C252

Artoria gave instructions to the women next to her to continue picking fruits without delaying the harvest. Then, she picked up an apple and walked towards Shirou.

"Long time no see, my king."

"It has been a year," Shirou sighed, looking at Artoria. The girl who once wore armor now donned a white dress, which made her even more charming.

It was true that clothing makes the man, or in this case, the woman. Artoria in armor gave off a majestic air, but lacked the gentle charm of a girl. On the other hand, Artoria in a white dress brought out the softness of a young girl.

Shirou felt a bit uncomfortable, especially when Artoria said, "My king, I miss you."

He hesitated for a moment, then walked behind Artoria and gently lifted her hair to take a closer look.

"What's wrong, my king?" she asked.

"Are you... Merlin in disguise?" Shirou hesitated and asked. It didn't seem like something Artoria, his loyal servant, would say. Instead, the white-haired useless fellow who had learned a lot of sweet words was more likely to say such things.

Kay had been completely fooled by Merlin's sweet words during their last encounter. Merlin had used Ector's name and the righteousness of their cause to persuade Kay that he was searching for a wife for him, for the future of his family. Without Merlin's help, he would remain a bachelor forever. His honeyed words had completely confused Kay.

Therefore, Shirou suspected that this Artoria might be Merlin pretending to mess with him, as Merlin hadn't returned for a year and could have come to Artoria to help her.

"Why do you think that?" she asked, her expression perplexed.

"It just seems out of character for you."

"That's too much, my King! It's been well over a year since our last meeting; even I want to express my feelings!" Her serious and earnest expression put his doubts to rest. He knew that Merlin was familiar with Artoria, but his frivolous personality wouldn't allow him to pull off such a stiff expression.

Shirou decided to change the subject and pointed to the apple in Artoria's hand. "Are you picking apples?"

"Yes, I am. And to be precise, I'm picking them with the people," Artoria replied as she carefully pulled out a notebook from her pocket and flipped through a few pages. "You once told me that leading by example is the best way to inspire others."

"I simply applied that principle to my own life, but don't worry, I took care of my own affairs first," she assured him as she closed her notebook.

"I see," Shirou rubbed his chin, not even recalling that he had made that statement. Nevertheless, Artoria had taken note of it, and even the Agravain trio had their notebooks out to record it. It seemed to be a quote that they had yet to copy.

Shirou glanced at them, feeling no awkwardness. After all, he had been with these knights for almost five years and had become accustomed to their habits.

"My king, have you come to evaluate my performance?" Artoria asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

She handed Shirou an apple and said, "You must be thirsty after rushing here. Have this apple to quench your thirst first. Let's go to the office and talk things over."

"I've already been to the office, and I have to say, you did a great job," he replied. "But let's head to Ector's estate. It's been nearly five years since we last visited."

"I'm afraid the old estate is no more," she informed him. "Ector divided it up and gave it to the former servants. The current estate is just a small one that I established about a year ago."

"Let's go take a look," Shirou suggested.

"Yes," she agreed.

As he walked towards the estate, he couldn't help but notice the changes in scenery and people. Nevertheless, he relied on his memories to guide him.

Shirou pointed to a distant orchard and remarked, "I remember this used to be farmland five years ago, but now it's an orchard. Did you have a hand in this, Artoria?"

"Yes, my king," she nodded. "You once said that we should strive for harmonious coexistence with nature. Since we already had farmland in Tintagel, I decided to plant an orchard to promote a more balanced natural environment and provide employment opportunities for those who were unemployed. This is what you meant by not letting labor go to waste."

"I can't believe you say that," Shirou chuckled. "I'm impressed by your ability to put my words into action."

"Please don't underestimate me, my king," she replied with a serious expression. "I am a person and a woman, and I am capable of growth and change."

Shirou couldn't help but burst out laughing. Compared to Morgan, Artoria's surprise was quite refreshing.

As they gazed at the scenery around them, Shirou couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia and wistfulness for how much things had changed over time.

Five years prior, the land had been a desolate wasteland with a muddy road, devoid of life and vitality.

Five years later, the area was transformed, with clearly demarcated fields on either side of the road, and farmers with smiles on their faces plowing the land with horses provided by the royal court. Joy and contentment radiated from the people.

In the past, Kay had been in charge, with a rigid and unyielding Artoria by his side, bound by her unyielding adherence to the ideal of kingship.

Now, five years later, Shirou led the way, with Kay, Agravain, Gawain, and other knights following closely behind. Artoria, on the other hand, wore a gentle smile on her face, as if she had been freed from the inner turmoil that once plagued her.

