DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fire Emblem or Kamen Rider. Both are properties of Intelligent Systems and Toei respectively. This is a work of fiction. All relations to events and persons, living and dead, are purely coincidental.
The characters Kurogasa Kururugi, Cody Aldrich, Justinia Pierson and Kojiro Yukihara belong to fanfiction authors KR Duelist (formerly Fenikkusumaru), striberx, Donjusticia and Daemon of Wrath.
On a study trip to London, Masaomi Kanai and her friends in the Cultural Studies club are caught in an accident. Consumed by a white light and transported to another world, they find themselves separated from each other and scattered across the continent of Fódlan.
Discovered by the heirs to the three ruling countries on the continent, Masaomi and the students of the Officer's Academy are suddenly attacked by a group of bandits. They then encounter a legendary mercenary band led by the former Captain of the Knights of Seiros and his daughter and confront the bandits, only to be pushed back by a metal monster known as a Magia.
Defending Edelgard and the mercenaries, Masaomi jumps into the fray and utilizes the Hiden Zero-One Driver, transforming into Kamen Rider Zero-One and defeated the Magia.
Unbeknownst to Masaomi, however, her transformation is witnessed by the controllers of the Magia.
"Welcome home, Zero-One."
KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE:
EDGE OF DAWN
Part I: White Clouds
CHAPTER ONE-ONE: The Officer's Academy! A New Journey Begins
Garreg Mach Monastery. Sitting at the heart of the continent, sandwiched in between the three ruling powers, it seemingly watched over the land like a watchtower. Home to the Officer's Academy; a school for noblemen and merchants to prepare them for the day they would be called upon for whatever reason and headquarters of the Knights of Seiros, a private armed organization under the service of the Church of Seiros.
It was also here in this place that the faith was most prominent, for Garreg Mach Monastery was the home of the Central Church. Home to the archbishop and highest-ranking authority figure in the organization, Lady Rhea.
Under the leadership of Rhea, the Church of Seiros had flourished and established incredible influence across all of Fódlan.
It was also here that two young women's journeys would begin.
Masaomi groaned and shifted beneath the warm comforters over her body, wishing to return to her blissful slumber. To his dismay, whoever was knocking at her door refused to allow it. "Five more minutes," she murmured and attempted to ignore the knocking.
They continued to knock.
"…ugh, this sucks."
Masaomi rose from her bed, easily twice the size of the one she had in her apartment. Her hair was disheveled and messy, the cotton shirt a size too big for her and her pants somewhat baggy. She crawled out of the bed and made her way over to the door, opening it to find a man in white armor and a jovial smile in front of her.
"Ah, you are awake after all!" Alois said in elation. "How did you sleep?"
He flinched beneath Masaomi's murderous glare. "I would still be sleeping if you didn't keep knocking." She wasn't an avid participant of 'beauty sleep' in the least, but after the utter horrible events that transpired the other day, she felt she deserved to sleep in for as long as she wanted.
"Er, r-right. My apologies, miss," Alois did seem a little regretful for his actions. "But Lady Rhea is requesting your presence."
At this, the college student stiffened and filled with dread. Alois and his merry group of knights had returned with the mercenaries, students and herself in tow, they allowed her to rest considering what had happened the other day. She was thankful for that at least, but she had not been able to fall asleep because of her worries and concerns.
When Masaomi wore that odd belt, the Hiden Zero-One Driver around her waist, she instantly became filled with knowledge about this world and its countries. She could no longer deny that she was present in another world. Part of her wished this was some kind of fever dream and she would wake up safe and sound in her apartment or in some hospital room, but that wasn't the case. She was still in this place, and away from her friends and teachers. Worse yet, she somehow caught the attention of a religious faction's leader.
As for why, she had no idea. She had a few theories, ranging from her being a foreigner to her being in possession of a belt that could let her fight mechanical monstrosities known as Magia. From what information she could recall the belt giving her, the natives of the continent had a bad history with foreigners and were generally isolated. They had very little contact with other nations and countries outside of Fódlan, save for what nations or countries were annexed or had affiliations with the continent's three ruling powers. Not helping matters was that, unbeknownst to her at the time, the three students she met were apparently the heirs to Fódlan's three ruling powers.
A girl showing up out of nowhere with an incredible piece of technology in a fantasy world, right near the camp where a prince, princess and duke-to-be were? That screamed suspicious despite the truth.
Masaomi knew nothing about Rhea's character. For all she knew, she was a xenophobic woman and would no doubt call for her head for any excuse she could think up.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Masaomi nodded. "Can I get dressed properly, first?"
"Of course," Alois replied. "I'll give you the grand tour of the Officer's Academy on the way!"
Unfortunately for Masaomi, the only clothes she could put on were the ones she wore the other day. They were a little rank with the dirt, grime and sweat mixed in and was in desperate need of a wash, and sadly Fódlan had no washing machines. Chances were, if she was going to get the smell and dirt out, she was going to have to learn how to do it by hand.
On the plus side, though, Alois was giving her the tour she was promised. She had only been given a glimpse of the school's dormitories but not much else. She had to admit, the Officer's Academy was a hell of a lot bigger than the university campus. The mess hall alone was the size of the auditorium for God's sake!
"So, do I even wanna know how much money went into building this place?" Masaomi asked Alois as they walked through the main hall. "I mean, this place must have cost a fortune!"
Alois bellowed with laughter. "You're not wrong! At the time of its construction, Garreg Mach Monastery was a community project and was nowhere near as large as you see it today. It wasn't until the Officer's Academy was founded that the expansions began, and as you can imagine, it took a lot of time and effort, and no small amount of Gold."
Masaomi stumbled in her step. "I-I'm sorry, did you just say gold?"
"Hm? Oh, yes. Fódlan's currency is Gold." Alois dug into the small pouch hanging off his hip and pulled out a sparkling yellow coin. Masaomi stared at it with barely hidden shock. The way it dazzled in the sunlight told her all that she needed to know. "Fun little trivia, the faces of the coin have the Immaculate One and Saint Seiros. Dragon for tails, the saint for heads."
"Uh, the who and what?"
"Oh, right! Foreigner, my bad. Unfortunately, we don't have time for a history lesson." Alois led her into a corridor and up the stairs off to the side. They passed by a few men in white robes who bowed their heads upon noticing them, more specifically at Alois. The man led them further inside until they reached a set of double doors. "The archbishop is waiting for you inside, miss. Be sure to be on your best behavior, now. While I'm sure Lady Rhea won't mind, Seteth is a bit of a stickler for the rules!"
