ep5: Fate's Draft Conference
1054 Words
"I was defeated in the battle against Ivritos and transmigrated to this mysterious world. It seems I need to acquire the skill of 'baseball' for some reason.
"Eat this tart. It's a special snack made from Thunderbird eggs."
"Well, then..."
I cut a small piece with a fork. Sweet, Thunderbird eggs, which are magical creatures, can be eaten. As I savored the tart, Odilis placed her chin on her hand and stared at me. Her expression was serious.
"The reason you lost in the final boss battle is simple. You lacked teamwork, meaning the bond between comrades."
"Y-yes..."
"All right. That's why, as a god, I've decided to give you a challenge."
"A challenge?"
"Learn the power of friendship, trust, and teamwork through baseball."
Is this an event where flags are triggered by losing? I don't understand being suddenly told about friendship and such through baseball. I don't even know what baseball is in the first place. More importantly, what happened to my other companions if I'm the one who revived?
"By the way, what about Onikia and the others? If I revived, then what about them..."
"Supporting characters don't come back to life. You're the only one who revived."
Mariam, standing beside me, answered my question casually. It was a casually spoken but cruel statement.
"Why only me?"
"Because you're the unique existence capable of defeating the Demon Lord Ivritos."
Unique? While I am certainly a hero, that alone lacks persuasiveness. Odilis supplemented that point.
"Even gods aren't omnipotent, you know."
"But just me..."
A weak statement escaped me. Odilis looked at me with a slight smile.
"I see. As your adventure progressed, and your level increased, and you equipped powerful weapons, you thought you could defeat Ivritos on your own, didn't you?"
"W-well..."
She saw through the anxiety that arose in me as the adventure reached its end. Odilis responded to my shaken state.
"I've been checking your adventure step by step in the divine world, you know."
Solo play is only for the early stages of an adventure. As your level rises, you become accustomed to solo play. Now, I have revived alone in a different world. I have to clear the baseball event, "Yakyu," on my own. The fear and anxiety, unlike anything before, are evident in my expression. I have been safe so far because I had companions.
"The profession of a hero, the one who can defeat the Demon Lord, is unique to Alan. You are the hope of the people."
To the frightened me, Odilis said that. Yes, I am the hope of the world... of the people. I made up my mind and asked.
"What should I do in this world?"
"You will join a team called 'Mega Dines.' Aim to be the best in Japan! If you do that, clear the event, and I'll send you back to your original world."
I should clear the Yakyu event to return to my world. It seems straightforward, but one question remains. What happens if I can't clear the event?
"What if I can't?"
"Until you clear it, you'll have to live in this world."
Odilis said it with a serious expression, indicating that she was serious. To return from this different world, I need to aim for something called "Nihon Ichi."
"There you go!"
Suddenly, several books appeared on the table. It seems Mariam brought them without me noticing.
"First, you need to learn the basic rules of baseball."
☆★☆
Several weeks have passed. It seems to be October, with a cool breeze outside. I am on the second floor of a*****e called "Quest Trading."
This store processes herbs brought by Odilis from my original world into pills and sells them as "health supplements" to the people of this world. They also sell other items like sweets and seasonings.
"Now, after hitting the ball with the bat, which bases should you run to?"
"Uhm, third base!"
I am receiving a special lecture on baseball from Mariam. Thanks to the special skill "Language Proficiency" given by Odilis, I can now decipher the language of this world. Mariam gave me beginner-friendly books like "Learn Baseball by Reading" to read, but I still don't fully understand.
"Stupid! Why would you run to third base!"
"Baseball is about the pitcher, you know."
I am hit on the head with a paper weapon, Harisen (attack power 1), every time I make a mistake in the baseball rules. Mariam is imparting the basics of baseball with a Spartan approach.
"Hey, it's starting!"
Odilis's voice comes from downstairs. Although we were in the middle of a conversation, we hurry downstairs. The draft, the meeting to select characters, is about to begin.
"Heart-pounding! Story-wise, it's probably the first pick."
Mariam looks excited as she watches the television, a square mirror in this world. It's truly a mysterious world. I wonder how they are broadcasting images remotely. It must be someone with considerable magical power operating it.
"The first choice for the Mega Dines... "
We anxiously watch.
"Chuusuke Yonezawa, pitcher, Shonan Mirai High School."
"Isn't he the pitcher who won the Koshien this year?"
"Because baseball is about pitchers."
They are surprised and satisfied. Is this Yonezawa person such a remarkable adventurer? Many guilds seem to have selected this character, leading to competition. The Omiya Lions guild seems to have acquired negotiation rights.
☆★☆
"Kono Koyoshi, infielder, Shakagatake University."
The meeting progresses, but my name is not called. Then, Odilis shows a worried expression.
"The Mega Dines' picks are over..."
"W-what's going on!?"
Odilis's face stiffens. What happened?
"What's wrong?"
"You can't join Mega Dines!"
What a surprise. My adventure seems to have hit a wall.
"Why not?"
"The draft for Mega Dines is over now!"
What on earth?
"What's happening?"
"You cannot join Mega Dines!"
The two are disheartened. It seems the adventure is stuck.
"Is this a sudden game over?"
"Did you mess up character creation?"
With drooping shoulders, the two of them speculate. In the end, I'm not called by anyone. As a form of comfort, I inform them indirectly.
"My name was called."
A moment of silence follows. It feels as quiet as entering an empty cave.
"Yesss!"
"We did it!"
The two rejoice and embrace me. It seems we've avoided a defeat in the early stages of the adventure.
- Writer
