Tensei Shoujo no Rirekisho - Volume 3 - Chapter 80

80. Student Activities 8 – Finally, the Day of the Climactic Battle

After school, people gathered one by one in the designated vacant lot. The magician children’s class seemed to have gone long, and all the kids gathering now are those who couldn’t use magic. Miss Salome had also come. At the moment Miss Katerina and her friends hadn’t come, but I thought I’d give a quick overview of the rules to those who were here now.

Of dodgeball.

I called everyone onto the court I’d traced with my foot in the dirt and explained the rules. Divide into two teams. If the ball hits you, you’re out and become an outfielder. If a ball touches the dirt, you won’t be out even if it hits you. People in the outfield can hit the enemy team to get back in. Faces are safe. The balls were soft balls I made on my day off by stuffing cotton and sewing leather. They don’t bounce, but they’re light and don’t hurt much, so they’re good balls for beginners.

Apparently the children in this world don’t play ball games much, and it took some time to explain, but eventually they understood. The boys looked especially interested! They seemed eager to get started quickly. Dodgeball is good because it has simple rules for a ball game.

While I was doing that, the magicians’ class seemed to let out, and the rest of the players trickled over.

“Come on, I’m here! What the heck did you want to say to me?”

Miss Katerina stood in front of me, her arms folded.

“This is dodgeball. I’ve already explained the rules to those who came early, but I’ll explain again.”

And giving that introduction, I explained the rules again to the magician kids. During my explanation, the kids who had already heard the rules started throwing the balls and practicing. They’re enthusiastic.

“I see, so the goal is to grab the balls and annihilate the enemy!”

Alan had a dangerous expression, but I think he understood it, and he went to join a group who was already practicing their ball-throwing.

No, Alan, we’re about to start the match. Don’t practice, get on the court.

“As for choosing teams, if you look at the number of people who’ve gathered, there are a lot of girls… Let’s divide into a team of magicians and boys, and a team of girls who can’t use magic. That’s just about half and half. Now then, everyone divide up into teams and and get on the court.”

The boys enthusiastically took their places, and although the other children were swept up in their momentum and began to move, Miss Katerina stared at me with a dissatisfied expression. I feel like her ringlets are sharper than usual.

“I was working myself up over what you were planning! I can’t go along with such a dumb thing!” Katerina turned red with indignation.

I think it’s a much dumber thing to throw eggs… Well, it’s fine, they were delicious.

“Why am I on Katerina’s side? I prefer Ryou’s team!” I heard my henchman complaining, but I’ll let it pass, because I could hear a girl on my own side complaining, “I agree with Miss Katerina… But Miss Katerina is on the other team…”

On the other hand, the eager boys said, “This team is almost all men, so you can have the balls first,” and giving the girls’ team a head start with the balls.

About half the kids are enthusiastic and half aren’t… Ahem, I’d better do something to keep the momentum going… I could make a sort of ‘Anyway, let’s have fun!’ appeal…

“Miss Katerina, you love throwing balls! We’ve gone to all this trouble, why not enjoy it.” I suggested with a smile.

“Why, why should I do this with someone like you… Kyaa!”

Miss Katerina’s confident speech was interrupted partway through, as a ball was thrown at Miss Katerina. The ball that was thrown hit her in the side. Including me, we all looked in shock at the person who’d hit Miss Katerina with the ball. It seemed like such an unexpected person to throw the ball.

It was the knight-like girl who always served Miss Katerina. In Miss Katerina’s faction, she was the one always by her side. Miss Katerina also froze with an astonished face, and called the girl’s name with shaking lips.

“Sa-Salome, why…”

“Because that’s the rule. Miss Katerina, what happened to you? …You’ve always liked to make mischief like this, haven’t you?”

“Salome…!”

Miss Katerina said, and after her frozen shock, her expression grew conflicted, as if she wasn’t sure whether to be angry, or happy, or cry.

“I-It didn’t hurt! Actually, it did hurt! A-and don’t go telling childhood stories about how I liked to make mischief!”

Although Miss Katerina sounded angry, she looked happy, and picked up the ball which had fallen at her feet. Hey, the ball is light, it shouldn’t hurt… But is it fine to consider the game as begun? It was a little forceful, but Miss Katerina looks motivated…! Alright, let’s just call that the start of the match.

Miss Katerina hefted the ball and looked straight at Miss Salome. Yeah, she’s motivated!

“Salome… Let’s play together again.”

“Sorry, Miss Katerina, but you got hit in the stomach just now, so you’re out. Would you please go to the outfield?”

That was close. I’m happy Miss Katerina’s motivated, but she doesn’t seem to understand the rules well. She’s already out, she can’t just pick up the ball and throw it. The game has already started!

“Hey! Don’t interrupt me! You’re still so impudent! Man!”

