[The Tower of Atonement creaks, piercing the world like light itself.]
…
…
"…Well, this is a bit unexpected," Merlin said, his voice soft as he opened his eyes. He sat atop the tower in the Inner Sea of the Planet, sipping tea. "But these odd twists are getting more interesting by the day. Quite a fascinating human, isn't he?"
Across from him, an old man in a black robe studded with dazzling gems pulled out a chair and sat down. Known as the Jewel Master, he poured himself a cup of floral tea and drank it in one quick gulp.
"I thought Vivian built this tower to be sealed off forever," Merlin continued, tilting his head. "How did someone sneak in?"
The Jewel Master let out a short laugh. "With the Lake Fairy's unmatched magic from the Age of Gods, even deities would struggle to step foot in this place, let alone this tower meant to hold sinners."
"True," he went on, "but the Inner Sea of the Planet, this isolated utopia called Avalon, shares some traits with Brunestud's Millennium Castle, doesn't it? After hopping through so many parallel worlds, I've gotten a rough idea of where Avalon sits. Find the right spot, use a touch of the Second Magic, and getting in isn't that tough. Compared to the Land of Shadows, this place is almost welcoming."
Merlin raised an eyebrow. "You're saying this is easier to reach than the Land of Shadows? Vivian would be furious if she heard that."
"Haha, I didn't mean it like that," the Jewel Master replied. "Just that the Land of Shadows is trickier since its location keeps shifting."
He glanced around, taking in the tower's clutter—high-tech gadgets, scattered novels, and paintings. "For a prison, you seem to be living pretty well, Merlin."
Merlin sighed, setting his tea down. "Well? Being stuck here for over a thousand years isn't exactly pleasant. It's just flowers and this tower. Not even a lady to chat with. But I know I've earned it."
The Jewel Master smirked. "Old pervert, you admit you deserve it? Honestly, for what you did, this punishment is nothing. And on top of that, you–a non-human finally got what you always wanted: emotions."
"You're right," Merlin said, his tone turning quiet. "That was the first time I really felt human emotions… though it wasn't as great as I'd hoped."
"But you didn't come here just to poke at me, did you?"
The Jewel Master leaned back. "You think I'd dodge a bunch of fairies and slip in here just to talk? You're not a magical girl. Now, if it were Merly, I might've considered it."
"Merly… my legendary female counterpart?" Merlin said with a faint smile. "You seem to like her."
"Like her? Not quite. She's just perfect for a magical girl role and her wickedness puts you to shame."
Thinking of that dangerous woman, the Jewel Master added, "I'm here for a reason. You've noticed it too, haven't you?"
"The Holy Grail War?" Merlin asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Of course. My disciple set up the system—my best one, at that. As her teacher, I can't help but keep an eye on it."
"But I've watched so many Holy Grail Wars across parallel worlds," he continued, shrugging. "The same tired patterns every time. Assassin faked their death, Saber and Lancer clash at the docks until Rider steps in, Ryunosuke and Caster stir up trouble and get taken out, Kenneth falls to Kiritsugu's tricks, Tokiomi gets stabbed in the back by Kirei. I could write it all out blindfolded."
Merlin nodded. "So you're saying…"
"Don't play dumb, Merlin. Your Clairvoyance can't miss it. There's a new variable—Alex and you've even reached out to him through the Mother of Mifune's Absolute Future Sight."
Merlin chuckled. "Caught me there."
"I'm not blind either," the Jewel Master said, crossing his arms. "I can feel the huge shifts in this world line. It's shaking up everything, the Fourth Holy Grail War, that poor girl in Mifune, even Aozaki Touko. I got curious, so I came to hear your take."
Merlin grinned. "My take? I'm just watching from home."
'Watching from home…' The Jewel Master shook his head. "Typical. No matter the timeline, you're always the shut-in. Vivian's turned you into the original NEET."
"Hey, I'm a bit of a recluse, sure, but I can't help it," Merlin said. "I don't have the Second Magic to pop in and out of Avalon like you."
'Though the 'original NEET' title fits Scathach better, she's way older,' he thought to himself.
The Jewel Master saw right through him. "I know you too well. With changes tied to your naive king, you won't just sit back especially with something this unusual. You've already meddled by contacting Alex through the Mother of Mifune."
Merlin didn't argue. "So, what's your idea?"
"Let's shake things up. Chances like this don't come often."
"Shake things up?" Merlin said, leaning forward. "You're not planning to join the war yourself, are you? I'm not dead yet, and even if I were, I wouldn't team up with a lecherous old man as my Master."
The Jewel Master huffed. "What? If I wanted the Grail, I wouldn't bother with a tainted one. And picking on the weak isn't my thing."
Merlin smirked. "Picking on the weak? Underestimate Alex, and you might trip over yourself."
"Heh, if I stepped in, he wouldn't have a chance," the Jewel Master shot back.
'Foresight and raw power—real honorable of you,' Merlin thought dryly.
"So what's your plan?"
"I want to make this Holy Grail War more interesting and maybe fix a little problem for both of us. How does that sound?"
Merlin tapped his chin. "The Grail and Artoria… it could work."
"Exactly. Alex has plenty of secrets and a trump card that even impresses me."
"Since you're in, let's make it a bet. It'll be fun for both of us."
"A bet?" Merlin said, hesitating. "Against you? That's hardly fair. You can peek at parallel worlds, while my Clairvoyance only shows the present."
The Jewel Master waved it off. "Don't give me that. Alex is a singularity, he exists only in this world, beyond your parallel sight. You've got the edge here."
"Fine. What's the wager?"
"We bet on the future Alex picks and whether he pulls off our goals. If I win, you turn into Merly for a while and test my new magical girl transformation device. If you win, I'll sneak you out of Avalon for a bit. Deal?"
Merlin paused. "Getting out of Avalon's tempting, but Merly…"
After a moment, he smiled. "Sounds interesting. I'll take it. Either way, I will come out ahead."
What's the big deal about turning into a woman? Incubi don't care about gender.
"Perfect!" the Jewel Master said, clapping his hands. "Whether you get a trip outside or become Merly, it's a win for you. Live a little!"
"I'll be sticking around here for a while. My dusty office was getting old, time for a break."
"You're staying with me?" Merlin asked, blinking.
"Of course. How else do we keep this bet fair? Don't worry, I won't complain as long as there's food and drink."
The Jewel Master flopped onto Merlin's bed, munching on some senbei he'd pulled from who-knows-where, and started digging through Merlin's stuff.
"'The Legend of King Arthur,' 'How to Become a Streamer,' '100 Ways to Be Popular,' and 'The Art of Online Deception.' What's all this junk? No magical girl DVDs or books?"
"Why would I have those?" Merlin said, rubbing his forehead.
"You're a crafty old man!"