Chapter 10 Water Works

"Master Rudeus, can you repeat yourself?"

"A-ahem, would you like to go somewhere with me?"

"Where?"

"To our training pond. I don't actually know how to swim, so I've been wondering if you could… you know… teach me?"

"...I'll think about it…"

///

I did it! I got a date out of Lilia, had a vague idea of how I wanted it to go, and everything.

So, of course nothing went according to plan.

The results were mixed. I think she was just waiting for me to give up, and forget as she stalled for a few days, but I have two weeks of free time, and was very eager for those lessons. For obvious reasons.

I went through a lot of effort figuring out what exactly the 'date,' activity would be, considering we're in a medieval type society, my options were limited. In the end I decided to go with the swimming approach, a two birds one stone approach, as swimming was something I didn't learn in my past life, and would be useful to know.

A well thought out plan If I say so myself, so of course it didn't go to plan.

"There you go Rudy! One, two, one two… You're swimming like a pro, isn't that right Zenith?" Paul praises.

"Good job Rudy! Come here, swim to mama," Zenith says.

Riiight, well this happened. Maybe the gods of romantic comedy are actually a thing, because this happened. Their dicks.

And so my one on one date became a family outing; joy…

Anyways, after trying for a few days to convince Roxy to teach me how to swim. Lilia, 'accidentally,' let it slip that she was bringing me to the old training grounds, the one's I used before Roxy's arrival, and of course that brought my parents attention.

And one thing leads to another, and so Paul decided that this was a good time for some family bonding, deciding on his own to schedule a group date for the whole family, Roxy and Lilia included.

And now we're here.

"Let's go swimming!" Paul said back then. He's wearing a plain bathing suit all things considered. Khaki designed, and with his chest out in the open.

"There you go Rudy," Zenith says as she hugs me close to her chest in the water. A brilliant smile on her face, and a flower ornament, purple, in her hair, with a pearl like design braided around it, giving it the image of a coral ornament on her.

A mermaid?

As usual she is a voluptuous woman, but this time her figure stands out more as she's only wearing a swimsuit. A light piece, two piece purple colored, orchid colored? Type of swimsuit that presses tightly against her figure, accentuating her curves, and pressing against me. 

They're soft, and feel like they're sucking me in.

I-it's not my fault they're pressing onto me.

Still though, my private one on one time was invaded by these interlopers.

I turn my head to the side and stare at Lilia off by the bedside, without her apron, but still very much in uniform.

Yeah, there was one little problem… She doesn't own a swimsuit. Of course she doesn't. 

All that time trying to convince Lilia to come on over, and it was pointless from the beginning. I suppose swimming in her underwear is a step too far, but damn, so many days wasted.

Sidenote; Roxy did have a swimsuit at the ready. Adventurer's gotta be prepared I suppose? 

But what are you doing all over there by your lonesome?

Staring off in the distance I can see Roxy's figure as she's busy making friends with her shadow.

"Momma… air. I'm gonna swim over to Roxy," I yell from her breast as I lightly push myself away.

"Sure~ go on- wah!"

Splash.

"Let me in on the fun too!" Splashes in an energetic Paul.

"Honey~" splash.

"Dear~" splash. The Raijus are enjoying themselves. They continue a splash fight back and forth, as I float there between them. 

Such a cliche… I'm not envious, not at all…

"Alright, sweetie go on to Roxy and play for a bit," Zenith turns around sending me off, as Paul dives under the water, and-

"Kya! Paul!" She shoots her hands in the water, losing her floating momentum for a moment. As a laughing Paul comes out of the water shortly after.

"Not in front of Rudy!" She yells.

Ok, that's my que to leave. I'd rather not have any more heads up displays of their affection. I've had a front row view during my first year of my life, and have no intention of repeating that. 

"Bye mama, bye papa." I swam off to Roxy.

"How about now?" I hear a voice behind me.

"Should I hit you?"

At least hold off while I'm in front of you. The water is clean, I have a vague idea of what you did underwater, you idiot.

"Sensei!" I swim out to Roxy.

Save me from these idiots. 

My sensei in question is wearing a two piece as well, but much more conservative. Rather than a swimsuit that shows off her figure, it's a frilly light-blue two piece, with a petal-like pattern, and a third piece if you count the white bottom underneath. I'm not peeking, she's just easily exposed.