"Seteth?"
"Lady Rhea's aid and counselor for the students. He's reasonable, but as you can imagine his job can be mighty stressful. If he's a little, er…"
Masaomi stifled a laugh. "If he's uptight, I won't hold it against him. Thanks again, Alois-san."
"Good luck in there!"
Alois flashed her another smile before he went about his merry way. Masaomi watched him leave until he vanished from view after turning the corner. She turned her attention back to the doors, where the woman who held her fate was waiting. She took a deep breathe to calm herself down. Like it or not, it was time to face the music.
"Welp, here's hoping I'm not executed," she muttered to herself as she pushed the doors open.
The chamber was easily the size of the classrooms in her university, a stained glass mural at the far back depicting a woman surrounded by beasts. The most prominent was a white-scaled dragon with golden talons and horns. Below that dragon was a hooded woman, hands clasped in prayer. Stone pillars lined the room, keeping the roof suspended over their heads. In the center of the room, speaking with a man in white robes, was the most gorgeous woman Masaomi had ever seen.
Vibrant green hair that spilled down her shoulders, white dress hidden beneath a gold-and-blue cloak. White decorative flowers sat in her hair alongside a headdress. Her face was heart-shaped, eyes matching her hair perfectly.
She's amazing… Masoami blushed heavily before looking at the man next to her. He looked to be slightly older, his hair slightly darker in color with a goatee lining his jaw. His attire was dark blue with gold tailings, the sleeves cut open to reveal a white undershirt with a cape draped over his shoulders. A gold circlet sat across his brow. I guess that must be Seteth…
Upon noticing Masaomi enter, the green-haired woman smiled kindly. The college girl was immediately reminded of her mother.
Mom… God, when was the last time I saw her?
"Let us discuss this another time," Rhea said to the man she was speaking with. The church official bowed his head and left, though not before nodding at Masaomi in greeting. She nodded back and approached the archbishop. "Aah. You must be the young girl who helped protect our precious students. You said your name was Kanai Masaomi, yes?"
Masaomi stuttered. "Y-yes, ma'am! B-but it's Masaomi Kanai, actually. Where I'm from, we introduce ourselves by our family name first."
"Is that so?" Rhea remarked with interest. "How interesting. At any rate, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Rhea. This is my assistant, Seteth."
The green-haired man nodded in greeting. "A pleasure."
"The pleasure is mine, Seteth-dono," Masaomi replied.
With introductions now out of the way, Rhea continued. "First off, I would like to thank you for protecting our precious students. It pains me to hear how we were unable to defend them from such a monster."
"It-it wasn't any trouble, really. Besides, I didn't do all of the work. Jeralt-dono and his daughter also helped."
Rhea acknowledged this. "Perhaps, but you also played a great role in protecting them. However, I'm afraid there are some among the church who expressed a great deal of concern regarding your involvement." Masaomi flinched, knowing full well what she was referring to. "That brings me to the reason why I've called you here. Regarding as to how you found yourself so close to our students…"
"It is rather suspicious how you were found by our students moments before the attack," Seteth narrowed his eyes. "Care to explain?"
Masaomi inwardly grimaced, unsure of how she could answer those questions. It was unfair how suspicious they were, but she couldn't blame them. Edelgard, Dimitri and Claude weren't just run-of-the-mill nobility. They were heirs to the three ruling powers of Fódlan. She would have been suspicious as well were she in their position. That said, she had no idea what she could tell them. It was bad enough she was clearly not a native to the continent, but as Seteth pointed out, she showed up just mere moments before the attack began. Who was to say that her being there wasn't just some grandiose ploy to earn their trust or make herself out to be the hero?
Of course, she had no such plans. All she wanted was to find her friends and teachers and find a way to return home. As much fun as the whole isekai genre was, it was most definitely not for her. She had a family waiting for her.
After a moment of internal debate with the angels and devils on her shoulders, Masaomi sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What're the odds you'll think I'm crazy and throw me into an asylum for what I'm about to say?"
"That depends."
"Would you believe me if I said I'm from another world?"
Seteth just stared at her. In contrast, Rhea's eyes lit up. "Ah. Are you also from Hawaii?"
"No, I'm from Japan originally, but I-"
Wait, what?!
Masaomi choked and gaped at the green-haired woman, unsure whether or not she misheard her just now. "You believe me? No, wait, hold on a second. How do you even know about Hawaii?!"
Rhea smiled mysteriously in reply. "Believe it or not, Miss Kanai, you are not the first person who has found herself stranded in this world of ours."
She glanced at the mural that was engraved into the wall to the right side of the group. Masao hadn't noticed it before when she entered. On the mural were five figures clad in armor. One was easily recognizable; she had donned the armor not too long ago after all. The others she knew only by the information provided to her by the belt.
Vulcan.
Valkyrie.
Thouser.
Ichi-Gata.
"Many years ago, a stranger from a foreign land found their way to Fódlan. No one knew who he was or where he came from, only that he appeared when the continent and its people were in their darkest times."
Seteth continued, "Nemesis, the King of Liberation who overthrew the Wicked Gods, had fallen corrupt to his own power. The stranger, alongside four others, all wielding weapons and armor unlike anything Fódlan had ever seen, fought alongside Seiros and her band to defeat Nemesis. Nemesis was defeated, but at the cost of four of the warriors' lives."
"Zero, Vulcan, Valkyrie, Thouser, Type. These five came to be known as the Masked Knights. After the war ended, Zero took his comrades' weapons and armor and left. No one has seen him or anyone bearing the Masked Knights' weaponry since."
Rhea paused and turned to Masaomi, who now understood the implications of what she was saying. "Until now, that is."
"H-hang on a second here," the college girl raised her hands while processing what she had been told. "This Zero guy, are you saying that-"
"The only ones who knew of his origins were Emperor Wilhelm I, first monarch and founder of the Adrestian Empire, as well as the Divine Seiros." Seteth answered. "Only a few in the Church of Seiros are aware of who Zero truly was."
Masaomi stared at the two in disbelief. She expected them to call her a liar or crazy. She didn't expect them to believe her, much less tell her that she and her friends were possibly not the only ones who came to this world. She could hardly believe her good luck, though part of her was still skeptical. Even if they bought her story, that still didn't change the fact that she showed up conveniently to save the heirs of Fódlan, and carrying the same weapons Zero used before he disappeared.
