Special Thanks to dear Ekaterina016 for their immense help in Beta-reading this chapter and helping with the brainstorming of the plot.
This story would not be possible without you.
I do not own Magi or Type-Moon content.
Balbadd:
It was just another day for the kingdom of Balbadd, the palace and its denizens as distant as ever from the suffering of their people. The chubby figure of King Ahbmad strode towards the room where their surprise guests awaited him. It was safe to say his mood was not good after he received news of their sudden arrival.
"Who do they think they are, to call on me without an invitation?!" The King practically growled, the hostility he emitted causing his brother to get even more nervous.
"It's important for you to welcome the envoys from Uruk, Brother." Sahbmad argued, trying his best to meet his brother's stare despite his usually timid behavior. "Although it is a young kingdom, being only slightly older than Sindria, we have a chance to build a mutually beneficial agreement if all goes well."
"It's not like it's Kou or Reim. As if I'd lower myself to seek the good graces of a kingdom I've never heard about before!" The viceroy made to argue further, but Ahbmad raised his hand, forbidding him from speaking. "You bore me; I shall deal with them immediately."
The guards opened the doors to the meeting room, and the two brothers stepped inside.
Inside were the three envoys: Shirou sitting on the chair, while Tomoe standing next to him on guard as always. Merlin enjoyed the extravagant couch as he tasted the appetizers provided by the servants, smiling as his amethyst eyes glinted at the sight of the chubby king.
Ahbmad's contempt was practically oozing from his entire short and fat being, his brother already sweating as he silently prayed his king wouldn't bring disaster upon them.
"I do not conduct audiences with an entourage; I will speak only with your king." Ahbmad did not sit down, his eyes meeting Shirou's as he smirked. The viceroy and guards hid their surprise as best they could, not expecting their ruler to offend the visitors. The foreigners didn't seem affected by the lack of respect.
"Our king has better duties to perform than lowering himself to your level." Tomoe cut through whatever Shirou was planning to say. Her eyes analyzing the ruler, his entourage and the window overlooking the dilapidated city. "Actually ruling his land correctly is one, naturally."
"However, we did not come here to discuss such things with you, King Ahbmad," Merlin cut in before the king could dig a bigger hole for himself. He signaled Shirou to take the lead, noticing the priest taking offense to the remark as well.
"That is indeed the case, much less asking for your approval or entertaining the notion of our king doing such work." Shirou stood up, his figure completely overshadowing Ahbmad. "My name is Shirou, and these are my partners, Tomoe and Merlin. We are here at the behest of our king to inquire about." Shirou's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms, the room suddenly felt a lot colder and smaller. "We have encountered a concerning number of slaves who curiously shared the same background as Balbadd's citizens, and our king is curious to where you stand on this issue."
"This has nothing to do with you!" Ahbmad responded indifferently, seemingly more concerned with the audacity Tomoe and Shirou showed than his responsibility in the matter. "The people exist for their rulers."
Shirou's demeanor continued to sour, while Tomoe sighed in exasperation. Even Merlin ceased his playful savoring, contempt overtaking him as he stood up from the couch. The food he tasted, as fresh as it was, felt rotten.
"That is all we came to confirm." Ushering his two companions out of the room, Merlin looked down on the chubby ruler with indifference. "You should count yourself fortunate, King Ahbmad, our king did not come here himself." Ending the conversation, the magus left the room after his friends.
Ahbmad tried not to tremble under the pressure of the envoys, snorting as the group finally left. He didn't care much for them, not when the meeting with the Kou Empire promised more rewards. He did not notice the disturbed looks of his brother and the guards at his callous remarks.
Sahbmad knew he was a coward, and was unsuited for the throne after standing by as his brother sold their own people for his luxuries. However, he also knew something must be done, that the crimes before him needed to end. He hoped and prayed Alibaba would stop his brother soon.
Stepping out of the palace, Shirou couldn't help but look back at the structure behind them with several levels of distaste. This kingdom was beyond shattered – if anything, it was almost begging to be put out of its misery. However, given the powers already involved, their side cannot interfere openly and callously.
