Chapter 10: Merlin and Ana
Shirou was currently in a standoff with Enkidu.
"Tch... If you want to interrogate me, then you really don't have to," Enkidu said with a cold face.
"There's no need for that. I've known everything about you for a long time."
Hearing Shirou's words, Enkidu's expression froze.
"Besides, I have no reason to kill you," Shirou said in a casual tone.
Although Enkidu left a very poor impression in the early stages of the story, when it came down to it, he was nothing more than a puppet. Killing him wouldn't hold much significance.
The chains finally loosened. Enkidu, having regained his freedom, looked at Shirou with some confusion, completely unable to understand his actions at this moment.
"The ones I have to face are the gods, not you, Enkidu." Shirou's calm statement made Enkidu feel his body turn cold.
Standing in place for a long time, he finally snapped out of his shock and spat out a sentence: "You... you are a complete and utter lunatic..."
"A lunatic? Hmph..." Shirou shrugged off Enkidu's evaluation indifferently.
He had lost count of how many people had doubted his strength; he was used to such things, so it didn't matter.
Enkidu looked at Shirou deeply, as if trying to memorize his face, before turning around and leaving quickly.
"Oh my, what a remarkable battle. Truly spectacular!" After Enkidu left, the tense atmosphere at the scene immediately dissipated, and Merlin began to applaud happily.
Shirou raised an eyebrow, about to say something, when Fou, sitting on Gudako's shoulder, suddenly shouted "Merlin should die!" and spun its body, slamming into Merlin.
"Ah!"
Merlin, who had been knocked flat on his back by Fou's impact, let out a howl.
"What are you doing, you vicious beast! Have you forgotten all the years I've taken care of you? You jerk, you jerk!"
"Fou-fou-fowoo! Merlin should die, fowoo!"
Merlin was engaged in an 'evenly matched' struggle with the Fou on his head; Fou kept jumping and stomping on Merlin with its little paws, while the latter grabbed at his own head with both hands, trying to pry Fou off.
"Fou, fowoo!"
Merlin finally grabbed Fou and held it down like a puppy.
"Damn it, I shouldn't have adopted an evil beast like you! Cath Palug! You terrifying cat of calamity! How many cat-lover enthusiasts have you deceived with that cute appearance! Just because you look cute, you get pampered by ladies, making all my hard work look like that of an idiot! Don't you feel guilty toward me, who has to go through so many tricks just to fool people!?"
Leaning against a tree trunk, Ana sighed helplessly.
"Merlin, please do this kind of abnormal behavior and ugly display in private, alone in the middle of the night."
"Ahahaha..." Merlin stood up with a smile.
After patting the dust off his body, Merlin spoke up.
"Alright, let's all introduce ourselves. My name is Merlin, and this young lady here is Ana. She is actually a Servant, so I hope you won't mind. You can just call me Brother Merlin."
Merlin, who was chattering on incessantly, looked at Ana.
"How about you, Ana? How would you like to be addressed?"
"It doesn't matter. Just call me Ana," the girl replied calmly.
At that moment, the communicator on Gudako's wrist rang.
"You can tell just by looking at that overflowing aura of uselessness... It's definitely the real Merlin." Dr. Roman was uncharacteristically scathing. "Hey, hey... my stomach is already hurting... The situation is already a mess, and now that Grand Caster Merlin has appeared... allow me to ask: you are on our side, right?"
"Hahaha, as expected of an introduction. Truly, thank you very much, Romani Archaman." Merlin looked at the communicator on Gudako's lifted wrist. "However, I only have the qualifications for a Grand; in reality, I am just a common mage."
This excessive display of modesty caused Roman extreme discomfort.
"Shut up, you liar! If you're the genuine article, show your true form!"
"Why is the Doctor so agitated?" Gudako asked, puzzled.
"It's probably because this differs from the legends of Merlin," Mash speculated. "The mage Merlin built a tower within the utopia of Avalon. He doesn't die there, forever watching over the world, so..."
"A living person cannot become a Heroic Spirit..." Gudako murmured.
"Exactly!" Dr. Roman said. "Furthermore, this man is completely useless in combat. Mages with Grand qualifications possess exceptional 'Clairvoyance.' For example, Solomon has eyes that see through the past and future, and King Gilgamesh also possesses eyes that see through the future."
Dr. Roman held up two fingers and continued, "And that waste over there is the worst. Although he has eyes that can survey the present, he essentially just looks around; it's just very convenient... that's all."
To this, Gudako looked somewhat dazed. "Isn't that already very impressive?"
At that moment, Da Vinci's voice came through.
"I didn't expect you to become a Heroic Spirit, Merlin. This really is strange. You're still in Avalon, aren't you?"
Regarding Da Vinci's question, Merlin replied:
"I'll be frank about the method. This Singularity was generated in an era before the Earth—meaning, my body does not exist here."
"If it doesn't exist, then one could assume you're already dead..." Mash said, based on her own knowledge.
"Is that how you managed to turn yourself into a Servant?" Gudako asked.
"Hmm... more or less." Although the actual reason was more complex, explaining it was too troublesome, so Merlin just went along with her.
As night fell, the group lit a campfire in the forest.
"I'm so hungry..." Gudako said, rubbing her stomach as it growled.
At that moment, Shirou raised his hand. A flash of pale blue magical light flickered, and dish after dish of gourmet food appeared, leaving Gudako and Mash dumbfounded. This included the food he had seen while with Rin at the Clock Tower; Shirou had bought plenty, though it seemed he couldn't bring it back to Saber, so he would just have to buy more after returning.
"This is...!!" Gudako felt her mouth begin to water uncontrollably. When there was no food in sight, she was merely hungry, but now, upon seeing the delicacies, "hungry" was an understatement. She felt she could swallow a whole cow.
"I made some preparations before coming here." Shirou took out a glass of red wine and swirled it gently in the flickering firelight. The crimson liquid spun in the wine glass before Shirou drank it in one gulp.
Merlin, sitting opposite, also cast his eyes toward the food Gudako and the others were holding from time to time.
Shirou was not stingy with the food; he gave Merlin and Ana a portion as well.
"Thank you very much! You really are a good person!" Merlin thanked Shirou quite happily.
"..." Shirou suddenly felt as if he were being repaid with evil for his kindness.
"Thank you," Ana said, eating in small bites, thanking Shirou.
The girl's shy attitude provided Shirou with a small measure of comfort.
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