Before I knew it, it was already sunset. The jog was quite some fun, and though I didn’t push myself to the limits like I wanted to, hanging around with Lionne and Eve was pretty fun. I could only hope that jog was enough to at least put doubts that I only ever train with myselves.

The sun had already begun its slow descent, slowly consumed by the academy walls.

Most students were still out in the capital, chilling in their dorm lounges, or relaxing elsewhere on campus. It was a rare time for a break, so of course, they were going to take advantage of that. That also meant the academy grounds were relatively empty.

I was sitting and enjoying the nice view from up above in my dorm’s third-floor lounge, sipping Leila’s dorm-made tea. I was the very picture of elegance, and to be honest, it was way more relaxing than it had any right to be.

As Feyt though, I stood at the edge of one of the training yards littered across the academy ground, arms swinging loosely as I warmed up, watching Ricent make his final adjustments.

“…There!” he said, stepping back with a satisfied nod.

A rope had been strung across the middle of the field, tied between two wooden poles at roughly chest height. It sagged slightly in the center, but it was not the shabbiest of builds.

If only I knew what it was.

I glanced at the setup, then at him.

“Hey Ricent… You sure got permission for this?”

I wouldn’t want to end up being chastised by an instructor on a weekend, like a certain poor guy did last week.

That certain poor guy puffed his chest at my question.

“Of course!” he said. “I asked an instructor properly this time! Papers and all!”

“This time, huh?”

At least he was learning to handle the paperwork.

“So… what is this supposed to be?” I asked, eyeing the structure before me once more.

Ricent’s eyes lit up immediately.

“Oh, I’m glad you asked! It’s a game I just learned from a friend!” he said, grabbing a worn leather ball from the ground. “You see, if we divide the field into two sides, separated by this rope, we’ll each get our own field!”

“Two sides?”

“Yep! Your goal is to throw the ball into the other’s field! Easy, right?” He tossed the ball lightly into the air and caught it again. “But! You can’t just carry it over,” he continued. “You have to hit it with your hands!”

My eyes narrowed, a very small sense of familiarity flaring up within me.

“And how do you… hit this ball?”

“Oh, easy! Just like this—!”

He threw the ball high up in the air, and as it descended, he brought his hands together and aimed the ball’s falling trajectory at his arms. As the ball neared him, he shot his arms up and struck the ball forward.

The ball floated gently to my side of the field, and I caught it with ease.

“That’s how! All you gotta do is make the ball touch the other’s side of the ground, and you get a point! Also, you cannot grab it, or you will lose a point instead!” he added. “Simple, right?”

I looked at the shabby rope net.

The ball in my hands.

The barely explained rules.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The crude hitting technique.

Then, I looked back at him. My eyes went dead in disbelief.

This is just volleyball… isn’t it?

At this point, I was afraid to ask. But for the sake of tradition, I just had to.

“What’s… the game called?”

“Sky ball!!”

“...Of course it is.”

As I contemplated screaming at this world’s absolute dog water of naming sense, one of the poles holding the rope fell to the side, bringing the other with it.

“Agh! My hard work!!!”

“Heh.” I let out the tiniest of scoffs before I eventually caved in and helped Ricent set up the net properly.

Plagiarism aside, playing a game of volleyball—No, I’m sorry, Sky Ball—didn’t sound too bad. It should help me build focus, body coordination, timing… stuff like that. Besides, it had been so long since I had a taste of traditional sports.

In a way, it would help me both relax and train at the same time. And in the looming days of the tournament, I’d take that chance whenever I can.

And also, just hanging out with Ricent wouldn’t be a bad time either.

…

The net was finally up and steady. The rope was tied tight, and there shouldn’t be any risk of the poles falling over just from the wind like last time.

After giving the rope one last tug, I let out a sigh of relief. “Phew. Alright, things should be set up now.”

“Nice! Then let’s play!”

We both took our positions on our respective sides of the field.

“Ready?” Ricent called.

