Freyr struggled to open his eyes. He was relieved to see that both his female companions were still by his side. His head was resting on Naya's lap, while Lilith was lying on his chest, her head nestled under his chin.
As Freyr awoke, the two girls also groggily opened their eyes.
"Where are we... Did the monster swallow us?" Naya groaned, rubbing her head. She immediately noticed Freyr's head on her lap and shrieked, "What are you doing! Get off!"
With a forceful shove, she pushed Freyr, making him roll away. Freyr took a moment to stand up, massaging his legs, which felt as if they were being torn apart. The pain was excruciating, akin to a severe muscle strain.
"Why are you so jumpy? It wasn't intentional," Freyr remarked, glancing at Naya. She sat up, ignoring him, and focused on helping Lilith, who still appeared disoriented.
All three were soaking wet, their hair clumped together. Freyr was in a slightly better state, but the two girls looked quite bedraggled. Naya, clad in her enchanted, open-work armor, fared somewhat better. Poor Lilith, on the other hand, had only a thin undergarment left after her wizard robe was torn to shreds on the island and subsequently used by Freyr to tie the raft.
Her soaked clothing clung to her body, revealing more than it should. The thin material highlighted her budding figure, especially her upper body. Freyr, unable to help himself, glanced her way, momentarily distracted.
Though Lilith's demeanor was that of a naïve girl, her body hinted at burgeoning womanhood. Her modest chest, visible through the wet fabric, accentuated her youthful form. Freyr sighed inwardly at the sight.
"What are you staring at!" Naya snapped, noticing Freyr's gaze. She pulled Lilith closer, glaring daggers at Freyr. "You perverted little noble! Look again, and I'll gouge out your eyes!"
Freyr didn't argue. Instead, he turned his attention to their surroundings. They were in a cave. A few steps away from where they lay was the sea, suggesting they might be in an underwater cave. The cave walls emitted a faint glow, allowing them to see.
Freyr touched the rough, uneven surface of the cave wall, feeling tiny, glowing particles embedded within.
"Phosphorescent sand?" Freyr mused, withdrawing his hand. He knew from his past life's knowledge that such luminous crystals or minerals often emitted harmful radiation.
"What are you touching?" Naya asked from behind.
"Just checking the terrain," Freyr replied. "We should be thankful we're alive. We must have been attacked by the monster... but I can't fathom how we ended up here."
"I-I think I might know," Lilith stammered. The poor girl, now blushing, avoided meeting Freyr's eyes. Perhaps, despite her innocence, she could still read the meaning behind his earlier glance.
Before Freyr could speak, Naya interjected, "What do you know?"
"A whirlpool," Lilith said, gesticulating. "I-I felt like we were pulled in by an underwater whirlpool."
Freyr frowned. "Just a coincidence? A whirlpool caught us and not somewhere else, precisely depositing us into this cave without drowning us? I don't believe in such coincidences..."
The cave wasn't large, yet not too small, resembling an upturned bowl with no apparent exits. The only way out seemed to be the waterway beside them.
"I think, to get out, we'll have to dive into the waterway and swim out," Freyr concluded.
"We should've stayed on the island!" Naya grumbled after surveying the area and arriving at the same conclusion. "At least there we had water to drink and roots to eat. Here? Just rocks!"
"Not necessarily. At least we have air to breathe, which means there's an opening somewhere outside. We just haven't found it yet," Freyr shook his head.
"Air? What's air?" Naya frowned.
Freyr was momentarily speechless.