Yeah... that would be the reasonable reaction, wouldn't it?
[ His clawed hand finds hers again and grips it. ]
I'll admit it, Morgan did a splendid job with the cards she was dealt... but it was always going to end this way.
[ A long-dead land being artificially kept alive for 14,000 years... delaying the inevitable was all one ever could do, as the faeries themselves squandered whatever hope they had for something better. Twice did they reject the savior sent to them... Artoria's winter memories prove that much.
And yet... ]
"Ngh... Gaaah, that was nasty! The faeries at your place are pretty horrible, you know that!?"
"H-Huh!? D-Did you just talk, staff!?"
[ Honestly, it wasn't a very good lie. He sounds exactly like himself, and not at all like the actual Merlin who Ai has now seen for herself. ]
"No, I'm not the Staff of Selection. I'm just a nosy old busybody. Ugh, I swear... I wasn't planning on getting involved, but now I just don't think I have a choice. Listen up. I'm Merlin. Merlin, the Mage of Flowers. I'm going to be your teacher from now on. Don't forget it."
no subject
[ His clawed hand finds hers again and grips it. ]
I'll admit it, Morgan did a splendid job with the cards she was dealt... but it was always going to end this way.
[ A long-dead land being artificially kept alive for 14,000 years... delaying the inevitable was all one ever could do, as the faeries themselves squandered whatever hope they had for something better. Twice did they reject the savior sent to them... Artoria's winter memories prove that much.
And yet... ]
"Ngh... Gaaah, that was nasty! The faeries at your place are pretty horrible, you know that!?"
"H-Huh!? D-Did you just talk, staff!?"
[ Honestly, it wasn't a very good lie. He sounds exactly like himself, and not at all like the actual Merlin who Ai has now seen for herself. ]
"No, I'm not the Staff of Selection. I'm just a nosy old busybody. Ugh, I swear... I wasn't planning on getting involved, but now I just don't think I have a choice. Listen up. I'm Merlin. Merlin, the Mage of Flowers. I'm going to be your teacher from now on. Don't forget it."
[ "My Winter Memory... wasn't all that bleak." ]