125 - - Izumi no Naka, 123 times.

Sylphy guides us to the forest of the living earth to get aquatic plants and small fish to release into the pond. We take a walk in the forest, collect medicinal herbs, and have lunch.

Normally, this would have been a special and delicious experience, but since we had done the same thing in the labyrinth forest, lunch ended without much freshness. Next time, let's prepare well and have a barbecue instead of just having an idea.

"Yuta, it's finally your turn to be a big sister!"

While we were relaxing a little after dinner, Dine came up to me and said happily, "I'll be back in a few days. I wondered if it was because we were by the fountain that she seemed to be having a bit of fun.

"Yes, I need you to help me with the collection at the fountain. I'll leave it up to Deanne to figure out how to do it, but please make sure it's not dangerous."

"Hmmm. I'm on it!　Hey, Yuta, what do you like?　Something like avoiding water, or being able to breathe underwater."

Both are awesome. Well, it would be easier to collect if the water is avoided, but it would be a shame to come to the fountain in the heat and not be able to touch the water. But I also don't understand the logic of being able to breathe underwater. What would make it possible to breathe?

"Deene, how do you make it so you can breathe in the water?"

When I asked him about it, he tilted his head back and said, "I'm sorry.

"You have to put a spell on it."

I know, right? I understand the look on your face when you ask me why I do that. It's not logic, because it's magic.

"Well, you're the one who breathes underwater, right? I'll explain it to Sara and the others.

"You can breathe under water as long as the magic is working. I'll keep the duration of the spell at least for today.

The explanation was very simple.

"Okay, thank you, Dine. Sara, Marco, Kikka, come here a minute."

Sarah and the others came up to my voice and I simply explained to them about underwater breathing. Sara calmly accepts my explanation, Marco's tail is buzzing with excitement, and Kikka's ears are perplexed. It's a three-way tie.

I ask Dine to cast a spell on them for now, but I'm a little nervous because I don't know what's changed. I take out a big pot from my bag and fill it with water.

After taking a deep breath, you put your face in the water. ...... Well, I'm afraid to breathe in this situation. Even if it's magic, if I take a breath here, the water will enter my lungs, right?　Are you okay?　Unprepared, he looks up.　

"Master, how did it go?　Did you make it?　Can I do it, too?"

Marco can't wait to hear what I have to say, and he asks me with his tail wagging. I couldn't tell him that I couldn't breathe because I was scared in this situation, because of my master's dignity.

"Uh, I'll try again in a minute.

For a moment, the devil whispered to me that I should use Marco as a test subject, but I overcame the temptation with my strength. Using a child as a test subject is not only a position of a master, but also a human being's fault.

I put my face to the pot once more and breathe in with determination. The liquid enters his lungs, but he can breathe normally, although he feels a little uncomfortable and not faint. After taking a few deep breaths in the water, even the initial discomfort fades away and you feel as if you are breathing air normally, except for the sensation of the water.

I looked up with the water in my mouth to see what happens to the water in my lungs, and sure enough, the water that filled my lungs turns into air as soon as I exhale. Amazing magic.

"Master. How was it?　Hey, can I try?"

Marco asks again. Marco seems a lot more like a normal boy these days than he did when he was so guarded.

I can breathe normally. You can try it if you want, but just wait a minute while I change the water.

I couldn't bear to let Marco suck the water that had circulated through my lungs in the cramped confines of the pot. I quickly dumped out the water, cleaned it, and filled it with new water, and Marco plunged his face into the pot without hesitation.

I wondered if water could get into Marco's pectoral fins after all this time.　After a while of observation, Marco looked up and saw me with sparkling eyes.

"Master. That's great!　It's not creeping me out!　It's not painful at all, even though I'm in the water."

"I see. I'm glad you don't feel any discomfort. I guess I can go to the fountain now. Sarah and Kikka, would you like to try it?

I asked them if they wanted to try it, and they both said they would, so we took turns changing the water and trying it. Sarah breathed easily, but Kikka looked up without breathing for the first time, perhaps out of fear. I explained that Marco and Sarah were fine and tried again. This time she breathed successfully without any problem.

"Now we can collect in the fountain without any problem. First we need to collect the water plants, so dig them out carefully so as not to tear the roots to shreds, and put them in this pot. Sylphy and the others will be your escorts.　　　

"Okay."

"Where's Beru?"

Belle comes swooping in and asks what her role is.

"Belle and the others will be catching small fish and other water creatures later, but until then, you'll be helping me.

"Yessssa!" "Coo-coo-coo!" "Yessir!" "Coo-coo!" "Coo-coo!"

Bell and his friends are reminded of that reply when they come to the watering hole. They prepare to enter the fountain with a light air of optimism. Marco and I are in our underwear. Sarah and Kikka are ladies, so they're wearing cotton tops and bottoms. I guess it doesn't matter that they're kids, but apparently not.

I thought it was unnecessary since they can breathe underwater, but we all untie ourselves.

"Wow, it's pretty cold.

Touching the spring, we were surprised at the difference in temperature between the water and the surrounding temperature. Perhaps it is cold because of the abundance of spring water. It seems dangerous to get into the water all at once, so I soak myself in the spring while slowly adjusting my body to the water. I wouldn't mind if I were alone, but I don't want my kids to have a heart attack or something.

