Maiden of Victory

Shigechiyo Sano was an ordinary boy in every sense of the word. While he had dreams of grandeur like almost anyone, he usually looked at his situation objectively. The way he had distanced himself from his peers was his most outstanding feature, but he ironically still never stood out.

Now that his uniform was stained in his own blood and his previously broken ribs seemed to be doing astonishingly well all things considered, he felt different. This feeling of barely escaping certain death was not exactly what he had wished for when he imagined himself to be a character in a game or a movie.

Aside from his rundown looks he was still an ordinary student. Unlike the blonde armor clad woman he had met just seconds ago. He could barely follow what was going on the second she appeared. She had called herself 'Rider' and ran off as soon as she had saved him. This turn of events was too bizarre.

As Shige stumbled along the track field to follow her to the gate (which as the only other thing she had mentioned before disappearing) he wondered what he was even going to do if he caught up. He had checked the trio that had viciously beaten him minutes before and felt actual relief at the fact they were still breathing and in one piece. Despite his cold attitude from before, he could not simply watch someone die.

And that was exactly why he was still moving forward. Rider said she would kill someone in his name…

His hand slid across the brick wall that surrounded the school grounds and he spied something weird in the direction of the gates. A shadow clad figure was pressed against it and observing something. From the loud crashing noises and the dust flying everywhere Shige surmised it must have been Rider. Her superhuman strength and speed were the most likely reason.

When he was in earshot of the mysterious fighters he finally caught a glimpse of them. There she was, holding that oversized lance and now even a shield for some reason. Standing opposite to her was a strange man wearing black armor. Another weirdo!

The dark man's spear was glowing weirdly and Rider had drawn out something thin and long from her belt. She was putting it to her lips…

"A flute?!" He couldn't believe it. She was going to play music while this freak was aiming a weapon at her? He couldn't stand to watch another second, so he called out to them with all his lung capacity. "What's going on here!? Why are you fighting? T-this is insane!"

He became the center of attention in an instant and only now realized what he had done. If they were displeased with his intervention they might have killed him instead!

But to his surprise the armored man and the shadowy figure were immediately retreating out of the school grounds. He felt an unbelievable relief inside his chest and almost fell to his knees. The only thing preventing him from doing so was a miniscule shred of pride. Rider was holstering her flute and watched after her opponents with a grim expression.

Did he make a mistake? He was just glad that nobody died.

Rider was refraining from basically phasing out of existence due to speed this time and just gracefully walked over to him. Shige had no idea where to look and decided that his shoes were a good place to fix his gaze on for now. She was awfully pretty… Those thoughts were going to get him into trouble soon.

"The cowards have retreated out of my range. I suppose they will not dare return for tonight." She explained curtly.

"Who… were they?" Shige had too many questions for this foreign woman, so he just randomly shot out what came to mind.

"Our enemies." Rider replied and put her hands on her waist, elbows stretched to the side. "You do not seem to be aware of your situation right now, Master."

"Uhm… y-yeah." He nodded frantically. Whatever her facial expression was while saying those words, he wouldn't dare look up.

"My apologies Master. I am aware that you called me to your side for the sake of living rather than triumph. If you desire I shall explain it all to you."

"Are they really n-not coming back?" He gulped.

"Despite that Lancer's twisted soul, his Master seemed to be bound by the rules of this war. He mistook you for an outsider and avoided confrontation. I am not certain whether to call that steadfast or cowardice." However, she seemed to be certain of her dislike of those men.

"What did you call him and…. Why did you say the same thing to me?"

"Master?"

"Yes that!"

"It is the title granted to those who command a Servant in the Holy Grail War. You were declared worthy by the Grail, as proven by the seals upon your right hand." She pulled his shivering finger towards her and revealed the blue bruise that had been the reason for all his trouble.

Now that he looked at it again it was much more distinct. Almost like a tattoo. It hadn't looked this way just this afternoon. The shape of that tattoo was unfamiliar. Two oval half circles with a cursive 'v' in the middle of their upper half. With some broad imagination it might have resembled a coconut or something?

His head was hurting. Rider had just thrown half a dozen weird terms at him and it seemed they were just scratching the surface of this weirdness. His desire to run home and forget all about this horrible day was growing.

