Shirou took Melantha's special training quite seriously.
As for the reason… it was similar to what he felt with Little Rope. They got along at first sight, and especially her slightly unconfident demeanor felt very familiar to him.
Moreover, she was working hard to learn, so Shirou pointed out as many problem areas as possible and tried to help her correct them.
Of course, Cardigan was not idle either. Although she was a heavily armored defender carrying a shield, the weapon she used was something called a "tonfa."
Its shape was somewhat like a club. By gripping the handle and turning the blade outward, it could protect the entire arm while still allowing for attacks.
It was also quite a niche weapon, but since her main focus was still on her shield, Shirou did not worry too much. He simply demonstrated how to use it in a way that would hit harder.
As for the other two… one was a Lateran, so her shooting skills were good. The other was a caster, which Shirou knew nothing about.
So he could only let the two of them train on their own nearby.
With things to do, time passed quickly. By the time everyone was exhausted and collapsed onto the ground, Shirou realized it had gotten quite late.
And it seemed they had trained a bit too much. Since the two here did not stop, the other two did not dare to stop either. Shirou thought there was still plenty of time, so he kept Melantha and Cardigan sparring.
It was not until the light of the setting sun streamed in that Shirou realized they had been training for more than three hours.
That was indeed a bit too long.
"Sorry, sorry. I did not notice the time."
Only after coming back to his senses did Shirou notice that everyone looked rather unwell.
Especially the two who had trained the hardest; their faces had turned pale.
"Ha… it is fine. We do not have anything to do tonight anyway…"
Andachiel said while drinking water.
If he were not breathing so heavily, Shirou might have believed him.
"Shirou, you… have something to do tonight, right? It is fine if you leave first. We will clean up here later."
Melantha sheathed her longsword and used it to support her body as she spoke. She had also noticed it was already quite late.
After all, she had gained a lot this time. Shirou had given her plenty of practical guidance and a clear direction to work toward.
And if she remembered correctly, Shirou would usually have gone back by this time, as he seemed to have work in the evening.
They could not let their squad's training affect his job. That would be far too embarrassing.
"Hmm… that works. Remember to have Ansel check on you. I will head off first."
After thinking for a moment, Shirou agreed.
If this dragged on any longer, dinner would turn into a late-night meal.
After helping clean up a bit, Shirou left first. The moment he stepped out of the training ground, everyone else collapsed onto the floor.
Looking at their teammates' disheveled state, they all burst into laughter.
"…"
After taking just a few steps outside, Shirou paused when he heard the laughter. Though puzzled, he did not go back to see what was happening.
He was already used to such scenes. Whether it was people in Lungmen or on Rhodes Island, he would not find it strange if people suddenly burst into laughter on the street.
Hearing that they could still laugh, Shirou finally felt relieved.
He had thought he might have pushed them too hard, but it seemed it was still acceptable.
Next time, he could increase the intensity. That way he could give Franka an explanation.
Thinking about these trivial matters, Shirou got on his bicycle and prepared to head back to the dormitory.
At this hour, the market was either sold out or closing, so he decided not to shop. After returning, he would let the others order takeout and handle dinner themselves.
This was also routine. Whenever Shirou got busy and forgot to buy ingredients, dinner that day would be takeout.
Of course, he usually bought extra, so there were ingredients available for cooking today. However, those had to be saved for tomorrow's brunch.
Compared to dinner, everyone at Penguin Logistics valued brunch more, since it was their only comfort during work.
As for dinner, as long as everyone gathered together, it did not matter what they ate. The important thing was the atmosphere.
On the way back, Shirou greeted many familiar-looking people and waved to those he knew better.
After all, people who often bought groceries liked to chat, and since Shirou frequently shopped there, he naturally knew quite a few people.
Most of them were housewives, forming a rather peculiar social circle for him.
The only difference was that Shirou did not engage in gossip. He did not like speaking ill of others behind their backs.
However, he occasionally overheard things when the women chatted, and sometimes the rumors were not very pleasant.
For example, the frequent fires and explosions in the slums were apparently caused by gang fights, or that the slums had been particularly noisy at night lately, with a sudden increase in people.
Although these were just everyday matters, it was still interesting to listen to.
That was, as long as the topic did not involve him.
Previously, when Shirou himself was active at night, he had been the subject of gossip. Back then, he would buy his things and leave quickly, not wanting to linger at all.
After leaving the slums, Shirou focused on riding his bicycle.
After all, traffic was getting heavier, and a moment of carelessness could lead to trouble.
Ever since learning how Penguin Logistics had become famous for reckless driving in Lungmen, Shirou constantly reminded himself to pay attention to traffic safety.
He also wanted to set an example for them.
After all, it would not make sense to criticize them while making the same mistakes himself.
That would not be good.
Besides, bicycles are not built to withstand collisions. If something went wrong, he would likely have to buy a new one. Shirou maintained this bike regularly and had already grown attached to it.
If he had to choose between spending a day with his bicycle or a day with Exusiai and Croissant, there was a high probability he would choose the former.
As for the latter two? Sorry, he was not that familiar with them.
"Hm… why are they starting to set things up? Is there some kind of festival coming up?"
With his sharp eyes, Shirou noticed workers nearby arranging decorations and thought for a moment about whether there was any special occasion at this time.
He did not recall any particular festival that needed celebrating. After all, if there really was one, everyone at Penguin Logistics would definitely not let it pass without reminding him.
