To Become a King and a Magician 686-690

Title: Fou, Attack! Give Merlin a Kick!

Merry’s identity proved unexpectedly useful. Rei only needed to stand there with the group and casually spin a story about their nonexistent origins, claiming they were refugees, and the gatekeeper soldiers easily let them all pass.

During the journey through the Singularities for over five months, Ritsuka had seen many cities.

Despite differences in era and region, against the backdrop of the Human Order Incineration, no matter the city, the scenes within them lacked much vitality.

But this time, as soon as they entered the city of Uruk—

“Wooah~~~~~”

What appeared before Ritsuka’s eyes was a bustling main street, brimming with life and energy. Every person’s face was adorned with smiles, as if there were faint traces of modernity.

Merchants along the roadside enthusiastically called out to buyers, and children playing and laughing could be seen in the alleys… It was truly a harmonious scene rarely witnessed.

Walking while observing the lively streets around her, Ritsuka’s eyes gradually sparkled. “A city before the Common Era… I thought it’d be very backward, but this situation looks…”

“Besides the outward appearance, it’s basically no different from the modern era.” Naoki continued her sentence. “Well, King Gilgamesh himself has ‘Clairvoyance’ that can see the future. Perhaps when managing the city, he applied some things from the future, though I think even without that, this city would still be very prosperous.”

“Even so, this place is too prosperous. It’s still 2600 BCE.”

Hinako furrowed her brow.

At this time, she had already appeared in the land of China, but even China, at its level of civilization development back then, couldn’t compare to this fortified city.

Beside Hinako, Xiang Yu’s calm face also showed an expression that could be described as deeply satisfied. “This is truly a scene of peace and prosperity. ‘Peace under heaven’ couldn’t be better than this.”

“Not quite.”

Naoki pointed to a blacksmith’s workshop crafting weapons by the roadside. “They’re making weapons in there. A time of true peace and prosperity wouldn’t need such things. Besides, this place is now a Singularity, a place completely unrelated to peace.”

“Hm, true.” Xiang Yu nodded slightly. “Then, Your Excellency, where are the pioneers you mentioned now?”

“Follow me, this way.”

Naoki said, walking in a certain direction.

He had already sensed a familiar presence in that direction.

Following Naoki’s footsteps, after traversing several streets and alleys in Uruk, the group arrived at the residential area of the city.

Compared to the bustling streets near the city gate, this area was much quieter. Most of the residents here were children and the elderly, all showing curious expressions as they watched the large group approach.

“Should we change our clothes to blend in with the local setting in the future?” Mash looked at her armor. “I feel it’s quite conspicuous.”

Hearing Mash say that, Rei glanced at the clothing of the local women around them, silently storing it in her wardrobe database. Based on her understanding of her master, such clothing, with slight modifications, would instantly become sacred attire that would excite him for battle.

“!”

Naoki suddenly shivered for no reason.

(Why does my back feel cold… Is someone talking about me?)

At that moment, Ritsuka suddenly pointed ahead. “I say… Department Head, could it be over there?”

“Hm?”

They all looked in the direction Ritsuka pointed. Ahead, on the outer wall of a house not far away, hung a simple wooden sign. A line of words was carved on it.

“Chaldea Embassy in Uruk…?”

The entire line was marked with red paint, and in the corner of the sign was a miniature carving of Merry.

No matter how you looked at it…

“It can only be here.” Naoki gave a wry smile, then took the lead, walking toward the embassy, lifting the door curtain, and entering.

“Ah…”

Merry, Merlin, and Morgan, who were sitting around a long wooden table eating bread with wheat beer, turned around at the sound from behind. They all froze when they saw the six people entering the house one after another.

A few seconds later—

Merry swallowed the last of the bread in her hand, licked the crumbs off her fingers, and stood up with a smile. “You’re finally here, my dear King. I’ve been waiting so long. The flowers in my heart have almost wilted, you know~~~”

“But you have plenty of flowers in your heart.” Naoki glared at her. “Also, you said you wanted me to come earlier, but weren’t you the one who trapped me in the Tokyo Singularity for over five months? I’ll give you a smack on the head later. Remember that.”

“Ah~~~ that~~~ Morgan, help me! A head-smack from the King will split my head open!”

Merry immediately crashed into Morgan beside her, but Morgan just kicked her away in disgust. “If it splits, let it. You need a solid hit like that more than Merlin does.”

