I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 5

by Namekojirushi

  And that was how we all ended up making plans to go to the sea for the weekend. The sea on a different planet, that is.

  “Huh...”

  Wait, doesn’t “weekend” imply...

  “Hold on, are we staying there overnight?”

  “Yup, that’s right. Berano’s a resort, so there’s all kinds of places to stay.”

  “That’s not what I mean...”

  Wasn’t it a problem for a bunch of high school girls to be out somewhere with a guy overnight?

  “Oooh, Rekka! You know they say summer vacation is the season when high schoolers become adults.”

  “It’s not even summer vacation, R.”

  ▽

  Saturday morning.

  My classmates Satsuki, Iris, Tsumiki, Hibiki, and Rosalind had gathered in front of my house, where they then met up with Harissa, Tetra, and Suzuran. Including me, there were nine of us in total. I’d tried to invite everybody who knew that Iris was an alien, but Chelsea was out of the country, and I couldn’t get a hold of Lea.

  “What does Lea spend her days doing now, anyway?” I asked.

  “She said that she’s usually traveling when she’s not at Nozomiya, didn’t she?” said Tsumiki.

  “Yeah. She even brought me a wooden sword as a souvenir once,” answered Tetra.

  So Lea liked to travel, huh?

  “If she had a phone, I would’ve invited her, too. It’s too bad.”

  “Yeah.”

  I acknowledged what Tsumiki said with a nod. R then leaned in and put her lips up to my ear.

  “It really is too bad, huh, Rekka? It’s a crying shame you won’t get to see that hot body in a swimsuit.”

  That’s not what I meant!

  I tried to shoo R away, then turned to Rosalind.

  “What’s up with Ulaula, by the way? I was sure all three of you would be here.”

  “She’s staying home,” Rosalind said coldly.

  Unlike the other girls, Rosalind wasn’t carrying any luggage. All her stuff was in the bag Suzuran was carrying.

  You know, I was really starting to get used to seeing Suzuran in a maid outfit, but...

  “Suzuran,” I said.

  “Yes? What is it, Sir Namidare?”

  “Do you really need to wear your maid outfit on vacation?”

  “I’m afraid it’s my mistress’s preference.”

  “Rosalind?”

  “The very essence of a maid is in the uniform, I’ll have you know.”

  I never did figure out where that vampire got some of her ideas. But I didn’t need to ask to know that Suzuran always wore her maid outfit. The whole class was talking about the silver-haired maid who would appear at the shopping street sometimes.

  “Everybody’s here, right?” Iris asked.

  When she saw that everyone was ready, she pressed the button to summon her spaceship. Just a moment later, it appeared above us.

  “All right! Off we go on our two-day, one-night space voyage!”

  ▽

  About five hours later, we came out of warp and found ourselves staring at a bright blue planet.

  “So that’s Berano?”

  “Yup! Ninety percent of its surface is ocean, and it’s always summer there. It’s registered as part of the Galactic Federation, too.”

  “Planet Finerita is part of the Galactic Federation, as well, right?” I vaguely remembered hearing something about that before.

  “Yup, yup. Well, it doesn’t hold a council seat like Finerita or Satamonia. It’s registered as a sub-planet of planet Estashion, I think.”

  “A sub-planet?”

  “Hmm, what would you call it on Earth? A colony? No, that’s not quite right... Anyway, Estashion is one of the 72 members of the council, and Berano is under their protection.”

  “I see.”

  As I was talking to Iris, another spaceship went flying past us.

  “Are they going to Berano, too?”

  “It is one of the most famous resorts in the Galactic Federation, after all. Tourism is their biggest industry. The water is really pretty, but they put a lot of effort into customer service, too.”

  “Um, are we landing soon?” Harissa asked timidly from behind Iris.

  “We can go down whenever we want. Did you get warpsick?”

  “No, that’s not it... I’m just not used to this ‘spaceship’ thing yet.”

  “I imagine. There weren’t even planes on your home world,” I said.

