“Wee, did you say you were dumped by Hubert?”
During lunchtime, Logan, whom we met again as promised, stuttered as if it were absurd. Also, as promised, Lillian Karin was with them.
“Does it matter?”
“It’s not a problem, it’s normal! How cowardly and dirty Hubert’s personality is… … It might be better to be left out.”
However, Lillian calmly expressed a different opinion from the excited Logan.
“Still, Hubert is a necessary person. You say you’re the main setter at Lionheart?”
Even Logan had to admit that.
Hubert’s position is setter.
Not to mention being good at volleyball, he was a guy who got the starting spot even though he was a freshman because he was good at reading the board.
“I also learned from the school since I was little, but that’s all. Even after coming to school, Hubert, who has received professional training and accumulated real-world experience, is definitely a necessary force.”
“But I can’t help but say I won’t…” … .”
Logan had a habit of trembling in his voice when dealing with Lillian. Lane smiled and pushed his back towards the gym.
“How am I supposed to find the other one? Let’s go to the gym first. The rest of the guys decided to come too.”
Then he turned to Lillian and said yes.
“And Lillian, thank you for helping me. I live thanks to you.”
Then Lillian shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn’t a big deal with a faint smile that, heh, was visible only to herself.
“I have to do this. Because I owe you.”
“debt? what debt?”
“There is such a thing. Don’t ask a man son-in-law.”
I wanted something like an alternative debt, but I didn’t have time to ask more. There were three other people waiting at the gym door.
As usual, Nora smiled and waved, and Caden was just taciturn… … Oh, there was another person next to him.
Hubert of the Rohfinum school. His expression was several times more poop-chewed than usual.
“What, Hubert! Are you here to help?”
When Lane greeted him warmly, Hubert turned his head coldly and replied with excitement.
“Help me, I just came to see you somewhere.”
“what?”
“They say you work so hard, to see if it’s real or a lie. That’s all.”
In fact, Hubert himself was at a level where he could not understand why he was here. The beginning of the story goes back to the second period break.
– Why would you help someone like that? No matter how much I think about it, I don’t get it, Kayden. You hate nobles too!
Cayden touched his chin for a moment at Hubert’s scolding, then wrote a strange note in his notebook.
[Lane Ludwig is a bit different.]
– Different? Where the hell is he?
[I don’t feel the kind of contempt we often see when nobles deal with us.]
it’s funny
What is that child… … .
I tried to respond firmly, but I shut my mouth shut at the memory that flashed through my mind.
‘Come to think of it, was there anything that was ignored by him?’
He got angry at least once, but that was a mentality that ordinary students could naturally show.
Rather, it should be said that it is sincerity that can be seen by thinking of the other person as equal.
If he had been an ordinary nobleman in that situation, he would have tried to kneel, saying it was disrespectful.
[And the fact that Confucius Inseong quit the student council for the sake of the common people is the truth, no matter what the true intention is, so I’m helping.]
I came here to confirm the truth… … It was to determine the authenticity of what Hubert said and what Lane said.
It’s just that, I’m not here to help. Even if he helps in the first place, isn’t the opponent Griffin Valer?
‘But how am I going to win with such a hasty team?’
Lillian and Caden should have learned the basics of magic volleyball at school, but they didn’t do club activities after coming to school, so they didn’t feel full right away.
To make matters worse, Confucius Inseong is the first to play magic volleyball.
If this isn’t a joke, if it’s the truth, where is the corner to believe… … As I sighed, Nora suddenly came up to me and smiled broadly.
“Then, Lionheart’s freshman super setter Hubert can start consulting the team from now on.”
“what? Do not be ridiculous. why me?”
If it had been a single request for Nora, she could easily have refused… … For some reason, Lillian even helped out.
“Hmm, I agree. Hubert, you say the purpose is to see Confucius Inseong’s sincerity?”
“… … ?”
“Then, wouldn’t it be right to let them do their best whether they win or lose and then see the results?”
Logan then nodded while wriggling his sternocleidomastoid muscle, and even Kayden, who could be called an ally, said this.
[It seems that it is impossible to refute it]
No, these are group… … .
In the end, pushed by the atmosphere, Hubert checked the skills of the four people in a 2:2 practice match. Hubert, who closely watched the match with Lane, finally gave an evaluation.
“This isn’t bad enough.”
