A Wonderful Fairytale of a Wonderful Holy Maiden

...Let's take a break, Fujimaru.

What's with the look?

...Everything's getting jumbled up in my head, so I want to decompress. Come and join me at the beach.

Can't you at least ay something polite, like "It would be my honor" or something?

What do you think this is, one of Shakespeare's plays? Can't you just say "sure" like a normal person?

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...What is it now? Think I was gonna gripe at you no matter what you said there?

Yeah, I was! Got a problem!?

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...I'm stuck on where to take the story from here.

If we use the drafts we have now, I think the story will feel like it's dragging on a bit.

But I'm worried that if I cut scenes to speed things up, later developments are gonna feel contrived.

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N-no way! We need those scenes for world-building!

...Then again, reading it over now, I'm more embarrassed than anything. I guess world-building isn't really that important...

The readers aren't gonna care how the world got the way it is, or what its god is like...

What do you think? Do you think it feels tedious? Is it okay to linger on the details like this?

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...All right, I'll stick with it then.

It's so quiet here...

Whoa... Did you hear that? I think it might've been a dolphin.

You don't see those every day. Let's go look for it!

No way.

That squirrel thing only knows how to say its own name, anyway.

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I think it came from around here.

Oh, hello, you two. Taking a moonlit walk on the beach? Hehe, that's so romantic!

You're dead.

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It's okay, Master.

As her big sister, I understand very well what she's like.

You're not my sister.

...Wait, never mind that. What's the deal with that dolphin behind you?

Hehe, isn't he adorable?

As it turns out...

Thank you, Ms. Holy Maiden!

Yay! I've always wanted a picture with Jeanne d'Arc!

Not at all. It was my pleasure.

Huh? What was that...?

Well hello, Mr. Dolphin. What are you doing here?

Oh no. You're hurt...!

All right...

In the name of the Lord, I appoint you my familiar.

There you go. Now you can come with me.

What kinda fairy-tale crap is that?

Don't go around making more familiars just 'cause you feel like it!

And what's with those glasses, anyway!? You tryin' to be cute or something?

Teehee☆

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Hehe, while we're on the subject, I actually still have one more transformation up my sleeve.

I don't know when I'll get to show it to you...

...so for now, I'll settle for taking out these coconut crabs alongside my familiar here, Reece.

Guess this means I'll be having coconut crab for dinner! Yum!

...Uh, "yum" is not a word that comes to mind when I look at them...

Get out of here!

...So what about you, Ms. Holy Maiden? How's your book coming along?

Oh my, are you worried about me? As your sister, that makes me really happy.

How many times have I gotta tell you we aren't sisters!? We're not even related you dumbass!

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I know! It just sorta came out before I realized what I was saying!

We're doing fine, thank you. Hehe, in fact, we're almost done.

I've got all the dolphin reference material I need, thanks to my office assistant Reece here.

My story this year is about summer, the sea, and dolphins, and I'm going to make sure it turns out wonderfully!

Oh yeah? So you're not following up on the witch, princess, and monster story, huh?

I was kinda expecting you to do a sequel to that.

Well, whatever. See you around, Ms. Holy Maiden.

Come on, Master.

While Little Miss Holy's out taking a walk, we're gonna catch up as much as possible!

... ...

Hmm... Looks like things are getting interesting!