It was absolutely vexing. Looking at Tomoe, he could tell she felt the same way as well, while Merlin seemed to contemplate something. He looked to him, hoping he had something in mind to help the people. "Can we do anything, Merlin?"
Merlin turned to him, smiling encouragingly as he nodded. "Never fear, dear Shirou, your trusty magician always has a way! Although the current hierarchy is beyond help, I spent the better part of last night investigating the ports and outskirts of the city as well as the slums. I've managed to pinpoint a few key points where slave transactions are occuring." He hummed in thought as they walked through the marketplace, his eyes scanning the lackluster products on display, before moving on. "There is no doubt in my mind an uprising will occur in a few days; the best thing we could do in the meantime is break a few gears of this machine well enough so the uprising will hopefully finish it off."
Shirou and Tomoe nodded in agreement, the priest giving a begging boy a few silver coins as they passed by. "Then we should be able to handle things discreetly. I'll take care of the port, while Tomoe sweeps the slums."
"Good. While you two handle things, I will keep an eye on important happenings around the city and those curious about us. We're leaving tomorrow, so we should make the best of what little time we have."
His eyes glanced at a certain corner, catching the cloaked figure moving to the alleyways with the fellow he believed to be called 'Kasim'. Merlin smirked as he bade his companions farewell, and moved to the city's slums.
Sindbad released a deep sigh as he reviewed the different reports sprawled across his desk. He could swear the pile was growing ever-bigger despite his best efforts to take care of the paperwork as quickly and efficiently as possible, sapping away at his will and motivation with every passing moment.
Masrur silently stood by the door, his eyes narrowing slightly when he noticed his king giving passing glances to the entrance whenever he took a new piece of paper from the pile. Fortunately for Sindbad, he didn't need to plan an escape, as Jafar entered the room bearing a thoughtful look.
"Welcome back. Any news?"
"Uruk's envoys left the palace this morning. I was able to discover their conversation with King Ahbmad didn't go well."
"Did they do anything of note after leaving?"
"None I could think of. Their attitude almost makes it look like their intentions were not related to the crisis at all."
Sindbad leaned back in his chair, lost in thought as his eyes surveyed the streets from the window. Yesterday's encounter with the three representatives made it clear those people were not to be underestimated, so why did they simply visit the palace and leave without any tangible results?
His intuition screamed he was missing something. Had they truly been disinterested in participating in the conflict, Uruk would have never sent such an envoy here, regardless of their supposed relationship with the former ruler of Balbadd.
It was possible they did do something Jafar didn't pick up on, given their magician's presence, but the fact their meeting with Ahbmad went poorly indicated they didn't utilize any magical means to affect him or those around him.
The thought of that magician made him contemplative more often than not; he simply couldn't shake off the awkward sensation he felt from the Rukh upon that man's presence. He couldn't see through the man like the others, while he had a feeling the magician was able to do so.
It left one possible intention which could explain such a sequence of events. "It is highly possible they wish to make themselves known to the world after a long silence. Our presence, as well as Kou's, is not a stage which commonly occurs." Sindbad felt a chill down his spine, an unexplainable sense of being watched washing over him.
He once again surveyed their messy room, as well as the view from the window for any signs of surveillance, but came up empty.
"That is plausible, Balbadd is a rare opportunity for them to make a good entrance if they played their cards correctly." Jafar mistook his king's frowning face for contemplation, trying to think of other possible motives they could have overlooked. "Their knowledge about us and Alibaba shows their advantage as we know next to nothing about them, other than what her majesty Queen Artemina shared with us."
"I wonder how their king defeated her without using a Djinn Equip," Masrur spoke in his usual monotone voice, a tinge of curiosity hidden beneath his indifference.
Sindbad's eyes shone with interest and thrill at the mention of the king of Uruk. "King Gilgamesh, was it not? The encounter with the envoy only makes the wait for their response to our audience request more agonizing." The excitement at the prospects lit a fire in the leader of the alliance, his two companions observing their ruler with deadpan expressions.
