Merlin – or should she be called Mary?
Like Arthur, she is a Flower Magus from another world.
Honestly, Naoki never expected to meet her.
"Ah? You don't want to talk?"
Seeing Naoki standing there dazed from sheer surprise, Merlin couldn't help but move closer to him and smile mischievously like a little devil: "Could it be that you're so captivated by my extraordinary beauty that you can't speak?"
"No, I just don't know what to say right now. Honestly, I'm a little... confused and overwhelmed at the moment."
"Hah? You clearly come from a completely different world. I thought after exploring the world and even reaching the Root, you wouldn't be confused anymore. It seems your soul still needs refining."
Merlin laughed.
"Well, perhaps I know the reason for your confusion. Don't worry, I'll explain everything to you one by one. In other words, whatever you want to know, I'll tell you as best as I can. After all, that's what I was asked to do."
Sitting on the bed, Merlin thought for a moment and then said, "Actually, if I were to start, I should probably begin from a year ago."
"A year ago, after the Holy Grail War ended, Arthur came to Avalon to see me and asked me to save you from death after defeating that little fangirl. Ah, it's not quite accurate to say 'almost dead.' At that time, you were no longer in this world. Instead, you were outside the world, very close to the Swirl of the Root."
"So, to save you, Arthur came to me. Through my illusions and his Holy Sword, we managed to reach where you were, and with the help of a noble, we brought you back."
"However, only your soul was revived. Your body was still dead. To truly bring you back to life, and to thank you for your efforts in fighting that little fangirl, Arthur merged his spiritual foundation into your body, allowing you to be reborn."
At this point, Merlin pointed her finger at Naoki's heart and said, "The reason you're still alive is because of Arthur's power within your body."
'Arthur's power… Is it Arthur's power that's keeping me alive?'
Placing his hand on his chest, feeling the heartbeat transmitted to his palm, Naoki slightly closed his eyes.
'What I wanted you to do wasn't to win, but to protect' – This is what Naoki had told Arthur at the beginning, and he continued to fulfill it even after the Holy Grail War ended.
"Truly a dedicated Servant."
"Well, he is that kind of king. Although, in the end, it could be said that his dedication to his duty led to that outcome." Merlin smiled, "Let's get back to the main point. After reviving you, Arthur gave me another task before leaving – to take good care of you."
"Take good care of... me?"
Naoki frowned: "Do I still need care?"
"Who knows? But regardless, it was the king's order. Even though I've long retired from my position as a court Magus, it was his last command. I'd be too ashamed to refuse it. Besides, I didn't want to refuse it."
Merlin smiled and crossed her legs.
"You're truly a foreigner from another world. I'm very interested in you. Even though I could watch you in Avalon, watching a live broadcast isn't as interesting as seeing you up close."
"So, on one hand, it's the king's order, and on the other, it's to observe you. I ran out of Avalon to find you."
At this point, Merlin's expression suddenly changed, and she glared sharply at him like a vengeful woman: "At first, I thought since you had entered the world of Magus and became a teacher and student with that lemon head, you'd definitely come to the Clock Tower after the Holy Grail War. So I came straight to the Clock Tower and worked as a dorm manager here, so I could observe you closely when the time came."
"And you really came a year later!?"
"Is that my fault?"
Seeing Merlin glaring at him, Naoki innocently spread his hands: "I also had things to do in Japan. I only came to the Clock Tower this time after graduating from high school in Japan. Besides, I also had to apply for a visa, return my rented house, and quit my part-time job..."
Going abroad isn't easy, especially for an ordinary person. Of course, the real reason Naoki stayed in Japan for a year was due to his period of confusion.
After listening to Naoki's explanation, Merlin sighed helplessly: "This era is truly troublesome. Although interesting, it's relatively inconvenient now. In the past, I could go wherever I wanted."
"But it's fine. Now that you're here, I can rest easy."
Merlin said while extending her hand to Naoki.
"Let me introduce myself again. My name is Merlin. From now on, I'll be by your side, taking care of you and observing you until you die. Please guide me, Naoki."
"Natsukawa Naoki. Thank you for your guidance, Merlin."
Naoki held Merlin's hand and couldn't help but smile wryly.
To take care of and observe me until I die? Naoki remembered that Merlin's personality seemed more entertaining than Male Merlin. She cared more about having fun than the overall situation.
In this way, life from now on might become more...
'No, for a Magus, perhaps that's the kind of life one should live.'
Stay away from everyday life and step into another world where demons and monsters run rampant. Even without Merlin, Naoki didn't think his life would remain stable. Merlin's existence might just make his already intense life even more intense.
Thinking this, Naoki couldn't help but sigh.
After shaking hands, Merlin stood up and returned to being 'Mary': "That's all for the room introduction. If you have any questions, you can always go to the administrator's office on the first floor and ask me. By the way, the rent is £1,500 per month, including all utilities like water, electricity, and gas. Please pay me before the end of each month – if you're even a day late, you'll have a nightmare."
'That probably won't work on me' – Naoki really wanted to say that. After experiencing Sajyou Manaka's curse, he believed his mental strength had been honed to an extremely high level, and ordinary mental disturbances might not affect him.
But considering Merlin's level of illusions and her succubus lineage...
"I understand. I'll pay the rent on time at the end of the month."
"Good. Then, please come down quickly after you've stored your luggage. Besides cake, I've prepared a lot of food."