Zwei

Are you sure you left it here, Zwei?

It was tucked inside the book?

Yeah... I'm sure I stuck it in this book.

Teacher...!

I'm sorry. We were being loud, weren't we?

We've got a major problem!

Zwei lost her favorite bookmark!

Why would you tell him that?!

If he helps, we'll find it faster.

Well...

The last thing I remember was placing it inside the book I was reading yesterday,

so I'm guessing I returned the book with the bookmark still in it.

But we can't find it, no matter how hard we look.

All of them. We even checked every book with a similar title, but no luck.

Oh, that's a good point!

Someone else might've checked it out!

You left your bookmark in a book that you returned?

Well then, we definitely have to find it!

Thank you...!

What was the title?

Er...

"How to Invite Good Luck into Your Life"...

Why are you saying it so quietly, Zwei?

I'm just worried it might seem a little... out there. It's embarrassing.

Huh? Why?

Yeah, there's nothing to be embarrassed about!

Who in the world hates good luck?

Still...

Hmm...

I took a look, but unfortunately it seems no one checked it out.

Oh...

Indeed.

Here, look at this.

... Where should we be looking?

Isn't this a different book?

Huh? What do you mean?

It says it right here.

"How to Invite Good Luck into Your Life." See?

Uh-huh...

Right... Of course...

My name is written here too.

As you can see, no one else checked it out after you.

Then what do we do?

We already checked all the copies earlier, and we couldn't find it.

...

Just in case, maybe we should look around the library too.

Very well. I'll help too...

Oh, no. It's okay.

It's really just a simple bookmark. I don't need it.

I appreciate you all showing such concern, though.

But Zwei...

I mean it. I'm fine.

Anyway, I should get going.

She's definitely not fine...

Yeah...

... It's not here.

I guess I didn't drop it when I walked by earlier...

!!

T-Teacher?

What are you doing here?

Huh?

Um...

I was just taking a quick look while passing by...

It's not something I really have to find. Really.

What?

Uh...

...

No. I want to find it...

But I didn't think it was right to take up everyone's time.

Teacher...

!!

Thank you so much...

Yeah.

Yesterday, I was walking around the Outpost with Rei and Ein,

and I was carrying the book in my hand.

I thought the bookmark might have slipped out then.

!!

No, I didn't...!

That's the most obvious place to check when you lose something. I should've gone there first...

I'm always forgetting obvious things like that... What's wrong with me? I'm so stupid.

Yeah, I guess so.

I must've been more flustered than I realized.

That's... true.

...

I'm sorry for lying, Teacher.

Yeah!

Commander? Zwei?

What seems to be the matter?

A bookmark?

It has a four-leaf clover inside. Have you seen it?

Hmm... I don't think so.

Miranda, have you?

Nope! I haven't seen it!

There weren't any four-leaf clovers or bookmarks among any of the items we received up through yesterday!

Ahem. They said it was a bookmark *with* a four-leaf clover...

Oh, really?

Well, I haven't seen one of those either!

Hmm... I don't think it's here.

Sorry, Zwei.

Oh, no need to apologize. It's okay.

Still, we'll keep looking for it, so don't worry too much.

Hey, come to think of it, we haven't even gotten our delivery yet!

Sugar said she was gonna start making weekly rounds within the Outpost,

gathering all the lost items and delivering them here!

Huh? Did she really say she was going to do that? That's really nice of her if so.

Yes!

I ran into her when I was going around the Outpost checking for lost items.

She said she saw how hard I was working, and asked if she could deliver anything that gets found!

She said the deliveries would be quick with Black Typhoon!

And since she's doing something nice, all she asked for in return was that I buy ten cups of sugar coffee!

So I took her up on her offer!

*Sigh* You should've brought this up before agreeing to it.

How're you going to drink all that by yourself?

I was just going to drink them slow—

Take me with you next time.

!!

Really? Okay!

What would you two like to do?

Should I contact Sugar?

Um... Teacher. Are you sure it's okay for us to go up to the surface?

Okay, good!

