20 Chapter 14.2 - Halcyon Days [2]

"S-Sir Gareth!?" Arturia barely managed to reign her shout as she looks to the dining table, and the two individuals currently eating on it. Gareth stiffens, broken out of her conversation with Shirou, and she slowly turns to meet her. "A-Ah. G-Good afternoon, my lord." She says meekly, clearly distressed.

"S-Shirou, are you…?" Irisviel says from her left.

"No. Gareth's Hanami's servant. She's just staying with me." Shirou says simply to Irisviel's question. He then places an assuring hand on Gareth's shoulder, and the knight calms down. Gareth takes a deep breath, and releasing it, she looks to Arturia. "Sir Shirou's right. I am servant Lancer, but my master asked me to stay hidden." And then she goes meek again. "Though I've failed at it…"

"It'll be fine, Gareth." Shirou says, smiling, before he turns to the two women by the door. "So, is there anything you want?"

The two women freeze for a moment, before they recall their reason for coming here in the first place. "I wish to ask why you were able to bring about the [Garden of Avalon]." Saber answers for them both.

Shirou frowns for a moment, and his eyes go dull in thought, before he nods. "I don't mind explaining. Take a seat first though, I'll get us some tea." And with that, Shirou rises from his seat and leaves for the kitchen, leaving Gareth alone with Irisviel and Arturia. Cold sweat begins to pool at the back of her neck.

"Sorry for intruding, Lancer." Irisviel says happily, taking a seat at the long dinner table. "I as well, Sir Gareth." Arturia politely follows, taking a seat next to her acting master and confidant. The silence seems to stretch on, and Gareth can't help but begin to feel lightheaded.

After all, she's sitting on the same table as Irisviel, whose beauty matched even that of Lady Guinevere, and Arturia Pendragon, her king from her time as a knight of the round table. It was hard not to feel tiny as she sits together with the two.

Thankfully, before she could faint, Shirou returns with several cups of tea, all neatly placed on the metal tray he's carrying. "Here you go." He hands them all a cup each before taking a seat next to Gareth.

He takes a deep breath and begins. "Around a month from now, the grail's mud will burn down Fuyuki, killing nearly everyone. I was one of the survivors."

"I'd found myself walking, pushing myself to walk even as my legs were growing numb. People called to me, cried for my help, and they cursed me as I walked past them. At that time, I only cared about surviving, but…" He goes silent for a moment. "In the end, the fire became too much and I fell."

"I didn't realize I was suffocating back then. I'd taken in too much ash, and I could barely breathe. I think I also got crushed under some rubble, but my memory of that's a bit hazy."

Gareth winces slightly. She can't fathom how painful it'd been for him. She'd been saved from that torture, for her death was swift, but his was a slow drain, a creeping chill of slowly losing one's life. 'And he was but a child at that time, wasn't he?' She realizes, and that revelation only made it worse.

"But," He begins to smile, "Before I died, a man saw me and began digging me up, and when he did, he smiled as he cried. I didn't understand how he could be so happy at seeing me, and I couldn't help but wonder back then if I could smile like he did."

"I was still dying though, and I'd blacked out by then, but I woke up tomorrow, with no injuries on my body, and no memories of my life before that fire." He laughs lightly. "You can almost say I was born from that fire."

"I lived like normal from then on. I was adopted by the man who saved me, and we lived here in Fuyuki. Of course, I always wondered how I survived on that day, but my father passed away from an…illness before I could ask him, and I didn't know how to find out myself."

"And then, ten years later, I met Hanami."

His smile becomes somewhat strange, almost like a mixture of a smile and a grimace. "It was her that figured out that I had an artifact implanted inside me, one that healed nearly all my wounds."

It's then that Arturia begins to make the connection, and all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly appear.

"Back then, as I laid dying, the man had implanted [Avalon] into me."

Boom. Gareth can almost hear the comical sound of the bombshell he just dropped. The answer to most of their questions was answered by then, and Irisviel stared at Shirou in shock and horror. "W-Was your father…?" She goes silent at the end, but the question is clear to them. Shirou goes silent again, this time contemplating, before he smiles.

"Yes. My father is Kiritsugu."

"And my name is Emiya Shirou."

"I-Irisviel!" Arturia is too late, as Irisviel suddenly drops onto the floor, knocked unconscious from all the sudden revelations Shirou just dropped. It's quite amusing for Shirou to see actually, watching Arturia fret over Irisviel, who's essentially his foster mother. He suppresses another laugh as Irisviel begins to mumble incoherent words, and then he stopped and grimaced.

'Oh god. I'm being influenced by Merlin.'

