Sitting idly by Mia’s side had its limits. Before long, Claire noticed my absence in the water and dragged me back into the surf.

The sea in this world, much like the one in my previous life, was salty and slightly bitter. Claire’s exclamation of, *“Wow, it’s really salty!”* upon entering the water had a comedic undertone that lingered in the air. Even Alice, who had likely never visited the ocean before, timidly dipped her finger into the water for a taste. I made a mental note that, for the sake of preserving royal dignity, she would never utter those …