"I don't get it… sorry." He rubbed his neck dejectedly.

"There is no fault in your ignorance. You are no magus or warrior." Surprisingly the blonde beauty did not insult or demean him. Instead she grabbed his outstretched hand tightly and nodded solemnly. "Be assured that I will protect you with my life, no matter your decision. Our fate is now tied to the end of our ambitions."

Shige felt heat rise to his face as her hand touched his so strongly. Her skin that should have been rough from handling a weapon was surprisingly soft… He bit his lip and looked up. Her blue eyes were looking at him as an equal and yet here he was making a fool of himself just because he couldn't deal with women!

"S-shouldn't we call the police? Or at least an ambulance for Keiji and the others?" He felt responsible for this somehow and it was getting more out of hand by the second.

"They will not be able to aid you in this. The evidence of our battle and the injured will be taken care of by as neutral party." She didn't show much concern for anything around them, but it didn't seem to be out of callousness, but rather some unknown information.

"I want to understand… but can we please leave the school?" He asked with as much courage as he could gather.

"Of course." She agreed almost immediately.

"O-oh."

"Where would you like to move?"

"Is my home alright?" He asked with uncertainty. Not just because he didn't know how she would feel about it, but also because he was scared that his flat might get attacked next.

"I will ascertain that we aren't followed to your domicile." Rider was brimming with a cool confidence that made him actually feel less tense.

"Then I'll… uh… lead you there." Her way of talking was making him feel like a fool for panicking.

After arriving at his doorstep he truly realized the extent of his predicament. This was the first time he had brought a woman home! Not only that, he had not even gotten any preparation time. His heart was pounding as he unlocked the white door and moved into the hallway. His shoes basically flew off before he sprinted into the living room and hastily gathered up the clothes that had been spread around carelessly.

The clanking of Rider's armored boots sounded like the drums of war to his ears. Before she entered he hastily threw all of the messy stuff into the bathroom and closed it just in time.

Feeling itchy and unprotected he moved behind the couch and averted his gaze. Those judging eyes of hers were probably filled with disgust…

"A humble abode is sign of an honest life." She commented and then stopped in the middle of the room as if awaiting his orders.

Master, Servant, Grail War.

All these things were floating through his mind and now that he saw this RPG character straight inside his own home he finally felt the surreal reality setting in. He shook his head.

"Uhm… Rider-san? You can sit down wherever you want- I-if you want!" He hastily added with waving arms. He couldn't even imagine telling her what to do.

"Hm." She acknowledged his words quietly and knelt down on the ground upright and waiting.

Wasn't it weird to choose the hard floor instead of the available couch and chair? If he started questioning every little thing they would be here all night.

Night?

He facepalmed and took a deep breath. Would she really stay the night? Where would she even sleep? His bed was only made for one person and he hadn't changed the sheets in a week and-

"Master?" She squinted her deep blue eyes expectantly.

"Oh r-right, the questions." He hurried to sit down on the floor as well and pulled over the low table and a pillow from behind the couch. He put one down next to Rider as well in case she wanted to sit more comfortably after all. She did not apparently.

"First I wish to tell you about the trial ahead of you, but if you have any pressing concerns, please speak your mind Master." She was certainly polite.

"T-then… is it necessary to call me that? It feels really odd." He was obviously referring to the title. It sounded like something straight out of a Light Novel.

"What is it you like to be called?"

"Just Shige is fine. It's what my friends call-" He stopped midsentence and looked down. What friends was he talking about? The only ones that called him by that nickname were his mother and some of the children from the neighborhood that he had played baseball with. "It's easier to say, right?" For a foreigner Rider-san seemed incredibly fluent in Japanese.

"There is no issue with pronunciation, but I shall honor your wish Shige." She folded her arms and nodded. "It has a noble ring to it."

"Wha-?" That was the first time someone had ever complimented his name. His eyes were wide. While he was still dazed, Rider continued calmly.

"My true name is not Rider, but I fear you might not understand it just yet, so go ahead and ask what you need."

"Just… who are you? And those weirdoes? How did they control Keiji and the others?!" He burst out and leaned forward on his knees. There was too much going on.

"I am your Servant. Your shield and lance that will guide you to victory, if you choose to accept your role."