Yes, thank you both for checking.

Of course. Just doing our job.

That's right! The A.C.P.U. helps citizens in need!

And if you still can't find it, please don't hesitate to contact us again. Okay?

That's right! We'll do our very best to help!

Okay!

Wow, I can't believe we're actually up on the surface.

No, not scared...

Um... Teacher.

Do you really think we should be doing this?

Coming all the way up here to the surface, just to find something I lost...

I feel like I'm making you and Miss Sugar go through all this trouble,

for something that to you is probably just a silly bookmark...

...!!

I-I see...

... Thank you, Teacher.

...

The truth is...

I've had that bookmark ever since I first started at this school.

Yeah, pretty much ever since I enrolled.

Once school started, I found out what the exams are like, and that's when I made it.

I'd heard four-leaf clovers bring you luck...

It probably sounds superstitious, doesn't it?

Hehe. Thank you.

Since coming to this school, I've always been on the lookout for some kind of luck.

Yeah. Our school's tests are always hard, and...

dangerous.

I started to get this vague sense of anxiety and fear, not knowing how, when, or where I might die.

That's when I heard this rumor,

that if you get a bookmark with a four-leaf clover in it, it'll bring you good luck,

and you can pass your tests.

It's one of the many superstitions at school.

But since it was always with me during my tests,

just having it started to bring me comfort.

Superstition aside, I grew attached to it.

That's why I'm sure I would regret if it I didn't try looking for it.

I'd start to beat myself up, wondering why I didn't try harder,

and wishing that I wouldn't have worried so much about being a burden to others.

So... thank you for helping me do all I can to look for it.

Hehe. All right.

The meeting place is just ahead, right?

Let's hurry, Teacher.

There you are.

Good work getting here, you two.

Thank you very much.

Save the thanks for after you find it.

You said this thing you're looking for is important, right?

Yeah... It's very important to me.

It's a bookmark with a four-leaf clover inside. Have you seen it by any chance?

This job came in while I was taking the lost-and-found box over,

so I don't even know what's in it.

Have a look.

Okay...!

Um... There are a lot of things in here...

There's something stuck in here...

... Oh.

Is that it?

No...

That's too bad.

It's okay.

There are still a lot of places in the library I haven't checked, and I haven't gone all around the Outpost yet.

If I keep looking, I'm sure it'll turn up.

I won't give up, so don't worry about m—

Hm?

Ein's calling.

Zwei! We found it!

What...?

We found your bookmark! The four-leaf clover one!

!!

Really...?!

I mean, I'm not sure if it's yours... Ack!

Zwei!

Come over to the Maid Cafe! Hurry!

S-sure, okay...!

Teacher...!

Get on. I'll take you to the elevator.

The two of you can fit, no problem.

Huh? We can just wal—

Aren't you in a hurry?

Well yes, but...

There's something important waiting for you, right? Then you'd better get moving.

Thank you...!

If you're both so grateful, come by later and order a sugar coffee.

I'll be there for sure...!

All right. Now, hop on.

Let's go, Black Typhoon.

Welcome ba... Hm?!

Commander! Zwei!

Miss Privaty?

Why are you here...?

I heard the Maid Cafe was completely swamped, so I came by to help for a bit, and...

Wait, that's not what matters right now!

Is this it?

Let me see...

!!

The shape, the four-leaf clover... It all matches.

This is it! This is my bookmark!

Phew... Thank goodness.

It's yours? It's yours! It's really yours!

See? Told you I was right.

How did you...?

Rei and Ein came and told me what was going on,

about how you'd lost your bookmark yesterday.

!!

You two were both still searching for it...?

Heheh!

Hehe!

Rei... Ein...

Phantom said that if it wasn't in the book, we should check all the places we went yesterday.

She said she'd keep looking around the library.

Really...?

As soon as I thought about where we went yesterday, I remembered we came to the Maid Cafe, so I reached out to Miss Privaty!

Yeah. I contacted Poli and Miranda,

and they said you two had gone to meet Sugar in search of the bookmark.

