プレイヤーの姿はというと、釣りをしているのが数人だけ。
キツネさんの話によると、安全エリアの端っこの方にプレイヤーがほとんど居ない一画があるのだそうだ。
八人で来るはずが、男女合わせて数十人に膨れ上がった面子と共に俺達はビーチに向かった。
女子はゲームの『水着』に万が一の不備がないか確かめてから来るということで、先に男達だけでの到着となっている。
「色々あったようでござるが、結果的に女子が増えて拙者は幸せ! 代わりに野郎も増えたでござるけど」
「お前って奴は......あんまり素直過ぎるのも人としてどうかと思うぞ?」
キツネさんが急遽声を掛けたにしては、“凜”と“匠”のメンバーの集まりは良かった。
さすがに若いメンバーが中心で、ある程度落ち着いた年齢の人は数人しか居ないが。
「それよりも、俺は後ろの人達の格好が気になって仕方ないんだが」
「釣りをしていたプレイヤーに二度見されたでござるからな......拙者、忍者も和装も好きでござるけど、あれはちょっと」
「何を言う! 和装で海と言ったらこれだろう! だっはっはっは!」
ユキモリさんが呵々と笑う。
そんな彼を含め、彼ら和風ギルドの水着(?)は『ふんどし』だった。
それらを引き連れて歩くのは、実に恥ずかしい上に絵面的にも暑苦しい。
誰もおかしいと思わなかったのだろうか? みんなでやれば大丈夫、という集団心理は時に恐ろしい。
緑の透き通る海に、輝く白い砂浜......トビじゃないが、そんな場所に居るのが男だけという今の状況は味気ないな。
「渡り鳥の! あんたら最高だぜ! 夏を先取りして女性陣の水着姿が拝めるとは......!」
「しかもあの勇者ちゃんのだぞ!? 他のメンバーも可愛い子が沢山居たしな!」
ユキモリさんを中心に、彼が率いる前衛組は比率的若い男性が多い。
ゲームもやるけど現実ではスポーツをやってるぜ! という感じのガタイのいい人が多く、それがまた暑苦しさに拍車をかけている。
口々に目当ての子の水着姿が楽しみだと囃し立てているのを聞いて、発起人であるトビが偉そうに「うむ」と頷く。
「いやいや、“凜”の女性陣もレベルが高いでござろう? こうなれば我らの意志は一つ! 今日は節度を弁えつつ、存分に目の保養を楽しもうぞ!」
「「「おおー!」」」
この年代の男が集まると、どこだろうと似たような雰囲気になるな。
高校の体育祭の時の男子連中がこんな感じだったはず。
女子の誰それの体操服姿がどうとかで。
「本体さん、渡り鳥の女子の水着はどういうのにしたんです? 本体さんが作ってたってキツネ姉さんから聞きました!」
「あ、いや、何も今ここで説明を求めなくても。そういうのは見てのお楽しみで良いんじゃないかな?」
そばかすがチャームポイントの短髪の少年がワクワクしたような目で俺に話しかけてくる。
俺は急遽木の骨組みと明るい色の布とで自作したパラソルを立てつつ、今の内に飲み物も用意した方が良いか? などと考えながら適当に答えた。
すると彼は「それだけ凄いんすね!? 楽しみっす!」と勝手に納得して仲間達の元へ戻っていった。
みんな浮ついてんなぁ......あ、どうせなら砂浜でビーチバレーとかどうだろう?