  “All right, we’ll get going then,” Iris said as she pushed the control stick forward.

  We circled around to the other side of Berano and made a quick descent, instantly breaking through the atmosphere. There didn’t seem to be any large land masses on the planet, just lots of little islands that looked like cookie crumbs from a distance. There were well-maintained forests and beaches on each island, along with an inland pier for spaceships to dock. One of those islands was where we landed.

  “Haaahh... I’m a little tired after that,” I said as I unloaded my luggage. I yawned and took in a deep breath of fresh air from a strange, new planet.

  “You can smell the salt from here, huh?” Hibiki said, walking over to me and stretching some.

  “It really does feel like an ocean planet, although there are fewer people here than I expected.”

  We hadn’t left the pier yet, but it still seemed surprisingly empty.

  “There are plenty of spaceships docked here, though.”

  “Hm, you’re right...”

  Hibiki and I scratched our heads.

  “What’s wrong? We’re going to the beach, guys.” Iris beckoned to us, luggage in hand.

  “Well, sounds like it’s time to go.”

  “Yeah.”

  We put the matter out of our minds and headed towards the others.

  “How do we get to the beach, anyway? We landed in the middle of the island, and it seems like a pretty long walk there.”

  “Don’t worry, we can use a short warp.”

  Iris pointed to a round, mechanical dais. I watched as another group of people got on it and disappeared. I figured it must take you straight to the beach. We got in a short line to use it.

  “Which beach will you set as your destination?” a mechanical-sounding voice asked when it was our turn.

  “Can you go to beaches besides the one on this island?”

  “You sure can,” Iris said.

  “Huh... That’s pretty convenient.”

  “Anybody have any preferences?”

  “Somewhere where the waves are quiet,” Rosalind said.

  Iris relayed the request to the machine, and it suggested a spot called “D-4 Beach.” We decided to go for it and each got up onto the dais in turn. We found ourselves transported to a beach with calm, lapping waves. There were a few people here, too, but it still wasn’t as busy as I’d expected a resort to be.

  “Looks like we practically have the place to ourselves, huh? I bet we can do a lot of swimming,” Satsuki said. She was holding her straw hat to her head to keep the wind from blowing it away.

  “Well, that’s true,” I said.

  Japanese beaches in the summer were like trying to swim through a crowd of people, so this was a welcome experience. There were even changing rooms and other amenities you’d hope to find at the beach.

  “All right, let’s all get changed and meet up again, okay?”

  ▽

  I finished changing before the others and waited for them under a beach umbrella.

  “They’re sure taking a while,” I said.

  “Girls take a long time when they change,” R replied.

  She was in a weird position. She had her head buried in the sand, but the rest of her was sticking out. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? And could I still hear her with her head in the sand because she was only partially corporeal to begin with?

  “More importantly, why are you wearing a school swimsuit, anyway?”

  “I’m trying to meet
customer demand,” she said.

  “Customer demand? I didn’t even know you could change clothes.”

  “That’s a rude thing to say to a girl. You probably never noticed, but I change my army uniform every day. They just happen to all have the same design.”

  How the hell was I supposed to notice then?

  R popped her head out of the sand and took to reclining on it instead. Since she was wearing a school swimsuit, she’d taken off her military cap. When she looked up at me, I could see a small ponytail poking off the side of her head.

  “I’m definitely looking forward to this, though.”

  “To what?”

  “Don’t play dumb. You want to see all the girls in their swimsuits, too, you pervert.”

  “You’d better take that back,” I replied.

  Then I heard the crunching sound of footsteps in the sand. I looked up and saw Satsuki. She was wearing a cardigan over her swimsuit.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting, Rekka.”

  “Hey. Where are the others?”

  “Still changing. I’m first, huh?”

  She smiled and sat down next to me on the mat, but she seemed oddly fidgety.

  “...Is something wrong?”

  “Huh?! N-No... It’s nothing.”

