“This is truly outrageous!” Qin Yu couldn’t help but complain repeatedly as she recalled the events of the previous day upon waking the next morning.
Luo Shangyu silently watched Qin Yu’s grievances from the side.
The conversation from last night had left Qin Yu feeling quite uncomfortable; Valya was targeting her at every turn.
Qin Yu knew that the Fantasy Realm consisted of many small countries, each constantly clashing with one another.
The Chengji Empire had been powerful for many years, and it was only natural for other nations to desire to overthrow Chengji and take its place.
It seemed her country’s future would not be peaceful, especially with the coming great changes in the Fantasy Realm.
The fate of the internally decaying Chengji Empire was unpredictable.
But what good did it do to worry about all this on a vacation?
Vacations were meant for relaxing!
With this mindset, Qin Yu sat down at the breakfast table.
“Today we’re going to exchange the champion prize from yesterday’s beach volleyball match and make the most of the last moments of our vacation. According to the latest news from Sitianguan, the monsoon protecting Amonkote Bay will soon dissipate, allowing the cold air from the Cold Plains to surge into northern Chengji. Late autumn is approaching.” Luo Shangyu outlined the day’s plan.
“Hmm, but can you go swimming with me today?” Qin Yu asked.
“That I can, but if you love swimming so much, can you actually swim?” Luo Shangyu questioned.
“Uh…” Qin Yu fell silent, lowering her head to focus on slicing the cheese evenly to cover her toast.
She dared not look up because Luo Shangyu’s words hit the mark—she wasn’t really a good swimmer.
She could only thrash her hands haphazardly on the water’s surface while kicking her legs desperately to avoid sinking.
‘That’s not a secret, but admitting it openly is so embarrassing!’ Qin Yu thought to herself.
“If you can’t, I’ll teach you!” Luo Shangyu saw through Qin Yu’s awkwardness.
Although they’d only known each other for less than a month, Luo Shangyu already understood Qin Yu’s personality: among familiar faces, Qin Yu would stubbornly argue some facts, but more often than not, she would fall into helpless silence.
Listening to Luo Shangyu, Qin Yu recalled the swimming lessons she had taken in her previous life.
The memories were faint, and she didn’t remember much, but she certainly hadn’t learned much from those lessons.
Noticing the confusion and worry in Qin Yu’s eyes, Luo Shangyu explained, “I’ll personally teach you, step by step, until you get it!”
“That would be wonderful!” Qin Yu sincerely hoped to learn swimming, so she could gain another useful skill.
***
After breakfast, Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu hurried to claim their beach volleyball prize.
The staff carefully verified their names and handed over the first-place gift—a beach lounge chair with a sunshade and an embedded Magic Conduit Array designed to cool the air around it, allowing users to enjoy refreshing coolness on the hot summer beach.
Luo Shangyu beamed with joy upon seeing the chair; it was exactly what she had been hoping for!
She had previously complained that ordinary lounge chairs couldn’t withstand the heat, and now, finally possessing this coveted chair, how could she not be thrilled?
It was truly a treasure for their trip!
Their medals, two small gilded plaques symbolizing their victory, had already been awarded immediately after the match ended yesterday.
With the lounge chair in hand, Luo Shangyu was eager to try it by the sea, but first, she had a more important task—teaching Qin Yu to swim.
Wearing matching racing swimsuits, they walked toward the beach.
Qin Yu wore a dark navy swimsuit that contrasted beautifully with her eyes, one light and one deep shade.
Luo Shangyu chose black, which complemented her golden hair and gave her an elegant appearance.
Qin Yu stepped into the sea, water gradually rising past her waist.
The wet swimsuit clung to her waist and abdomen, outlining faint abs and a slightly rounded belly.
As the water deepened, the buoyancy made Qin Yu feel much lighter.
“This is the spot!” Luo Shangyu held onto Qin Yu.
The seawater had reached just below Qin Yu’s neck, leaving only her head above the surface.
Qin Yu glanced at Luo Shangyu, who was slightly taller, with water just over her chest.
Luo Shangyu began the lesson: “Swimming relies on kicking with your legs and stroking with your arms simultaneously to generate forward thrust. The key is to coordinate both arms and legs working together.”
With that, Luo Shangyu turned and glided gracefully through the water, creating sprays of droplets.
Each movement was precise and flowing, as if meticulously rehearsed, showcasing the beauty of strength.
She circled Qin Yu twice, fully demonstrating the technique.
Qin Yu watched attentively.
As a mage, her memory was greatly enhanced, and she could easily recall Luo Shangyu’s movements.
She was now only a matter of practice away from swimming.
Practice, after all, is the ultimate test of truth.
It was time for Qin Yu to try applying what she’d just learned.
Qin Yu floated prone in the water, her head slightly raised above the surface, and began to paddle with her hands and kick with her feet.
However, her movements were clumsy, resulting in slow progress.
“That’s not right. When your hands sweep outward, they should be fully extended—not bent at the elbows!” Luo Shangyu reminded her.
Qin Yu strained to adjust her hand movements, and indeed, her strokes became more effortless.
“Your legs should kick naturally and lightly when pulling in, don’t overexert.”
***
After swimming for a while, Luo Shangyu noticed that although Qin Yu had grasped the general movements, many details were still incorrect.
“Let me hold your hands and guide you through the motion,” Luo Shangyu said as she approached Qin Yu.
“Huh?” Qin Yu was confused.
“Your form has some serious problems. I’ll hold your arms and lead you through the stroke.” Luo Shangyu clarified.
“Okay.” Qin Yu felt a little embarrassed hearing how flawed her movements were, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Luo Shangyu grasped Qin Yu’s forearm and upper arm, helping her position her arms into the starting pose.
“Please… be gentle with me…” Qin Yu looked up earnestly into Luo Shangyu’s eyes as she spoke.
Immediately afterward, Qin Yu regretted her choice of words—what a terrible line!
Luo Shangyu smiled. “Alright.”
She flipped Qin Yu’s wrist, turning her palm outward, then guided her arm to extend forward and sweep through a quarter-circle, transitioning her hands beneath her body just in front and below the shoulders.
She then coached Qin Yu to pull her arms back to her chest.
***
Thanks to Luo Shangyu’s patient instruction, Qin Yu finally managed to swim decently.
Though her technique was still far from professional, it was much better than her earlier flailing.
By evening, Qin Yu was able to swim steadily behind Luo Shangyu.
***
The sunset bathed the seaside in warm light on their third day.
“What a beautiful sunset.” Luo Shangyu sighed, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
“The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it’s just near dusk!” Qin Yu recalled a poem from her previous life.
“What do you mean by reciting the Domain Spell?” Luo Shangyu was baffled.
‘Damn! How could I forget that in this world, poetry itself is the incantation for Domain Magic.’ Qin Yu silently lamented, though outwardly she remained quiet.
Seeing Qin Yu silent, Luo Shangyu continued, “Our vacation is over. Grand Tutor Yin’s leave for you has ended, and soon you’ll be back to classes…”
(′へ`、)
Hearing the vacation was ending, Qin Yu’s heart broke: ‘I have to go back to studying!’
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.