“Mmm, I completely agree.” Merlin, without hesitation, piled on while Merry was down. “Natsukawa, when you hit her, make sure to hit her for me too—”

“Fou (Merlin deserves to die)!”

Before Merlin could finish speaking, Fou suddenly leapt out from Ritsuka’s clothes. His eyes sharpened instantly, and he spun and charged, delivering a blow to Merlin before Naoki could even hit Merry!

*SMACK!*

Merlin fell backward with his chair. After landing on Merlin’s face, Fou, feeling one hit wasn’t enough, continued stomping on him several times in succession.

(The battle between Beast IV and a Grand Servant… truly intense~~~)

Naoki, watching the scene from the side, couldn’t help but laugh, then looked at Morgan. “By the way… I’m surprised you’re here. Thanks for your help in the sixth Singularity. How have you been? Morgan, Mordred must’ve caused you a lot of trouble.”

“It’s not exactly trouble. As a mother, you have to be more tolerant of your child.” Morgan, crossing her legs and revealing a bit of her white skin, said with a smile. “If we’re talking about trouble, you’re the bigger troublemaker.”

“Not really. While a peaceful life is nice, sometimes we need a bit of excitement—I’ll go over that part with you later. I also have some things I want to ask you, but before that—”

Pressing down on Merry’s head, who was trying to hide her presence and slip into stealth mode, Naoki approached her with a completely friendly face. “Ready, Merry?”

“Haha…”

*WHAM!*

The human trash was sent crashing into the ceiling by Naoki’s uppercut in the next second.

-

Title: Roman’s Secret Exposed, He Might Become a Mummy

After the initial commotion settled, they all sat around the long table. However, since the room wasn’t very large, Xiang Yu had to switch to his spirit form first. Mash, Rei, and Hinako could only stand to the side.

Ignoring Merry, who was still stuck in the hole in the ceiling, Merlin, holding Fou, cleared his throat and laughed.

“Since this is our first meeting, let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Merlin, a Caster-class Servant. My relationship with the one hanging from the ceiling is that of a parallel version of myself. Don’t feel awkward; you can also call me Big Brother Merlin.”

“Shameless as ever.”

Morgan scoffed coldly.

“I’m Morgan. You met Artoria in the sixth Singularity. I’m her half-sister. Like Atalanta in Chaldea, I’m a former Servant who gained a physical body thanks to the Holy Grail. Nice to meet you all.”

Merlin and Morgan.

【This is truly a dreamlike scene, Merlin and Morgan. You two can actually get along like this】

Roman’s voice came from the communication device on Ritsuka’s wrist.

Morgan snorted coldly. “I only tolerate his existence. My personal hatred for him remains unchanged. If he were on the edge of a cliff about to fall, I’d be delighted to kick him off.”

“But seeing as he’s willing to show up here to help restore Human History, I’m willing to work with him.”

“Hahaha~~~ You’re really strict.” Merlin gave a wry smile. “Well, my situation is more or less the same. Honestly, before you all arrived, I was worried every day about whether I’d be poisoned by her. Now that you’re here, things are much better.”

Ritsuka was a bit confused. “Huh? Why?”

Merlin pointed at Naoki. “Because Natsukawa’s here~~~”

(Oh, I see.)

Those who knew about Naoki’s situation immediately understood, while Ritsuka and Mash gave helpless smiles.

“Department Head, I’m starting to wonder just how vast your social network is. How do you seem to know people everywhere?” Ritsuka asked.

“I feel the same way. Also, Brother, though it might be a bit late to say this… please be a little more mindful of your relationships with the opposite sex.” Mash added.

【Exactly, exactly, exactly!】

Hearing Roman’s agreement, Naoki’s eyebrow twitched. “Advice from Fujimaru and Mash is acceptable, but Roman, do you have any right to say that to me? Miss Sheba should be there. Please check if she’s got amnesia or a malfunctioning brain.”

【Alright—wait, Sheba, what are you doing? Help—!】

The communication from Chaldea cut off.

Merlin: “Hm… Chaldea summoned Queen Sheba? Hahaha, isn’t that a bit too shocking for Romani? So that’s why he hasn’t been watching Magical Merry these past few days.”

“You know about Magical Merry?” Ritsuka was a little surprised.

“Because that’s him.”

Naoki stated it bluntly. The Chaldea staff, along with Ritsuka, Mash, and Hinako, were shocked in unison.

