Merlin's manner of speaking was steeped in subtext.
She would not take the initiative to interfere in these matters, but if Ludwig was willing to owe her a favor for the sake of an unrelated party, she didn't mind lending a hand. It was, in a sense, a test of Ludwig's humanity.
In a strict biological sense, he and the humans of this era could not be considered the same species, especially given his half-Angel heritage. To call him a monster who, like Merlin, could never truly integrate into human society would not be an exaggeration.
However, Ludwig didn't bother himself with such existential musings. To him, imposing endless restrictions on power or constantly worrying about whether one's actions "befitted" their status was far too complicated. If it felt right, do it; if it felt wrong, don't.
"That depends on the solution you're offering," Ludwig said, hands on his hips as he stared down at the remains of Zouken. "I won't blindly owe anyone a favor."
Merlin had anticipated this response and gave a light, airy wave of her finger. "First, the simplest method: return the girl to her original family."
"Original family?" Ludwig set Kariya down again. "What's the story there?"
"...Sakura is the child of Tokiomi Tohsaka. He gave her up for adoption to that old man so she could inherit the Matou family's sorcery," Kariya pointed out the cold, hard fact without hesitation.
Ludwig frowned. "You mean that bug-manipulating magecraft?"
"It's worse than that. Beneath the Matou estate lies a Worm Pit. Since the day she was sent here, Sakura has spent every day in that place, undergoing Zouken's 'remodeling'." Kariya spat the words through gritted teeth, his eyes clouded with agonizing regret.
Ludwig momentarily thought he had misheard. He had considered Kiritsugu Emiya the archetype of a magus—someone who would use any means necessary and deceive an opponent in a desperate situation without blinking. But it turned out that was merely the tip of the iceberg.
"So, what you're saying is... that plan is a no-go?" Ludwig asked.
"I don't know," Kariya shook his head. "But even if we send her back, she'll likely just be sent away again."
"They are a magus lineage, after all. A family's magecraft cannot be passed down to two children," Merlin noted with an air of detached understanding. "The Tohsaka family has no room for this girl."
Ludwig leaned in close to Merlin, peering into her eyes. "So, you have a second plan, don't you?"
"The second plan: send the girl to a distant branch of a magus family. That particular house doesn't seem to care much about the number of heirs they have." Merlin's eyes curved into playful crescents.
Ludwig looked at her suspiciously. "No magus lineage is just going to accept a child delivered by a stranger—especially one who has already been 'remodeled' by another magus."
"That isn't something Lutz needs to worry about," Merlin teased, sticking out her tongue. "I am the Magus of Flowers. Making modern-day magi believe this child is a gift from the heavens is child's play for me."
Ludwig wanted to suggest that they could just send the girl back to the Tohsakas after they dealt with Archer—with Merlin's abilities, she could surely pull that off. But he knew why she hadn't suggested it. It was easy to guess.
Returning her to the Tohsakas "wasn't interesting enough."
"As for the trauma the child has endured, I will handle it," Merlin added casually.
"Handle it... you mean..." The light of hope flickered in Kariya's one functional eye.
He had already been in a state of disbelief since hearing the name "Magus of Flowers." A magus who did not belong to this Holy Grail War, yet watched everything from the sidelines alongside Ludwig—the legendary Great Magus Merlin.
—Except, much like King Arthur, this one was also a woman. Kariya felt as though every book he had ever read was a lie.
"The terms sound almost too good to be true," Ludwig said.
Merlin reached out and brushed her hand against Sakura's forehead. "Virtue and vice both come with a price. There is no such thing as a free blessing or a cheap curse in this world. Lutz, you might want to save people out of a momentary whim of kindness, but if you walked away right now and focused on your own goals, you wouldn't have to worry about any of this."
Artoria turned to Ludwig. "What is your decision, Master?"
"Do you always like to talk in circles? Adding so many layers of logic to good and bad deeds just to make people hesitate?" Ludwig pulled back with a look of feigned disgust, creating distance between himself and Merlin.
"Hehe~ and what do you intend to do, then?" Merlin's fingers brushed against her own cheek.
"Then I'll leave it to you. Go with the second plan," Ludwig said with a grin. "Regardless of the era, people struggle to live for the sake of a better tomorrow. I believe this girl deserves at least that much of a right, doesn't she?"
"Then leave it to me." Merlin wasted no more words, taking the unconscious girl from Artoria's arms. "I'll be leaving Fuyuki for a short while. I hope you don't move too fast, Lutz. I'd hate to miss the most exciting part of this Holy Grail War."
Ludwig suddenly looked at Artoria. "Maybe we should go hit the Tohsaka manor right now. Once Merlin leaves, let's just wipe out the Archer faction."
"Master..." Artoria couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
Her Master's antics had managed to ease the tension in her spirit slightly, temporarily brushing away the lingering shadows cast by the encounter with Lancelot. However, she didn't quite have the mental energy for an immediate war; she needed a moment to breathe and center her heart.
Kariya didn't join in their banter. He struggled to his feet, walked over to Merlin, and reached out to touch Sakura's forehead. His gaze was as tender as if he were looking at his own daughter.
"Then I leave it in your hands, Great Magus," Kariya said, before turning to walk back toward the house.
Ludwig was confused. "Where are you going? To get money?"
"I am going to burn the Matou house to the ground." Kariya's steps were labored but his resolve was ironclad.
"That's a lot of hate..." Ludwig couldn't truly empathize, but he understood the intent. "Let me do it. If you try to start a fire yourself, you'll probably end up dying inside. I'm still counting on you and your Servant to put in some work."
He patted Kariya on the shoulder and stepped into the house.
Left in a state of shock, Kariya had no choice but to follow Saber and the others out of the courtyard.
A short while later, flames erupted from the Matou estate, swallowing the entire mansion in the blink of an eye. Kariya watched as Ludwig emerged, dragging Tsuruno by the collar. He hauled the unconscious man all the way out of the yard and dumped him on the roadside.
The boy's expression was grim. He had seen the Worm Pit—the dying insects losing their vitality as the heat rose. Just imagining what would have happened to a little girl tossed into such a place almost made him retch.
"Merlin has already departed. Is there anything else?" Artoria asked, watching the burning manor.
Ludwig clapped the dust from his hands and glanced at Kariya. "Based on our alliance, I have already paid the deposit."
"Don't worry. Even if you refused to let me join the battle, I would still stake my remaining life to fight Tokiomi." Kariya turned and began to limp away in the opposite direction.
He didn't intend to trouble Ludwig further. Tonight was over. When the general assault on the Tohsaka manor began tomorrow night, he would be there.
Even if he had to crawl, Kariya would make it to the battlefield.
Status Report:
The Matou Faction: Effectively neutralized. Zouken is (seemingly) dead; the manor is destroyed; Sakura is safe under Merlin's care.
Current Objective: The final assault on the Tohsaka Manor and Archer.
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Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey(80 Chapter - Ongoing)
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