7 Chapter 7: Awkward Meetings

Chapter 7: Awkward Meetings

(Fate)

______

(Ethan POV)

So I went inside the throne room, it's naturally decorated more lavishly compared to other parts of the castle.

This is actually my second time seeing King Uther, first time was when I first came in to the Castle.

That time wasn't bad, I was a young boy and Uther wasn't interested in me but now things are different, he probably knows I am interested in his daughter.

Following the proper etiquette I bend the knee while wondering what kind of bullshit Merlin might have told him.

"Rise young lad, unfortunately I have bad news." King giving news? Well that's not something you see everyday.

"Your father Lord Grant had married another lady last year and he now has a newborn son." I raise my head my face is literally saying 'What does that have to do with me?'

"*Cough* Well, you see your father disowned you so you're no longer a noble and do not have a last name but being the apprentice of the Court Magus you will still be staying in the castle."

"Thank you?" God this is weird.

"Well, that's all you may leave." I bow and leave, seriously if he wanted to see me there should be better options, here I was worried about nothing.

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Getting out of the throne room I put on the bracelet Merlin gave me, from the crumpled note that came with the item I learned how it works, it seems like it has five levels. 1 being the normal gravity 5 being 5x normal gravity.

I set it at 1.25 since he was kind enough to put options for minor differences, it feels like I am wearing my armor but without the heatstroke part.

While I was fiddling with the bracelet I arrived at Merlin's room and entered, seeing Cath Palug sitting adorably on the table I gave him a wave before sitting down to continue my reading.

"Hey Cath Palug."

"Fou!"

I stopped and looked up to one of the most terrifying beasts on earth acting all cute, honestly I was wondering if Merlin didn't get him yet.

He looked up to me at the same time I don't know what but I feel like something clicked in both of us.

"Come here you little murder fluff!"

"FOU!"

So here I am petting the hell out of Cath Palug himself, there's something therapeutic about petting him he's just that soft!

"I see you two got along." Merlin comes in with two cups of what I am going to assume tea.

"Yeet!" Hearing him I threw Cath Palug towards the table where he landed with a epic backflip and gave me a nod then we pretended like nothing happened.

"Well, anyway Ethan as you might have guessed today's topic is familiars. Morgan already has her crows so I will help you choose one and we can tame, make or straight up reanimate one."

"I was thinking of getting an eagle but I have nothing concrete."

"Prideful creatures also good for tracking others and mapping out areas but are you sure, there's ups and downs for every familiar."

"Well it's not like it will be permanent since I won't be here my whole life but an eagle will do."

"Very well, there are some flying around the castle sometimes I am sure you can handle it on your own, for know let me teach you how to form a pact if you don't want to kill the bird." Didn't he just said he will help?

The rest of the morning was spent on learning the spell, after eating my lunch I went outside to see if I can attract an eagle with some meat. At least that was the plan until I got tapped by a running Morgan.

"You're it!" I stood there for a while before realizing Morgan is 12 and playing tag is quite normal for a 12 year old before running after her.

Familiar can wait.

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(Dream)

"So Ethan I hear you lost your surname."

"Surnames are overrated."

"Indeed but they sound cool when you compare with others who don't have it."

"Are we really doing this?"

"Ahem why don't I give you one."

"Nope."

"Come on Ambrosius is a wonderful name."

"Not taking it."

"Fine be like that."

"Here look at that Proto Merlin."

"Female version of me!?"

"Yep! Half Succubus and also a onee-san type."

"Succubus? bleh, I don't like it but she does look good."

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Next week I finally got myself an eagle, she made a hard bargain but I finally had her with extra food.

Talking with a animal with low intelligence was interesting you have to portray your emotions and communicate like that.

I named her Claudia for my own morbid sense of humor. (Name of Ezio's sister.)

Which makes me wonder what did Merlin gave Cath Palug to be his familiar after all Cath Palug is smarter than humans, to my knowledge of course. What can tempt such a creature?

"Hey lad! get ready we're going to escort carriages to the new castle." Gerald calls out.

"All right I am coming." The escort duty begun after I saw the king, it seems Camelot has finished and it also means that birth of Artoria isn't far away.

Let's hope I can get Morgan to come with me because I am not hanging out to go through the whole war even though I have a good chances of survival.

I am still pretty afraid of Alaya too.

____

Escort duty wasn't bad, I got to see Camelot and its actually quite beautiful with white walls, some statues and all. What? it's not like I am an architect I am just saying what I am seeing.

Three days later upon our return Merlin continued his lessons this time he talked me through the forbidden zones around the kingdom.

"For example you see this mountain, Fafnir lives there so don't go anywhere near it."

"Wait didn't Siegfried kill him?" I ask, are dragons immortal here like Skyrim?

"Dragons am I right?" Great he doesn't know either.

"So, the whole bathing in dragons blood deal, do you have to kill the dragon for it to work?"

"How are you going to get the blood in the first place? It's not like you can sneak on the dragon empty out a couple vats of blood and leave."

"I see."

"Anyway there's a Succubus living on that valley, she's not much of a threat at the moment since she will be leaving for reverse side in a year or two and that concludes my lesson on where you shouldn't be going."

"Thanks." As I was leaving I felt Merlin throwing something at my head on instinct my barrier flared stopping the offending fluff.

"Well, it seems you finished your barrier let's work on some offense next time."

"You didn't have to throw your familiar like a rock, sorry Cath."

"Fou!" Ahh he's so forgiving.

"Then how am I going to be sure you got it right, now move along also give Cath Palug a bath for me."

"He's your familiar you remember right?"

"But you like giving him baths." I lift my finger to argue only for Cath to jump on my shoulder and make a gesture I came to learn means 'Onward!'

"Fine let's go."

"Fou!" He handed me a scroll it looks old.

[How to walk and breathe for idiots]

I was about to give a deadpan look at this little fluff but I noticed that this is actually proper knowledge.

It's like some martial arts helping out with Magecraft the whole being in sync with the world deal.

"I didn't know pampering you would get me rewards aren't you resourceful."

"Fou!" ahh it's been a productive day.