They said they were "changing locations," but they didn't actually go very far—just down from the bridge and into the riverside park Ludwig had been photographing moments ago.
"It's a lovely city, isn't it? People live here, going about their mundane lives day after day, living in peace until the day they die of old age." Merlin stood by the river, facing the winter wind, speaking to Ludwig who was sitting on a bench behind her.
As she spoke, she pressed down on her long hair, which was fluttering in the breeze. She looked like nothing more than a beautiful young woman traveling through the city.
Not at all like the so-called Magician of Flowers, Merlin.
Standing together, their appearances and temperaments were so well-matched that any passerby would easily mistake them for a young couple on a sightseeing trip to Fuyuki.
"It is nice. It would be even better if a suspicious woman hadn't shown up claiming to be Merlin," Ludwig said, casually draping his arms over the back of the bench and hogging the entire seat. "The whole city is starting to smell suspicious now."
And yet, despite his loud behavior, not a single busybody looked their way, nor did anyone spare them a glance as they walked past. This was what concerned Ludwig the most.
From the moment Merlin appeared, it was as if he and she had turned into thin air. Not a single pedestrian paid them any mind. Merlin had likely pulled some sort of trick, using her magecraft to interfere with the perception of anyone irrelevant to their conversation.
"I told you on the way here, didn't I? There are no definitive records stating whether Merlin is a man or a woman. It's just that, in most cases, I was recorded as a male," Merlin said with a smile. "To put it simply, we are different possibilities of the same person. Essentially the same, but actually two different people—that sort of thing."
"Oh, like parallel world counterparts?" Ludwig raised a finger, looking like he understood perfectly. "There are sci-fi stories with that kind of trope."
"You are free to interpret it however you like. However, the Merlin of this world is still quite different from me. I just took the liberty of slipping over here—"
"Slipping over?" He blinked.
But Merlin smoothly changed the subject. "Ah, right. By the way, just as my gender differs from the stories you know, the King Arthur of this world is actually a woman as well."
"Huh?" Ludwig felt like he needed to re-evaluate everything he knew about the Arthurian legends.
"Interesting, isn't it?" Merlin tucked her hands behind her back, her smile radiant. "Though it truly is a surprise. I never expected my legend to survive until the era after the planet's end..."
"It didn't exactly 'survive,'" Ludwig corrected her, waving his hand in dismissal. "Most people don't have the luxury to care about legends or stories because they're useless. In our era, just staying alive is hard enough."
"And for that very reason, humans were born who can withstand the magical energy of the Age of Gods, even while within the Inner Sea of the Planet." Merlin's tone suddenly turned hauntingly ethereal, possessing the detached clarity of an observer who saw everything.
Ludwig thought for a moment. "Actually, I don't know much about what happened before that. The world was already like that for as long as I can remember."
"Come to think of it, I haven't asked yet. How old are you?" Merlin sat down beside him, ignoring his slouching posture as she inquired with great interest.
"Sixteen," Ludwig said.
"Heh—only sixteen?" Merlin was clearly surprised. "Did you know? King Arthur was only fifteen when she pulled the Sword of Selection and inherited the throne."
"Then why don't you mention the big shots who made names for themselves at twelve or thirteen?" Ludwig countered. "I might not be well-read, but I'm not completely ignorant."
Merlin kept her smile. "No, I'm saying your age is perfectly fine. No matter what the situation becomes, I am filled with anticipation."
"Anticipation for what?" Ludwig raised an eyebrow.
But Merlin didn't answer. Instead, another presence—one impossible to ignore—slowly approached them before finally appearing before their eyes.
"I felt someone peeping with Clairvoyance, so I followed the gaze to see who it was. So, it was you?" A blonde man, wearing a nonchalant yet arrogant smile, looked at Merlin. "What wind is blowing today, that you'd not only open your eyes but also show up in a place like this..."
Though the man was speaking to Merlin, she calmly gestured toward him for Ludwig's benefit.
"This is the 'situation' I was talking about," she said with an innocent smile, as if this man—who looked like anything but a friendly sort—hadn't been drawn there by her.
"Oh?" The man looked intrigued. "Are you also one of those who covets this King's treasures? Interesting."
Then, his gaze shifted to Ludwig. "So, this brat is your Master—"
His voice trailed off. The man's smile vanished, replaced by a deep, piercing gaze as he stared at Ludwig.
"Who's this guy?" Ludwig leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs as he returned the man's stare with equal intensity.
"The Heroic King, Gilgamesh. He has descended as a Servant of the Archer class for the Fourth Holy Grail War currently taking place in Fuyuki," Merlin introduced casually, as if talking about the weather. "Well? Did his name survive into the future?"
"To some extent, yeah. But I don't remember the specifics very well," Ludwig said.
He hadn't been very interested in the somewhat clunky style of the Epic of Gilgamesh, so he had only skimmed through it, remembering just the general outline.
Archer—Gilgamesh—ignored their commentary, his expression shifting back to one of haughty amusement.
"So that's how it is. No wonder this creature followed you," Gilgamesh said, looking at Ludwig.
"Forget about your 'this' and 'that.' What's this 'Holy Grail War' thing? Neither Merlin nor Gilgamesh should be appearing in this era, right?"
Ludwig remained motionless on the bench. Staying seated while a fight could break out at any moment put him at a disadvantage; he knew that an open space would be better for reacting to any sudden developments. Yet, the boy remained perfectly still.
"You don't even know that? Well, it's only natural," Gilgamesh said, not intending to explain. "After all, you are merely an outsider."
"Since things have turned out like this, I'll take responsibility and explain exactly what this 'Holy Grail War' is all about."
Merlin stood up from the bench, clasping her hands behind her back as she began to pace leisurely.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────