  “But you seem really antsy. Do you want to go swimming that badly?”

  “That’s not it!”

  For some reason, Satsuki was yelling instead answering normally. What had gotten into her?

  “Isn’t there something else you should be saying to her, Rekka?” R let out an exasperated sigh.

  What?

  “...No, don’t give up here,” Satsuki whispered to herself.

  She suddenly stood up in front of me and began to unbutton her cardigan. And then...

  “H-Howwh dohh youhh wwike mwy shwimshoot?!” she spat out, tripping over her own tongue.

  “W-Well...”

  I was a little caught off guard, but I stood up and took a good look at her swimsuit from top to bottom. It was a white bikini, a rare choice for a quiet girl like her. The ribbons on her chest and the sides of her hips were cute, though. Actually, it looked like they might come undone if she moved the wrong way. It was weirdly exciting.

  “I think it’s cute. It’s kind of a nice change of pace.”

  “...Really?”

  “Yeah. You usually just wear dresses.”

  We both blushed at each other, but it didn’t last long. I was suddenly very distracted by the sensation of two soft somethings leaning up against my back.

  “Guess who!”

  “Iris, what are you doing?!” Satsuki yelled her name before I could even get a word out.

  I should’ve known it was Iris! Wait, that meant the two small mountains I felt pressing against my back were... her breasts?!

  “Uwah-wah!”

  I panicked and tried to squirm out of her grasp, but ended up getting my foot caught on the beach mat and tripping.

  “Aww, you don’t have to run away!”

  No, I had to get out of there. And fast. I felt like my heart was going to burst. The feeling was more... direct... than usual. I turned around to say something to her.

  “Iri—Gah!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Turns out Iris was a knockout in a swimsuit. It wasn’t that the swimsuit was amazing. She just looked amazing in it. The thin fabric made her seem even bouncier than usual. It was scary.

  “Hm? Is there something weird with my suit?”

  Iris saw my mouth opening and closing like a goldfish’s. She snapped the straps on her swimsuit as she inspected it, making her breasts jiggle.

  “I-Iris... Don’t do that...”

  “Why not?”

  “It’s bad. For a lot of reasons.”

  It was really bad. I felt like I was about to get a nosebleed. But yet again, the feeling was short-lived. Whatever remnants of the pleasant sensation I’d felt on my back were suddenly replaced with a cold chill up my spine.

  “Rekka!”

  “Rekka!”

  “Sir Rekka!”

  “Rekka!”

  “Sir Namidare!”

  The other girls were surrounding me with terrifying looks on their faces. Even Harissa and Suzuran looked mad.

  Hold on a second. Was this my fault? Really?

  “You certainly seem to be enjoying Iris’s swimsuit, Rekka.”

  There was a mix of anger and frustration in Satsuki’s expression as she shot a quick glance towards Iris. Iris just stuck out her chest with a satisfied grin.

  “Tch...!”

  Satsuki’s fists were trembling as if she was trying to control her anger. For some reason, those tiny fists struck more fear into my heart than any dragon or demon ever had.

  “P-Please forgive me...”

  I got the feeling I was in mortal danger, so I figured it was best to get on my knees and beg for my life right then and there.

  ▽

  It turned out that our beach day, which had begun with me getting on my knees and begging for mercy, was perfect for swimming. Before long, everyone was enjoying themselves, and the looming, murderous tension in the air dissipated. Except Rosalind and Suzuran, everyone took to a game of beach volleyball.

  “I’ve got this one!” I yelled as I ran for the ball that had just sailed over my head. I gave it a firm pass.

  “Uwah! It’s coming my way!” Harissa ran to the left and right, kicking up sand with each step as she went for the ball.

  “Hmm... Harissa’s chest still has room to grow, but the pink swimsuit looks good, doesn’t it? The frills on the chest are very cute.”

  They sure were. Harissa had actually just borrowed one of Satsuki’s old swimsuits, but the pink color looked great on her. Except... when R said that, it sounded kind of dirty. Maybe I just couldn’t get past her usual shenanigans.

