"I can't believe it... The first time I go to the beach in this world, instead of getting fanservice, *I'm* the one giving fanservice..." Rei muttered to herself, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
She was wearing a white bikini that accentuated her figure, showcasing her feminine form to anyone who would see her. Despite her frustration, she had to admit—she looked stunning. If only it wasn't *her* body, but someone else's...
[IMAGE]
"Rei, are you done?" Lyria's voice called out from outside the room.
"Y-Yes, I'm done... can we just... not do this?" Rei pleaded.
The moment Lyria heard that, she immediately burst into the room. Her eyes lit up as she saw Rei.
"Woah! You look *so* beautiful!! I knew this would look perfect on you! Come on, it's time to have fun!" Lyria exclaimed excitedly, grabbing Rei's hand and pulling her outside.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Rei protested, but Lyria didn't slow down. She dragged Rei along until they reached the rest of the group, who had been waiting for them.
"Everyone, Rei's ready! Now we can play!" Lyria announced happily.
Everyone turned to look at them. Vyrn's eyes widened in shock. "What the—!?"
"Woah!" Lyria² and Io were equally mesmerized.
"I can't believe it... It takes a handsome guy to make such a beautiful girl..." Halluel mumbled to herself, still in awe.
"She really does look incredibly beautiful... If I hadn't known she was a guy before, I wouldn't have guessed it at all," Katalina muttered to herself, shaking her head as she took in Rei's appearance.
"So, what about you guys?" she asked, turning her gaze toward Gran, Rackam, and Eugen.
But when she looked at them, she noticed all the men in the group were blushing hard, awkwardly trying to avoid staring at Rei.
"Oh well... that answers my question," she sighed.
"Fufufu, what else can you expect?" Rosetta chimed in with a soft laugh. "Rei looks absolutely stunning and adorable in that outfit. It's only natural that all the men here would be drawn to her."
As Rosetta continued to observe Rei, her gaze sharpened, noticing something deeper within. She sensed something different about Rei's body.
"I see... So, what they said is true. Rei really is an Astral. It's just surprising to see an Astral acting like this, working alongside Primal Beasts instead of simply commanding them like most Astrals do."
After the others had their fill of admiring Rei and showering her with compliments, the group finally made their way toward the beach, ready to have some fun in the sun.
As Rei and the group began their walk toward the beach, the atmosphere shifted. The moment they stepped out, Rei, with her long white hair flowing gently in the breeze and her bikini perfectly accentuating her now feminine figure, became the center of attention.
Every male they passed seemed to fall into an awestruck silence, their gazes glued to Rei. Their expressions ranged from shock to admiration, completely transfixed by her beauty. Even those who were in the middle of conversations with their companions fell silent, eyes widening as they took in her appearance. Some men stumbled over their words, others forgot what they were doing, and a few even walked into each other, unable to tear their eyes away.
"Wow..." one muttered, while another simply stood slack-jawed.
However, this sudden attention didn't go unnoticed by their female companions. The women nearby began to scowl, glaring at their partners in disbelief. A few nudged their distracted boyfriends harshly, while others crossed their arms in frustration, tapping their feet impatiently.
"Seriously?" one girl muttered through clenched teeth, glaring at her mesmerized companion. "Do you have to stare?"
"Hey! I'm right here!" another snapped, elbowing her partner who had been gawking.
Rei, noticing the shift in mood and the tension building around her, groaned internally. "This is exactly why I didn't want to wear this…" she muttered under her breath, trying to hide her growing embarrassment.
Lyria, walking beside her, giggled softly. "Well, at least we know it worked! You're stunning, Rei!"
Rei could only sigh, realizing she had unintentionally become the beach's main attraction, much to the annoyance of many onlookers' girlfriends.
"Now let's have fun!" some of them shouted enthusiastically before dashing towards the ocean.
Lyria and Orchid, noticing Rei subtly heading for the nearby beach chairs, quickly grabbed her by the hands and pulled her towards the water. "Oh no, you're not sitting out on this one, Rei!" Lyria giggled as Orchid nodded in agreement, both determined to get Rei to join in on the fun.
Rei sighed, half-accepting her fate as she followed them into the waves. Soon enough, everyone was laughing, splashing, and enjoying the cool ocean water under the bright sun. It was a rare moment of joy, especially considering all they had been through.
After the catastrophic event of the Cataclysm, the different races of the Sky Realm had come together worked tirelessly to rebuild their homes and restore what was lost. Gran, Katalina, and the others had also been deeply involved, offering their help in every way they could, day after day, to bring relief and hope to the people.
Thanks to Rei's intervention during the attack, not a single civilian had been gravely injured. Her quick actions had protected many lives. However, the damage done by the lesser archangels was still severe, and countless souls had been lost. Many mourned the loss of their loved ones, their hearts heavy with grief. But there was also a sense of gratitude among the survivors. They felt fortunate to be alive, and thanks to the miraculous healing powers Rei had also tapped into, their physical wounds had been completely healed.
Now, on this beach, the group's laughter echoed over the waves, a stark contrast to the recent memories of devastation. For a brief time, they could put aside the weight of their responsibilities and simply enjoy the peace they had worked so hard to protect.
~~~~~~
~~~~~~
~~~~~~
~~~~~~
Several hours had passed, yet most of the group showed no signs of exhaustion as they continued to play in the sand and waves of the beach. Except for Rei, who, clearly fatigued, quietly slipped away from the others and made her way back towards the beach chairs.
"So tired... These breasts are such a nuisance," Rei muttered to herself, glancing down at her chest in frustration. "They just keep bouncing every time I move!" She also had to keep adjusting her bikini, making sure it wouldn't slip out of place, which was becoming more and more of an annoyance.