"I cross-referenced the names of the envoys with the names we obtained from the Queen's accounts. Shirou is a priest who may look like someone from Heliopat, but Her Majesty's interactions with him and the priest's own admission confirmed the lack of connection. Tomoe hails from the far east, either Kou or Kina. Curiously enough, she did already have her horns when the king and his entourage met Queen Artemina. Her Majesty had already assured Gilgamesh hadn't captured a dungeon, so she might have been a household member of someone else before she joined Uruk's ruler and overused her Household Vessel then." Jaffar flipped through the pages he reviewed and analyzed the data for any difference. "As for Merlin, Her Majesty's accounts of him were less than friendly, labeling him as a womanizer and a headache. Her Majesty still urged caution when dealing with him, so perhaps he is more than what he seems."
Sindbad nodded, his attention finally returning to the matter at hand and the pile of paperwork waiting for him. The High King of the Seven Seas paled at the arduous task ahead of him, a part of him slowly dying inside as he moved on to the next piece of paper under the watchful eyes of his second-in-command and silent guard.
Aladdin sighed as he nursed the headache haunting him since last night. He nearly overused his magoi trying to save Ugo, but Merlin's timely intervention had stopped it.
The boy thought back to the magician and his two friends; they seemed like good people, and the magician even seemed to know about Ugo's state. He wondered if he'll meet them again soon, as he wanted to ask how the situation with the king went.
Walking through the streets, the boy was struck with a piercing pain in his headache akin to a sword stabbing him in the head. He staggered in surprise and nearly fell had someone not caught him, strands of white hair brushing against his face.
"It seems you are not well today, young one."
"Merlin!" Aladdin smiled as the familiar face of the magus appeared before him, the incubus helping him as he withered the pain. "It's great to see you again, thank you for your help."
"It's nothing – it seems to me that you are suffering from the side effects of magoi overuse… or rather, maybe it is not so." Merlin kneeled before Aladdin, his eyes meeting the child's for a few brief moments. The magus smiled before his finger touched Aladdin's forehead, the pain giving way to relief as the boy let out a long, content sigh.
"The headache is gone! Did you do something, Merlin?"
"It appears your blue friend wishes to see you; I just bought us some time to chat before then. How have your friends been after the incident?"
"Alibaba looked sad since yesterday, and has been talking with Sindbad a lot today about what to do. I can't say a lot when it comes to Morgiana, I think she also has a lot on her mind lately."
The two walked amongst the people as they talked. Merlin noticed Aladdin giving passing glances to a few poor children sitting in the corner, faces gaunt with famine and fatigue.
"Did your meeting with the king go well?"
Merlin's face showed his displeasure at the memory, his smile vanishing from his usually cheerful face. "Unfortunately not – if anything, the meeting proved our king's speculation about the country's authority being a lost cause. Anything we could have done is unachievable through standard procedures, and so we're leaving for Uruk tomorrow morning."
"Can you really do nothing to help?"
"It is sadly the case; we cannot help just because we want to. However benevolent our king may be, we do not have the luxury or need to bring about change to this festering nation."
"So these people would only suffer more?"
"That is quite doubtful, given the intentions of both Sindria and the Kou Empire. Each of them are fully capable of turning the current situation around within a reasonable amount of time after dealing with the current failing king."
Merlin's reassurance seemed to relieve the child, although he spotted traces of sleepiness on him. It seemed their time was almost up.
"So young Aladdin, how do you feel about your adventures so far? Were they what you expected?"
Aladdin contemplated on how to answer that question, different memories coming to the forefront of his mind; the first time he met Alibaba and their adventure in the Amon dungeon, his time with the Koga Clan and meeting Hakuei. "There was a lot of pain, and I've lost an elder who I cherished a lot. But I am very happy right now, to get to live like this."
Yawning, Aladdin felt his eyes closing bit by bit, his body felt light as Merlin carried him in his arms. The magus smilled encouragingly at the boy, before he began walking back to his residence. "It is good to hear that, little one. Our time is up now, your friend is waiting for you."
