After three entire days of travel, the group finally arrived near the grand city of Uruk.
Throughout the entire journey, although they were frequently attacked by demonic beasts, not a single one of them suffered even the slightest injury.
Not that it was really surprising.
After all, the group's composition was simply absurd.
Arthur solved most problems in such an overwhelmingly simple way that Ritsuka had already given up trying to comment on it.
Sometimes, a demonic beast would appear before the group in a threatening manner.
The next instant, it would already be impaled into the ground while Arthur continued walking as if absolutely nothing had happened.
After those three days together, the atmosphere among the five of them had become visibly more harmonious.
Even Anna seemed slightly less irritated than she usually was.
That was precisely why Arthur hadn't used Vimana.
Although they could have arrived much faster by flying, he ultimately preferred things this way.
After all, a journey wasn't made solely of the final destination.
The moments along the way also had their own value.
Mash observed the gigantic city in the distance curiously.
"Hm..." she murmured. "It looks like they're inspecting everyone who enters the city."
"How are we going to get in, Senpai?" she asked Ritsuka.
Hearing Mash's question, Ritsuka placed a hand on her chin and began thinking seriously.
"...You're right," she commented while watching the movement near the gates. "Looks like getting in is going to be complicated."
"...Should we sneak in?" she muttered.
"No need."
Completely interrupting her train of thought, Arthur slowly turned his gaze toward Merlin, who was walking a few steps behind them.
"Merlin was summoned personally by Gilgamesh," he said calmly. "So she's probably carrying some kind of authorization that allows free entry into the city, right?"
At the same moment, Ritsuka and Mash slowly turned their heads toward Merlin.
"Seriously?" Ritsuka immediately asked.
Feeling all eyes focused on her, Merlin blinked a few times.
Then—
"Teehee~!"
She lightly tapped her own head while sticking out her tongue with an absurdly cute smile.
"..."
"..."
"..."
At that moment, both of them immediately understood Arthur had been right.
Fou suddenly leapt off Arthur's shoulder straight toward Merlin's face and began scratching her vigorously.
"Fou! Fouuu!"
"Ahahahaha! Wait! Wait! Don't attack your big sister's face!" she laughed while trying to defend herself from Fou's assault.
Arthur couldn't help letting out a small laugh at the sight.
"Okay, Fou," he said while picking up the small creature before Merlin got completely massacred. "Let's give her room to do her job."
Fou crossed his tiny arms and huffed.
Clearly still dissatisfied.
Having no other choice, Merlin, who had just survived Fou's attack, calmly walked toward the city guards.
While she was talking to them, Ritsuka suddenly noticed something from the corner of her eye.
She slowly turned her head and froze.
"...Arthur."
"Hm?" Arthur murmured.
Ritsuka slowly pointed at him.
"...Why did your hair and eye color suddenly change?" she asked in complete confusion.
Mash blinked several times before looking as well.
Only then did she realize Arthur now had red hair and violet eyes.
There wasn't even the slightest trace of the golden hair or scarlet eyes he had possessed before.
Arthur looked at them for a few seconds before revealing a mysterious little smile.
"...You'll understand once we reach the Ziggurat."
"...That explained absolutely nothing," Ritsuka replied immediately.
"Just trust me." Arthur merely smiled.
With Merlin's negotiations finally complete, the group entered Uruk.
The instant he passed through the gates, Arthur froze for a fraction of a second as a feeling of nostalgia overtook his mind.
An almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face.
"Let's go see the King of Uruk!" Merlin declared cheerfully while raising her staff.
"Then please guide us, Merlin," Ritsuka replied.
Considering the customs of that era, and the fact they were outsiders seeking assistance, meeting the king was practically mandatory.
And so, led by Merlin, the group began heading toward the gigantic Ziggurat where Gilgamesh resided.
Along the way, countless soldiers passed by them.
Naturally, all of them greeted Merlin in an absurdly friendly manner.
Their motivations were as obvious as daylight.
Others cast curious glances toward Arthur.
But some froze for a moment before rubbing their eyes as though they had just seen something impossible.
Arthur pretended not to notice their reactions as he walked.
As they entered the enormous Ziggurat, they could hear countless voices echoing endlessly throughout the place.
"Don't make me repeat myself!" an authoritative voice resounded through the hall. "The more updated the reports from the demonic front are, the better! We cannot afford to neglect information!"
"Yes, sir! The rotation interval for the clay tablet personnel will be reduced to one hour! Additionally, three more wagons have been added to the transport unit!"
"Very good! Next item!"
"This is today's supply transportation list," Siduri, standing beside Gilgamesh, said while handing him a clay tablet.
"It seems there are delays in the supplies being sent to the City of Eresh because of demonic beasts."
"Send twenty men from the East Gate barracks to drive them off!"
"The scholars are far too lazy! It's about time they put those useless brains to work!"
Under the king's command, every matter was handled with extreme care.
He was even personally dealing with matters related to pregnant women giving birth.
Ritsuka's and Mash's expressions gradually became stranger and stranger as they watched him work.
Because the figure before them was completely different from the Gilgamesh they had imagined.
The two slowly turned their heads toward Arthur.
Their eyes clearly conveyed a single question: What the hell is going on here?
"...It's a complicated story," Arthur replied with a smile.
Ritsuka stared at Arthur for a few seconds.
Then looked back at the man sitting upon the throne in the center of the Ziggurat.
Then at Arthur again.
Then once more at Gilgamesh.
"..."
"..."
"...No way..." she muttered in disbelief as she finally began connecting the dots.
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"No?" he asked.
"I refuse to accept this," she replied immediately. "This has gone beyond every possible limit, even by my standards."
Mash, beside her, was still alternating her gaze between the two with a completely confused expression.
"...Senpai," she called softly. "Why are the two of you so similar?"
Arthur remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he looked toward Gilgamesh, who was still working frantically without even noticing their presence.
"...We're not similar," he said while crossing his arms.
"...Huh?" Ritsuka blinked in confusion.
"Technically... we're the same person," Arthur said, already laughing at the expressions on both their faces.
"..."
"..."
"..."
[Ritsuka.exe has stopped working]
Then—
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!!"
Ritsuka's scream echoed throughout the entire Ziggurat.
Several staff members who had been working frantically immediately stopped what they were doing to look toward the source of the scream.
Soldiers turned their heads toward them.
Scribes nearly dropped their clay tablets.
Even Gilgamesh himself stopped what he was doing.
"...Hm?"
The King of Uruk slowly raised his eyes and looked directly toward the group causing the commotion, but froze when he saw Arthur.
"..."
"..."
For several seconds, the entire hall fell into absolute silence.
"Yo," Arthur said casually while raising a hand in greeting.
Gilgamesh's expression instantly died.
"...Ah." He rested his forehead against one hand. "...What the hell."
(End of Chapter)