The score stood at four to one.
We held the lead, though we had conceded a single run when a fly ball drifted toward Elisa in right field. It resulted in an error, but it couldn't be helped. It’s notoriously difficult for an amateur to judge a ball's landing point accurately. None of us blamed her; instead, we offered words of encouragement.
"I-I’m so sorry..."
"It’s fine, Elisa! We’ll just get those points back when we’re up at bat!!"
"...Thank you, Amelia-chan."
"Leave it to me!"
As Amelia marched enthusiastically toward the batter's box, Clarice pulled me aside.
"Hey, Ray."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"About those butterflies from earlier..."
"Right. Have you noticed anything else?"
"Yeah... well, I’ve been catching glimpses of them while we're on defense. Not constantly, but every now and then. Could that be the other team’s interference magic?"
"Butterfly magic... No, it couldn't be."
The only butterfly magic I’d seen recently was that one. In fact, it was the only thing I could possibly imagine it being.
It wasn't out of the question. Clarice hadn't actually watched Amelia's finals during the tournament, so it made sense that she wouldn't recognize it from hearsay alone. Everyone knew that Amelia had become much brighter since winning the Newcomers' Tournament at the Magics Chevalier. While her personality hadn't fundamentally changed, she laughed much more now and was far more expressive.
On the other hand, her energy was a bit strange—like how she’d suddenly started wearing a baseball cap and recruiting everyone for this match. The action itself wasn't weird, but her behavior was definitely different. She was incredibly fired up for this game. Could it be...?
It was a distinct possibility. I decided to check with Sera-senpai, who was playing left field behind the third baseman and shortstop.
"Sera-senpai."
"What is it, Ray? Need something?"
"Did you see any butterflies while we were on defense? Red ones. They seemed to be fluttering around Clarice."
"Didn't see a thing. My eyes were glued to Rebecca-sama at second base the whole time. Seriously, don't you think she’s adorable? Ah... that uniform suits her so perfectly..."
"I... see."
Sensing the atmosphere shifting rapidly, I beat a hasty retreat. I’d once spent three hours listening to her ramble about the greatness and sanctity of Rebecca-senpai. I doubted she’d go that long during a game, but once Sera-senpai got started, there was no stopping her. I returned to Clarice.
"Clarice, it seems Sera-senpai didn't see them either."
"Oh... maybe I just imagined it?"
"If you see them again, tell me immediately, even if the ball is in play."
"Okay. I will."
Our turn on defense came around again, and we found ourselves in a tight spot.
A series of errors had put a runner on third with one out. From the set position, I threw a slider to the outside corner against a right-handed hitter. He didn't hit it flush, but he managed to send a deep fly ball into center field.
"Center!" I shouted.
Albert was stationed in center. The situation was perfect for a tag-up; the moment Albert caught the ball, the runner on third would sprint for home. The ball had traveled deep enough to make it a close play. It was a showdown between the runner's speed and Albert's arm.
Albert tracked back slightly, then began moving forward to build momentum before making the catch. The instant the ball hit his glove, the runner took off for the plate.
"HRAAAAAAAAH!!"
Albert let out a roar that echoed across the field. From deep center, he unleashed a throw toward home. I didn't know the limit of his strength, so I moved to act as a relay, but his throw never dropped. It cut through the air like a laser beam, landing squarely in the Club President's mitt.
"O-Out!! You’re ooooout!!"
It wasn't even a contest. The Club President caught the ball with time to spare and tagged the runner. That made two outs on a single play, ending the inning.
"Albert! That was incredible! A total laser beam!"
"Yeah, man! Unreal!"
As Evi and I cheered, Albert gave a cool smile.
"It’s all thanks to my muscles."
"Naturally!"
"Damn right!"
Back at the bench, the rest of the team crowded around Albert.
"That was amazing! A real-life laser beam!"
"I... I was so surprised!"
"Nice play, Albert!"
As the girls showered him with praise, Albert responded with a polite grin.
"If I could meet your expectations, then I am satisfied."
Our turn to bat began with Sera-senpai, the seventh hitter.
"Alright! Bring it on!"
Sera-senpai took her stance, shouting with confidence. She hadn't managed a hit yet, but her determination was palpable.
"Hmph!"
She managed to make contact, but the ball popped up weakly toward center field. Everyone assumed it was a guaranteed out. However, a "meeting" occurred—the center fielder, shortstop, and second baseman all hesitated, each waiting for the other to take it, and the ball dropped harmlessly to the grass. Regardless of how it looked, the record showed a base hit to center for Sera-senpai.
"Hell yeah! How do you like that!?" Sera-senpai cheered from first base.