Looking at her figure, my mothers, and then my own and Paul's, and I can't help but feel a disparity in fashion between men's and women's. Why are their swimsuits so advanced when compared to everything else?

Their so…

I guess it's true what they say fashion evolves based on sex appeal.

"You sure are energetic, it's hard to believe you were bedridden workaholic a couple weeks ago," she stated.

"That's the past, let's enjoy the present."

"I hope you don't forget your studies. I'd hate it if you went from one extreme to the other."

"No problem no problem. Soooo, wanna play?" I asked. 

Main mission was a failure, but I might as well find some enjoyment where I can. I'm going back to my training schedule, if a bit more restrained now, and this will be the last day for quite a while where I can just let loose.

"Hmph, not particularly," she twiddled with her braided hair. 

"Really~ cause I think we can do some fun things with a surfboard."

"We don't have a surfboard."

"But we do have a barrel lid."

"Let's go," she gave an immediate and curt response.

///

"Sensei!"

"Rudy?"

"Faster?" I asked.

"Faster!" Roxy then proceeds to use wind magic to quite literally set sail, and now her and I are surfing across this pond.

"Hey," I say in a low voice as I'm hugging her tightly from behind, "you mind if I use a little water magic?"

"You really shouldn't…"

"The ban ends tomorrow anyway."

Roxy seems to be mulling it over, we're losing speed because of her distracted focus.

"It'll be fun~"

"Fine, but keep it hidden from your parents."

Don't I always.

"Got it. Trace on," I then control my breathing and concentrate once more. Using water magic I raise some waves up and down, in combination with Roxy's wind, as we skid across the pond.

It really is a blast.

"Oy, that looks fun. Let us in on that too!" Paul yelled out from the sidelines. 

What followed was a fun afternoon where we decided to surf on the pond's surface. Me and Roxy, Me and Zenith, Zenith and Paul, and Paul and me. Mixing and dipping, we all cut loose, and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly frolicking like a family in a waterpark. Overall… fun. Not the way I intended it to go, but it'll make a pleasant memory regardless.

The eye candy helps too. 

Didn't even notice the sun setting.

Wondering where Lilia was during those times, I looked off to my side from time to time, to see what she was doing, and, to my disappointment, she was simply dipping her toes in the water. 

"You know, you don't need a swimsuit for something like this, wanna go for a ride?" I offered.

"That's quite alright master Rudeus, I am fine." She reassured me.

Although, I noticed her look inside her own blouse when she thought I wasn't looking.

I wonder… 

All good things must come to an end.

After we were all done playing, parents included, and started packing up; Roxy taking back her board, Paul and Zenith taking their clothes, and gear respectively. I thought to get to the bottom of this.

Let's investigate.

I made a move towards Lilia, grabbing her by the hand, and pulling her off to the side. "Shh," I shush her with the hand symbol. No idea if this translates to this world, but she complies regardless, and lets me lead her away.

"Dad, mom!" I yell out from far away. "I dropped one of Roxy's text books, over there, I'm gonna borrow Lilia to carry it for me," there's so many holes with what I just said, but I really couldn't think of anything under pressure, and just needed a believable excuse to be alone with Lilia without any interruptions.

I gotta get better at thinking under pressure.

"Hmm? Yeah sure. See you back at home," Paul answers, not looking in my direction.

Thank you for believing my bullshit. Although it helps he's distracted by Zenith's butt.

I wait patiently 'till we're alone, before talking to Lilia. "So… anything you want to get off your chest?"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, Rudy?"

"I see," well, I kind of figured she'd say that. "In advance, I apologize for what I am about to do, you can hit me if I'm wrong," I point my hand to the pond, and force the mana to raise the water. 

"Rudy?"

I now have a small wave at my disposal, and so with a wave of my hand I threw it onto Lilia. Sure hope i'm not wrong. I Make sure to be careful enough so as not to throw it too hard to actually hurt her, but just enough to get her wet. Very, very wet.

"Uwaah!" she screams in surprise after receiving a very large splash attack.

Rudeus used Splash, it's super effective. 

"R-Rudy?! W-what was that about?" Lilia skittishly replied after recovering, sprawled on the floor leaning back on her hands.

Just kidding, splash is never effective.

"I thought so," staring at Lilia's chest I can see the faint outline of a bikini beneath it. Her outfit is black so it's hard to make out, but I threw enough water at her that I can see the indentation of something beneath. 

