Bang
A loud boom resounded in the air and a ball streaked like lightning, heading towards the white sand. But before it could even land, a pair of hands blocked it, deflecting it upwards, the sands scattering as a lone figure dove towards the sand
After the ball was deflected upwards, a hand reached out towards it, striking it hard and letting it bolt through the air, barely passing over the net and streaking wildly towards the other side.
Bang Bang Bang
One after another, a series of bangs and booms echoed loudly. They passed, they blocked, they set, and they spiked. The ball was tossed around the place and the players scrambled around, eyes on the balls and the others before them.
Of course, they were playing none other than volleyball! Beach volleyball, that is! A match between husbands. The first team is composed of the King, Kris, Gerd, Cedric, and Abraham, and the second team with the Crown Prince, Jiro, Ross, Fritz, and even the Great Chief who just joined them not too long ago.
And as one would expect, the volleyball game was much simpler than the ones back on Earth. There were only a total of three sets, with a goal of scoring 15 points required to win each set.
They are already in their third and final set, the competition getting fiercer than ever, each spike packed full of power. After all, their beloved wives are watching. They are all determined to win, passion burning in their eyes.
"Your Majesty, here!" ［Gerd］
"Good!... Take this!" ［Ernes］
Gerd set the ball and the King leaped. As he struck the ball, yet another loud boom resounded in the air as it darted towards one of the enemies' corners, almost out the line. It was another point!ー or so it should have been...
But before it could even land, Fritz dove towards the sand and saved the ball, making it bounce upwards. A swift assist from Ross and the ball was back on the court, soon bouncing back to the other side as the Crown Prince tossed it back.
Unfortunately for them, Cedric was already lying in wait. As the ball was flying over the net, he quickly jumped as high as he could and struck the ball at a sharp angle downwards. An unexcited yet amazing spike.
Thud Whisk Whisk
Jiro tried to save the ball, but he was just a step too late. The ball soon landed on the ground, whisking sand around and rolling around a little before coming to a complete stop. It was yet another point for the King's team.
"Hahaha! Good one, Cedric!" ［Ernes］
"I was just lucky, Your Majesty." ［Cedric］
"Well, luck is also a part of one's ability. No need to be so humble." ［Ernes］
With Cedric's point, their tally now comes to 11 against 12, in the first team's favor. A little more and the game would finally be settled. As the game neared its conclusion, all players stretched their bodies once more, readying for the next round.
Most of them were already grasping for their breaths, but there was not a single trace of surrender in their eyes. If anything, they are even more fired up, ready to grasp victory and show everyone who the king of the games was.
"Alright! Here we go!" ［Galleus］
Before long, the game continued and the ball was bounced back and forth over the net once again, everyone giving it their all. If one were to see them, it would be hard to believe that they just learnt how to play it a couple hours ago.
"Fufufu! It's so nice to see Ernes giving it his all for once. It reminds me of our youth. He was so amazing back then... Well, he's still amazing now. Fufufu!" ［Talia］
"Well, Father might be amazing, but I believe Galleus is even more. Don't you think so too, Mother?" ［Natasha］
"My, my, Your Majesty, Your Highness, I believe my Fritz is even cooler, no? Didn't you see his save just now?" ［Eleanora］
"Well, not as impressive as Cedric though." ［Veronica］
As for the wives, they had quite the scary yet interesting topic amongst them. All of them were just gushing about how amazing their husbands were, acting like high school girls talking and comparing their crushes with one another.
And yes, it was scary. After all, though they were smiling, their eyes were really hard to read, showing no clear emotions behind them. All that was certain was that things were not as simple as it seems. Women really are scary.
"What do you think, everyone? Who do you think is the most amazing?" ［Talia］
"Fufufu! I believe everyone is just as amazing, Your Majesty." ［Selia］
"W-Well... For me, I think it's my husband..." ［Marianne］
"I also share the same answer, Your Majesty." ［Alma］
But what was important was that they were getting along with everyone. Their social statuses didn't even matter at the moment, only getting along as women who were cheering for their husbands. A light atmosphere was about them.
And as the volleyball game continued, in the waters, another group of people were enjoying their time. They were the younger ones consisting of the teens and the children, only Aria standing out amongst them.
