บท 115: C115
Ever since Shirou had come to accept his own darkness, he had never felt such an intense desire to beat someone up – not even Gilgamesh.
After a long and exhausting day, Shirou returned to his room hoping to get some rest. However, to his surprise, Kay emerged from under his bed with a smug expression on his face.
Shirou felt like he had hit rock bottom. In a fit of rage, he grabbed Kay's face with a vice-like grip and hurled him out of the window like a piece of garbage.
Despite changing his sheets and mattress in disgust, Shirou was unable to sleep for the rest of the night.
The next day, Kay was still following Shirou with a smile on his face.
Shirou was certain now that Kay and Artoria were trying to recruit him. He had never seen Artoria so insistent, and Kay was sticking to him like gum on a shoe.
He couldn't help but smile wryly and said, "Kay, please, I'm begging you to return to your normal self. Otherwise, I might have to hit you for real!"
"Why?" Kay asked, looking puzzled. "Isn't my attitude friendly?"
"It's because your smile is really creepy!"
Kay's expression faltered, and he began to doubt himself.
"And, I can't be a knight," Shirou continued.
"Why not?"
"Because this isn't my home, and I'll eventually have to leave," Shirou explained. He had to return to Fuyuki City, so as far as Britain was concerned, he was just a passerby.
"You keep talking about leaving, but where do you actually come from?"
"I come from..." Shirou started to say, but a sweet aroma filled the air, and a familiar male voice rang out around them.
"He comes from Avalon," the voice said.
Shirou was stunned for a moment and turned to see a sea of flowers stretching out before him. In the midst of the flowers, Merlin was walking towards them.
"Merlin? What brings you here?" Shirou asked, glancing over at Kay.
He noticed a momentary change in Kay's expression when he saw Merlin in person.
"Tomorrow is the selection day," Merlin said with a smile.
Shirou immediately understood and thought to himself, 'Tomorrow is when Artoria will pull the sword from the stone, isn't it?'
"Hey, Merlin! Did Guinevere come from Avalon?" Kay asked, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that the mythical land?"
"Indeed," Merlin replied with a smile.
Shirou couldn't help but pull Merlin aside and ask in a low voice, "What are you planning?"
"I'm not planning anything,"
"I'm not from Avalon!" Shirou said defensively.
Merlin spread his hands helplessly and said, "You can't just go around telling people you're from the future. It would cause chaos."
"Really?" Shirou looked at Merlin suspiciously. He knew Merlin was a slippery character who lied nine times out of ten. He might be playing some kind of game.
"Look into my eyes," Merlin pointed to his own eyes.
"Are you going to tell me you're lying again?"
"Ah! Do I seem like that kind of person? Really..." Merlin sighed and said, "What I mean is... you have to trust me!"
Shirou: "..."
The gentle tone of Merlin's voice gave him goosebumps!
Shirou glanced at the flowers on either side of Merlin and felt curious. He couldn't help but ask, "Do flowers really bloom wherever you go? No wonder you're called the Magus of Flowers."
"You're overthinking things. These flowers are just illusions," Merlin replied.
"Illusions?" Shirou raised an eyebrow and looked at Merlin in surprise. "Why would you create illusions while walking?"
"To enhance my noble and elegant aura, of course,"
Shirou: "..."
This guy really deserved a beating!
"Alright, that's enough. Remember not to slip up. You're from Avalon, so don't reveal your true identity, or it will cause a big mess," Merlin warned.
Shirou nodded in agreement. "I understand."
"Oh, there's one more thing," Merlin continued.
"What is it?"
"Since our tie in that duel five days ago, I've learned a valuable lesson..." Merlin began to explain.
"Hold on!" Shirou interjected, questioning, "Are you certain it was a tie?"
"Absolutely, it was a tie," Merlin confidently asserted, not missing a beat. "You see, I held the advantage in the beginning, and you gained it towards the end. It was an even match with a 50-50 chance. How could it be anything but a draw?"
Shirou: "..."
Shirou couldn't help but concede. This man was even more shameless than he was.
"Regardless, I've realized that non-humans have their own limitations, and I must continue observing humanity," Merlin admitted.
