CK Simulation, Creating the Style of Tsukino Fumi

Page 18

Merlin, what are you doing here?

As Artoria shouted, she raised her hand to signal the cavalry behind her to slow down. Once the entire army had stopped, Merlin was completely surrounded by the armored paladins.

"I'm not here to see you..." Seeing that Artoria didn't attack him, Merlin came back to life and started to speak with a grin, but before he could finish, he saw Artoria's dark face, so he changed the subject, "Of course I'm here to see Sir Quinn, the newly appointed Lord Mayor of the Palace. To be honest, we were colleagues. I used to be a court magician under the late King."

"Who's your colleague? Performing magic on court personnel in the dead of night is tantamount to assassinating the princess!" Quinn glared angrily, then his gaze swept past Artoria. He knew Merlin was, to some extent, her adoptive father, so he didn't intend to make things difficult for her by demanding she personally arrest Merlin. Instead, he looked at Lancelot, who was following behind Artoria. "Lancelot, take him back to the camp. I want to interrogate him myself!"

"I didn't do that! You can't frame your colleague!"

Seeing that he still had a chance to escape, Merlin immediately retorted, his eyes darting around as he looked for an opportunity to flee.

Without hesitation, Lancelot was about to dismount and grab the man when Artoria leaped down from her horse, punching Merlin squarely in the stomach, turning him into a shrimp-like figure. She then grabbed his face and slammed it to the ground, her face beaming with joy and her tone jubilant, "Merlin, just obediently submit to being bound!"

Do you two have a grudge against each other?

Lancelot looked completely bewildered. Quinn, who had just been thinking of avoiding suspicion and not making things difficult for his subordinate, also looked at Artoria in astonishment. He saw a genuine smile on her face. Clearly, Artoria was thoroughly enjoying this opportunity to give Merlin a good beating.

"Wait, Artorius, what are you doing? I haven't done anything wrong. I just want to meet with Sir Quinn! I'm your teacher, you can't use this to settle personal scores!"

Pressed to the ground, Merlin's pretty face pressed against the mud was horrified. He tried to struggle to get up, but Artoria was the one holding him down. No matter how much Merlin resisted, he could not contend with the power of the dragon and could only keep shouting.

"I don't believe your nonsense. Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are? Even if Brother Kai were here, he would do the same thing as me. You must have taken a fancy to some maid in the palace and are planning to seduce her. You'd better hurry up and go back with Sir Quinn to be interrogated. Sir Quinn will definitely give you a quick death."

Artoria spoke with righteous indignation, and her awe-inspiring presence filled Lancelot with admiration.

As expected of Sir Quinn's scribe, he would have struggled and considered this act of sacrificing family for the greater good.

However, Quinn had already seen through everything and couldn't help but marvel at the excellent student he had taught. In just a few days, Artoria had already learned how to use her power effectively.

He could tell that Artoria didn't really want to kill Merlin as she appeared. After all, no matter how bad Merlin was, he was the one who had taught her until now. She couldn't stand by and watch Merlin be accused of murdering the princess, so she said that he was seducing a maid in the palace to reduce Merlin's punishment.

This saved Quinn a lot of effort. Although he was angry at Merlin's bad character and behavior, he was not serious enough to kill him, especially since Merlin was still useful to Quinn.

Now that Artoria has taken the initiative to plead for him, Quinn can take the opportunity to make her owe him even more favors. As the saying goes, favors can roll back and forth, and debts of gratitude can never be fully repaid. Every favor Artoria owes him now will appreciate in value in the future, so Quinn doesn't mind making an extra profit.

He nodded, tacitly agreeing with Artoria's words.

Seeing Quinn nod, Artoria didn't hesitate at all. She immediately tied Merlin up, her face beaming with a bright smile. Then, right in front of everyone, she grabbed a rope, mounted her horse, and galloped towards the camp. Merlin, who was bound hand and foot, widened his eyes and let out a scream as he was dragged behind the horse, kicking up a noticeable cloud of dust.

Okay, it seems that Artoria's desire to beat up Merlin wasn't just an act.

Quinn, who was still angry, couldn't help but shudder at the sight. His anger vanished, and he even felt a pang of pity. He had never intended to treat Merlin like this. It seems that acquaintances are the most ruthless.

"Aren't you going to stop Atolis? He'll just be dragging that guy to his death!" Lancelot stared in disbelief at the scene, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

"It's alright, that nightmare won't die. Let's go, we should go back."

You have captured the legendary magician Merlin, who is now your prisoner.

[Your mobilization of troops to capture Merlin has alarmed the entire city, including Morgan. After you returned to Camelot with your army and re-established your base, she sent someone to inquire about the reason for your sudden troop mobilization that night. Fortunately, Morgan trusts you completely, and when you said you would explain the situation to her later, the inquiring person left immediately.]