"What is a Servant anyway? Like a maid or something?" Even he felt stupid for saying that. But he was too nervous to care.

"I am no maidservant. I am a proud warrior that guides worthy men!" She raised her fist proudly. "We Servants are Heroic Spirits, heroes reborn to fight once more for those that called upon us."

"S-spirits? Wait… you are a ghost?!" His pupils shrank. This would explain her supernatural abilities at least.

"Not quite. I am neither a ghost nor a specter. In simple terms, you could call me a divine spirit, a copy of the heroes of old, summoned by the chalice of wishes."

Nope. He didn't get it at all.

"You said before that I'm not a magus…? Like mages and sorcerers? What has that to do with anything?" He rubbed his hurting temples.

"Indeed. I could tell from our contract that you have no magic circuits or magic potential. It is an unheard of fate that connects us." She seemed contemplative all of a sudden.

'Figures.' He couldn't deny his regret though. Being told that he was some sort of secret wizard would have been too improbable.

"Perhaps you would prefer to call me a familiar to those who seek the Grail."

"What is this Grail? Why do you want it? Why do you even need me…?" For now he would just try not to think about the mechanics of the spiritual world too much.

"The Holy Grail is a machination of man that was built in the attempt to create a miracle. Thus we are summoned to obtain this chalice after honorable combat with six opponents. The victor shall touch upon the miracle machine and get their wish granted." She explained everything with the same stern expression. "A Servant like myself cannot stay in this world without a contract. That is why I am bound to you until our fate has been decided by the gods."

"You need me- I mean a Master to get a wish granted?"

"That is the rule."

"And this Grail thing can grant any wish?" He felt a strange excitement rise in the pit of his stomach.

"So goes the legend. I wish to find out, even if it shall cost me my life." For the first time her eyes turned softer. "If you lend me your strength we shall find the truth together."

"I don't…" He scratched his cheek and stopped short, overwhelmed.

"I have no intentions of deceiving you. This is a fight that may end in our defeat. Death is not out of the question." Her words pierced his excitement and heart in one swift strike. "I will not force you to accept these unjust terms. It is entirely upon your shoulders how you wish to proceed."

"I can still get out of this?"

"Every Master chosen has the right to rescind their privilege. Only will your proof of being a Master not disappear until death or the end of the war."

He looked at the cursed marks on his hand again and swallowed deeply. If that was the case he would not be able to just withdraw quietly.

"There is a neutral ground for all Masters. If you wish to end your participation you will receive shelter for the duration of the war." Her expression stayed neutral, but he could feel an unknown pressure from her aura. As understanding as she acted she was clearly judging his actions all the same.

"You mean I need to hide somewhere until everything is over…?"

"It is cowardly, but an unfair purpose has been forced upon you, so I shall forgive it." She didn't hide her disappointment anymore.

"…" Why was he feeling like retorting back all of a sudden? For some reason he could not bear Rider-san's judgment…

"The Overseer of the war is guiding and sheltering uncertain Masters. If you decide to end our contract here and now I will show you to them." She rose to her feet and towered over Shige with her intimidating aura.

She was angry, wasn't she? And yet she still would honor her promise. Even Shigechiyo could tell. Although he had not given her a definitive answer, his hesitation and fear had made themselves quite visible on his face.

Would he run away again?

He owed his life to this lady.

But if he tried to help her he might forfeit that saved life stupidly.

"What is your choice Shige?"

Shige.

Again, she called him by that nickname without condescending intentions. She had completely accepted his wishes without question…

How pathetic could he get?

His fists were balled so tightly that he could feel his nails dig into his skin. He even drew blood.

"I…" The blood on his hands was dripping onto his pant legs which were already plenty stained. "I want to repay you for saving me!" He shouted all of a sudden.

"…" Rider-san looked at him with a tilted head. His words had a completely different effect on her from what he had intended. "Do you not have a wish of your own?"

"!" He blinked a few times. Right, the Grail was supposed to grant wishes! That was the point of all this. So what really made her so mad was that he did not even try to fulfill his desires?

Deep inside, he was empty. There was a hole that could not be filled by normal means.

Perhaps this Holy Grail could…

"That is a fine expression Master." For the first time she smiled ever so slightly. It was… mesmerizing to Shige. "So you have a wish that you would fight for. I was not wrong in calling you worthy." She put one hand to her chest plate.