I reach towards her chest, Lilia being befuddled by my sudden movements doesn't move, and in one breath proceed to open her blouse. Their lay her chest bare open for me to see. Her Black swimsuit covering her chest.

Slap. 

Followed by a slap immediately after. Lilia slapped me in the face. Hard.

"Ow… Alright, I know I was literally asking for it, but ow." I wince in pain.

Lilia is looking at me with a look of betrayal. It is not a look that I enjoy.

"Sorry," I nursed my cheek. "I'm a very blunt person, and this seemed like the most effective way of talking about your… swimsuit, and why you're hiding it."

She still looks a bit miffed.

  "I'm really sorry," I repeat myself just to be sure.

"Sigh. Fine," she adjust herself, moving to a sitting position, "I already know Rudy long enough to know that he isn't 'THAT,' kind of person, and does stupid thing out of nowhere-"

"I prefer eccentric."

"STUPID, things out of nowhere. So what 'grand' idea does Rudy have now?"

I can taste the sarcasm.

"Not an idea, just a question; why are you hiding your swimsuit? You missed out on alot today."

She narrowed her eyes at me, before looking away and sighing, "Is that really all, for such a little thing Rudeus would make such a big deal?"

"I beg to differ, your swimsuit really is a big deal-" crap I let my inner thoughts escape my mouth.

Calm down Rudeus! Your hormones aren't even active yet, how are you going to handle the future if you can't even handle things of this level.

"...right. Regardless, it's of no importance. Not worth talking about, if that is all let's go home," she starts getting up, and places her hand on her blouse opening.

"And yet it was important enough to hide it," I quipped. "By the way, now that your clothes are wet, it would probably be best to let them dry don't you think?" I move on to the side, and cut off a branch to hang her clothes, and start a small bonfire to warm them up.

I sit by the fire and wait.

"..." 

She sighs, but ultimately surrenders, and comes to the fire, and starts stripping.

Being forceful every once in a while isn't half bad.

I think as the resident kuudere Milf starts taking off her clothes before me. I know she said I'm not THAT type of guy (whatever that is), but I kind of wish I was right now.

She takes off her clothes, unbuttoning the buttons down from where I left off, and let the clothes fall. There she stood before me, a little wet, well a lot wet, but pretty much alright, she picked up her clothes, and began to bring them to the hanger, before I took them from her hand.

Seeing as she is only wet because of me, might as well take responsibility. I hang the clothes and then we sit by the fire.

"What would you have done if you were wrong?" The silence is broken by her question.

"...there was always that possibility. I'd probably get down on my hands and knees and beg your forgiveness until you accepted, or confess to my parents, so they could punish me appropriately, but I was confident that you were wearing something, although…" I looked at her bottom half.

"I didn't expect for the bottom to be so risque,"  I say as I look closely at her choice of swimsuit. It's a black two piece swimsuit, three piece if you count a business-like collar piece with a star design on her neck, but it's the bottom half that's throwing out my concentration. It's a string piece.

I… really want to see the back.

"I w-wasn't planning on wearing it today, there's a frilly piece to go with it," she blushed as she covered her bottom, noticing my stare "I left it in my quarters though."

"Wow." I enjoyed the sight. "Ah-right sorry… it looks really nice on you."

"...Thank you," she sits down by the fire sitting opposite of me, a small blush present on her face.

What were we talking about? RIght-

"But really it looks good on you. I thought you said you didn't have a swimsuit, but you even wore it here. You clearly wanted to swim so what gives?" 

"...I wasn't lying when I said I didn't have a swimsuit. I ordered one the day you asked, it arrived just yesterday, but still I couldn't swim."

"Why not? You clearly wanted to, and before you say you didn't I know-"

"I can't swim."

"What? You can't swim?" Had to make sure I heard that correctly. 

"Like… really?"

"Yes, master."

Well, talk about an exercise in futility.

"...wanna learn? Mom and Dad said I'm a natural," I offered.

"You misunderstand, young master. I can not swim. Specifically; it hurts to. At least for long periods of time," her hand traces her leg.

"I can float in place, but extraneous activities aggravate my… handicap." She made a small smile. "I don't really think I'm the best person to teach it," she then went on explaining how she literally can not swim. Her leg injury gets aggravated by the constant paddling. For a small amount of time it's negligible, but for long periods, unknown. 