"I'll take that as a compliment, Shirou~"

'It wasn't one.'

He can only sigh as Merlin giggles.

~~~

You know? I never expected to be back in the [Slime Dungeon], nor was I expecting to go to an ID with someone that isn't Shirou. This sure brings me back though, with me walking through the slimed city of Fuyuki, making sure I don't get myself all slimy while taking out the slimes populating this Instant Dungeon.

Of course, I was the one killing the slimes back then, but this time, I'm having someone else do it.

"So? How does it feel?" I ask the girl in front of me, watching as she thrusts her iron spear forward. The green slime she stabs wiggles for a moment before it falls down onto the floor. The girl then turns back to me, smiling shyly. "I-It's good, Miss Hanami!"

Her name's Wanda, one of [Dun Stadia]'s 58 villagers, and the only one who accepted my proposal to go hunting. She…actually looks a lot like me, with light brown hair and dark green eyes. She's younger though, currently only 12 years old, and obviously shorter than me, but the similarities are quite uncanny.

To give some context, after I bought [Od Manipulation] skill books and made everyone learn the skill, I let Oswald begin the village's improvements. He took with home most of the adults however, leaving the children behind. And it's then I asked if anyone would be willing to try to hunt some monsters, to which only Wanda answered.

Since I'm not a complete moron, I also bought her a [Spear Mastery] skill book after asking what weapon she'd like to try and made her a basic iron spear to use. At first I intended to make the spear relatively weak, so that she wouldn't just overpower everything in her way, but I forgot about [Age of Babylon] and ended up with an iron spear that increases her Strength by 40, effectively making most of the slimes in this ID fodder.

Which all leads to our current situation, with Wanda taking the front lines and hunting down the slimes while I watch from the back, occasionally attacking when needed and watching her Exp and level slowly rise.

Because, though I haven't mentioned (and I probably should have), my [Gamer] doesn't have a [Party] function.

Just, what?

I first tried it back when Shirou and I were hunting ghouls back then, but I couldn't find any tabs that allowed me to. A lot of time has passed since then, and a bunch of updates and patches has been made, but still no [Party] option.

Well, not like it's stopped me from power leveling the girl up!

She's now level 6, a good 5 levels above her previous level 1. Heck, she even gained [Battle Guard] as a new skill from all this. Her [Od Manipulation]'s slowly gaining Exp, and her [Spear Mastery]'s looking pretty at level 4. Overall, quite a fruitful result she gained from such a low-leveled ID.

Now then,

"I think we've cleared this area." I nonchalantly say, looking around at the now emptied streets. "Ready to move on to the next one?"

"T-There's another one?" Wanda asks, gripping her spear as support as she takes a deep breath. I blink for a moment, wondering why she looks so tired, before I noticed that her stamina's not looking so good. Oh, right. I laugh slightly, remembering that this was the first time the girl had moved so much.

"There is, but you're obviously tired, so let's go back, okay?"

"Mm!" She nods eagerly, and I smile. In the short time we've been together I've come to see her as a little sister, and I can't help but feel all warm and fluffy as I watch the girl go up to me with the brightest smile I've seen. Ah, the joys of being young~

"Let's go then."

[Leaving [Slime Dungeon]. Returning to [Dun Stadia] of [Yuriele]]

The fake Fuyuki around us shatters into light, and then we appear back at [Dun Stadia]'s [Obelisk], located right at the middle of the village. "Now, go to your mother. She's probably worried sick."

"W-Will we go again tomorrow?"

I smile, playfully ruffling her hair. "Of course. Now, off you go!" And with that, the girl runs off, though not before giving me a cheerful "Thank you!" with a smile. Ah, I feel lightheaded from how sweet she is~. I should be careful not to get diabetes.

Anyways, now that I'm back here, I can see that the 10000 points I gave to Oswald were well spent.

The village remains mostly the same on the outside, but with my Mystic Eyes, I can see that the village's [Infinite Water Well] has been upgraded to produce more water daily, the many apple trees planted all around the forest given better supplements to ensure a bigger harvest, and more diverse seeds have been planted. Their clothes and tools remain largely the same, but I can easily fix the tool problem with my [Blacksmithing]. I don't have a [Weaving] skill to make clothes yet, but I can easily get that with some trial and error.

Of course, this doesn't fully guarantee that they'll start being able to save up points for more improvements, but it's a good start.

"Oh! You're back, traveler Hanami!" I hear Oswald's voice from behind, energetic, and much livelier than ever. I smile as I turn to meet him. "I am, and I see you've made some improvements to the village. A smart choice on not making any visible upgrades, since people who might want to extort you will only see a simple village."

His mouth drops open. "You noticed all that…?"

"I'm just observant." I say cheekily. "Anyways, I'll be going back now. But, I'll be back soon, probably around the same time."

Oswald quickly closes his mouth and smiles. "Then we'll be waiting for your return, traveler Hanami." He then bows to me. "And, once again, thank you."

"It's nothing, really!" It genuinely is nothing for me though, but I don't think they'll appreciate me saying that. "Well, I'll be going now. See you later!"

With that, the world around me fades.

