CH 96.3

She looked puzzled and even held her chin.

She probably didn’t expect to be asked such a question.

Her eyebrows, which is already ハ shape, becomes more ハ.

「So?」

「Right～ I want……a second name.」

「A second name, why?」

I was genuinely curious.

Why would she want a second name?

「In the wheat field, it is customary to name the babies who were brought there by the child who’s in charge of taking care of them……however, if you let the baby be named by a child without restriction, there might be a big problem. 」

「Ah」

「Because of that, names were already prepared by the wheat field and it will be the child who’s taking care of the baby who’ll choose among the names prepared for the baby. When I was a child, I was called “The 3rd Tashiba”.」

In the darkness of the night, illuminated by the dim light of the magic lamp, her eyes were staring into the void, not looking anywhere.

I knew she wasn’t just a woman who was tempered by time, but this girl has gone a lot harder than I thought.

「I see……so that’s how orphanages works.」

「I guess that’s why ever since I was in the wheat field, I wanted a name that was unique to me. That is exactly the reason why I joined the adventurer group of the Schenker even though I knew I wasn’t really suited for it. I thought that if I could become an adventurer who could be sung by the bards, I would surely have an alias……」

She said that much, shrugged, and chuckled.

「However, it didn’t work. I tried so hard that my arms were even ripped off and I even managed to kill a rampaging bird dragon……however, my spear didn’t work on anything bigger than that.」

「I see……」

「Ah, that no longer matters. If I can make it big in something else from now on, that all that matters.」

Tashiba turns to me and smiles.

「That’s great. Being positive is important.」

I threw the ball at the wall again.

It bent its trajectory limply all the way to the wall and instead of returning to me, it rolled to Tashiba’s feet.

Success.

My success rate is at least one in ten balls.

Tashiba, picked the ball up and looked at it intently in the palm of her hand……

Then, she threw the ball as hard as she could toward me.

「For now, what matters is baseball……right!」

「Yeah!」

The ball returned to me as it made a nice sound in my glove!

「If you beat the zarkudo style in baseball, you, who taught me how to play, will be famous too…..right!?」

I threw the ball in my hand back to Tashiba, not the wall.

「Right! I’m sure you will……yo!」

She threw the ball back to me and along with her reply.

「Then, come along for a few more practice sessions……yo!」

「It can’t be helped……ne!」

Thus, the intense practice with the help of Tashiba, which may or may not have worked, will continue until winter comes……

By that time, I had completely mastered the no-rotation magic ball.

Of course, the catcher, East, had also developed a magical catching technique and rarely lost an erratic ball.

-0-

I honestly don’t know whether to call this a delay until winter to just in time for the big one…..

Today, one week after mastering the no-rotation magic ball, was the final game between the Slayra and Zarkudo in this season’s league.

Slayra has lost an astonishing 90% of its matches against the zarkudo so far this season, a dismal record that betting isn’t even allowed.

For the Slayra White Beams, who have been slowly improving their performance recently, the Zarkudo Style is an opponent they want to win at any cost to end the year on a high note.

And for me, if I don’t win here, I’m going to be in a really bad situation.

Thus, a decisive battle began in winter in Torquiva where the Slayra’s will to fight was unnecessarily high.

「Second Lieutenant Robos, I heard you’ve successfully mastered the magic ball. Can we count on you?」

「Yes! The no-rotation magic ball is indeed complete.」

When I was talking with Princess Slayra at the pitcher’s meeting in the morning at the baseball field, Sawadi Slayra, who was standing next to her, shouted in surprise.

「Eh? You mastered the knuckleball?」

「Nakul……what?」

「Knuckle…..mmmmmm!」

「Ah, don’t mind him. He likes to give everything weird names.」

Former Major Slayra covered her husband’s mouth with her hand as if she’s handling a child and smiled.

Well, since you say don’t mind him then I won’t mind him. But still, I mind the words of the man who taught me this magic ball.

Nakel. I don’t know what it means but if I call it no-rotation, the enemies will instantly find it out……then let’s call it that.