Swoosh…
Swoosh…
Clatter, clatter…
Huff, huff…
Sway, sway…
The distinct sound of waves reached my ears. It seemed like the place hadn't changed since I fell asleep. I could feel the unique sensation of being carried and the heavy breathing of someone. My position felt cramped, but my hands were touching something soft. What on earth was going on?
When I opened my eyes, I saw a lot of round, large rocks and someone's tanned, healthy-looking legs. It seemed I was being carried.
"Um, excuse me?"
Not knowing what else to say, I started with an apology.
Jolt.
The person carrying me clearly flinched. I must have startled them.
"Oh, you're awake?"
A moment later, a slightly breathless voice responded. From the sound of it, it was a girl.
My position was cramped, and I could only look downward or backward, so I couldn't see her face.
"What's going on?"
"You were lying unconscious on the beach, so I'm carrying you. This area gets submerged, so we need to hurry…"
She sounded like she was pushing herself hard, her breathing labored.
"I'm sorry. I can walk on my own, so you can put me down."
I didn't want to impose too much. As a guy, I wanted to make a good impression on a girl.
"That's good to hear, but… the ground here is dangerous right now…"
True to her words, the rocks underfoot were almost perfectly round, rolling with each wave and shifting with every step. The footing was indeed unstable. She was wearing sturdy-looking trekking boots, while I was barefoot—completely unsuitable for walking on this rocky coastline.
"I'm sorry. I'll take you up on your offer."
I decided to accept her help. It's best to listen to someone experienced.
---
"We should be fine around here."
The rocky area seemed to be behind us, and the coastline gave way to a steep, zigzagging path that looked somewhat maintained.
"Let's take a break. Huff…"
She wobbled as she set me down, then collapsed onto the grassy ground, clearly exhausted.
She seemed like a bold, spirited person.
She lay there, hiding her face, breathing heavily.
"Thank you. I really appreciate your help."
I expressed my gratitude sincerely.
"No, no, it was nothing."
She waved her hand dismissively, avoiding eye contact.
I took the opportunity to observe her more closely. She had a healthy, active build, which made sense given she'd been carrying me, a full-grown man, all this way.
Her outfit consisted of a short-sleeved shirt and half-pants, with light-colored sunglasses. Despite her light clothing, she wore heavy trekking boots and a rugged shock-resistant watch. Her exposed skin was tanned, with clear tan lines at her sleeves. In a word, she looked… kind of sexy.
(She's pretty…)
She looked to be around 20 years old. I hadn't seen her face clearly yet, but I couldn't help but think she was beautiful.
As for me, I was wearing something like white pajamas or a yukata, with no memory of how I got here or why I was dressed like this. My mind was foggy, and I couldn't recall anything.
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Well, there's a lot I'd like to ask, but do you think you can explain anything?"
"…Not really."
I couldn't explain anything.
"In that case, what should we do? For transportation, do you want a red-and-white Hiace, a Panda Crown, walking, or a light truck?"
She sat up and suddenly asked me a strange question.
"Uh…?"
"If that's too confusing, let me rephrase: do you want to call 119 (ambulance), 110 (police), or go to my place? Whether we stop by my house is up to you…"
She pulled out what looked like a cell phone from her pocket and glanced at me expectantly.
"Either way, you're a guy, so you'll be welcomed. You'd be welcome at my place too. But the first two options are probably necessary."
She made it sound like I'd be welcomed no matter what, though I wasn't sure what she meant by that…
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a large, somewhat plain brown butterfly flying by.
"Ah…"
I instinctively followed it with my eyes and let out a dumb sound.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's just… I've never seen a Great Purple Emperor butterfly in motion before…"
It was a pretty rare insect, at least to me.
"I see…"
Her response was lackluster. I figured bug talk probably didn't interest girls much.
"If it's a female, there are plenty around. If it's a male, though, it'd be a big deal."
She followed my gaze, her head tilting slightly before she replied. It was an odd response, but it was true—the Great Purple Emperor butterfly had striking blue-purple patterns on the males, while the females were mostly brown and far less eye-catching. Females probably didn't get much attention.
"Wolbachia's been spreading, after all."
Her reply grew even more cryptic, with a hint of bitterness. Was it some kind of disease?
---
Author note :
Wolbachia is a parasitic bacterium that infects insects, spreading through maternal transmission. It alters the eggs at an early stage, turning all offspring into females. Since male sperm cells are too small for the parasite to infect, it targets the larger egg cells, ensuring its spread through the female line. Over time, this leads to an all-female population. While Wolbachia's infection of insects is real (with Niigata and Sado Island being notable hotspots in research papers), its ability to infect humans is purely fictional.
That said, considering that mitochondria in human cells also spread through maternal transmission, the idea isn't entirely far-fetched.
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This novel has been lovingly translated by https://www.patreon.com/Jenuinez_translation