บท 4: Merlin, the Shady Bastard
"I understand..." Artoria calmly responded after listening to Agravain's words.
"Continue instructing him." Artoria ordered, "Britain's Son of Dragon will one day rule the world. Before that, I need to ensure that I see a perfect king."
"Your will shall be carried out."
Agravain kneeled, performed a bow, and then promptly turned and left.
"My King, do you really think Sir Agravain will be a good teacher?" Lancelot couldn't help but speak up, "I mean no offense, but perhaps you should reconsider..."
"I will consider it," Artoria replied calmly. However, Lancelot felt that his King was merely being dismissive. It left him slightly dissatisfied. But soon, that dissatisfaction turned into shame and understanding.
'The King has too many things to consider.' Lancelot thought frustratedly. 'I shouldn't trouble him.'
===
Meanwhile, in Artorius's room.
"Hehehe, failed again, Artorius~"
The frivolous man with white hair flashed a frivolous smile, playfully taunting the owner of the room. This made the latter look up with a displeased expression, casting his dissatisfied gaze at the so-called 'Mage of Flowers' and 'Wise Man' of Britain, Merlin.
Artorius's annoyance with Merlin was akin to his annoyance with Agravain, with Galahad, and even with his mother. He wanted to replace this bastard mage with Magi☆Mari, his teacher with the purple lady, his friend with a certain pink short hair girl, and his mother with the Lancer one.
That's normal, isn't it? Although Artorius had an adult mind, his body was only thirteen years old. Influenced by the massive hormones of puberty, it was already commendable that he could think about girls while also considering how to save the world.
"The key is that I don't want to become the kind of person 'father' expects me to be. I just can't..."
Although he was dissatisfied with Merlin, he was one of the few people in Camelot who could engage in a conversation with Artorius without restraint.
Due to this incubus 'observer' attitude, his nonchalant and disdainful attitude towards humans determined his way of behaving.
No matter what Artorius said or did, he would only grin and remain unconcerned. Of course, even if Merlin followed Agravain's example and reported it to his mother, she wouldn't believe it at all.
After all, Merlin's credibility in everyone's minds was in the negatives.
"I know my strengths and weaknesses," Artorius continued in a relaxed manner, "Most of the Knights of the Round Table in Camelot lack independent thinking abilities. O King Arthur this, O King Arthur that... It seems that as long as they follow King Arthur, every problem can be solved, such nonsense."
"Is that so~?" Merlin said using a cheerful tone as he sat on Artorius's bed, casually grabbing his beast familiar and petting it, "Your 'father' is a great person. No enemy can stand against him you know."
"It's the opposite." Artorius said, "You know, the key is not in the wars. Even if my 'father' were to crush all the Romans, Germanic peoples, his beloved uncle, and his dear sister, reducing them to ashes and scattering them into the sea, Britain would still need to be conquered and fall. It's determined by the era, the natural environment, the gradually disappearing true ether... and fate."
He continued, "The key issue is that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table don't know this. Or maybe—"
"—Or maybe they do know, but they can't solve it... so they can only deceive themselves. Hehehe~" Merlin chuckled happily, as if watching a beautiful girl engaging in futile, contradictory actions to save a doomed country was an amusing spectacle.
"Yeah..." Artorius's tone was helpless as he once again confirmed why everyone familiar with Merlin despised this guy.
—Because this guy's personality was simply too shady and horrible.
Although half of his bloodline came from humans and was not fully incubus, he lacked human empathy and did not consider humans as his own kind; instead, he saw them as something completely different. Thus, he had no sympathy for human suffering, pain, and torment. He merely found it amusing.
Although 'history' indicated that the future mage's mentality would change, Artorius, as a normal person with rational thinking, confirmed that he couldn't solely and blindly rely on that mobile game to determine his standards.
"So, what do you mean?" Artorius asked.
Merlin cheerfully replied, "Our Dragon Prince, the Great Arthur's child, the future ruler of Britain... or the ruler of a fallen kingdom? Do you believe you have a better way to save Britain?"
"Of course, I do!" Artorius said without hesitation, meeting the gaze of the incubus.
"Hmm..."
"What did you see in my eyes?" Artorius inquired.
"Nothing at all~" Merlin replied whimsically. "Rather than foolishly guessing someone's heart by looking into their eyes, I have a better way... which is prophecy. Perhaps you've forgotten, but I am the world's greatest mage, hehehehe~"
"Then, what is your prophecy about me?" Artorius continued asking.
"Oh, there is none~ Your future is shrouded in chaos. As the Son of Dragon who shouldn't have been born~ even the world's greatest mage cannot foresee it. Otherwise, why do you think I love following you? Hehehe..."
"..."
Artorius rolled his eyes and then jumped off the bed.
"So, where are you going?" Merlin asked.
"I'm going to find someone who can be of help," Artorius said without hesitation. "Instead of listening to some bastard's self-praise ramblings."
"Let me guess who you're looking for~" Merlin continued with his 'prophecy' from behind him. "Morgan, Vortigern, or perhaps Vivian?"
Artorius responded by raising his middle finger high in the air.
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