She pointed this out to Rhea, who merely smiled back. "Do you have ill-intentions here, Miss Kanai?"
"Right now, all I want is to find my friends and go home," Masaomi replied miserably.
The archbishop accepted her answer without any further questions. "And I will help you find them, you have my word. For the time being, if you aren't opposed to the idea, why not stay here at the monastery for the time being?"
"Are you sure? I mean, you just met me! For all you know, I could be dangerous."
"Perhaps," Rhea agreed. "However, all I see is a girl in need of help. That, and regardless of what your intentions were, Fódlan still owes you and those mercenaries for aiding our students."
Masaomi bit her lower lip. This was going well. Almost too well. Something about this whole thing felt off. Why was the archbishop being so accepting and open-minded? She didn't strike her as being the naïve type. Was there something else she was missing? Ulterior motives maybe?
What am I thinking? Masaomi sighed internally. Whether I like it or not, isn't this the only option I have right now? Even with what the belt told me I have no idea where to start looking, nor do I know anyone. The church is my only option right now.
"…I guess I don't have much of a choice at this point, huh?" Masaomi shrugged before sheepishly gesturing to her clothes. "I don't suppose you could give me a loan for new clothes? I've got two pairs of clothes on me right now, and the other isn't exactly for every-day wear."
"I believe I can arrange for that. I'll have Alois take you into the town and provide you with some suitable clothing."
"Thank you, Rhea-dono."
Once everything was said and done, Masaomi Kanai was led out of the room. Rhea instructed Alois to help her get settled into Garreg Mach in the meantime, provide her with suitable clothes and show her around the monastery proper.
Once the doors were closed, Seteth's mask of neutrality was discarded for one of disbelief. "With all due respect, what in the world are you thinking, Rhea?! Surely, you can't be serious about allowing her to stay here!"
"Come now, Seteth. Would you truly turn her away?"
"When she is a complete unknown to us? Yes, I would!" Seteth crossed his arms over his chest. "We know next to nothing about her, and we don't know if there are any truth to her claims. If anything, the fact that she came here with the belt only raises several concerns! What if she is-"
Rhea held up a hand. "I understand your fears, Seteth. I know you're simply afraid fro Flayn's sake, but I wish to give this girl a chance. I asked Jeralt and his daughter about Miss Kanai's character for myself. She threw herself into the line of fire to protect our students. Perhaps she has other intentions that we've yet to uncover, but wouldn't it be within our best interests to watch her where we are able to see her?"
"Even so…!"
It was clear that Seteth was greatly against this decision. Rhea didn't blame him in the least, as a great deal of that concern had to deal with Flayn's safety. Ever since the death of his wife and Flayn's mother, he always feared what would happen if those affiliated with the ones responsible for her death came back. Though she was certain that they had wiped their ilk from the world, Rhea knew better than to expect them permanently dead. They were like cockroaches, scurrying about when you least expected it.
The attack on the students by an apparent metal monstrosity was proof of that.
"Please, trust me on this," Rhea asked him. Seteth looked as though he wanted to argue, but he realized that it was a pointless venture and sighed. She smiled kindly. "Thank you, Seteth. I promise, in the event she does prove to be a threat, you will be the first to know. But enough of this talk. We must discuss more important matters."
Seteth nodded grimly. "Indeed. The last time the Magia appeared here in Fódlan was during the war hundreds of years ago. Though it would appear the one that attacked the students was significantly weaker than the ones we know of."
"A sign that not even they have truly recovered from the losses inflicted upon them by the Masked Knights," Rhea frowned. "Even so, the fact that one has appeared means they are steadily regaining their strength. It makes me wonder if Miss Kanai's appearance with the Driver is a sign of things to come. But what could it be?"
"Be that as it may, we will have to be cautious. It will only be a matter of time before talk of mechanical monsters starts to make its way around the continent."
"See what you can do. In the meantime, I must visit Argus."
Seteth made a disgruntled face. She couldn't help but laugh at it. While she found the dark mage's antics a welcome relief and of enjoyment, Seteth couldn't help but dislike the man due to his profession and the fact that he had a bad habit of causing things in Garreg Mach to explode, courtesy of his experiments. It was only a matter of time before he would learn that Masaomi Kanai had somehow come into possession of the belt. Once he did learn of her acquisition, Rhea had no doubt that the poor girl would be overwhelmed by both his reverence and curiosity.
Regardless, today was full of wonderful developments. She controlled herself well, but Rhea could not deny the feeling of happiness and overwhelming rush of emotion that was coursing through her. After so many years, Jeralt had finally returned to Garreg Mach with his child in tow. Of course, try as her old friend might have her think otherwise, she knew his daughter was Sitri's child. The resemblance was uncanny. When they met, Rhea couldn't help but wonder if her beloved daughter had somehow returned from the dead before she realized what the aching feeling in her chest was.
Between the return of Byleth Eisner and the arrival of that young girl, Rhea felt they were great things in the future. Many wonderful things.
She only prayed that tragedy did not accompany them.
Once the verdict was given, Masao found herself being accompanied by Alois as they made their way to the tailor's shop at the town sitting at the base of Garreg Mach. The knight had borrowed a cart for their travel, wanting to kill two birds with one stone by making a delivery there for an old friend, which left her sitting in the back and making sure nothing fell over.
"So, what did you think of your first meeting with Lady Rhea?" Alois asked her from the driver seat. "Must have been scared out of your mind, I wager?"
Masao sighed. "That's one way of putting it. I was so nervous the whole time and wondered if I was going to be thrown in the dungeon or something."
"Heaven's no! We aren't barbarians!" Alois looked aghast at the very thought. "Though your concerns are warranted. To be honest, you were a bit of a special case. Usually, Seteth would be the one to do the interrogations and whatnot, but it seems like you lucked out and made Lady Rhea vouch for you. Speaking of, what do you think of Lady Rhea?"
"She's beautiful," was the first thing that came out of Masao's mouth. Upon realizing what she said, her cheeks tinted red. "Crap. Forget I said that." God dammit, even here I still do that!