Magical Merry was… Merlin?

Pointing at Merry, who was still hanging, Naoki explained, “Actually, it’s operated jointly by Merry and Merlin. Merry provides the physical appearance, and Merlin acts as the ‘talent’ disguised as a woman.”

“That’s actually quite interesting. Thanks to that, the succubus part of me can feel quite satisfied every day.” Merlin laughed. “But after the Human Order Incineration started, it was temporarily paused. Now I basically just scold him whenever Romani complains to me.”

Scolding…

Ritsuka recalled that Doctor Roman always seemed fanatically devoted when watching Magical Merry.

(Sigh… It seems I’ve learned something very important about the doctor.)

[THUD!]

At that moment, a loud crash echoed from Chaldea, followed by Marie’s voice.

【Damn it, that Romani… Sorry, since Romani was just dragged off by Queen Sheba, I, Olga Marie, Director of Chaldea, will now take over communication with you all】

【First, I want to confirm one thing—Natsukawa mentioned that some pioneers had gone ahead to assist with restoring Human History in the Singularity. That’s you all】

*POP!*

Pulling her head out of the ceiling, Merry floated down and nodded. “Yes, exactly. Since the situation in this Singularity is the most troublesome of the seven, we came to help a bit. I arrived first, while Merlin and Morgan came later.”

【Thank you so much for your help, all three of you. So, regarding the situation in this Singularity, you must have a good grasp of it. Can you explain it to us?】

“Of course, no problem. We were planning to do that anyway.”

Casually sitting on Naoki’s lap, Merry began recounting the events of the six months she had spent in the seventh Singularity.

The relentless attacks from Demon Beast armies targeting Uruk, the Three Goddess Alliance that emerged to destroy Uruk, the various countermeasures taken by King Gilgamesh… Merry explained most of these things one by one, except for the issue of Goddess Tiamat at the end.

“So, as a result, Uruk is now in a state of war. One of the three goddesses in the alliance, the Magical Beast Goddess, creates countless Demon Beasts and aims to destroy all of Uruk.”

“Meanwhile, the other two goddesses haven’t done anything yet. They might be planning to observe for now, or perhaps they have their own plans, but either way, they’re definitely enemies.”

“During this time, Uruk has always been on the losing side of the war. Though King Gilgamesh summoned Servants, and I also brought in one foreign aid, the situation has improved. At the very least, it’s balanced now, but that’s only because the goddesses haven’t personally joined the fight. If they do, the situation will flip in an instant.”

Speaking up to this point, Merry smiled and hugged Naoki’s arm. “But that’s no longer an issue now. If those goddesses show up, our dear King will easily take care of them.”

“Can you stop talking as if the goddesses are just ordinary troops?”

“At most, they’d just have a health bar at the bottom of the screen. They might pose a slight threat to you, but that’s about it.”

Jumping off Naoki’s body, Merry laughed. “So, that’s it for the situation briefing. Now let’s go meet the king here. We might be staying here for a while, so it’s better to meet the local ruler first.”

The local ruler…


-

Title: A Baseball Bat Stops the Dragon Train!

Gilgamesh was located at the center of Uruk, atop the Ziggurat, the core of the entire fortified city.

Under Merry’s guidance, Naoki and the others, except for Rei, had now arrived here.

And as soon as they entered—

“Are you busy, King Gilgamesh? If you have a moment, could you spare some time? Magus Merry, bringing some guests to meet you.”

Just as Gilgamesh, seated on his throne, had finished one task and was preparing for the next, Merry promptly dragged Ritsuka and the others before him.

Gilgamesh, who was reading a clay tablet in his hand, heard the voice. His glowing red eyes quickly lifted, locking onto Naoki’s group.

Beside him, the priestess named Siduri stepped forward slightly. “Good morning, Lady Merry. I’m sorry, but the King is still handling state affairs. If there’s something to discuss, please wait three hours.”

“That’s too troublesome, it’s fine. It’ll only take two or three minutes. Bear with it a bit, Siduri. I’ll give you a thousand flowers later.” Merry laughed.

“Lady Merry…”

Siduri, whose face looked somewhat helpless, seemed about to say more, but before she could, Gilgamesh, seated on the throne, spoke first—

“Siduri, announce it. All affairs are postponed for five minutes.”

“Huh?”

“The King is truly wise. But honestly, five minutes isn’t necessary. I just came to report the situation and introduce these guests.”