She honestly didn't know how long she could stay afloat in the water, as she didn't even want to try it. Simply aware of her own limits she doesn't even try so as not to injure/embarrass herself. 

It would be unbecoming to teach a student something you can not do. Or atleast, that's her thinking. 

"So you're not even sure, if you can or cannot swim, and just assuming?"

"It's a fair judgment, based on the situation Rudy," she justified. "You've sparre with me, remember."

I get it, but I don't like it. That defeatist mentality kinda pisses me off.

"There's also Lady Zenith and master Paul. specifically miss Zenith. Madame doesn't have many moments with the young master, I thought that this would be a good opportunity for you two to bond. Your mother was quite happy today."

Ah, that. 

Well, there are many reasons, but in the end it's actually quite simple; I just can't. Zenith and Paul are a little dense, but not oblivious. It helps that Paul focuses mostly on training, rather than my personality, but I feel that if I stayed with Zenith long enough, she would know that something is up. I can play a kid for a short while, but I might slip in my act from time to time. As long as it's not often I should be able to get away with it, but I don't think I could pull such an act for long periods of time.

Lilia is an exception, as she knows I'm not normal, I know that she knows, and she knows that I know that she knows. So I'm free to be myself around her. Not the same for Zenith.

"As for Paul… I'd be uncomfortable under his stares…"

"I can kind of understand that," I said, and get a leer for what it's worth. Yeah, had that coming. "But, you still want to swim don't you?"

"..."

Lilia nods her head silently. "Even I want to let loose every once in a while," she mumbled into her lap, as she hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

"I see. Alright, that's all I needed to hear. Let's let loose," I say more to myself than anything else. I walk over to her, before bowing down and looking at her at eye level. "Let me show you something amazing."

Walking away from her I decide to break my magic ban. 

It's showtime.

"Ladies and-" the ladies and gentleman speech doesn't work for a crowd of one does it. "Well… just Lady, sit down and let the show begin." 

Alright here goes nothing I suppose. "Trace on," jumping into the water I paddle until I am a small distance from the shore.

I raise my hand, and raise the water along with it. "Water ball," I make a water ball, before proceeding to split apart, then I give it momentum, and let it spin, it goes in a circle around me. Using its own momentum, and my own body as an anchor it's now going in circles. "Water ball…" I repeat again… again, and again, until I have five water balls spinning around me. "Wind rise," I hit the water balls in sequences making for short splashes.

Now that the shock part is over with, it is time for the awe. 

I keep creating water balls again, and again. My hands moving, conducting them, moving them as I will. Spinning them around me again, and again. Paddling in place I am the center of this storm. I'm floating on a bubble, I let my will whirl, and my bubbles spin with me. 

A whirlpool of bubbles. Dazzling in the twilight, as I dance a bubble too overhead, creating an array of mirrors. An array of water.

"Icy wind."

And then I give them form.

Using all the moisture that I've kicked into the air, I now start using it to form figures. I made a butterfly. A star. A flower. Anything simple, and easy to make, while subtly freezing them for a moment when I release the shape onto the air. With all the moisture I've kicked up, the setting sun sets up just enough light to bounce off the ice shards I've made. It's not quite an ice sculpture, but it's impressive in its own right.

Or at least I hope it is. Didn't have time to rehearse this, so have no idea if the light is hitting the intended angles. Should have done this under a full moon, rather than a sunset.

But I keep going regardless.

Throwing my arms out I am a conductor, and water is my instrument, and so I keep playing… until the show ends.

…trace off…

I stop. 

"Whew," breathing out in relief, I turned towards her, and wondered what her reaction is

She is silent, staring at me with open eyes, and a little, I'd like to think at a loss for words. 

Why thank you~

Noticing my stare she starts to clap slowly .

"Thank you, thank you," I'm a bit tired, but not exhausted, just enough for one little thing. I walk around the bonfire, and reach down my hand to her, "Do you trust me?"

She reaches for my hand tentatively, "....yes," and lets me lead her to the pond..

We paddle and continue to drift, until we're back in the center. 

Splash. I splashed her a bit. "You can let loose now Lilia. I'm controlling the water with your legs, I'll be the water beneath you. How does it feel?"

"Like I'm floating on air." 

"Yep, so how about a game of marco polo?"