Alois laughed boisterously. "You are hardly the only one who thinks that, Masao! Truly, Lady Rhea is a wonderful woman. It's amazing that she hasn't been wed yet, though I suppose that's only natural. She is in charge of the entire Church of Seiros. She must be so busy with work instead of looking for a husband. Still, whoever manages to catch her eye will be a lucky man indeed."
"And what about you, Alois-san? Do you have anyone you're interested in?" Masao asked out of genuine curiosity.
The man smiled warmly back at her. "I already have one. I have a wife waiting for me back home. If I'm being honest, I feel like she's wasted on me. I don't deserve her in the least."
The rest of the way was in silence as Masaomi found herself thinking back on her family. Before her life in Prague, she lived a pretty simple life in Japan with her older sister and her uncle. Her parents, while rarely in her life on account of their busy jobs, were all-around decent folks, if a little strict and demanding. It felt like a lifetime ago since she had last seen them after she made the choice to study abroad.
I wonder how Koko is doing? Masaomi wondered to herself. Probably living her best life with her boyfriend. Mom and dad were so angry when they found out about him.
Then again, any parent would when they learned that her sister's boyfriend was five years older than she was.
Mom was so pissed when she found out. It probably didn't help that Koko started a gyaru lifestyle in her last year of high school.
Crap. Now she was starting to feel homesick. How long had it been since she lasted talk with her sister or her family? The more she thought about it, the more she desperately wanted to find a way back home.
Maybe I can ask Rhea-dono for help, find my friends. If someone did come here before us, maybe they found a way back home?
In a way, her having the Driver turned out to be a boon. It had a previous user, and the Church practically immortalized the guy. Surely there had to be something, like a clue or hint about his whereabouts after the war. It was a long shot, given that this was hundreds of years ago, but it was her only option at this point.
First things first, though.
She had to get some new clothes.
It was official.
Masaomi despised the tailor's shop with a burning passion.
The second she walked in, women wearing the gaudiest of dresses, even by medieval standards, swarmed her on all sides. Their hair looked like they had been done at a professional salon and their faces lathered in copious amounts of make-up (did they even have make-up in the dark ages?), examining and chatting her up while roaming their hands across her body.
One of the girls got a little too handsy for her taste and promptly removed herself from their clutches. Thankfully the tailor shop owner, a rather effeminate man with a charm that would send lesser women swooning to the ground, stepped in and told the girls to get back to work.
"I'm terribly sorry about that," he apologized to her. "It's been so long since they've seen new blood around here. That," he glanced at her attire. "And someone clearly not from here."
Masaomi raised a brow. "I was under the impression foreigners weren't welcomed in Fódlan, courtesy of Almyra."
"Some are more open-minded than others, miss. At any rate, Sir Alois told me of your situation and has paid all expenses for your wardrobe. Follow me."
The show owner, who Masaomi later learned was called Francois, led her to the back room and proceeded to take her measurements. It didn't take too long and she was given some clothes to try on only ten minutes after the measurements were done. Several of the clothes she was given to try on were either too frilly or looked like they'd chaff her skin something serious, so she chose the more simple options and went for a simple cotton shirt and trousers.
She did, however, request that she keep her scarf and leather jacket. One way or another, she would learn how to wash both items, seeing as how they were presents from her uncle and sister respectively.
Once her clothes were in order, she stepped out of the dressing room. Francois gave her a quick once-over and smiled thinly. "I suppose that's good enough." Masaomi felt like she was being judged or something, but didn't let it get to her. She took what she could get. "Now then, what kind of clothes are you looking for? I know Sir Alois paid me handsomely, but given what you were wearing when you came in, I have absolutely no idea what I'm working with here!"
He paused momentarily. "Actually, would you mind if I borrowed your old clothing?"
"Knock yourself out," Masaomi shrugged. So long as he didn't touch her jacket or scarf, she didn't care one way or the other. "And I'm not really picky about my clothes, just so long as they're not likely to give me a rash or they're too tight. If you're asking about colors, though, I'm a little partial to black and red."
"Simple enough," Francois remarked. "I'll see what I can do."
Masaomi left the store with her old clothes now in the hands of Francois. She was slightly curious to know what he intended to do with them, but she reasoned that he most likely wanted to see what kinds of materials they were made from. Maybe he would even try and reverse engineer said clothing? The idea that she may or may not be responsible for denim clothes becoming a thing was enough to make the college girl do a double-take before remembering that she was in what qualified for medieval times. The clothing they had here was definitely good, the uniforms worn by the Church officials and students of the Officer's Academy being proof of that, but she doubted she would be seeing leather and denim articles anytime soon.
Alois was waiting for her outside the shop. He wasn't alone either as he apparently found company in the form of the mercenary woman from before. Masaomi hadn't gotten a proper look at her before, what with her suffering from a migraine and having been attacked by bandits and all. She was young, maybe a little older than her, skin fair and hair dark green, cascading down her shoulders. A coat with the sleeves cut open at the armpits was fixed to her shoulders. Her attire was definitely not something from medieval times, and that breastplate did little to hide her curves.
"Finished sorting everything out in there?" Alois asked upon noticing her. She nodded, eliciting a wide-eared smile from the man. "Glad to hear it!"
"Was I intruding?" the mercenary asked.
Alois shook his head. "Oh no, Byleth, you just caught me running an errand and helping this little lady find some decent clothes for herself. Hm, now that I think about it, you two haven't been properly introduced!"
"Well, we were being attacked," Masaomi pointed out to him before offering the woman a small smile, extending a hand in greeting. "My name is Masaomi, but my friends call me "Masao." I guess you can do the same, miss…?"
"Eisner," the woman shook her head. "Byleth Eisner. Call me Byleth."
Alois patted Byleth's shoulder. "She's the daughter of Captain Jeralt, and she's going to be a teacher here at the Officer's Academy starting tomorrow!"
Masaomi's eyes widened slightly. "You're a teacher?"
"Hardly," Byleth pursed her lips. "Alois recommended me to the archbishop, and she saw fit to put me in her employ. My father, meanwhile, has resumed his duties as Captain of the Knights of Seiros." She turned her head towards the boisterious man responsible for her predicament. "I would like to remind you that I have no experience teaching anyone about politics, unless you're expecting me to train them how to fight. Not that they require it, if they're as good as the three from the other day."
Alois shook his head. "Be that as it may, we're very short on staff, Byleth. Compared to the buffoon who ran and left the students for dead, you were the only alternative!"
