The party ended right before midnight. Arturia, Merlin, and Reinhard went back to Astrea's mansion together.

Reinhard shows Merlin his room before he retreated for the night. The night in Lugnica was dark. There was almost no light, as the source of the light was only from candle and lantern.

However, Arturia chose to visit the library in the middle of the night. She wanted to ask Merlin about something.

When Arturia entered the library, Merlin had sat on the chair while reading a book. The tip of his wand was lit. The light from his wand was enough to brighten the library.

When Merlin noticed Arturia, he looked at her with a small smile on his face.

“My King, what do you want to ask?”

He closed the book in his hand and put it on the table beside him.

Arturia walked to the chair on the other side of the table and sat down.

“I wanted to ask about the boy who give me information about Hakugei.”

Merlin was interested. He heard the conversation of Arturia and Crusch about the informant.

“You wanted to ask whether the boy have a clairvoyance to look to the future like King Gilgamesh or Solomon, am I right?”

Arturia nodded her head.

“There is a possibility that he’s part of the Witch Cult too. I can see a dark aura surrounding his body when he approached me that day. The aura that I didn’t see in our first meeting.”

Merlin stroked his chin with his right hand as he crossed her leg.

“Interesting. Then there is a possibility that the boy was possessed. Can you describe the dark aura that surrounded the boy?”

“I remembered it clearly because it was strange. When I met him, his expression was filled with despair. His eyes were not focused, and he was like a madman who just returned from the battlefield after losing his loved one.”

Arturia dug into her new memories and now she understood Subaru’s expression that she saw that time. In her new memories which she gained after she received Excalibur, she was in a few wars against the enemy of Britain.

In that memory, a lot of soldiers who lost their loved ones in front of their eyes often broke down and despaired. The look on Subaru’s face that time reminded her of those soldiers.

“So he was experiencing despair. He somehow KNEW that he CAN’T save someone dear to him that time.”

Arturia nodded her head at Merlin’s presumption.

“I think so. After I accepted his request, the dark aura that surrounded him at that time began to disappear slowly. His expression brightened and he gained his smile back.”

“If he’s experiencing despair that even the experienced soldier got, then it’s not clairvoyance. If someone uses clairvoyance to look at the future, they will only know what happened and the feeling is not as real as seeing it directly.”

Merlin raised his index finger while smiling at Arturia.

“If he really has clairvoyance, then he will not despair. From my experience, those who have clairvoyance tend to solve the problem themselves, not asking for help unless they desperately needed it. Not only that, they will know in advance that he will succeed in gaining help, which will dispel his despair earlier.”

Arturia nodded her head at Merlin’s explanation.

“So, the possibility that he was a Witch Cultist could be erased too?”

“No, there is still a possibility that he’s a Witch Cultist. Looking at the two guys that I met, the Witch Cultists seem to harbor a big ambition that will involve the Royal Selection of this Kingdom.”

“I think so too.”

She had suspicion since two of the Witch Cult’s Archbishops had blocked their way and knew that two King Candidates were amongst the expedition members.

“They specifically targeted us, but more importantly I think I know their real target.” With a serious face, Arturia looked at Merlin.

“I think they targeted Emilia-sama, one of the King Candidates. Her appearance is very similar to how the Witch of Envy described in the book.”

“So their reason for targeting her could be narrowed down.”

Merlin touched his chin while having a big smile on his face.

“Yes, and that boy who asked help. His gaze when he met Emilia-sama at that time. Now that I think about It, there is no way he can fall in love that easily.”

“Immediately, huh. My King, could it be that he has that power?”

“That power?” She asked in a confused tone. Arturia tilted her head. She didn’t understand what Merlin meant by that power.

“This is just my guess. But maybe he has some power to make him able to experience something from the future. Maybe in a form of dream, revelation, or even direct experience.”

Merlin looked skeptical when he said it and scratched the back of his head.

“To be honest, that kind of power is bordering God's power. Even if he has clairvoyance, that instantly makes him a dangerous individual. But, if he has the power to experience the future, or even changed it…”

Arturia’s eyes widened. She put her hand on her chin and said.

“The one with him by their side will certainly win this selection. But, Merlin. Is that possible? The power to choose the future.”

“I don’t know.” Merlin shook his head and relaxed his sitting position.

“However, My King. Don’t worry about it. Every power has a weakness. If we somehow know it, then with me by your side I am certain that you will become a King. A splendid one at that.”

Arturia was also confident. With Merlin, whose one of his abilities was called King Creation, she was confident to win the selection.

“I don’t want to be a splendid King, I wanted to be a Kind One.”

Even though she was not as naïve as she was when she hadn’t got the set of memories from the others Arturia Pendragon, she was still pursuing her goal to be a different kind of King from the other Arturia.

Merlin closed her eyes, leaned his back against the chair’s backrest, and smiled.

“If that’s your choice, then I won’t interfere with it.”

Both of them smiled in silence, unaware of the red-haired Knight that was listening to their conversation from outside the library.

The knight walked away from the library with a smile on his face.

ShuviLily

There is advanced chapters on my Patréon.

Chapter 45 was uploaded on my Patréon!!

Patréon: www.patreon.com/ShuviLily

Thank you!