"Miss Aria, are you sure you don't want to watch Mister Kris' match? I'm sure he wants to show you his cool side." ［Yuna］
"I know, I know, but Yuna, who do you think I am?" ［Aria］
"Umm... You're Miss Aria...?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! That's not what I meant, you silly girl!" ［Aria］
Yuna answered as she tilted her head and Aria giggled in response. To which, Yuna only got more puzzled. But before Yuna's confusion gets any worse, Aria opened her mouth and gave her an unexpected yet very Aria-like answer.
"I'm his wife, remember? If there's anyone who knows just how cool and fantastic he is, that would be me." ［Aria］
A soft and gentle voice resounded in the air, full of confidence as it rang inside Yuna's pointy ears. The speaker in question has a bright smile on her face, cheeks burning a slight reddish hue until the tip of her similarly pointy ears.
Apart from what she said, Kris had already proven not long ago how amazing he was as he presented her with ice cream mochis. Just remembering it makes her heart flutter once again, but there was no need to say such things out loud.
Well, she wasn't the only one whose cheeks were dyed with a rosy hue. Yuna and the others who listened to her also got a share of embarrassment, all thinking just how admirable Aria's words were.
"And Yuna, have you forgotten already? I have 'Hunter's Eye', you know? I can see much further than normal people do. Watching the match from all the way here is not a problem." ［Aria］
"Oh, right! I almost forgot! You did have that, didn't you?" ［Yuna］
"Fufufu! You're surprisingly forgetful sometimes, aren't you, Yuna?" ［Aria］
"Mmn... Just sometimes though..." ［Yuna］
The wind was fresh, the waters were cool, and sunlight was gentle. As they drifted afloat the wavy seas, there was only a light atmosphere about, chatting about all sorts of things as they laughed and played around.
Of course, they weren't too far off from the shore, only a little distance over, enough for them to submerge their bodies up until the chest area. The children were wearing floaters around them, having the best time of their lives as they splashed around,
"Little Princess, are you having fun?" ［Grey］
"Um! Nalia, fun! Play wif Big Bro!" ［Natalia］
"Alright, that's good. But don't go too far the puppies, alright?" ［Grey］
"Um! Nalia, behayve!" ［Natalia］
But perhaps the most eye-catching amongst the group was the Little Princess. Not only was she the youngest, there were also the familiars circling around her like a cohort of knights guarding her. Well, she is royalty, after all.
Not just the princes, the other children were also guarded by the familiars as they swam around with their floaters wrapping around them. Though Grey could easily watch over all of them with his eyes, every bit of help helps.
But as Grey was playing with the Little Princess, he couldn't help but notice a certain person boring a hole on the back of his head with all his staring. It was none other than the Second Prince, Julius, staring very intently.
"Julius, just spit it out if you want to say something." ［Grey］
"Hmm... Nothing really, I just thought what a weirdo you are... Making all these crazy things one after another. I wonder where you get all these ideas from," ［Julius］
"That's none of your business. And don't call me a weirdo, you bastard." ［Grey］
"Ha! Speak for yourself!" ［Julius］
It was the usual, once again. It was a simple topic, yet one way or another, the two always found a way to turn it into an argument. No one is even surprised anymore, easily accepting it as part of their usual lives.
"Natalia～! Come here, play with uncle." ［Julius］
"No! Nalia play wif puppies!" ［Natalia］
"Oh, come on! You've been playing with them since this morning!" ［Julius］
"No! Puppies!" ［Natalia］
Well, no matter how fierce he is against Grey, he is still helpless against his little niece. Though not as much as his father and brother, he still doted on her very much, spoiling her as much as he could. He was just another fool.
Leaving Julius and the Little Princess aside, everyone was having a lot of fun on their own, flapping around like hatchlings learning to fly and splashing water everywhere while they're at it. They were like a school of fishes, huddled up near each other.
"No! You're panicking too much! Just calm down and breathe!" ［Eliza］
"But the water's too salty! It always gets inside my mouth!" ［Galvin］
"J-Just breathe slowly, Galvin! Slowly!" ［Iris］
And by the looks of things, the older ones were teaching the younger ones how to swim. Namely, Elnart, Galvin, and Bella were the ones receiving the instructions. The others were learning by themselves. They were adorable, one way or another.
"Hahaha. How hardworking. Learning how to swim, are we?" ［Grey］
"Ah! Elder Brother Grey!" ［Eliza］
"Yo! Do you need some help?" ［Grey］
Even then, no matter how adorable they looked, Grey can't just leave them by themselves. It was still better if there was an adult supervising them. Everyone's faces beamed brightly as soon as they heard his words... Everyone except one person,
As soon as Eliza heard Grey offered his help, she quickly flinched, cold chills running down her spine. After all, she had experienced first hand just how tough and difficult Grey's teaching style was. Flashbacks of her training flashed before her eyes as she trembled ever so slightly.