"Hold on," Masaomi cut in. "How many teachers do you have here?"
The man sighed deeply. "As ashamed as I am to say it, we only have three teachers." Masaomi balked. Only three teachers at this school?! With so many people?! How was that even possible?! She saw the classrooms on their way to see Rhea, and they were not big whatsoever. At best, they could hold maybe up to twenty or thirty students. "Jeritza von Hrym is our combat instructor, Hanneman von Essar teaches history, Crest theory, Reason Magic instruction, mathematics and social studies, while our nurse, Manuela Casagranda, teaches Faith Magic instruction, biology and anatomy."
The college girl stared blankly at Alois for several seconds, processing this information, then turned to Byleth. "And, what are you going to teach?"
"I have no idea," Byleth answered bluntly. "The only things I know are how to lead a battalion, strategize, maintain weaponry, and kill."
She shuddered at that last one. How could she say that so easily? Was mercenary work natural to her? Had she become so desensitized to murder and death that it came easily to her? Masaomi hoped to god she wasn't planning on teaching that to kids anytime soon!
"Let me get this straight. You're planning on having a mercenary, who admits to knowing nothing on politics, social economic theories or history, not even mathematics, just combat-oriented topics and possibly the workings of mercenaries, teach a bunch of students, all of whom are nobility, and three of them just so happen to be the heirs of their respective countries."
Alois's cheeks turned slightly red. "Y-yes?"
I can't judge. I can't judge. I can't judge. Masaomi repeated herself while biting the inside of her cheek. She was an outsider who had very little information about this world to work with. She didn't want to risk alienating someone by criticizing their choices, especially when said people were her best chance at finding her friends and finding a way back home.
Instead of lambasting the poor knight for his decision, she settled for a sigh and a shake of the head. "You know what? Forget it. Let's just head on back. I feel exhausted all of a sudden."
"I-I see…" Alois coughed nervously into his hand. "Alright, then! Byleth, will you be returning with us?"
The green-haired woman nodded. "Yes. I've finished with my tasks for the day. The archbishop wants me to get to know the students before I'm asked to select a house to instruct."
Alois perked up slightly. "Is that so?" Masaomi could see the gears turning inside his head before a metaphorical lightbulb shined above his head. "In that case, might I ask that you take Masao with you? Since she'll be staying at the Monastery, it would be a good opportunity for her to get know the students."
And hopefully figure something out while I'm at it… Masaomi thought.
She just hoped that she did not end up insulting a noble to his face. She liked having her head attached.
The first house Byleth chose to investigate and meet with was the Black Eagles house. The first person they met was none other than Edelgard von Hresvelg, princess of the Adrestian Empire and future Emperor in the making.
They found her in the mess hall, speaking with a guy who looked as if he hadn't been out in the sun in months with how pasty his skin looked. His hair curved his cheeks and his eyes were cold and narrow, analyzing and taking in every detail in his surroundings as though he were plotting a countermeasure in case things went awry.
"Ah, it's you two!" Edelgard exclaimed when she saw them. "Byleth and Kanai, wasn't it?"
"Masaomi Kanai, nice to meet you. Again."
Edelgard smiled thinly. "Indeed. I must thank you again for helping me when you did. I never expected to come across a metal monster, much less find myself being protected by one of the Masked Knights of legend."
Masaomi felt her cheeks burn. She had forgotten that Zero-One was a historical figure, and oh shit everyone was staring at her. They already knew about her! Double shit!
"It-it was nothing, honest!" Masaomi said hastily in embarrassment. "And believe me when I say that I had no idea how that belt even landed in my lap. I just got lucky, I guess…?"
"Is that so? Hm, interesting…" Edelgard looked at her in curiosity, looking as if she wished to say something else before shrugging her shoulders. "In any event, forgive me for not introducing him sooner. This is my retainer, Hubert von Vestra."
The vampire smiled ever so slightly, never quite reaching his eyes. "I am Hubert." His voice was quiet, but there was a hint of danger that warned Masaomi not to overstep her bounds lest she find herself decapitated. "Allow me to thank you personally for defending Lady Edelgard in my stead. I shall repay this debt one day."
"He's been in service to my family ever since I was a child. I wouldn't be here without him," Edelgard boasted, though her smile suggested that it was hardly an exaggeration. "By the way, Miss Eisner-"
"Byleth, please."
The princess nodded. "Very well, then. I heard that you've been offered a teaching position here. A shame. I had hoped you would have accepted my offer to return with me to the Empire."
"Apologies, Your Grace. However, my loyalty lies with my employer."
"Call me Edelgard, I insist. Especially as you will be my teacher here in the coming days. I take it you're getting familiar with the campus and learning about the students?" Byleth nodded. At this, Edelgard smiled. "I can tell you a little about my house, if you'd like. Or, more specifically, some of the more colorful members of our band."
"And by that, she means the more troublesome ones," Hubert chuckled. "Aside from myself and Lady Edelgard, there are six notable members of the Black Eagles House. One is Ferdinand von Aegir, son of Duke Ludwig von Aegir and the Prime Minister of Adrestia. Fair warning when you meet him, Professor, he has a bad habit of boasting of the responsibilities of the nobility. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. You'll spare yourself some suffering."
"The second is Bernadetta von Varley. She's something of a recluse, and more often than not, you'll find her hiding away in her room during free periods. She's a sweet girl at heart, however, so please be patient when dealing with her. There's also Dorothea Arnault, a songstress from an opera company. She has a bit of a habit teasing others, but she means well. She's also the one in charge of ensuring Bernadetta arrives to class."
"Next is Petra Macneary, who hails from the vassal state of Brigid," Hubert continued from Edelgard's list of introductions. "She still has troubles understanding the language, so you can expect her to say some awkward phrases." He paused briefly and gave Masaomi a slight glance. "You, on the other hand, seem to be fluent enough in the language. Perhaps you can offer her some tutoring."
Masaomi paused at that. Was she really speaking so fluently in their language? To her they were talking in perfect Japanese. She also noticed how Edelgard was addressing herself with watakushi, which was incredibly formal and polite in contrast to how she almost always talked about herself using atai, something she unfortunately picked up from her sister.
"I'll…see what I can do?" she offered hesitantly. She made a mental note to visit the library and see if they had any books about the language.
