“What am I going to do now?” He asked out loud as Eimir sat onto the couch. This news was far from what he wanted to hear, but how was he going to solve the problem?
“Well, how old are you?” Asked the mother of the family. She wanted to find a way to lend him aid in this time of need.
“We should probably introduce ourselves properly first.” However, the daughter did raise a good point. Despite saving their lives and them having brought him here, the boy had no clue to who any of them were.
“Right, where are our manner.” The dad approached him once more and stuck his hand out. “My name’s Houta Maita.” He said, the two engaged in a handshake again for more proper introductions.
“I’m Ichia, his wife.” The woman told him. “And this lovely young lady is our daughter, Amasa.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Eimir replied. “Um, I’m a little surprised you’re not more shocked about this turn of events. Since he had heard stories of those who apparently came from a different world coming to Enatis. The boy imagined that people were normally caught in awe when it occurred. Surely the same should apply to people here, but they seemed unusually calm.
“You’ve been out for a while.” Amasa told him. “So we kind of got used to it.” He had been out for hours to this point, and they had spent pretty much every minute of it talking about whether he was talking the truth. Since he displayed such odd moves against that bear, they settled that he was likely not part of this world.
“I see.” That was a good thing for him. Apparently this Earth had people who were willing to help out a stranger such as himself. “Anyway, to answer your question from before. I am 16 years of age.”
“16!?” They stared at him in shock. None of them would ever have imagined someone his age being capable of displaying such feats. “Wow, so you’re the same age as our daughter too.”
“We can’t just let you go off on your own.” Said Houta.
“Why not?” At a young age, Eimir only ever knew to take care of himself. So the idea of being viewed as a minor, even thought many in the kingdom did see him as one, was foreign concept. “I can take care of myself.”
“It just won’t work out, there’s no way for you to survive out in our world alone at that age.” What they were telling him was weird, though the boy was glad to have people willing to support and help him live here until he found a way back home.
“You should live with us.” Said Ichia. “We can help take care of you until your grown.”
“Well gee, thanks for consulting me about that.” Amasa was the lone person somewhat against the plan. It wasn’t that she disliked him, though she also wasn’t a fan of Eimir either. Her parents seemed over the moon to have met him despite the boy having threatened her father. Because of him saving their lives from that bear, those two were fully enamored with him.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you so much.” He kneeled before them to offer his gratitude. To him, they were his saviors and guides in this strange world.
“But, you do have to listen to our rules. Fair?” Ichia gave him one vague condition.
“I’d do anything that you ask of me.” Being a knight of honor, Eimir gave them his word. He was willing to accept any challenge thrown at him.
***
“These clothes you’ve given me are quite strange.” It was the following day and he found himself adore in a new outfit apparently going with Amasa to school. More accurately, this was the boy’s school uniform to the school she, and now he, attended. Eimir was surprised to see her dressed in this current manner for when they first met she was adorn with pants instead of a skirt. “And why is it that I need to go into formal education?”
“Because you’re only 16.” She was miffed her usual morning routine was forcibly changed thanks to his sudden arrival. “So my parents thought it was somehow a good idea to enroll you into my school, and class.” Though the details given to them were sparse on how her parents managed, officially he was considered an adopted child of theirs. How they were able to do that when he had no record of his existence was unknown and Amasa frankly didn’t care.
All she was concerned with now was this guy who was apparently a knight from another world coming in and ruining her daily life.
“Well, I’m very excited to see what your school is like.” He was brimming with energy and there was a glow about him. A contrast to her gloomy walk from not getting enough sleep, as teens typically fail to get.
“And why’s that?”
“Because I get to experience a brand new world I’ve never seen before.” While it could be taken literally. Eimir meant in the sense he’d be able to learn all sorts of things about how people here lived, communicated, and whatever else they’d have to offer to someone like him. “It’s like getting started on a new adventure.”
“You’re not a foreign exchange student.” She scolded him. “Don’t laze around and forget you’re trying to get back to your own world.”
“Of course, that’s the number one thing on my mind.” In fact, he had spent all morning trying to figure out ways to teleport back home. Unfortunately, he had no clue what spell that wizard did to even be capable of doing so. Not to mention it seemed his magic was severely weaken while in this world. Thankfully not to the extent of being unable to pull off any spells, such as his translation magic, but it was not up to par to what he trained his life for.
“Oh yeah.” Amasa realized an important detail as the school came into view. “You’re not Eimir, or whatever the heck your old name was. It’s Tahiko Maita now.” She spoke out his name carefully to ensure he knew exactly how it was to be pronounced. Obviously his given name made no sense around here, so there was no way to avoid suspicion if they kept with it. So her parents just came up with one when filing paperwork and that was what they settled on.
“Tahiko, huh?” It was a strange name to him, but it sounded like it fit in considering the name he learned of so far. “Okay, I’ll make sure to go by that identity from now on.” And thus, Tahiko Maita was born.
So the pair headed inside the building, where she practically abandoned him the moment a teacher approached them. It seemed the adults here had already heard of his name thanks to his new adoptive parents. The people here seemed nice enough, though the boys here were a lot skinnier than the ones he was used to back in the kingdom.
“Okay, when I call for you just walk in and introduce yourself.” The teacher told him as they stood outside the door. “Don’t be too nervous, everyone here is pretty nice.” The lady talking to him sounded kind, so he took her word for it. She went inside and told everyone to take their seats. Then soon enough came his cue.
Tahiko walked into the classroom. It was was smaller than what he was used to when learning to be a knight, and the desks were on even ground rather than being above where the teacher would stand. All eyes were on him as he took a moment to ensure he gave a proper introduction for his new identity.
“Greetings.” He started off. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to speak in a way to not make it seem he was from somewhere else. “My name is Tahiko, hailing from the family of Maita.”
“Maita…?” The students were visibly confused as they turned their attention towards Amasa, who shared his family name.
“Yeah…” She cringed from how he addressed the entire class. Now everyone was going to view him as someone with eighth-grader syndrome and that they were technically related. “My parents adopted him, so here we are.” Amasa hated when attention was brought onto her. The girl felt like she could just die right now from the embarrassment.
“Anyway.” The teacher got everyone settled down from their bit of shock. She was herself surprised at the way he spoke, but as the teacher she needed to exhibited professional behavior and keep things on track. “Tahiko, you may go and find yourself a seat now.”
“Please don’t sit next to me, please don’t sit next to me.” Amasa quickly pleaded to herself as there was an empty spot next to her.
“I suppose I should sit next to my sister.” She sighed and buried her head onto her desk upon hearing her life was officially ruined.
