Merlin's wariness toward Amber—Fu Hua—was not unfounded.
It wasn't just her overwhelming power. It was the fact that she clearly hadn't been summoned by Gilgamesh. That alone made her an anomaly in this singularity.
Amber, meanwhile, was caught off guard by Merlin's earlier remark. "Wait… Broken Sword Record exists here??"
[To facilitate smoother 'recognition', the system has rationalized cognitive modifications for the host.]
Amber blinked. "So that's how it is…"
Despite his caution, Merlin acknowledged that the Red Kite Immortal was a righteous figure. In the novel, even after being betrayed and resurrected by her Seven disciples, she never turned evil. She exchanged her hatred for clarity—her eyes—and never harmed the innocent.
Though he couldn't be sure which version of the Red Kite had appeared, Merlin trusted her character. Still, he'd leave final judgment to Gilgamesh. With his clairvoyance, the King of Uruk was far more suited to assess anomalies in this singularity.
After confirming mutual trust, the group planned to head to Uruk. But night had fallen, and while Servants could travel endlessly, Fujimaru—an ordinary human—needed rest. They decided to camp.
As the stars emerged, Merlin briefed the Chaldeans on the current crisis.
Dr. Romani, ever the skeptic, complained loudly about Merlin's vague explanations—only to fall silent midway, as if remembering something. Merlin smiled, but said nothing. He knew Roman's true identity, yet chose not to expose it.
Amber listened quietly, absorbing the situation.
Uruk was the last human city in Mesopotamia, besieged by the Three Goddess Alliance and their monstrous creations. Gilgamesh had summoned seven Servants to defend the city, but only four remained.
And now, the Red Kite Immortal stood among them. A legendary protector of Shenzhou, said to be "invincible within a single move." Surely, even the goddesses would hesitate before her.
But Merlin still wondered: what kind of being was she?
The novel described her as ruthless—more like a divine enforcer than a human. Since their meeting, she'd been silent, aloof, and unreadable. She hadn't spoken of Uruk, yet clearly intended to follow them.
Was she summoned by the Counter Force, like Ana? Or perhaps by the goddesses themselves?
Merlin leaned against a tree, watching the stars. Still he would let Gilgamesh decide.
Amber, meanwhile, followed the navigation's prompt: "Stay with Chaldea." She wanted to be part of the protagonist group. I mean who wouldn't?
She remained silent, afraid of ruining Fu Hua's image with awkward dialogue. Instead, she sat in a meditative pose—partly to look wise, partly to avoid conversation.
Thankfully, it wasn't her real body. Even after ten hours of "meditation," she felt no fatigue. Navigation woke her just before the group stirred. So the crisis was averted.
As the others chatted, Merlin broke the silence.
"Speaking of kings… Gilgamesh is quite the tyrant."
"Tyrant?" Fujimaru perked up. He'd met Nero, another so-called tyrant, but she was mostly misunderstood.
"Indeed," Merlin said, watching Amber closely. "He severed ties with the gods, claimed all beauty and treasure for himself. If you agree with him—death. If you disagree—also death."
Fujimaru frowned.
"He was wise in his youth" Merlin continued. "But as he matured, his arrogance grew. The gods created Enkidu to temper him."
"But they became close friends," Mash added.
"Let's skip the rest for now," Merlin said. "Today, Gilgamesh is the coldest, most arrogant tyrant alive."
He turned to Amber. "In the Broken Sword Record, the Ming court granted the Red Kite Immortal her title. She ignored politics, but every emperor sought her blessing. Those who met her prospered. Those who didn't… met ruin."
"So, Red Kite Immortal—what do you think of King Gilgamesh?"
Amber froze. Wait, why are you asking me?
She'd hoped to coast through this scene silently. She'd seen two Fate series, and knew Gilgamesh wasn't exactly friendly. But her best friend had said Chapter 7 of FGO featured a wise Gilgamesh.
Playing it safe, Amber replied flatly: "Dynasties rise and fall. A king's wisdom and bravery are none of my concern."
Merlin nodded. "As expected. The immortal who ignores worldly matters."
"Immortal…?" Amber's voice softened. "That's a bit much. I'm far from invincible."
She thought of Fu Hua's tragic life. The regrets. The burdens. Her heart ached for her.
Merlin noticed the sorrow in her eyes—and said no more.
He was relieved. If Fu Hua and Gilgamesh had clashed, Uruk might not survive. But now, he sensed no hostility. The Red Kite Immortal didn't hate Gilgamesh. And Gilgamesh wouldn't hate her.
That was enough.