  “Got it!”

  Hibiki leaped straight up into the air and tapped Harissa’s shaky pass. Out of all of us, she was the best player after Iris.

  “Hibiki’s tight body and midriff are cute, too, huh? And then there’s the way her breasts bounce when she jumps.”

  “Hmm...”

  “Huh? W-Wait, Rekka! What are you staring at?”

  Suddenly my eyes met Hibiki’s, and she scrambled to cover her chest and midriff.

  “S-Sorry!”

  I was staring at the bouncing, and I didn’t even realize it!

  “What are you thinking?!”

  “Gwah!”

  Tsumiki spiked the ball straight into my face. Hard.

  Maybe I imagined it, but the second I landed on my back, I thought I saw somebody giving me a thumbs-up.

  “Good grief! We didn’t come to the beach just for you to sexually harass people!”

  “No, um... I’m sorry.”

  Part of it was R’s fault, but it was true I’d been staring at Hibiki’s chest, so I decided to just apologize. Tsumiki still gave me a dirty look anyway, but then she scoffed and turned away.

  “So don’t you have anything to say to me?” she demanded.

  “Huh? About what?” I asked.

  “Don’t you feel like you should say something when you look at me?”

  When I look at her? Did she mean her swimsuit? Um...

  “It looks good on you. The orange is a cute color.”

  “Of course it’s a cute color! That’s why I bought it!”

  “S-Sure...”

  Somehow I only managed to make her more angry. Wh-What in the world...?

  “Rekka, there are other things you could compliment besides the color of her swimsuit, right? Like how sexy you think her legs look, or how much you love that peek of cleavage.”

  No way. Tsumiki’d just gotten mad at me for staring at Hibiki. I couldn’t possibly compliment her breasts now.

  But R sure was staring at everybody’s breasts a lot more than I was. Sometimes I really wondered if, deep down, R wasn’t actually an old man or something.

  “Rekka, how
do I look?” Tetra asked.

  “You look good, too, Tetra. Wait, you lived underground, right? Where did you get a swimsuit? Did you go buy one?”

  “Yes. I went with Tsumiki to purchase one on Friday.”

  “I see. Yeah, it looks cute.”

  “Th-Thank you.” Tetra put her hand to her cheek, a little embarrassed.

  “A one-piece swimsuit, huh? It’s a little plain, but it really highlights how young she is. It makes her look more like a lol—hrmna hrmm hrmm.”

  I could tell R was on the verge of saying something dangerous, so I put my hand over her mouth.

  “O-Okay, let’s get back to the game, shall we?” I laughed nervously, tossing the ball up into the air again.

  We’d knocked it back and forth five or six times when the wind caught the ball and blew it from Satsuki towards me.

  “Oops!”

  I stepped to the side to take a shot at it, but I suddenly heard Satsuki gasp in surprise.

  “Whoops!”

  She was right in front of me. We’d both been so focused on the ball that we didn’t see each other in time.

  “Kyah!”

  “Watch out!”

  I tried to move out of Satsuki’s way, but I lost my balance. I grabbed on to her to try and keep her from falling over. It was a good plan. It just... didn’t work. I tumbled to the ground with Satsuki in my arms and landed on my back. Fortunately, we had the sand to cushion us.

  “Ugh... Are you okay, Satsuki?”

  “Y-Yeah...” she said in a voice that didn’t sound okay at all.

  I’d thought I’d kept her from hitting the ground too hard, but maybe it wasn’t enough.

  “What’s wrong? Did you sprain your ankle or something?”

  “No, I’m okay...” Satsuki said in a voice that was barely a whisper as she curled up in my arms.

  Why was she burying her face like that so I couldn’t see her expression?

  I heard the other girls yell my name, but over the top of them all, I heard Iris scream, “How long are you going to keep holding her?!”

  “Dgwah!”

  For the second time today, I took a volleyball directly to the face.

  ▽