"I don't really know." He shook his head honestly. "But what I said is true. I really want to help you our Rider-san! I don't know how, but if you really need me-" Yes, someone that needed him. That was more than enough.

"Until you find that answer I will watch over you." She declared solemnly again.

"Ahaha…" He felt some weird sense of accomplishment now. He really did something crazy just now, didn't he? But this… this was interesting. Exciting even! "Uhm, let's discuss the rest over tea then. I will prepare some!" He rose and ran into the kitchen. If she saw his face right now he would die of embarrassment.

The explanations were long and unrelenting. Rider-san tried her best to make it digestible, but Shigechiyo didn't feel like any of this could be real. He was sipping on his tea while occasionally throwing a question out.

Rider-san had not sipped on her tea once during the explanations. She was leaning her arms on the table and elaborated on the rules of this Holy Grail War. What she told him was unnerving to say the least. Apparently fights to the death between these Servants were unavoidable. Masters did not have to die necessarily, but eliminating rivals to the wish granting miracle machine was the smartest move.

And worst of all, these Servants were all super powerful beings straight out of a battle manga. They could destroy the city with ease and no military would be able to stop their actions. It all depended on the Master's orders.

"So some might just attack indiscriminately?" His throat felt hot despite the cooled down tea.

"That is against the rules established by the Overseer and the hosts, but the Grail itself does not have any regard for our actions." She nodded.

Shige felt disgusted. They would really stoop to such mindless violence for the sake of a wish? Even if it was omnipotent he could not see it as worth that.

His eyes wandered to the cold tea in front of Rider-san again. She noticed and raised a brow, but then finally took the cup and brought it to her lips.

"Hmph. What unimpressive brew is this? It had no punch whatsoever."

"It's just tea after all…." He laughed hollowly.

"The tea of my homeland would warm even a man frozen in the blizzards of the end times." She said disparagingly and gulped the entire cup down in one motion. "There is no ale in it." She said accusingly.

"Uhm… do you usually put alcohol in tea?" Whatever her home country was like, he still thought that couldn't be considered normal!

"A good spirit raises morale and prowess in battle." Rider-san said with a serious expression. She pushed the cup aside and supported her face on her other hand. The heavy armor did not seem to impair her movements at all somehow.

"It's pretty late already… d-don't you feel tired?" He himself felt wide awake from all the tension and swirling thoughts going through his brain, but he felt it would be rude not to offer her a place to sleep.

"Servants do not tire." She explained as she cracked her neck.

"Seriously?" That was probably another spirit thing.

"We are not alive in the closer sense. But even the dead wish to feast and make merry after a glorious battle." She was throwing around wisdom very lightly.

"I'll remember that." If he survived the next few days he would make sure to treat Rider-san to whatever she liked. Would taking a mature lady out to lunch or dinner make him look like a popular guy? His thoughts were already drifting in the completely wrong direction again. "Wait, so you don't need to sleep or eat?! Are you really a ghost after all?"

"Servants can switch to a spiritual form." She said and raised her hand in front of her face, as if to look through it. But nothing happened. "Due to the nature of our contract there is something wrong with that ability of mine." She looked distant now.

"You can't become er… a spirit?"

"Haha." She suddenly chuckled. "Do not worry for me. I do not require care or looking after. Simply treat me as your lance and shield."

"I can't do that if you are right in front of me!" He burst out.

"?"

"I mean… You are a person, not a lance or whatever." He felt incredibly embarrassed saying something like that, but it was true. "P-please let me treat you as a guest at my home."

"You are a strange man Shige." She replied with a hint of intrigue.

"S-sorry for being weird." He scowled.

"There is honor in hospitality. I will not deny you such. Yet I must insist that you do not treat me like a mere woman." She remarked rather snidely.

"What?"

"I sense your desire to support me like a tender maiden. My eyes cannot be fooled." Just for one instance her blue eyes became silver again. A shiver went down Shigechiyo's spine.

"I d-didn't want to offend y-" He bit his tongue as he stuttered.

"You are a worthy man, but do not think yourself above the truth. I will always tell a lie from reality." She was cold as ice, but strangely not hostile. She was lecturing him like a child.

