-So this is your home?
Upon entering to a small flat, Taiki was feeling pretty comfortable.
-I don't really mind it. This one reminds me of the one I've lived in when I was alive.
-So now, that we made it out of that mess, I want to hear from you how come you wear my school's uniform. – Namite was pretty eager to know.
-I think it can wait until later. If I'm not wrong, you have classes tomorrow. You should get at least a bit sleep.
-Well, okay.
Assassin rested himself on the floor. It may seem weird, but even as a human he enjoyed sleeping like this once in a while. You could call this one "refreshing" in a way.
The next day…
-Can you tell me already?
-Uh… How about after school? If you will lose your time listening to me, you will be late.
While getting ready to leave, Namite thought of something.
-Are you coming to school with me?
-It would be pretty dangerous for you to come there alone, since there could be some other Masters waiting there. I think you should change me into spirit form, so I will be able to guard you while being invisible.
-Turn into spirit form?
-… - Taiki was shocked – Don't tell me… You actually can't control your magic circuit?
-I was a magi once before, but I can't do any magic the way I am now.
-…
-So what we're going to do?
-I think I'll have to accompany you in my real form. You will have to say that I'm transfer student though.
-That shouldn't be a problem.
While walking towards the school…
-Hmmm… Since you were a student at that school before, won't someone recognize you?
-I was in second year back then, and from what I've realized, two years have passed. I don't think there will be any students that would remember me anymore.
-What about teachers?
-Well, I think that they are completely sure that I'm dead, so they will go around thinking: "He reminds me of someone from a long time ago", or something.
-You sure are optimistic.
Once they arrived at the school gates.
-I see you've brought your companion along. Don't tell me you don't know how to change him into spirit form.
Tohsaka was standing, probably waiting for someone.
Assassin didn't waste his time on answering meaningless question, and changed the subject, saving his companion needless embarrassment.
-Namite, you and Shirou. Those are Masters at this school I know so far. Do you have information about any other ones?
-Even If I would, I wouldn't tell you. It isn't something concerning Berserker, so it isn't something you need to know.
-Not too friendly, huh?
Taiki gave up, and followed Namite to the building, leaving Tohsaka behind.
-Wait here a second.
Namite instructed Taiki to wait for here in front of the principal's office.
Once she came out…
-You are now officially the student of this school.
-…Huh?
Taiki was pretty shocked. It wasn't something he expected to happen.
- What do you mean?
-I've acquired permission for you to be assigned to my class. It was pretty simple, since you weren't signed out of this school yet. I simply said that you woke up from coma you were in after the accident.
-Even then… wasn't it too much free-of-formalities?
-Well, I have a bit of influence on the principal. You don't need to know the details.
-Not like I want to.
Once the class started…
-From today on, we will have a new student in this class. He was attending this school once before, but due to accident, fell into coma. He regained consciousness lately, so make sure to greet him properly.
-Hello, my name is Taiki Kobayashi, nice to meet you.
Assassin was shown his desk, one the other side of class compared to Namite's desk unfortunately.
-Well, let's start classes then.
In middle of the lesson, Taiki shot a glance behind him. It was Shirou's desk. He seemed to have problem with solving a math exercise.
-Need some help?
-Haaa? You're a Servant, not some teacher.
-But in terms of knowledge, I'm on the same level as you. Or maybe even higher, as I'm a obedient student, and I did my homework diligently. – Assassin grinned. He was enjoying teasing Shirou.
-Well, just a bit of help won't hurt I guess. – Shirou let Taiki to instruct him on things only normal students would be bothered with…
"He sure is a weird Servant." He thought.
The chime rang, so he was surrounded by a crowd of boys and girls from his class, wanting to get to know him better.
-Are you interested in sports?
-What kind of music do you listen to?
-What's your favorite subject?
Assaulted by those questions, Taiki had no choice but to back off.
-Well… I'm good at sports, but nothing special. I don't have any particular kind of music I like. I don't really like any subject, since it makes no difference in memorizing in the end for me…
The questions were asked all time long until the break was over.
When the lunch break started, the crowd was mostly asking Assassin to eat his lunch with them.
-Ah, well… I didn't bring my boxed lunch today, so I think I'll need to eat at the cafeteria.
-It doesn't matter, you can share ours!
Or…
-It's okay, I felt like eating at the cafeteria today anyway!
"When I was a student before, I didn't have such problems… Does being a Servant catch attention, or it's gonna calm down after day or two?"
But Taiki saw Namite leaving the classroom already, so he had to turn down the offers.
-Ahh… I think I need to go!
The crowd didn't listen though, so he simply slipped through them. It was something he could achieve even when he was a human, so it shouldn't' catch a lot of attention.
-Namite! Wait!
Taiki ran up to her.
-Don't go leaving alone like that. It kills the very purpose of me being here.
-Well, you seemed like having fun, so I didn't want to disturb you…
-Haaa? Do I seem like the type who likes being in center of attention?
-Maybe you don't, but you still were quite busy back there.
-Don't say it like that…
Assassin didn't get why he got an impression that Namite was sulking. Did he do something wrong?
While having such meaningless chat, they headed towards cafeteria.
And there…
-Aren't you being a bit too carefree?
Was standing Tohsaka, obviously irritated.
-What do you mean? – Namite asked.