Edelgard resumed the conversation. "The last two are Caspar von Bergliez and Linhardt von Hevring. Caspar is rather rambunctious and outgoing, and has something of a chip on his shoulder, but he isn't the type to allow injustice to occur in front of him. Linhardt, on the other hand, is something of a sloth. He almost always finds everything to be boring to him and would rather sleep all day unless the topic is about Crests or something of interest to him."
"Wow, talk about a colorful bunch," Masaomi remarked.
Edelgard laughed softly. "You aren't wrong. Compared to them, the rest of my house seems fairly normal, but I imagine once you come to know us better, you'll understand our charm." She glanced at the large clock hanging above the entrance into the mess hall. "The free period will be over soon. Why don't you meet with Claude and Dimitri?"
"I planned on doing that," Byleth nodded. "Thank you for your time, Edelgard."
Edelgard bid Byleth and Masaomi farewell and watched them leave the mess hall. Once they were gone, she turned to Hubert. "What did you think?"
"Hard to say, really," Hubert shrugged. "That girl was rather easy to read. That mercenary, on the other hand, was completely stone-faced. I can't think on what she might be thinking. On that note, I can't even understand the logic behind this course of action. Even if she is the daughter of the Blade Breaker, hiring a mercenary as an instructor?"
"It is an odd move, I will admit," Edelgard agreed in equal curiosity. "But perhaps we will see the reason for the archbishop's decision soon enough."
The next house Byleth chose to investigate was the Blue Lions. The house leader, Dimitri, was in one of the classrooms when they found him, speaking with a pretty boy with messy red hair. From the look on the blonde prince's face when they arrived, it was clear he was becoming exasperated with his friend before he noticed Byleth and Masaomi approaching. The latter giggled when she saw the visible glow of relief in his eyes when they made their way toward him.
"Ah, it's you two!" Dimitri smiled. "It's good to see you again. Miss Kanai and Miss Eisner, yes?"
"It's Masaomi and Byleth, actually," the girl spoke up on Byleth's behalf. "And Dimitri, right?"
"Yes! I'm glad you remembered me." It was somewhat hard not to, seeing as how he was a prince and he was one of the first people she met when she got here. "Let me introduce you two. This is Sylvain, a friend of mine and a member of the Blue Lions house."
"Hello there!" Pretty Boy smiled a charming smile that would made women swoon at his feet. "I hear you lovely ladies saved our dear prince's bacon the other night. Many thanks for that. Dimitri can be a bit of a handful sometimes. I'd be happy to share some embarrassing stories over dinner, if you'd like."
Wow, forward much?
Barely even a day, and she was being hit on. She would admit Sylvain had a pretty face, but his attempt just now was…something even an amateur playboy could have done, really. Or so Koko would have said had she been here. She would definitely have had some choice words to say to him too, if not outright tear his ass a new one before introducing him to the host of that one club she frequented with her boyfriend so he could learn the proper art of picking up ladies and treating them as if they were goddesses.
On reflex, Masaomi gave him the Pick-Up Rating. "Eh, four out of ten."
Sylvain and Dimitri blinked. Byleth just tilted her head in confusion, not really understanding what was going on.
"Excuse me?" Sylvain asked in befuddlement.
Masaomi sighed. "Four out of ten: One being that was the worst pick up line ever and ten being where and when did you want to meet? You're handsome, I'll give you that, but I don't think you'll be picking up chicks anytime soon if that's the kind of speeches you're giving them."
It took her four seconds to realize she just said that to someone who was probably a noble and could very easily call to have her head chopped off for the hell of it. When she realized this fact, the damage was done. Sylvain looked as if he had just been physically slapped and Dimitri was staring at her with wide-eyes. Then she realized that this guy was friends with a freaking prince and he had just insulted his friend while in his presence.
Fuck! Me and my big mouth!
She opened her mouth to apologize, if only in the possibly vain hope she wouldn't be sent to the guillotine, when Dimitri…laughed? Sylvain looked betrayed and glared at the prince and Masaomi just stared at him in disbelief, unsure whether or not she was really seeing Dimitri laugh at her insulting his friend to his face.
"Really?"
"I-I'm sorry," Dimitri gasped for breath. "It's just, I didn't think anyone was that critical and sharp tongued when it came to his attempts except for Ingrid." He shook his head, smiling wider than he had before. "Thank you greatly, Masaomi. I truly and honestly needed that."
Sylvain sighed. "Betrayed by my own prince and future king. Gotta admit, that hurts man."
Byleth cleared her throat. "If I may?"
Dimitri straightened himself out. "Yes, of course. I heard you accepted a teaching position here, yes? I take it you wish to know about my house, the Blue Lions?"
"Got anyone noteworthy?" Masaomi asked.
"I can name a few who might be worth your attention, including Sylvain here."
"How about some proper introductions, then?" Sylvain coughed. The charming smile he had on previously was gone, much to Masaomi's relief, and the smile he wore now seemed more natural and pleasant. "My name is Sylvain Jose Gautier, heir to House Gautier. I'm studying here at the Officer's Academy with my friends Ingrid and Felix. It's nice to meet you, Professor Byleth."
"The two he mentioned are Felix Hugo Fraldarius and Ingrid Brandl Galatea," Dimitri added with a fond smile, though Masaomi caught a glimpse of sadness swimming in those blue pools of his. "The four of us have been friends since childhood. Ingrid is heir to House Galatea and hopes to become a knight in sworn service to the Kingdom of Faerghus."
"Aside from the four of us, there are four others. One is Mercedes von Martritz, who happens to be the oldest member of our house. She's kind of a mother hen, but Goddess have mercy upon you if you manage to provoke her. Trust me, she can be quite terrifying when sufficiently angered. There's also Ashe Ubert Gaspard, heir to House Gaspard. He's actually adopted, but he's a cool kid who knows his way around a bow."
"There's also Annette Fantine Dominic, one of our brightest. She's talented in the magical arts, perhaps even the best in the entire school, though she would claim otherwise. Lastly is my friend and retainer, Dedue Molinaro. He's a man of few words, but he's loyal. Too loyal in my opinion. Speaking of, Dedue also wished to pass along a message to you if I ever saw you before he did. He says he wishes to repay you for saving my life the other day. I told him not to worry about it, but he's quite insistent."
Masaomi giggled. "I'll keep that in mind, Dimitri-sama."
"Please, call me Dimitri! I may be a prince, but here, I'm a student like everyone else. Speaking of, are you enrolling in the Officer's Academy as well, Masaomi?"
