TN: I am totally unfamiliar with baseball and its terms, so there may be quite a sum of errors.
After a few hours of practice, we were ready to face off against the baseball team the next day.
By the way, the starting lineup went like this.
No.1, Shortstop, Amelia.
No. 2, Second, Rebecca-senpai
No. 3, Catcher, President
No. 4, Pitcher, me
No. 5, First, Evi.
No.6, Center, Albert.
No.7, Left, Sera-senpai → Captain
No. 8, Third, Clarice
No. 9, Right, Elisa
Basically, the experienced players were placed in the upper batting order, while Clarice and Elisa were placed in the lower batting order since they were inexperienced. Amelia, by the way, is first because she declared in high spirits, “I’m the shortest!” she declared in high spirits.
After consulting with Sera-senpai, the batting order was decided.
“Kukuku …. We’ve got an impromptu team here.”
“Do you think you can beat the best baseball team in the kingdom,……?”
“Fufufu, with this, we will make the student council grovel and be number one in this academy in both name and reality. …… kuku kuku ……”
As we exchange the member list, the baseball players say so with a grin on their faces. Sera-senpai, who came to exchange rosters as captain, remarked as she left,
“…… kill.”
So finally, it was time to play ball. The referee was sent by the baseball team.
Our team was on the attack. By the way, the team name is ‘Rebecca-sama’s Bodyguards’. Sera-senpai suggested it, and we accepted it as it was.
Well, we don’t care about the team name, but it was impressive that Rebecca-senpai was strangely embarrassed.
And since it was our attack, Amelia was waiting in front of the batter’s box.
Dressed in her uniform and wearing a helmet, she was lightly swinging to observe the opponent’s pitch.
The bat she was holding seemed to be one she had brought with her, and even though metal bats are the norm, it was a wooden bat. And it was a rather thin one at that. She said, ‘My bat will burst into flames!’ He said, “My bat is on fire!
“Play!”
Our attack finally began.
Amelia pitches right-handed, so she enters the batter’s box in left field. And her stance was the …… pendulum swing. She was timing her swing while squeezing her body inward.
I see,……, it makes sense for an experienced player. Well, it looked like that.
Then the opposing pitcher mercilessly threw a straight pitch at Amelia.
“Strike!!”
The first pitch was a strike. The opponent was one of the best pitchers in the kingdom, so he threw a pretty good pitch. As a right-handed fastball pitcher, he has been throwing as hard as he can since the beginning. The speed of his fastball is about 145 kmph but his max speed is said to be over 150 kmph.
And then the other pitcher swung at the second pitch and threw it!
“I got it!”
Amelia swung sharply as she said that, and caught the second pitch, a slider. It was a difficult ball that came from outside for a strike, but Amelia hit it cleanly.
The ball went beautifully through the third base line and hit the left field wall.
“How’s that!”
After reaching first base, Amelia looked very happy as she shouted in high spirits.
“Amelia, nice!”
“Amelia-chan! That’s great!”
“Nice batting!”
When everyone praised her, Amelia seemed to be embarrassed and responded to their voices while scratching her head.
And now it’s Rebecca-senpai’s turn to bat.
“Please take care of me.”
After bowing politely, the senpai enters the batter’s box. She throws right-handed and bats right-handed. Her batting form is beautiful and exemplary.
However, senpai showed a bunt stance.
A bunt.
If she does this, Senpai will be out, but Amelia will be able to advance to second base. By the way, Sera-senpai gave her a sign. But this sign is …….
“Don’t get carried away!!”
Saying that, the opposing pitcher throws a pitch of moderate velocity into the senpai’s in-course without hesitation,…….
Rebecca-senpai quickly pulled back her bat and switched to hitting! A high-pitched sound echoed.
It was a beautiful return to the center.
The liner-like ball went straight to center field. Meanwhile, Amelia reached second base with no outs and runners on first and second.
Third was the president.
His stature is so large that his bat looks short.
“……”
The president stared at his opponent carefully, and then he held up his bat with ease.
The sign from the Sera-senpai was a hit. It seems that he has decided to go out big here, without sending it.
However, the other team’s pitcher was scared off by the president’s overwhelming muscles and chose to give up the ball. Finally, the bases were loaded with no outs.
It was a good start from the top of the first inning.
“Time!”
The opposing catcher said, and headed to the pitcher. After a brief discussion, he comes back.
Then, as I step into the batter’s box, the catcher for the baseball team mutters something to me.
“A mere commoner playing fourth, huh. It will be a duck.”
I listened to his words in silence. I have no particular object. For now, I just need to shut him up with this bat.[TN: this sounds like he’s going to hit the guy with the bat, I approve either way]
When I entered the right batter’s box, I held up my bat.
According to the trend of his pitches, he only throws a straight and a slider. However, I have already learned that he also has a curveball and a forkball. But I don’t read the pitch distribution poorly here.
I just hit the pitches that come my way as I see fit.
