In Ludwig's estimation, the melee that had erupted at the Mion River was so chaotic that it had utterly violated the so-called rule of secrecy governing the Holy Grail War.
Yet, by the time he departed with Matou Kariya's remains, not a single resident of Fuyuki City had come out to investigate. After burying Kariya in a nearby temple cemetery, he returned to the hotel with Artoria, and they retired to their respective rooms to rest.
Despite the string of battles, his exhaustion wasn't severe. The only real issue was that Durandal had vanished—likely because Gilgamesh's exit from the war caused his treasures to dissipate as well. Regardless, after a long night of activity, Ludwig was weary; he briefly replayed the events in his mind before falling into a deep, heavy sleep.
When he next opened his eyes, it was already broad daylight. He felt a weight pressing down on him, making his breathing feel labored. Realizing someone was lying on top of him, Ludwig immediately threw back the duvet. There he saw Merlin, completely naked, sprawled across his chest and looking at him with a beaming smile.
"Good morning, Lutz," Merlin said, her smile as radiant as a flower. "Hard work in last night's battle, hm? Through the efforts of you and the King of Knights, you eliminated four factions—Caster, Archer, Lancer, and Assassin—in a single night. Now, only the Rider faction remains as the sole survivor."
"So you saw everything after all." Ludwig wasn't surprised.
The journey from Japan to Finland and back shouldn't have been easy, but since this was Merlin, any such difficulties could basically be ignored.
"Whose magecraft did you think that fog was—the one thick enough to shroud the entire battlefield?" A glint of pride and playfulness danced in Merlin's eyes.
"I figured as much." Ludwig reached out and stroked Merlin's soft, silky white hair.
Even though they shared the same hair color, the succubus's hair felt worlds apart from his own to the touch.
"At a time like this, you aren't supposed to say 'I figured as much'~" Merlin poked Ludwig's cheek. "When a beautiful girl travels far and wide for your sake, it's never for nothing. She expects a reward."
"...I thought so. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world." Ludwig sighed. "I've accrued so many favors from you. I wonder when I'll ever be able to pay them all back?"
"A favor is a favor, and a reward is a reward." Merlin categorized them with practiced ease. "There's no need to think so hard right now~ After all, I've stripped down and crawled into your bed. Though, what a coincidence that you aren't wearing anything either, Lutz."
Ludwig averted his gaze. "It's not like they were made of special material. After a few fights, my clothes were in tatters."
"That's not the point~" Merlin licked her lips and leaned in close to Ludwig, her lips nearly brushing his as she spoke. "What I want to ask is... about the 'sequel' from before. Do you have the inclination?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be holding your waist. I would have kicked you off the bed," Ludwig replied.
"I simply love how candid you are, Lutz~" Merlin cupped Ludwig's face and pressed her lips directly against his.
Merlin, the Magus of Flowers.
She was perpetually enveloped in an intoxicating floral fragrance. Ludwig had never seen a living flower or blade of grass until he visited the courtyard of the Millennium Castle. But those moonlit blossoms were vastly different from the ones in the outside world.
And Merlin herself was different from any mundane flower. In this moment, she was like a sea of blossoms in the dead of night, suddenly unfurling their petals as dew dripped from the stamens into the soil.
Then the wind died down, and all sound sank beneath the earth. The heart of the flower began to tremble slightly, as if shedding an invisible veil; the petals drew in softly before blooming once more. With every opening and closing, a wisp of imperceptible fragrance was released—a scent that suddenly found direction, flowing like a slender stream that slowly saturated the cold winter air.
It was this single touch—
The rhythm of the entire garden shifted. The fragrance suddenly took on form, weaving a transparent bridge between the two blossoms. They did not move, yet on an invisible plane, they drew closer: the filaments in the eastern stamen stretched out soundlessly like questing tentacles, while the shape of the western ovary shifted quietly, awaiting a gentle union.
Dew began to travel upward along their stems, defying logic as it returned from the soil to the flowers. Every drop carried the weight of starlight, merging into miniature galaxies within the veins of the leaves. The edges of their petals began to bleed light into one another—creamy white and pale pink hues mingling to create a third color, a shade without a name that existed only in this fleeting moment.
The most secret change occurred deep within their roots. In the dark, fertile soil, rootlets as fine as hair extended and explored at an imperceptible speed. Finally, across a three-inch gap, one touched the other. They did not entangle; they simply brushed against each other lightly, like the fingertips of long-lost lovers recognizing the patterns of each other's skin.
In this moment, the boundaries of the flowers themselves grew blurred. The fragrance of the east carried the flavor of the west; the dew of the west reflected the shadow of the east. They maintained their individual forms, yet shared a single existence across every subtle dimension: the same rise and fall of breath, the same rhythmic expansion and contraction.
The morning in this small city in the Far East was exceptionally quiet.
Ludwig lifted Merlin up entirely, pressing her against the wall of the room so her feet didn't touch the ground. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her fragrance as they kissed.
They were like two white peonies grown from the same stalk.
The morning dew clinging to the petals and leaves was not transparent; it was infused with a thick, heady vernal hue that did not belong to this season—like a tiny, breathing piece of amber.
"You're being far too serious, Lutz." Merlin's skin, fair to the point of being translucent, was flushed with an alluring crimson. She stroked the youth's sweat-dampened face. "We're just having a bit of fun, you know. If you get serious, it'll give me quite the headache."
"I don't care. In my era, this sort of thing is important. It represents the propagation of life; it's something that must be taken seriously," Ludwig said, giving Merlin's neck a firm bite, leaving a mark. "That is all I know."
"Actually, it's much the same regardless of the era~" Merlin laughed. "Oh well, I suppose I can't do anything about you. We have plenty of time until nightfall. Let me keep you company properly, until you are satisfied... or rather, until I am."
As she spoke, she pushed against his chest, gesturing for Ludwig to lie back down.
Just as he sat back on the edge of the bed, the unlocked door to the room was pushed open gently.
"Lud, are you in your room...?"
As noon approached, the hotel had called to ask if they required lunch service. After Artoria replied, she had come to Ludwig's room to check on him, only to find Merlin sitting in his lap.
"Good day, King of Knights," Merlin said, her gaze feline and sultry as she looked at Artoria. "You've come at the perfect time. Care to join us? Lutz's magical energy... it tastes wonderful. You should know that, shouldn't you?"
"No... I..."
Artoria's pupils trembled, but her feet felt as if they were bolted to the floor. With only a single breath left in her lungs, she found herself rising and falling at the mere whim of Merlin's words.
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Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey(91 Chapter - Ongoing)
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