Logan and Nora were the same Ryan Hart and knew that ability, but Lillian and Caden also had unexpected skills.
“It’s not bad, even if that’s the case, even if you wake up dead with this power, you can’t beat Griffin Valor.”
“why?”
“Because there is no setter.”
setter?
Then, the late exponents of the Eight Great Schools, who had gathered before they knew it, tilted their heads in turn.
“Wasn’t that what you were doing?”
“That’s it.”
“Well, of course I thought Hubert would be the setter.”
[Really… … .]
Hubert was dumbfounded, so rather than shed a blank laugh, he let out a high-pitched voice that was close to exasperation.
“Are you going to do it? Even if I give up everything else, I can’t give up this much. I give credit only to wizards I have recognized.”
“Again, Hubert’s dirty personality★”
“shut up! Even if you could somehow compromise and give credit to these idiots, you wouldn’t. So I don’t have anything to do as a setter. I’m not going to be serious in the first place.”
Hubert looked back at the lane with an even provocative gaze and resolutely drew a line. It was a moment of tension, but Lane was surprisingly cool.
“Is that what a setter is? Giving the ball to the spikers. Isn’t it very difficult?”
“You are so ignorant that I sigh. Setter is not such a simple position.”
When Lane tilted his head at Hubert’s annoyance, Logan added an explanation.
“If the hard-receiver is the backbone of the defense, the setter is the heart of the offense.”
[The setter is what allows the spiker to shake off the opponent’s blocking.]
“In the dictionary, it is just a position that raises the toss, but more broadly speaking, it can be seen as a commanding tower that directs all attacks on the court♬”
Lillian nodded lightly and conveyed her knowledge.
“There is even a saying that magic volleyball is a setter game.”
Since when did these people become so close to Confucius Inseong? Hubert took over the baton even though he had some doubts.
“In the first place, we call them spikers, but each has a different personality and a different play style. It is the setter who coordinates all of that.”
“oh.”
“And Griffinvalor’s Maya Snark is a nationally dominant setter. The match itself was not established.”
“… … .”
“Now do you know who you are fighting with?”
After the explanation, he was more sarcastic than usual, but Lane touched his chin and stared into the air as if he was deep in thought.
“The setter was such an important position. The fact that Griffin Valor is incredibly strong right now can be attributed to that Maya Snark.”
“… … .”
“It must be as difficult as it is important, right?”
Logan, who was bouncing the magic ball against the wall, nodded.
“It goes without saying that it requires both plate reading and physical ability, but there is a magical reason why setter is a difficult position.”
“A magical reason?”
“Because a competent setter can mentally calculate math instead of Spiker.”
“Do you mentally calculate math instead?”
As I understand it, there were two cases where the equation had to be calculated.
1. When receiving or blocking an opponent’s serve or spike, having to calculate a mathematical expression ordered by the opponent.
2. To order a formula on the ball when serving or spiking the ball raised by the team, i.e. when attacking.
But mental arithmetic instead, was there such a case?
“Spikers originally have to instantly order a formula to use for an attack right before hitting a spike, but the setter can calculate it by 90% instead and send it to you in the set-up motion♬”
“… … !”
“Then Spiker only needs to order the last 10% lightly. If you have more time, you will have more time to avoid blocking♬”
Then, Lillian, who had been listening to the explanation as closely as Lane, expressed a question.
“But as far as I know, didn’t the setter have to calculate the coordinate equation when tossing the ball to the spiker?”
“So setters are divided into two types.”
The type that sends the toss accurately with the coordinate equation, and the type that constructs the mathematical expression instead, even if the toss is a little halfway.
“It is said that a truly competent setter mixes the two well according to the situation.”
Clearly understanding what Nora and Logan were trying to say, Lillian huffed and nodded.
“In short, it is an undeniable reality that teams with strong setters dominate the game.
Now the question is, which of the four of us will be the setter… … Excluding me and Kayden because they have little experience in combat, then it would be Nora or Logan.
However, judging from the previous game, Logan was a wing spiker who showed strength in spikes with the power that comes from his huge physique, and Nora used her flexible body to solidify the defense with solid receiving.
This is a challenge, should I get another team member? That was when I thought so.
“Would that be fun?”
An unexpected voice was heard.
Of course, it was Lane Ludwig who said that.
“Setter, I’ll do it.”
For a moment, silence, like pouring cold water, crossed the hall. Although an explosive uproar immediately followed.
