Melusine, Become my Noble Phantasm!

"I know you're not human. Don't worry—I have no intention of exposing your identity. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to you joining us. No… more precisely, joining my organization. I think you are some immortal species, and just like me, you despise humans. There aren't many places left in this world where you can hide. I believe you need shelter."

The white-haired man held his chin thoughtfully, his golden eyes seeming to see right through her.

Obviously, he was just human—but his presence brought a different kind of pressure. With such a vast magical base, there were always a few unimaginable geniuses among humans. Ah… truly terrifying.

"Don't worry. I just came by to say hello today. You'll have plenty of time to think about it. Of course, even if you refuse, we can still be friends."

Friends? Easy to say—but who knows what would happen if I refused? Besides, aren't humans all two-faced?

Ah—!! I feel so bad, so angry! I want to burn everything around me—and most importantly, burn the guy who just spoke to me.

Unfortunately, some things were impossible. After all, that man was one of the monarchs of the Clock Tower. His subjects were not the same as the students he taught. This was a tricky problem. Without making a huge scene, she couldn't safely get rid of the monarch until her strength was fully restored.

The girl didn't notice that as she recalled the man she hated, her aura began to flare with oppressive power. To others, it looked as if a red light flashed in her eyes, and her whole body seemed to burn. Several magicians who had just been whispering ill things about her immediately shut their mouths.

Though they weren't sure whether her anger stemmed from them, no one wanted trouble now. After all, rumors said a certain boy who had harassed this girl was beaten nearly to death. His family tried to cause trouble for the oriental girl, but some of the troublemakers ended up dead or seriously injured. In the end, the matter was buried. This was why no one dared get close to the girl.

What if it's some kind of curse unique to the East?

"We're here. The bus can't go any further. We have to walk from here. Grab everything."

Mark ordered everyone to prepare to get off, waking the girl in the last row from her thoughts. The girl with twin ponytails sighed, setting aside her worries for now. After all, she had accepted this invitation partly to find some peace and quiet.

Being out here in nature, far from people—maybe she could temporarily cast away her troubles. Maybe here, undisturbed, she could figure out what to do next.

She gathered her books and packages, adjusted her glasses, and walked at the rear of the group. She glanced toward where the others were gathering.

Chaldea…

Meanwhile, in this forest, Aslan had put away his conspicuous jewelry. Now, his clothes were both luxurious and understated, bearing meaningful subtlety.

The flying bird familiar he had hastily created earlier still circled above, bringing him updates. It was a rare visit to the human world—and this singularity's form had taken the shape of a spirit.

Aslan carefully sensed the magic shifting in the air, studied the plants and scenery, and prepared himself for modern cuisine. Although Great Britain had some dark culinary traditions, it also offered new flavors unseen elsewhere.

Coke. I haven't tasted it in 1,500 years. Who knows what I imagined it to taste like, but after testing, it feels different. So much time has passed—even I've forgotten exactly how it tasted. How could I replicate it perfectly?

The old-timers in the inner sea of the stars mostly drank fruit juices and alcohol. The only elegant drink was tea. Of course, if you visited the planet's internal test area, you might find pure milk tea flavored with the Age of Gods' essence from Mongolia.

Though many drinks were delicious, Aslan was growing tired of them after so long. Don't tell me coke, fries, and burgers are all junk food. His constitution was completely different from humans; even junk food didn't affect him.

If Arturia can eat it, why can't I?

Thinking of his sister, Aslan quickened his pace. Investigating the impending crisis in this world could wait. A world-threatening crisis was either hidden with no clues or so sudden that no preparation could help.

So why rush? Why not enjoy myself first?

Aslan was certain Merlin was watching him. If Merlin was watching, then he'd better savor the unique food and entertainment the human world offered—to make Merlin jealous and pay back the kick from earlier.

But it was precisely because Aslan indulged Merlin that Merlin had learned to connect the tower to the human world's network without Aslan's help. Merlin even registered an account online as the magical "Merry-chan" and tricked a dethroned crown into his trap.

Before Aslan could walk far, his alchemical familiar returned, flapping excitedly and emitting a few shouts—clearly it had found something ahead.

"Hmm?"

Aslan narrowed his eyes. In this era, there were no magical beasts roaming the forests and mountains. Even if there were, they'd make noise. Magical beasts preferred places dense with magic power. This forest was undeveloped and magic power was sparse—so no magical beasts could exist here.

So… is it human?

-End Chapter-

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