[Third Person's PoV]
Once Arthur finished examining his body, he turned toward Merlin, who had managed to compose herself quickly, aided by her mental discipline and magic. While that task came easily to her, it didn't make her immune to its emotional toll. A quiet doubt, a deep guilt, still clung to her—one only she knew and carried alone.
Outwardly, she remained the picture of control—a mask so flawless that not even Arthur, or anyone else, could see through it.
"I can feel it, Mel… It's coursing through me," Arthur said with a wide grin, fingers curling as if trying to physically grasp the power within him. "My magic…"
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "So… does that mean you can now cast whatever spell you want with just a thought?"
"Kinda yes… kinda no," Arthur said, his voice laced with both focus and reflection. "I should be able to perform any spell with minimal effort, but two major things affect that: energy consumption and comprehension. If I don't understand the spell's structure, I won't get far. And if the spell's too powerful, I won't have enough magic to use it."
"That's it?" Merlin asked, intrigued.
"Well, no," Arthur replied, "but those are the main two. The core principles. Then there's stuff like mental clarity, visualization, emotion… They all play a role, but they're secondary to energy and understanding."
Merlin nodded, offering a small smile. But before she could say more, Arthur sighed.
"What sucks is that I don't even have a major spell to test. I spent most of my time developing the alchemical formula and crafting the correct magic circle. My 'Grimoire' is practically empty. All I've got are auxiliary skills like the 2nd Tier Communication Circle. The only real offensive spell I have is my 1st Tier Magic Bullet."
He raised his arm and closed his eyes. His magic circuits lit up, glowing with an intense blue light. A simple one-ring circle began forming in front of his palm, runes weaving together slowly. Once complete, it crackled with energy as it activated.
Magic gathered at the center of the pentagram, forming a royal blue sphere—the same hue as Arthur's own magic. The moment the sphere was fully formed, it shot forward with the roar of a shotgun blast.
The force flung Arthur back, slamming him against the wall. The projectile tore through the opposite side, blasting through stone and exploding in the distance—uprooting dirt, tearing through grass, and leaving a small cloud of smoke in its wake.
Merlin shut her eyes and pressed her lips together in a tight line. She tilted her head up and inhaled sharply.
"Artorius…" she said, her voice eerily calm and devoid of emotion.
Arthur, now slumped against the wall, winced in pain. He sat on the ground, holding his trembling arm, trying to steady himself. "…Yes?" he replied hesitantly.
"Just… help me understand," Merlin said, still not opening her eyes. "What possessed you to think it was a good idea to fire a volatile spell indoors? What outcome exactly were you expecting?" Her tone was restrained, but her twitching eyelids betrayed her inner frustration.
"I… I honestly don't know," Arthur admitted. "I just got too excited. But hey, I did learn something new—another limitation: Mastery. I need to get better with the spells I do have. So… that's a plus? I mean—not really a plus—but it's good that I figured it out early, right?" he added with an uneasy grin.
"Oh, is it now?" Merlin's tone raised a pitch. When she opened her eyes, they locked onto Arthur with laser focus, making him visibly shrink. "Honestly, I should make you fix that wall by hand as punishment."
Arthur bowed his head slightly. "I apologize. I let my excitement get the best of me. That was reckless. I'll make sure not to repeat the same mistake."
She exhaled, long and heavy, as though releasing the weight of a thousand thoughts. "Don't worry about it…" she murmured. With a single wave of her hand, the damaged floor seemed to ripple, the ink and scarring fading away as the room returned to its untouched state. "You're quite lucky I'm so understanding."
"Thanks, Mel. And I truly apologize once again," Arthur said, standing up and brushing off his clothes with a nod of respect.
Merlin gave a dismissive wave, unwilling to dwell. "Then I suppose that leaves only me left."
Arthur stepped aside, clearing the way as Merlin took her place at the center of the circle. He began carefully placing the necessary materials into the smaller circles. Once everything was in position, he gave her a thumbs up.
Merlin inhaled sharply, her violet eyes fixed ahead. She had no need to speak like Arthur did, for who she was, words were merely accessories that held no value.
The room dimmed as the circle pulsed to life beneath her, glowing in soft hues of lilac and silver. The air shimmered as the materials within the smaller circles began to break apart, reduced to raw magical and physical matter. She raised her hand calmly, guiding the deconstructed particles toward her, allowing them to spiral above her palm before fusing together into a dense, luminous orb.
Unlike Arthur, Merlin made no dramatic declarations. Her lips, which were beautiful, unblemished, and showing a rich color, slowly parted as she shoved the glowing sphere into her mouth and swallowed.
Immediately, her body tensed. The magic within her began to surge and burn its way through her nerves, but she didn't scream. A low grunt escaped her, barely audible. Her fists clenched. Her eyes squeezed shut. She bit down hard on her lip, refusing to give in to the pain.
The circuits began to spread across her skin, intricate patterns lighting up in a stunning cascade of glowing purple. The lines danced across her body like constellations in motion, elegant and mesmerizing. Her long snow white hair floated upward, caught in the current of raw energy now circulating through her veins.
When it was done, Merlin stood—steady, breathing heavily, but composed. Her circuits dimmed to a soft pulse, the power now fully integrated.
Arthur watched in awe. "That was… incredible."
"It feels incredible… You've truly outdone yourself, Art. As expected of my star pupil," Merlin grinned.
Which only made Arthur blush in embarrassment.
As Merlin closed her eyes and inwardly examined herself, she asked, "Have you thought about what you're going to do next? This seems like a grand achievement, and I can see the effort behind it. So I can't help but wonder—what's your next move?"
Arthur nodded. "I planned to create a Homunculus to see if I could manage it, but after seeing how long this project took, I've decided to take my time with that one. It won't be my main priority, that's for sure. What I really want to focus on are two things—my business with the bank, and my grimoire. I want to create an official one and complete the tradition of the LeFay. I've been slow in developing magic circles, even though they were my invention. I want to dive deep into them—especially since I'll be attending Hogwarts this year, starting in September."
"If it's magic circles you need, you're welcome to study mine," Merlin offered with a tender smile, her eyes still closed as she calmly mastered the new power coursing through her—a supernatural feat only someone like her could perform, when it would take Arthur years to achieve the same.
"No," Arthur said firmly. "I don't know… call it pride or whatever, but I can't accept that. It just doesn't feel right. I feel like your circles are something special, and I shouldn't have access to them so easily. This journey—I have to carve it myself. That's not to say I'm completely opposed though, because I do see the value in learning from you."
He placed a hand on his chin in thought. "How about this: a proposal. For now, I'll focus on creating my own magic circle, and you'll continue developing yours. Even after we go to Hogwarts, we'll keep at it. Then, at the end of every school year, we'll meet up, compare notes, and share our understanding. That way, we both benefit from each other."
Arthur looked at her earnestly. "I think that's what I struggled with earlier—it wouldn't feel fair to either of us. I can't just take your hard work and call it mine. It's a matter of principle. Of honor. As both wizard and witch."
Merlin covered her mouth as she giggled. "How righteous you are, oh gallant Magic Knight. It seems you understand the sacred code of chivalry between a witch and a wizard."
"There's no need to make fun of me…" Arthur muttered, pouting slightly.
Which only made Merlin laugh louder—without restraint or shame.
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