Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Scrap of the Scrap - Merlin

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A woman with white hair and red eyes stepped off the plane, her gaze sweeping across the distant scenery. With a faint blush on her face, she sighed softly, "We're finally here—Kiritsugu's hometown."

This woman was none other than Irisviel, the one who stood beside Kiritsugu during his servant summoning. She was also his wife.

For Irisviel, this journey was more than just a trip—it was her first real experience traveling far from home. No, it was even more significant than that. It was her first time leaving the snowbound castle where she had spent the entirety of her life up to this point. Having been confined to that isolated place for the past eight years, her excitement was palpable.

"Why not post a tweet to commemorate it? How about I take a photo for you?"

Before Irisviel could savor the moment, a white-haired man emerged from the plane behind her, his voice cheerful and casual as he shouted, "Lollipop!"

This man was Merlin, the servant Kiritsugu had summoned. Unlike the pink robe he had worn at his summoning, Merlin was now dressed in casual attire, looking for all the world like a tourist on vacation in Japan. Slung over his shoulder was a bag, from which he pulled out a digital camera he'd asked Kiritsugu to procure before they left.

He playfully pointed the camera at Irisviel, pretending to take a few candid shots.

"Don't do that," Irisviel said, her previously cheerful demeanor replaced with a stern tone. "We're here for the Holy Grail War. We can't afford to cause trouble for Kiritsugu."

Without waiting for a response, she quickened her pace, descending the stairs.

The dynamic between Irisviel and Merlin had shifted drastically since his summoning. At first, she was awestruck by the "mysterious wizard" she'd read about in tales of King Arthur. That initial wonder quickly gave way to shock after meeting him, and by the time they had spent the 12-hour flight together, her impression of him had plummeted to rock bottom. If there was a skill for destroying first impressions, Merlin was undoubtedly a master.

On the plane, Merlin had talked incessantly for the entire journey.

Irisviel, who normally enjoyed chatting and connecting with people, might have welcomed this if it weren't for one glaring issue: Merlin had an uncanny knack for steering every conversation toward topics that hit her sore spots. It wasn't just a misstep here or there—it was as if Merlin deliberately sought out every metaphorical landmine and gleefully stomped on them.

For example, during an otherwise harmless discussion about her appearance, Merlin had casually remarked, "Madam, your beauty is unparalleled! But isn't it such a pity how short human lives are? Only a few decades at best. And artificial humans like you—well, your lifespan is even shorter. You'll die soon, won't you? Such a waste!"

Although Irisviel could tell that Merlin genuinely meant what he said, he'd delivered the observation with a bright smile and immediately segued into an entirely unrelated, cheerful topic. The sheer audacity was staggering.

For Irisviel, who had long admired figures from myths and legends, meeting someone like Merlin had been a dream come true—or so she had thought. Instead, the reality of his personality had utterly shattered that fantasy.

If anyone brought up Merlin or the legends of King Arthur to her now, she might be able to maintain a polite facade, but her eyes would darken, and she'd likely wear a gloomy, disillusioned expression with an unspoken "Wow~" lingering in her mind.

"Oh, then my camera is losing its purpose. Are you sure you don't want to take a picture?"

Hearing this, Merlin grinned, snapped a few selfies, and then quickly caught up to Irisviel.

Once again, Irisviel decisively rejected his suggestion. "No. What I do need is for you to stay alert to our surroundings. I'd be very grateful for that."

Merlin shrugged, clearly unfazed. "There's no need to worry about that. I have clairvoyance. As long as we're not in an area where strong magic interferes with my perception, I can easily see everything," he said, tapping his temple with a smug expression.

"Sure, but if it's blocked, you'll have to force your way through—and that's bound to give us away," Irisviel countered, clearly unimpressed.

Merlin, however, looked completely unbothered. Clairvoyance was one of his most prized abilities, especially since it had been his only means of passing the time during his centuries of imprisonment in the tower. Spying on the world kept him entertained through those lonely years.

Of course, when that wasn't enough, his second favorite pastime was creating fake female accounts online and conning people. He found it endlessly amusing.

For example, during one of his live streams as a "female" streamer, Merlin had managed to gain a devoted fan who showered him with gifts. Most people might feel ashamed of deceiving someone like that, but not Merlin—he was thoroughly shameless about it.

Watching him snap photos of random street scenes, Irisviel couldn't hide her exasperation. "I get that you're confident in your abilities, but don't you think you should set up a magic workshop? The Holy Grail War officially starts tonight, and for a mage, being without a workshop is extremely dangerous."

Merlin puffed out his chest, brimming with pride. "Safety? There's nothing to worry about! As long as you stay close to me, I can guarantee your absolute safety."

He gave a dramatic pat to his chest and declared, "I might not be the best fighter, but when it comes to survival and escaping danger, I'm a top-tier Servant!"

Irisviel, however, wasn't convinced. She still remembered what he'd said when she'd asked about his combat abilities. "Oh, I'm not really good at magic," Merlin had confessed nonchalantly. "After all, chant a spell too quickly, and you might bite your tongue, right? Swordsmanship is a much better fit for me." After that, she'd given up on questioning him further.

Suddenly, Merlin's eyes lit up. "Oh! Look over there! A game arcade!" He pointed excitedly at the glowing sign of a nearby arcade. "I've always wanted to try one of these. Coming to Japan and not visiting a game arcade? That's unthinkable!"

"Wait a minute—" Irisviel tried to stop him, but Merlin was already halfway across the street, heading toward the arcade. With no choice, she sighed and followed him inside, resigned to his whims yet again.

Not long after they disappeared into the arcade, Elric Bradley happened to pass through the same area.

As Elric strolled down the street, getting familiar with the layout of Fuyuki City, Tom, who was draped around his neck like a scarf, suddenly stirred.

Without warning, Tom's tail shot straight up, rigid as a rod, and pointed into the air. The white fur at the tip of his tail began to blink rapidly with a bright red light.

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

The sound of a radar alarm echoed from Tom's mouth, startling Elric.

"Tom? What's going on?" Elric asked, his heart skipping a beat at the sudden commotion.

Tom didn't respond verbally. Instead, his tail remained stiff, and his expression turned unusually serious. He pointed directly toward the game arcade in the distance.

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T/N: If you liked it add it to your collection and give me power stones