“Oo, ……raaa!”
The ball leaves the pitcher’s hand and heads for the outfield. I put the bat out toward it, but at that moment it begins to sink slightly.
I react quickly and shift the trajectory of the bat. Scooping up the ball from below, I catch it at its true center and swing the bat as hard as I can with the momentum I’ve got.
Kiin──!
A high-pitched sound echoes through the air, and the ball flies off into the distance.
“…… gone, huh”
Then, I slowly lay the bat down on the ground, and I ran.
“Ho-home run!!”
The referee said and turned his hand around.
Yeah. The ball I hit went over this field and disappeared far away in the direction of Kafka’s forest. The response was perfect. I didn’t expect a fork to come, but I was able to react.
This was thanks to the days of training with my master.
According to her, a sorcerer should be able to hit a home run. To think that the training I had at that time is still relevant today,……, master’s teachings are still great. I’m sure she had already foreseen this moment.
“Wow, wow! It’s a home run!”
“Ray-san! That’s great!”
“As expected …….”
When I returned to the platform, Amelia, Rebecca-senpai, and the president were waiting for me, and I high-fived everyone.
This secured four points at once.
After that, as expected of the opponents, one of the best baseball clubs in the kingdom, we quickly changed to a three-out.
“Ray, the signs are as we discussed.”
“Understood.”
President went back and the first batter came up to bat.
“Damn ……, don’t get carried away!”
The first batter says this while glaring at me.
But I am not the one to let my guard down here.
Rather, it is after scoring a run that I have to be firm.
I nodded at the president’s sign and threw a straight ball to the out course as hard as I could.
“S-Strike!”
“Ah …… Wha ……?”
The opponent hitter was completely unaware of what was going on.
-Fumu ……still only about 150 kmph. I should have warmed up my shoulder a little more.
After that, I struck out 3 times with only a straight and a curveball.
It was a good start.
“Hey, Ray.”
“What’s the matter, Clarice?”
“I am not sure. I saw a butterfly. ……”
“Butterfly? Well, it’s summer. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were.”
“Umm,…… but it was kind of weird……. I am familiar with insects, but uh… it’s a species that I don’t know? And they disappear very quickly.”
“I see. But it may just be your imagination?”
“That’s right! Then, I’m going to hit it!”
After that, it became difficult for our team to score. As expected of the kingdom’s best baseball team, they seemed to be taking the challenge completely seriously.
My ball was also getting sent flying forward. But, as luck would have it, all of them were infield ground balls. Or rather, for some reason, I think there were a lot of short-ground balls.
And when my straight ball was caught again, it was headed toward Clarice, who was guarding third.
“Clarice!”
“I-I know!”
She has good motor skills, even though she is an amateur. She can handle a few burros, but I didn’t miss the lone red butterfly that appeared around Clarice.
And the next moment, the ball somehow changes its trajectory and rolls into third base. It was an irregularity, but the ball changed direction as if it were on its own.
Amelia reacted perfectly to the ball, and just in time, she got the ball with a reverse single. However, her body had completely drifted toward third, and it would be tough to throw from here.
With that thought in mind, Amelia, without a second thought, uses the momentum of the ball to make a jumping throw first.
The ball went from behind the shortstop to Evi’s first mitt like an arrow. …… out.
“Did it! How’s that!”
“…….”
Amelia gave a guts pose. Nice play, but ……
A possibility passes through my brain.
No, that’s not likely true.
Uh-huh. It must be. That was just an irregularity. No doubt. There is no way such a stupid thing could happen.
Ignoring the possibility that passed through my mind, I faced the next batter.
“……”
However, as I had noticed earlier, the other team was apparently using sorcery. I know they were invoking an internal code, but it was a hard line to point out.
Besides, the game is set up with sorcery-detecting tools, a.k.a. magic tools, to prevent cheating, but those are probably set up to suit the baseball team’s side.
Just as I protested that I wasn’t using an internal code against them, the other side came in with their sorcery. Perhaps they can’t believe I’m really pitching without any sorcery enhancements.
But I have no sorcery response. So it seems that the opponent can no longer pretend to be.
That’s why I’m going to step it up a notch and screw them over with this ball!!
And so our match enters the second half.
[TN: Apologies to the ones who sponsored for this series, I have my work to sort out on a daily basis and I can’t give my full attention to translations. I hope you guys understand.
On another news, anime covered 2nd volume by 9th episode, and the 10th episode plot is still isn’t in the sight for WN. It is likely going for the volume 3.
And it looks like the anime isn’t covering this Extra volume, so here’s some exclusive, I guess.]
Sponsored Chapter (6/15).
Join me on —>discord<—- to get update notifications and release schedules.
To TN, no worries on the speed. Your daily work, and life are more important than me getting to read chapters faster! Please feel no guilt. Thank you for your hard work as always.
Thanks for the TL! No worries about the speed btw, just grateful for the translations very much 🙂
Thank you.