You chose to conceal Merlin's arrest, fabricated the commotion, and claimed that a Saxon reconnaissance force had been discovered. You mobilized troops to eliminate these Saxons.

The Camelot people believe in your long-standing good reputation.

After dealing with the turmoil caused by the troop movements, you returned to Camelot court and began explaining the situation to Morgan.

"You mean... Gawain came knocking on the door before because of that damned nightmare? He even said I couldn't be Queen Camelot and that you should leave me?!"

Upon hearing that Merlin had given Gawain nightmares, Morgan was just as enraged as Quinn, even more so. Her cold and beautiful face turned sinister, and her words were full of murderous intent, making even Quinn somewhat frightened.

"I didn't agree."

"I know."

Morgan's tone softened for a moment, but then returned to its manic fervor, "I never imagined that the wicked nightmare, after conspiring with my biased father to create an heir to replace me, would now try to take you away from me. He does have the self-awareness to know that I know everything."

Chapter 37

"I won't let him get away with this... I'll kill him and hang his corpse at the gates of Camelot, so everyone will know what happens when someone plots against me!"

"Calm down, this won't do you any good."

Seeing that Morgan was upset, Quinn immediately comforted him, "He was, after all, the late king's court magician. Killing him without a proper reason would give the late king's vassals an excuse to attack you. I will make you queen, I promised you."

"...But he also scared Gao Wen."

"That was just a dream after all, and it can't be used as concrete evidence to sentence him to death. Hand him over to me, and I'll take care of this nightmare."

"Well, I believe you."

Morgan looked at Quinn, who had returned to her side, and the tenderness in her heart overwhelmed her anger towards Merlin. She kissed her, greedily seizing Quinn's tongue, wanting to merge Quinn with herself, as if only in this way could she feel safe.

Quinn responded fully, soothing the princess's fragile heart with her own and filling the void of love she had never received from her father.

Morgan has been persuaded by you; she has decided to let you handle matters related to Merlin and the late king.

The following day, you temporarily set aside all official duties and returned to the camp early in the morning. You chose to interrogate Merlin in the main tent, but this time, you did not conduct a court judgment. Instead, you only summoned Artoria, Kay, and Lancelot.

When you saw Merlin again, you couldn't help but laugh out loud, because he no longer had the same debonair demeanor as yesterday.

"Artorius, you really went all out."

Looking at Merlin, who was covered in mud, with bruises all over his face and a face swollen like a pig's head, Quinn looked at Artoria standing beside him.

"I've wanted to beat him up for a long time." Artoria blushed and admitted her selfish desire.

"I knew you were using this to settle personal scores!"

Upon hearing Artoria's admission, Merlin, despite his swollen face, still shouted energetically. Kai, standing next to him, took the opportunity to give him a hard slap while scolding him, "Shut up! Ninety percent of the trouble Artoria and I encountered during our tour was caused by you, you bastard, and I always have to clean up your messes."

Merlin immediately shut his mouth.

"What do you plan to do with Merlin?"

Seeing that Merlin had stopped causing trouble, Kai took the initiative to ask Quinn about it.

"Do you know what he did, Kay?" Quinn countered.

Kay nodded. "After you brought him back yesterday, Artorius and I interrogated him. Sir Lancelot also watched the whole process. Artorius has already prepared his confession and we are waiting for your decision."

After saying that, Artoria immediately handed over a stack of papers, and Lancelot nodded to Quinn, indicating that he had played a surveillance role and that the written records were in order.

Quinn looked at the document in front of him, but instead of taking it, he asked, "So what do you think we should do with this guy?"

Lancelot remained silent, knowing that this was not a matter for him to comment on, and Artoria also refrained from speaking. Merlin hadn't been killed on the spot last night because she had taken initiative. Thus, in the entire tent, it was Kai who ultimately took over Quinn's questioning.

“According to Camelot law, he should be sentenced to hanging, but… Sir Quinn, I would like to plead with you to show leniency. Merlin was a court magician who served the late King for many years, and…”

Kay organized his words, trying to persuade Quinn. He knew Merlin had committed a serious crime, but before he left home, his father had asked him to protect Artorius and to help Merlin if he was in danger. If it weren't for his father's request, Kay would never have gotten involved.

However, he had barely uttered a few words when he saw Quinn nod.

By choosing to release Merlin, you gain leverage over Artoria and Kai.

You hold Merlin's secret; you can imprison him at any time with justifiable reason.

Chapter Thirty-Three: That's a foul, you spiky hair!

When Quinn indicated that he could make an exception, both Kai and Artoria visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Merlin, who was tied up tightly, even winked at Kai, signaling him to untie him quickly.

After receiving Quinn's tacit approval, Kai pinched his nose and released Merlin from the shackles binding him. The moment he was freed, the dirty mud on Merlin's body disappeared without a trace along with the suddenly rising flower petals, and his bruised and swollen face returned to normal.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Minister. Artorius, you really went all out. If it weren't for my special constitution, I would have died in prison last night."

