27 [27] I Don't Want to Learn Anymore, Merlin!

Shedding the old and embracing the new, the courtyard witnessed the arrival of spring without a single fallen leaf to sweep. In the evening glow, an elderly knight sat in the backyard, pouring a cup of homemade fruit wine for the silver-haired magus in front of him.

"Magus, you've always been busy with affairs. Why did you personally come to visit today?"

Remarked the elderly knight, Ector.

"Traveling in this direction, I took the opportunity to visit Lily."

Replied the gentle man with a smile, a man known as Merlin, the Magus of Flowers.

His waist-length silver hair seemed to shimmer with a rainbow-like brilliance in the sunlight, complemented by an elegant robe that exuded an aristocratic air. With a face carved like a work of art, adorned with enchanting amethyst eyes, the combination presented a beauty seemingly beyond the realm of humanity.

In truth, he was not human but a half-incubus, possessing world-defying beauty.

This man, with his unparalleled beauty, was Merlin, the renowned magus of Britannia.

Facing Sir Ector, Merlin's words sounded gentle and sincere, but they concealed a hidden truth.

In reality, he was just getting tired of the Northlands and decided to visit this area while seeking flowers and gossip.

Merlin, the great sage, with his extraordinary magical prowess, was a well-known figure throughout Britannia. However, what people didn't know was that he couldn't survive without women. With his charming demeanor and the allure of incubus, he could captivate the hearts and minds of almost any woman with just a glance.

If he grew weary, wiping away those picturesque memories, he could move on like a traceless dream.

In other words, he was Britannia's greatest scoundrel and the master of time management.

Originally, he was busy in the Orkney Isles, engaging in profound conversations with the Duchess.

However, recently...

Merlin's right eyelid kept twitching incessantly, as if indicating some uneasy omen. Yet, despite using his miraculous clairvoyance to observe the present world multiple times, he couldn't discern any clues.

Using this miracle-like clairvoyance was quite draining.

He might as well snuggle up in a woman's embrace.

After a few tries, Merlin became lazy about looking behind him.

However, the ominous foreboding seemed to linger around his mind, refusing to dissipate.

As a incubus, there was hardly anything in Britannia that could threaten his life.

So... was the problem really with Lily?

Communication of consciousness wasn't as restricted as the limitations of the physical body. Leveraging dreams, Merlin could easily communicate with people even from afar.

So, during the day, he would lie on a woman's bed, giving profound advice, and at night, he would find time to teach Lily various aspects of kingship through dreams.

It must be said that his time management was impeccable.

During these days, Lily remained diligent and eager to learn, showing no signs of peculiar behavior. At most, it seemed like she had more questions, which was normal for a young girl.

But Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that he should visit her in person...

Sipping the fruit wine, he became somewhat intoxicated by its exceptionally crisp and sweet taste.

The magus let out a contented sigh.

"Ah, very refreshing! Your brewing skills are becoming more refined."

Spring, indeed, was suitable for drinking.

"Sir Ector, how has Lily been lately?"

"Her Excellency Artoria? She's growing well, always feeling the presence of the king. She will undoubtedly become an outstanding ruler in the future... Although I say that."

Despite his words, there was no joy on the old knight's face. Instead, it displayed a kind of compassion, weariness, and a complex expression.

"She has recently made friends... To be honest, as an old man, there's not much in swordsmanship that I can teach Her Excellency Artoria anymore. Her combat skill have progressed by leaps and bounds, thanks in large part to the patient training provided by Sir Alvin."

"Alvin?"

Hearing a novel name, Merlin couldn't help but show a keen interest.

"Lily has made friends, and she didn't inform me, her teacher... What kind of person is he?"

"She didn't inform you... Well, maybe it's just a shy gesture from a young girl."

Sir Ector gazed at the ripples in his wine cup.

"As for 'what kind of person,' Sir Alvin is undoubtedly a very outstanding young man. With his talents and promising future, looking at him can't help but remind people of..."

As he spoke.