As she searched for a quiet spot to rest, her eyes landed on Sandalphon, who was sitting alone, reading a book with her swimwear covered by a loose shirt. "Huh? Why's she over here by herself?" Rei wondered aloud, her curiosity piqued, and decided to approach her.
Sandalphon, lost in her book and focused on her reading, didn't notice Rei coming closer. Normally, she would be indulging in one of the adult romance novels recommended by Lyria, but given the public setting, she had chosen something more suitable—a book on wildlife and creatures.
"Heya, Sandalphon, what are you up to?" Rei's familiar voice broke the serene silence, causing Sandalphon to lower her book and glance up.
When her gaze met Rei's, she was greeted with the sight of her standing there, smiling warmly, her bright blue eyes glimmering with their usual beauty.
"I'm just reading this book about the people in the Skyrealm," Sandalphon replied while showing the book to her.
Hearing that piqued Rei's interest, and without a second thought, she plopped down beside Sandalphon. Leaning her tired body against her, Rei glanced at the book in Sandalphon's hands, her curiosity taking over.
As Rei leaned against Sandalphon, her soft body pressing lightly into her side, Sandalphon could feel her warmth and the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. Rei's smooth, long white hair brushed against Sandalphon's arm, its silky texture slipping through her fingers as it cascaded down. The faint scent of the ocean clung to Rei's skin, mixed with the sweetness that always seemed to accompany her.
Sandalphon's heart skipped a beat as she tried to maintain her focus on the book, but it was impossible to ignore the closeness. Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink, and she could feel the heat rising to her face. Rei's relaxed posture and the trust she showed by resting against her made Sandalphon feel strangely self-conscious.
She glanced down at Rei, her deep blue eyes still scanning the pages, completely unaware of the effect she was having. Sandalphon quickly averted her gaze, trying to keep her composure, but the softness of Rei's body and the silky strands of her hair against her skin were far too distracting.
'What is this Feeling?' Sandalphon thought, trying to steady her breathing. The warmth between them grew, making it harder to concentrate on the words of the book.
"Are you okay, Sandalphon?" Rei asked, noticing the slight tension in her companion. She looked up with concern, her blue eyes wide and innocent.
"Y-Yes, I'm fine," Sandalphon stammered, her voice unusually shaky. She cursed herself internally for how obvious her flustered state was but quickly cleared her throat, trying to regain her usual calm demeanor. "Just… a little distracted."
Rei looked skeptical at what Sandalphon had just said, so she asked again, "Why aren't you playing with the others?"
Hearing that made Sandalphon stop being flustered. She lowered her book and stayed silent for a moment.
"I just... don't think I deserve it. Seeing all of this makes me feel like I don't deserve to be involved with them anymore after trying to destroy the entire Sky Realm..." Sandalphon slowly replied to Rei.
"I mean... you're the reason why so many people were killed by the attack from the Lesser Archangels," Rei responded.
Rei's words, though blunt, carried a weight of understanding. Sandalphon kept her eyes closed, feeling the sting of guilt growing heavier inside her chest. The memories of her previous actions—the destruction, the loss, the chaos she had unleashed—all flashed through her mind. It was difficult to escape the burden of what she had done.
Her hand tightened into a fist, trembling slightly. The silence between them stretched, the distant sounds of the others playing on the beach barely reaching her ears.
"And you also like making a lot of floating islands fall, but at least the ones that did were just stranded islands, places where no one lived… except for some monsters."
The additional comment from Rei didn't help. It was a reminder of how close she'd come to even greater destruction. How much worse it could have been. But before the weight of those thoughts could crush her entirely, Rei's next words pierced through her guilt.
"But... if you really regret that, then you can try to be better and fix everything."
Sandalphon slowly opened her eyes and looked at Rei, who sat beside her with calm sincerity. There was no malice, no blame—just an acknowledgment of what had happened, and a belief that Sandalphon could still make amends. Rei, despite everything, was giving her a chance. A chance to redeem herself.
"Rei…" Sandalphon's voice was soft, almost trembling, but she couldn't bring herself to say more. Her heart felt conflicted—part of her wanted to retreat into the guilt, but another part, the part that believed in redemption, was stirred by Rei's words.
Rei shifted slightly, brushing her long, white hair away as it once again fell over her shoulder. "I know it's not easy to forget or forgive yourself. But you helped save the Sky Realm too. You're here now, with us. You have a chance to do something better."
Sandalphon glanced down at the sand between her feet, her gaze softening. "I've tried to atone, but… it doesn't feel like enough."
"It probably never will, not completely. But that's what trying means, right? One step at a time." Rei offered a faint smile.
Sandalphon felt her heart ease, just a little, as Rei's presence became a reminder that she wasn't entirely lost. Maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back.
"Well, enough of that heavy stuff, let's just play!" Rei stood up, grabbing Sandalphon's hand to pull her to her feet.
"Huh!?"
"Take off those clothes!" Rei swiftly removed the loose shirt covering Sandalphon's swimsuit, revealing the bikini underneath.
"What are you doing!!" Sandalphon blushed furiously, looking down at her body now only covered by the swimsuit.
"Now we play!" Rei cheerfully pulled Sandalphon toward the ocean.
Being dragged along, Sandalphon could only stare at Rei's back, her mouth slightly open, everything happening so fast.
A moment ago, she had felt sad, and now suddenly she was being pulled into something fun.
"Hahhh..." Finally, she let out a deep breath and smiled, watching Rei from behind.