“Gongja-nim, did you even listen to us until now?!”
“You said you never played magic volleyball when you were young! You don’t intend to win?”
[Really… … .]
“Ahahahaha, I agree★”
Lane, who became the center of the commotion in an instant, raised both hands to calm the teammates.
“This is a game I opened, but I can’t leave something important to you guys.”
“Even though… … .”
“And our team has the best first-year setter. Do you think I can learn everything from him in ten days?”
When Lane pointed at Hubert with his chin, attention quickly turned to him. Hubert didn’t even have time to panic, but Lane smiled and held out his hand.
“Huber, you said you can’t play as a setter, but can you teach me? We are on the same team now.”
* * *
“So, are the preparations going well?”
Cassena Page asked.
Since Lane was busy with volleyball practice from dawn until late at night, it felt like we had been sitting face to face in a classroom for the first time in a long time.
Cassena was also busy with her work as a member of the organizing committee. It was even busier because one student council executive was missing.
“well.”
Lane raised both arms full of scars as evidence.
“It feels like I’ve been working hard, but I don’t know if it’s going well.”
Cassena, who watched the wounds with a worried look for a moment, cleared her throat majestically, ahem.
Then, he wanted to carefully glance at the other cadets, especially Hubert, and then put his lips close to Lane’s ear and whispered softly.
“Is this a secret?”
“?”
“This is an absolute absolute secret?! You can’t tell anyone!”
what? If you’re going to shout like this so everyone can hear, why… … It’s not like my eardrums will burst, but my head is ringing.
“My mom is away for a while, so I’ll be the acting president in the meantime.”
“Are you acting president? Where have you been?”
“Shh! I don’t know. Something big happened, so I dragged all the administrators out and still haven’t come in.”
administrator? The eyebrows narrowed slightly.
It’s not about the university, it’s about the city… … Maybe they found the corpses of Ribadin and the Special Operations Division.
I thought that something annoying might happen, but Cassena smiled as if to say not to worry.
“That’s it, don’t worry too much! Even if Lane loses and loses the right to participate in the festival, I’ll be fine with rejecting the result! With the authority of the rector! Because I am the acting president!”
Then, as if to trust him, he raised his thumb and stood up on his crutches. It’s time to go to the executive committee.
These days, Cassena can walk with only one crutch. Maybe it’s because he works hard in rehabilitation training and drinks Chaihak’s Magic-Protein, so he recovers quickly.
Looking at the back, it was absurd, so a short laugh came out.
‘Since he’s a very honest person, he must have said it sincerely.’
If I really lose, he is a person who will recklessly reject the results. I don’t even think about the aftermath of it.
‘To prevent that from happening, I have no choice but to win the match a week later.’
From noble mtl dot com
And after a week like that, the day of the final battle finally came.
* * *
Since it was a closed match in Griffin Valor, the match was held in Griffin Valor’s 1st Gymnasium, as was traditional.
Those who had never seen Griffinvalor’s gym had no choice but to open their mouths as soon as they set foot here… … That would be too.
“Wow, that’s huge… … !”
“Brilliance everywhere… … !”
“The magic equipment is all the latest, right? … !”
As it is a place where the youth of the five generations and the successors of the ten generations passed through, sponsorship activities by OBs were also active, and the facilities were truly unmatched.
In addition, even though onlookers were coming one by one as soon as evening approached, the training of the aristocratic cadets was orderly without any disturbance.
Cadets practicing spikes, cadets practicing serve, cadets practicing toss… … .
“Give strength to your stomach! Did you call that Spike now? again!”
A Griffin Valor that moves in perfect order under the guidance of Professor Elin Ludwig, a 2nd year tiger professor. It was to the extent that the onlookers stuck out their tongues at the disciplined and well-rounded training.
“This, can Gongja Inseong win?”
“I know. This year, Griffin Valor had tremendous power… … .”
“You fool! So you’re here to cheer! What if we get intimidated first?”
Then, Lorwinbelt Kanwer, who had been overhearing the onlookers, laughed as if he was having fun.
“Our Master Ludwig, have you become a hero to the common people?”
To that sarcasm, Yors, a 3rd year cadet with a rather large body and a warm impression, answered.
“You expected this situation. Only the people who are worshiped have changed.”
Joers Boutel.
He is also a member of the Ten Gates clan.
