Chapter 126: The Lack of Common Sense of Leonora
Although this touching motherly scene was heartwarming, Hachiman soon realized that something was off.
Perhaps Leonora was too excited, as she directly buried Alice's head into her own bountiful bosom, causing the girl to feel a sense of suffocation. Her limbs flailed uncontrollably, and she made faint gasping sounds, growing weaker by the minute.
Upon seeing this scene, Hachiman's lips twitched.
Madam, I just barely saved her, don't suffocate her again.
"Mrs. Leonora..."
"Ah..."
Just as he was about to remind her, he heard Leonora let out a soft cry and release Alice from her chest.
"Oh dear, how can this child bite her mommy? Are you trying to drink your mommy's milk again?"
Bite...
Upon hearing this, Hachiman discreetly glanced at Leonora's chest and indeed found a wet patch on the fabric with a small tooth mark.
Finally breathing in fresh air again, Alice gasped heavily.
Upon hearing her own mother's words, the girl gave her a reproachful look.
"It's all your fault, Mom. If it wasn't for your big size, you would have suffocated me."
"If Mommy's chest wasn't big, what would you eat when you were little?" Leonora replied, still supporting her own bountiful chest with her hands.
Hachiman could see it now; this woman seemed to lack common sense and would say anything without a thought.
To prevent her from making any more suggestive remarks, Hachiman promptly intervened.
"Miss Alice, how did you end up drowning?"
"Yeah, Alice, you were swimming just fine earlier. How did you suddenly start drowning?" Erina, who stood nearby, asked with a puzzled expression.
Alice had been right next to them just a moment ago, swimming perfectly, and then suddenly she was struggling in the water.
The memory of the drowning incident brought a fresh blush to Alice's cheeks, and she cast a somewhat evasive glance in Hachiman's direction.
"Initially, everything was fine, but while I was swimming, my leg suddenly cramped..."
So, it was a leg cramp.
"Alice, did you forget to warm up before swimming?" Erina inquired, her tone tinged with a hint of annoyance.
"Yes, I was upset with my mom at the time, so I didn't think much about it. I just wanted to change my mood by going for a swim," Alice admitted with a touch of frustration.
Erina glanced at the rather revealing swimsuit Leonora was wearing and sighed inwardly. However, she couldn't bring herself to criticize her own aunt and simply sighed while gently patting her own forehead.
"That's why, Alice, you should be more careful. Remember to warm up before going into the water. You're lucky today that Hikigaya-kun was there to save you. Who knows who would save you next time."
Despite Alice's tendency to get on her nerves, Erina genuinely cared for her cousin's well-being.
Warming up before entering the water was indeed crucial. Properly massaging the legs and areas prone to cramps could effectively prevent cramping while swimming and reduce the risk.
"Hehe, don't worry, I still have Ryo-kun. Oh right, where is that guy, Ryo-kun?" Alice, upon hearing her sister's rare concern, stuck out her tongue and thought about Ryo Kurokiba.
"Miss, I'm right here..."
Just as they were discussing Ryo, his weak voice rang out.
There were still traces of water on Kurokiba's body. When Hachiman had performed artificial respiration for Alice just moments ago, he had also swum back to the shore.
"Really, as my attendant, you didn't come to rescue me immediately. Incompetent, incompetent!" Alice exclaimed with annoyance as soon as she saw him.
"Come on, Miss Alice, don't blame Kurokiba-kun. He did try to save you, but I swim faster, so I reached you first and pulled you out."
"Yeah, Hikigaya-san swims incredibly fast," Ryo Kurokiba agreed from the side, nodding in approval.
Indeed, he was incredibly fast.
Utaha, who had just put her swimsuit back on, secretly rolled her eyes.
Just a moment ago, she was applying sunscreen to herself, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
From Hachiman's sprint to the beach, the entire process of rescuing Alice and returning took no more than a minute.
The young girls understood the gravity of the situation and chose not to dwell on it, recognizing that saving a life was the top priority. They had plenty of opportunities for playful discussions over the next three days.
"What's the matter, Ryo-kun? Weren't you raised near the harbor since childhood? How come you're not faster than Hachiman-kun?" Alice, now in a more playful mood, seemed uninterested in Kurokiba's explanations.
Kurokiba decided to remain silent, accustomed to his young lady's whims, and had no intention of competing for anyone's favor. His true passion lay solely in the culinary arts.
"Haha, Miss Alice, you flatter me. It's just that I have a bit more explosive power, which is why I swam faster than Kurokiba-kun."
Indeed, that was the case. Although he hadn't practiced the "swimming" skill extensively, it had quickly reached level four due to accumulating proficiency. Combined with his level four physique's explosive power, Kurokiba Ryo couldn't really compare.
Erina's gaze toward Hachiman held a trace of puzzlement. She had witnessed the entire rescue process, and Hachiman's swimming speed was not something easily explained by "explosive power."
Perhaps it was another one of his peculiar "interests."
Saeko, observing this scene, quietly shook her head. In her opinion, Alice was now ensnared.
The hero-saving-damsel scenario had an undeniable impact on young girls like Alice. Furthermore, Alice's childlike personality made her particularly susceptible to such fairy tale-like situations.
As expected, at this moment, Alice's thoughts were consumed by the image of Hachiman performing artificial respiration on her. She touched her lips with her hand, feeling an unfamiliar emotion bubbling within.
After the incident, the playful atmosphere had dissipated, and it was time for lunch. The group returned to the villa.
Since they were staying for three days, Hachiman had arranged for the villa's rental company to provide the necessary ingredients in advance. He and Erina took on the roles of chefs, preparing a lavish meal for everyone.
During lunch, Alice received a call from General Nakiri regarding some transfer-related matters. He requested her and Kurokiba's presence to deal with the situation.
However, Alice wasn't eager to leave their gathering so abruptly. She decided to send Kurokiba Ryo back alone to handle the matter.
Kurokiba, accustomed to his young lady's unpredictable nature, didn't object. After their meal, he left in the car to return to Totsuki Academy on his own.
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