Chapter 11: Mordred
Standing before Eikou was a tomboyish girl with blonde hair and piercing green eyes.
Her messy blonde hair was all over the place, her face sharp like a blade, and her emerald green eyes shone with intensity. Her school uniform tie hung loosely around her chest, and though her figure was modest, it still carried the distinctive contours of a young woman.
Gawain seemed as though he were unloading a burden as he dragged her out.
"This is Mordred from the Round Table Club. If it's not too much trouble, could you take her with you? Consider it doing me a huge favor."
Though the Sun Knight was always polite and well-mannered, his tone was shockingly rude when introducing Mordred. It was clear—he truly despised her.
But then again, it was easy to understand. Throughout the Round Table, hardly anyone treated Mordred kindly—and the same went the other way around.
"Tch, what the hell's with that attitude?"
Dragged out into the open, Mordred immediately scowled in anger, revealing a slightly feral-looking fang.
"You're just tossing me out like garbage, you bastard Gawain!"
"Ha ha, allow me to clarify—when I take out the trash, I just wrap it in a plastic bag and toss it in the bin."
Gawain gave a mocking smile. "But you, Mordred, are far more troublesome to deal with than garbage. Sir Eikou is a friend of mine—and of my mother's. If you really want to contribute something, go help him out. Think of it as practicing your social skills."
"'Practicing social skills'? You treating me like a wild animal or something? You Gorilla! This is your idea of asking for help?!"
SLAM!
Without another word, Gawain shut the clubroom door right in her face.
Left standing before the tightly closed door of the Round Table, Mordred muttered curses under her breath. She scratched the back of her head in frustration before turning to look at Eikou.
Her face resembled Artoria's quite a bit, but the impression she gave was completely different. While Artoria Pendragon exuded the majestic aura of a lion with the pride of a cat, Mordred felt more like a cute yet untamed wildcat, full of raw instinct.
If Eikou had to describe his first impression, it would be: a summer flower full of thorns.
"So you're that guy, huh? The one who's been hanging around Gawain and Tristan lately… What was your name again…"
Mordred thought for a moment. "Mochi?"
"That's the name of a rice cake… But close enough—my surname is Mochizuki."
"Oh, so your full name is Mochizuki Touya, right?"
"Uhh… that's the name of a character from an isekai anime. Whatever, just call me Eikou."
"Ohh, so your full name is Mochizuki Eikou?"
"Ohh, how amazing—able to guess both my first and last name by simply combining them. Your intellect transcends dimensions. Sugoi!" Eikou gasped. "You're totally wasted staying in the Round Table Club."
"That… sounded kinda off, but I'll take it as a compliment? You've got a better eye than Gawain, at least."
Mordred's mood noticeably brightened.
"So you're headed to Enma-tei for part-time work, right? If you want me to tag along, I guess I can."
"Uh… don't trouble yourself, I'm fine going alone—"
"What's with that hesitant tone, huh? What do you mean by that? You like Gawain too, think I'm a burden, don't you? If you've got a problem, just say it straight!"
Eikou thought to himself, that over-the-top reaction kind of proves how much of a hassle she really is, doesn't it?
"Of course not," he said, flashing a smile that seemed sincere—but wasn't entirely, "it's just… walking around with a cute, pretty Lady like you makes me a bit nervous."
Skill Activated: High-Speed Divine Words A!
The dice rolls.
[Due to lack of sleep last night, skill "High-Speed Divine Words A" downgraded to "High-Speed Divine Words B"]
[Skill Check: Failed]
[Your sweet-talking had no desirable effect]
Whoosh!
Mordred immediately grabbed his tie and yanked him close. Eikou suddenly found his face inches from her strong, confident features.
"What's your deal, huh? I'm a Knight, damn it—are you mocking me?"
"Should I be calling you Sir, then?"
"That's it, I've decided—I'm gonna beat your ass!"
"Why such a hyper-reactive response?! Sir is a legit Knight title… Don't kill me, kill Tristan or Gawain instead! They're the ones who corrupted me! Kill them as many times as you want, be my guest!"
Can't treat her like a girl, but can't treat her like a guy either… maybe that makes her easier to get along with?
Eikou sighed inwardly—Gawain had definitely dumped a walking disaster on him.
...
[6 PM — You arrive at Enma-tei with Mordred.]
[With your Strength stat meeting requirements, and the skill "Human Anatomy Research A," you easily land a job as a VIP room massage attendant. Mordred, despite her awful attitude, fulfills her duty as a bodyguard, standing nearby to keep you safe.]
Enma-tei — VIP Room
Eikou had taken off his school uniform blazer and changed into the staff uniform.
Mordred, meanwhile, was squatting on the steps nearby, one hand in her pocket while the other tapped the stair railing with her slender fingers—looking every bit the classic delinquent girl.
"I figured you'd try to pick up a side job too. Didn't think you'd actually just show up to watch over me," Eikou said.
"What's wrong with that?" Mordred pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "I've been wanting to get out for a while anyway. And nobody here cares if I smoke."
"Don't light up in the VIP room. There's a smoking area just over there."
"You think you can tell me what to do?"
Mordred's voice was full of rebellious fire.
Eikou could kind of understand her mood—it was like being forced to do hated homework by your parents.
"Eh… dragging you into this makes me feel a bit guilty. Tell you what, Mordred—after the shift, I'll buy you a nicer pack of cigarettes."
"For real?"
She blinked her green eyes, suspiciously narrowing them at him.
"I figured you were the uptight type like Gawain—always preaching 'smoking is bad for your health,' or 'it goes against the spirit of the Knights of the Round Table,' that kind of crap."
Eikou snapped his fingers. "I respect people's preferences."
"Oh?"
"What's so weird about that? Tristan likes married women, Elizabeth's singing can blow people away… Honestly, everyone here has some kind of weird or harmful hobby. At this school, with so many bizarre Servant interests, the only option is to learn to respect them."
"Hmph," Mordred snorted softly as she lit a cigarette. "What about you? What're your hobbies?"
He thought for a moment and answered, "Nothing special… I guess gaming and sleeping in."
"That kind of lazy-ass lifestyle is what everyone likes! Can't you at least have something unique?!"