Next up was the eighth batter, Clarice. Despite her small stature, she stepped into the box with resolve.
"Okay! I’m hitting it this time!"
Clarice swung with everything she had—a true full swing. Despite the power behind it, the result was a slow, bouncing grounder toward third base.
"Clarice! You can make it! Run!!"
"NYAAAAAAAH!"
With a desperate cry, Clarice launched herself into a head-first slide, fingers stretching for the bag through a cloud of dust.
"S-Safe!!"
She was safe! Unexpectedly, the bottom of the order had put runners on first and second with no outs. Up next was the Archangel, Elisa.
"Elisa! Don't overthink it!"
"You can do it, Elisa!"
"U-Um... okay!"
Elisa, who had struck out in every previous at-bat, walked to the plate. She wasn't athletic, but her expression was focused. She was a kind soul, but she possessed a strong inner core.
"Okay!"
She took her stance, looking like a total amateur but staring intently at the pitcher. Sera-senpai gave the sign: a bunt. For an amateur, even a 140 km/h pitch was terrifying, let alone one coming straight at them. But Elisa nodded firmly and faced the pitcher.
"W-Whoa!"
Crying out in surprise, she actually made contact! She deadened the ball's momentum perfectly, sending it rolling toward third.
"Elisa! Run!"
"Right!"
She was thrown out at first, but the sacrifice bunt was a success. It was a massive play.
"Elisa! Great bunt! Leave the rest to me!"
"Good luck, Amelia-chan!"
Amelia entered the box, swinging her bat in wide circles. The opposing pitcher was one of the best in the Kingdom, and while Amelia managed to walk to load the bases, Rebecca-senpai was retired shortly after. The turn fell to the Club President.
"..."
Two outs, bases loaded. The Club President took his stance in silence. The pitcher started with a forkball that just nipped the bottom of the strike zone—but in the next breath, I lost track of the bat's path.
"Wait... what?"
The pitcher stood frozen. With terrifying speed, the ball vanished into the distant sky.
"H-Home run!"
As expected of the Club President. A grand slam powered by that massive frame was a sight to behold.
I followed up with a hit of my own, but Evi was out to end the inning. Still, the score was now 8-1. We had a comfortable lead. I headed back to the mound, refusing to let my guard down.
"Alright... I’m not giving up another run."
The bottom of the sixth began. The top of their lineup had finally started to time my pitches, making more frequent contact. However, I was a slow starter; my shoulder was finally loose, and I was ready to show my true form.
I began mixing in sharper breaking balls and fastballs with even more velocity. After a quick strikeout, I fired a heater at the next batter—but my control slipped, and the ball went right down the heart of the plate. Despite the power behind it, such a meatball was bound to be hit. The ball went screaming toward center field.
"Rebecca-senpai!"
"I’ve got it!"
Rebecca-senpai, being closer to the ball at second, called for it. But then, I saw it.
The ball vanished into thin air, only to reappear a moment later inside Amelia’s glove.
"Nice! That’s two outs!"
She turned and fired a clean sidearm throw to first to complete the play.
Two outs. But I hadn't missed them—the Crimson Butterflies fluttering behind Amelia.
"Timeout!!"
As I called the play dead, the infielders gathered at the mound. I turned my attention to Amelia.
"Amelia."
"What? What is it, Ray? Let’s keep going! Two outs! Bring 'em on!"
"Amelia."
"Y-Yes?"
"What were those butterflies?"
"Uh, well... I have no idea what you're talking about~ whistle, whistle~"
Amelia looked away, letting out a terrible attempt at a whistle. Everyone except Clarice had already figured it out.
"...Amelia. You’re using Butterfly Effect, aren't you?"
"Eh!? W-Whatever do you mean~?"
"Amelia trainee!!"
"R-RANGER!!"
Ingrained habits were hard to break; Amelia snapped into a salute immediately. I spoke in a flat, uncompromising voice.
"Amelia. I will ask you one more time. You are using Butterfly Effect, are you not?"
"B-But...!"
"But?"
"They’re using magic too!"
"There are limits, Amelia. Using a Concept Interference-type Origin Magic is clearly going too far."
"Gah! Ray called me 'too far'!"
It was exactly as I suspected. Amelia was using Butterfly Effect to manipulate causality so that the ball would end up in her glove. I had heard the details of her ability when she consulted me about it before, but I hadn't expected her to use it like this.
"Wait, what does that mean?" Clarice asked, looking lost.
"Amelia was using her Origin Magic to manipulate the ball's path," I explained.
"What!? She was doing that!? Wait, she can do that!?"