I rolled my shoulders, flashing a proud smile.

“I was born ready. Let’s do this!”

I tossed the ball into the air, and with a little force, I struck it forward.

—

In the second-floor corridor of the main building, two figures walked side by side.

Lionne’s steps were uneven, her pace noticeably slower than usual. Every step she took was followed by a small shudder in her legs.

“Are you sure you’re up for walking, Lionne?” Eveliana asked.

“Well, to be honest, I’m surprised I even made it up the stairs,” Lionne muttered. “Ugh, my legs feel like slime…”

She lifted the key to a classroom in her hand, squinting at it.

“I still can’t believe you, of all people, would leave a book behind in class, for a whole day, even.”

Eveliana let out a soft, elegant laugh. “Well… I did think it was strange that my bag felt lighter than usual yesterday.”

“Yeah, no kidding.”

“Still, thank you for coming with me.”

Lionne flashed a grin. “No problem! I didn’t have much else to do anyway!”

They continued down the corridor in their slow but steady pace, in hopes of not breaking Lionne’s legs more than they already had.

Then, Eveliana slowed to a stop near one of the tall windows.

Lionne took a few more steps before noticing, turning to her with a raised brow.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Eve?”

Eveliana didn’t answer; instead, she was staring down onto the academy grounds.

“…That’s Feyt, isn’t it?” she muttered.

“Huh?” Lionne stepped closer and followed her gaze.

Down in the training yard, a certain blonde-haired student stood across from another, a rope stretched between them as they tossed a ball back and forth with their arms in a weird, half-crouching posture.

“Oh, it is!” Lionne said, shielding her eyes from the sun. “But… what the heck are they doing…?”

Eveliana remained quiet for a moment before she finally spoke. “Speaking of Feyt…” her voice trailed off at the end, her tone lower than usual.

Lionne blinked. “Hm?”

Eveliana’s gaze didn’t leave the yard, nor the students playing ball.

“Have you heard the rumors about Lady Carine and Sir Feyt lately?”

Lionne let out a small chuckle. “I mean, who hasn’t? Lady Carine and Sir Feyt are always together, so—”

“I’m… not talking about that rumor.”

Lionne paused, her lips gently closing into a tight line.

Eveliana turned her head slightly towards her. “I heard something strange recently, and it’s about Lady Carine,” she said, her tone uncertain. “Some people are saying that… after their loss in the duel during Combat Training, Lady Carine has been rather harsh on Fe—”

“—cough cough!!”

A sudden cough from Lionne interrupted Eveliana. “I-I’m sorry… Dry throat, haha…” she laughed it off awkwardly. “But… sorry, I don’t think I heard that one yet.”

Eveliana froze for a moment. “…You haven’t heard?”

Lionne tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked to the side. “Yeah…”

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Eveliana studied her carefully as she slowly raised a hand over her chin. “That’s… surprising to hear.”

“Is it?” Lionne laughed lightly. “You know how rumors are. There’s always something new floating around.” She twirled the key between her fingers. “Also, if it was something serious, or even true, I’m sure I would’ve heard it already.”

“Hmm…” Eveliana pondered Lionne’s words for a moment.

Lionne gave a small shrug. “Besides, it’s not like there’s any proof of it anyway.”

Eveliana’s gaze softened slightly, her hand lowering from her chin.

“…Yes,” she said quietly. “I find it difficult to believe Lady Carine would act that way.”

“Mmhmm,” Lionne hummed in agreement. “Some people are just jealous of her, that’s all. That’s just how gossip goes, I’m afraid.”

“…Perhaps,” Eveliana replied, giving a small nod.

“Anyway!” Lionne suddenly raised her voice, the sound echoing lightly down the corridor. “Let’s go get that book. I’d rather not deal with any extra fees for returning the key late.”

Without waiting, she turned and started down the hall.

Eveliana lingered for a brief moment, her gaze drifting once more toward the training yard below, before finally quietly following after Lionne.