White sandy beach in the shape of a
crescent moon.
The sun shining on the clear surface
of the water, sparkles like a showcase of swarovski jewels.
「That's it! Lolisla-chan. You are
super cute, then, look at this way... Make yourself look so innocent!」
In the corner, under a beach parasol,
a photographer was taking pictures of Lolisla-san with great care.
Now, on the second day in Okinawa, we
shot at the hotel's private beach.
Of course, Lolisla-san is the main
star.
However, the shooting is quite
hectic.
This is because this main star has
been very restless until a little while ago.
**a
The reason is that she is
uncomfortable.
But just before the KKO staff and
Ponpoko-san are trying to calm her down in the afternoon, and they are
discussing whether or not to cancel the shooting today, Ponpoko-san's phone
suddenly rings.
「Oh, yes, yes... Okay」
After hanging up the call,
Ponpoko-san tells Lolisla-san quietly.
「Um... Lolisla-san, I have a message
from President Kijima」
「...What, you're going to tell him or
something, aren't you? Don't worry, even if she gets mad at me, I'll think of
an excuse during the two days I have left before I have to leave」
「Oh, no, it's not that. Actually, I
didn't understand what President meant too...」
「Then what?」
「She said that the head maid is there...」
Lolisla-san immediately jumped up
from her beach chair and looked around frantically with bloodshot eyes.
For the photo shoot, half of the
private beach is reserved for the shoot.
But the other half, separated by a
rope, is reserved for guests, albeit sparsely.
Just as Lolisla-san turned her eyes
in that direction, she exclaimed—
「Eeeek!?」
—She
made a face as if it was the end of the world.
Then she shouts in a panic.
「T-The shooting! E-E-Everyone, what
are you all doing! L-Let's get started! Yay, I'm so excited to work!」
Thus, the shooting somehow started,
although all the staff members were perplexed by the obvious change in her
attitude.
（Does this mean that someone
important from KKO is here?）
There are not so many guests using
the beach.
One of the most conspicuous sights is
a girl whose hair is dyed pink, applying sun oil on the silver-haired
foreigner’s back.
Both of them were conspicuous in
appearance, but the silver-haired foreigner in particular was so tall and
stylish that I thought she was a Paris Collection model.
**b
（Is she a big-name model that
Lolisla-san is scared of?）
Thinking about such things, I sat
down with Ichida and Mimura under the beach parasol which was set up at a
little distance from the venue and served as a waiting room.
Then, I let out a sigh as I watched
the hurriedly started shooting.
Now, we were in different swimsuits
from yesterday.
Ichida is wearing a red high-leg
one-piece with a sharp cut.
Mimura is in a micro bikini with her
upper and lower parts of her breasts exposed, as if she were a boob girl.
On the other hand, I wore a blue
bikini with no special features. On top of that, I was told to wear a T-shirt,
as I had expected.
「Then, Sanae-chan and Doremi-chan,
please join in」
As the assistant said to them, Ichida
and Mimura stood up saying, "Well, have a good day," and "I'll
do my best," as they left the venue.
Then, with the sea in the background,
Ichida and Mimura began to shoot a scene with Lolisla-san in between them.
I pout my lips at Ponpoko-san who is
standing right next to me.
「Why am I the only one in a T-shirt?
Even though there are only a few shots planned, and it's my debut photogravure...」
「Well, even if you say so.
Chihiro-chan... I mean, President Kijima has strongly suggested it. Asuka-chan
doesn't bargain. She said she will take good care of you, so avoid exposure as
much as possible」
「That may be true, but...!」
I glance at Ichida.
To tell the truth, I'm impatient.
I didn't expect her to turn out like
that.
Besides, she was wearing a cool
character. Moreover, for some reason, she seemed to be accustomed to the
workplace.
「You see, Ichida-san is not a
newcomer. Rather, she's transferred from another office」
「What...?」
**c
That was new to me.
Does it mean that she had been in
other gravure companies before?
Certainly, looking at Ichida with
make-up on, it was unlikely that anyone would recognize her even if they had
seen her in a magazine before.
「Besides, Mimura-san's thing seems to
be in pretty good demand too」
What she means is that Lolisla-san
takes a shot of herself smiling happily while burying her cheek in Mimura's
boob.
「But... I think President Kijima wants
Nitani-san to be a fashion model」
「A fashion model?」
「Yes, that's right. Misuzu-chan and
Akira-chan are also expanding their work through that, and President Kijima
probably thinks that Nitani-san is similar to them」
「I see... is that so?」
Then, why did he take this job?
He said he was going to market the
three of us as a set, but does that mean he's going to make me the main focus
when he works for a fashion magazine?
（Ugh... even if that's the case... I'm
not convinced...）
I was staring at Ichida winking
glamorously at the camera, and I was burning myself with a kind of rivalry that
was rising up in me.
* * *
[Freesia POV]
「Does a succubus need sun oil?」
「To be honest, no. It's just a matter
of mood」
「Then... is this sun oil?」
「No, it's a lotion」
Earthworm smiled a twitchy smile when
I answered so while lying on the beach chair.
Cold lotion is a summer tradition.
Anyway, this morning, Earthworm
informed Princess about the discovery of Hikari Teruya, and she ordered me to
go to Okinawa.
She said,
「I don't care about Teruya, Devi. But
the problem is the possibility that the goat-headed butler or someone of Lord
Andras's hand may be nearby, Devi」
It is true that Earthworm is no match
for the Goat-headed Butler.
So I went to Okinawa first thing in
the morning.
I tried to find some signs, but there
was no sign at all.
It seems that Princess's fears were
groundless.
So, I am now accompanying Earthworm
to escort Nitani-sama.
「By the way... it's been a long time
since I've been to Okinawa」
「Have you been here before?」
「Yes, since the time I visited as a
slave for Portuguese merchant sailors during the Ryukyu Kingdom」
「...Ryukyu Kingdom?」
**a
Earthworm looked puzzled.
Then, suddenly, there were people who
blocked the sunlight and cast shadows on us.
「Hey, hey, are you two girls alone?
Wanna play with us?」
College students, I guess? These five
flirtatious gentlemen approached us with such a question.
But first of all, I control Earthworm
who is about to get herself ready with a sharp look in her eyes, and say to
her.
「Just in time I was hungry. Why don't
you eat somewhere else?」
In any case, I am already covered
with lotion and ready to 'eat'.