Gilgamesh snorted coldly. “No need. This King already knows about the situation with those people—You’re awfully late, Holy Sword wielder. Were you lying in a woman’s embrace, unable to get up?”

“Oh?” Naoki was slightly surprised. “You’re still from your previous life, yet you know about me? Can Clairvoyance see that far into the future?”

“Tch! Foolish question.”

(Another person the Department Head knows? Does he even know people from the Age of Gods?)

(Actually, they’re old acquaintances. The King met King Gilgamesh during the Holy Grail War twenty years ago, and he crushed him ten years ago.)

“This King was not crushed! You succubus over there, keep babbling, and this King will sentence you to death!”

Gilgamesh immediately glared at Merry angrily after hearing her quiet whisper.

“Well, even so, this King’s defeat is a fact. Though I’m not pleased, since it’s you, you’re indeed useful help now. Let this King see the light of your Holy Sword, Holy Sword wielder.”

Regarding Naoki’s strength, even the arrogant Gilgamesh had to admit the other was truly powerful. With this strength, the Demon Beast defense line, which had been painstakingly maintained at a stalemate thanks to a few Servants and his treasures, would surely be able to launch a major counterattack.

But beyond that—

His eyes swept over Ritsuka, Mash, Hinako, and Xiang Yu in spirit form. Gilgamesh sighed slightly. “What’s the rest of this, shoddily made goods? This is all you have after six Singularities? Might as well melt them down and remake them. This King doesn’t have much time to deal with you lot. If it weren’t for the Holy Sword wielder, I wouldn’t give you a single minute.”

“Ugh…”

The unexpectedly low assessment made Ritsuka and Mash feel a bit awkward, while Hinako beside them was instantly filled with rage!

(He dares call Lord Xiang Yu shoddily made goods?)

(When he himself is a mixed-blood blond!)

(Calm down, Yu. Don’t be rash.)

(I understand, Lord Xiang Yu. Verbal provocation is ineffective against me.)

“Enough. The five minutes I’ve given you are already too much. In that time, this King could handle at least ten state affairs. I leave Chaldea’s arrangements to you, Merry. If anything comes up, see Siduri. This King’s time is precious and won’t be wasted on useless people.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I know you’re generous.”

Merry gave a helpless smile.

(Sorry, Ritsuka-chan, Mash, Hinako-chan. He’s just like that. To make him talk nicely, we need strength first. Let’s go for now.)

(So… we need ‘capital’ first?)

(Exactly, Ritsuka-chan’s getting the hang of things. Once we take down one of the Three Goddess Alliance later, he’ll have to talk to us.)

It had come to that point…

(I’ll work hard!)

Just as Ritsuka and Merry were talking like this and preparing to leave the temple, a soldier suddenly rushed in from outside. “Sorry for interrupting your cheerful conversation, King.”

“Who’s having a cheerful conversation! Are you blind?!”

Gilgamesh immediately roared in anger.

“If there’s urgent business, report it at once!”

“Yes! Someone is rapidly approaching Uruk. It’s estimated to be one of the Three Goddess Alliance, Goddess Ishtar!”

The Three Goddess Alliance!

Ritsuka’s eyes widened slightly, and Merry even shook her shoulders while laughing.

(An opportunity, Ritsuka-chan. Looks like the chance to talk with Gilgamesh came on its own.)

(Huh… Isn’t this a bit too fast…?)

(No, no. Get pumped!)

On the throne, hearing the report, Gilgamesh couldn’t help but press his forehead. “Why that foolish goddess again? Is she an idiot who never learns? How much trouble will she cause… No, this might be an opportunity—You know what to do, right, Holy Sword wielder?”

“You okay with me just going for it like that?” Naoki asked with a smile. “She’s Uruk’s patron goddess, after all.”

“Hah! What kind of patron is a goddess who only knows how to cause trouble? Moreover, Uruk has never been protected by a goddess. Uruk, with this King, needs no gods’ protection!”

That was truly something Gilgamesh would say.

“In that case, just to be safe, let me ask. If I end up damaging this temple later, I won’t have to pay compensation.”

“As long as you do it well enough to satisfy this King, it’s fine.”

“Alright.”

After leaving the temple, Naoki looked up at the sky. With his vision, he could clearly see a streak of golden light rapidly flying toward Uruk.