"But I didn't want to…" What did he want to say? Maybe he was tired after all. Why Rider-san was denying her womanhood, he did not know, but it was inappropriate to question her further. More importantly it seemed that her remark about her eyes was not just a metaphor. They really were special.

Everything about her was special.

"Why did you come to help me back then?" He asked with his bangs covering his eyes.

"Because you called for me."

"I don't understand that at all! You said I am not a mage… I am not special. How can I summon a Heroic Spirit like this?!"

"I do not know the details." She appeared slightly less collected than before. "But I feel an immense rush of prana from you. That power is not your own and yet…" She glanced over his body questioningly.

Nothing made sense. If she needed power to sustain herself and he couldn't provide it, how was she still here? He had nothing special-

There was a tiny bulge in his left blazer pocket. The warmth spreading from there had gone unnoticed until now, but it was actually quite intense. His sweaty palms went into the pocket and touched the hot object and then pulled it out.

"Grandpa's pendant?" He looked at the pendant with a wooden marble in its center in confusion. A memory flashed by his inner eye. This pendant had been glowing purple when he was about to die and had fallen into the bloody circle next to him… and the Rider-san appeared.

"This heirloom is not from this world." Rider-san said with a strange glow in her eyes. "To think a mere human would get a hold of such a thing." She stretched out her hand and touched the pendant softly. It emanated a strange heat and glowed faintly.

"What are you talking abou-?" He was about to inquire when he suddenly felt an intense pain in his chest and all his limbs turned heavy as lead. His ears rang as if he had heard a deafening noise and then he slumped over on the table.

Rider looked at him with surprise and immediately pushed the pendant back into his hands. The same moment his skin touched it he felt all the oppressive force leave him. He touched his chest in shock.

"I see." Rider-san looked at him with worry. "The pendant is tied to your bloodline and awakens its power due to our contract. It appears to provide me with intense quantities of prana all on its own. And it also blocked your wounds to increase the rate of your natural healing."

"Eh? It healed me?!" He really should have wondered how his broken ribs and limbs had managed to fix themselves on their own.

"That is not the whole truth. The prana of this pendant covers your entire body like a protective skin… It is miraculous for sure, but it did not heal you." Her sharp eyes had already seen through the situation. "As I said, it held your body together, nothing more. Your natural regeneration increased due to the lessened burden."

"So as long as I wear this pendant I can survive bad injuries?" That was the best news he had heard all day (or night). He was sorry for calling this pendant tacky before!

"I… suppose. Do not become foolhardy or overly reliant on such miracles though." Her stance on it was mixed. This careful nature might have been misinterpreted as preachy, but Shige didn't even mind.

"I'm glad that this can support you Rider-san. And if it helps me stay alive all the better."

"Indeed." She nodded curtly and then touched his chest over the table. He froze completely. "Your wounds were not too severe, so a good rest might be all your body needs. We have already witnessed what happens once you are separated from this powerful crutch."

She was definitely right. That heaviness he had felt was probably his true physical state. In that sense it was a miracle indeed that he still held a conversation right now. Despite his worries he felt drowsy too.

"Rest well Shige and rise for our first day in this war." She nodded him to go to bed.

"Are you sure you don't need to-?"

"Yes."

Rider-san did not like to repeat herself obviously.

As Shige basically tore off the sticky uniform from his body and entered his warm and soft bed he sank into the sheets immediately with dozens of thoughts plaguing his mind.

On the top of that list was the question that he had tried to blend out until now.

Just what about him was worthy in that amazing woman's eyes?

As he had gone to sleep just at the break of dawn, he awoke in late noon. The sun was already far across the sky and the atmosphere outside told of the rush hour.

Shigechiyo rubbed his eyes and touched his body carefully. No wounds had reopened. With a look at the pendant on his nightstand he sighed in relief.

He hopped out of bed and dressed himself with casual clothes that did not have giant blood stains on them. While his body was still sore, his mind was slick and racing. Of course he had not forgotten what happened last night and he already ruled out the dream explanation from the hard evidence around him.

More importantly though, a woman was inside his home. This in itself made him feel more afraid than the beatdown yesterday. He had been too tired to care before, but now he was painfully aware that Rider-san was right next door the entire time.