Aladdin closed his eyes, trusting in Merlin's words and hoping he'd meet Ugo again. As he slept, Merlin gently placed him in his room once more, the magus tapping his staff against the wooden floor.
"I'm afraid as a responsible adult, I'm obligated to ask you to stay away from this child. You do look like quite the shady man after all, Ethnan."
Black Rukh threatened to flood the room at the mention of the name, the veiled man in question appearing from the shadows with a frosty glare which would have terrified any lesser man.
The Rukh was dispersed with a wave of Merlin's staff, a sword stabbing through Ethnan's hastily-made Borg and pressing against his neck. "Be nice, now – it is quite rude of you to disturb such an innocent boy as he sleeps, don't you think?"
"How do you know my name, magician?"
"Do you truly believe you're in any position to ask just because this is not your real body?"
Ethnan tensed at the remark, his hostility oozing from his gaze. Merlin remained unperturbed as the black Rukh around them fluttered chaotically. The Magus of Flowers smiled cryptically, his sword slicing off Ethnan's arm as he tried to cast a spell. The limb fell on the floor along with the wand it held, no blood spilling from either the arm or Ethnan's shoulder. The veiled man felt deep agonizing pain throughout his body, his eyes widening at the sight of his flesh rotting at an unnatural pace.
Just as the pain came, it disappeared in an instant. Ethnan gasped for air as he flexed his arms, the sensation of one being slashed off still fresh in his mind.
It was all an illusion.
His eyes landed on Merlin once more, his enemy casually sitting next to the boy, playfully humming a carefree tune.
"You should retreat if you know what's best for you, lest the singularity ruins your delicate plot."
"This is not over, magician of Uruk."
"Something tells me it is, Ethnan. Now be on your way."
Under Merlin's watchful eyes, Ethnan disappeared without another word. Merlin turned to the slumbering Aladdin, a glint in his eyes as he noted the flashing octagram appearing on the child's forehead. Leaving a few fragrant petals on the bed, he calmly left with high expectations for the young Magi. "May that wisdom serve you well, young one."
Night has fallen, bringing with it the horrors it hid. Slaves lined up neatly as they were transported into one of the ships in the harbor. The slavers shouted and cracked their whips, commanding and terrorizing their captives into submission.
The captain of the ship watched it all with indifference, weighing the big bag of coins in his hand with glee. Beside him was the manager of the transaction, his arms crossed as he observed the shipments.
"How soon can we expect you to return for another transport?"
"It'll take a week to get to Reim and sell these for either the arena or other traders, so two weeks would be a good estimate assuming the weather doesn't turn bad."
"Good. We don't know how long we can keep this going before the situation boils over, so we need to squeeze this opportunity for every cent."
"I could have made a faster voyage, but it would land me in Uruk's territory and that would only end with my head flying off."
The captain heard a dull thud behind him, turning around to see the corpse of the manager, a blade with an unusually short hilt stabbed through his head.
"I will pass judgment on your evil."
The captain felt the sword pierce his back and poke out of the middle of his chest. Gasping for air, the man fell and flailed for a few moments, his eyes gazing at his murderer with shock and terror.
Shirou sighed as he recovered his black keys, moving back into the shadows and continuing his hunt with vigor. Before the eyes of all the slaves, the priest executed all the slavers he found, the men helpless before his determined onslaught.
Finishing off the last hostile, Shirou sighed as he straightened his clothes and used the dead slavers clothes to clean his weapons. Turning around to the slaves looking at him, Shirou smiled warmly at the crowd. "All is well now, you are free." He began walking away from the crime scene. "For those of you who have nowhere to return to, meet me tomorrow morning near the ship without a flag."
Meanwhile, Tomoe swept through the swarm of slavers around her. Each strike ended life, her moves elegant and deadly and her speed blinding.
That night the slums were haunted by the cries of the dying slavers, and rumors of the heroic lord and lady of the moon saving the people from enslavement began.