~~~

[Leaving…]

~~~

And then, white fills my vision as I find myself standing atop the Einzbern Mansion, overlooking the snowy landscapes all around. Nothing much's changed in my hours traveling through a couple different worlds, though it seems Francis is once again in Fuyuki, playing some…Galaga? Damn, what a classic.

Gareth's currently with Shirou and Saber, this time actively engaged in a conversation with her former king, while Shirou's quietly enjoying a cup of tea in the background.

'Ah, good for her.'

Hmm…I wonder if I'll be able to help this Saber regain the memories of what we went through in the previous world. Should be possible with [Kaleidoscope], but I haven't quite completed the quest to change Shirou's fate.

Actually, what're the criteria for completing that anyways? I mean, [Change the fate of Emiya Shirou] doesn't really say much, and sadly, my Mystic Eyes aren't able to look into the [Gamer] system's history and mechanisms, so I don't fully know how to complete it.

Well, I'll figure it out as I go.

Anyways, now that I'm back, I would've liked to go and bust down the Matou Mansion to get Sakura out, but there're several issues with that.

Namely, how the individual known as 'Matou Kariya' does not exist in this timeline. He died several years back, whether because of natural causes or not is unknown, but this means that he isn't the master of true Assassin, which is…worrying.

Whoever is the master of Assassin is hidden, unable to be tracked even by my Mystic Eyes. It means that whoever this Assassin is, their [Presence Concealment] is strong enough to oppose my Mystic Eyes, which could be very bad. Of course, this depends on whether or not this Assassin is an ally or not, but looking at most Assassins, I wager not.

Another problem is Zouken, or whoever is currently occupying Zouken's body. Frankly, he's too powerful to be just a magus. An incredible amount of taint and malice is radiating from him, and I can feel it even from all the way here. It could just be that he's much stronger in this timeline, or that he's somehow taken in the power of the [Heart of the Grail].

Both possibilities aren't good.

I frown as I idly play with the snow piling atop the rooftop, thinking of what to do next, because honestly? This war's now stuck in a stalemate, with none of the master's currently fighting for the Grail, and I have no idea what to do.

I mean, I could go use my Mystic Eyes to look into the infinite possibilities of the future, but that takes up too much time, time I could use for something much more productive.

'…Hmm, what to do…'

I spend some time sitting there on the rooftop, making tiny little snowmen as I ponder on what to do.

In the end, I never figured out what I wanted to do, but not wanting to waste my time just sitting here constantly, I decide to jump into the [Ghoul Dungeon] from a while back and train, you know, level up my skills and stuff.

And so, I activate my [Create:ID], and the world around me turns to white.

~~~

Slowly, Shirou opens his eyes, seeing the bright blue sky that greets him. He blinks, before pushing himself up and seeing the field of flowers around him, and the tall white tower that stands in the center of this world.

"Ah." This was clearly [Avalon], but wasn't he just watching Gareth and Arturia chat? Did he happen to fall asleep then?

"Oh, you're back." He hears Merlin say, and he turns to see her casually sitting before a porcelain white table, enjoying a warm cup of tea.

"We're not at the tower?" He asks, and Merlin shrugs. "I wanted a change in scenery." She says, and as flimsy as that excuse was, he nods and takes a seat next to her. They spend some time in the quiet, only accompanied by the gentle swaying wind as they drink the tea that appeared from…somewhere.

The tea also tastes strangely similar to the one he made.

'Wait, is this where that missing jug went?'

He found the lack of the tea he made last night somewhat strange, but now he has an idea on where it could've possibly gone.

And it seems Merlin knew as well, seeing that little smug smile she has on her face. He relents however, seeing as it was only tea and not something important like his clothes.

"Don't you have any questions, Shirou?"

"I have many." He answers bluntly, "But I'll just ask one."

"And what might that be?"

"How did I use your Noble Phantasm?" It's the question that's been bothering him the most. Out of the four beings currently residing inside him, Merlin is the one he's synchronized with the least. He knows none of her history, none of her powers, none of her soul.

