Chapter 133 Merlin After Being Rejected
At this time, Mount Lushan was still shrouded in darkness, with only the stars glittering in the night sky. Looking down, only the dim yellow streetlights remained lit. Most of the lights in the residents' houses had already gone out—it was clearly deep into the night.
"Handsome guys… warm, gentle men…" Hiratsuka Shizuka, dragged out by Shirou, gazed painfully at the shrinking rift of the vanishing alternate space, waving her hands.
"Shizuka-chan, don't be deceived by such vulgar temptations. Your heart holds justice and kindness—you have the potential to become a nun. So, let us devote our lives together to saving the world!" The selfless Saint Martha, her back radiating holy light, earnestly declared.
"No way!!!" Hiratsuka screamed in despair, looking on the verge of tears—so miserable that it could move anyone to sorrow.
Unable to bear watching, Martha even abandoned making her usual contractual request for the possession summon, and quietly departed from Shizuka's body.
"Shirou, you saw it, right? If the Holy Grail is left unattended, and it falls into the hands of someone with impure intentions, it could be extremely dangerous," Da Vinci warned.
"Well, the rift has closed anyway. As long as it doesn't fall into the hands of someone like Sensei, it should be fine… probably," Shirou said with a dry laugh.
"No, every year during festivals like Christmas and Halloween, Chaldea always falls into utter chaos for various reasons. There's this dragon girl who always dredges up bizarre things, causing ridiculous incidents. And concerts… they're downright disasters." Da Vinci covered her face in pain.
At this, Shirou turned to the girl beside him. "Ah, Kasumigaoka-senpai, sorry—we've been talking about things you don't understand."
Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head. "No, I'm just happy you came to rescue me. Besides, what you're saying sounds somewhat similar to the mobile game I play, so surprisingly I can understand some of it."
"Ahaha, is that so…" Shirou laughed awkwardly. Since the girl had never undergone a possession summon, she had no concept of such things. Even if he wanted to explain Chaldea to her, he wouldn't know where to start.
Utaha said, "But it's still incredible… Everything I've encountered recently is so strange, like something out of a novel. I thought things like this would only appear in the stories I write."
"Haha, well, in any case, let's head back. I'll explain more clearly later," Shirou said.
"Yes, if people notice we're missing, they'll panic," Utaha nodded in agreement.
"Alright, Sensei, how much longer are you going to sulk? Time to move," Shirou grumbled as he pulled up the slumped Shizuka.
"Shirou, I think Martha gave me a prophecy that I should become a nun…" Shizuka said, deeply wounded.
"Why are you so lacking in confidence, Sensei? You're beautiful and accomplished. It's just that those people were blind to your worth." Shirou's words were sincere; from his heart, he respected Hiratsuka Shizuka as a woman.
"Really?" Shizuka's eyes lit up with hope.
"Of course!" Shirou replied with utmost seriousness.
"Well, Sensei is just a little stronger than most men. Childish, willful, stubborn, always competitive, drinking and eating more heartily than men, and when it comes to fighting… honestly, there probably aren't many in this world who can beat you… If you'd just fix a few bad habits—like no speeding, less smoking, less drinking, less blowing money on games…" Shirou listed, his voice gradually trailing off until he fell into silence with his head lowered.
"Shirou…?" Shizuka asked, puzzled.
Shirou suddenly grabbed her shoulders and loudly declared: "Yes! For you, it's definitely not a problem!"
"What do you mean, not a problem?! Why are you looking at me with the same motherly eyes as my mom, and saying the same things? Why does it feel like you gave up on thinking and just skipped straight to the conclusion?!"
Shirou averted his gaze and changed the subject: "Alright, alright, let's go down the mountain."
"Shirou-kun, how exactly are we getting down?" Utaha asked.
"Don't worry. Just close your eyes and leave everything to me," the boy said gently.
"Eh…?" Utaha froze, then suddenly found herself swept up—Shirou holding her tightly around the waist with one arm, while his other arm wrapped around Shizuka, whose possession had been released. With one in each arm, he leapt high into the air, jumping down the mountain.
"As I thought! Waaaaaah!"
Meanwhile, on another peak of Mount Lushan, the Servant dressed like a general stood atop a tall tree, watching Shirou and the others depart in the distance.
"Truly spectacular," came the sound of clapping from the woods. From the shadows emerged a figure, speaking in a girlish, coy voice.
"You flatter me. But I never imagined Her Majesty the Empress would personally carry out such a plan—daringly stealing prey from the tiger's jaws," the general said.
"Haha, if it's something I desire, then of course I must seize it with my own hands. I didn't expect, though, that General Zhang Qing's Noble Phantasm would wield such immense
power. They say you're skilled with throwing stones, but who would have thought it'd be on the level of a catapult? And your timing was flawless. Thanks to you, I've secured the Holy Grail."
As the mist dispersed, the figure's height and build shrank. Revealed was a petite girl with blue twin-tails, dressed in ancient court attire. Her face was identical to Zhou Meimei's, but the will controlling her body was that of the Heroic Spirit Wu Zetian.
