Somehow, presumably via magic, my clothes had been burnt from the inside out. Or that was the closest explanation I could find anyway.

There was a blackish crust that lines the inside of the cloth nearest my skin, like it had been burnt.

My t-shirt, relatively thin cotton had numerous holes in it, only held together by thin strips of fabric in some places, this meant the "black crust" could also be seen on the inside of my jumper I was wearing over my shirt.

My t-shirt was completely ruined, practically rags, my jumper being thicker and further from my skin was in better condition, but in the end was cut up for the extra cloth.

My trousers I am thankful for. They were thick, heavy duty camo pants. Lots of pockets, and durable cloth. Although there was much black crust on the inside of it, there were no holes, and my trousers were too valuable to cut up.

Fortunately my underwear had taken the brunt of the "burning" so there was much less damage around my groin. It would have been uncomfortable to have that crust rubbing on my dick…

The least damaged piece of clothing I had was my jacket. Thick, waterproof, long and dark green with brown fur lining the hood, the collar and neck area was protected by my (now ruined) scarf, the hood was burnt and had holes in it, but the body was pretty much completely unharmed, my t-shirt and jumper had soaked up all the damage.

My boots and socks were noticeably missing however...

It was those (rags of a t-shirt, semi-ruined jumper, singed camo trousers and jacket) that I woke up in upon arrival in this new (old) world.

At the age of eighteen, I woke up in Arthurian Britain.

About a fortnight later, wearing a slightly small black gambeson, my jacket, semi-repaired camo trousers and horribly uncomfortable small pointed shoes, that I was resoundingly knocked out by the homunculus, gender-confused, heir of Britain.

'Yeah… I'm remembering now...'

.

.

'She got me on the chin…'

I rubbed my chin tentatively.

"Ugh."

Wasn't even that hard, I had even managed to lean back slightly on instinct, but it was probably that that was my undoing.

Mordred, when standing her next to the greenies and other from before, was pretty short anyway, even with the slight boost from the heels on her boots, and given my height she would just barely be able to touch my nose should she stand on tippy-toes.

However, I was at the time looking down to face her- my chin was tilted down- and when she punched, I instinctively leaned back, thus exposing my chin.

I don't think she punched hard, else I would have a larger bruise from getting hit by a metal gauntlet, but she rattled my brain enough. I probably made quite the expression when my face went slack and my knees dropped…

'How embarrassing.'

I sit up, finding myself laying down on soil. Not a human soul in sight.

"Where'd they go?"

Gone. Radish conveyed.

My bugs were calmer now, like before they set off.

"... The meeting?"

Done. Complete.

"... Kay then."

Apparently my bugs wanted me to meet Mordred.

I stand, bugs rising with me. Dusting Myself down and checking pockets.

'Broken phone, playing cards, keys, pocket knife (modern), knife (medieval), hidden arrowheads, handmade slingshot, salted meat, wrapped cheese, strip remains of jumper… check.'

I hear no one. Only the sounds of running water and wind through the leaves.

Judging my the sun, I don't think I was out long. Less than an hour in fact. But it would seem Mordred's group really has moved on.

'... Well. It's not like they would take some shady guy like me to Camelot or something would they?'

Unfortunately, life is rarely even so convenient.

'Rather, I didn't even know I wanted to go the Camelot till less than an hour ago… I didn't know I was in a fantasy...'

They might have been in a bit of a rush, I don't really blame them for not sticking around for some stranger to wake up. Or rather, I can't blame them. I don't know what the norm is for situations like these.

I mean, what do you do when you knock out a strangely dressed man surrounded by floating lights in the middle of the woods?

'... Actually, just walking away seems pretty normal now.'

At least one of them had the decency to straighten me out on the ground. I doubt I was knocked out flat on my back with all stones removed from my vicinity.

'The stones may have been my bugs moving them though.'

I walk in the general direction of where I heard the voices before, towards the river.

There was of course no one there. I'm not sure what I expected really.

There was no camp, no burnt out logs, no scraps, no remains of food.

Only the smell of poop and trapped mud.

'Of course.'

It was passed midday, but still some time off sunset, there was no need to set up camp, no need for a fire. They may have had some snacks, but food is precious, they would not leave waste.

They probably only stopped to fill canteens, water the horses and take a piss break.

'Of course.'

