Prologue: If Only Days Like This Could Last Forever

“And so, today’s lesson in《Black Magic Studies》will be… dodgeball!”

Holding a ball, Glenn declared this out of the blue to the nearly forty students gathered in the courtyard of the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

Faced with yet another absurd turn of events, the students could only gape in stunned exasperation.

“Hahaha! The court’s already set up! Come on, you lot! Split into two teams with rock-paper-scissors! The losing team will be the winning team’s slaves for the day—!”

“W-Wait just a minute!”

Stepping onto the grass where a court had been meticulously outlined with white lines, Sistine protested vehemently.

“Why do we have to play dodgeball in a《Black Magic Studies》class!? We’re busy! Instead of fooling around like this, we need proper, serious lessons—”

“Hmph! You just don’t get it, do you, White Cat?”

Glenn thrust a finger right at Sistine’s nose with a dramatic flourish.

“You’re underestimating dodgeball! Don’t you know? Dodgeball is packed with every single element essential for wielding magic!”

“Huh!?”

Sistine, hearing this for the first time, blinked in shock.

“Listen up! First, throwing the ball strengthens your shoulders! Tracking the ball’s trajectory hones your dynamic vision! And dodging the ball sharpens your reflexes! Got it? To say dodgeball is magic itself is no exaggeration!”

“T-That actually makes sense…!?”

Glenn’s confident proclamation almost fooled Sistine for a moment…

“…Wait, none of that has anything to do with magic!”

“Gyaahhhhhhh—!?”

Sistine’s shouted [Gale Blow] sent Glenn soaring high into the sky, as it always did.

“…Sheesh, our teacher’s the same as ever.”

Watching from a distance, the burly male student Kash muttered under his breath.

“Sigh… It’s typical for Sensei to occasionally pull something outrageous, but this time, it’s even more incomprehensible than usual.”

Wendy, the twin-tailed ojou-sama, could only shrug her shoulders.

“Indeed… I thought Glenn-sensei always had some deeper meaning behind his seemingly nonsensical lessons…”

“…But dodgeball and magic? They can’t possibly be related… right?”

Teresa, a model-like girl, and Lynn, a petite bespectacled girl, couldn’t hide their confusion either.

“Hmph. I don’t know what he’s up to, but I’m not playing along this time.”

Standing slightly apart from the group, a bespectacled boy named Gibul furrowed his brow in obvious displeasure, irritably pushing up his glasses as he spat out his words.

“We’re busy right now. We don’t have time to mess around like this—”

“…That’s exactly why, Gibul-kun.”

A gentle, admonishing voice interrupted him.

The students’ gazes turned toward the speaker.

Her fluffy blonde hair swayed in the breeze, sparkling as it caught the afternoon sunlight.

“It’s true that the midterm exams are coming up… Everyone’s been studying so hard, barely finding time to sleep… But lately, everyone’s been pushing themselves too far and getting exhausted, haven’t they?”

There stood Rumia, her serene smile radiating kindness.

“Maybe Sensei arranged this time for us to take a breather?”

Her clear, sea-blue eyes brimmed with unwavering trust in Glenn, and because of that…

“Hmm… Now that you mention it, the class atmosphere has been kind of tense lately…”

“Haha, or maybe he just wants to skip teaching and play around.”

The students, albeit reluctantly, seemed somewhat convinced.

“Hey, you lot! Hurry up and let’s play dodgeball—!”

“Ugh, just this once, okay!? Really, only this time!”

On the court, Glenn was waving at the students like an excited child, while Sistine, apparently giving in, crossed her arms and turned away in a huff, fuming.

“…Well, a break every now and then isn’t so bad.”

“Yare yare, here we go.”

Resigned but with wry smiles, the students headed toward the court—

And so, that’s how it went.

For a while, cheerful shouts echoed through the courtyard.

“Fufun! Prepare yourself, Rumia! Ei!”

“Too easy, Wendy!”

“Oooh! Nice dodge, Rumia-chan! Alright, pass it here! Pass!”

The students threw themselves into dodgeball, venting the stress of their relentless studying.

“Hmph. Our team’s at a disadvantage… What now, Sensei?”

Even Gibul, who hadn’t been keen at first, gradually got swept up in the excitement and started to engage.

“Oh no, the ball’s with Re=L… This is bad…”

“Ei.”

“Dogyaaaahhhhhhhhh—!?”

“Waaahhh—!? Sensei’s been blasted away—!”

In that familiar scene filled with endless laughter—

(Haha, this is so much fun…)

Playing alongside everyone, Rumia’s face glowed with joy, her heart filled with a simple wish.

(…If only days like this… could last forever…)