*Cough cough... What is this...*

Rising up from the sea, Aya forcefully shook off the water from her face and hair, surveying her surroundings. From the shallow sea area to the shallow shore near the sea, there were impact craters like those formed by artillery bombardment everywhere. Despite the sea water offering some buffer at her feet, the ground beneath was filled with craters. Referee Ellie floated past face-down beside her, while the maids who were originally spectating on the shallow shore were now sprawled all over the place.

What was supposed to be a peaceful and joyful beach barbecue party had turned into a deadly game of volleyball! Why?!

...

The rare water volleyball match attracted the attention of others on the beach, who voluntarily made way for the spectators at the shallow water area.

"Prince Tiran looks so handsome!"

"Princess Vivian, you can do it!"

"Uh, um, Mimi must win!"

So, no one is cheering for me?! Aya searched with the corner of her eye for her supporters, her dearest daughter cheering for Tiran, but what about little Angel? Ah, there she is.

For some reason, the usually carefree little Angel was squatting on the beach, building sandcastles with a small shovel in one hand and a string of roasted marshmallows in her mouth.

Damn it! Since no one is supporting me, I'll just have to win and show you... what?

Swoosh—

A volleyball, deformed by immense strength, whistled past her ear and crashed heavily into the water behind Aya.

"Hey! Mimi, why didn't you receive the ball?!" Aya turned to look at the defender behind her.

"Sorry, Your Highness, your ball speed was too fast, I couldn't react in time." The head maid innocently spread her hands, showing no signs of guilt on her face.

"Listen to what you're saying... You didn't even move properly just now, did you?! Even as an actress, you should have some professionalism!"

Aya still couldn't understand how things had escalated to this point... Weren't they supposed to just have a "little" exercise? And this team formation was clearly off! Why were Mimi and herself separated on one side?! Wasn't it obvious they were giving the opponents an extra player, making it three against one?

While still pondering this question, Mimi picked up the fallen ball from the water and served it again.

However, Mimi’s serve felt weak right from the start, even children could handle that speed and trajectory.

"Hold on, Miss Mimi! Wasn't that serve just a free gift for the opponents?!" Aya widened her eyes, but it was too late.

"Little Tiran, help me pad it up!"

Princess Vivian waved to Tiran, and the prince immediately rushed to where the volleyball was falling, effortlessly lifting it into the air with both hands.

"How about this, Aya~"

As another Frost Chi practitioner, Vivian's physical abilities were not lacking. With a powerful jump propelled by the waves, she slammed the ball back.

However, compared to Tiran's monstrous strength, the speed of her hit was swift but still within normal limits.

"In that case, even one person could—"

Just as Aya was about to position herself to receive the ball, a huge splash suddenly burst in front of her. Gazing intently, she saw Mimi diving into the waves, completely blocking her path, then emotionlessly getting up, "Ah, stumbled by accident."

"You're just blatantly acting now." Waves pushed the ball, which had fallen into the water, towards Aya, who picked it up with a scowl aimed at Mimi.

"Sorry, as a maid to His Highness, I can't go against him." Suddenly tearful, Mimi shed a few tears from her eyes, showcasing her acting skills more subtly this time.

"Darn it, since it's come to this, I'll win even if it's three against one!"

"Roar? Aya is quite spirited." Tiran rubbed his chin and nodded, the fighting spirit rising within him.

And so, the match resumed.

With a whistle, Mimi served again, her weak arc reminiscent of a theatrical performance. Yet before crossing the midline marked by two buoys, the ball suddenly gained strength in its trajectory, making a sharp ninety-degree turn and plummeting towards the sea surface, scoring a point.

"Hey! Are you using Wind Magic to cheat, Aya?!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I have no idea." Aya mimicked innocence, spreading her hands.

While tensions rose on one side, Vivian beside her wore a look of contentment, seeming to savor the performance.

"Then I won't hold back either."

The princess clenched her fist, letting out a determined sound as she lowered her body in seriousness.

Vivian's next serve was a standard jump serve, soaring directly over Aya towards the backcourt.

"I won't let you succeed!"

Despite being a ball meant for a front-line player far exceeding the norm, Aya forcefully leaped and intercepted it, sending it back with a reverse spike. If Mimi couldn’t be relied upon, she would handle defending the front line all by herself, showcasing her Dragon's formidable physical abilities fully at that moment.

But Tiran had been prepared for this, diving to save the ball and setting it up again, only for Vivian to deliver a powerful spike.

Just as Aya, who had just fallen back into the water, was about to react and receive, she found her feet firmly anchored by something.

Looking down, the area around her ankles underwater was frozen solid.

"Darn it, Tiran!"

Although Aya could easily break free from this bit of ice, the delay was enough for Vivian's spike to land in the water.

Damn, it's too late!

"Aya, receive the ball."

To Aya's surprise, Mimi, whom she had previously written off as an actor, appeared at the spot where Vivian's spike was landing and bumped the ball back into the air.

The sudden turn of events caught both Tiran and Vivian off guard, but Aya reacted swiftly, delivering a beautiful counterattack and scoring a point.

"Apologies, Your Highness. While it's only natural for me as your personal maid to consider you, I still hope to have a good, fair match in this situation."

"Understood, I haven’t sparred with Mimi in a long time, so it’s a good opportunity to see if you've improved." Tiran quickly regained his focus, itching for the challenge. "It's like returning to an even playing field now, Aya, you don't mind, right?"

"Just to be clear, I’m not planning on holding back."

"In that case, face me head-on. Who are we kidding?"

"Little Tiran, your words are quite daring~" Vivian chuckled, covering her mouth.

A smile crept onto Aya's lips as she began chanting her Dragon Magic spell. On the other side, Tiran and Vivian shimmered with the radiance of Chi and magic.

"Eh, huh?"

Ellie, the closest to the field, began to feel uneasy. Her golden pigtails bounced as a sense of impending danger rose within her.

If the situation turned into a superpower volleyball match, was it safe for her to remain here?