確か前にエルフ耳と一緒に作ったゴムボールがインベントリに入れっぱなしだった気がする。
ごそごそと持ち込んだパラソルの下でポーチを漁っていると――
「やっほー、待ったぁ? ――って、うわっ! アハハハハハ! ウチの男連中、本当にふんどし着けてる! バッカじゃないの!?」
キツネさんの賑やかな声の少し後に、男性陣から「おおっ!」という声が上がった。
それの視線を向けると、白い砂浜に負けない光を反射する肌色が目に飛び込んでくる。
キツネさんを先頭に、全員普通の水着を身に着けた女性陣がぞろぞろと砂浜に到着。
そのまま互いの格好を見てやいのやいの言い出したので、何となく乗り遅れてしまった俺はパラソルの下で腰を下ろした。
すると、キツネさんが雑談の輪の間を縫うようにしてこちらに近付いてくる。
「おっ、本体君さっすがぁ。パラソルなんか用意してくれたんだ? こういうのあると雰囲気出るよねぇ」
「別に日焼けはしませんけどね。しかし、やっぱ面は外さないんですか。ビキニの上下に狐の面ってすげえシュールですよね」
「現実でこんなの居たら引くよねー。ま、ゲーム内なんだし気にしないでよ」
彼女のスタイルは非常に女性的で綺麗だった。
ユーミルほど凹凸が派手ではないが、均整が取れていて過不足が無い感じ。
もしかしたらモデルとかなのかもしれないが......顔も隠しているし、余計な詮索は止めておこうか。
「なんか、面をしてるとはいえ私に対して全然無反応だねぇ、本体君。自信無くしちゃう。やっぱりアレを見慣れているからなの?」
「アレ?」
無反応ではなく、表情に出さないように努めているだけなんだけど......。
キツネさんが指差した先では、手を振りながらこちらに走って来る褐色銀髪の女の姿が。
あ、暴れている......何がとは言わないけど、走るのに合わせて上下左右に暴れている!
「ハインドー! どうだ、似合うか!?」
「あ、ああ。似合ってる......ぞ?」
「そうか! お前が言うなら安心だ!」
想像以上に破壊力抜群だ。
直視が辛く、俺は置いてあったボールを手渡して照れているのを誤魔化した。
「ほら、ボールやるからみんなでビーチバレーでもやってこい」
「おっ、それは良いな! なら先に行くが、ハインドも必ず来るのだぞ!」
そう言い残すと、ユーミルは待っていたリコリスちゃんとサイネリアちゃんに合流して走って行った。
どうやらリコリスちゃんがタンキニ、サイネリアちゃんが競泳水着になったようだ。
遠目だが、どちらもよく似合っている。
ふんどしの男達の集団はその後ろを一定距離を保って付いていく。
正直、その動きは傍から見ていてとても気持ち悪い。
っすら筋肉質で引き締まってるのに、女性的な柔らかさがちゃーんと同居してる。卑怯だね、卑怯。ボンキュッボンってやつ? ズルいっ!」
「全くです。そういうキツネさんも、私から見れば敵でしかありませんが」
「ほえ? おっ! 誰かと思えば魔女っ娘ちゃんじゃない! 水着もカワイイー!」
白に近いフリルワンピースの水着を身に着けたリィズが、ぼやきながら俺の隣に座る。
ユーミルほどじゃないけど、リィズと一緒にいくつかの視線が飛んできているのを感じるが......あっ、目を逸らした。
リィズに続き、セレーネさんとシエスタちゃんも騒がしさを避けるようにパラソルの下にやってくる。
「よお、インドア組」
「先輩も人の事を言えないと思いますけど。遠くからだと、荷物番してるお父さんみたいですよ?」
俺の言葉にこう返したシエスタちゃんの格好はスクール水着だ。
こちらも一部分の膨らみがエライことになっているが。
リィズがちらりと見て、即座に苦虫を噛み潰したような顔になる。
「そうは言うけどね。君は積極的に砂浜を駆けまわる俺の姿を見たらどう思う?」
「熱でもあるのかなって思います」
「だろう? ってか、デフォルトで俺に対して失礼だよね。シエスタちゃんは」
「お、またカワイイ子が増えた! よろしく、ねむ子ちゃん!」
「うぃっすー、ねむ子です。眠いんで膝貸してください、お面のお姉さん」
「おお? 物怖じしない子だねー。こりゃ大物だ!」
本当に適応力高いな......。
キツネさんの変な呼び方を気にも留めず、シエスタちゃんはそのまま膝を借りて眠り始めた。
俺はインベントリから事前に用意しておいたグラスとオレンジジュースが入った容器を取り出し、注いでその場のメンバーに配っていく。
氷はベリ連邦産、取引掲示板で買ったものだ。
入れた瞬間に時間が止まるインベントリは、こういう時に本当に便利である。
現実にあったら是非とも欲しい道具の一つだ。
「ありがと、本体君。気が利くなぁー。ウチの男共とは大違い!」
「ありがとう、ハインド君。水着もありがとうね。リィズちゃんにはさっきお礼を言ったんだけど、これなら私でも恥ずかしくないよ。麦わら帽子も良い感じ」
セレーネさんはスカート型のワンピース水着で、帽子も相まって清楚なお嬢様っぽい仕上がりになっている。
思った通りに良く似合い、且つ彼女の魅力を引き出している。
「むむ......そんなあなたは年齢的に私に近い感じがするわ、眼鏡ちゃん!」
「え? えと、あの」
「ああ、良い良い答えなくて! 勝手にそう思っただけだから! それよりも、その水着素敵ね。どこで――って、本体君と魔女っ娘ちゃんに決まってるか! あっはっはっは! 作るところ見てたのにねー。あ、そうそうところでさ! 折角の美人なんだから、水着に合わせて眼鏡を変えてみない? そしたらもっと――」