Seeing that familiar sight, Naoki sighed slightly. “Speaking of which, it’s been years since I last saw Tohsaka. Haven’t met since I moved out of the apartment and returned to Japan four years ago… Next time I’m back in Japan, I should visit the Tohsaka household.”

“Now—”

Activating Imaginary Manifestation, staring at the golden light speeding through the air, Naoki focused on the future a few seconds ahead. Then, aiming at the position the figure would definitely pass through, he swung the special baseball bat in his hand with all his might!

*CLANG!*

Followed by a muffled ringing sound, the baseball bat struck the target’s head with perfect precision.

A black-haired goddess in revealing clothing collapsed upright at Naoki’s feet.

Naoki turned and gave Gilgamesh a thumbs-up. “Like this, good enough, King Gilgamesh?”

“…”

After a brief silence, Gilgamesh’s hearty laughter echoed throughout the Ziggurat.

-

Title: A Baseball Bat Stops the Dragon Train!

Gilgamesh was located at the center of Uruk, atop the Ziggurat, the core of the entire fortified city.

Under Merry’s guidance, Naoki and the others, except for Rei, had now arrived here.

And as soon as they entered—

“Are you busy, King Gilgamesh? If you have a moment, could you spare some time? Magus Merry, bringing some guests to meet you.”

Just as Gilgamesh, seated on his throne, had finished one task and was preparing for the next, Merry promptly dragged Ritsuka and the others before him.

Gilgamesh, who was reading a clay tablet in his hand, heard the voice. His glowing red eyes quickly lifted, locking onto Naoki’s group.

Beside him, the priestess named Siduri stepped forward slightly. “Good morning, Lady Merry. I’m sorry, but the King is still handling state affairs. If there’s something to discuss, please wait three hours.”

“That’s too troublesome, it’s fine. It’ll only take two or three minutes. Bear with it a bit, Siduri. I’ll give you a thousand flowers later.” Merry laughed.

“Lady Merry…”

Siduri, whose face looked somewhat helpless, seemed about to say more, but before she could, Gilgamesh, seated on the throne, spoke first—

“Siduri, announce it. All affairs are postponed for five minutes.”

“Huh?”

“The King is truly wise. But honestly, five minutes isn’t necessary. I just came to report the situation and introduce these guests.”

Gilgamesh snorted coldly. “No need. This King already knows about the situation with those people—You’re awfully late, Holy Sword wielder. Were you lying in a woman’s embrace, unable to get up?”

“Oh?” Naoki was slightly surprised. “You’re still from your previous life, yet you know about me? Can Clairvoyance see that far into the future?”

“Tch! Foolish question.”

(Another person the Department Head knows? Does he even know people from the Age of Gods?)

(Actually, they’re old acquaintances. The King met King Gilgamesh during the Holy Grail War twenty years ago, and he crushed him ten years ago.)

“This King was not crushed! You succubus over there, keep babbling, and this King will sentence you to death!”

Gilgamesh immediately glared at Merry angrily after hearing her quiet whisper.

“Well, even so, this King’s defeat is a fact. Though I’m not pleased, since it’s you, you’re indeed useful help now. Let this King see the light of your Holy Sword, Holy Sword wielder.”

Regarding Naoki’s strength, even the arrogant Gilgamesh had to admit the other was truly powerful. With this strength, the Demon Beast defense line, which had been painstakingly maintained at a stalemate thanks to a few Servants and his treasures, would surely be able to launch a major counterattack.

But beyond that—

His eyes swept over Ritsuka, Mash, Hinako, and Xiang Yu in spirit form. Gilgamesh sighed slightly. “What’s the rest of this, shoddily made goods? This is all you have after six Singularities? Might as well melt them down and remake them. This King doesn’t have much time to deal with you lot. If it weren’t for the Holy Sword wielder, I wouldn’t give you a single minute.”

“Ugh…”

The unexpectedly low assessment made Ritsuka and Mash feel a bit awkward, while Hinako beside them was instantly filled with rage!

(He dares call Lord Xiang Yu shoddily made goods?)

(When he himself is a mixed-blood blond!)

(Calm down, Yu. Don’t be rash.)

(I understand, Lord Xiang Yu. Verbal provocation is ineffective against me.)

“Enough. The five minutes I’ve given you are already too much. In that time, this King could handle at least ten state affairs. I leave Chaldea’s arrangements to you, Merry. If anything comes up, see Siduri. This King’s time is precious and won’t be wasted on useless people.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I know you’re generous.”