Miss Katerina threw out a parting line in a huff, handed the ball to the boy behind her, and stomped off to the outfield. Oh good, she was a little angry so I wondered what she would do, but I guess she’s okay with the game having fully started? After seeing Miss Katerina participating, the girls around me got involved without any further problems. Alan looked dissatisfied with the team division, but he’s the kind who’ll stay if I say, “Stay!” No problem.

In the end, I led the women’s team to an overwhelming victory. After all, nobody’s used to the balls. Some people were throwing them like soccer toss-ins with both hands, and others threw with way too much force, driving the ball into the ground a meter away. There’s no way they could catch anything. I could just mow them down. I had a super power.

Charlotte, who was supposed to be on the enemy side, praised me, saying, “Amazing, Miss Ryou! Amazing!” so I got a little carried away. After that, we were very excited and played a second and third game in a row, but my team won. I wonder if I should go pro. Right now, I could take on the world.

After a few matches, everyone seemed to be getting tired and breathing raggedly. All right, let’s get down to the main business.

“How about it, everyone, was that fun? I actually have an announcement. I’m currently petitioning the principal to change our lesson subjects. I asked him to reduce the number of magic history classes and incorporate physical education classes to train our bodies. Think of physical education as a class where you can get some moderate exercise, as we did today. There are some other subjects on the principal’s petition, but if you’d like to get some more basic exercise with a ball like this, please sign here!”

At first, everyone looked at me with poker faces, but then one of the boys said, “Today was fun, I’ll sign,” and eventually almost everyone who had participated today signed my petition. Hooray! Thank you! It was worth making balls all night.

However, although I thought Miss Katerina would be happy to sign it, she didn’t budge. She was still looking at me with a grudge, after all. What’s going on, weren’t we just sweating and playing dodgeball together! You were pretty good at running away! Wasn’t it fun? Right?

However, from Miss Katerina’s unmoving side the slender and mature Miss Salome jumped out.

“Miss Ryou, I’ll write my name as well. I had fun.”

Thank you, Miss Salome! Come to think of it, we were able to get started thanks to her ball hitting Miss Katerina. Really, thanks for everything. But I wonder if her relationship with her boss, Katerina, will be alright. It seems like she’s writing her signature on her own, so I’m a bit nervous.

“Sa-, Salome!”

Sure enough, Miss Katerina tried to grab Miss Salome’s arm and prevent her from signing.

“Didn’t you have a lot of fun, too, Miss Katerina? This is more fun than a magic history class. Don’t you think so, Miss Katerina?”

“Salome…”

Saying that, Miss Katerina looked down and began to tremble. Eh, what’s wrong, is she crying at Miss Salome’s betrayal?

“Miss Katerina…?” Miss Salome, confused, called out involuntarily.

Then Miss Katerina said in a thin voice,

“Hey, call me like you used to…”

Oh no, I can’t read her expression since her head’s down, but with that shaking voice isn’t she crying after all? Wh-why is she crying. I don’t know why she’s crying, what should I do! I don’t know how to handle a crying child! As I hesitated, Miss Salome put her hand on Miss Katerina’s shoulder. Then Miss Katerina slowly raised her head to look at Miss Salome.

Ah! Miss Katerina is crying after all! D-Don’t cry! Somehow it feels like I lured Miss Katerina out and made her cry!

“…I’m sorry it’s been so long, Kate.”

“M-M-Miss Katerina! Why are you crying?! Your face is all wet! Please use this handkerchief to wipe off!”

When I hurried to thrust my handkerchief in front of the crying Miss Katerina, both she and Miss Salome, who was talking, looked at me dumbfounded.

Oh, that’s better. Miss Katerina’s tears stopped. As I felt relieved, Miss Katerina’s face turned redder and redder, and she surely scowled at me. No way, how scary.

“Wow! What are you doing breaking into our conversation! Really! Finally, finally Salome…!” Katerina yelled at me. Crying, angry…. Miss Katerina, will you calm down? Huh? Calm down.

“B-But, your face is wet…”

“I get it! I’ll wipe it! Sheesh!”

Miss Katerina snatched my proffered handkerchief and started wiping her face, saying, “Fine! Fine!” She’s angry at something… I wonder if she’s at a sensitive age.

Miss Salome, who was standing next to her watching her happily, suddenly turned to face me.

“I’ll write my name.”

She held out her hand for the signature form. Eh? Is that okay, with Miss Katerina angry? Won’t she start crying again? Although I was a little worried, I wanted those books, so I handed Miss Salome the signature form. She signed it easily.

But I don’t like how this looks after all, as Miss Katerina finished wiping her face and glared at me.

“…I know! I get it! I have to sign, too! Now, give me the paper! I’ll make an exception and sign! I-It’s not for your sake!”

Eh, no way, really?! I don’t understand what’s going on, but I’m happy!

I gave the paper to the suddenly tsundere Miss Katerina, and then all the girls in the Katerina faction wrote their names as well. All right, I don’t really get what happened with Miss Katerina, but I got a better harvest than I expected!

I’m taking this signature form to the principal tomorrow!