-What do I mean? Making your… ekhm… (saying Servant out loud in public was quite weird)… well, making HIM an official student of this school… Don't you think you're taking it too far?
-It wasn't exactly my idea, but what's wrong with that? – Taiki asked.
-What's wrong? You can't go around making… people… like him… a part of society.
-It doesn't matter as long as he doesn't do anything out of ordinary – Namite pointed out.
-Oh, well… I simply don't care anymore! But on a side note, I guess you were surrounded by a crowd of students, weren't you?
-Guh…
-I think it's normal. He's a new transfer student after all. – Namite pointed out yet again.
-Well, I won't comment about this further, since it's not my problem, but you still should be more careful from now on.
She left without another word.
-Now, about the lunch-
When they've seated themselves in a quiet corner of the cafeteria…
-Come to think of it… You sure don't act the way other Servants do.
-Well, I never was such a big hero to begin with, and from that actually comes my wish.
-Wish?
-Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you. The reward for winning the Holy Grail War is the Holy Grail itself. It's capable of granting one wish of both the Master and the Servant.
-A wish? Any wish?
-Yes. Before I tell you what my one is, I need to tell you more about Heroic Spirits.
Taiki finished eating his bread, but didn't move from the place nonetheless. He knew from experience that there was no better place for secret talk than cafeteria busy during the lunch break. Whenever he wanted or not, they had difficulty hearing even each other in this loudness.
-Heroic Spirit are Heroes from the past. But in order for a human to become a hero, one needs to accomplish great feats, outside reach of mere humans, or form a contract with the world itself. The world grants one wish, but in return, after death the hero is transferred to the Seat of Heroic Spirits, saving the world when needed. The hero's power depends not only on the power it possessed during one's life, but also on how famous it is. All Heroic Spirits have a Noble Phantasm, a weapon that was well known during their life.
-I understand. But with all this said, what is your wish then?
Namite has already ate her lunch.
-Well, I guess there will be still time for this. What's more important is: what's YOUR wish, Master?
-My… wish?
-Any could be granted. You sure have at least one desire you wouldn't be able to grant otherwise.
-You are right…
-Of course.
Assassin couldn't think of any human who would abandon a chance to have any wish granted. But…
-…And wrong at the same time.
-…Eh?
-I have many wishes I would like to have granted. But it's a lie that I would actually use anything like Holy Grail to achieve them.
-Why!
-Because for me, not the result matters, but the path leading to it. If I want to achieve something, I often gain much more just by pursuing that desire. I have no wish that I would want to have granted by something like some Holy Grail.
-…
Assassin didn't know what to say.
-…Hmph. Fine. I acknowledge you as yet another extraordinary person. That's a nice surprise.
He smiled.
The second chime resounded, forcing them to come back to the classroom.
After the classes were over, they've finally headed towards Namite's house.
"Come to think of it, I still didn't get a chance to talk with him about his past."
This time, Namite was the one to start the conversation.
-So, now that the school is over, and we aren't being chased by any monster… Could you finally tell me the circumstances of you becoming a Heroic Spirit?
Taiki sighed, and at last, began telling his story.
-Well, it's nothing cool like the stories of heroes from the past. In fact, you have to know one thing. There is a distinction among Heroic Spirits. The most powerful of them are the true Heroes of the past. Such were knights of round table, or anyone who was talked about in his country's folklore, because gained fame. Then, there are Anti-heroes, Heroic Spirits who became ones due to a loophole in the rules. Even though they are villains and have wicked nature, they still become Heroic Spirits because they ultimately helped humans, and were worshiped by them. And there's yet another group, and about this one, you should be most interested.
Assassin frowned. Namite started to get the hang of which group he was a part of.
-The Counter Guardians. They are normal humans, who achieved great deeds by influence of outside force. They formed a pact with the world, granting one of their wishes, but making them the Protectors of Balance after death. Not saving humans, saving only humanity. Wherever they appear, they kill everyone around, only in the name of something bigger.
-Taiki… Are you…
-A Counter Guardian? Yes. I formed a pact with the world in order to achieve something I could not do if I stayed as a normal human.
-What… was that?
-A homicidal killer was lurking the streets around two years ago. When I, along with another student who I only knew by name, were walking the same street… He came from the back alley.
-…
-There was no way for me to defeat him. He was a Counter Guardian, and an Anti-hero as well. I was only a weak student, who played with magic, and only thing I could do was shaping a metal bar into weapons.
-So you formed a pact with the world?
-Yes. In order to protect one person I didn't know, I wished to be granted the "power to kill the enemy in front of me." Ultimately, I died due to wounds I gained trough homicidal killer's attack. But still… I've achieved my goal. It may be mediocre, but I managed to save person in front of me.
-Then what is your wish?
-Don't get me wrong. I regret nothing what I did when I was still alive. I simply want my normal life back. If I will acquire the Holy Grail, my wish will be: for the Heroic Spirit Taiki Kobayashi to be reduced from the Seat of Heroes, and return to the human world, as a human once again. My first priority was saving that person, but if I can by any means have my previous life returned, I will pursue this chance.
-There's one more thing I want to ask. Who was the student you saved?
-Lucky me, since I'm good at remembering names. I'm absolutely sure his name was Kuroda Ichibake.
AN: It took me a lot more time than I thought, but I figured out how the whole plot will develop, right to the last chapter. Things will start getting more exciting from now on, yet there still will be some peaceful student life until chapter 10.