"Marco?" Right, right, other world old references.

"Exactly." 

///

What follows was a series of blind tag, aka marco polo, where a Maid is trying to find a young boy in the middle of a lake with her eyes closed.

Funny thing, with her eyes closed she didn't notice the smile on her face. 

A beautiful redhead smiling at me splashing water as she doggy paddles here and there.

"Got you," she caught me.

"You got me," I wrap my hands around her. 

Honestly, this is more tiring than I thought I'd be, controlling the water constantly, but the prize was worth it.

"You're beautiful Lilia," as we float there in the middle of the pond with the sun now fully set, I say such things. "...in your swimsuit that is…" I let the moment pause, just enough for her to know the hidden meaning.

The original plan was to get closer to Lilia, have her fall for me, and even if I failed I would have gotten close to her enough that I could convince her to pursue someone that cares for her in body and heart. I would be sad, back then, with the second option, but I could do it.

Now though… Now I don't want to fail.

Gotta take it calmly, don't want to scare her off.

Flick. 

She flicks me in the forehead, before lightly chuckling into her hands. "Say such things when you're older Rudy," she smiles.

Not the intended result, but you can't go wrong with a smile.

Yeah… she got me.

///

Roxy [POV]

Eh? This is…

I am currently at the lakeside, as I look over… something.

Rudy, and the maid are hugging in the middle of the pond.

As Miss Zenith was preparing the evening meal, I was preparing the books for the night lessons upstairs wondering where Rudy was. I asked his parents, and they said that he left a book back at the pond.

…except the books are all home with me.

Going back to the pond, the sun had just set, and my student seemed to be trying to court his own maid.

…she doesn't seem to be too against it.

"Ahem," I coughed into my hand.

"Roxy?" My disciple and the maid turned their heads to see me at the bedside. She pushed herself off my disciple's grasp and started floating a hand's reach away.

"Your night lessons will start soon. I heard you left a book here, funny… all your books are back at home," I spoke to my disciple as the maid silently drifted back to the bedside, to a bonfire.

"Are they? My mistake. Must have lost my mind with all the fun I was having."

And what fun were you having, disciple?

"Anyways, let's go. Any longer and your parents will worry. Children shouldn't be out at night,"

"Sure~" my disciple got out of the water nonchalantly, and made for his clothes. Where the maid was already changing. Putting back her maid uniform over her…

What a scandalous swimsuit…

A short moment later, and they were both dressed accordingly. We walked home along the way my disciple entered into casual banter about the day's proceedings, not a bit embarrassed of how I caught him in a lie, or his earlier entanglement with the maid.

It's alright, it's alright. He's just a child.

Such a monologue went through my head until we entered the home. It's not like… it's not like it's mutual right?

Turning my head to the maid in question, she was walking a steady distance behind us, until we entered the building. 

As Rudy enters the home I let out some thoughts, "Rudy has quite a crush on you doesn't he," I say as I stand by the door not going in yet.

"Yes, it would appear so," came an eloquent reply.

"You seemed to be having fun."

"...Rudy is a very charming child." 

That's true. Still though…

"I hope you're careful when addressing his feelings. I don't think his parents would quite like it if he's heartbroken by the maid."

"Rest assured, Miss Roxy, I will respond to Rudeus' feelings appropriately, and when the time comes, I will respectfully, and kindly turn him down."

"I see…" Perhaps it's not mutual. 

Although the image still lingers; of her smiling face while embracing my student in the middle of nowhere. Followed by a more insidious thought she once heard rumors of in the past.

Tales of how young maids would sometimes try to seduce young masters, in the hopes that they would make them their wife or concubine.

No, no no no, there's no way she's that kind of woman. That disciple of mine is putting weird thoughts into my head.

"Miss Roxy?" 

In my turmoil I failed to notice that I've been blocking the door for a while.

"Ah, sorry. Got lost in thought. But thank you for your understanding. Zenith has prepared dinner for us today, I'll send Rudy down shortly," I open the door and make my way to my student's bedroom where the night lessons will soon begin, and hopefully rest for a bit.

Ahhh, my head. Only my disciple could give me such a headache during a vacation.

After a day's worth of excitement, I couldn't wait to get back to regular magic lessons. 

Still though, better a disciple that worries the head than one that worries the heart.

And it's only been a year, hopefully the upcoming year will be peaceful… 

Right?