"I know it's a little late for this, but can Sarah and the kids swim?"

I didn't ask the important question. In the first place, do children have the opportunity to swim in this world?

I've never swum before, and neither have I and Kikka.

I guess you've never swum before.

"...... Well, you can breathe, so you'll be fine. I'll show you how to swim easily and you can try to imitate me.

He dived into the fountain and performed the breaststroke. It doesn't matter if your form isn't perfect or not, as long as you can move, you can do it.

He can breathe, his level is up, and he is strong enough. Within ten minutes, as I had imagined, he was swimming around the fountain with ease. While I was teaching him to swim, I learned one more thing. He can speak and speak normally. Amazing magic.

"I'm going to start collecting now..."

The inside of the fountain was more beautiful than I had imagined, and we played there for quite a while. Sarah and the others said that they felt uncomfortable in the forest unless they had to work, but in the fountain they were having too much fun to think of anything to do but work.

The clarity of this spring makes us feel like we are flying if we don't feel the water on our skin. Moreover, it must be fun to be able to move freely at your own will, instead of flying with Sylphy flying you around.

I also look around the fountain while playing with Belle and the others, riding on the stream of water that Rain woke me up. It's a lot of fun, but I'm having too much fun in the fountain. Sylphy stopped Bell and the others at first, but I guess it didn't matter.

We gather Sarah and the others and start collecting. We ask Sarah and the others to collect aquatic plants by their roots and put them in a pot. Fish and other aquatic plants seem to be delicate, so it's better to put them in the pot too.

I'll store the mud and grass at the bottom of the spring for now. I still don't understand the rationale behind this decision.

I try to scoop the bottom of the fountain with the magic shovel and store it, but then I stop. Storing things in water is kind of scary. I can store things that are touching my body, but won't something scary happen if there is water all around me ......?

Can you store it well only on the shovel?　On land, they are exposed to the air, but what about the air?　If we want to be safe, we should store them after they come up on land, but that would be a hassle.

We should be able to store only the mud on the shovel, since we are conscious of storing it with what we touch. If it starts sucking in water, we should just refuse to store it.

I stored the shovel with a little nervousness. The mud on the shovel and the aquatic plants disappeared and only the aquatic animals remained. We will have the belles secure the aquatic animals at once on our way back to the site. After we have scooped enough mud and water plants several times, we decide to collect various kinds of aquatic plants together with Bell and his friends.

Bell and the others will search all over the spring and call me when they find unusual aquatic plants. Rain will then manipulate the water and send me to the desired location.

Then, I go to ...... to collect the plants that Bell and his friends point out to me, and I feel like I'm being entertained, or maybe I should say that I'm being served. Well, I guess it's all right since Bell and his friends are happy.

When we all came out of the spring and checked the pots, there were enough water plants in four big pots. For efficiency, it would have been easier if I had shoveled the plants into the pots, but that would have been too tasteless. Now all I need to do is to catch some small fish from the fountain and some aquatic animals such as shrimp, king crabs, frogs, etc., and put them in the pot.

But first, we need to do something about our wet bodies. When we used the pool at the fountain house, we let it dry naturally, but with the kids around, that's not good.

"Dene, Rain, can you do something about the water on our clothes and body surfaces?"

I asked her anyway, and she said, "It's easy!" and removed the water in an instant. Her pants were completely dry, but her skin was left with just the right amount of moisture. What a trick! I thanked her and moved on to the next task.

"Rain, would you take the lead in catching the little creatures from this spring and putting them in this pot?"

"Cue-ooo."

As I asked, Lane let out a loud cry and flew to the fountain. Belle and the others followed behind. A ball of water floated up from the water. Belle is carrying the ball toward us, flying with a swish.

"Yoo-tah, here!"

Belle brought a small ball of water wrapped in her hands, which contained a small fish. I see... So the water animals caught by Rain are brought by Belle and the others.

"That's great. Well, put him in the pot."

"Yes, sir."

Belle dropped a ball of water into the pot, and the small fish inside began to swim freely. After Belle, Tulu and Tamamo also flew toward us with a ball of water.

Tulu was somewhat stable, but I was a little nervous to see Tamamo, a little fox cub, carefully carrying the water ball with her paws. The creatures that Lane was catching were being thrown into the pot by Belle and the others.　

"Tulu, that's enough, go get the others."

"Okay."

There are many creatures swimming in the four pots. That should be enough for the first time. I pet and praise Lane profusely when he comes back.

"Okay!　All we have to do now is hurry home. Sarah and the others, please repatriate Fuchu and the others."

We thank Dene and Dolly for their support from the outside and send them back to the Fountain House. The belles who are looking into the pot are also sent back.

"Well then, Sylphy, I know it will be hard with the pots and pans, but please do it as soon as you can.

"Yes, let's go."

At the same time as Sylphy's words, I, Sarah, and the pot float up and depart for the Fountain House. I'm going to ask her to pump air into the pot in case we need to use it as an air pump, but I'm not sure if it will work.