Chapter 1131: The So-Called Merlin
"Really? Then I want to learn to fly and leave this place!"
"Starting with such a difficult skill right away? Flying is very challenging—even wind fairies can't do it. It's a privilege reserved for dragon fairies and winged fairies. It's not something you can achieve at your current level. Let's start with something more grounded!"
"Is that so? Then is there magic that can keep me warm at night? My home is very cold—last year, I lost two toes to frostbite!"
"...I'll go learn it right away! No, I mean, I'll go prepare the teaching materials!"
And so, the six-year-old Artoria began learning magic from Merlin.
Although Merlin always claimed it was inconvenient and made her wait two or three days before teaching her, Artoria believed he was going through great efforts to ensure that even someone with scarce magical energy like her could learn.
For Artoria, this was the only joyful period of her childhood.
But even this simple happiness lasted only a year.
A year later, a fairy girl who prided herself on "never changing her attitude toward others" witnessed Artoria laughing and chatting with her wand in the fields and secretly reported it to the village chief.
The village chief found her behavior somewhat suspicious and confiscated her Staff of Selection.
From that day on, she could no longer hear Merlin's voice.
In a daze.
Just a momentary lapse of attention.
Artoria returned to the endless flower garden.
Just as Muramasa and the others had defeated the monster, they saw Artoria reappear before them.
"Is this the reckoning of memories?"
Artoria lowered her head, her expression revealing neither joy nor sorrow.
Gudako and Mash approached her, offering words of concern.
Muramasa remained silent, his face stern.
Eiji lowered his head, lost in thought.
"How many times will this happen?"
"Hmm? You mean the reckoning of memories? Winter, autumn, summer, spring—it will happen four times in total!"
Merlin answered Eiji's question.
So, that was the winter memory?
It was indeed disheartening.
"Let's move on to the next location!"
The group exchanged silent glances and quietly proceeded to the next spot.
Upon arriving at the reckoning point for the autumn memory, Artoria once again vanished from their sight.
In her place appeared a monster identical to the previous one.
However, unlike last time, this monster lacked sharpness and severity, retaining only a sense of desolation.
"Let's finish this quickly!"
Muramasa drew his blade.
His strikes were several times fiercer than usual.
Eiji diverted part of his consciousness, invading Artoria's memories through the dream realm.
The resistance was intense—likely a unique system of the Inner Sea of the Planet, preventing outsiders from peeking during memory reckoning.
Eiji secretly increased his magical energy output while releasing the aura of a True Ancestor.
The entrance loosened slightly, allowing him to break through in one go.
He was a True Ancestor, but not in the Type-Moon sense—rather, a True Ancestor from another world.
Because of this difference, and with Arcueid's blood as a guarantee, he had caught the attention of the Planet's Will. In the eyes of the Planet's Will, its failure in creating humans might be a lifelong regret, which was why it paid such close attention to him.
Of course, this was merely Eiji's own speculation. No one knew the truth.
...
"Hey, Artoria, deliver this to Driftwood Point for me!"
"Mm, okay!"
That was a day when she was just over twelve years old.
An Earth Clan fairy, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world, tossed down a set of iron armor before Artoria could even finish agreeing.
Artoria didn't mind it. She finished saying "okay" with a smile and lifted the armor.
She didn't have the right to refuse.
No matter what requests the villagers made, she had to agree with a smile.
A twelve-year-old girl didn't have much strength. Carrying that set of armor was somewhat strenuous for her. She had to rest several times along the way before she finally arrived at Driftwood Point, panting heavily.
It was said that an eccentric lived here—an Earth Clan member who had arrived centuries ago. He rejected all contact with other fairies, had a fearsome face, and always wore a sour expression. None of the villagers wanted to go near the place.
Artoria didn't really want to go either, but she had no choice. She could only brace herself and go.
Eiji appeared behind her.
He had witnessed her clumsily carrying the armor, climbing the high cliffs of Driftwood Point, and entering the forge of that Earth Clan fairy.
"Don't touch anything here!" the fearsome-faced Earth Clan fairy roared.
"S-sorry! I just thought the ironwork here was really amazing, so I couldn't help myself..."
Artoria was startled and hurriedly bowed repeatedly in apology.
"That face of yours... Lift your head and let me have a look!"
The old blacksmith fairy was taken aback for a moment, then commanded in a stern tone.
Artoria didn't dare refuse, so she raised her face.
"I see. So the rumors about the Child of Prophecy are true after all."
The old blacksmith showed a smile that was either nostalgic or mocking.
"If you like it here, you can come anytime. I'll have a word with that old fart of a village chief. If he doesn't agree, I'll give him a good beating!"
After saying this, he paid no further attention and retreated into his workshop.
Eiji witnessed the entire scene.
When that old blacksmith of the Earth Clan appeared, he almost couldn't restrain himself.
"Ector... So this is where he's been hiding?"
That old blacksmith was unmistakably one of the four saviors who had adventured with Tonelico 2,400 years ago!
The Black Knight of the Immortal — Ector!
There had been no news of him since they parted ways in Londinium.
To think he had been hiding here.
Artoria found herself starting to like this place.
Because she could see that while other fairies, no matter how sweet their words, always had pitch-black hearts, this blacksmith fairy living at Driftwood Point was different.
He couldn't lie.
Although his tone was always harsh, he always spoke his true feelings.
Moreover, this old blacksmith seemed to hold considerable status, not even showing the village chief any respect.
If she stayed here, would she no longer have to flatter and smile obsequiously at the villagers?
This thought greatly appealed to Artoria.
And so, after this, Artoria began frequently visiting Driftwood Point.
The old blacksmith Ector showed no courtesy to the village fairies, always maintaining a haughty, disdainful expression even when facing the village chief.
But he treated Artoria exceptionally well, even going so far as to teach her his blacksmithing craft.
This elderly man became Artoria's sole solace in the village of Tintagel.
As time passed, she began addressing him as "Grandfather."
Throughout those four years, he was the only person from whom she felt a trace of warmth.
But this fairy kingdom never allowed the Fairy of Paradise an easy life.
"Artoria, you're sixteen now and about to embark on your pilgrimage journey! But you're still too weak - we're deeply concerned!"
"If you truly are the Child of Prophecy, prove it to us! That old blacksmith only shows kindness to you. Take this dagger and kill him! Only by killing him can you ease our worries!"
The autumn memories ended here.