THE CRIMSON EYED WITCH

Volume 3 Intro

"The sea... it's so nice and calming. Don't you think so, Shiro?"

Airi asked me. She was leaning over the balustrade and looking through the glass walls preventing any idiot from falling over.

"Yes, yes. It's nice."

I told her. Miles and miles of piss and excreta along with disgusting violent creatures in a fake serene environment where the strong live happily. Truly an enjoyable place.

"Shiro."

Airi called out my name. From my chair, I looked up and could see her pouting. I groaned then removed my sun glasses.

"Go have fun with your ocean or whatever."

I told her, but she came to me and started poking my cheeks. I tried my best to ignore her. Heavens know I did, but this girl was really persistent, wasn't she?

"Uwa~ Stop torturing me Airi!"

"Hmm..."

She kept on pouting and poking me, begging for my attention.

"Come on, let me finish reading this book~"

"You promised to have fun with me today."

"Airi-chan."

She was glaring daggers at me.

"You know what? Go change your clothes and then let's go explore the ship. By then I should have been done with this and we can go hunting for your beloved Ayanokouji-kun."

"Uwaa~ Don't say it like that!"

She was waving her hands frantically and her face was piping red. She was practically a tomato at this point.

"What? You don't like him?"

'N-No! W-wait! I-I mean I d-do. But uwaa-"

She put her hands to her face, almost as if she had overloaded at that point. Well that was enough teasing for now.

"Go change into something more comfortable other than the school uniform. I'll be waiting for you."

She nodded and walked away. I myself was in a simple white dress.

I sighed then looked up at the sky. I could hear seagulls squawking. The salty scent of sea came in as a cool breeze that gave me goosebumps, countered by the mid-summer heat. The rocking of our mighty ship against the almighty sea's waves. The running about of happy and care-free high schoolers. This was our well-deserved summer vacation after enduring so many trials.

A two week trip to an island owned by the school with a dormitory on board for us. Or so I heard from Horikita-senpai. Although because it came from him I was all the more suspicious of this information.

"Ha! This all stunt is quite unimpressive, no?"

To my side, an annoying voice came. I didn't want to look at the owner of the voice because I knew who it was.

"From the expression on your face you must have seen something way more impressive than this outside the school, princess."

He kept on talking. He even lied down on one of the chairs.

"To what do I owe the honour of a meeting with the heir of the Koenji Conglomerate?"

I asked a wet Koenji next to me. He must have just left the pool.

"Honour? I suppose you are right. It truly is an honour to be sought after by me."

He boasted, not noticing the sarcasm in my voice. This person was quite troublesome still, he was a person of interest to me so I would entertain him for now.