[—The Tower of Atonement creaks, piercing the world like light.]
...
...
"Hmm, things took an unexpected turn, but this peculiar development is getting more intriguing. What a fascinating human."
In the Reverse Side of the World, Merlin, sipping tea atop his tower, slowly opened his eyes.
"I recall Vivian saying this tower was eternally sealed. How did someone slip in?"
"Heh, with the Lady of the Lake's unmatched magical prowess from the Age of Gods, even deities would struggle to enter this realm, let alone this tower that imprisons sinners."
"But the Reverse Side, the eternally isolated utopia of Avalon, shares similarities with Brunestud's Millenium Castle, doesn't it? After navigating so many parallel worlds, Avalon's location is somewhat predictable. Find the right node, use the Second Magic to assist, and entering isn't that hard. Compared to the Land of Shadows' far shore, this is relatively simple."
An old man in a black robe adorned with dazzling gems pulled out a chair, sat, and poured himself a cup of floral tea, downing it unceremoniously.
"Saying this place is less than the Land of Shadows? If Vivian heard that, she'd be furious."
"Haha, I didn't say that. I just think the Land of Shadows is harder to reach since its position isn't fixed."
"But honestly, though this is your prison, this place of blooming flowers hardly feels like confinement. Your freedom's restricted, yet you seem quite comfortable, Merlin."
Finishing his tea, Zelretch pointed at the high-tech gadgets, scattered novels, and drawings he'd seen in the tower, teasingly.
"Oh, come now. Being locked up for millennia isn't exactly cozy. It's just flowers and a tower here—no ladies to have deep conversations with. I know it's my just deserts, though."
Merlin sighed, responding to Zelretch's jab with resignation.
"Hmph, you old lecher. You know you deserve it? For what you did, this punishment is a steal. And at the last moment, a non-human like you gained what you coveted—emotions."
"You're right. That was my first taste of human emotions… not as pleasant as I'd imagined."
"But you didn't come here just to roast me, did you?"
Merlin's expression was wry under Zelretch's barbs.
"You think I'd dodge a bunch of fairies just to sneak in and chat? You're not a magical girl. If it were Merly, I might've."
"Merly… my legendary female counterpart? Sounds like you're fond of her."
"Fond? Hardly. She's just perfect for a magical girl, and her non-human nastiness far surpasses yours."
Recalling that dangerous woman Merly, Zelretch gave his assessment.
"I'm here to discuss something. You've noticed it, haven't you?"
"The Holy Grail War?" Merlin's tone was questioning but certain.
"Of course. The Grail system was built by my disciple—the best one, at that. As their professor, I'd naturally care."
"But across countless parallel worlds, I've seen the standard Holy Grail War too many times. Same old patterns—I could write the script blindfolded."
Zelretch shrugged, continuing.
"First night, Assassin fakes their death. Saber and Lancer clash at the docks, interrupted by Rider. Ryunosuke and his Caster get hunted for their antics. Kayneth gets outwitted by Kiritsugu, Tokiomi gets backstabbed by Kirei. I'm tired of these predictable plots."
"So you're saying…"
Merlin grasped Zelretch's point.
"Don't play coy. Your Clairvoyance couldn't miss it. A variable's appeared—you even contacted them through the Mother of Mifune's Absolute Clairvoyance, didn't you?"
"Haha, caught my little trick."
"I'm not blind. I sensed that massive shift."
Zelretch huffed, stroking his beard.
"My parallel world observations revealed a huge change in this timeline, massively impacting the world. It piqued my curiosity. Not just the Fourth Holy Grail War—some poor girl's fate in Mifune shifted, and Aozaki Touko's involved too. So, I came to ask: what's your take on these oddities, Merlin?"
"Haha, my take? I'm just watching from home~"
'Watching from home, huh…'
Zelretch shook his head. "As expected, in any timeline, you're the ultimate shut-in. Vivian's truly made you the ancient recluse."
"Hey, I'm a bit of a homebody, but it's not my fault. I lack the Second Magic to pop in and out of Avalon."
'Though, the title of ancient recluse suits Scáthach better—she's far older.'
Merlin muttered inwardly.
"Pfft, I know you. With changes involving your naive king, you'd never just watch. Especially with such a peculiar shift—you couldn't resist meddling. Contacting them via the Mother's Absolute Clairvoyance proves it, no?"
Hitting the nail on the head, Zelretch grinned. "So, wanna stir things up? This kind of fun is rare."
"Stir things up…? You planning to join the war yourself? Team up with me? I'm not dead yet, and even if I were, I wouldn't pair with a lecherous old man."
Glancing at Zelretch, Merlin turned away in mock disgust, making the old man huff.
"What're you thinking? If I wanted the Grail, would I need to fight for a tainted one? Bullying kids isn't my style."
"Bullying kids? If you underestimate that young man, you might trip up."
"Hmph, if I acted, you think I'd give him a chance?" Zelretch retorted, not denying Merlin's words.
'Foresight, bullying kids—you've got some honor?'
Merlin gained new insight into the old man's shamelessness.
"So, what's your plan?"
"Just making this Holy Grail War more entertaining and solving a small nuisance for us both. How's that?"
"The Grail and Artoria… sounds feasible."
Merlin rubbed his chin, nodding after a moment.
"Right? That kid's hiding a lot, with a trump card even I'd admire."
Zelretch continued, "Since you're in, let's join the fun. It's great entertainment for us. How about a bet?"
"A bet? With anyone else, I'd agree, but with you, I'm at a disadvantage. You see parallel worlds' futures; my Clairvoyance only sees the present."
Merlin stroked his chin.
"Hmph, don't dodge. That kid's uniqueness—you can't read him either. No parallel world has his duplicate, so you're the one with the edge."
Ignoring Merlin's deflection, Zelretch laid out his wager. "Bet on his chosen future and whether we achieve our goals."
"If I win, you turn into Merly for a while and test my new magical girl transformation device. If you win, I'll sneak you out of Avalon for a bit. How's that?"
"Hiss… sneaking me out of Avalon's tempting, but Merly…"
Merlin paused, pondering the proposal, his gem-like eyes glinting.
Finally, a warm smile spread across his face.
"Sounds fun. I'm in. Either way, I don't lose."
Just becoming a woman? No big deal—Incubi have no fixed gender.
"Hahaha, that's the spirit! Going out or becoming Merly isn't bad for you. Live in the moment!"
"I'll crash here for a bit. My dusty office is getting old, so I'll rest at your place."
"What? You're staying here?"
"Of course. A fair bet needs us watching together. Don't worry—I won't complain, as long as you cover food and drink."
Zelretch sprawled on Merlin's bed, munching on rice crackers from who-knows-where, rummaging through Merlin's collection.
"The Legend of King Arthur, How to Become a Streamer, 100 Ways to Be Popular, The Art of Being an Internet Scammer—what's this junk? No magical girl DVDs or books?"
"As if I'd have those!"
Merlin's forehead creased, a rare urge to punch rising.
"You devious old man!"
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL