The Seaside!

(Caterina’s Perspective)

“Goo—goo—”

Blue skies, sunlight, seagull cries…

And the sea!

The pale blue water shimmered, with flying fish occasionally leaping out and plunging back, stirring ripples. Far off, the sea blended with the sky, dotted by seagulls—a natural masterpiece.

The blue-haired girl opened her arms, taking a deep breath.

“Phew—ha! So refreshing!”

“Ugh… The sun’s too bright… Should’ve stayed home…”

In contrast, the black-haired girl seemed like a vampire avoiding sunlight… Even under a black parasol, she looked utterly wilted.

“Didn’t you suggest coming to the beach?”

The golden-haired girl crossed her arms, staring helplessly at the black-haired one.

“So I regret it…”

Elizabeth and I smiled, setting up equipment while casting fond glances at the lively trio.

…As for how we ended up here, it started two days ago.

“Ugh… It’s so hot.”

From the voice transmitter—more like a mini portable phone to me—came Margaret’s grumbling.

…Lately, the young lady and Margaret have been talking a lot, growing close, almost to the point of sharing everything.

Sometimes, the young lady even shoos me out… which makes me a bit unhappy.

Is this how parents feel when their kids hit puberty?

But, as Margaret said, the kingdom’s temperature has been soaring, even breaking past records without stopping…

Still, I think the real reason Margaret’s overheating is that heavy gothic lolita dress.

Then again, doesn’t she have her own cooling device at home? The ducal estate does.

“How about staying at the ducal family’s summer villa?”

The young lady suggested.

“A ducal summer villa… Sounds tempting, but I don’t want to be tied down by noble rules. Being waited on by servants makes me uneasy.”

That fit Margaret’s vibe perfectly… She’s someone who lives freely, unbound by convention.

“But… going out together could be fun.”

“Since you say so, where do you want to go?”

The young lady’s words… basically confirmed she’d go with Margaret.

“Hm…”

A pause came from the voice transmitter.

“How about the beach? A group trip there feels so summery~”

“No objections.”

“Then let’s bring Olivia too… and your little maid.”

“Of course, Ailena’s coming with me. I wouldn’t feel at ease otherwise.”

…Why is the young lady the one uneasy? Shouldn’t I be the one worried about her?

But… the beach, huh.

Honestly, in both my lives, I’ve never been to the beach. I’m a little excited.

But the young lady’s next words doused my enthusiasm.

“So, Ailena, I’ll prepare your swimsuit.”

“…Eh?”

Back to the present.

I didn’t even get a chance to shop for a swimsuit. Soon enough, we were at the beach.

Hence the earlier little drama.

…By the way, Lord Claude wanted to join, but the young lady refused, calling it a “girls’ outing.” Olivia, his fiancée, even teased that he could come if he dressed as a girl.

With no choice, he reluctantly went to hang out with Prince Edwin instead.

…Though it’s a girls’ outing… I don’t exactly count as a full girl, do I?

I grumbled to myself.

“The changing rooms are set up. You can change now.”

Calling them changing rooms is generous—they’re just fabric partitions.

This entire beach is empty… The three ladies are filthy rich, so we’ve booked the place for the day. Changing in the open wouldn’t matter… but for privacy, we set up the partitions.

Plus, seeing others change feels like betraying their trust.

…Another perk is I can change alone, mentally prepare… and maybe make some adjustments.

It’s the young lady’s chosen swimsuit! It’s definitely something scandalous!

“Such a hassle… I’m not swimming. Can I skip changing?”

“No way, that kills the summer vibe! No resisting! Come on, in you go!”

“Ugh…”

Amid the pushing, Olivia, Margaret, and Elizabeth entered the changing rooms.

But… one person stayed put, showing no intention of moving.

“Young lady, aren’t you going in?”

I looked at the motionless young lady.

“…”

She didn’t answer, just smiled at me.

A bad feeling crept up, and it soon proved true.

The other three quickly changed. Olivia wore a bold blue two-piece with water droplet patterns, exuding energy.

Margaret and Elizabeth chose matching gothic swimsuits—somber black and cheerful white, perfectly matching their personalities.

“…Young lady, shouldn’t you change too?”

“Isn’t dressing me your job, Ailena?”

…You’re wearing easy-to-change clothes today! You could do it yourself!

No doubt, she’s blocking my plan to change alone…

But I can’t refuse. Her reason is too valid—even if she can change herself, it’s perfectly fine for her exclusive maid to assist.

With no choice, I followed her into the changing room.

…It’s just dressing her, right? I’ve done it plenty of times. Finish quickly, then find a way to get her out.

But I was wrong.

This wasn’t like normal dressing…

Usually, she puts on her undergarments herself, but with a swimsuit, there’s no such layer…

I didn’t realize this until her clothes were off.

My hands froze in midair.

“What’s wrong, Ailena? Keep going.”

“Gulp…”

To avoid suspicion, I quickly removed her last layer, shut my eyes, and thrust the swimsuit into her hands.

“H-Here… You can do the rest, young lady!”

But that only earned her skepticism.

“What are you saying, Ailena? If you start a job, finish it properly. It’s your duty.”

“W-Wah…”

I let out a small, animal-like whimper.

My escape route was completely blocked…