59 — Chapter 59

It’s the third day at the Summer Palace, and it finally feels like summer vacation. After breakfast, the nannies brought Princess Jane and Prince Marcus to the salon. The greetings and kisses were the same as yesterday, but from there, things changed.

“This morning, Richard, Margaret, and Keith—all of you should play with Jane and Marcus in the sea.”

Prince Richard looked like he wanted to continue with the salt-making, but he stood no chance against his delighted younger sister and brother.

“Patience, I’m going to teach you how to swim!”

Prince Keith is full of enthusiasm. I’d really rather pass on his “hot-blooded” coaching. I’d like to believe I can still swim, but I might have to start from the flutter kick. Besides, swimming with clothes on is difficult. Back in my previous life, during a disaster drill in PE class, I once had to wear my gym clothes over my swimsuit and jump into the pool. Seriously, I thought I was going to drown. At that time, I used a bag as a float and managed to stay above water, kicking my way to the edge.

Ah, but seawater might make it easier to float.

Mary helps me into some old clothes. The drawers aren’t my usual undergarments but are made of a fabric as thick as the outer clothing.

“Now, it’s time for sea bathing! I’m so excited!”

I head to the beach with a skip in my step. Several large parasols have been staked into the sand, and deck chairs sit in the shade. Maidservants are standing by in tents, ready to serve drinks. This is some truly “all-inclusive” sea bathing.

“Oh, Patience is here. We’ll do calisthenics before entering the water.”

The only ones truly excited are Prince Keith, Princess Jane, and Prince Marcus. The nannies look like they have their hands full.

“I’ll be resting in the shade. If it gets too hot, I might go in. You go ahead and swim, Patience.”

Princess Margaret brought a book with her. She has zero motivation.

Though I’m not Keith, I know warm-up exercises are important. If your leg cramps up, you’ll drown. I shake out my limbs and stretch my Achilles tendons.

“What kind of silly movements are those?”

Wait—do they not stretch their Achilles tendons in this world?

“Well, whatever. You stay in the shallows with Marcus and get used to the water.”

Princess Jane seems quite active. I thought she was a “Mini-Margaret,” but she’s a different type. Is she a “Keith” on the inside?

I’ll play in the water with the adorable Prince Marcus. He’ll be in the same year as my brother Henry. I hope they get along. Oh, wait—he’s quite well-behaved.

“Prince Marcus, let’s get used to the water little by little, okay?”

Splashed by his nanny, Prince Marcus giggles. So cute.

I’ll join in. Splashing and being splashed. This is fun.

The nanny also brought sand-play toys.

“Prince Marcus, let’s build a castle out of sand.”

Small wooden shovels won’t hurt his hands. And a small bucket.

While I was digging with my hands, the nanny lent me Princess Jane’s shovel.

“Princess Jane doesn’t care much for playing in the sand.”

I suppose not. She’s swimming with Prince Keith. I’m having more fun playing in the sand with Prince Marcus. My “younger-boy-preference” is in full swing.

I fetch seawater in the bucket, dampen the sand, and pack the mound tight. Ah, I accidentally used a bit of lifestyle magic without thinking.

“Amazing! A castle!”

I overdid it. I ended up making it all by myself.

“Prince Marcus, let’s dig a moat for the castle.”

We dig around the castle together, and I use lifestyle magic to firm it up a bit. We fetch seawater in the bucket and pour it into the moat together.

“Brother Richard, look! A moat!”

He brags to Prince Richard, who arrived at the shore a bit late. So innocent and cute.

“This is quite impressive.”

He looks delighted to be praised. Yeah, just watching this makes me happy.

But the peaceful time ended. Prince Keith spotted Prince Richard and came running over. He’s like a puppy. Wait, where’s Princess Jane? He just left her behind. That’s no good.

“Keith, don’t just leave Jane alone.”

See, he got scolded. But Princess Jane had climbed out onto the beach herself and was pestering her court lady because she wanted to swim more.

“Brother Richard, swim with me!”

Told by the court lady that she couldn’t swim alone, she started begging Prince Richard. Hmm? She’ll be in the same grade as my quiet brother Nathius. Well, they are different genders, so it should be fine. But I think I’ll recommend that Nathius skip a grade.

“Come on, Patience, I’ll teach you how to swim.”

It started with putting my face in the water. Yeah, I’m floating.

“You’re unexpectedly good at this.”

Prince Keith is rude as ever, but he’s a good teacher.

“Since you can float, next is the flutter kick. Here, hold this board and kick your legs.”

There’s no kickboard, but I use a buoyant board that feels like cork to practice. Ah, I think I can swim.

“Hey, don’t let go of the—wait, you can swim? No way!”

Because I lack physical strength, I couldn’t swim for long. But I can swim properly.

“I’ll take a short break.”

Patience really has no stamina. I sit in a deck chair next to Princess Margaret.

“A juice for Patience.”

I take the juice offered by a maid and drink it.

“Perhaps I’ll swim for just a bit. You join me too, Patience.”

It seems she’s gotten a little hot. I’ll swim a bit more too. It’s for strength training.

After that, because we had to change for lunch, Princess Margaret dragged the fussing Princess Jane back to the palace. Naturally, I went too. Sea bathing really is exhausting.