Zhang Qing said indifferently: "You give me too much credit. My stone-throwing is prized for its flexibility and endless supply—just pick up a few anywhere, and they're weapons. As a Noble Phantasm, it only lets me throw bigger stones. But rather, Your Majesty the Empress, why are you an Assassin skilled in concealment? To think you could slip in undetected after Li Jiaotou was defeated?"
"Haha, I am a genius, after all. When I first entered the palace, I was just a lowly concubine, so of course I learned how to reduce my presence so I wouldn't attract unwanted attention. No—in the harem, this skill is essential for survival. And at the right time, the ability to showcase one's talents before the Emperor is even more important," Wu Zetian laughed.
"So even the harem was as treacherous as the court itself," Zhang Qing sighed.
"It seems you don't object to an Empress like me, then?" Wu Zetian asked with some surprise.
"No. Seeing this era, it's clear that men or women as leaders doesn't matter. Even Liangshan had female chiefs. What I can't stomach are foolish rulers and treacherous ministers," Zhang Qing replied.
"An emperor is only human. Which emperor isn't muddled in some way? Everything an emperor does is merely to safeguard their own power, always making choices and balancing interests, helping allies and crushing threats. But fortunately, this time your interests and mine align. I thank you for joining my side, and I swear the spoils of our victories will be shared with you," Wu Zetian said with a smile.
"Then I'll thank you in advance. As long as you keep your promise, I don't mind acting as your bodyguard or enforcer. Leave the scheming to you, Empress—I'll handle the fighting," Zhang Qing said.
"Rest assured. Though I am ruthless to enemies, I never mistreat capable vassals. Now let's go! The others have already begun moving, I must lay my plans ahead of them."
Wu Zetian, carrying the Holy Grail, left the collapsing pocket world, with Zhang Qing following.
Shirou, wearing projected winged sandals, quickly returned to the mountain town inn with Shizuka and Utaha. He slipped quietly back through the window into his room.
The three of them gathered there as Da Vinci began explaining everything to Utaha, and Shirou promised she would not be dragged into this again.
When all was said and done, Shirou realized it was finally time to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Sensei, let's talk privately," Shirou said, looking to Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Well, if it's you Shirou, I'm not too worried. No—actually, I'm more worried that Kasumigaoka might do something outrageous. I'll just wait outside the door," Shizuka said, conflicted.
"Hiratsuka-Sensei, please don't ruin the mood. Shirou-kun already said he wants to~ talk~ privately~ with me," Utaha said deliberately in a teasing, sultry tone.
"Don't worry, Sensei. Once I've cleared things up with Kasumigaoka-senpai, I'll send her back to her room," Shirou promised.
"Since you put it that way, fine. Oh, and remember, we're going to watch the sunrise tomorrow, so rest early," Shizuka said, nodding before leaving for her own room.
"Well then, Shirou-kun, what is it you want to talk to me about?" Utaha returned to her usual self, her expression faint and complicated.
"Mm, I think senpai now understands who 'Magician Merry' really was, right?" Shirou said.
"I've more or less guessed. Online, it was Merlin who helped me. And in reality…" Utaha nodded, her feelings tangled. Didn't this mean she had fallen for two people at once?
The one online who listened and understood her, the one in reality who treated her gently no matter what—deep down she had already blended those two together in her heart.
She liked the prince online who understood her inner thoughts; she also liked the prince in reality who was always kind to her even when she was unreasonable.
These feelings had long since crystallized into the sweet memories of her first love. Even now, when she thought about it, her heart would beat faster.
So complicated.
But now, being told that it was actually two people, her first love turned out to be two people?! Although she looked calm on the surface, inside the girl's heart it was like heaven and earth had flipped upside down—she had no idea how to face the boy in front of her anymore. Was this being fickle in love? Was this emotional cheating?
No, if it was the boy in his current silver-haired state, then the person she liked really was one and the same, right?
Kasumigaoka Utaha's brain was already in total chaos.
"In any case, I'll let Merlin come out and have a proper talk with you, senpai," Shirou said, letting his consciousness sink into his inner world, where he found the silver-haired man.
"Apologize properly to Kasumigaoka-senpai! Explain things clearly!" Shirou ordered, leaving no room for argument.
"Eh, but saying something like that to a girl at this stage will only turn into a huge hassle, you know. Doing that is just asking for trouble. I may be great at hitting it off with girls when we first meet, but I'm not good at breaking things off," Merlin warned.
"It's fine! Just say what's in your heart—that's basic manners, right?" Shirou said, and yielded control of his body.
"Ah, my lovely girl Utashiko, the truth is, I'm Emiya, you know. Sorry for keeping you waiting." Merlin smiled as he stepped forward.
"Mr. Merlin, thank you for helping me. About my novel… what do you think is good about it?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked gently.
"I wouldn't know. I only skimmed the sample pages online. But since you're so cute, of course anything you write would also be cute.
