Adopted Soldier

’He noticed me, and even knows what I did to the newspaper club . . . I was so vigilant yesterday, how did he? . . . Heh, my comrade in arms is actually that good or did I just get rusty? It’s only been five days since I left the battlefield and I’m already losing my edge?’

In Alex’s mind Oliver was someone of equal or even greater skill than himself, so he had a different interpretation on everything Oliver said . Alex at that moment wanted to witness all of Oliver’s skills and see who between them was better, yet he easily restrained this emotion of his . Since he was at school and in the middle of a mission at that, asking for a duel was no good . Alex sighed and remembered something he needed to say to Oliver .

"Oliver, my dad said you can come meet him tomorrow, here’s the address . " Alex handed a piece of paper and in it was a detailed map of the area pointing where to go to find Alex’s house . Oliver was greatly excited in meeting Alex’s dad since he wanted to learn a lot from him . Yet as usual Oliver kept a serious face on, and simply smiled a bit .

"Roger that comrade, what time should I arrive?"

"You should be there at 08:00"

"Roger that" Oliver nodded his head . While the two boys were having their semi serious conversation the girls were also having their own conversation .

"Hey Rachel are you still testing Alex? Isn’t he clearly solely devoted to you? If you don’t hurry and decide, Evangeline is going to snatch him from you . "

"Hmph, if he’s easily snatched like that, then I don’t want him to be my boyfriend . Anyway why are you pushing me like my mom and brothers? We just met like three days ago and it wasn’t actually a romantic meeting either . " Rachel pouted at Sayaka’s comment .

"Well whatever, I just wanted to warn you . . . I’m not that interested with your relationship with Alex, I’m more interested on Oliver the rumored delusional guy . How come no one wants to claim him? Isn’t he quite a catch? His smart, his body is a bulging mass of muscle, and his handsome, the only drawback people seem to have is his personality, which personally I think is cute . "

Hearing Sayaka’s high opinion of Oliver, Rachel could only shrug . "Well your the only one who thinks that way Sayaka . "

The four of them finally reached the classrooms, Sayaka was a student of classroom 1-C so she needed to separate from the group but before she did so she reminded them, "Don’t forget after school go to the kendo clubroom . . . Oh wait we’ll be using the gymnasium for the exhibition match . " The three nodded at Sayaka’s reminder .

. . .

After class the three headed towards the gymnasium where they heard some people arguing .

"Why the hell did you invite amateurs to help us?!"

"Do you have a better idea? The exhibition match requires five students to participate, you guys are already down by two . We can’t use the girls since this is for the men’s division right?"

"Damn it! Then I’ll just fight the additional two battles! I can do it! I can win even without the captain, and that showboat of an ace!"

The three entered amidst all the screaming . Alex noticed that one of the people screaming was Sayaka and she was screaming at a boy with slightly unkempt fawn colored dyed hair and brown eyes . He stood at around 179 cm which made him an inch shorter than Alex, his eyes were slightly slanted which made him look angry all the time .

Sayaka noticing the three entering the gymnasium waved her hands . "Over here!" Her frown from awhile ago turned into a bright smile .

The boy who was arguing with Sayaka glared at Alex’s group . He then approached Alex’s group and pointed at them . "We don’t need you here! Go back to where you came from amateurs!" Sensing the boy’s hostile intentions Alex was looking at the boy’s unguarded areas which were a lot, compared to Rachel’s family this guy wasn’t even fit to be called a martial artist .

"Now is that how we of the kendo club respect our visitors?" Another man approached the group, he had a gentle smile floating in his face . A well combed black hair, with matching black eyes, and with the glasses on, this person looks like the personification of the studious type . When Alex saw the man’s center of gravity he was surprised, this person was actually pretty good, he’s just one level below Rachel’s brother’s .

"But"

"There are no buts, Ryuuji! I apologize for my junior’s outburst . " The man with the gentle smile bowed his head as he apologized .

"It’s ok we are the ones imposing . " Rachel quickly responded to the bowing senior .

"Thank you for your forgiveness, allow me to introduce everyone from the male kendo team . This here with the loud mouth is a first year like you, called Ryuuji . The one beside him is a second year like me William, and I’m the Vice-Captain Noel . "

Rachel then started to introduce the members of the Mercenary Circle . "I see so your the rumored Rachel, and the one beside you are Alex and Oliver right? The three of you are very popular in our school at the moment . " Noel looked at the group in interest .

"Famous for being weirdos" Ryuuji said with a snicker .

"Ryuuji! How many times are you going to insult our guests! Apologize now!" Noel yelled at Ryuuji who clicked his tongue in response .

"I apologize for the rude comment . " With that insincere apology, Ryuuji bowed his head . Rachel wasn’t able to hear the apology she was still stuck on Ryuuji’s comment .

’I’m treated like a weirdo as well?! How did this happen?! What happened to my Queen like aura?! Was I affected by these three people’s weirdness . ’ While Rachel was still having her internal dialogue Noel approached the sleeping teacher who was sitting at the side .

"Sir Lyner these two wish to replace the Captain and Robert . " Noel pointed at Alex and Oliver, Lyner the teacher in charge of the kendo club opened his eyes slightly, looked at the two, and yawned .

"Do whatever you deem fit . " After saying that, Lyner went back to sleep .

"There you go welcome to the team, temporarily of course . The opposing team will be arriving at around 5:00 p . m so there’s thirty minutes left, how about we start warming up . " Noel looked at Alex and Oliver very interested on what kind of performance the two will show .