After all, he is one of the three Great Caster-class Masters.
In Reines's understanding, she could not think of a single modern magus who could wrestle with Merlin or sit across the negotiation table from him.
"Merlin is a capricious fellow. Expecting to find him proactively is unrealistic," Alvin slowly shook his head, "Besides, we don't have to go find him."
"Then are we supposed to wait for him to come to us?"
Reines crossed her black-stockinged legs and twirled a lock of gold hair between her fingers, half-joking, "If Merlin actually came to find us, wouldn't he bring a whole troop of knights to arrest us?"
"He will come," Alvin smiled, "Actually, from the moment you entered the city, you were already within his sight."
Reines froze for a moment, then quickly realized what he meant and whispered, "The clairvoyant eye?"
Indeed, if it was Merlin, he probably noticed them as soon as they arrived in Camelot.
The only comfort was that the legendary court mage tended to treat life like a game. He likely would not go out of his way to fetch two kids just to arrest them—
Knock! Knock!
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Reines tensed, then heard a voice outside.
"Hello, anyone home?"
"Your big brother Merlin is here?"
'Merlin?'
Reines almost reflexively stood up and was about to drag Alvin to the window to jump out.
But at that moment she saw Alvin already walking to the door.
Then, under Reines's startled gaze, he slowly opened the door.
Almost at the instant Alvin opened the door, Reines felt a hopelessness typical of being stuck with a useless teammate.
The blonde girl froze in place, her expression fixed, her whole body locked.
"Alvin!"
Finally snapping out of it, Reines took a step forward to pull this useless teammate and run.
But in the next second, the white-haired mage was already smiling as he entered the room.
Contrary to Reines's expectations, when he saw the two of them he showed no emotion and casually sat down at the small round table.
Then, looking at the empty table, he looked up and smiled, "Miss Reines, could you make me a cup of black tea?"
Reines stared for a long moment, only confirming it was not a hallucination when the white-haired mage's voice sounded in her ear.
She swallowed unconsciously, nodded slightly, and walked out of the room in a daze.
Only after she closed the door did Reines slap her delicate face hard.
'Meow? Meow? Meow?'
'What is going on?'
'This really is Merlin, right?'
'Why is the first thing this court mage asks for upon finding them a cup of tea?'
'Isn't he supposed to bring a bunch of knights to arrest us?'
Although Merlin's power means he does not need any knights, he is a Grand Caster. It would be beneath him to personally deal with two Clock Tower students.
'Anyway, drinking tea should not be the first thing he does when meeting us, right?'
Thus confused, the girl descended the stairs step by step.
———
Meanwhile.
Inside the room.
"Call it luck, or did you actually leave a contingency, Alvin?"
In the cramped room, Merlin, clad in white mage robes, looked at the boy before him with admiration.
Merlin's clairvoyant eye can observe the present and to some extent see the future. He had known Alvin's future clearly long ago.
But that Alvin could win the resurrection contest after his death was beyond the reach of that eye.
'How on earth did he do it?'
Even now Merlin could not figure it out.
Alvin sat on the windowsill and said lightly, "I didn't leave any real contingency. As for how I was reborn... I think you can guess part of it."
Merlin paused and scrutinized the boy more closely, "Could it be... Alaya?"
Alvin smiled without answering.
Merlin is very clever, and because he is clever, Alvin only needed to hint a bit and Merlin would weave the rest.
Then Merlin suddenly showed a meaningful smile and said, "You deliberately brought me here, right? Aren't you afraid I'll spread the news of your return?"
"You know there are many who want you dead in Camelot."
Alvin shook his head, "If you really wanted that, you wouldn't be sitting here chatting with me."
Although Merlin is the court mage of Camelot, most of the time this fellow treats life like a game and acts as a mischievous behind-the-scenes figure.
For this nightmare being, 'interesting' is enough, because he has no human emotions.
"All right, in Camelot, it seems you understand me best."
Merlin shrugged and smiled, "As a reward for understanding me so well, I'll listen to what you want to do."
"Recently Camelot has been rounding up transmigrators, what does Lily intend to do with them?", Alvin asked.
"You can ask her yourself," Merlin replied with some puzzlement.
Then he showed an amused smile, "But then, given what you did before, I suppose she's still quite angry with you."
"If she sees you... who knows what might happen."