Uruk:
The streets of Uruk were bustling with activities as usual, people of all backgrounds and professions out and about performing their daily duties. Gilgamesh nodded at those he passed by as they bowed to him, his eyes scanning the streets with a critical eye and evaluating the work done.
His eyes landed upon a group of kids playing together – intrigued, he decided to approach. The children gasped upon seeing the king approach them, all of them greeting him with enthusiasm and childish glee. "Your Majesty, are you going to play with us?"
"Bold of you to ask one such as I to play, young one." Gilgamesh approached their clay board, examining the drawing on it with interest. "Explain the rules to me."
Ningal watched as her king attentively listened to the children as they explained their game to him with a smile under her veil. It was always a nice occasion for her to accompany Gilgamesh on his touring of the city, if only so he could enjoy himself rather than drowning himself further in reports and appeals.
Gilgamesh played with them for a short while, and Ningal managed to notice that he's been giving annoyed glances towards the nearby barrel. Scrutinizing it further, Ningal noticed that it was moving for some reason. Deciding to investigate further, she approached it and opened the lid, finding a familiar figure inside.
Ningal eyes met a certain wandering Magi's blue ones for but a few moments, before she proceeded to close the lid with force. Ningal pointedly ignored the indignant cries of the person inside as she pulled back her sleeves and got ready to hurl the container to the high heavens.
"Ningal, that is enough. Put him down."
The Fanalis woman sighed, obeying the order without a word.
Gilgamesh ended the game and opened the lid of the barrel once more. "What are you doing in my kingdom, mongrel?" The king crossed his arms as he watched the man get out of the barrel, adjusting his green magician's hat as he flashed Gilgamesh with a happy smile.
"Gilgamesh! I hope you've been well!"
"Yunan, do not annoy His Majesty."
Yunan flinched at Ningal's cold attitude, chuckling nervously as he tried to lighten the mood. "Don't be like that, Ningal. I just wanted to visit Uruk, I can see it shines even brighter than the last time I've been here." Yunan caved under Gilgamesh's glare, feeling quite small in front of the annoyed King of Heroes's domineering presence.
"I am in a good mood today, so leave my garden while you still can."
"What did I ever do to merit such treatment from you, Gilgamesh?"
"You summoned a dungeon in my garden without my permission. Twice. The disturbance they caused my people is an unforgivable slight."
"I was just trying to help you. It's not like having two Metal Vessel users is bad or anything."
"You dare to insinuate either me or mine require any such aid, old ghost?"
"Nope, I'm sorry." Yunan smiled still as he took in the sight of the Rukh around Gilgamesh. In all his long lifespan, Yunan could never believe such a person could exist in this world.
A peerless being whose existence lies above the greatest of singularities. An existence beyond King Vessels who had no need of a Magi or a Djinn. He whose eyes observed the stars and whose wisdom guided the nation forward.
A good king... a wise king.
The Rukh fluttered in all directions and colors, almost in celebration. The feeling the Rukh emitted was calming to Yunan's mind – intoxicating, in a way. "I heard you've sent envoys to Balbadd and Reim; is it time for you to enter the board?"
"Quite an amusing remark, mongrel. The board is meaningless the moment I join, for my victory is the natural result of my presence."
Knowing Gilgamesh as he does, Yunan had little doubt the king was fully capable of turning this world upside down with minimal effort on his part. Noticing the ruler and his loyal believer leaving him, Yunan caught up to them.
The old Magi could spot a number of Fanalis amidst the crowd, be they builders, soldiers or even traders. A most rare sight to witness this side of the great rift, one which never failed to put a smile on Yunan's face each time he secretly visited this kingdom. Uruk felt different from its peers, unrestricted and pure as it is. It reflected its king brilliantly.
"I don't feel Merlin nearby; did he leave with one of the envoys?"
"That troublemaker left with Shirou and Tomoe to Balbadd."
"I see you're still hard on him, Ningal. It feels just like yesterday you were fascinated by his tricks and stories."