How times had changed, Shirou thought, sighing to himself.

Guided by Artoria, Shirou arrived at an estate that was both familiar and yet strange to him.

As they approached the entrance gate, they heard the sound of something breaking from inside.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah! Don't bite me! I'm not your mother, don't bite me!" The voice was somewhat familiar, and Shirou turned to Artoria, asking, "Who is that person?"

Artoria's expression grew cold, and she said, "Please do not mind, my king. That is just a servant who works on the estate..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a pink-clad figure burst out from inside the gate, carrying a baby in her arms.

"Help me, Lily! She's biting me!" Merlin cried, pointing to her breast while struggling with the baby, who had a fierce expression and a mouthful of teeth.

Shirou's eyes widened as he recognized the person in front of him - the cross-dressing weirdo who was a real eyesore - as none other than Merlin.

Merlin was dressed in a revealing pink dress that left little to the imagination, with silver hair cascading down her back, and a red magic wand in her hand, giving her a magical girl vibe.

"Uh-oh, my king, you're here too!" Merlin exclaimed, just as the baby on her breast bit her again.

"Wah-wah-wah-wah-wah...it hurts!" Merlin cried out. "Lily, please help me! Help me!"

Artoria's expression grew tense. "You must have done something wrong."

"I didn't do anything at all," Merlin cried, "This child is so fierce even though she hasn't grown all her hair or teeth yet. She will definitely be very fierce in the future!"

Merlin's wand suddenly twisted, and a teasing female voice emerged, saying, "Merlin pinched this child's face, stretched it long and wide, and even attempted to spank her bottom, so she was bitten! Hahaha!"

"Oh no! Please help me get her off! I feel like she's going to bite me to pieces! She's so small, where does she get such strength from? My king, do you think her mother is a dragon?" Merlin wailed.

Shirou regarded the crying Merlin with a pleased expression and remarked, "Tsk tsk, it seems you've made too many enemies! Even a child can't tolerate your antics!"

"Isn't that right, Kay?" Shirou asked, turning to the knight standing beside him.

Kay glared at Merlin and ground his teeth. "My king, if I may speak candidly...I wish I could chop this scoundrel into pieces!"

It was clear that Kay still harbored a grudge against Merlin, even after all this time.

Just then, several maids hurried over in a state of panic and took the baby from Merlin's grasp, carrying her inside the manor.

"It hurts so much, it hurts so much!" Merlin whined, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Shirou chuckled. "You're quite the actress. How could a baby who's just seeking milk possess such strength?"

"My king, you don't understand! She really does have an incredible amount of strength, almost like that of a newborn dragon!" Merlin insisted.

Shirou dismissed the matter and turned to Merlin, regarding her magical girl outfit. "Speaking of which, what are you wearing?"

On this topic, Merlin looked resentful and said, "That's why I said I really hate that guy! All of this is for you, my king. He said he could help me, but I had to dress up like this... He's a super pervert!"

"The Old Man of the Jewel..." Shirou mused, considering the prestigious figure. "While he may be a man of great renown, his choice in costumes always seems to revolve around magical girls. It's hard to take him seriously as a decent person."

However...

"He's not here now, right? You can take off the outfit," he suggested.

Merlin let out a pitiful cry. "He's placed a curse on me, so I can't remove the wand or the clothes. It's outrageous! If it weren't for your noble cause, my king, I would have drawn my sword and slain him while he was distracted!"

Ruby chuckled. "You ought to be careful what you say, magical girl ☆ Melly~! My master may be watching you from somewhere!"

"If he's watching, then let him watch! If he dares to show himself, I'll face him in single combat! He may be skilled with a sword, but he's no match for me. He deliberately crafted a Jeweled Sword and flaunted his swordsmanship and magic before me, hoping to discourage me from retaliating. It's a pathetic disguise, and I refuse to be swayed by it!" Merlin spat, seething with resentment.

"My king..." Merlin began, but was cut off by Kay, who burst onto the scene, brandishing his sword. "You're dead, Merlin, you thieving cur!" he shouted, giving chase to the cross-dressing magus.

"Oh no! This is too cruel! I'm already so pitiful, and yet you still want to chase me down? I feel like crying, really!" Merlin protested as he ran, with Kay hot on his heels.

Shirou couldn't help but laugh at their antics. "Kay and Merlin are always so full of energy when they're together."

Artoria nodded, keeping her head lowered. "Yes, my king," she agreed quietly.