After that, cooking for Milim had almost become part of his daily routine. Whenever she spotted a monster during one of her walks, she would simply catch it and demand that he prepare it, meaning his culinary skills were improving by the day.
Since Milim loved the food, he had no complaints. Still, a small part of him still longed to heal people.
Perhaps it was an occupational hazard, but whenever he looked down from the sky at the human nations and saw people being treated with improper medical methods, he felt an instinctive urge to step in and treat them.
Of course, in this other world, healing magic and potions like Full Elixirs existed, so a doctor like him might not be strictly necessary. However, magic required innate talent, and elixirs required money.
Especially in the case of elixirs—it was said that depending on the grade, they could mend wounds on the very brink of death, but such items surely cost a fortune.
Just then, he sensed a high-energy reaction nearby.
He immediately recognized the signature as Milim.
Vertis braced himself and caught Milim with all his might as she came flying toward him at full speed.
From Milim's perspective, it seemed she believed he had simply reached out to catch her.
When he asked why she had arrived in such a frantic rush, Milim beamed with a bright smile.
"I found the sea! Let's go!"
Milim had discovered an ocean teeming with giant fish and wanted him to accompany her.
"...Alright!"
Accompanied by Milim and Gaia, he arrived at a stunning emerald-blue sea. Having never seen the ocean before, Milim was ecstatic; her eyes sparkled as she shouted.
*Such a deep blue sea. It's beautiful.*
"The ocean!"
Just as Milim's excitement reached its peak, something flew through the air and blocked his vision.
Looking closer, he realized it was the outfit Milim had been wearing.
"Pffft!!"
He nearly jumped out of his skin, cold sweat pouring down his face.
Wait, if her clothes are here, then Milim is currently...
"Milim! Your clothes?!"
"I don't need them!!!"
Before Vertis could utter a word of protest, Milim leaped into the sea completely naked. She dove with such immense force that a colossal wave surged upward, crashing directly over him.
No matter how lacking she was in common sense, stripping like that in front of a man was...
Every time Milim moved, violent waves rolled in, leaving him looking like a drenched rat.
"Is that what she calls playing?"
While he stayed on the shore, attempting to relax with a sand compress, Milim and Gaia eventually returned with deep frowns on their faces. Both were soaked and covered in sand, but since Milim was still naked, Vertis naturally averted his gaze.
To think the forces of nature could leave Milim in such a state. Truly, the power of the wild was formidable.
"It's salty and stings. And for some reason, it's sticky!"
*...Please don't say things that could be misunderstood if someone else heard you.*
"That's because you drank the saltwater. Put your clothes on."
Keeping his eyes fixed elsewhere, he handed her the discarded clothes, and Milim dressed herself.
"My legs feel gross, too."
"Well, you were dragged through the sand and into the water."
Milim stared blankly at the horizon. Despite it being midday, her expression was that of someone watching a melancholic sunset.
It seemed the reality of the ocean was a significant shock compared to what she had imagined.
"Here, eat this and cheer up."
Left with no other choice, he retrieved some emergency rations from his [Storage].
"Chicken?"
"Yes, chicken."
He had stored the remaining portions of the cockatrice Milim had caught previously, rather than eating them all at once.
He hoped this would help her regain her spirits.
"Milim, swimming isn't the only way to enjoy the sea. Hold this."
"What is this?"
"A fishing rod."
It was a simple setup with a line and a hook, and beside it sat a house-sized grasshopper he had caught to use as bait. Given Milim's personality, he worried she might find it boring, but the thrill of the catch was indescribable. He figured as long as they were just fishing, there wouldn't be any major issues. That thought vanished instantly.
He and Milim moved to a rocky outcrop by the beach. After tying the grasshopper to the line, she cast it into the water.
"I'm going to catch a big fish!"
"Right. Good luck."
"I got one!!"
A moment later, something swam beneath the surface, snapped at the bait, and breached the water.
"Uh... Milim? We don't call that a 'big fish'! And it didn't even get hooked!"
The creature was dozens of times larger than Milim. It looked more like a dinosaur than a fish.
Milim hauled the monster up with the tiny fishing rod and delivered a single, devastating KO punch.
It had become a regular occurrence for Milim to effortlessly defeat monsters dozens of times her size and carry them back with one hand. He was used to her strength, but it was still surreal that she could look at that monstrosity and simply call it a 'big fish.'
"Let's grill it!"
Returning to the sandy shore, he quickly set to work. He lit a fire in a makeshift hearth created with Creation magic.
"While I'm cooking, why don't you play in the sand?"
"Play in the sand? You mean play *with* sand?"
He wondered if she had truly never been to a beach before, as she seemed completely unfamiliar with the concept.
"Yes."
"...Do we throw it at each other?"
"No! Don't fight with sand! That's dangerous! I mean making sandcastles or digging holes."
Sand often contains pebbles and shells that can hurt if thrown. Moreover, if Milim were to throw sand, it would cease to be a game and become a lethal weapon.
"I see... Alright. I'll try it. Gaia, let's go!"
"Kyuui—!"
Milim dashed back toward the beach with Gaia.