そして俺が礼に応える前に、即座にセレーネさんに絡んでいくキツネさん。
質問の嵐にリィズがフォローに入ってキツネさんを引き剥がし、砂浜に放り投げてお説教を始めた。
一応正座して聞いているけれど、面のせいで反省しているんだかどうなんだか分からねえな......。
解放されたセレーネさんがほっと息を吐き、俺に小さな声で囁いてくる。
「ですね。ああまで相手によって態度を変えない姿勢は、ある意味尊敬しますけど」
そしてキツネさんが立ち上がった際に膝から落っこちたシエスタちゃんだが、気が付くと俺の膝の上を占領していた。
あれ、いつの間に!?
こっちはこっちで、普段通り過ぎて何のために水着に着替えて海に来たんだか分からんな......。
In terms of players, there's only a few fishing over here.
According to what Kitsune-san said, there seems to be an area close to the edge where there's usually close to no people.
We had planned to come with eight people but that amount had increased to dozens and now we were heading towards the beach.
The girls said that they would come after checking that there was nothing wrong with the {Game's Swimsuits} , so we arrived first.
[A lot of things happened along the way, but I'm so happy that the amount of girls ended up increasing at the end! Though the number of guys also increased too.] (Tobi)
[Guys like you are so...I don't think it's good to be too honest you know?] (Hind)
Even though Kitsune-san had told them with such short notice, she was able to gather quite a few members of Rin and the craftsman side.
As you'd expect from the younger members, there were not many that were the calm and collected type.
[That being said, I can't help but be conscious of the people behind us.] (Hind)
[The players that were fishing had to do a double take when they saw us after all...I, I do like ninjas and Japanese clothing but that thing is a bit...] (Tobi)
[What are you saying!? If you are speaking of Japanese clothing and the sea, it has to be this! Dahahaha] (Yukimori)
Yukimori-san laughed heartily.
Including himself, the members of the Japanese style guild's swimsuits (?) were {Fundoshis} .
Walking alongside them, it felt quite embarrassing and stuffy.
Does no one think that it's weird? I'm fearful of this psychology of the masses that makes people think that it's fine if everyone is doing it.
Green translucent water and shiny white sand...I'm no Tobi but, it's irksome how we are in such a place but it's currently full of guys.
[You guys of Migratory Bird are the best! For us to be able to look at the girls in their swimsuits before summer...!] 
[On top of that, it's that Yusha-chan you know!? I believe that the others girls were all cute too!] 