What did I expect?

There were more hoof marks travelling downstream. No continuous lines, so they didn't have any carts, in fact there was no other human foot marks once you got away from the little clearing.

They all had horses.

They would be travelling relatively quickly then. I can't count how many there are from the prints, but they were probably weren't a large group.

A relatively small company, all with horses and at least two knights who had scouts roaming around whenever they stop…

They must have been doing something important.

They probably couldn't afford to take me even if they wanted to.

Not to mention I had offended Mordred the moment I opened her mouth by calling her something to suggest she wasn't the manliest man to ever man.

'Of course.'

What did I expect?

I'm not sure why this is hitting me as it is to be honest. I guess… I'm just a bit confused.

Who wouldn't?

I wake up in the past accompanied my fairies, practically chased out of the village that "saved" me, find out I'm in a fantasy past, a fictional past… then get knocked out and left behind.

'Well it's not like they owed me or anything, just feels… anticlimactic? Like I punched flesh and felt cotton?'

I feel off balance and out of place. My head is spinning a bit, and not from the punch. I feel alone.

"... And why wouldn't I?" I ask nobody.

Only the rustle of leaves and lazy humming of my bugs fill the air.

'Nobody answers.'

Of course.

What did I expect.

...

'Really...'

...

'What did I fucking expect...'

...

Warmth.

My eyes blink away tears,

'Huh, when did I start crying?'

Warmth. Warmth.

I look.

Warmth. Warmth. Warmth.

Lights, brighter in the dimming sun, surround me, nay. Envelope me.

Warmth.

And at their head, hovering in front of my face, was a reddish-purple ball about the size of my thumb nail.

Warmth.

I smile.

"Thanks Radish. You're rad."

I let out a long sigh looking up at the sky.

'I probably needed to get that out the way anyway...'

"What to do now then?"

No that's not right.

"Where am I?"

No wait.

"Are there more of you now?"

I go cross eyes at the swarm.

For now they truly deserved to be called a swarm.

Two dozen had somehow become nearly fifty.

'What?'

Frowning at them, I air the question.

"Do you know what to do?"

Silence.

Unfortunately even Radish was too dumb to grasp the problem.

"... Do you know how to get back to the road?"

Silence. Some of the small ones in the back were playing dodgems.

"... Which way did we come from?"

I dunno.

Some of the smallest (newest?) ones were nesting in my hair.

...

'Of course.'

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

What did I expect?

.

.

By the way, my pocket knife is completely legal. A folding knife with a blade of three inches made of stainless steel. Completely legal obtained via legal means, and used for legal purposes.

'Umu.'

.

.

The school bell broke me from my daydreams.

I suddenly felt a bit emotional.

'How long has it been since I experienced that?'

How nostalgic.

"Well that's all for today class, no homework, travel safely, and Artus!" I raise my head at being called. "Focus more tomorrow, I saw you slaking near the end."

"Sorry sensei, still a bit jet lagged." I lie flawlessly with a sheepish smile.

"Hmph."

So nostalgic.

The sound of chairs scraping floor, bags being packed, doors being opened, words being murmured…

'So nostalgic I could almost cry.'

I stand and move to my contractor.

"Hey Rin, I was thinking a bit before, do you prefer Princess of Hime? Perhaps Hime-sama?"

Her glare and eye-role were adorable.

'Can we stay behind and scout the school grounds?' I ask telepathically.

I get a slightly confused look and nod in return.

She doesn't seem to want to speak much right now.

'Probably scared what she would say would blow her image… hur hur,'

I get a kick in the shin.

Whatever.

I know this place might well become the place of a few skirmishes in the future, and memorising my Princesses surroundings were an obvious thing, but that's not why I want to scout it out more.

I want to see if I can find the Justice Puppy.

I quirk my lips up.

'Maybe just straight up join the Archery club…'

Huh?

I fall into contemplative silence.

'That would give me more chances to kill Shinji…'

I get a kick in the shin.

"No killing my classmates without good reason." She whispers to me.

I felt a pang of rage.

'... If only you knew.'

She looked at me confused.

'Aw jeez… Imma have to destroy her worldview aren't I…'

My lips quirk down.

'Not fun.'

I walk faster.

'But not yet…'

…

'Goddammit I really don't wanna.'

Well there goes my good mood...

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.