CH 95.1

『If you’re going to ask if it’s fast it’s fast, the kind of fast that’s easy to hit.』

I found a wall newspaper in the alleyway along the path from my room to the practice field. Written there was Venerable Estoma of the Magic Academy’s Fire Balls’ comment about me.

It has been less than three days since the game yet the news is already all over the place.

After that game, in which we suffered a crushing defeat, the rookie partners, Sergeant East and I, were sent home without a word of scolding or praise from Major Slayra. She just simply told us when our next pitching day would be.

We were so disappointed and frustrated that we were sure we wouldn’t be able to sleep even if we went back to our rooms so we went straight to the bar.

We drank a lot of wind and vowed to win the next match with Tashiba and Mamu.

The next day, yesterday, I felt so bad due to hangover that I wasn’t able to practice much and left early. I vowed to abstain from drinking until……I could make a scoreless game.

In other words, starting today.

Starting today, I’m going to start training hard.

「Tashiba, speak frankly, what am I missing?」

The four of us were having a meeting before the start of practice on the mound where other players were also running and playing catch.

「I think it should be competitive instict～」

「Competitive instinct? What’s that?」

「How should I say it? Robos-sama’s pitches are too straight forward. You have to control the opponent with your pitches.」

「Fuun fuun」

「You have to carefully assess which trajectory the opponent is aiming for and throw it to where they’re not. The opponents are people who can hit back even madam’s magic pitch so using speed alone is very, very……」

Madam….?

Ah, you mean Major Slayra.

Right, the master of these girls is Sawadi Slayra.

「No no, I think that’s thinking too much. It’s not just second lieutenant’s problem. The ball is going to where I put my mitts on so I have to take the initiative and use my head.」

Sergeant East, who was listening to what Tashiba was saying said that with a wry smile while scratching his long hair.

「Sergeant, we’re not in a battlefield so……we’re just big losers so just call me by my name.」

「Then, Robos-dono. Please call me East too.」

「Yeah.」

I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my hip pocket and handed it over to East.

We took one each and lit it with magic.

It’s bitter smoke along with the lingering scent of defeat.

Until the day I finally rise from my humiliation, I will abstain not only on alcohol but also cigarettes(after this one).

As we stood in the middle of the practice field, a hot wind blew between us and the smoke we exhaled melted into the clear sky.

「Anyway, the important part is to dazzle the batter’s eye. First, let’s train to throw a variety of pitches at different velocities!」

「That’s quite simple! All we had to do was slow it down by blowing wind from the front!」

I said so to Tashiba as I slowly threw the ball towards East, who was holding his mitt at the home base and was receiving instruction from Mamu.

I have confidence in my ability to control wind.

She shook her head at me as I said that with pride.

「You can’t just use magic ball all the time. The noble league is not so sweet that you can win by relying on magic balls. The Magic Academy’s Fire Balls is an all mage team but there are usually commoners in every team.」

「Commoners…..? That means…..if either of the pitcher, catcher, and batter is not a mage, you can’t throw a magic ball, right?」

「That’s right. A pitcher who only relies on magic pitches is going to be beaten up……」

I received the ball from East with my glove and slowly and carefully threw it back again.

It’s not just a simple throw.

I am practicing to be able to throw the ball accurately in various courses, high and low, left and right.

「Madam is very strong not only against nobles, her normal pitch is also very fast……however, she gets hit pretty hard by commoner hitters. Besides…..」

Tashiba glanced at me as if she was having some difficulty saying something.

「What is it? Say it.」

「Robos-sama’s technique of using wind to change the ball’s trajectory, you’d better think of something else.」