Shirou, still puzzled, asked, "So, what does that have to do with me?"
"I'm studying you," Merlin revealed. "Now, come and become Artoria's knight!"
"Thanks, but I have no interest in serving as someone else's knight," Shirou declined without a moment's hesitation.
"Why not?" Merlin inquired. "As a native of 'Avalon,' you should be aware that Artoria is destined to become a legendary king, leaving a mark on history. You too could have your name etched in the annals of time!"
"This isn't my home, and I want to go back."
"You can't go back," Merlin shook his head.
"Why are you so sure?"
"Because my eyes have witnessed the truth," Merlin responded, gesturing to his own eyes. "It is preordained."
Shirou lifted his hands and spoke earnestly. "Let me be clear, the 'fact' you've seen and this so-called destiny will be shattered by these very hands!"
Merlin appeared taken aback. "But why?"
"Because I am human, and I will use my hands to forge the future I desire!" he proclaimed with unwavering determination. He bade farewell to Kay and strode away.
Merlin stood there, momentarily dumbfounded, before a subtle smile graced his lips. "Humans truly are fascinating," he mused. "I shall continue observing this so-called human potential."
...
As they arrived back at the manor, they found a group of soldiers wearing armor outside.
Shirou and Kay were curious and asked a few servants, only to learn that a noble guest had arrived.
As Ector's legitimate son and heir to the manor, Kay was obligated to meet the guest, while Shirou had planned to stay behind.
However, Kay insisted that Shirou join him.
Shirou protested, "I'm just a freeloader who eats and drinks here."
"Don't be ridiculous," Kay replied. "You're an honored guest of our manor! In the future, you'll become Artoria's knight just like me!"
"I can't become Artoria's knight," Shirou said with a sense of helplessness. "You should give up on that idea."
"Anyway, since you can't go back to Avalon, why won't you assist Artoria?" Kay asked curiously.
"Who said I can't go back?" Shirou raised an eyebrow, feeling annoyed. "I'll find a way to return, no matter what!"
Kay ushered Shirou into the reception room, where Ector and Artoria were deep in conversation with a young blonde knight. Upon noticing their arrival, Ector nodded in acknowledgement.
The young knight turned to greet them, directing his attention towards Kay. "You must be Sir Ector's son, Kay, am I correct?"
Kay nodded politely to Gawain and asked, "And you are?"
The young knight smiled warmly and replied, "I'm Gawain."
Kay was a bit taken aback. "Ah, you're Sir Gawain, the son of King Lot, the knight blessed by the sun, right?"
Shirou looked on, feeling speechless. Why did it feel like they were praising each other in a business deal? They were just missing the typical exchange of "Nice to meet you." "The pleasure is mine."
But... Gawain?
As Shirou looked at him, he couldn't help but notice the young knight's striking good looks. Despite his youth, Gawain possessed a gentle smile, and his tone was friendly and polite, like sunshine. He looked like the perfect prince charming from a fairy tale.
He knew that Gawain was the son of Morgan Le Fay and would later become one of the Knights of the Round Table. He wielded the sister sword of Excalibur, the Sword of Revolving Victory - Galatine. He also possessed the blessing of the sun, and his power tripled during the three hours from 9 a.m. to noon and the three hours from 3 p.m. to sunset.
Despite Gawain's impressive abilities, Shirou couldn't help but wonder why he was here. Something about the situation felt off to him, and he frowned in concern.
As Kay and Gawain finished their conversation, Gawain's gaze fell on Shirou, and he asked, "May I ask, who is this knight?"
"I'm not a knight," Shirou replied, shaking his head. "You can call me Guinevere."
Britons struggled to pronounce Shirou's name correctly, so he chose to go by the name of "Guinevere" instead. It was easier for them to pronounce, and it was a name that they were familiar with.
When Gawain heard the name "Guinevere," he was momentarily taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise. He then turned to Shirou and asked, pointing at him, "Are you the stunningly beautiful Lady Guinevere, daughter of Leodegrance, who shook the entire land of Britain with her unparalleled beauty?"
"???"
Shirou was completely baffled by Gawain's question.
...
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