He would have to apologize to her for this shitty base of operations first of all and then try to make it up to her somehow…

Shige opened the door to the living room and stopped in his tracks. Something was different. Mainly the atmosphere of his humble abode. More specifically its raised levels of cleanliness and order!

His eyes were spinning as he looked at the sparkly clean floor, the relocated furniture (now there was actually some symmetry to this place) and the orderly folded clothes on his drawer.

The sounds of a running washing machine and drier pulled his attention to the bathroom. He was stunned and yet morbidly curious. His stiff legs moved mechanically towards the door, which his shaking arms opened rapidly.

Inside the shockingly clean bathroom stood Rider-san. She was currently folding a white towel and closing the spick and clean window at the same time.

The image of this housework demon and the proud warrior woman from before were clashing with the force of a thousand exploding suns inside Shige's mind and left only debris.

"Good morrow to you Shige." Rider-san did not even turn his way as she gave him a normal greeting.

"I- you-but-?"

She was not wearing her armor anymore. Right now she was clad in beige linen clothing that looked somehow medieval, but also really resilient and stylish. The top covered her unexpectedly curvy body completely and the pants were tied up with a hundred folds of string or something.

She did not appear like a housewife or anything, but was this really the same Rider that had told him not to treat her as a woman just hours ago?! She had gone through his place like a tornado, but instead of chaos she brought order.

"You truly are a young man down to your very way of life. Men will never change." She said in scolding, but with an edge of good humor. "It is important to keep your home as healthy as your body and soul."

She was probably right, but that didn't mean Shige could stand to look her way even for another second, so he escaped the bathroom at mach speed. What was he doing? What was she doing? He couldn't even tell who was supposed to be the guest anymore!

To think this amazing angel was actually deeming to look his way…

Or that she wanted to kill six heroes in a death match.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and walked into the kitchen. Despite that early shock he felt an even stronger force pull his attention. Hunger.

Without taking much care he threw some rice into the cooker and leaned against the counter. His heart was a mess, but his mind was resurfacing from his teenage hormones. The pendant in his pocket was as warm as yesterday and somehow calmed him down. Helped him focus.

He had skipped school today for the first time since he enrolled. If what Rider-san said was true then nobody even knew what had happened yesterday. But what happened to Keiji, Ren and Amane? Were they okay? And if so, would they still go after him? These worries crossed his mind while he prepared his late breakfast (or was it lunch now?).

The first thing he should do was to call in sick for school and then make plans with Rider-san. School was the least of his concerns in this life and death situation.

Brrrrring.

The doorbell rang.

"What?" He was unable to react for a few seconds. The ringing repeated several times. That visitor was pretty impatient. But who would even visit him? The mailman should have come by hours ago and he usually never rang the bell. Then perhaps it was one of the people involved in that war?!

He slid out of the kitchen in a frenzy and made his way to the hallway and entrance. He probably didn't lock the door out of habit and distraction yesterday. Would a locked door even stop these crazy people? If they were mages, then couldn't they just magic the lock open? He was so done for-

"Yes?" Rider-san answered the door calmly. She had opened it without any hesitation.

Shige almost slipped on the floorboards and stubbed his toe. Writhing in pain he hopped behind the blonde Servant and tried to prevent a disaster. Only to realize that it was too late, the trigger had already been pulled!

"Ahem? Who are you supposed to be? Where is Sano-kun?"

That voice was all too familiar, He heard it almost daily. The curly chestnut hair floating in the wind was the first thing that met people's eyes, followed shortly by the scary expression on her face. Natsunoe-sensei had come for another home visit.

"I am-" Rider-san was actually replying naturally, but Shige could not allow this to continue.

"Sh-she's my, uh, relative!" He burst between them and separated the two mature women with his presence as well as he could.

"There you are." The young teacher looked at him as if he had just crawled out of an adult shop or something. "You don't look sick."

"Come on Natsu-san…" He sighed. Despite their mutual disinterest for each other, the truth was that they were acquainted beyond the roles of student and teacher. It was not as fancy as it sounded though. Natsunoe-sensei was a good friend of his mother, so she had come over to their old home even before he went to high-school. Back the she had still been a teacher in training and was a lot more easy-going…

"Don't pull any funny stuff with me." She glared first at him and then at Rider. "You are Sano-kun's relative?" The doubt was written all over her face.

