The lake surface was vast, and a refreshing breeze blew, making the maidservants' skirts ripple.
Seiya had been in the mood to enjoy this captivating scenery before, but now he was preoccupied, busy applying sunscreen for Lady Tachibana.
Under the sun umbrella, the women gathered around Seiya, and none of them showed any intention of leaving.
A gentle breeze circulated among the crowd, carrying subtle fragrances.
Each woman was a unique beauty, with her own distinct charm.
Megumai and the others exuded charisma, and their combined presence was even more breathtaking.
The maidservants nearby were overshadowed, appearing quite ordinary.
In the middle of such a group of beauties, Seiya was at the peak of his youth, full of vigor.
How could he possibly restrain himself?
Fortunately, he was kneeling beside the lounge chair, and the space beneath the chair provided cover, preventing any embarrassment.
After he finished applying the sunscreen, everyone would go play volleyball, and he would be the only one left under the sun umbrella, making embarrassment even less likely.
Assured that the situation was fine, Seiya became even calmer and more composed, skillfully applying the sunscreen.
Since Lady Tachibana had given her consent, he was now completely unreserved.
He even meticulously covered the skin within the narrow V-shape of the bikini.
This was not vulgar groping; it was diligently smoothing out the sunscreen, protecting every exposed inch of skin from sun damage.
Only in this way could he fulfill Lady Tachibana's trust.
Otherwise, if Lady Tachibana got sunburned while playing volleyball later, it would be his undeniable fault.
While Seiya displayed his professional dedication, Matsudaira Nai was still struggling.
The thought of Seiya applying sunscreen to her made her feel awkward and strange.
Until now, she had only had physical contact with one male, and that was Seiya more than ten years ago.
By all accounts, with that experience as a psychological foundation, she should be able to accept Seiya applying sunscreen easily, without much resistance.
However, the present was different from the past.
Now, Seiya was bare-chested, his muscle definition exceptionally handsome, exuding the mature, masculine charm that made her heart flutter.
Matsudaira Nai couldn't help but lose her composure, worried that she would make a fool of herself while the sunscreen was being applied.
Just as she was deep in thought, Matsudaira Tachibana, who had seen everything, finished having her sunscreen applied.
She rose from the chair and, without question, pulled her mother down onto the lounge chair.
Matsudaira Nai's perspective instantly shifted from looking down to looking up, and she let out a startled cry.
Seiya and all the women were right in her line of sight.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Matsudaira Nai immediately tensed up, and a layer of fine goosebumps appeared on her skin.
Seeing this, Seiya smiled reassuringly, "Aunt Nai, relax. I've already applied it to five people. I'm very professional!"
Matsudaira Nai thought that since she couldn't avoid it, she might as well embrace it and not lose the dignity of a Daimyo's daughter in front of the other women!
Immediately, she instantly regained her graceful composure, responded calmly, and signalled Seiya to start applying the sunscreen.
...
The ideal was beautiful, but the reality was harsh.
By the time the sunscreen was fully applied, Matsudaira Nai's earlobes were blood-red, and her body was completely limp.
Matsudaira Tachibana was sharp-eyed and noticed her abnormal state.
She quickly helped her mother up, preventing her from making a spectacle of herself.
With that, the sunscreen application was complete for everyone.
The pre-game preparation phase ended, and the beach volleyball match officially began.
The participants entered the court, and the non-participants headed to the rest area.
Under the sun umbrella, the women left one after another.
Seiya immediately relaxed, letting out a long breath.
He wiped the dampness from the chair, lay down on it, sipped his juice, and leisurely watched the game.
The rules were simple: no chakra allowed.
First Match: Under 20 Age Group vs. Under 30 Age Group.
Both groups had one player with poor stamina-Shion and Matsudaira Tachibana.
The match was mainly a showdown between Kurotsuchi and Mabui.
One was a combat-type Shinobi, and the other was an office-bound civil Shinobi.
The difference in their physical skills was too great.
Furthermore, Kurotsuchi was wearing an athletic bikini, which gave her a considerable advantage in attire.
Therefore, the result of the match was obvious.
However, this didn't stop everyone from fighting hard.
The four women glistened with sweat, shining brilliantly in the sunlight.
Separately, they were like scattered stars; together, they were like a raging fire. Each woman had her own charm, complementing the others.
Fifteen minutes later, the Under 20 Age Group won.
Seiya, as a spectator, was still eager for more.
Perhaps this was the charm of sports; even without participating, it could make one utterly engrossed.
After a brief halftime break, following the round-robin system:
Second Match: Under 30 Age Group vs. Over 40 Age Group.
Again, both groups had one player with poor stamina-Matsudaira Tachibana and Matsudaira Nai.
The match was mainly a showdown between Mabui and Megumai.
Unlike the previous match, this one was evenly matched, with neither side having a clear advantage.
After all, Megumai, like Mabui, had been office-bound for many years and was out of shape.
Furthermore, both women's swimsuits were similar in style, and a slightly intense movement could cause them to slip off.
During the match, Megumai stopped to tie her silk strings several times, and Mabui had to pull her nearly slipping shoulder straps back into place several times.
Finally, after thirty minutes of fierce battle, the Over 40 Age Group narrowly won.
The four women were exhausted, breathing heavily, and unable to straighten their backs.
Seiya naturally rushed to help his mother back to the lounge chair to rest.
Then, he returned with Kurotsuchi and Shion to help the other three women back to their respective sun umbrellas.
Given the extent of the physical exertion, this halftime break was longer.
Seiya dutifully massaged his mother's shoulders, legs, and feet to relieve her sore muscles.
Matsudaira Nai, next door, was very envious, but unfortunately, her own daughter had just come off the court and was too tired to be filial to her.
Megumai, sensing this, indicated to her son after enjoying the service for a while, "Son, go and give your Aunt Nai a massage too."
"Oh."
Seiya agreed and went to Aunt Nai's sun umbrella.
With one step, it was easy to take a second.
After the previous sunscreen contact, Matsudaira Nai was no longer conflicted and accepted the service with composure.
Seiya showed no favoritism and then proceeded to massage Mabui-neesan and Lady Tachibana to relieve their fatigue.
The halftime break ended, and the third match began: Under 20 Age Group vs. Over 40 Age Group.
This match was a foregone conclusion.
Shion faced Matsudaira Nai, barely having a physical advantage due to her youth.
Kurotsuchi faced Megumai, completely dominating her physically.
Moreover, Kurotsuchi harbored a grudge against Megumai.
Now that she had a legitimate opportunity in the form of a volleyball game, Kurotsuchi naturally didn't forget to seek petty revenge.
Of course, mindful of Seiya, she didn't dare to be too obvious.
Ten minutes later, the match ended cleanly and efficiently.
After the round-robin, the Under 20 Age Group was the champion, the Over 40 Age Group was second, and the Under 30 Age Group was last.
Since it was a competition, honors and rewards were a must.
Matsudaira Tachibana was very generous, having carefully prepared beautiful certificates and trophies, as well as valuable jewelry that only a princess in the Land of Iron could wear, with a prize for everyone.
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