The New Transfer Student

"Did you see them?" A student asked.

"It's Kaito!" another chimed in, a note of envy in his voice. "I saw him walking with two more beautiful girls! One was flat as a washboard," he continued, gesturing vaguely, "and the other... a truly charming beauty who seemed to suck your soul out with a single glance."

"Damn him!" a third student grumbled, clenching his fists. "His harem is getting bigger by the day. I'm so jealous!"

From a nearby cluster, a fervent admirer of the school idol cried out, "To think he would abandon Yumi-senpai for new girls! We must kill him!"

Ren leaned against a wall, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. 'Another transfer student?' he mused to himself. 'Well, Kaito is practically a rom-com protagonist at this point, so it's nothing unusual.'

Just then, the classroom door slid open, and Ms. Sato, their homeroom teacher, entered. A hush fell over the room as students return to their seat. She turned to face the class. "Listen up! We have two new transfer students joining us today."

Stepping into the classroom were two girls who immediately commanded attention. Eleanor, whose striking white hair was now dyed a mundane black, her face remaining unchanged but wore a fake pair of glasses that was cloaked by Maria's abilities so that no one, not even family or close friends, would be able to link her to Eleanor Prescott. Beside her was Tamamo, now in her adolescent form, completely devoid of her distinctive fox ears or tails. Her figure was the very definition of allure, with every curve precisely where it should be. A reserved, mischievous smile played on her lips.

"Please introduce yourselves," Ms. Sato prompted.

Eleanor stepped forward first, her voice calm and clear. "Hello. My name is Eleanor Cross. I look forward to studying with all of you." Her gaze swept across the curious faces, a flicker of her usual analytical sharpness in her eyes.

Then, Tamamo glided forward with a foxy smile. "And I am Tamamo Maeno," she purred, her voice a melodic whisper that seemed to captivate every boy in the room. She paused, letting her gaze linger on them, and then, with a playful glint in her eyes, added, "I've expected you pathetic humans to entertain me greatly."

A wild reaction erupted among the boys in the classroom. Flames of pure lust and adoration flickered in their eyes, giving Tamamo their undivided and utterly mesmerized attention. Kaito, witnessing the immediate impact of Tamamo's presence, simply shook his head. He knew exactly what this would lead to. His peaceful school life had just become significantly more complicated.

 _____________________

Tamamo and Eleanor had vanished with Maria to tour the sprawling campus of Sakura Academy, leaving Kaito alone at his desk. Kaito found himself surprisingly relieved, and a little amused, that Tamamo had actually seemed interested and attentive during their first class. He had fully expected her to be bored within minutes, unleashing a torrent of mischievous pranks using her powers, but she had yet again proven him wrong.

His brief moment of peace, however, was shattered. Ren approached his desk, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. "So," he began, "I didn't expect you to bring back two more girls after your summer break trip, Kaito. What's the story this time?"

It wasn't just Ren. Before Kaito could even formulate a reply, the majority of the boys in the classroom had swarmed his desk, forming an impenetrable huddle. He was trapped.

"Alright, alright," Kaito chuckled nervously, trying to sound casual despite the sudden claustrophobia. "I met Eleanor when I was visiting America. As for Tamamo, I met her when I returned to Japan. One thing led to another, and now... well, they're living with me, along with Maria." He tried to keep his tone as nonchalant as possible, but the words felt heavy in the air.

A boy from the front of the huddle gasped dramatically. "They are living with you too!?"

Another boy chimed in, a mix of shock and accusation in his voice. "I'd suspected that Maria was living with you, given how close you two are, but now you're just straight up admitting it!"

"C'mon, Kaito," a third pleaded, a desperate edge to his voice. "Leave some girls for us, or at least introduce us to some! We're all desperate here!"

"You've got to tell me your secret, Kaito," another demanded, leaning closer. "How do you do it? What's your magic formula?"

Then, a particularly student pushed forward. "What about Yumi-senpai, Kaito? Are you also living with her? Do tell me! I won't do anything to you, I swear! Trust me!"

Feeling utterly overwhelmed, Kaito struggled to find the words. Just as he was about to speak, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, and Maria's text message flashed brightly on the screen for everyone to see: "Kaito-kun, join us on the rooftop for lunch. We're waiting!"

A nervous laugh escaped Kaito's lips. "Oh, look at the time!" he exclaimed, seizing the opportunity. "Maria's calling! I can't keep her waiting! I've got to go!"

He quickly slipping past the boys before they could react, and made a hasty escape from their encirclement.

"Lucky bastard," he heard one boy mutter as he sped away.