She shook her head. "No. Rhea-dono offered me housing, but I don't want to feel like I'm mooching off her kindness, so I'm thinking of trying something to repay her kindness."
"I see." Dimitri glanced at the clock ticking away on the wall. "It looks like break period is almost over. If you want to know about the Golden Deer House, you'll find Claude outside. I saw him speaking with one of his housemates, if you're interested."
Byleth bowed her head. "Thank you, Dimitri."
"No, thank you, Professor. I do hope you choose to tutor the Blue Lions!" Dimitri told her and bade her farewell.
Sylvain watched both women leave while sighing, running a hand through his hair. "Shot down before I even had a chance. Man, that girl does not mince words."
"To be fair, you were asking for it."
"…she wasn't wrong, I guess. Thinking on it, my game was pretty weak." The pretty boy smiled to himself as though he figured out a course of action. "I haven't met a girl like her in a while. If my weakest is a four, then I wonder what constitutes a full ten?"
Dimitri stared flatly at his house's resident playboy before he hanged his head in shame. "I swear, one of these days…!"
The last individual Byleth and Masaomi spoke to regarding the students of the Officer's Academy was none other than Claude, who they found speaking with a flamboyant-looking boy with, in Masaomi's biased opinion, the most ugly-looking bowl-cut hairdo she had ever seen that matched his handsome mug. That being said, he carried a rather pompous and arrogant look that dampened the charm.
"How many times must I say it, Claude?" the flamboyant boy seemed agitated for whatever reason. "No matter how you spin this, you're in the wrong."
Claude rolled his eyes. "You've said as much for the hundredth time, Lorenz, and your council has been heard, loud and clear. Now put a sock on it for a moment, will ya? We got visitors." The flamboyant man scowled and looked ready to argue, only stopping when he saw the two women approaching them. Claude grinned and raised a hand in greeting. "Heya, Masaomi. Byleth. Been a while since we last saw each other. Fun night the other day, huh?"
Masaomi glared flatly. "You call being chased by bandits fun? If that's your idea of enjoying the evening, I hate to see what constitutes as a bad time!"
"Believe me, miss, you don't want to know," the flamboyant boy sighed. "At any rate, who might you two be? New students perhaps?"
"Friends I made when me and the royal highnesses had our necks threatened. The foreign lady with the scarf is Masaomi Kanai, and the mercenary is the Blade Breaker's Daughter, Byleth. Who just so happens to be our new teacher."
The flamboyant boy's eyes widened and immediately straightened himself out. "I-is that so? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Lorenz! Charmed, I'm sure!"
"So, what brings you here?" Claude asked.
"I will be asked to instruct one of the houses, and the archbishop told me it would be a good idea to learn about the students," Byleth replied.
The mischievous teen nodded. "Ah, I see. Have you already asked about the Black Eagles and Blue Lions?" Masaomi nodded. "Well, there's not much to say about the Golden Deer aside from the fact that we have more commoners in our house than we do nobles, though honestly, it just depends on your definition of noble. On the one side are the blue bloods like Lorenz here, and on the other end, there are the sons and daughters of influential merchants who have some political clout."
Masaomi tilted her head. "The Alliance doesn't have a ruler like the Empire or Kingdom, right?"
"That's correct," Lorenz puffed his chest. "We serve no king or Emperor and have pledged our loyalty to ourselves and to one another. That said we do have a leading figure in the form of House Riegan who, regrettably, has chosen this louse to be its heir."
Lorenz leveled a glare at Claude, who merely grinned. "Aw, you're too kind, Lorenz! Anyway, if you want the more interesting bunch, I'd be happy to tell you. Let's see… Of the top of my head, the first person that comes to mind is Hilda Valentine Goneril. She's lazy and likes to have other people do her work, but she can be reliable in a pinch. And contrary to her claims of being delicate, she's anything but! She has a nasty right hook, that girl. There's also Raphael Kirsten. He's from a merchant family, and he's the biggest eater out of everyone in the academy. He also likes to brag about his muscles too."
"If we're speaking of unique characters from our house, I believe I can name a few others," Lorenz offered. "Two I can think of are Marianne von Edmund and Leonie Pineli. Marianne is a woman of few words, but she has an incredible way of handling animals, and the loveliest of singing voices. Leonie is a bit of a rarity in that she doesn't hail from a merchant family or a noble house, but was able to afford coming here thanks to the contributions of her village. On another note that might be of interest to you, Professor, she claimed that she once studied under Captain Jeralt."
Byleth hummed. "I believe my father may have mentioned her in passing on occasion. Are there any other noteworthy students in the Golden Deer?"
"Just two. Ignatz Victor and Lysithea von Ordelia. Ignatz is from a family of merchants and came here to study to become a knight, but if you ask me, he's more interested in pursuing the canvas and brush. Seriously, ask him to show you some of his art pieces. He's got an amazing talent for painting. And speaking of talent, Lysithea is actually a few years younger than us, but she's a wiz when it comes to anything magic. Hell, she'll talk your ear off if you ask her about magic theorem if you aren't careful. Oh, and word of warning! Don't treat her like she's a kid unless you fancy being wailed on."
Lorenz gave Claude a pointed look. "You say that, and yet you tease her when given the slightest opportunity."
"Because it's fun, duh!" The nobleman rolled his eyes, eliciting a laugh from the trickster in response. "That's all about the Golden Deer that I can think of at the moment. Any other questions?" Byleth shook her head. Masaomi had nothing else to ask about either, having learned about as much as she needed to. Though she idly wondered about whether or not she would be able to meet some of the students, especially Ignatz. While she was no painter, she always did appreciate a good artwork when she saw one.
The bell rang, heralding the end of the students' free period. Shortly after the bell resounded, several students began making their way towards the classrooms.
"Looks like that's it," Claude remarked. "Ah, oh well. Maybe next time. I hope you'll give my house a shot, Teach." He gave the woman a wink. "You, me, and the Deer? I think we'd be great for each other."
An hour after Byleth met with the house leaders, the former mercenary had been called upon by the archbishop to finally decide which house she would teach. While she met with Rhea and Seteth to discuss the matter, Masaomi was left outside the room and wait until it Rhea called for her. Apparently, the archbishop had decided on something for her to do in exchange for her free housing here at the monastery.
