Fate/Magus Path

In the world of dreams, where illusion and reality constantly overlap, the sea of flowers in paradise extended to the sky, and the rainbow light faded in the sky.

A naturally curly-haired magus, with hair close to white and rainbow-colored, had set up this dream tea party in the sea of flowers within the dream. He spoke to the dreamer.

"…A sea of flowers?"

The once fragmented dream and memories gradually restored themselves with the swaying flowers. Roy looked at this unwelcome intruder with some surprise.

He knew who Merlin was.

The scum of scums, a crowned degenerate, one of the main culprits who had caused King Arthur's downfall.

It could be said that anything connected to Merlin was rarely a good thing. Now that this man had intruded into his dreams, Roy immediately felt something ominous, suspecting that things were not as simple as they seemed.

"So, may I ask why the esteemed Swordmaster of Britain has gone out of his way to enter my dream?"

"Ah, oh dear, I'm just an ordinary court magus. How did I suddenly become the Swordmaster of Britain?"

"Although I do occasionally find it more convenient to swing a sword than chant those long-winded spells that might make me bite my tongue."

Is that why no matter if it's a blue card or red card, you're always swinging a sword at people?

Looking at Merlin's cheeky grin, Roy started pondering Merlin's intentions. Though outwardly kind and warm, in reality, this creature was a monster...an utterly rotten one...

Not even a human being.

Glancing at the three crimson Command Seals still on the back of his hand, feeling the connection to the Count was still intact, Roy relaxed a little.

The Count possessed the ability to traverse dreams. With him around, Merlin shouldn't be able to pull any tricks on Roy. His sense of security immediately increased.

"No need to worry. Though my reputation might not be the best, I won't harm you, so please don't call that fierce guy in here, okay?"

"Hm?"

Roy was puzzled.

'You know about the Count's abilities, and you still dare to enter my dream?'

"Well, you probably noticed by now...I didn't just try to reach out to you this once. It's just that the last few times, I got chased out by that Avenger by your side. I really didn't expect to get kicked out of a dream, but..."

Merlin scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled as his gaze turned to the changing scenery of the flower sea around them. He showed a thoughtful expression, though it seemed like he enjoyed speaking in half-finished sentences.

"You really are full of surprises. This dream of yours... the scenery here is beautiful and unexpectedly suits me."

"My dream suits you? Are you saying..."

Roy frowned. "You're telling me this isn't a landscape you created?"

"That's right. The scenery here wasn't created by me. Instead, it's something you conjured up from thin air in the dream. As the master of this dream, you are the dream-builder."

"Though there are some slight differences from the real Avalon, this tower at the end and the boundless sea of flowers are extremely similar, both in color and design. So tell me, Roy, a boy who has never set foot in Avalon, how do you know its full appearance?" Merlin asked with a smile.

"I'm here is very curious."

"Avalon?"

Roy was stunned, turning his head to observe the surrounding scenery, his face showing a bit of shock.

This place had been constructed by him!

Merlin was asking how he knew what Avalon looked like? But it was meaningless. Before coming to the moonlit world, Roy had once seen the Tower of Avalon in the Noble Phantasm Merlin had unleashed, along with the sea of flowers that filled the underworld, forming his initial impression.

So the moment he saw Merlin in the dream, his subconscious immediately associated Merlin with Avalon, which caused him to instinctively construct the full image of the land of the fairies from his memory.

After thinking for a moment, Roy looked at Merlin again, only to find the same smiling face still waiting for his answer.

Why did that smile seem so punchable? But how should he answer? Or had Merlin already figured out his origins?

It wasn't impossible. Merlin seeking him out likely meant he had been observing Roy for some time. With his EX-level Clairvoyance, it wouldn't be impossible for him to have seen through Roy's identity, but...

"…"

Roy remained silent, his mind racing as he quickly analyzed the situation.

"Well, if you really don't want to say anything, that's fine. I won't pry any further. After all, everyone has their own little secrets. But, you know, I actually know quite a bit about you. After all, I've got a pretty good pair of eyes." Merlin pointed to his clear eyes.

[Clairvoyance EX.]

He was laying it all out in the open. Merlin was honestly admitting that he'd been watching Roy with his Clairvoyance. With that expression, it seemed like this would be a long-term situation. So much for any secrets.

"Then may I ask, oh great and all-powerful Swordmaster of Britain, why you've come looking for me?"

"Well, of course, there's a reason. But how about we change locations and discuss it further? Why don't you come to my place?"

"Your place?"

"Yes, my place."

Merlin gave a meaningful smile, pointing to the enormous tower standing nearby, then waved his staff.

With a flick of magecraft, the sea of flowers obscured Roy's vision, and a thought shifted.

When he opened his eyes again, the two of them were now sitting on soft down-filled sofas. A simple stone table stood between them, while paintings adorned the walls, and beautiful carvings decorated the flawless walls. Outside the window, the flower-covered bridges made Roy feel as though he were in a fairy tale land.

"Is this Avalon? Then... don't tell me I've been imprisoned in this tower like you?" Looking at the beautiful stone room around him, Roy had a bad feeling.

"Why don't you guess?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow, nonchalantly picking up the cup of flower tea on the table, smiling faintly as he drank it.

"Pfft!" He immediately spat out the tea.

"Cough, cough! What in the world is this?"