"Really? Big Bro Grey would teach us?!" ［Galvin］
"Sure thing! I may not look it, but I was the one who taught your Big Sister Yuna how to swim, you know?" ［Grey］
"Grey, stop lying! I already knew how to swim even before!" ［Yuna］
At the mention of her name, Yuna quickly made a comeback and headed towards where everybody was. She was pouting her face cutely as she tried to express her dissatisfaction over Grey's recent statement.
"My dear Yuna, that wasn't swimming. You were just floating." ［Grey］
"What?! Th-That isn't true! I was moving, you know?!" ［Yuna］
"Yeah, true... But at a turtle's pace, that is." ［Grey］
"Uuu... That's... I wasn't that slow... I think..." ［Yuna］
Yuna tried to retort against Grey, but even she was unsure about her swimming abilities back then. She hates to admit it, but she really was on the slower side, unable to move even a single meter even after all her efforts.
Thankfully, Yuna was a quick learner. Just a single day of teaching and Yuna was already as able as any other. And a couple more practices later, she was already like an olympic swimmer, covering dozens of meters of distance in just a couple seconds.
"Well! Anyway, we'll be teaching you how to swim! Okay?!" ［Yuna］
"""Yaaay～!"""
And skillfully as she could, Yuna quickly changed the topic into something else, not daring to meet Grey in the eyes. Well, not that Grey has any intentions of dragging jt any further. He was already satisfied with Yuna's cute expressions.
As for the children, they didn't really mind their little banter. What mattered to them was that they could spend some time learning how to swim under Grey and Yuna's tutelage. It was a happy occasion.
"Hngg,.. I also want to learn how to swim too..." ［Helen］
"Haha... Me too..." ［Tilda］
Meanwhile, overhearing their conversation, Helen and Tilda, who were also holding onto floaters, also wanted to learn how to swim. They were just too embarrassed to join in with the kids. Though young, they were already adults, after all.
"Umm... Big Sis Helen, Big Sis Tilda, should I teach you?" ［Marika］
"Really?! Would that be okay?!" ［Helen］
"Yes! You can count on me!" ［Marika］
"Waah～! Marika, you're an angel!" ［Helen］
Thankfully, Marika was there to save the day. Well, not just Marika, the others were also more than willing to help out. All except Julius. He was still busy winning over his niece and trying to convince her to play with him.
All in all, everything was going well, with everyone busy with their own thing. Be it relaxing, floating aimlessly, swimming, or splashing around. Everyone was making use of their precious time and made sure it would be a memorable experience.
Bang Bang Bang
And speaking of a memorable experience, the volleyball match was almost coming to a close, fierce tosses and passes happening all over the place as the ball bounced back and forth between the two sides of the sandy court.
"Lord Kris! It's all up to you!" ［Abraham］
"Right! Leave it to me!" ［Kris］
One monumental step and Kris leaped off the sandy beach. As Abraham set the ball high up in the air for him, his hands immediately reached out to it, ready to land the deciding move at a moment's notice.
But the opposing team didn't just let him do his thing. Fritz, Jiro, and the Great Chief also jumped at the same time, creating a high and mighty wall before him, blocking a wide range, and narrowing down his choices by a large margin. A wall which was sure to give anyone trouble.
Unfortunately for them, their opponent was not just anyone. He was Kris! He may not be so experienced in volleyball, but as a High-Ranker, he was adept when it came to striking the enemies where they were weak. Volleyball was no different for him.
BANNNGGGGG
The loudest, most powerful boom echoed through the air and Kris struck the ball at a sharp angle to the left. Their wall may be high and mighty, but as it wasn't solid, there were still gaps his attack could slip through.
And slip through it did. Like a lightning bolt streaking through the sky, the ball easily darted past their wall before they could seal their gaps. And with most of their players blocking, no one was left to save it as soon as it passed through.
Thud Whisk Whisk
The ball struck the sandy ground, sweeping sand and dust as it planted itself before bouncing and rolling. As everyone landed on the ground, all eyes were on it. The match had finally reached its conclusion.
"Ooohhh!! We won! We've emerged victorious!" ［Ernes］
"Oh... Ohhh!! Your Majesty, we won! We really won!" ［Abraham］
Their reactions were a little late, but as soon as they realized, loud cries of joy and excitement danced in the air. Even the usually calm and composed Abraham couldn't help but celebrate their hard-earned victory. A sweet, sweet, victory.
