These Days, Slytherin Friends Don’t Know to Fear Muggles

“Wh-What…?”

Eric’s mouth opened belatedly.

Ignoring such a reaction, Seine, who received the ball thrown by the catcher, held the ball in her bare hand again and let out a snicker.

“Did you think teacher couldn’t even do this much?”

An unexpected situation.

But it was so extreme that Eric’s thoughts couldn’t keep up.

‘What was that just now… It completely surpassed the limit!’

The ball used in baseball is a material that can accept and store mana.

When mana is infused and manipulated inside it, the phenomenon intended by the user can come out, allowing various variations in pitching.

Causing flames to spread heat, using electricity to expand the range, or infusing wind to change the trajectory. That was the ‘magic pitch’ commonly used in baseball.

But like tools specialized for mana infusion, there’s usually a limit to how much mana can be infused.

To raise that output even a little, countless applications must be deployed instantly, but no matter how hard you try, it’s impossible to throw at a level where the ball’s speed reaches ‘the speed of sound’ like just now.

‘No, theoretically it’s possible.’

Yes, it’s a problem arising from the preconception that the mana that can be infused into the ball is limited.

If you infuse mana into the external… for example, the strength of your grip or shoulders, and raise the output from that, theoretically the speed could increase indefinitely.

‘But is that possible?’

There are many who use mana based on their body, like knights or warriors.

But that focuses mainly on the use of pure physical force, used instantaneously without going through applications.

Not applied to wind, crustal movement energy or sunlight… It’s merely reinforcing the physical force exerted by human muscles and bones.

Such pure force without going through applications is bound to be weaker compared to force that has gone through applications.

‘Just how many Circles does she have, to have this much power with pure physical force alone without applications…’

“Well then, here comes the next ball.”

But there’s no room to even suppress the confusion now.

Eric, who came to his senses only after hearing the voice, shook his head and put strength back into his hand holding the bat.

With full power, without any carelessness.

-Swoosh!

Even though he put in such excessive force, the ball being thrown this time didn’t feel the same speed and power as before.

Unlike the ball that didn’t even leave an afterimage, this slow ball coming towards him was clearly visible.

Moreover, as if lacking power, it’s flying in a parabolic arc from top to bottom rather than in a straight line.

‘What, why is it like this now.’

The fleeting moment until the ball reaches the catcher. But compared to the balls he’s faced so far, there’s more than enough time to think.

For a pitch where infusing mana is basic, the current ball didn’t show any movement of mana at all.

‘Ah, did she use up all her strength on that fastball earlier?’

The showing off before throwing the ball was just bluff. She thought he would be tense and wary if she threw a slow ball while he was flustered.

But coincidentally, he’s been mainly dealing with balls thrown with mana infusion… commonly called ‘magic pitches’.

Compared to what he’s faced so far, the current ball seems extremely slow.

‘Do you think I’ll be flustered by this level of fake?’

Yes, he thought he could hit this much.

-Pang!

When the bat was swung, the sound came not from the bat, but from the glove positioned behind.

“S-Strike!”

Along with the umpire’s declaration, his gaze turned back belatedly.

There, he saw the catcher receiving the ball by slightly lowering his glove.

‘The trajectory, it bent sharply?’

Clearly a phenomenon that could be called a magic pitch.

But it’s completely different from what he’s seen so far.

‘She threw a magic pitch without using mana?’

A magic pitch refers to a pitch thrown using mana.

A ball that bends its trajectory without any special precursor was a phenomenon that didn’t exist in the common sense of everyone, including Eric.

---

“Strike, strikeout!”

A forkball followed by a screwball.

Eric, who couldn’t respond to the breaking balls and swung at empty air, left his place dejectedly.

Yet his gaze was still directed at me.

“What was that, air manipulation magic?”

The other students around were equally surprised.

“No way. Usually there are signs when doing something like that.”

“Is it telekinesis?”

“Telekinesis can’t be applied to balls flying that fast.”

“What on earth did she do?”

Murmuring.

The little friends were not sparing in their evaluation of the ball I threw, regardless of which team they were on.

Seeing their astonished looks, a smile naturally formed on my lips.

“My goodness. These days, Slytherin friends don’t know to fear Muggles?”

Trying to play baseball without even trying to throw a ball purely without mana.

“Three outs. Change!”

A breaking ball after a full-power pitch to seize the initiative at the start.

The students who couldn’t adapt to it failed their attack without even advancing to first base, let alone scoring a point.

The moment of perfect defensive victory.

In reality, baseball is a sport where you don’t lose if the pitcher throws well and the catcher receives well.

“Teacher, teacher.”

Yes, the victory in defense is not my achievement alone.

Our proud catcher who received the ball on the other side. Dale started running towards me and calling me.

“Yes Dale, you did very well.”

“Hehe, I was a bit scared at first, but after that it was manageable!”

I was worried because it was a pitch with excessive output applied, but I had already figured out that it would be within the range of nullification this child has, as long as it’s an attack launched using mana.

What concerned me more was the breaking balls.

For fastballs, you just need to place the glove in the center, but breaking balls are difficult to catch even for professional catchers.

Yet to think he would catch them all when I was prepared for a few balls.

“By the way, teacher, I have a question.”

Dale looked up at me as I was inwardly expressing admiration.

I immediately matched Dale’s eye level and quietly asked back.

“Yes, what are you curious about?”

“The ball’s trajectory bending just now……”

Is he wondering about the breaking ball?

Certainly, the other students couldn’t even tell if it was magic or not.

They must have felt more shocked because there were no phenomena like heat haze or vibration sounds due to mana manipulation.

I thought this child would be curious about how I threw it too, but…

“The ball’s rotation direction was perpendicular to its flight direction, so the trajectory bent due to the influence of the airflow it contacted, right?”

