Ying stood on the deck of the Luxury Cruise Ship, gazing at the azure sky and the boundless ocean. The sea breeze carried a salty dampness as it brushed past. Ying spread his arms and leaned forward slightly, savoring the cool air. Then he fell...
"Splash!"
"Damn it, do they even know how to steer a cruise ship? If there hadn't been an outdoor swimming pool below the third-floor deck, I might've ended up in another world again!" Ying complained from the edge of the pool, having just climbed out. He didn't understand why the cruise ship had suddenly turned, making him lose his balance and fall.
"Eh!? Byakuya, are you okay?" Ying looked toward the voice and saw Sakura along with several Class D students.
Sakura anxiously tried to pull Ying up, and Kushida came over too.
"Wait! I can get up by myself." Ying had his pride. There was no way he could admit he'd lost his balance on the deck and fallen off.
"Byakuya, what happened just now? Why did you suddenly jump down from up there?" Kushida asked. Sakura looked worriedly at Ying, who was soaked through and still wearing his regular clothes.
"Hahahaha! There's a rare swimming pool here, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to practice diving off the ten-meter platform, that's all! Hahaha!" Ying ran a hand through his damp hair and laughed.
"But why are you wearing regular clothes, Byakuya?" Sakura couldn't help asking.
"I heard that the more clothes you wear, the more resistance you get when you hit the water. It makes for better diving practice." Ying explained it as if he knew what he was talking about.
"Is... that so?" Kushida said, still unconvinced.
"Of course. I'm going back up to do it again. You should hurry and enjoy life aboard the cruise ship, too." Then Ying turned around, waved to them with his back facing them, and left.
Back in his dorm, Ying quickly changed clothes, just as he heard a knock at the door.
"Um, hello?"
A masked rider stood at the door. Ying wasn't sure whether he'd come to take him out.
"Byakuya, long time no see!" The masked rider took off his helmet. It was Hashimoto from Class A.
"Oh, it's you, Hashimoto. What are you dressed up like that for?" Ying recognized him, but remembered Hashimoto as being pretty normal. Why did he seem so weird now?
"Huh? You don't like it? They all said you liked this kind of greeting. Guess I was fooled~." Hashimoto complained, making an exaggerated face.
Ying: Slander! This was slander! He was a respectable person. How could he possibly like that kind of thing?
"Anyway, never mind. I actually came to ask you something. The princess wants to play chess with you. She's waiting in the Chess Room now. You should be free, right~?" Hashimoto patted Ying on the shoulder as he asked.
"Uh... I'm going to sing karaoke with some classmates from Class B in a bit." Ying thought over his schedule before replying.
"Aw~, what a shame. But the princess will be in the Chess Room in Room 106 whenever you're free, so just drop by." After saying that, Hashimoto took out his terminal and left while sending a message.
"So Sakayanagi really did come..." Ying muttered to himself.
After their conversation in the library, Ying had kept his promise and made a great deal of effort. But because of her health, Sakayanagi had continued refusing to board the ship until recently. It seemed she'd finally come today.
As expected, little girls said one thing and meant another. That was Ying's conclusion.
On his way to the karaoke room, Ying saw Himeno from his class walking in the opposite direction.
"Himeno, the karaoke room's that way. You're going the wrong way." Ichinose had invited everyone from Class B, so Ying figured Himeno must've gotten lost.
"My stomach hurts, so I'm not going after all. Go on ahead, Byakuya." Himeno replied.
"Ribbit ribbit!" (Ying's terminal notification sound)
Sakayanagi: "You dare refuse me? You've got some nerve."
Ying: "I'm actually already on my way. Chess is more fun than singing."
"Byakuya, why did you turn back again? Did you forget something?" Himeno asked when she saw Ying doubling back and walking toward her.
"My foot suddenly started hurting, so I thought I'd go get it checked out." After replying, Ying quickly left.
Himeno: ...
"Byakuya, it's been a while." Sakayanagi had been playing chess by herself. When she saw Ying come in, she stopped.
"You too, Sakayanagi. You seem even younger than you did a few days ago." Ying exchanged pleasantries.
"Younger...?" Sakayanagi didn't quite understand, but continued, "Still, I really have to thank you. You actually managed to make it happen."
"Ahahaha, it was no big deal." Ying said it was no big deal. He'd only written dozens of suggestion letters.
Chairman Sakayanagi hadn't wanted his daughter to face any risks, but he believed what Ying had written in his letters about Arisu wanting to take a cruise. Doting on his daughter, he used his influence to arrange for a professional medical team to be aboard the ship.
"Although I can only stay inside the cruise ship, and my activities will be restricted tomorrow, this is still the first trip I've ever taken in my life." Sakayanagi said.
"Really? Then you should enjoy it even more. Why not go out on deck and feel the sea breeze? Just be careful not to fall..." Ying suggested.
"Hahaha, you do know how to make me laugh, Byakuya. But feeling the sea breeze sounds like a lovely idea. Why don't we play a game of chess out there?" Sakayanagi chuckled and invited him.
"Th-that might be a little cold."
"What?"
"Such leisurely refinement is truly admirable, my lady. If you do not object, I would be honored to accompany you!" Ying said, bowing to Sakayanagi.
"Hashimoto, go get Kamuro. I want to see the deck." Sakayanagi rose, supporting herself with her cane, and gave Hashimoto an order.
"Of course, Princess."
Before long, Kamuro came in with an impatient look on her face.
"Y-you're that perverted creep!" The moment Kamuro saw Ying, she jumped as if she'd seen a ghost and pointed at him, shouting.
"So this is what Byakuya is really like. If he agrees to one condition, I'll have Kamuro wash up and wait for him in his room right now." Sakayanagi said with a sly grin.
"Seriously? Wait... what did I do? Why are you calling me names?" Ying was completely bewildered.
"Sakayanagi, I'm warning you to stay away from him! He's a pervert who likes curvy women, and he has a thing for grooming younger girls!" Kamuro hurried over to Sakayanagi's side.
"What the hell? What are you talking about?" Ying thought she was just slandering him.
"So Byakuya wants to groom me? Too bad my health won't allow me to do that kind of thing. You'll have to find someone else." Sakayanagi teased.
Ying covered his forehead with his hand. He didn't even want to think anymore...
"All right, enough joking around. Let's hurry, or we'll be reaching the Uninhabited Island soon." Sakayanagi said, then raised one hand to signal Kamuro to support her.
Kamuro kept insisting that it "wasn't a joke," but she still helped Sakayanagi toward the deck.
"Sakayanagi, I think you've had nothing much to do aboard the ship these past few days. You could learn to play some other kinds of chess." After finishing a game with Sakayanagi, Ying made the suggestion.
"Is that so? It would certainly be a good way to pass the time... Do you have any recommendations, Byakuya?" Sakayanagi asked.
"I think Dragon Country Chess is pretty good."
"Really? I've read the rules before, and it does seem quite interesting." Sakayanagi agreed.
"Attention, teachers and students. We will soon be arriving at School South Island. You may go to the decks on any floor to enjoy the view. I repeat..."
As the announcement came over the speakers, an island in the distance slowly came into view...
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