With Yukimori-san as the center, the vanguard squad he led was predominantly filled with young males.
I might be gaming but I also do sports in real life! A lot of them gave that feeling with their well built bodies, that's also one of the reasons it felt that stuffy.
Hearing how each one of them were looking forward to seeing the swimsuits, the perpetrator Tobi looked pompous and nodded with a [Umu] .
[No no, aren't the females of Rin also quite pretty? In cases like this, our intentions are one and the same! Today, we'll feast our eyes and enjoy it in moderation!] (Tobi)
[[[Oooh!] ] ] 
If you were to gather guys from that age, they would act the same no matter where they are from.
I think that a group of guys in the high school sports festival would give this sort of feeling.
And the girls would be wearing something like PE uniforms.
[True self, what kind of swimsuits did you make for the girls in Migratory Bird? I heard from Kitsune-san that you were the one that made them!] 
[Ah, well, even if you want me to explain right now. Wouldn't that sort of thing be something to look forward to?] (Hind)
A boy with short hair and freckles talked to me while looking really excited.
While setting up a parasol made of a wood stick and light-colored cloth and wondering if it would be fine to prepare the drinks right now, I replied to him without thinking much about it.
Once I did, he reached a conclusion on his own and said [Are they going to be that amazing!? I'm looking forward to it!]  and returned to where his friends were.
Everyone is so restless...ah, since we are at the beach, how about some beach volleyball?
I think I had a rubber ball in my inventory made from that time I was making those elf ears.
Once I started rummaging through the bag I placed under the parasol-
[Yahooo, did you wait long? ---Wait, uwah! Ahahahaha! All the guys from our guild are wearing fundoshis! Are you guys dumb!?] (Kitsune)
Shortly after hearing Kitsune-san's lively voice, the guys raised their voices with a [Oooh!!] .
Once I looked over, skin that wouldn't lose in radiance to the white sand jumped into my sight.
With Kitsune-san leading, the girls wearing normal swimsuits arrived at the beach.
Like that, they all started talking about each other's swimsuits, having been left out somehow, I just sat down under the parasol I had prepared just before.
Once I did, Kitsune-san got away from the idle talk and weaved through the crowd and got closer to me.
[Oh, True Self, as expected of you. You even prepared a parasol? With something like this you can set up the atmosphere.] (Kitsune)
[Well it's not like we can get sunburnt after all. However, you really won't take away your mask? Wearing a bikini top and bottom while wearing a fox mask feels really surreal.] (Hind)
[If I were to wear something like this in real life I would draw a lot of attention after all. Well, we are in a game after all so pay it no mind.] (Kitsune)
Her looks were pretty feminine and pretty.
She didn't look as flashy and uneven as Yumir, however, it gave a sense of having a balance and not lacking anywhere.
Maybe she was some kind of model...she's wearing a mask and all, I better not try to pry any further into it.
[Somehow, True Self, you are able to just have no reaction when you see me even if I'm wearing a mask. I might lose some self-confidence there. Maybe it's because you are used to seeing that?] (Kitsune)
[That?] (Hind)
It's not like I had no reaction to it, I'm just trying my best to not show it on my face though...
When I looked towards where Kitsune-san was pointing at, I saw someone with tanned skin color and silver hair running towards us while waving her hand.
Ah, they are going wild...I won't say what though, while she's running they are wildly going up and down!
[Hind! How is it, does it suit me!?] (Yumir)
[Ah, yeah. It suits...you?] (Hind)
[Really!? If you say so, I'm relieved!] (Yumir)
It had more destructive power than I imagined.
Finding it hard to look directly at her, I picked up the ball I had put down in order to hide my embarrassment.
[Look, I'll give you a ball so go ahead and play some beach volleyball with everyone.] (Hind)
[Oh, that sounds fun! I'll go first then, but you need to come later!] (Yumir)
Leaving behind those words, Yumir ran up to Lycoris-chan and Cineraria-chan, who were waiting for her.