Unlike the other three, Merlin is alive, and furthermore, she is a Caster. His true affinity is that of swords, and understanding the history of a blade is effortless to him. And yet, he'd somehow managed to use [Garden of Avalon], the Noble Phantasm the enigma known as Merlin is able to use.

"You're looking at it from the wrong angle." He blinks at her, and she continues. "Your ability to attune yourself with swords if due to your strange magecraft you accidentally created. Your [Structural Analysis], coupled with your affinity with swords allows you to do as such. I however, am different."

She places her hand on his chest, atop where the mystical sheath lay. "I have been with you for much longer. Your body and soul has attuned to [Avalon], and me to you. Our souls have been inevitably intertwined." She pulls her hand back, before the [Kojiki Kiyomitsu] suddenly appears in her hands. "Of course, just as you are able to use my powers, I'm able to use yours."

"Understandably, just as you're unable to fully manifest this world, I'm unable to fully make use of yours." She says, dispelling the katana and smiling. "You are human, and I am not. However, if that happens to change, then perhaps our connection could change as well."

"You mean…if I become a Heroic Spirit?"

She nods, though she seems rather surprised. "Well…yes, that is an ample example. But, do not worry. Your friend has evolved beyond humanity, and I have a feeling she's doing everything she can to help you do so as well."

He blinks, and then gapes. "Wait, Hanami's not a human anymore?!"

"Of course." Merlin says as if it was the most normal thing. "It's only you two that defy the general populace. After all, what magus can move at speeds rivaling servants, or fly indefinitely like some Casters? Not even the knights of old had that."

"However, while Hanami has fully ascended, you have not. Of course, that doesn't mean we can't cheat the system." Merlin gains a smug smile at that, and for some unexplained reason, Shirou suddenly feels his future crying out to him. Alarm bells ring in the distant future, and he can't help but worry over what the flower magus would do to him.

"Now, I feel we've rested for enough, don't you agree?" Shirou turns to her slowly, still somewhat sluggish from the bombshell she just dropped, but he sees her eyes, and the gleam that shines inside, and he couldn't help but grin. Traits of the heroes he holds within begin to seep into his psyche, and as he stands, he takes several steps back.

"Like always?" He asks, and she smiles.

"Like always." Merlin's staff appears in her hand, the table and chairs disappear, and winds are kicked up as Shirou rushes forward, his blade clashing against her staff.

Their battle would then last for a couple hours, like it always does. Sword clashed against staff, speed countered against magecraft, skill countered by instinct. It'd become almost a routine for them to have spars like this, if only because Shirou suggested after he heard Merlin off-handedly mutter that she'd been feeling a little sore from not moving.

Being the person he was, Shirou took it literally.

She appreciated it, not only because it helped her slowly synchronize with him, but also because he'd spend his time simply entertaining her.

From when [Avalon] was implanted inside him, she'd gained an interest in the survivor of that catastrophic event. She'd watched him grow, watched his willingness to help others, watched him train his magecraft in that botched method. She'd been with him when the person known as Tsunaka Hanami came into his life, when she revealed that strange world, when he and his servant was trapped in that fake city, and when together, they'd struck down the Grail.

The years she'd spent watching him grew the respect she held for the boy, and now that they'd truly met, she could feel that interest change into something else.

For the first time, she has a friend.

Merlin is a trickster, an individual unbound by morality and rules, whose existence pushes against that of society. But though she may not be fully human, the loneliness she feels, trapped in this beautiful cage is maddening.

The confidence she once had vanished when she saw no way of escaping. The cheery personality she had grew stale as there was nothing to share it with. Her penchant for pranks slowly dried as there was no one to watch it. All that was left of her was the mission she'd set for herself, to watch humanity progress until its end, but even she knew how flimsy such a mission was.

After all, everything in this world is subject to entropy, is it not?

For Shirou, she holds eternal gratitude, for he was the savior she never knew she needed.

And for him, she'd gladly oppose the world.

~~~

Meanwhile, back at the Einzbern mansion,

"…Hmm, time sure flies when we pay no heed to it." Arturia mentions as she looks out to the darkening skies outside. Gareth looks outside as well, before finally realizing just how long she'd spend talking with her king. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't notice!" To her apology, Arturia simply chuckles, before placing a finger over her lips.

"Be sure to keep quiet. I do not think you wish to wake your friend over there, do you?" Silently, as Gareth also realizes that Shirou had, at some point, fallen asleep, Arturia stares at the boy. Oddly, as she looks at him, she feels a slight ache of reminiscence within her, as if the boy was someone she had known a long time ago.

She can't help but wonder why.