Maya Snark, who was sitting on the bench wearing knee braces, clicked her tongue annoyedly.
“It doesn’t mean that the situation will change just because the lower ones are making noise. It’s enough to just trample on that proud nose.”
It was then that the cheers turned toward the door. Challengers who lost their cowardice appeared.
Of course, I thought there would be an outpouring of unresponsible cheering, but breathless exclamations flowed from here and there.
It was jarring to Maya’s ears.
“What, what is that… … !!!”
“Those six are a team… … ?!”
“Golden generation of first graders in one place… … ?!”
Even Maya, who confirmed the identity, couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows in bewilderment for a moment, because it was a team with a combination that no one expected.
Hubert of the Rohfinum school.
Lillian of the Rivendell School.
Logan of the Tchaihak school.
Nora of the School of Melev.
Cayden of the Harimun school.
A scene where all the late exponents of the Eight Great Schools, who are at the top of the freshman year, gather… … However, the identity of the person walking from the center of the ranks as if leading them was even more shocking.
“How did Confucius Inseong manage that squad… … ?!”
Rain Ludwig, as the successor of the Sedo family, shouldn’t he be the one who should stand at the antagonistic point rather than rallying the students of the school?
“Eh… … .”
Elin Ludwig, who looked at his nephew and sighed as if he couldn’t stop it, blew a whistle and lined up the players.
The 11 players who were selected as the starting lineup for Griffin Valor this time were the most elite starting lineup, to the point where it made no sense to lose.
Lionheart’s captain Bradley, who knows that better than anyone else, let out a short sigh.
“Maya Snark as setter, Yors Bautel as middle blocker, and Sandra Keppel and Gertrude Panton as wing spikers… … He has the power to become an ace no matter which team he joins.”
Except for those three players, this year’s Griffin Baller is nothing but formidable players. If it’s a good thing that Christa Worden missed out on student council work as an excuse… … .
On the other hand, the team facing such a Griffin Valor was truly modest.
It goes without saying that Hubert, Logan, and Nora are good, but isn’t volleyball a sport played by six people, not three?
‘Caden was in a music club, Lillian wasn’t in a club at all… … Confucius Inseong just learned about it ten days ago.’
And, in contrast to Griffin Valor, where a total of 11 people lined up, including hard-receivers and replacements, the challenger team consisted of only six people.
“Even an outsider in magic volleyball can clearly see where they are inferior.”
Christa Warden turned around in surprise at the voice she heard in her ear.
“Hey, Chairman… … ?!”
It was the student council president, Valencidis.
Not only Valencidis, but also vice-president Felix Drake was with us, and as soon as we met, they asked strange questions and sat down.
“So, who are you cheering for?”
“yes?”
“You looked like you were mad at that minuscule guy the other day. I was curious about what you were doing hiding in a corner like this.”
“Sue, I’m hiding. It’s not like that!”
“You’re angry right?”
At that question, Christa had no choice but to bite her lips miserably.
“… … I wasn’t angry.”
It is unclear whether he was angry or not. Maybe Krista was angry with herself at that time.
Why couldn’t he stand out like Lane Ludwig back then? As a member of the student council at the moment when the student council president was ignored.
Lane threw the student council badge without hesitation. He gave up his personal honor for the sake of the student council. But he… … .
“… … .”
Valencidis looked at Christa like that quietly, then smiled quietly. This guy is also a nobleman worth watching.
“Both players, hello!”
It was around that time Professor Ivan saluted both players. He is the adviser to Snake Mast, the magic volleyball club at Gym 3.
In order to make a fair decision, it was only natural that he was chosen as the chief judge, not Elin, who represented the nobility, or Owen, who represented the school.
There was no sincere courtesy to be found, and there were only ostentatious handshakes. Only the handshake between captains was different.
“Rain, I couldn’t even sleep because I was so excited! Let’s have fun together today!”
According to the tradition of Griffin Valor, where a person with a high position becomes the captain, Sandra Keppel, a second-year student but a descendant of the Five Greats, is the captain.
“If I let you down after expecting me like this, I might feel a lot worse than I thought!”
“Even if you’re surprised and dazed, I don’t know.”
“Ahahahaha! After all, Rain is fun! Oh by the way, you know that using Bel Sidious is against the law, right?”
“Yeah, I know. You can’t use the magic eye.”
“Oh, smart! Our Rain is always smart, so I like it!”