"Whew～! That was a tough match. Well played, guys. Well played." ［Kris］
"Right back at you. That was a lot of fun!" ［Galleus］
"Hahaha. We were so close as well." ［Ross］
But there was not a single ounce of bitterness between the two teams. They quickly shook hands and congratulated each other, a loud round of cheers and applause celebrating them, coming from their proud and lovely spectators.
It was exhausting, true, but after seeing the smiles of their lovely wives beaming towards them, it was as if all their fatigue was healed. Rather, they were brimming with even more energy than before. They felt more powerful than ever.
"How was my skills, Talia? Pretty good, wasn't I?" ［Ernes］
"Fufufu! Yes, yes, you were the most amazing, Dear." ［Talia］
"Now, now, there's no need to cry. You did your best, and I'm proud of you. You were really cool, Dear." ［Eleanora］
"Thank you, but Dear... I'm not crying. I never did." ［Fritz］
There were all sorts of interactions between husbands and wives, but for the most part, they were just flirting with one another. It was fortunate that their children weren't there, otherwise, one could only imagine how embarrassing it would be.
As the salty breeze blew past them, the men soon sat down on the sandy beach and grabbed themselves some refreshments to revitalize themselves. As soon as they did, it felt like they were alive again, bright and satisfied smiles painted on their faces.
"Fufufu! Then I guess it's our turn now, isn't it?" ［Talia］
"Your Majesty, I'm just saying, but I won't be holding back, you know?" ［Eleanora］
"Same here. I'll also do my best." ［Vilma］
"Fufufu! Well, let's just see who comes out on top." ［Talia］
With the men's turn now over, it was time for the ladies to show their prowess. One after another, they stepped foot inside the court and once again, another fierce exchange of strikes occurred on the white, sandy beaches.
And not just the balls... other things... also bounced up and down as they moved and jumped inside the court. The fact that they were all wearing gorgeous and glamorous swimsuits which accentuated their figures also didn't help. It was more of a distraction, if anything. The men could only wear wry and conflicted smiles.
"This is quite troublesome, isn't it...?" ［Galleus］
"Troublesome, indeed..." ［Ernes］
The ball bounced back and forth, the waves washed and splashed, and the winds whistled and danced. The wonderful scenery continued to unfold before everyone's eyes and before long the sky's color had started to change as the sun descended.
The bright blue sky was no more, only a red and amber sky all over the horizon, the sea painted a similar color as the sun started to set. Even as the light faded away and darkness encroached the world, the sea's beauty remained the same.
"Mmn... What a beautiful sunset..." ［Aria］
"Hahaha. You can say that again." ［Kris］
It wasn't just Kris and Aria. Everyone's hearts were ensnared by the sunset's mystical beauty and allure, frozen in place as they watched the sun hide away and the stars take its place. It truly was a wonderful sight to behold.
Well, almost everyone... Because they played too much, some of the kids were already knocked out and sleeping tightly. The Little Princess slept in her mother's arms, Galvin was carried by Cedric, and Bella by Ross. Sleeping little angels.
"Eveyone～! We're going home now! Please gather here～!" ［Yuna］
And Alas, it was finally time to retire for the day. It has been a lot of fun, but there is still a need for rest. Thankfully, there was no need to worry. As it was a 2-day outing, there was still tomorrow to enjoy. Everyone was looking forward to it.
One after another, everyone formed a neat line and headed inside the gate Grey just created, linked to the Beldon mansion. All wore satisfied and happy faces, talking merrily about their experiences throughout the day.
"Elder Sister Yuna, what will we be having for dinner?" ［Eliza］
"I'm curious too. Will we be having hamburg steak again?" ［Iris］
"Hmm... I wonder～. I'm a little forgetful, you see～?" ［Yuna］
"Ehh～? You must be kidding me..." ［Eliza］
"Fufufu! Then it looks like we'll just have to wait and see!" ［Yuna］
Yuna's soft giggles resounded in the air as Eliza and Iris clung to her. The two young ladies pressed her for answers, but she just kept avoiding their question, not wanting to spoil the surprise later on. She just kept giggling and giggling.
The sun continued to descend from the sky until it was no more. Darkness has once again enveloped the world, only the moon and stars above illuminating the waters as the tides rose and fell. A sweet and calming melody lulled the world to sleep.
CHAPTER 246 END