"B-But... I wanted to be useful! A-And it’s not like I was doing it before they hit the ball, okay? I was just... gently nudging the balls that were already going to be outs so they’d come to me! They were going to be outs anyway, so it doesn't really change the result, right? It’s basically fine! Right!?"
"Amelia."
"Y-Yes?"
"You're ejected."
"N-NOOOOOOOOOOO! I want to play more baseball! WAAAAAAAH!"
"Come with me."
"WAAAAAAAH!!"
I dragged the throwing-a-tantrum Amelia over to the opposing captain and explained the situation. Since both sides had been using magic, we agreed to a do-over of the play. Someone from the Environmental Research Club was brought in to replace Amelia.
Meanwhile, Amelia was forced to sit in seiza on the bench with a sign stuck to her head that read "I cheated." She was to stay like that until the end of the game as a sign of reflection. She tried to fake-sob to get sympathy, but I showed no mercy.
"Uuu... I want to play baseball. I want to play with everyone... sniff... glance..."
She kept stealing glances at me through her fake tears, but I ignored her. I wouldn't go easy on her.
"Amelia-chan..."
"Amelia..."
"Seriously, Amelia?"
"Amelia-san... you’ve really changed."
Elisa, Clarice, Evi, and Rebecca-senpai all looked at her with varying degrees of disappointment and shock. They directed nothing but cold stares toward her.
"B-But! Ah! That’s it! I-It’s because my ability is still unstable, so I was using this for training! Yeah, training!"
"Amelia..."
"Hiee! Ray, your face is really scary...!"
"I see. Since you're so eager to train, the two of us will have a session after the game. We’ll resume the Ainsworth-style Boot Camp for the first time in a while. You wanted to train, right? I’ll personally supervise you."
"Wait!? N-No, that’s not what I meant at all! You’re joking, right? Right?"
"I never joke about training. Prepare yourself, Amelia trainee."
"N-NOOOOOOOO! Not that! Anything but that!! WAAAAAAAH!"
With that cry, Amelia bolted. She used an Inside Code for Physical Reinforcement and took off across the field at an incredible speed. But I knew exactly how to handle a deserter.
"—Frame Lock."
I temporarily released my constraints and fixed Amelia in place.
"Hmph! Don't underestimate me!"
In an instant, a swarm of Crimson Butterflies manifested behind her, but...
<<Anti-Material Code: Restoration>> <<Material = Anti-Material Code>> <<Material: Restoration = Prima Materia>>
I designated the coordinates of every single butterfly and activated the Anti-Material Code. The butterflies were restored to Prima Materia, scattering into red remnants that drifted to the ground.
"Eh... what...?"
"Butterfly Effect is troublesome, but it takes time to activate. The Code Construction is far too complex. I’m faster. You’re still lacking proficiency, Amelia."
I layered another Frame Lock over her, fixing her body entirely. I also locked her Magic Area so she couldn't attempt to use her magic again. She was completely helpless. Realizing she couldn't escape, she looked at me with a pale face and tried to talk her way out of it.
"A-Ah... well... I wasn't trying to run away, okay? I just felt like... going for a little jog!"
"Stay like that until the match is over, Amelia."
"Wait!? I’m in a really embarrassing pose right now! I was in the middle of a sprint!"
"..."
"Ignoring me!? E-Everyone, help me! Don't leave me like this! Elisa, Clarice, Evi, Albert, senpais!!"
"..."
"Everyone!? Are you all ignoring me too!?"
Leaving the frozen Amelia behind the bench, we resumed the game. Treating her as if she didn't exist, we huddled up to get our focus back.
"Let’s win this!"
"YEAH!"
Amelia’s voice wailed in the background of our cheer.
"U-WAAAAAAAH! I’M SORRYYYYYY!"
We secured a comfortable victory. Having lost fairly, the Baseball Club apologized to Rebecca-senpai and swore to respect the practice schedule from now on. Of course, the fact that Sera-senpai’s threats were absolutely terrifying probably helped "encourage" their cooperation.
Finally, I walked over to Amelia.
"Amelia trainee. You will now begin a thirty-kilometer run."
"T-Thirty kilometers!? I’ll die!"
"By the way, Butterfly Effect doesn't work on me. If you try to use it without permission, there will be a penalty."
"You’re kidding, right? Ray, you’re a nice person, right?"
"I told you, the only acceptable response is 'Ranger'!!"
"R-Ranger!"
"Then move out!"
"Waaaaah!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to say 'Ranger'!!"
"RANJEEEEEERRR!"
Thus, I began subjecting Amelia to a very thorough and rigorous training session.