Merry gave a helpless smile.

(Sorry, Ritsuka-chan, Mash, Hinako-chan. He’s just like that. To make him talk nicely, we need strength first. Let’s go for now.)

(So… we need ‘capital’ first?)

(Exactly, Ritsuka-chan’s getting the hang of things. Once we take down one of the Three Goddess Alliance later, he’ll have to talk to us.)

It had come to that point…

(I’ll work hard!)

Just as Ritsuka and Merry were talking like this and preparing to leave the temple, a soldier suddenly rushed in from outside. “Sorry for interrupting your cheerful conversation, King.”

“Who’s having a cheerful conversation! Are you blind?!”

Gilgamesh immediately roared in anger.

“If there’s urgent business, report it at once!”

“Yes! Someone is rapidly approaching Uruk. It’s estimated to be one of the Three Goddess Alliance, Goddess Ishtar!”

The Three Goddess Alliance!

Ritsuka’s eyes widened slightly, and Merry even shook her shoulders while laughing.

(An opportunity, Ritsuka-chan. Looks like the chance to talk with Gilgamesh came on its own.)

(Huh… Isn’t this a bit too fast…?)

(No, no. Get pumped!)

On the throne, hearing the report, Gilgamesh couldn’t help but press his forehead. “Why that foolish goddess again? Is she an idiot who never learns? How much trouble will she cause… No, this might be an opportunity—You know what to do, right, Holy Sword wielder?”

“You okay with me just going for it like that?” Naoki asked with a smile. “She’s Uruk’s patron goddess, after all.”

“Hah! What kind of patron is a goddess who only knows how to cause trouble? Moreover, Uruk has never been protected by a goddess. Uruk, with this King, needs no gods’ protection!”

That was truly something Gilgamesh would say.

“In that case, just to be safe, let me ask. If I end up damaging this temple later, I won’t have to pay compensation.”

“As long as you do it well enough to satisfy this King, it’s fine.”

“Alright.”

After leaving the temple, Naoki looked up at the sky. With his vision, he could clearly see a streak of golden light rapidly flying toward Uruk.

Seeing that familiar sight, Naoki sighed slightly. “Speaking of which, it’s been years since I last saw Tohsaka. Haven’t met since I moved out of the apartment and returned to Japan four years ago… Next time I’m back in Japan, I should visit the Tohsaka household.”

“Now—”

Activating Imaginary Manifestation, staring at the golden light speeding through the air, Naoki focused on the future a few seconds ahead. Then, aiming at the position the figure would definitely pass through, he swung the special baseball bat in his hand with all his might!

*CLANG!*

Followed by a muffled ringing sound, the baseball bat struck the target’s head with perfect precision.

A black-haired goddess in revealing clothing collapsed upright at Naoki’s feet.

Naoki turned and gave Gilgamesh a thumbs-up. “Like this, good enough, King Gilgamesh?”

“…”

After a brief silence, Gilgamesh’s hearty laughter echoed throughout the Ziggurat.

-

Title: A++ Endurance and E Endurance at Night

Meeting Tohsaka Rin again in Uruk, the Age of the Gods.

This is good news for Naoki, even though his relationship with Rin is just so-so. At best, he trains her in martial arts classes until she can’t eat dinner, and at night, he causes Rin to lose sleep and suffer from nervous tension the next day.

In Rin’s eyes, Naoki must seem like a demon with horns on his head and flames spewing forth. Moreover, since Rin usually trains in Gem Magecraft, the costs are exorbitant, so she often borrows money from Naoki or uses his connections in the Mineralogy Department to buy low-quality gems at a cheap price.

In the end, their relationship has almost become that of a lender and borrower. Rin also left Camelot Apartment and returned to Japan partly for this reason—living under the same roof as her lender isn’t something a borrower, especially a prideful Tsundere like Rin, could tolerate.

As a result, aside from the monthly interest she sends, Naoki never contacts Rin anymore. Her phone always rings unanswered, she’s not home when he visits during New Year’s, and even if he deliberately seeks her out, Rin avoids him.

This makes him feel like a debt collector.

“But at least I know Rin is doing fine now. I don’t know why she came to this Singularity, but being okay is more important than anything.”

After watching Ishtar leave, Merry laughed and clapped her hands: “Alright, time to discuss something important. Naoki’s fine, but Ritsuka-chan, Mash, Hinako—you guys currently have no value in the eyes of that king. This can’t go on. If you don’t get his help, restoring this Singularity will be extremely difficult.”

