The preparations Kayneth made for Naoki weren't limited to the various procedures required for enrollment at the Clock Tower; he also helped Naoki secure a place to live. He was so meticulous that Naoki couldn't quite figure out Kayneth's true intentions toward him. A Magus doesn't give without reason. Since Kayneth was being so kind to him, it must mean he was plotting something.
However, even though Naoki knew this, there was little he could do. Simply put, he had returned to a time just after the Holy Grail War had begun, and to make matters worse, he had lost the advantage of foresight. No matter what happened in the future, he wouldn't be able to prepare in advance as he had during the Holy Grail War.
In this future life, he could only take one step at a time.
"We're here."
Just as Naoki was pondering the future, the car came to a stop, and Waver's voice reached his ears.
Regaining his focus and stepping out of the car, Naoki was greeted by the sight of a very old apartment building. Its exterior was covered in ivy, and the walls were a mix of red, white, and black, giving it the appearance of bricks that had crumbled over the years.
Naoki had read magazines about the English countryside before, and the apartment in front of him closely resembled the rural houses he had seen in those pages.
"Is this the apartment that Teacher Kayneth prepared for me?"
"Precisely, it's one of the dormitories affiliated with the Clock Tower."
Waver answered with a smile as he helped Naoki unload his luggage from the trunk.
"Although most Magus at the Clock Tower are nobles or from prominent families, there are always a few outliers, like you and me. To accommodate people like us, the Clock Tower purchases old apartments for us to live in. This is one of them, and currently, I live here as well."
"You live here too?"
Naoki raised an eyebrow. Waver was now a formal lecturer at the Clock Tower and Kayneth's assistant. Yet he still lived in a student dormitory?
As if sensing Naoki's confusion, Waver spread his hands and said, "I can't afford to live in the faculty dormitory. After all, I'm currently in debt. Plus, the rent there is exorbitant. In comparison, the rent here is so low that I can practically live here for free. However, the conditions here are just average."
"I don't have any particular requirements for living conditions. I've been sleeping in rented houses in Japan."
"That's good to hear."
After saying that, Waver took out a key and unlocked the door. He stepped inside and called out, "I'm back, Mrs. Mary. The new person I mentioned earlier is here too."
"Ah, here he is!"
A quick, cheerful voice echoed from inside, sounding like that of a girl in her early twenties. Along with the sound of footsteps, a figure emerged from a room near the entrance.
She was a strikingly beautiful young woman, her face resembling that of a fairy or a flower. She wore a simple pink and white dress, with long white hair cascading down to her hips, and the hem of her skirt blocked any impure gazes. Her perfectly shaped legs were clad in black stockings with golden trim, making one want to be stepped on just by looking at them. Of course, this didn't include Naoki, who actually wanted to be the one doing the stepping rather than being stepped on.
Seeing the beautiful woman before him, Naoki couldn't help but ask, "Waver, is this... Miss Mary?"
"Well, let me introduce you. This is the manager of this apartment, Miss Mary. Miss, this is the newcomer I mentioned earlier, Natsukawa Naoki from Japan."
"Hello. I'm Natsukawa Naoki. Thank you for your guidance, Miss Mary." Naoki nodded slightly, furrowing his brow a little.
For some reason, he felt that Mary looked familiar, as if he had seen her before. However, if he had truly seen such a beautiful woman before, he would surely have a very deep impression of her.
Smiling at Naoki, Mary said, "Well, please give me some advice. Velvet, excuse me, could you go to the kitchen and help me for a bit? I just made some cake."
"Cake? Is it your birthday today?"
"Of course, it's to welcome the newcomers, so we have to prepare some gifts. But I'll take Naoki to see his room now, so you go and help me check on it first to make sure it doesn't overcook."
"Alright. Naoki, I'll leave your luggage here for now."
After saying that, Waver set down the luggage and hurried off to the kitchen. Once he was gone, Mary said, "Well, follow me. I'll show you your room first."
"Thank you for your help."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The apartment Mary arranged for Naoki was on the second floor, very close to the stairs. It was basically just a matter of climbing the stairs and turning a corner to reach it.
The room wasn't large, but compared to Naoki's home in Japan, it could be considered quite spacious. It was more than enough for one person, and he felt it wouldn't be a problem even if two people lived there.
There was an open window across from the door, which had likely been opened beforehand to air out the room before Naoki's arrival.
The bed was placed right next to the window, and it was more than sufficient for one person. Across from the foot of the bed was a desk—or rather, for a Magus, it should be a lab table, though there was nothing on it at the moment. There was also a glass cabinet beside it. A wardrobe was built into the wall near the door on the side of the bed.
"—The bathroom is shared. It's at the end of the hallway to the left. It's connected to the shower. If you want to eat, the restaurant and kitchen are on the first floor."
After briefly explaining the layout of the apartment, Mary smiled and asked, "Do you have any other questions?"
"Not really... Ah, actually, I do have a few." Naoki looked at her, "It seems... there aren't many people here? The only ones living here are me, Waver, and you, Miss Mary?"
"After all, there are only a few students like you. The young lords and ladies at the Clock Tower wouldn't look twice at a shabby old house like ours."
"I see..."
After setting his luggage down beside the bed, Naoki let out a relieved sigh: "Well, I can handle the luggage and other things on my own. Thank you, Miss Mary, for showing me the way."
"What are you talking about? Is there something else we need to take care of?"
Unexpectedly, Mary, who had been leaning against the window, suddenly revealed a somewhat mysterious smile and let out a deep sigh: "Ah, even though I've closed my clairvoyance for fun, sometimes I feel that clairvoyance is necessary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been waiting here for you for a year."
"You've been waiting for me for a year?"
Naoki frowned in confusion, then took two steps toward the door.
"Do you know me?"
"Yes, I know you, and to be honest, I should be considered your savior, Arthur."
"—!"
Naoki's eyes trembled for a moment—this person knew about him and Arthur?
"Who are you..."
"Hmm~"
Lifting the hem of her skirt slightly, Mary smiled and said, "Nice to meet you—this should be the third time I've met you—Natsukawa Naoki. I am Merlin from another world, following the wishes of the late Arthur Pendragon. I've come here to serve as your protector."
"Please give me more advice~"