Ch 141: The new teacher is…

Rin hurried toward the school. She managed to reach it with a few minutes to spare and entered Class 2-A.

"Good morning, everyone." smiled Rin as she entered, and slowed to a stop half-way to her desk as few people even seemed to notice. Only a few of her classmates turned to her and greeted her. Most were gathered around two desks near the back. Most of the girls and some of the boys were around one desk, hiding whoever was hiding there from her view, while a few boys, the more problematic students in this class, were surrounding a girl. Rin got a glimpse of a beautiful face and long blonde hair in a ponytail. She seemed to be very shy, as her face was flushed. But there was something weird with her expression.

"Morning, Rin. We have two new classmates!" grinned Ayako as she came closer.

Rin's best friend had brown eyes and semi-long reddish-brown hair. She had a long-standing bet going on with Rin, about who would be the first to snag a boyfriend.

"Morning, Ayako. Two, and the very same day? That's very unusual."

"And both are foreigners. They're called Bell Cranel, and Darkness. Just Darkness. She didn't want to give us her real name."

"I see." nodded Rin. As she moved closer to her own desk, she got a glimpse or the other new student, a pretty boy with short white hair and red eyes, who looked extremely flustered from the attention he was getting. He looked like he was about to bolt out.

Seeing that both of the new students wore gloves confirmed her suspicion. They were more Masters like Akeno and her friends. But what in tarnation were they doing in her own class?

"Not only that." grinned Ayako, before adding with a lowered voice. "But it seems we're getting a new teacher as well."

"What? Fujimura-sensei got reassigned?"

"I don't know yet. But the rumor mill is spinning like never before. Issei saw the new teacher in the hallway, talking down to the principal as he followed her. And from the way he described her, she's not going to be your average teacher." said Ayako with a giggle.

Before Rin could ask for details, the bell rang, signaling the start of class, and the students moved to sit behind their desks. A minute later, the door or the classroom opened, and Rin's jaw dropped. Not that she was the only one.

The young woman who closed the door behind her was dressed from head to toe in tight black leather. Knee-high boots, a tight skirt stopping just short of the knees, and a long-sleeved shirt, buttoned most of the way up to reveal just a hint of cleavage. The woman herself possessed a seemingly perfect body, a flawless face with golden-brown eyes, and her long pink hair reached her waist.

And if that new teacher's appearance wasn't strange enough, she held in her right hand a black riding crop.

She turned to the students, looking at them as if she saw filth.

"Greetings, everyone. Your previous teacher, Fujimura-Sensei, has accrued a lot of vacation time, and has been asked to take them. I am the replacement teacher, and you will refer to me as Medb-sensei. Understood?"

The last word felt more like a command than a question, and Rin found herself answering "Yes, Medb-sensei!" along with the others before she realized what was happening.

It was fairly obvious to her that this new teacher was a Servant, as she radiated a degree of charisma and power that only Magus specializing in charm Magecraft or supernatural beings could produce. Rin realized that she needed to keep her guard up, or she would end up charmed as well. And the name Medb, likely referring to the Celtic Queen, was either her true identity, or a decoy.

"Good. I will start the roll call. And please make sure that you are on time every day. I do not tolerate tardiness." warned Medb-sensei as the struck the teacher's desk with her crop, producing a loud and intimidating crack.

All the students flinched at the sound. All but Darkness. Rin turned her face to the new female student, and she seemed… entranced?

"Ayumu Amano."

"Present." said the girl whose name had been called.

"It's 'Present, Medb-sensei'." sternly said Medb.

"Yes! Present, Medb-sensei."

"Chihiro Ametsuchi."

"Present, Medb-sensei."

One by one, the new teacher called each student, staring at them for a second as if memorizing their appearance. When Bell Cranel was called, Medb stared at him for a much longer time, with a slightly predatory gleam in her eyes, before calling out the next student, Darkness.

When Rin's turn came, Medb also stared at her for a longer period than for other students. Rin was dumbfounded, wondering why she had suddenly become a magnet for rival Servants and Masters. She couldn't figure out any reason other than herself to explain why those three people would be there.

With the roll call finished, Medb walked closer to the students and stopped in front of the nearest one, a young man.

"You. Show me the latest thing you studied with Fujimura-sensei." ordered Medb, sending the tip or her crop crashing on the student's desk with a flick of the wrist.

"Yes, M-Medb-sensei. We were studying Chinese history and myths, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

Medb smiled and grabbed the student's head, bringing his forehead in contact with her left side. He squeaked in surprise, while the other male students gasped and looked enviously.

"That is a great subject! One full of great conquering heroes like Liu Bei and Cao Cao!"

She released the head of the student and turned her attention to the girl on his right.

"Ametsuchi, what do you know about Cao Cao?"

The student answered what she could, apparently satisfying Medb as she rewarded her with a pat on the head.

As Medb turned to the next student, Rin stared at her with squinted eyes. If graduating was actually important to her future, she would be angry, as this 'teacher' was clearly more interested in discussing male heroes than doing a proper job. And yet, she had no doubts that with her charisma, she would have more of the classroom wrapped around her finger by the end of the day.

Fortunately for her, as a Magus, going to school was more a matter of socializing and maintaining appearances than anything else. Studying Magecraft and gaining achievements to increase her rank within the Mage Association was what would determine her future.

But having a Servant and two Masters, all potentially hostiles, in this very classroom still made her feel some pressure. She decided she would try to hasten the summoning of her own Servant. While the summoning ritual generally was done with a catalyst, to obtain the desired Heroic Spirit, it could also be done without one.

