Frieren kept staring at the little girl as she continued browsing her phone with a calm indifference
She turned to the other side with a frown.
rubbed the faint red mark on her hand" hand slightly as she stared at the girl.
Did I interrupt her doing that magic? Does it involve not touching others? she thought.
Frieren turned to the other side, seeing Kraft had already started a volleyball match.
Soft, rhythmic thuds rolled across the sand
A faint crease touched her brow, not from pain, but from confusion she couldn't quite name.
The girl didn't glance up, not even once.
Frieren's posture tightened.
Somewhere behind her, laughter spiked and dipped, then she sighed as she stepped to watch the game.
From above, Sunny watched her with a tilt of its head.
Frieren drifted toward the court, each step unhurried.
Once Kraft saw her, he waved. "Yo, Frieren! Interested in a game?" he called out.
"Kraft! Watch out!" one of them shouted
The ball struck him with a soft thud, sending the players into loud, unrestrained laughter.
Kraft rubbed the back of his head where the ball had struck, grinning through the mock complaints.
Frieren's gaze flicked between the players, their movements fast and chaotic compared to her stillness.
A quiet breath slipped from her lips.
She reached the volleyball net, her hands brushing the thin threads as if testing whether they carried any hidden enchantment.
Everyone stopped and stared at her, not in shock or impression, but—
Then Frieren stared back at them.
"They seemed gentler than the Blue Army ever did." she thought, as Her fingers glided across the thin threads
A faint breeze brushed her as she held the brim of her hat so it wouldn't fall off.
"Hey! Frieren!" one of them said.
Frieren turned; she thought she might have interrupted them.
The players exchanged small glances, their earlier noise fading into a curious hush.
Her grip tightened slightly, unsure whether to step closer or retreat.
Frieren blinked once, trying to read their intentions the way she once read monsters in the wild.
Sunny circled overhead, its shadow skating briefly across the court.
"Frieren! Kraft tells us about you—"being similar to him" one of them said.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" another added.
"Why not join us, Frieren?!" "another one chimed in"
Kraft laughed almost nervously as he rubbed his head. "Sorry, Frieren… they were too stubborn to wait."
"I see…" Frieren said.
She stepped toward them, then removed her brimmed hat; her two ears slipped out without resistance
"Cuuuute!" a woman said, placing her hands over her cheeks.
A faint heat pricked the tips of her ears, an involuntary response she quickly tried to suppress.
Frieren paused, unsure what reaction to offer in return, then nodded slightly, staring at the ground.
The sound of distant waves filled the gap where her words didn't come.
"Frieren…" Kraft scratched his cheek, smiling like he'd expected this outcome all along.
Her tails of hair shifted in the breeze, brushing lightly against her shoulders.
Cheers and claps filled the court.
"Frieren! You're amazing!"
"Can I touch your ears?!"
"No, idiot." Another one covered the other's mouth.
The girl sitting under the palm tree shot a glance at the group for a moment, then buried herself in her phone again.
Frieren stepped toward Kraft, her hand gripping her arm. "Your friends seem… kind."
"Ah… yes. Choosing these trusty friends took me a long time spent learning humans" he said.
She lowered her gaze again, the noise of the court swelling around her like a tide she didn't quite know how to stand in.
Kraft's laugh softened, quieter than the others, meant only for her.
Frieren stared at the cheering players, then at the girl in the tree.
"Hey, Kraft… can I ask you a question?"
"Yes?" Kraft said, stretching as he spoke.
"That girl—" Frieren closed her eyes for a moment, as if she had rushed her words.
"After all these centuries… we haven't met, right?"
"Y… yes…" Kraft said, stretching his legs further, almost as if to relieve the tension.
"You called me for a reason… right?" her gaze held him, waiting
Kraft stopped midway, then sighed. "Right. he lowered his head, a quiet regret settling in
Frieren hesitated, then took a small step closer, the sand shifting softly beneath her boots.
Kraft's shoulders slumped ever so slightly, the sunlight catching the lines of age and thought on his face.
"So… can you tell me?" she said, impatiently.
Kraft bit his lip, then stiffened his posture.
The humans murmured among themselves; some were warming up, others swimming in the blue waves beyond.
Kraft turned his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "What if I told you…"
"If only you win," he added, his eyes glinting with quiet challenge.
Frieren's fingers twitched against her cloak, betraying her rising impatience.
Kraft's glance briefly darted to the other players, as if measuring the moment before responding.
The distant splash of waves punctuated the pause between their words.
Frieren blinked, uncertain if this was a jest or a serious test.
"Okay…" she murmured, then turned toward the court.
Kraft stepped onto the sand, clapping his hands loudly. "Everyone, gather up!"
The players scrambled into position, laughter and chatter blending with the faint crash of waves.
"Who wants to join Frieren? Who wants to play with me? Come on! It's going to be 4 vs 4!
Two girls and a boy gravitated toward Frieren, nodding.
"Brad! You traitor!" Kraft teased, grinning.
"Sorry, Kraft! I can't help it!" Brad replied with a sheepish laugh.
Once the players gathered, one of the girls wrapped her arm around Frieren's shoulder.
"I don't believe you're real! Yaaaa!" she shouted, her excitement bubbling over.
Reminds me of Lucy… Frieren blinked, but didn't move an inch.
Kraft cracked his fingers, grinning. "Don't hold back, Frieren…
…even if it means using your magic."
Frieren stared down at her hands, hesitating. "Are you really sure?" she asked softly.
"Never been sure in my life…" Kraft said, his tone serious as he stretched more forcefully.
"Okay, I just have to defend the ball and get it to your side," Frieren said, summoning her staff.
The players gasped in disbelief as a shimmer emerged from her hands.
"Magic! Guys, look!"
"I… idiot! She's our opponent!" someone shouted.
Kraft stood, eyes sharp, and threw the ball into the sky, his expression serious.
Frieren's staff glimmered as she watched the ball approach.
The girl with the smartphone glanced at Frieren, her brows twitching slightly before returning to her screen.
The ball fell.
THUD!
Kraft struck it with a powerful force, sending it directly toward Frieren.
"What about this?!" he said, a wide, confident grin stretching across his face.
The ball hurtled at Frieren like a bullet. She stared at it, closing the distance with precision.
She raised her staff.
"Concentrate," she whispered.
The ball hovered, spinning in place, "…as if time itself bent around it", like folded paper caught in a breeze.
The shimmer of magic and spinning ball reinforces tension and spectacle.
Kraft's group stared in astonishment at the floating ball.
Frieren's hands glowed faintly as she channeled her magic, fingers tightening around her staff.
THUD!!!!!!!!!!
A massive brush of air swept across the court.
sand shifting around Frieren's feet as the staff's dimmed , as it done it's job
Everyone shielded their eyes, everyone but Kraft.
"The ball…" Kraft's grin masks both excitement and a hint of concern at Frieren's power.
…sent flying off the island entirely!" he said with a disbelieving laugh, watching the tiny dot vanish into the distance.