"That was a long time ago, old fool. Besides…" Ningal's gaze focused on her king as he talked with some of the people they passed by, his demeanor regal and strict, but no less caring and considerate. "My king has and will always be the only one whose place is unchangeable." The woman chuckled at the sight of her king silently looking at a babe presented to him by its parents, no doubt requesting his blessings for their newborn.
"I see. You were always the type of person who once they liked something, their heart will not have room for any other, and will always treasure it. The cute Ningal is still the same, after all." Yunan smiled playfully at the annoyed woman, her caring gaze expressing her doting on the King of Heroes.
"I am simply His Highness's most devoted believer. Here I was hoping to finally have some tranquility with Merlin gone, and you show up."
The duo watched as Gilgamesh kissed the forehead of the baby before backing off, whispering something to its ear. Both of them snickered as the child grabbed the king's nose, his grip loosening a few moments later, leaving the parents flustered and apologizing.
Gilgamesh's eyes met the babe, and he laughed. "Your child is fierce. Nurture her well, for she and her peers are the joy of Uruk." The King walked back to his assistant, completely ignoring Yunan, his eyes gazing back to the Ziggurat. "We shall head back now, Ningal."
Ningal nodded and cheerfully followed after him. Yunan watched them leave without a word, his smile never leaving his face. He excitedly continued to walk around in the city, enjoying its sights and splendor.
Reim Empire:
Scheherazade quietly observed her prized land as her mind wandered through the many memories she shared with its first ruler, the gentle breeze washing over her and bringing her from her contemplation.
The old Magi took a sip of the beverage provided to her, her eyes analyzing the guest she hosted for a few days now. An envoy she had been anticipating for a long time, bearing good news.
Her request to visit the kingdom of Uruk has been accepted.
Leonidas sat beside her, dressed in a fine red tunic and sandals showcasing his athletic body. Despite the short amount of time he spent with them, Scheherazade felt a great deal of charisma sharpened by a respectable intellect and an unshakeable loyalty. His very presence practically screamed his worth as a King Vessel.
The former King of Sparta quickly became popular with their Fanalis division, their shared enthusiasm and passion for training had him sharing drinks with them after spending a day in their company. Given his appearance and physical prowess, she suspected he was at least part-Fanalis.
"So you are leaving us tomorrow, Leonidas?"
"I'm afraid so, Your Highness. With my duty done, it is time for me to return home." Leonidas's voice was laced with excitement at the thought of returning home. "I wish to see how far my soldiers have grown in my absence as well." He laughed merrily, his pride in the soldiers he raised clear on his smiling face.
Both of them stood up from their seats, walking together towards the main entrance of the palace. Scheherazade could easily admit she was amazed by the warrior's aura, the Rukh fluttering around him in waves as the people around them greeted them. She was well aware the envoy was popular among the servants, the ladies giggling as they sized him up while the soldiers saluted him with admiration.
It was impressive to say the least, as she knew only few in the palace were as popular as him with the staff.
"It's quite a shame. We have grown quite fond of your company, Leonidas."
"You flatter me, Lady Scheherazade. I hope we meet again in Uruk soon."
"I suppose so. I pray you have a safe journey."
"Thank you, my lady. I pray you have a productive day."
The Magi watched her guest leave, the time they spent together increasing her anticipation at the prospect of meeting the king who has such an exceptional King Vessel as his vassal.
Her thoughts wandered to the choice of her companion for this journey as she returned to the main hall.
"My lady," a deep voice called out behind her, bringing her out of her reverie. A man of Fanalis heritage stood there in his golden armor and white garment. He bowed as the Magi turned to face him, awaiting her response.
"Mu, do you need something?" Scheherazade affectionately called her King Vessel and most loyal guard. A part of her had an idea what was on his mind ever since Leonidas came to them with the news of Uruk's response. The Fanalis Corps were known to be the most supportive of Uruk's fans in Reim due to their interference with the slavers, an aspect she too supported despite the many complaints of the arena managers.
