Chapter 400

“Ahaha! Take this, Sillena!”

-Paaang!-

“...You muscle-brained human...!”

“Wait, Miss Sillena! I’ll catch it, so please don’t go for the spike—!”

-Smack!-

“Ow!”

“Ouch!”

“A-are you alright, Princess Seraphina, Miss Sillena…?!”

The beach volleyball match on Plyana Beach had begun, albeit more as an impromptu game where the girls paired up and tossed a rubber ball around. With so many of them involved, it had almost turned into a tournament by accident.

Given the sheer number of cute girls playing, it felt more like watching a picturesque scene than just a casual game of volleyball on the sand. Ethan and I were comfortably enjoying some downtime under the shade of our tent, something we hadn’t experienced in a while.

‘This is fun.’

Seeing Natalie and Seraphina playing beach volleyball in real life was a rare treat. They weren’t as well-endowed as me, but their busts still moved quite provocatively, especially Natalie’s. Every now and then, Thomas would sheepishly caution her about the intensity of her movements.

“N-Natalie…! Maybe you shouldn’t jump so high…”

“Huh? Why? To spike the ball, I have to jump as high as possible and slam it down, don’t I?”

“N-no, I mean… never mind….”

Thomas blushed and trailed off under Natalie’s innocent questioning. Meanwhile, Geitma, who was watching the girls intently, seemed embarrassed but didn’t take his eyes off the game. He knew that if he looked away, Seraphina or Sillena might lose interest, and that would harm the party’s camaraderie.

‘This is definitely one advantage of being a girl.’

At least I could enjoy this blatant fanservice without feeling self-conscious. I had paired up with Luke, but we had already lost in the first round to Natalie and Celesta. With my overly large chest, it was difficult to jump and return the ball properly.

“Master Ethan, would you like some watermelon?”@@novelbin@@

“Oh, thanks, Lilith.”

“Would you care for some as well, Hero and Thomas? I’ve kept it chilled, so it should taste great.”

“Thank you, Lady Rosewood.”

“…I’m fine, but I appreciate it.”

Watching Thomas struggling to even look at the other girls was amusing. He had the aura of a naive country boy, which was endearing in its own way. Back in the previous life, he’d been perpetually downcast, having lost his childhood friend, his beloved, to the Hero.

“Miss Luke, would you like some fruit?”

“Thank you, but I’ll pass. I’m here to serve and protect Princess Seraphina.”

“Oh, alright then.”

Since she declined, I simply sat next to Ethan, eating watermelon and enjoying the beach volleyball game.

-Crunch.-

“Catch, Miss Sillena!”

“…….”

-Smash!-

“...Miss Sillena! I told you to catch it!”

“Catching the ball is boring. You keep hitting it on your own anyway. I want to spike it too.”

“I’ve given you plenty of chances, but you keep spiking it into our own side!”

“...I don’t remember.”

They say that quarreling is a sign of a good relationship, but Seraphina and Sillena’s teamwork was awful.

“I-I’ll get it!”

-Pop!-

“Nice one, Lady Celesta! Here it comes…!!”

-Paaang!-

On the other side, Celesta’s support combined with Natalie’s powerful spikes made for a formidable team. Unsurprisingly, the winning duo was Natalie and Celesta. It was all just for fun, so there weren’t any prizes, but they were clearly enjoying themselves.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Everyone~! Are you enjoying the class by the sea~?”

“Yes~!!!!!”

It was the second day of the Marine Studies class, and the male students enthusiastically responded to the professor’s question. She was wearing the same barely-there slingshot bikini, drawing eager responses from the guys, seemingly fueled by their baser instincts.

“Ugh, do men really like such vulgar outfits? I just don’t get it.”

“Honestly, if she’s got a big chest and butt, they’re all drooling like perverts.”

Some of the girls weren’t pleased, grumbling as they side-eyed the boys. I had to admit, the professor’s outfit was a bit over the top—even for an adult game like Luminar Academy, it felt a little much to see a swimsuit that barely covered anything.

At least those with partners were trying to avoid staring at the professor or cheering too loudly. I was watching her without much thought, though. Even if I had been a guy in my previous life, now I was a girl, so it didn’t feel strange to observe another woman.

‘Maybe I should’ve gone with a slingshot bikini too.’

If it was all just for fun, maybe the slingshot would have been better than a micro bikini. It would’ve been a bit of a surprise for Ethan, and judging by the guys’ reactions here, he probably wouldn’t have minded….

‘Alright, stop with those thoughts.’

I shook off my stray thoughts and refocused on the professor, who was now elaborately explaining today’s activities from her perch on the beach stage.

“Today’s class will be a little special~!”

From where, I had no idea, but she pulled out a small box from her swimsuit, holding it up for everyone to see. Inside, there was a single orb that looked like it had been magically treated, which she then used to explain today’s task.

“Did everyone have fun yesterday? I’m sure some of you used it as a chance to bond with old friends, and maybe others found new connections here at Plyana Beach, right?”

“Yes~!!!”

“It’s always easier to open up by the sea, so I’m sure there’s no one here who hasn’t made at least one new friend or special connection~!”

“Hahaha!!”

“……”

While some students responded eagerly, others were noticeably uncomfortable, glancing around cautiously. The professor’s comment had no mercy for the introverts, and then she added something even more dreadful.

“Yesterday’s task was to bond with others, so today’s activity will be a treasure hunt with your new friends~!”

“Treasure hunt…?”

“New friends?”

“Just digging around alone is no fun, right? So instead of diving or digging on your own, we’ll be teaming up to collect as many magic orbs as possible!”

“W-who wants to team up with me…?”

The students quickly scattered, rushing to form teams. Those who had bonded yesterday were calling out to each other, while some introverts seemed desperate to find a group.

“Weren’t we planning to meet up with the hero party again today, Lilith?”

“Yes, Master Ethan.”

“Then let’s join them. Better to team up with familiar faces than random strangers.”

“I agree, Master Ethan.”

Breaking away from the chaotic crowd, Ethan and I hurried to regroup with the hero party. The beach adventure was shaping up to be quite the event, with treasure hunts and newfound friendships all part of the experience.