"You won't escape so easily next time!" another shouted, their gazes burning holes into Kaito's back even as he exited the classroom.

 __________________________________

On the rooftop, a surprisingly luxurious setup awaited. A sleek, modern table with comfortable, cushioned chairs sat beneath a large, elegant umbrella, providing a perfect circle of shade from the bright sun.

Maria was already arranging a selection of bento boxes on the table when Kaito arrived. Eleanor sat composedly, observing the cityscape, while Tamamo was already eating the food.

"Kaito, you made it," Maria said softly, a small smile playing on her lips as she handed him a cold bottle of green tea. "Those boys were really swarming you. I saw it from the window."

Kaito let out a relieved sigh as he sank into a chair. "You have no idea. It was a full-on interrogation. I almost didn't escape."

Maria chuckled. "They certainly seemed... enthusiastic about their new classmate."

Eleanor turned, a faint, amused smile on her lips. "It appears Kaito has quite the reputation here."

Tamamo, reaching for a piece of tamagoyaki from a bento – Kaito's portion, as it turned out – hummed contentedly. "Oh, they're quite amusing. Such simple creatures, easily swayed by a pretty face."

...

As they continued to enjoy their meal, Eleanor brought up a new topic. "I've been browsing the New World Online community forums. I've noticed a lot of wildly different analyses about the overarching plot. Since you're involved with testing the game, what's the actual story?"

"There's a story?" Tamamo asked in genuine surprise.

"The game itself is a sandbox with no single main plot line or protagonist. It merely follows a series of interconnected events that unfold within a vast timeline. If I had to start explaining the overarching story, I'd have to go over the entire historical background of the game from the very beginning." Kaito paused, considering where to start.

"Let's see," Kaito continued. "It all begins with a Creation God who brought existence into being, then departed to pursue other endeavors. Twenty-two aspects of his power became phenomena or locations within the game, each named after or themed around the Major Arcana."

He gestured with his chopsticks. "For example, the Tower of Babel, which is an impossible-to-conquer dungeon in the game, represents The Tower Arcana. The royal family in Promere holds an artifact linked to The First Light, which is The Emperor Arcana, granting them undisputed mandate from the heavens, and so on."

He then looked at Eleanor. "In the game's lore, the players are said to hold the power of The Fool Arcana."

"There are three important storylines that were planned," Kaito explained. "The first storyline involves the theft or protection of The First Light artifact, and how control of it no longer belongs to the current royal family. This has sparked a continental war to determine the next royal family, but the war will eventually become a stalemate. So, each faction is now trying to obtain control of The Chariot Arcana, which is a powerful flying ship capable of traveling anywhere in existence, to become the new ruler."

"The second storyline," Kaito continued, "revolves around The High Priestess Arcana, also known as the Saint of the Church. Their goal is to re-seal The Devil Arcana, which is a powerful demon king."

"And the third storyline," he concluded, " centers on The Magician Arcana, the very source of all magic in the world, and how The Hanged Man Arcana is disrupting it, with the potential to bring about a long era without magic."

"Only the first storyline is partially implemented," Maria clarified, taking a small bite from her bento. "Most quests in New World Online are randomly generated and repeatable, though some are unique, once-per-account experiences. A truly scripted, overarching plot line takes significant time to implement. Not to mention, the NPCs are currently too robotic to convey an immersive story, and we haven't even figured out how to allow billions of players to interact with a moving narrative simultaneously outside of faction favorability and repeatable milestone quest."

Eleanor listened intently. "Do you think it's possible for the Association to allow my family to contribute to the development of New World Online?"

"Our family's company employs countless experts in the field of technology and has deep connections within the tech world. While we might lack expertise in supernatural technology, we could certainly contribute through our advanced AI research and other resources."

Maria considered this. "That sounds like a great idea, Eleanor. But you would need to ask Yumi about that. She oversees the project."

Eleanor hesitated. "Can I really do that? I've only recently joined the Association. It feels rather selfish of me to request such a thing so soon."

Tamamo, who had been listening with surprising attention, chimed in. "The idea of bringing more life to that dull digital world is interesting, human. I shall ask that human for you." With that, she pulled out her phone and began typing a message to Yumi.

After a short period, Tamamo's phone vibrated with a reply. She turned the screen to show Maria, Kaito, and Eleanor the message. "That human has agreed," Tamamo announced with a triumphant smirk. "My servants shall do what I've commanded of them."

Kaito shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "I'm sure Yumi was more interested in a reduction in her workload than satisfying your whims, Tamamo."