Chapter 809 - Beach Swimming Final Part ⑤
A beach volleyball match between Kuro & Sieg-san vs me & Alice. The set started with Kuro’s serve. The serve was aimed at Alice, who was diagonally ahead of her, sharply and vigorously shooting towards her. However, the fact that I can see, even when it possesses such a speed, means that she’s properly holding back.
In response to that serve, Alice cleanly received it with composure, and the ball, whose momentum was completely erased, went up to my direction.
[Alice!]
[You can count on me!]
There’s no point in trying to pull off a two-touch return here, so following the basics, I tossed the ball high enough to make it easy for Alice to spike.
It wasn’t a perfect toss, but I’ve tossed it high enough, so I might be self-praising here, but I think I did a good toss.
As Alice leapt up for the spike, Kuro and Sieg-san didn’t step closer for the block, and instead stepped back and waited.
Perhaps, they were wary of Alice’s technique. Even if they leap up to block, Alice may be able to see an opening and slip her spike through their defense, so leaping up to a block may be counter-productive instead.
She didn’t have the time to calmly think and make a decision about this, but from a quick glance at her body, I could tell that Alice was aiming towards Sieg-san…… It feels like it would also be at a very tight angle.
Kuro and Sieg-san seemed to have thought the same, as Sieg-san’s expression tightened, concentrating a bit, while Kuro moved a step towards Sieg-san’s side to support her as quickly as possible.
However, I guess it’s to be expected of Alice…… as even though her head was completely turned towards Sieg-san…… Alice shot her spike in Kuro’s direction.
[Kuhh!?]
Even though it was an attack that took them by surprise, Kuro beautifully responded. But even if it’s Kuro, she couldn’t perfectly receive a spike that was aimed at the very corner with her uncontrolled physical ability and delayed initial response.
Jumping sideways and stretching out one hand, Kuro forcibly received the ball, which flew towards me at a height that could be called exquisite.
[Kaito-san! Here’s our chance!]
[Yeah!]
Taking advantage of the opportunity where Kuro had lost her stance, I leapt as Alice’s voice resounded by the side. My Body Strengthening Magic isn’t that big of a deal, and compared to Hina-chan’s, it isn’t very good.
However, that doesn’t mean it was completely useless. I may not be able to exert the same kind of power as Hina-chan, which was already beyond human limits, but I could still gain the physical abilities of an athlete.
Leaping up high enough at a point where I could shoot out a direct spike…… unfortunately, I don’t have the skill to hit the ball right where I want it. So, I just swung my arm as hard as I could.
My spike went right in between Sieg-san and Kuro, who was hurriedly trying to go back to her position, and looking as if they were people meeting each other in a blind date, Kuro and Sieg-san stopped for a moment as the ball fall down on their side of the court.
[Kaito-san, nice spike!]
[Thanks! Your spike earlier was great too. As expected of Alice.]
After getting our first point, I exchanged a light high five with Alice who came running up to me. Even though it’s only one point, it feels great because I was able to score it quite beautifully.
[Aryaa~~ They got the first point.]
[My apologies, Kuromu-sama. I just found myself unable to move……]
[No, no, I froze up too. Don’t worry about it, let’s get back to the next set!]
[Yes!]
The pair of Kuro and Sieg-san seems to have a good atmosphere around them, and all four of us were able to wholeheartedly enjoy ourselves. This looks like a great sign.
The rest of the match was a back-and-forth exchange, but thanks to the momentum from our first score and Alice’s brilliant support, our pair ended up winning with a score of 5-3.
As they looked at the pair of Kaito and his costumed partner, cheering for their victory, Shallow Vernal and Alice exchanged words again.
[……I thought that they would just have a slight advantage under these conditions, but Kaito-san scored more points than I expected.]
[Right. There were many times when Kuro-san and Sieg-san were out of position just as Kaito-san was about to hit the ball, or the ball just happened to fly into the perfect position.]
[However, I didn’t feel anyone doing anything like Intervention of Law of Causality, and there was nothing suspicious like that, right? If there were, Kuro would have stopped it…… Had I just been worrying too much?]
Even though the rules make up for their difference to some extent, Kaito is still the one with the least physical ability, so his team being at a slight disadvantage in this beach volleyball game…… should have been inevitable.
But contrary to expectations, even though he did have the support of his costumed partner, Kaito was very active in the match and scored four out of five points.
As Shallow Vernal wondered if she was just being skeptical because she knew who was inside that costume, Alice thought for a moment before she spoke.
[It certainly doesn’t feel like they’re cheating at all, and it’s not entirely impossible that it’s just a coincidence but…… considering her personality and this day’s purpose……]
[What is it?]
[……She’s using her “omniscience”. She knows in advance what will happen if she moves like this at what moment. It’s not like she’s changing the future anyway, so I’m sure Kuro-san wouldn’t realize it either.]
[I see, what should we do? Should we pursue this matter?]
[Hmmm, I suggest not doing that. It’s not like there’s any prize for winning this game anyway, and as far as I can tell, the future she was aiming for wasn’t of an overwhelming victory, but rather “the future where it was a close game in which Kaito-san plays an active role and wins”. Then, rather than complaining here and souring the atmosphere, let’s just let them go home with a pleasant victory.]
Although it was only a prediction rather than a certainty, Alice, who knew the person inside the costume well, concluded that she was definitely using her omniscience.
On top of that, considering the fact that they were keeping it at a decent level, the choice of untactfully pointing out this matter would naturally be chosen.
Shallow Vernal also nodded in agreement with Alice’s words, but as if she suddenly thought of something, she spoke.
[Come to think of it…… She really imitates quite well, doesn’t she? If I hadn’t known about this beforehand, I might not have noticed it either.]
[……Perhaps, she may have prepared with her omniscience beforehand? I think it’s probably due to the influence of his Sympathy Magic, but Kaito-san is incredibly perceptive when someone is disguising, you know? He could still “somewhat” see through my disguises, so if she doesn’t imitate me as perfectly as that, I’m sure Kaito-san will notice.]
As a matter of fact, Kaito was able to see through Alice’s disguise, which was difficult for even the Six Kings to see through, even when he had no reason or basis at all. Alice was also curious and asked about it later, but she didn’t know about how he does it because Kaito himself was aware of her disguises “when he felt that something kinda feels off”.
In any case, the fact that Kaito, who is unusually perceptive to the disguises of others, still thinks that the one in the stuffed costume is Alice is probably because the omniscient and omnipotent her had taken some sort of countermeasure.
(However, putting aside that she’s disguised…… She’s surprisingly quiet. The reason she partic.i.p.ated here is that she wants to see Kaito-san’s activities up close, so it shouldn’t be surprising if she goes out of control like usual…… but there’s no sign of that happening at all. Hmmm…… Don’t tell me, that useless junk…… Could this be her first time playing beach volleyball, and “completely forgetting her initial objective”, she’s just enjoying herself……)
Serious-senpai : [……She probably did…… completely forget her initial objective and was just having fun……]