"I request the privilege of accompanying you on your journey to Uruk, my lady." Mu bowed deeply before his Magi, sincerely conveying his wish to join her
Scheherazade smiled at him, a soft chuckle echoing in the empty hall. "I would be honored to have your company during my travels, Mu."
Mu tried his best to maintain his composure, a rare sense of eagerness bubbling inside him at the notion of visiting the kingdom whose ideals and actions had captivated him. Talks from merchants and former Fanalis slaves would never satisfy his burning curiosity about that land.
He excused himself and left Scheherazade to her devices, his restless mind already counting the remaining days till he is to meet the king of a nation who gave his people so much.
Kou Empire:
Deep within the palace, inside a dark hall, dozens of priests circled around a woman in the center. Covered completely from head to toe, hiding all features from discern, they chanted and channeled the magoi to the spherical construct in the woman's hand.
Gyokuen Ren growled, her features distorting into one of a feral beast. The agitation brought back the phantom pains of her face burning and the disgusting smell of burning flesh and eye. She would never forget the slight that impudent king inflicted upon her.
All the surrounding priests fell to the ground, their heads suddenly and simultaneously exploding. Gyokuen glared at the sight of Gilgamesh observing her through the sphere, his eyes bored as the connection cut off abruptly.
Once again, their attempt failed. The woman was absolutely livid, the device in her hand smashed into dust as a result. "How dare he!" The woman's rage was palpable as she destroyed whatever furniture near her, unwilling to accept such a blow to her pride as the oldest Magi.
None in this era should be a match for her; it cannot be!
She needed to find an opportunity to investigate that kingdom thoroughly. Once she crossed into their borders, her work to infect the nation and break it down would begin in earnest. This grudge will not be left unsolved.
She felt the burning sensation on her face once more. Never did Gyokuen believe someone would garner such a level of hatred from her other than Solomon.
Patience, Gyokuen.
She took deep breaths to settle her anger. She was no stranger to playing the long game – such a thing was needed to abolish Solomon's arrogance and bring the wishes of the father to fruition.
She disappeared into the shadows, cursing the King of Uruk with every fiber of her being all the way.
Omake : Unlucky Magus of Flowers
Merlin sighed tiredly as he finally finished helping Shirou and Tomoe with the logistics of the goods and provisions they procured, as well as the documentation of the slaves they saved last night. He examined the situation closely, and finally decided he needed some downtime before sailing back to Uruk.
"Shirou, how long do we have until departure?"
"About two to three hours, I suppose – we're still organizing the documents. May I ask why?"
"You may not. I will see you later."
Merlin disappeared before Shirou could reprimand him, the priest frowning and secretly praying the troublemaker gets what he deserves.
The Magus of Flowers certainly wasn't prepared for the prayer of a priest with B-ranked Luck.
Merlin entered the brothel with childish glee, a silly smile on his face as he was welcomed and seated, waiting for his companion in the short amount of time he had left in this nation. He closed his eyes and felt the tension leave his body and an anticipation of his reward for the good deeds done.
He felt a presence beside him, his smile widening just a tiny bit.
"I hope I haven't kept you long, sir."
"I do not mind, my dear. A flower such as yourself is certainly worth the wait."
Opening his eyes, Merlin felt his heart almost stop as his face paled. His blood practically froze at the sight of the most macho woman he has ever seen, a face most unholy adorned with poorly-applied makeup.
The woman picked up the jar of wine and poured it for the both of them, her grip cracking the poor container's handle, sending chills down Merlin's spine. "My name is Ekaterina. I'll be in your care, handsome sir."
Words failed to describe Merlin's fear, unable to utter a single syllable, his Clairvoyance strangely failing him for once.
Shirou and Tomoe would not understand the reason for the magician's silent and docile behavior, nor why Merlin would freak out at his own shadow and refuse to be alone for the rest of their journey.
It appeared something had finally put the fear of God in their fearless womanizer. Gilgamesh would go on to spend the rest of that day chuckling and laughing for a reason which eluded the understanding of those around him.
Thank you for reading. Have a nice day and stay safe.