Chapter 99

After looking around to make sure no one was paying attention except for the Rosemary in front of him, Shirou took out the blocking agent, opened it, and took a look.

While Magecraft could be used, it would be too conspicuous. If someone were arrested and taken to the Knights of the Round Table for using Originium Arts in the city, it would be disastrous.

After quickly confirming that the three packages were intact, Shirou breathed a sigh of relief.

Amiya, are you infected too?

Rosemary, who was across from him, was still chewing on cake when she suddenly said this.

"I'm not infected, and it's Emiya, not Amiya. Amiya is your friend, isn't she? Don't attribute your friend's name to a stranger!"

Upon hearing Rosemary's words, Shirou carefully put away the three vials of the inhibitor and responded.

He only learned who Amiya was from the diary entry just now. Judging from the fact that she was mentioned there, she must be someone who was very familiar with Rosemary.

"I remembered it wrong because it sounds similar."

The kitten tilted its head, blinked, and said with an innocent look.

Isn't Rhodes Island a pharmaceutical company?

After repeatedly emphasizing his name and making sure Rosemary remembered it, Shirou pushed the cake that had just been moved to his side back in front of her.

"Shirou is a bad person."

Rosemary, having retrieved the cake, leaned it towards herself and looked at Shirou with a wronged expression.

"I treated you to this cake. Besides, if I were a bad person, I wouldn't have taken you around looking for people."

Faced with Rosemary's aggrieved look, Shirou's lips twitched slightly as he made a sarcastic remark.

Hey, the shop assistant is looking at us suspiciously!

"Hmm... that makes sense, so Shirou is a good person?"

After Shirou reminded her, Rosemary realized that Shirou had been paying for all her food and drinks.

Moreover, the other party had just been very helpful in leading her around looking for people.

"Don't use questions here, but generally speaking, no one would say they're a good person, right? That would only make them seem more suspicious."

At this point, Shirou sighed.

He doesn't consider himself a good person; he's done too many wrong things.

As Shirou was reminiscing about the past, he suddenly felt as if a hand was touching his head.

Because there was no hostility involved, Shirou didn't react immediately.

Looking up, he saw Rosemary holding a drink in both hands, and there was no one else around him. He hadn't heard any footsteps either.

Was it just his imagination?

"What's wrong?"

Rosemary, sitting opposite him, placed her empty drink next to the plate and asked as she watched Shirou survey his surroundings.

"It's okay, do you still want to eat?"

Coming to his senses, Shirou looked at the empty plate and cup in front of Rosemary and asked her if she wanted to add anything.

"No, I'll get scolded by Dr. Kal'tsit if I eat too much."

Rosemary shook her head and declined the offer that had somewhat appealed to her; she wanted to try other desserts.

But reason told her that if she ate too much, she would probably be scolded so badly during her physical exam that her head would tilt to one side.

They might even suggest she eat a healthy meal.

Although she doesn't remember the taste of other food in the cafeteria, if she really had to recall, she could only think of that healthy meal.

...It's better to forget about it.

"Dr. Kal'tsit?"

Upon hearing Rosemary's words, Shirou thought for a moment.

Just now, when the other party saw him confirming the blocking agent, they seemed to ask him if he was also infected.

Also, the fact that this word is used implies that Rosemary herself might be an infected person.

This is awful.

The more Shirou came into contact with people, things, and events outside of Penguin Logistics, the more he saw of the dangers of this land.

"Yes, although Dr. Kal'tsit always has a blank expression, she cares about everyone a lot."

Upon hearing Shirou repeat Dr. Kal'tsit's name, Rosemary offered a brief explanation.

"Judging from what you're saying, you must really like Dr. Kal'tsit, right?"

After inquiring about the Rosemary, Shirou began to take her seriously again.

Although the other person was a bit of a brat, the problem was mostly not with the Rosemary itself, but simply that she had forgotten about it.

"Yes, not just Dr. Kal'tsit, but also Amiya, Blaze, Outcast... I like everyone on Rhodes Island."

Rosemary mentioned several names or codenames that Shirou wasn't familiar with, but then seemed to forget them and simply used "the people of Rhodes Island" to skip over them.

"Really? Then I'll have to work harder to find the big black cat to help you get home."

Looking at Rosemary's innocent and naive face, Shirou thought of Illya also had long silver-white hair.

However, he did not think of Rosemary as Illya, as that would be disrespectful to both of them.

At most, they'll just spend a little more time paying attention, like Ansuo.

"Um."

Rosemary nodded, then jumped off the chair and straightened her clothes.

"Don't just remember your clothes, your face is covered in cream too."

Shirou took a tissue and wiped Rosemary's mouth; it had become a habitual reflex after taking care of children for so long.

Is it ready?

Rosemary did not refuse Shirou's help, and asked after Shirou put the paper back on the table.

Shirou briefly checked the spot where they had just been sitting, making sure nothing was left behind, before checking if Rosemary had gotten any on her.