Professor Ivan flicked a coin while Sandra laughed and slapped Lane on the back.
The back.
The challenger’s team has the right to go first.
Up to this point, it was a general development that could be seen everywhere, but the next moment, a breathless silence covered the hall.
“The first serve is… … Are you a human being?!”
After receiving the ball from Professor Ivern, Lane immediately activated the magic of the ball.
Boooung… … !
Immediately, the magic ball that emitted a blue force field bounced off the floor and was caught in Rain’s grasp.
“That guy is the first serve… … .”
Christa, as if wondering about that, touched her chin, and Valencidis raised her eyebrows slightly.
“Isn’t that a common option?”
“The first serve is as important as it can get the flow of the set in one go.”
“It’s also used for suppressing steam.”
“yes. Generally, beginners are not used.”
There is only one case that can be considered.
When you hit an important phase later, does it feel like you’re subtracting the current turn to avoid losing the flow to the opponent because it’s a lane’s sub-turn?
However, as if to mock such a calculation, Lane took five steps back from the end line.
“Crazy, that can’t be… … ?!”
“I’m thinking of doing a jump serve… … ?!”
Professor Owen, who took his place among the crowd with Lionheart’s players, couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.
‘The jump serve is the realm of experts. Aren’t they at the level of basic skills like receive and spike?’
There is a saying in magic volleyball.
Receive 3 months, spike 6 months, jump serve 12 months.
In a double meaning, it meant that it was learned last as long as that stage, and it also meant that it took a long time to master it as much as that time.
‘Are you saying you can do that as a toddler, Lane Ludwig?’
As for the difficulty of the jump serve, the Griffin Balor players who are currently on the court know better than anyone else.
So, the three people standing in the rear came forward one step at a time and formed a new formation.
A definite judgment based on long experience, because there is no way a 10-day-old beginner could do a jump spike serve or a jump floater serve.
In preparation for a serve mistake, Hubert, who wears a pod on the back of his head, also nodded to Griffin Balor’s choice.
‘Of course I would judge that. Because that’s normal.’
I once thought so too.
Until you teach that monster yourself.
“Confucius, nice serve!”
Signaling Logan’s cheering, Lane raised the ball high into the sky and stepped forward.
One foot, two feet.
On the third step, the body is lifted high into the air by kicking off the ground heavily. That series of processes… … It was so soft.
‘Perfect run… … ?!’
The moment he saw that, chills ran across the spine of Maya Snark, who was standing in the vanguard.
“Step back, one step back——!”
Everything was over before Maya’s urgent cry was over.
The magic ball, which flew across the air scattering blue afterimages, crashed into the corner of the court line as if it were squashed, emitting a painful electric current, and the next moment it bounced loudly and soared up to the railing of the second floor.
Cold sweat formed on Gertrude Panton’s forehead as she looked back blankly at the corner where the magic ball had taken and passed.
‘No, I’m not kidding… … .’
In the silence that overwhelms the crowd, as if God had taken away the sound from the world for a moment.
“… … Court Inn!”
The moment the two assistant referees who judged in and out at the end line of the court shouted like that.
“No oh oh touch, eis———!”
Logan excitedly clenched his fists in both hands and shouted, breaking the silence and shouting for the gym to leave.
‘Is it talent?’
Owen, knowing better than anyone else that Lane Ludwig was a beginner, couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Is it a talent, or do you call it an overwhelming, no, violent talent?’
However, Elin Ludwig, who had expected that a roughly similar situation would be created, formed a smile mixed with complex emotions on his lips, which quickly disappeared.
“Rowyn.”
At Elin’s call, the boy who was sitting on the bench in a bad way stood up as if he had waited and warmed up by running lightly in place.
Rowinbelt Kanwer.
He was a short but decidedly third-year cadet, and his gym uniform was a bit unusual. It’s true that it’s Griffin Valor’s gym suit, but the color scheme was reversed.
If the general Griffin Valor’s gym uniform is white with brown and golden colors added to it, can we say it’s the exact opposite combination?
This was not a special case, but a sign that the wearer, Rowenbelt, was the team’s hard-receiver.
“The same serve as before, can you catch it with certainty?”
At Elin’s question, Rowenbelt glanced at Lane Ludwig and smiled leisurely.
“If you deal directly with him two or three times, he will pick it up easily while picking his nose.”