Looking down, Merlin saw that the once fragrant flower tea had transformed into a concoction of hot sauce, mustard, and vinegar. To make matters worse, a dead fish head had suddenly floated to the surface.

"How disgusting! Ugh, what did you make me drink?"

"An English delicacy, Stargazy fish sauce. Is it really that bad?"

Roy raised an eyebrow, picked up his own cup of tea, and sipped it carefully. The familiar fragrance reassured him that it was indeed the tea he remembered.

"Bleh! How could such a strange thing taste good? How can there be such food in England?"

"Well, that's unfortunate. It was just a simple experiment. Since I can still manipulate things in this dream, it means we're still in my dream. This tower, you lured me into imagining it using magical suggestion, didn't you?"

"Ah, you figured it out so easily? Indeed, you're right. I don't have the power to pull people into Avalon at will. Well, unless you had the sheath, of course."

Merlin scratched his head. "This is still your dream, so you're in control of everything here. I had planned to give you a little scare, but you've seen through it too quickly. How boring."

"But, young man, this is a rare opportunity. It's not often that someone gets to control their own dreams so freely. You could try... you know, all sorts of bold things now..."

"..."

Seeing Merlin's sly grin, Roy felt a black line of frustration cross his face. Then, with a slight thought, he moved the dream.

"Oh my? What's happened to me?"

When he looked again, Merlin had transformed into a beautiful young woman. His white robes were replaced with a simple white dress, his previously slim figure now voluptuous, and his legs covered in tight black stockings. Merlin had become woman.

This was the first time Merlin had truly changed into a woman. He had only ever used illusion magecraft to appear female before, but this was a direct physical transformation.

It felt strange, yet oddly fascinating...

"So, young man, you prefer me this way? Although Incubus don't really have a gender, I prefer presenting as male. But since you like it, let this onee-chan keep you company."

Merlin stuck out her tongue playfully.

"..."

Roy's frustration deepened.

He just accepted being a woman so easily? To pervert yourself this much... you're really something.

"Fine, I give up. Do whatever you want. But let's get to the point. I doubt you came here just to mess with me."

"Alright then, let's talk business."

Merlin smiled faintly and continued, "First, I apologize for intruding on your dream. Even though I'm not human, I know that for humans, this is quite rude. I'm willing to offer compensation for it."

"There wasn't really another way. My real body is still trapped in the tower, so I can't physically leave. I can only watch and make contact with the outside world through this method."

"The reason I was able to enter your dream so precisely is because you carry my magical suggestion."

Merlin pointed to the spot on Roy's body where he bore a magic crest and began explaining.

"That Makiri Zolgen, in his younger days, specialized in water-based magecraft, particularly its butterfly magic crest, which happens to align perfectly with my illusion magecraft. So, during his time in London, I made some contact with him and gifted him a book on illusion magecraft. Some of what I left behind must still be in his magic crest, which you've inherited, enabling our connection."

"Now that the Makiri Zolgen's magic crest has fallen into your hands, it's allowed me to make this contact."

"So the illusion magecraft knowledge in that crest... it was from you?"

"How about it? Isn't it impressive? That magecraft is on par with what you modern magus call Grand level magecraft. It's something even Makiri himself couldn't master."

"Unfortunately, he abandoned butterfly magecraft and went down the wrong path."

"Uh, okay... but what does that have to do with me? Your plans should be related to King Arthur, right?"

Roy paused before continuing, "My only goal is to survive the Holy Grail War. I doubt I can help you. I've barely mastered any magecraft, so asking me to go up against other Masters is out of the question. If you need the Count's help, you'll have to ask him yourself. I'm just his accomplice, not his master."

"Just an accomplice, not a master? That's an interesting way to put it."

Merlin waved his hand and continued, "But I won't ask him for help. We've already met, but he's... quite special. He's brought with him a certain mission in this world, and asking him for help would only make things worse."

"Honestly, I have a hard time dealing with beings of such concentrated hatred. Compared to him, you're much easier to talk to."

"But I don't want to talk to you."

"Ah, don't be so cold... I even transformed into your favorite Merlin for you! Let's have a good chat."

"Get away from me, you pervert!"

Up in the tower, after some playful scuffling, the two eventually returned to their seats, breathing heavily.

"You pervert... why are you so persistent? I raised my strength, and I still can't overpower you."

"Heh, even though this is your dream, don't forget I'm an incubus. It's only natural that I can alter the dream. Otherwise, I'd get killed in dreams too easily."

Merlin stuck out her tongue at Roy.

After all that commotion, the old pervert didn't show any signs of exhaustion, but Roy felt incredibly tired even within the dream.

"Enough messing around. Tell me what you really want, though I can't promise I'll agree."

"That's fine. Just having this conversation is enough. But before that, the night is still young. Let me tell you a story about a king..."

"I refuse..."

"Don't be so quick to refuse. As payment for listening, I'll reveal the changes and abnormalities in this Holy Grail War after the story. Then you'll understand everything. How about it? It should be useful to you."

In the tower, under the shimmering light, the rising flower fields illuminated the two tea-drinkers.

At some point, the ground beneath them had turned into a water surface, ripples gently spreading, reflecting their figures.

----

If you're interested in reading more, feel free to visit my pa treon :

https://www.pa treon. com/XElenea