They also said they'd keep looking through the lost and found.

We decided to look around the Outpost in all the places you went to yesterday...

And that's when we found your bookmark in the flowerbed near the Maid Cafe!

Ugh! And here I was, searching every place we'd been to yesterday! I wasted so much time!

If I'd only known, I would've searched the area in front of the cafe more carefully.

It was Miss Privaty, Naru 1, and me who saw it sitting there in the flowerbed!

Pretty awesome, right?

B-but I told you that you didn't have to keep looking... Why did you...?

Huh?

I mean, we all know how much that bookmark means to you.

You carry it around with you every day.

Yeah, you always keep it tucked in one of your books.

It would've bugged me so bad if we gave up and never found it!

You both noticed...

Of course we noticed! We're besties, aren't we?

As a third-year, I normally wouldn't say I'm besties with first- or second-years, but I'll make an exception for you.

Aren't you grateful?

... Why, yes.

Thank you... so much.

Hehe!

Oh, and...!

While we were searching, we bought this too!

A string?

I figured we could tie it to your bookmark once we found it, so that you wouldn't lose it again.

!!

Also, take a look at this!

See the knot? Cute, right?

Wait, isn't that shaped like a... four-leaf clover?

That's right! I knew you'd notice right away.

Wow...

Right? I figured you'd agree.

Totally!

I picked the string!

Ein tied the knot!

And Miss Privaty paid for it!

Wh-what...? Why are you looking at me like that, as if it's such a surprise?

I'm allowed to buy a string for my student, you know.

Miss Privaty...

Here, take this too.

I figured it'd be easiest to punch a hole in the bookmark and thread the string through it.

If you'd rather not put a hole in it, though, just let me know.

I can bring some glue instead.

N-no, it's fine!

I don't mind punching a hole through it.

Thank you so much, everyone.

Thank you for searching with me, and for not giving up...

No need to thank us for just doing what was right.

Exactly. If I lost something I liked, you'd spend just as much time and effort looking for it.

What're you talking about? I'm not gonna help out next time.

I'll just send Naru instead.

What?! Why?! That's so mean!

Anyway, Miss Privaty, I'm hungry.

Oh... I am too, actually.

Now that I'm feeling more relaxed, I'm suddenly starving.

It's about that time of day. Should we go ahead and eat something?

What are our options?

Mind if I go check the kitchen?

Yeah, feel free. Ade already gave us permission to use whatever we need.

Really?

Then I'll come too!

Sure. Come on and pick whatever you'd like.

I'll make anything you want to eat, and I mean anything!

You're the best!

...

What?

Oh, right! Of course...

First, make a hole...

Then just thread the string through...

Um...

Why won't it go in...?

Y-you want to do it...?

Wow...! It went right through!

That's great.

Thank you, Teacher.

With this, I really won't lose it anymore.

I bet I'll be able to find it quickly, even in a thick book.

...

Teacher...

This feels so weird.

When I first bought this bookmark,

I wasn't even sure I'd be alive for much longer.

I had this vague idea that I was going to die. I'd have an accident during an exam, or fail one, and... that would be it.

But now...

I'm in my second year here, and I'm still alive.

Not only that, but with Phantom, Poli, Miranda, and Miss Sugar...

I realized there are so many people who're willing to value what I value just because it's important to me.

I also realized that I have amazing friends and teachers,

who keep going even when I'm ready to give up.

It's so weird and... incredible.

It really does feel like this bookmark brought me good luck.

Yeah, I'm really glad I didn't lose it.

But even if I had, I think I would've been able to find it again at some point,

because I already have the greatest luck of my life—you, Teacher, and my friends.

Hehe. Is that so?

Well, thank you again, Teacher.

!!

... It looks like I'm pretty hungry, too.

Why hasn't anyone come back out?

Teacher! Zwei!

Come to the kitchen! This place is seriously amazing!

Yeah! Hurry up, you two!

Sure.

Zwei! Hurry!

Come on, Zwei!

Okay! I'm coming!