That kind of thing doesn't matter—what's important is, you wanted to talk with me, right? Then let's move to the bed and have a pleasant exchange." Merlin grinned, habitually putting his arm around the girl and letting his hand slide toward her hip.
"Hey!!" In the inner world, Shirou didn't even have time to stop him.
Slap! Kasumigaoka Utaha smacked him across the face.
"Ahhh… how utterly disappointing. I didn't think 'Magical Merry' would be this kind of person. Let me make this clear to you right now—just because you helped me doesn't mean you can look down on my work! I'm not the kind of woman who can be bought just by throwing some tips at me!
There are plenty of influencer bloggers who can help me promote my writing. If I had known you didn't truly like my work, I never would have accepted your help in the first place! I'll definitely write stories readers will love! Merlin! Go to hell!"
Fuming, Kasumigaoka Utaha stormed back to her room.
The wise, elegant prince she had pictured in her heart—the one who understood her, who truly loved her stories, the man who had selflessly supported her—shattered completely. From now on, she didn't even want to see him again. No, he wasn't just a stranger now—he was an enemy!
Yes—Merlin, as the son of an Incubus, while he was skilled at flirting with women—spend an hour with him and most women would favor him, spend a day with him and they'd fall for him— but that was all.
In reality, he had no ability to handle what came afterward.
Back in the age of King Arthur, it wasn't as though they hadn't tried to make use of Merlin's gift of diplomacy. For example, when Arthur wanted to form an alliance with a local lord, he
brought the Round Table Knights along. Merlin quickly flirted with the lord's daughter, hoping she'd put in a good word.
But before the daughter even had a chance to intervene, the talks had already gone smoothly—the lord had already agreed to the alliance. Then Merlin had to ruin it by saying he was only playing with the daughter, that he had no intention of marrying her, and worse—he started hitting on the daughter's best friend.
The lord's daughter, in tears, ran to her father to complain. Negotiations collapsed immediately. Arthur and the knights had to face a storm of arrows and spears, and in the end they subdued the territory by force—another "glorious tale" of the Round Table, born from disaster.
And when the Round Table knights traveled far, undergoing trials, they often needed the aid of fairies, witches, or enchantresses. At first, hearing they were Arthur's knights, these beings would show them mercy, granting help.
But just as often, they would smile and ask: "So… do you know Merlin?"
The knights would cheerfully answer, "Yes, we've eaten and drunk with him."
And immediately, they'd be thrown out: "Get out of here!!!"
Over time, the knights finally understood: Merlin wasn't a genius at winning women's hearts—he was a genius at turning women into enemies. They had no choice but to shield him from the consequences. Counting on him to actually be useful? Forget it.
"…Merlin, can you please stop ruining girls' lives?" Shirou muttered, rubbing his stinging cheek, looking frustrated.
"Ah, Shirou, that's too harsh! This is the nature of an Incubus, you know. Like fish swim in water, monkeys climb trees, and pandas eat bamboo—this is something that can't be changed." The silver-haired man in his inner world spread his hands helplessly. "Besides, Shirou—if you saw a girl who needed help, wouldn't you go to her aid too?"
"…That's true. But at least don't do it while using my name, okay?" Shirou pleaded.
"But Shirou, the women in your world are surprisingly high quality. I can't help being drawn to them." The handsome man in white robes shook his head, saying it was simply beyond his control.
"Merlin, if you're really that lonely, I'll contact the witches, fairies, and enchantresses you abandoned in the past. Trust my Mystic Eyes—I'll help them find you in Avalon!" Shirou said firmly.
"Please don't!! Fine, Shirou, I get it," Merlin reluctantly agreed.
"I'm counting on you." Shirou nodded. Reaching an understanding was the best outcome.
"…But come to think of it, I may have already used your account to get in touch with five or six girls," the silver-haired, violet-eyed man said out of nowhere.
"Girls like the ones who call me 'husband' in-game and can't quite separate reality from the online world; the honest girl who asked me for advice about liking otaku things so much she'd lie to her friends; the one who writes a diary every day on her phone about chatting with Emiya; and even Kotonoha-chan, who studies sword-drawing techniques, and Sekai-chan, who loves standing by the railroad tracks."
"Apologize to them properly! Explain everything! Why does this sound so dangerous?!"
"Sadly, that's impossible. Love isn't a business deal—not even an Incubus can control it. Girls get too caught up in feelings, too easily swept away. Especially those particular girls—their tendencies are obvious. The smartest move is to stay far away, let time wash away their emotions, and let them cool off. Don't worry—they're all outstanding girls. Better people will come into their lives."
Shirou buried his face in his hands. "As much as I hate to admit it, that… makes sense. Fine, but from now on, don't use my account anymore. No… I'll just delete the whole account. It may be rude to those girls, but it's better for everyone."
"Hahaha, don't be so dramatic. Even I've never had a situation where all the girls I met around the same time came knocking at once," Merlin said cheerfully.
"No, just having one senpai is already bad enough," Shirou groaned, still nursing his sore cheek.
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