"I-I would like to…"
I said, but even I knew that my words were too quiet. It's always like that: me being so unsure in my choice, which only made people restless. I was about to repeat a bit louder, when the fox ears of Tamamo twitched. It must feel strange, having two pair of ears… and the fox ones don't look like a headband either.
"All right, let's start our grand tour across the academy."
So she heard me. Come to think of it, it's a common knowledge that demi-servants are much stronger than ordinary humans, but it's good to know their senses are sharper, too. Now, the new question I have: why do some people around here wear glasses?
I saw a pair of students walk around wearing those. Some kind of fashion statement? Or the process of becoming a demi-servant does not heal pre-transition damage? Well, it doesn't really matter right now.
I stood up from my seat and felt somebody's hand touch mind. It felt soft and warm, but moreover, it belonged to Tamamo-san. She was smiling friendly, tugging my hand in a gentle manner. As I expected, her social interaction skills were top-notch, holding my hand like that without a worry.
"Shirou, David, help me out, too. Even if I alone am enough of a magnificent guide, making lazy-butts like you move around is my duty as well."
Is this fine to talk with them in such a rude manner? David looked like a well-behaved person, and Emiya saved me back then, even though he could choose not to. Or, was this the legendary "friendly teasing" I heard so much about? As expected, friendship is hard to understand.
"Tamamo," said David. "I know you're excited because of meeting the new student, but think about other people's needs, too. I mean, lunch breaks are called so because you're supposed to eat your lunch at them, right? Maybe I want to go to the cafeteria or something."
Tamamo stared right into his eyes. Instead of answering him verbally, she clapped her hands. A single clap, followed by the sound of something hitting against something. I followed this sound with my eyes and found bento boxes wrapped in a cloth… on Emiya-kun's desk. He sighed.
"And that's the reason girls like Shirou more than you, David. Unlike some people, he is caring, kind and knows how to cook. Now, if only he dropped the whole tsundere thing."
Tamamo-san, what is "tsundere" exactly? I heard this term in my previous school, when boys were discussing something, but wasn't sure what it meant exactly. Is "tsundere" a shorthand for "being rude" or something akin to this? Well, maybe I could ask her later.
Interrupting starring match between Tamamo and David, Emiya-san stood up from his seat, holding bento boxes in his hand. Walking to the entrance, he looked around, sighed again, which seemed to be a pretty common habit of his, and said.
"You might as well give up, David. When Tamamo gets like that, you should just nod and do whatever she wants. As a compensation, I will share my lunch with you."
Hmm… Emiya-kun, for a moment, I felt a motherly aura around him, like a mother of two little kids, he solved their conflict with words and a promise of something nice. Judging by the small trail of saliva, coming from David's mouth, Emiya-kun knew how to cook well.
How nice. In the future, we could trade recipes and the like. But, thinking about this, his choice of words was rather rude. Like, "compensation" for walking around with me and Tamamo-san, as if we were so exhausting as to demand compensation for harm.
"As you say, Emiya," said David, shaking his head a bit. "I know a good place for our lunch. It's supposed to be quiet and peaceful right now."
"Yay! Let's go to David's "places where chicks reject all my confessions" spot!"
"Tamamo-o-o-o!"
Scene Change.
Just like how David said, the place he led us to was a picture of tranquility. Because the academy's property was massive, there were lots of places for students to explore and claim as their own. Since the main faculty was shaped like a square, with two partitions dividing inner area into four large gardens, meant for student reclamation. During lunch breaks, students from elementary, middle and high school divisions could enjoy their food there, while chatting together with their friends.
That's what Tamamo-san said, but in truth, best places were usually taken by the strongest students. With the division into four separate schoolyards, the division between students occupying them came as well. While more bookish students usually gather in the bottom left, "rowdy" students preferred the top right garden, regularly sparring between themselves for fun.
Overall, as long you knew where to went, no problems happened. As for the place David found, it was neither of those, but an isolated garden used by another teacher as a pet project of his. Normally, it would be forbidden to enter, but the teacher in question was kind enough to let anyone rest here.
It would have been a great shame, if such a beautiful place was kept under a lock. I may not know a lot about gardening and the like, but the crimson flower bed laying around here was undoubtedly precious. Just a gust of air could send the petals in the air, making them dance. I touched a single flower, and the feeling of gentleness and love washed around me. Simply standing here, in this beautiful garden, was making me feel better. I felt really happy.
"Here we are!" Tamamo-san said. "Merlin-sensei sure worked hard on this place, didn't he? If that's him "messing around" I'm scared to think what he's like when he's serious."
Wait? "Messing around"? Did she said "messing around"? Such a beautiful garden that seems to be frozen in time was someone acting on a whim. As I expected, all teachers here were scary.
"Well, let's dig in."
Somebody shouted behind us…
"Halt!"
And I turned around. Standing there, arms crossed before her chest, stood a girl with regal atmosphere, her emerald eyes showing great displeasure. On her right arm, an armband was secured. "Disciplinary Committee" – it said.
A-a-ah! No good! It looks like this place wasn't so open as I expected! What should…
"It's not "Halt!" It's "Stop, please!" you idiot. Honestly, even though you were told so many times not to act like… you."
A-Am I seeing double? Next to the first girl, another one appeared. Their faces were almost identical. Their hairstyle was the same. That said, their voices were different and when I looked a bit down… they were quite different there as well.
However, undoubtedly, those two seemed to be twins.
"N-Nero!" said the first girl. Now, looking at them carefully, I saw that the ribbons in their hair were different, so for now, I would refer to her as "blue ribbon girl. "As much as I appreciate your output, now is not the time and place for this."
"Umu," the red ribbon girl said. Well, her name is Nero, so there's no reason to call her "red ribbon girl" anymore. "However, now is the time and place to ask for help, if we want to find the damn thing. If we want their help, we should simply ask nicely, don't you think, O' King of Knights?"
At this, the blue ribbon girl's cheeks turned a bit red. Finally, she stared at us and said in a less-threatening manner.
"Please…"
But before she could say whatever she wanted to say, her twin said her part first.
"Oh, Emiya-senpai, Tamamo-senpai! What a luck! If you aren't too busy, can you help us? My sister lost a pet somewhere around here, and we're trying to find it. It's small, with white fur and fluffy ears and tail. Did you see it somewhere?"
"Nero," Emiya-kun said and pointed at me. Huh? Now that Nero person was looking at me. "It's not like we don't want to help, but our arms are full right now. Meet Himura Kotone, she's…"
"Oh, you're that famous transfer students! Nice to meet you, senpai! I'm Nero! Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus! And that's my twin sister, Artoria Pendragon! We're from class 1-A. Say, can you help us out?"
"Hey, Nero, stop being so pushy with your upperclassman!"
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