Kraft released a heavy breath, swinging his hands around his knees. "After I made a surprise plan?!"
He dropped with another breath. "Ahh… since when have I had a match like this?"
Kraft muttered as he brushed sand off his arms, his breath caught somewhere between laughter and exhaustion.
The court had fallen into a strange, uncomfortable quiet.
Not the stunned silence from before, nor the excited awe.
Everyone left one by one, murmuring about how exciting and odd the match had been.
One of them patted Kraft's shoulder. "See you tomorrow, boss!"
"Yeah, take care," Kraft said, raising a thumb.
The only figures left on the court were the elves.
Flap flap flap.
Sunny drifted down onto his shoulder, settling slowly against him.
"Oh, Sunny! How was your day? Sleeping as usual?" Kraft laughed.
Kraft's posture loosened, as if her presence untied a knot inside him.
He reached up gently, brushing her feathers with a tired smile.
Then he stepped toward Frieren, watching the slow waves crawl in and out.
She was only staring and blinking, then she yawned and folded her hands over her knees.
Just as she was about to summon the book, Kraft's shout made it turn transparent for a moment before it dissolved into dust. She turned to him, laying her hands into the sand.
"Oi, Frieren! Good game!" Kraft called.
Even though Kraft was running, Sunny simply rested his eyes, completely unbothered.
A faint, sleepy sigh left her, soft enough to blend with the sound of the waves.
Though she didn't seem tired, just distant, like her thoughts drifted with the rhythm of the tide.
Her gaze lifted slowly, as if returning from somewhere far away.
"You are the last one who has the right to say this," Frieren said as she turned, waiting for a response.
"Ahh…" Kraft pushed his fingers together, a knowing tone slipping into his voice.
Then he sighed, as if preparing to answer her.
He steadied himself before speaking.
"About that girl… she was abandoned by her parents, so I just sought you out," he said, turning to Sunny while rubbing his fingers over the bird's head. Sunny didn't open his eyes.
"You know thunderbirds, sunnybirds, the ones who sense magic."
"After years of trying to reach out to you, I thought… why not send Sunny, huh?" he said.
"Naive of me, not thinking of a better way for this…" He rubbed his head.
Frieren stared at him. Her expression didn't shift, but something in her posture tightened.
A moment of silence stretched between them, only the sound of waves and the distant chatter of workers leaving the Building.
He hesitated, glancing at the sand as if weighing his words. He pressed his feet into the cool sand, The air started to get cooler with the night breeze.
A long, weary sigh escaped Kraft, then he stepped closer to Frieren and sat beside her.
Both of them looked at the moon for a moment.
"Frieren… please—" Kraft began.
"If you're asking me to be her teacher… no," Frieren said, her voice leaving no room for argument.
Kraft stared at the wet sand as he rubbed his necklace; it felt like polished wood, warm from his fingers.
The moonlight touched the seaside, glowing and then fading.
"I don't know anyone else who could understand that girl more than you will, Frieren…" Kraft said, his voice carrying a faint sorrow.
Frieren didn't react; she just kept staring at the sea.
"I—I can't explain it… it's like… magic can tie its wielders together, no matter who they are…" he said.
Sunny twitched for a moment when he said it.
Frieren blinked once, as if something struck her.
Kraft turned to Frieren, his hand tightening around the necklace.
"Frieren! You shoul—"
RING RING RING RING
The phone's ringing made Kraft tremble slightly where he sat.
"Oh—hey… yes… right, I'm coming!" Kraft said as he held the tiny phone.
Frieren's attention was caught; her eyes locked onto the glowing object. She almost grabbed it if Kraft hadn't stood up.
"Sorry, Frieren… I should go… you know… some paper things," he said, placing his hand over Sunny to warm him.
Frieren nodded, then turned immediately back to the sea.
Her shoulders slumped under an invisible weight
The moon shimmered across the water, scattering pale light over her distant expression.
"Just think about it, OK?!" Kraft shouted as he ran, waving to Frieren while heading to the Building.
A knot formed in Kraft's chest as he left; he hated the idea of dropping this burden in her lap, but he trusted her more than anyone else.
"Tie its wielders together…" she whispered.