Sir Ector's voice paused slightly.

"...reminds people of the past me."

"Oh? Your praise is unexpectedly high."

"Even the technique of brewing this wine is not my creation, it's a craft bestowed upon my son Kay by Sir Alvin."

"Hmm, even Sir Ector says so. It seems he's truly remarkable. I must meet him if the opportunity arises."

Merlin silently noted down the name 'Alvin.'

But he didn't pay too much attention to it.

The so-called outstanding knight, having served two reigns, he had seen countless of them. Stripping away the glamorous armor, it was difficult to say what remained inside. Perhaps another descendant of some noble family? Although this person's combat skills were indeed exceptional in sparring with Lily, the growth potential of a dragon kind was something beyond human comparison.

"By the way, Magus, Sir Alvin..."

As if suddenly troubled by something.

Sir Ector wore a troubled expression.

"Her Excellency Artoria, her appetite has been growing, and the girl's figure is developing rapidly. I want to ask, does she intend to keep dressing as a boy forever? The truth will inevitably be revealed sooner or later."

"No, it's perfectly fine to switch back to her female form normally..." Merlin smiled, "Dressing as a boy is just a temporary measure."

"Do you mean..."

"After the King Selection ceremony, I plan to travel with her in the counties. Switching back to her female form at that time will have a great effect in concealing her identity."

Speaking of this, Merlin couldn't help but start to boast.

"The Red Dragon was born a girl... When I discovered this result, both Uther and I were quite distressed. After all, inherent biases persist, becoming the king of this country won't gain recognition if you're not male. So, I came up with an idea on the spot, exerting great effort to create a two-layer concept-confusing illusion for her. I'm not bragging, its power is even enough to deceive the world."

"The first layer is: when she appears as Artoria, no one will see her as a man. The second layer is: when she appears as Artorius, no one will see her as a woman. Even if one understands one layer, they will be lost in this nested logic. Without magical perception comparable to that of a dragon, there is no possibility of unraveling it."

Upon hearing this, Sir Ector's expression slightly stiffened for a moment. But considering that the magus had come this far, he must have a method of judgment. The truth would soon become apparent, wouldn't it?

Embracing a mindset of both anticipating the truth and fearing the outcome, the old knight's emotions were unexpectedly uneasy.

If, indeed, she was the heir of that Highness...

Then Lily...

"It seems Lily is about to return."

The white-haired magus stood up with a smile, his gaze seemingly penetrating the gate, staring into the wilderness beyond the courtyard.

In the evening, the lingering twilight between the clouds, the rippling sunset accompanying the continuous mountains, in the transparent purple eyes of the incubus, it seemed to reflect the magnificent crimson of the entire island.

The golden-haired girl, amidst the blending of the setting sun and the autumn water, joyfully ran back.

Merlin closed his eyes.

As her teacher, he had to maintain an air of mystery, now was not the time for a meeting.

"Thanks for the hospitality, Sir Ector. I might come to drink this wine often lately."

The grass underfoot was surrounded by dazzling flowers.

The magus's figure dispersed like dancing petals in the wind.

Following that, outside the door, the cheerful voice of the girl's return rang out, brimming with vitality as usual.

"Father, I'm hungry!"

...

"Today, let's study governance, Lily, specifically the chapter on consolidating taxation. This is a crucial topic for becoming a good ruler."

In the courtyard adorned with colorful flowers, the magus of flowers and the young girl sat facing each other.

The white-haired man seemed to be smiling, his face like a dream, blurry and indistinct no matter how the girl observed him.

However, much to her regret, despite being a complete joker, Merlin wasn't one to forget his duty.

This dream-like effect was because this place was not reality, it was a dream constructed by the incubus.

Every night, the great sage Merlin would teach the girl with the blood of the Red Dragon in her veins in her dreams, imparting knowledge about how to be a ruler.

But today...

After Merlin opened the book, the golden-haired girl didn't follow the usual routine of flipping through the pages. Instead, she sat upright with a serious and solemn expression on her face.