With his life no longer threatened, Merlin spoke without restraint and began to berate Artoria. Only when he saw the dangerous glint in Artoria's eyes did he restrain himself somewhat. "Alright, alright, you've changed so much in just a few days. You would never have taken advantage of me before. I didn't expect you to be so flexible in your dealings with people now. Who taught you that?"

“I taught him.” Quinn tapped the chair beneath him, stopping Merlin from continuing his sarcastic remarks. “Atoris is a very good student; it’s a pity he’s learning from you.”

Upon hearing this, Merlin's nonchalant attitude vanished completely. He looked at Quinn warily and cautiously probed, "Does the Lord Mayor think Artorius is a good student? He's very stubborn. Do you remember what I told you yesterday? Those words weren't just alarmist talk. Morgan is destined not to become the Queen of Camelot; she doesn't have the qualifications to be a queen."

The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became tense and oppressive.

Lancelot's hand touched the hilt of the holy sword. As long as Quinn gave the order, he would not hesitate to cut off Merlin's head. Kai wanted to step forward and quickly cover Merlin's mouth, but this time, Merlin did not give anyone another chance.

After a crisp snap of the fingers, Lancelot, Kai, and Artoria all became somewhat dazed, while Merlin and Quinn remained relatively normal, their gazes meeting as they scrutinized each other.

"Illusion?"

“There’s no other way. What I’m about to say can’t be heard by anyone else, Lord Chancellor. I really have no hostility towards you.” Merlin admitted his actions. “Although I only know some low-level illusion magic, it’s still very easy for me to escape. I was captured by you so that I could have a proper talk with you.”

"If you still insist on persuading me to leave Morgan, then there's no point in talking."

“I can see that you are a good man, much more reliable than Uther. I’m even a little jealous of Morgan’s good luck in meeting the Lord Chancellor. If I had met you sooner, I would definitely have introduced you to King Uther’s other son. That child is the destined King of Camelot.”

It's all predestined, my foot!

Quinn rolled his eyes at Merlin's feigned regret. "You mean Morgan can't pull out the Sword of the King, right?"

Merlin froze, staring at Quinn in astonishment. "How did you know?"

"You're not the only one in this world who can see the future, Half-Dream Demon." Quinn was delighted. He loved seeing the astonished look on the faces of people who seemed to have everything under control. "I know that King Uther has another child, and I also know that it was created by you and King Uther in a conspiracy. You thought that Morgan didn't have the power to inherit the island's lord, so you created a new crown prince to inherit the throne, right?"

"...You also have clairvoyance?"

“It’s not only those with clairvoyance who can see into the future.” Quinn pressed further. “Let’s get straight to the point. It’s impossible for me to distance myself from Morgan and give up supporting her ascension to the throne. You can’t stop me from doing what I’m going to do unless you kill me.”

Chapter 38

Then I'm afraid I won't have a moment of peace for the rest of my life.

The thought of Quinn's reputation in Camelot and his place in Morgan's heart made Merlin feel as if Quinn had shoved a pile of shit into his mouth. He was disgusted to the core, but he had no way to resist.

Because he knew that if Quinn were to suffer even the slightest injury or shed a single drop of blood today, the charge of plotting to murder the princess would be confirmed. Not only that, but he would also have to bear the name of a traitor and be hunted down by all the Camelots.

The reason why Quinn drew his sword and attacked Merlin on their first meeting, and Merlin dared not fight back but only dodge, was due to these reasons.

“You flatter me. I simply wish to continue fulfilling my promise to King Uther.” Realizing that Quinn was not easily fooled, Merlin changed his strategy, abandoning rhetoric and directly stating his core objective: “Since you know that King Uther and I have long planned for Camelot’s future, why interfere?”

"Then why are you interfering with me? Wasn't King Uther's purpose in creating new offspring to perpetuate Camelot? I can achieve the same effect. Why not make me the ruler of Camelot? I can not only lead the Kingdom of Camelot to survival, but also unify the British Isles, and make the empire's territory only extend to the European continent."

Merlin's eyes widened, and he began to sweat profusely.

Dude, are you trying to kill yourself by doing something like this?

"This goes against the course of pan-human history. You can't succeed. The Counterforce will send messengers to stop you," Merlin quickly advised.

Quinn chuckled. He knew what Merlin was talking about. The Type-Moon world did indeed have something similar to a world consciousness. When it discovered that the world's plot was not going according to their expectations, or when there were external invaders threatening human history or the Earth itself, it would send out guardians or heroic spirits to "eliminate the virus" and maintain the normal development of the world.

But I have been certified! I am a law-abiding citizen.

How can you be so sure the world will stop me, rather than condone my actions?