While she waited, Masaomi thought of the possible work she would have to do. Ideally, she hoped that it would be something as mundane as washing clothes or working in the kitchens and not in the stables. She certainly didn't want the job of cleaning up animal manure or tending to them. She had passed by the stables during Alois' tour and saw honest-to-god dragons sitting in the stables alongside the Pegasus.
As fun as the idea of cleaning a dragon's scales was, she would much rather stay away from something that could bite her head off.
Working in a kitchen might be a little more difficult, but I think I might be able to adapt pretty quickly, she thought to herself. She didn't notice a green-haired girl making her way towards her. Er, then again, I didn't cook very much while I was living on my own. Yumo pretty much did all the cooking except for the rare times when we went out for junk food and takeout.
Her stomach rumbled as the memory of that unhealthy yet delicious food came to her mind. Drool dribbled from the corner of her mouth. "What wouldn't I give for a-"
"Excuse me, but what are you doing here?"
"Eek!" Masaomi jumped and snapped out of her daydreams. In front of her was a girl, maybe 16 or so, with long lime-green hair not unlike Rhea or Seteth's, her large eyes of matching color and full of wonderful curiosity. "H-holy crap, you scared me. Where did you come from?"
The girl smiled bashfully. "Forgive me for startling you; I just happened to see you standing here by yourself. Are you waiting for someone?"
"N-not exactly. Rhea-dono asked me to come here, so I'm waiting for her to wrap up her talk with Byleth-sensei."
"Professor Byleth?" the girl tilted her head. "Oh, do you mean the mercenary my brother mentioned?"
"Your brother?"
The door swung open. A guard stepped out and addressed Masaomi, "The archbishop will see you now, Lady Kanai."
"Oh, er, r-right," the college girl nodded awkwardly before bowing her head. "It was nice meeting you, er…"
"Flayn! Please, call me Flayn. Are you are?"
"Masaomi Kanai. Nice to meet you, Flayn."
Masaomi followed after the woman as the doors shut closed behind her. Rhea and Seteth were standing before Byleth and two others, who Masaomi assumed were the other teachers here at the Officer's Academy. One was an elderly man with graying hair with a long brown coat over a simple gray suit while the other was a middle-aged woman with chin-length brown hair and a rather revealing green dress, a white coat hanging from her elbows.
"I apologize for the wait, young Kanai," Rhea said. "I hope you did not wait long."
Masaomi shook her head. "No, it was fine. I understand this was important."
"Is she the girl the whole academy has been talking about nonstop?" the older woman asked the archbishop. Rhea nodded. The woman smiled and bowed her head to Masaomi. "You're younger than I thought you were. I'm Manuela, the head nurse. And, as of today, the teacher in charge of the Blue Lions House."
The old man nodded his head to her in greeting. "And I am Hanneman, the professor in charge of the Golden Deer. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Kanai."
"The pleasure is mine, Hanneman-sensei, Manuela-sensei," Masaomi smiled before looking at the mercenary. "I guess you're in charge of the Black Eagles then, Byleth-sensei?"
Byleth nodded. "That would be correct."
"If I may?" Seteth cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention to him. "Now then, regarding your stay here at the monastery, Masaomi…"
"Actually, about that…" The girl winced as the man's eyes zeroed in on her. She could sense the distrust radiating from him, clearly waiting for her to screw up and maybe give him a reason to kick her out. Swallowing the nervous lump in her throat, Masaomi continued. "I'd hate to just take your kindness for granted, so um…i-is there anything I can do to help out around the monastery? Preferably in the kitchens? I mean, granted, I'm not much of a cook and all, but I-"
Rhea held up a hand and she stopped. "Alois already brought the matter to my attention, Masaomi. And as it turns out, I believe I have something that may benefit you. Tell me, how do you feel of helping young Byleth instruct the Black Eagle house?"
"…huh?!"
JIKAI, KAMEN RIDER ZERO-ONE!
"Wait, you mean she's our new Professor?!"
"Well, aren't you a dear?"
"Say, you're the one who donned the Masked Knight Zero's belt, isn't that right?"
"If you or that new professor prove to be a detriment to Lady Edelgard…"
"W-wait, hang on a sec-! Time out-!"
The First Day! Learning to Spread your Wings
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Aaand we're back.
It's been a while since I came back to this story, and I'm so happy I did. Especially since Kamen Rider Zero-One has finished its run not too long ago. Which, of course, means that I am now free to fully plan this story out to its fullest. I should, of course, mention that the majority of Part I has been planned out while Part II is still in the works.
Regarding Masao using Japanese honorifics, which is something a few readers may find to be slightly annoying or unnecessary, she won't use it very often. At best, she'll only use honorifics for people in high positions of power or those whose positions deserve some level of respect, like Rhea and Seteth or the teachers.
I'm sure everyone knows what some of the honorifics mean, but for those who don't, "-sama" and "-dono" are terms of respect for those in higher power. "-dono" is particularly used for those in high status in general, while "-sama" is used for anyone with a position of power in general and is generally higher-ranking than you.
(Before anyone asks, I am not a native Japanese speaker and my language is rusty at best. If this is wrong in any way, PLEASE CORRECT ME AT ONCE.)
The next few chapters are mostly build-up and downtime for Masaomi to get adjusted to her life in the monastery and how to fight properly (both in and out of suit). Masaomi's segment will cover the first two chapters of Three Houses until we reach Episode 2, which will focus on Kurogasa and Castel Gaspard and the Blue Lions.
A few things to say before I end this. I am currently helping Fenikkusumaru, or KR Duelist as he is now called, in writing a Three Houses/Build crossover. The first chapter is already complete, but to my knowledge, he has yet to publish the story and I do not know if he has any plans to do so at the moment on account of the negative reception he has been receiving on this site.
I am also planning a Kamen Rider Zero-One x My Hero Academia crossover, which you might know of already if you have read my profile. MHA: Find a New Life will be posted on both this site and on Spacebattles, but as for when the story will be published, I do not have a set date and am currently focused on finalizing my plans for the arc.
That is it for now. If you have any questions about this story, please head over to the Kamen Rider Zero-One: Edge of Dawn Q&A thread over on Spacebattles, and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Be warned that the Q&A thread also has lore for the story and background information on the Driver's existences and past users, so please beware of spoilers for Three Houses.
This story also has a TV Tropes page, so maybe check it out and add to it?