"Y-yeah on dad's side." His smile was twitchy for sure. He basically begged Rider-san with his eyes to play along.

"I am his aunt." She said with a unreadable face. For someone who could tell any lie with a glance, she sure was amazing at selling a untruth herself.

Except her words were not very convincing! Who would believe that a stunning foreign woman like her was actually related to a Japanese middle-class man?!

"Sano-san never seemed to talk much about his family." Natsunoe was not calling her out on the lie yet. "But Sae's father told me that his family hails from Europe."

Did grandpa really say that? Shige actually never heard of this before. How far back was that family line reaching to Europe?

And why was Natsu-san so okay with it?

"So you have been skipping class to welcome a family member at your home." She crossed her arms disapprovingly. "You need to learn common sense already. This is not acceptable."

"Give me a break. I really don't care about school right now." He shook his head, but saying something so bold would only backfire.

"I apologize for Shige's truancy. It was my fault for suddenly coming over without prior warning. He will be returning to school tomorrow." Rider-san unexpectedly backed him up… and also said something outrageous.

"You seem to be well mannered, unlike Sae and this delinquent over here." Natsunoe seemed to develop a weird understanding (or was it respect?) with Rider.

"I'm not a delinquent…" He grumbled.

"Honestly. You had me worried for a moment. After Nakamura and his group had called in sick I assumed that you had caught the same disease as them."

Nakamura? That was Keiji's last name. Which meant the trio had called in sick today? Was this proof that they had survived or that someone covered up their disappearance? Shige swallowed and hid his mouth behind one hand.

"Exams are around the corner, so good children should just keep studying diligently." She huffed at him. What happened to the kind-hearted Natsu-san? Probably drowned inside school work and returned as a heartless zombie.

Zombie. The distorted faces of the insane Amane and Ren flashed by his eyes.

"I… will be back tomorrow, just like auntie said. Don't worry so much Natsu-san." He replied with a strained voice.

"Next time remember to call the school. Making me visit you with my busy schedule is unforgivable." She sighed and prepared to leave. Apparently she had only come by to check on him. "Before I forget." She turned back, which made Shige almost jerk back. "Here is your homework." She retrieved some papers from her bag and pushed it into his hands. It was quite a pile!

"Gee, thanks." He remarked dryly.

"I am your teacher after all." She smirked and then gave Rider a polite goodbye bow.

"A strong-willed woman." Rider-san commented with intrigue.

"Hardheaded would fit better." Shige said while looking at the papers in his hands.

They went back inside and returned to discussing the actually important things.

"Why did you tell her I would come back to school?" He asked carefully.

"There is something I failed to mention before. Inside your school I sensed a barrier. A suppressing field of some kind that affected everyone who would enter."

"R-really? So it was placed there by one of those wizards?" Those were scary news. Had he been attending school alongside one of those killers all this time?!

"They were too weak to affect a Servant, but I cannot determine what deity they are calling upon."

"Deity?"

"They were closer to religious verses than spells. I have never felt such a thing before." Rider-san admitted.

"Then… you want me to investigate?" He was afraid of the answer already.

"We will have to follow this lead given to us by the gods." She confirmed his suspicions.

"By we you mean…. You too?"

She nodded.

"I can't take you along to school Rider-san." He shook his head. "Especially now that Natsu-san recognizes you."

"It is disappointing that I cannot attain spirit form." She really did seem apologetic.

"If I remember right… you said that other Masters and Servants can feel your presence, right? Then it would have been bad if you came along even if you were invisible or whatever." He tried to comfort her clumsily.

"You will be in grave danger if they find out your identity." She reminded him.

"Yeah, but you said I'm not a mage. That means to them I just look like the boring guy that I always was…" He rubbed the back of his head.

"Please Shige. Should you ever be in danger I implore you to call out to me. I will always protect you." Her words were filled with sympathy that he had not expected. And at their core a will of steel.

She really was too great. It made him want to measure up to her expectations even more.

"By the way, what is this odd stench Shige?" She pushed aside her long blonde bangs and raised her nose curiously.

"Ahhhh!" He just remembered that he had put the rice cooker on the highest setting with the lowest amount inside. "My lunch!" He cried out and jumped in to rescue whatever could be saved.