"What's wrong, Lily? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?" Merlin asked with a smile, his gentle voice like a refreshing breeze.

However, the answer he received caused his smile to freeze on his face.

"I want to take a break, Merlin."

"???"

"...Lily, what are you saying?"

"Merlin, a person's energy has its limits."

The girl spoke each word.

"In this long learning journey, I've gradually understood a fact, that is, the more you try to master something with all your might, the harder it becomes to achieve the goal."

"So, to become a ruler, you must surpass your originally narrow perspective."

"...Lily, what exactly do you want to say?"

"Which means..."

The girl declared loudly and confidently.

"...I don't want to study today, Merlin!"

"Eh, eh, eh...why?!"

The half-incubus was a bit flustered, scratching his head,

"Slacking off is not a virtue of a ruler..."

"I have never experienced what it's like to have a good night's sleep, so I'm curious!"

The girl declared loudly, saying something that sounded absurd.

However, it was indeed... the truth.

Almost all of her energy was spent on training and swordsmanship every day. Moreover, because she was worried about Ector's tired back, she voluntarily took on the labor of farming and feeding horses in her free time.

The girl's daily sleep time hardly exceeded three hours.

However, even in this meager time, she still had to receive Merlin's lessons about being a ruler even in her dreams.

Even her foster brother Kay, at present, was unaware of this secret. If he found out, he would surely want to drag that white-haired Merlin out of her dreams and give him a good beating.

Damn it, just be a person!

From as far back as she could remember, the girl had never truly entered the realm of dreams.

To the point where she had almost forgotten what sleep was like.

"I want to experience what it feels like to sleep."

This perfectly reasonable request plunged the magus into speechless silence.

The half-incubus's heart didn't comprehend what guilt meant. However, for some reason, a sense of unease welled up within him, a feeling that he had done something wrong.

"So... let's rest today, Lily."

Under the drive of this unease, Merlin chose to agree to her request.

Immediately, the girl's words of gratitude plunged the magus into even deeper contemplation.

"Thank you!"

Thinking like this...

The girl's face brightened with a radiant smile.

"Teaching me about ruling every day, Merlin, you work so hard. Please remember to take a break too!"

"To become a ruler, I should strive for an all-around development in virtue, intelligence, physical fitness, beauty and labor!"

"Like, taking a break every five days for two days. It's said that combining work and rest like this can lead to a better state."

"...What are you saying?"

A sense of discord.

Merlin felt a strong sense of discord.

The girl's words were simply too unexpected.

Although it was reasonable to want to take a break, combining work and rest? Virtue, intelligence, physical fitness, beauty?

...This was definitely not the Artoria with a strong sense of mission she used to be. She would never question herself like this in the past.

"Interesting, who taught you such things, Lily? Could it be that...?"

In the magus's mind, a name flickered faintly.

"...Alvin?"

"Ah, so you've already met Sir Alvin?"

The girl exclaimed softly and then looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Yes, that's right... Teacher Merlin, I think what Sir Alvin said makes a lot of sense..."

As soon as this topic came up, her voice became even more lively.

Merlin's expression, in turn, became more solemn.

Shyness, a rosy flush, admiration...

And the brilliance that shimmered in her eyes...

Merlin was very familiar with such expressions.

The women in the city would look at him with the same expression.

Ah, his adorable Lily, has she really fallen in love...?

This could be troublesome.

"...Lily, rest well tonight. I wish you sweet dreams~"

With a gentle wave of Merlin's hand, brilliant petals fluttered in the air.

The golden-haired girl, sleeping in the stable, fell into a deep slumber in an instant.

Merlin's figure appeared by her side, gently laying a grass mat for her.

Quietly pushing open the door, he stepped out of the courtyard.

Merlin lifted his head, contemplating the starry night sky as if lost in thought.

"Alvin... hmm?"

The half-incubus smiled gently.

The subtle curvature of his lips seemed quite meaningful.

"You little thief."