He hasn’t learned this part yet, but he saw it and guessed correctly right away.

This is why I like this kid, you know?

“…That’s correct.”

Yes, as Dale guessed, the breaking ball I threw wasn’t anything like magic.

It was the result of applying a physical phenomenon called the ‘Magnus effect’ in the world I originally lived in.

By skillfully using the fingers to create spin on the ball’s surface, and using that rotating surface to control the airflow, it utilizes the phenomenon of the ball’s trajectory bending.

“That’s a technique that doesn’t use mana, right?”

“That’s right. It’s something anyone can do with just light hand techniques, even without mana.”

Of course, the theory about it is known in this world too, just under a different name, but applying theory to practice is a separate issue.

Rather, as the perception that ‘balls are thrown using mana’ is taken for granted, they’re bound to overlook that there’s a method like this.

“Similarly, what’s important in actual practice isn’t qualifications or status. After all, if you’re dealing with people like me, you can make up for lack of power with skill and wit.”

“Wit… you say?”

“Even if the odds of winning are slim, possibilities arise depending on how you lead the situation.”

So it’s not good to determine victory or defeat just by looking at each other’s positions.

That applies to both the challenger and the one being challenged.

I had such thoughts as I saw the existing members standing powerlessly at the batter’s box.

“Team change!”

“Well then, I’m counting on you, friends.”

After I stepped aside, as planned, those in the waiting area started to leave their seats one by one.

In the order of batters set in advance.

“…Yes.”

The one who stepped up to the front was, as expected, an existing member lacking confidence.

His face, looking at the one standing on the pitcher’s mound, was covered in cold sweat.

“I’ll pitch.”

Yes.

So that child is pitching after all.

“Young master, will you be alright?”

“You go to your position. I need to concentrate.”

He spoke harshly even to his close aide and tightly gripped the ball, infusing mana.

At that moment, the baseball emitted light with a crackling sound.

Not simply static electricity generated by friction of electrodes, but a ‘plasma phenomenon’ caused by interfering with atomic-level motion.

He throws a ball containing lightning created by human hands. The power of the ball gaining elasticity from that is by no means light.

“He has reason to be confident.”

He’s probably wearing the label of an excellent student even in high school.

Besides that, there’s a time-lag disruption technique where flames spread the moment the ball reaches the batter. A changeup that causes sudden vortexes to induce mistakes from the batter.

He’s even using a breaking ball that generates magnetism in the ball itself, distorting the ball’s trajectory abnormally through cooperation with the catcher.

Although he used mana, he indirectly implemented the breaking ball I had used on his own.

“His learning ability is truly remarkable.”

If I had found him on the battlefield, I would have grabbed him by the collar and made him my subordinate, what a shame.

“Strike! Two outs!”

“Number 3, come out!!!”

Eric shouted after quickly getting two outs like that.

As I was looking at that sight contentedly, I started to feel a presence behind me.

“Teacher.”

Gillette Sieghart.

The current baseball club president, but an unfortunate student who can only watch because he’s injured.

“Don’t worry.”

I patted Gillette’s back and spoke towards the third batter walking to the batter’s box.

“Our number 3 batter is a very, very clever child.”

Yes, he’s experienced being a catcher, so he should try being a batter too.

“Teacher! Do I stand here!?”

“Yes, do your best~”

As I waved my hand, Dale smiled brightly and shouldered the bat.

Seeing that sight, Eric started looking at me with a face that said ‘Are you kidding me right now?’

That’s too much.

We’re sending that child out quite seriously on our side too.

-Pang!!

Well, it’s a problem that nullification has no effect at all if it doesn’t directly touch the body.

“Wow… I didn’t notice from far away, but it’s really fierce.”

Dale let out pure admiration for the ball Eric threw.

Conversely, Eric’s face showed perplexity as he received the ball thrown by the catcher.

No mana manipulation could be felt from Dale facing the ball.

“What’s with you. Can’t you even use mana properly?”

“Uh, um….. Actually, I don’t know how to use magic.”

“Don’t know…?”

“Yes. So I’m currently learning from the teacher.”

Ehehe, Dale scratched the back of his head while smiling.

The moment he saw that, Eric’s expression crumpled.

“Bringing a clueless girl to the ground. How much does that woman have to treat people like idiots to be satisfied?”

Hoho, our friend Eric. It seems he has a lot of complaints about this teacher.

And Dale is a boy.

“Strike!”

Apart from that, judging by how the mana in the ball thrown afterwards was raging fiercely, it seemed his emotions were quite hurt, but coincidentally, that didn’t approach as a crisis.

Even if there’s a tie this time, we’ll just move on to the second set.

“…Teacher.”

“It’s fine, I tell you~”

Above all, I’m not thinking at all that such a thing will happen.

I answered leisurely to the students trembling with anxiety behind me and gazed at Dale.

“It should be about time to get the hang of it.”

Yes, if I had just relied on nullification, I wouldn’t have sent him out in the first place.

Rather, the nullification constitution can be a ‘poison’ in a society centered on magic.

As he has a constitution that can’t use mana, unlike other batters, he can’t enhance his body, and therefore it’s difficult to secure the athletic ability to hit fast balls.

In other words, Dale’s ability could rather be a flaw in this world’s sports.

“He’s a more amazing child than you think. This year’s top student.”

But Dale’s greatest ability is not nullification, but concentration and inquiry spirit.

Dale, who cleanly caught even breaking balls with changing speed and trajectory, won’t break his concentration against the balls flying in at this moment.

Surely if he checks twice, he’ll be able to get a feel for when to swing the bat.

-Thwack!

As if to show that such a prediction had hit the mark.

The sound of the ball hitting the ground resounded powerfully.