At the end his tone carried a hint of expectation.
Alvin maintained composure outwardly but felt panic inside.
When he played that game he had gone all out, all to get the special title 'Watchman of Camelot.'
Who would have thought it would become real.
If Lily learned of his return now... even Alvin did not know what would happen.
It would not be good.
Sensing Merlin's teasing look, Alvin waved it off casually, "You don't need to worry about this. Just answer my earlier question."
In the story, Merlin had some part in Alvin's death. By rights the two should be enemies meeting with sharp eyes.
But perhaps because Alvin only followed the game's plot before, or because he knows Merlin's nature, Alvin felt no hatred.
After all, getting mad at Merlin is pointless. This guy cannot feel human emotions.
His anger, joy, even his smile are only imitations of human behavior.
"The transmigrators are currently detained in an underground prison outside the palace," Merlin said, "From what I know, the ratio of body-possessors to soul-transfers is about 1 to 10. I didn't count the total number, so I'm not sure on that."
Alvin frowned and pondered, "Why did so many transmigrators suddenly appear out of nowhere... and what does Lily intend to do with them?"
"We still don't know how the transmigrators appeared, but one thing is certain," Merlin said slowly, "the soul-transfer type are in trouble."
"After your death, the queen became very sensitive about death..."
Alvin raised an eyebrow, "You are her guide, can't you talk some sense into her?"
"I tried, but it's useless. After your death, she lost trust in me."
Merlin sighed, looking helpless, "I watched her grow up. It pains me that our relationship has become so strained."
Despite the words, his tone sounded flippant, like a joke.
"If you came only about the transmigrators, I probably can't help much. You should find time to talk to the queen yourself," Merlin continued.
Alvin raised an eyebrow, "So you won't stop me from meeting Lily now?"
In the past Merlin thought Alvin was an obstacle to Camelot and a stumbling block preventing Artoria's growth.
Although he didn't say so, Merlin did not want Alvin to contact Artoria.
But now, 'Has his attitude changed over the years?'
"The queen has matured. She has her own judgment. I have no right to stop her," Merlin looked up and smiled, "Essentially, my goals align with yours."
Yes. Although a creature without emotions, Merlin's original aim was to guide Artoria to become king. Yet he had already seen Camelot's eventual decline when she pulled the sword.
Looking at the silent Alvin, Merlin said with a bit of schadenfreude, "But be mentally prepared. The queen you meet now isn't the innocent girl you once knew."
"If she finds out you are still alive— hey," He paused, then added in a meaningful tone, "I heard the queen's bedchamber contains a hidden underground room that she has never let anyone enter."
Alvin's eyelid twitched. A chill crawled down his spine.
'Palace and underground room together do not sound like a pleasant scene.'
———
Afternoon sunlight warmed the palace streets. The innkeeper seemed to have gone out, the shop door open and the place empty.
Reines stood behind the counter holding a small teapot, absentmindedly pouring hot water into a cup.
Her mind replayed the earlier events.
Even now the girl felt as if she were in a dream.
The legendary great mage of Britain had actively come to find them.
And from appearances, this flower mage had no hostility toward them.
'Can we really use Merlin to communicate with Arthur as Alvin said?'
'If Merlin intervened, it might actually work... Arthur may dislike Merlin, but he's still far more persuasive than we are as outsiders.'
'Maybe it might actually succeed...'
Thinking that, the girl's heart fluttered with excitement and she clenched her small fist.
When she first transmigrated here, she kept a calm face but felt bewildered and fearful inside.
After all, this is Camelot in the Age of Gods.
Reines considered herself a genius, but even geniuses could do little here.
If they could persuade Merlin, and then perhaps meet Arthur. At the thought she grew hopeful.
The steaming tea on the table smelled faintly fragrant. Reines picked up the cup and turned to go upstairs.
At that moment she felt a presence silently come up behind her.
Then a crisp and pleasant voice sounded.
"Interesting magecraft. You wrapped your circuits in liquid mercury. So you are a body-possessing outsider, yes?"
At the instant she heard the voice, Reines froze, feeling like prey locked in a predator's gaze.
[T/N: There's a 🎉 discount 🎉 ongoing in my P@treon till Dec 6. Consider joining if you want to read more chapters and appreciate the effort I put in. Have a great read~]