But in that case, the heroic spirit being summoned would be up to her fate.

…

The morning passed quickly, and Rin left the classroom as soon as the bell signaled the start of lunch break, heading for the Principal's office. She managed to intercept him before he left for lunch, and discreetly showed him a large blue gem as she spoke to him.

Once the principal saw the gem, he couldn't tear his eyes away from it, and his eyes slowly became glassy.

Rin asked him to add Akeno, Chisato and Asuka to her own class. The principal would do the paperwork, then go on with his business. He would still remember doing it, if someone asked about it, but would not think about it on his own, and not remember who asked him to.

She sighed as she left the office. Using hypnosis on civilians was something she despised, in large part due to how often other Magus abused it. It was useful, as well as justified, to erase the memories of civilians who witnessed something they shouldn't have, and certainly preferable to silencing them in a more permanent way.

However, far too many Magus used it for trivial reasons, such as dining in restaurants or living in hotels without paying.

She headed to the rooftop, bento box in hand, and sat on one of the empty benches.

Rin closed her eyes for a moment as she sampled the food Akeno had made. The vegetables were fresh and flavorful, the chicken tender and moist. The seasoning was great. It was easily worthy of high-end restaurants, and she smiled as she chewed.

The smile disappeared as she heard approaching footsteps, and she saw her sister Sakura coming closer. Sakura hesitantly stopped in front of her.

"Hello, Tohsaka-senpai." awkwardly said Sakura.

"Hi, Sakura." nodded Rin, feeling equally awkward.

"Grandfather… asked me to come live in… your home."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. You can take your former bedroom. Are you coming today?"

"…Yes. I packed my belongings this morning."

"Good…"

The two sisters looked at each other for a few more seconds, when Rin noticed something from the corner of her eyes.

"It's not good to peep, new guy." said Rin with a deadpan expression.

Bell flinched, then got out from behind the wall where he was hiding.

"I'm very sorry!" shouted Bell as he bowed deeply, his face red in embarrassment.

Rin sighed, and looked at her sister. "He's here to talk to me, I think. See you later, Sakura. Feel free to ask me if you need any help."

"…Yes. See you later, Tohsaka-senpai." nodded Sakura, taking the opportunity to escape the awkward situation.

"…You're not going to start a fight in the middle of the day, are you?"

"No. I do not want to fight anyone, if I can help it." replied Bell.

"Is Medb your Servant?"

"You already know about…" started Bell, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Some of your rivals already visited me. So, is she your Servant?"

"Ah, no. Medb-sensei is Darkness's Servant… Miss Tohsaka, I wish to ask for your help."

"Can you elaborate? My time isn't free."

"Yes. I'm on a mission to save the world. But maybe you already know about that, if some of the others already met you." said Bell, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"If this is about the grail being tainted, yes, I'm aware. I already agreed to cooperate with some of the other Masters."

"Hum, that's great, little lady." said a dep voice coming from Bell's right, as his own Servant materialized. He was a tall man, wearing black pants and little else. His hands and wrists were wrapped in white bandages, with two iron bracers over it, and his face, arms and torso were covered with large scars. He had short dark-blonde hair in a sweptback style, and golden eyes.

This servant looked like a veteran of a thousand battles.

"If you've talked to other Masters, you must have also met their servants, Right? I want to fight them! And Medb too!"

"Berserker, you must not allow other people to see you in this place!" urgently said Bell.

"Tsk!" frowned Berserker as he dematerialized.

Rin nodded as she slowly breathed out, relieved that this Berserker, at least, didn't seem as out of control as some other Servants sharing his class. From what she had heard from previous Holy War, some other Berserkers might have started fighting Medb the instant she entered the classroom.

"I am confident that you will see the others in the very near future. You can decide where and when to fight after that."

"But why are you Masters all coming to seek me? That's strange, no matter how you look at it."

"That…" Bell looked like a deer in headlights for a moment, before replying, obviously being careful of his words. "Those who gave us our mission, also told us that you know many things, about the Holy War that will soon start."

"…I see." slowly nodded Rin. "It is true that in Fuyuki City, I am one of those who knows most about it. So, I assume you are going to fight the others, and then try to become their leader?"

"Well, I'm not really interested in being the leader, to be honest. And the person I represent doesn't really care, either."

"Another person currently in another world?" asked Rin, and Bell nodded.

"She just wants me to stay alive and contribute to saving the world. But Berserker wants to fight the other Servants, and I'm willing to let him do it, as long as no one dies. That would be tragic."

"Yes." shrugged Rin. "I do not intend to involve myself into that matter between you Masters. At least, as long as you don't start killing each other."

"Thank you, Tohsaka-san." smiled Bell. "Would you mind if we exchange phone numbers?"

"Call me Rin. From what the others told me, I'm going to help you guys not just for the Holy Grail War, but also for the crisis after that, whatever it may be."

"Thank you, Rin." replied Bell. After exchanging numbers with his smartphone, he noticed the bento box beside Rin and cleared his throat. "I'll be going now, sorry for bothering you during your lunch."

Rin nodded at looked warily at her surroundings, half expecting another interruption. Maybe Darkness this time. But none came, so she resumed her lunch.

Events were moving fast, and she was increasingly surrounded by Servants and Masters who, while friendly in appearance, might not forever be. She decided she needed to summon her own yesterday.