From Gilgamesh’s earlier attitude, it was clear he only took Naoki seriously. As for Ritsuka and the others, it’s not that he completely ignored them, but he just didn’t pay them much attention.

Mash asked, “So, we need to prove our worth… is that it?”

“Exactly. Right now, there’s a ton of work to be done in Uruk. There’s a labor shortage everywhere—repairing the city walls, making clay tablets, planting crops, tending to the wounded…” Merry listed them one by one. “In short, what you need to do now is take on odd jobs, starting with the small stuff, and help Uruk with your abilities. That way, Gilgamesh will start seeing you differently.”

Odd jobs?

Hinako frowned: “What about the Demon Beasts? Don’t we need to fight them?”

Merry smiled: “Of course you do. The more reliable combat power, the better. I was just talking about Ritsuka and Mash. Given their situation, staying in Uruk is the most suitable for now. As for Hinako and Lord Xiang Yu, there’s no question—you two are best suited for heading to the battlefield and crushing Demon Beasts~~~”

Good.

Hinako let out a small sigh of relief. If she had to do menial work for humans, she’d rather die. And even if she could reluctantly accept it, she’d be furious enough to destroy the place if Xiang Yu had to do odd jobs.

“But we can talk about that tomorrow. Today is your first day in this Singularity. It wouldn’t be right to make you work right away, so I’ll give you a day off. Tomorrow, I’ll officially assign tasks for you.”

Ritsuka’s eyebrow twitched: “Eh? Is Teacher Merry the one assigning our tasks?”

“Of course. Who else is the general manager of Chaldea’s Embassy in Uruk? Leave the external relations to me~” Merry puffed out her chest. “Though I say it’s a day off, there are still a few things to do. There’s no place for you to stay at the Chaldea Embassy right now, you know.”

“Eh?!”

Ritsuka exclaimed: “No place for us to stay?”

“Of course not. There aren’t many rooms there. Even if Merlin gets kicked out later, it can only fit two more people. One spot was reserved for the King from the start, and with Rei tied to Naoki, the place is already full.”

“How can that be…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take you to find a place to stay later. There are plenty of old houses in Uruk; you can find one with a bit of searching. Plus, you’ll need to prepare some furniture. You don’t want to sleep on the floor.”

“So, we need to settle the lodging issue first.” Naoki patted Ritsuka’s shoulder: “Well, good luck.”

Ritsuka glared at him helplessly: “Department Head, you’re the one living comfortably. I pray Miss Rei messes with you so much you can’t get up tomorrow morning.”

“Not anymore. Endurance trained through long-term high-pressure training isn’t something to underestimate. In terms of Servant abilities, I now have A++ endurance (nighttime specialization).”

“Ugh—!”

Hearing Naoki say that, Merry’s body instinctively tensed.

(A++? Is he joking? My endurance is E… I could die. I’d definitely die alone.)

Merry had originally planned to get rid of Rei and enjoy Naoki alone tonight, but now it seemed she’d definitely be overwhelmed, and after being overwhelmed, she’d be forced to keep going until she truly couldn’t handle any more.

(Hmm, better not get rid of Rei.)

For the sake of her own health.

As Merry was thinking this, Naoki suddenly spoke: “Alright, while you guys go settle the lodging issue, I’ll find something to do—Merry, where’s the most pressure on the front lines right now? I’ll go help out a bit.”

“Eh? You’re going to the front lines?”

“It’s the only place I can go.”

Merry thought for a moment: “The most pressure… The Demon Beast attacks haven’t been too intense lately. This place has adapted and can hold out. If you want to go, head to the Northern Wall. That’s where the Demon Beasts are most numerous. If you go, it’ll definitely ease a lot of pressure there.”

The Northern Wall?

Naoki recalled that the Magical Beast Goddess seemed to be in that direction. After twenty years, his memory was a bit hazy.

“Oh, by the way, dear King, when you get to the Northern Wall, remember to say hi to the General there for me.”

“General?”

Naoki, already floating in the air, was a bit confused: “Leonidas I?”

“No, not him. Though he’s there too, the General there now is someone else. You’ll know when you get there—Alright, let’s start the girls’ outing, Ritsuka-chan.”

Seeing Merry pull Ritsuka and the others along, Naoki smiled, then shot up into the sky, heading straight for the Northern Wall.