After all, a festival meant a party, and a party meant a delicious feast.
This was something everyone at Penguin Logistics unanimously agreed on. Even the boss would often gather everyone together during certain holidays.
Of course, the one mainly being called was Shirou, since he was the only one busy with things outside. The others would usually go relax at the boss's bar after work.
If he went by the festivals he remembered, then around October it should be Halloween, right?
But that was just a passing thought. In Terra, many things were very different from what he knew, and Shirou tried his best not to impose his own understanding onto this world.
Still, he would inevitably do so from time to time. After all, seventeen years of memories far outweighed less than a year.
But that was fine. At least it meant he had not forgotten his past.
Rumble—
A deep engine noise sounded. The sudden, harsh roar made Shirou frown.
The noise was rather loud and grating, especially now that his hearing had become sharper. It made him somewhat uncomfortable.
Though it was only discomfort, not something unbearable.
He stopped his bicycle and glanced around, trying to determine where the car was coming from so he could avoid it.
If there was no need, why face something unpleasant when it could be avoided?
He also planned to note down the license plate and report it to the Guard Department tomorrow.
A model citizen of Lungmen, indeed.
Turning his head, Shirou quickly located the source of the noise.
It was a very ordinary white car, the kind you could see four or five of just by walking around the streets of Lungmen. However, this one was clearly worn down, with much of its paint peeling off.
Cars like this usually would not make such loud noises, leaving only two possible explanations.
Shirou had no intention of commenting on such hobbies. After all, in others' eyes, the way he spent money on others might also seem strange.
Although that might sound somewhat biased, it was also true.
And this car seemed to fall into another category: an old engine that roared loudly with even a slight press of the accelerator.
Watching the car speeding down the street, Shirou frowned, sensing something was off.
This car… seemed to be going a bit too fast.
Not only had it nearly hit vehicles and pedestrians multiple times, but it also showed no intention of slowing down. This kind of reckless driving was quite alarming.
After thinking for a moment, Shirou decided not to wait until tomorrow to report it. He would call it in immediately.
"…One more look. Let me check if it is someone I know."
After dialing the Guard Department, a troubling thought suddenly occurred to him.
The person driving… could it be someone from Penguin Logistics?
The moment that idea appeared, Shirou felt a headache coming on.
Even if it were one of his own, he would still have to report it. And he would cut their food budget in half for the month.
He would not show leniency just because he knew them. At most, they would be sent to the Guard Department for a lecture from Officer Chen.
With that in mind, Shirou took a closer look at the driver. He could clearly see there was only one person inside, a man. That allowed him to relax slightly. At least it was not the worst-case scenario.
However, the man's expression seemed… off.
A twisted face, and in his eyes, there seemed to be… madness.
In that instant, a thick, viscous malice seemed to envelop Shirou like mud. He understood what the car was trying to do.
Deliberately causing a traffic accident. It was a method that worked in any era, though in Is's view, it was a rather low-level tactic.
After all, it affected too wide an area and was easy to trace. Moreover, relying on a car accident to eliminate someone was quite difficult.
People here were generally quite capable. If they were alert, they could avoid it.
But the current situation was troublesome for Shirou. He had many ways to evade it, whether by detouring or jumping to places the car could not reach.
The car could not fly up and hit him, after all.
However, if he did that, the driver might resort to even more extreme actions.
Right now, the driver likely believed Shirou had not noticed anything yet and was still driving somewhat normally. If Shirou made any suspicious moves, the driver might charge recklessly without hesitation.
Then again, perhaps Shirou was not even the target. The malice had only surged after he clearly saw the driver's face.
But since Shirou had noticed the situation, there was no way he would ignore it.
From dialing the Guard Department, to identifying the driver, to deciding to stop him, only a few seconds had passed. At that moment, the call had just connected.
After quickly stating the location and situation, Shirou decisively tossed his phone into the basket of his bicycle.
There was no time left. The car was moving fast and already closing in.
From the way the driver stared at him, Shirou could confirm that he himself was the target.
And also… the orange armband on the driver's right arm.
Shirou had not forgotten what that was. What he had thought was already over seemed to have crawled back up again and launched another attack on him.
"Trace… on!"
At that moment, countless methods to stop the other party flashed through Shirou's mind, but most of them would cause damage to the surroundings.
That did not leave many options. He would just block it head-on with a shield!
Hoshiguma, lend me your Hannya for a moment!
A large amount of magical energy gathered, and in Shirou's hands appeared a black triangular great shield, with a demon face at its center.
He drove one of its corners into the ground, firmly fixing Hannya in place to provide resistance.
After that, the rest depended on his own body to withstand it.
"Ah!"
Seemingly noticing the target making a strange move, the driver abandoned all restraint and drove straight toward Shirou.
Meanwhile, people who noticed something was wrong with the car stopped and cried out.
Fortunately, the noise the car made was so loud that many people and vehicles had already stopped. The worst that happened was that a few cars were scratched or had their side mirrors knocked off.
The car sped straight toward Shirou, who stood in the bicycle lane, and slammed into Hannya.
Bang!
The front of the car crumpled instantly with a loud crash.
Behind the shield, Shirou did not feel great either. With the support from the ground and reinforcement magecraft, he managed to withstand the attack.
But the impact was still strong, leaving his hands slightly numb. Aside from that, he was unharmed.
If anything… the wheel that flew off seemed to have dented the rear of another car.
Congratulations to that car for becoming the biggest victim of this incident.