Seems like Lycoris-chan is wearing the tankinini and Cineraria-chan the competition swimsuit.
I'm looking from quite far away, but they both look good in them.
The group of guys wearing fundoshis are following after them while keeping some distance.
Honestly, looking at them acting like that from outside makes me feel creeped out.
[She's amazing...even though she's slightly muscular, she still properly has that feminine softness. Unfair, completely unfair. Is this what they call an hourglass figure? Unfair!] (Kitsune)
[I concur. Though in my eyes, Kitsune-san would also be qualified as an enemy.] (Riizu)
[Eh? Oh! Just when I was thinking who it was, isn't this the Little Witch!? Your swimsuit is so cute!] (Kitsune)
Riizu, who was wearing a one piece swimsuit with frills that was close to the color white sat down close to me while grumbling.
While not at the level of Yumir, I get the feeling that she's gathering quite a lot of attention too...ah, they are averting their gazes.
Following Riizu, Selene-san and Siesta-chan came under the parasol to avoid all the noise.
[Hey, indoor faction.] (Hind)
[I don't think Senpai is one to talk. If you stay this far away, you'll look like a dad keeping an eye on our belongings you know?] (Siesta)
Replying to my words like this was Siesta-chan, she was wearing a school swimsuit.
This one had a certain portion bulging out splendidly too though.
Riizu took a quick glance at her and her expression immediately turned sour.
[Even though you say that. What would you think if you saw me running energetically around the beach?] (Hind)
[I would wonder if you had a fever or something.] (Siesta)
[Right? Wait, you always default to being rude to me right? Siesta-chan.] (Hind)
[Oh, the number of cute girls is increasing! Nice to meet you, Sleepy-chan!] (Kitsune)
[Hi there, I'm Sleepy. I'm sleepy so lend me your lap, masked onee-san.] (Siesta)
[Ooh? This girl is not timid at all. This is bad!] (Kitsune)
She does really adapt really quickly...
She didn't bat an eye when Kitsune-san called her with that weird nickname, then she just borrowed her lap and started to sleep.
I took out a container with orange juice and glasses I had prepared beforehand and started distributing it to the members that were there.
The ice is from the Beli Confederation, I bought it from the trading BBS.
Since time stops for the items when you place them in the inventory, it's really convenient in moments like this.
If this existed in real life, I would definitely want one.
[Thank you, True Self. You sure are thoughtful. Unlike the guys in our guild!] (Kitsune)
[Thank you, Hind-kun. Also thanks for the swimsuit. I also said thanks to Riizu-chan earlier, like this, I won't feel embarrassed either.] (Selene)
Selene-san was wearing a one piece with a skirt, that along with the hat she was wearing made her look like a high class lady.
Like I thought, it suits her. It also brings out her charm.
[Mumu...I can feel that you are around the same age as me. Glasses-chan!] (Kitsune)
[Eh? Eh, uh.] (Selene)
[Ah, you don't have to give me an answer! I was just thinking about it! More importantly, that swimsuit is lovely! Where...wait, True Self and the Little Witch were the ones that decided on it! Ahahaha! Even though I was there when they were making them.
Then, before Selene-san was able to properly thank me, Kitsune-san started pestering her.
Hearing the barrage of questions, Riizu followed up and pulled Kitsune-san away, then he sat her down on the sand and started to give her a sermon.
She's listening to her while sitting down in seiza position but...because she's wearing a mask, I don't know if she's even feeling sorry about it...
Having been released from it, Selene-san gave a sigh of relief and whispered to me in a small voice.
[Yeah. For her to act like that no matter who she talks to, I do kinda respect her in a way.] (Hind)
Also, Siesta-chan had fallen off when Kitsune-san stood up, but somehow, she was now occupying my lap.
Eh, when did this happen!?
This one too, she was acting the same as always, I don't know why she even changed into a swimsuit and came to the beach...
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都