” Sabrina huffed.

    Exactly!

    I trailed behind Raven, fuming, and smacked him repeatedly on the side with my fists. Of course, my small punches barely made him flinch.

    “Fine, fine. Let’s head back, take a quick rest, and then grab dinner. Maybe after that... hmm, I think I’ll drop by to check on Victor. Could be interesting to see what he’s up to.”

    “Oh, right! Victor said he was here for the rare item auction. It sounds exciting—maybe we could sneak a peek?” Alice chimed in, intrigued.

    The two of them continued their conversation as we walked leisurely toward the elevators.

    Behind us, Sabrina was chatting with Reine and David, who were a few steps back.

    Their arms were linked as they talked, their familiarity suggesting their relationship had progressed quite a bit.

    As I glanced around idly, something—or rather, someone—caught my eye.

    A woman stood a short distance away. At first glance, she seemed like an ordinary beauty, albeit alone, which was unusual in such a crowded place.

    But when my gaze fell on her palm, I froze.

    There, tattooed on her hand, was a symbol I recognized all too well: the insignia of the Non-Human Liberation Front—a secretive and dangerous faction in the original story.

    No way... it can’t be, right?

    But the pieces were falling into place.

    A rare item auction, guarded by some of the most skilled fixers around.

    Our protagonist group is conveniently present at the same time.

    And now, the unmistakable mark of the Liberation Front lurking nearby.

    Anyone with half a brain could see where this was headed.

    This wasn’t just a coincidence.

    This was the ominous scent of a disaster waiting to happen.