"No problem, take your things and let's go."

With his sharp eyesight, he completed the task almost instantly, just glancing over to make sure there was nothing there. Staring intently at a girl would be impolite.

"Um."

There weren't many Rosemary -related items; most of them were on Huang's person, and the remaining important items were in the pouch at her waist.

If she really had to pick, the most likely thing to lose was the terminal she had in her hand. Although she had a backup in her room, she had just written down a lot of interesting things and didn't want to lose it.

Rosemary carefully tucked the terminal into the specially designed storage compartment on her coat and fastened it before finally feeling relieved.

As the two walked along the road, Rosemary didn't wrap her tail around Shirou's hand this time. Instead, she held his hand properly and followed him.

There were a lot of people around, and Rosemary felt a little uncomfortable being stared at for so long.

"Sigh... Rosemary, where do you think that big black cat might be right now?"

Seeing that Rosemary had slowed down her walking pace, Shirou thought she might be a little tired.

However, Rosemary only slowed down because Shirou was leading the way, so her attention was focused on the scenery of Lungmen.

After all, it's not easy to find people from her perspective.

"Hmm... a place that sells alcohol?"

Rosemary thought for a long time and then gave this answer.

"Could he be an alcoholic?"

After hearing Rosemary's answer, Huang's impression of Shirou had reached a negative level.

"You can't say it like that... but saying it like that doesn't seem wrong either, so is Huang a drunkard?"

Rosemary originally wanted to refute Huang, but judging from a few points, it seems that it's not wrong to say that Huang is an alcoholic.

However, she felt that something was off, so she asked Shirou.

"I was just saying, but don't point at him and call him an alcoholic in front of others."

Seeing that the other party seemed to be serious, Shirou hurriedly said to Rosemary.

At the same time, he began to seriously consider whether Rosemary was truly cunning or just unconsciously so. Judging from some of Rosemary's descriptions, that Miss Huang seemed to have... many flaws.

However, it's more likely that Rosemary only remembers the shortcomings, Shirou tries his best to think in that direction.

But he still wanted to ask, who did this child learn from?

Although he himself has no right to say it, he knows that the few words he occasionally utters from his heart can be quite hurtful to others.

Exusiai and Croissant can attest to this.

"Okay, I understand."

Seeing Shirou's serious expression, Rosemary nodded, then suddenly remembered something and continued, "Also, it seems that the reason for coming to Lungmen this time is that Blaze said she wanted to see what the Rhodes Island office in Lungmen looks like."

Rosemary remembered that Huang had said he wanted to take the opportunity to bring some drinks back from Lungmen; she wouldn't have thought of it if he hadn't mentioned drinks.

"Office... you should have told me about this earlier."

Shirou was both amused and exasperated; it seemed that all his time spent wandering around this area with Rosemary had been for nothing.

He had just confirmed that Rosemary did not have any communication devices on her. Although the terminal in her hand could make contact, it would be difficult to operate the network in Lungmen.

And she doesn't understand either.

It's likely that she just remembered it, and given Rosemary's condition, Shirou couldn't be too harsh on her.

Do you know where the office is?

Suppressing his urge to curse, Shirou asked Rosemary for her opinion.

"Here."

Rosemary took out her terminal, opened the important work record, and showed it to Shirou at the address of the Lungmen office.

"It's not in this district, it's closer to the Lower City District."

Aside from the route from the Penguin Logistics dormitory to the supermarket and the Dagu Shopping District, Shirou is most familiar with the Lower City District, which is the Slums.

After all, there were many related matters in the materials he had reviewed back then, and for safety's sake and to avoid getting into trouble, Shirou had carefully written them down.

Is it very close to here?

Rosemary put the terminal away and asked.

If it's far, she can walk there by herself. She has received a lot of care from Shirou, and she doesn't know how she can repay him.

However, Shirou sees Rosemary differently.

Shirou thought that Rosemary was simply tired from walking, since she had slowed down her pace just now.

"It's not far, we'll get there in no time. If you're tired, I'll carry you there."

Shirou shifted his backpack and squatted down to speak to Rosemary.

"...good."

Rosemary initially wanted to refuse, but she felt a sense of familiarity about Shirou, and after hesitating for a moment, she accepted Shirou offer.

Rosemary wrapped her arms around Shirou's neck, hooked her legs around Shirou back, and pressed her entire body against Shirou.

"Hold on tight."

Shirou gripped the back of Rosemary's knees, applying slight pressure to prevent her from falling.

After confirming that everything was in order, Shirou quickly carried Rosemary on his back and headed towards the Rhodes Island office.

At this moment, Shirou had forgotten that his bicycle was still parked at the pharmacy.

Even if he remembered, he probably wouldn't use it, because in his subconscious, carrying a passenger on a bicycle is a wrong thing to do.

Rosemary, behind him, found a slightly more comfortable angle and rested her head on Shirou's shoulder.

"Hmm... Shirou, you just got Oripathy medication from the shop, right?"