Merlin had been unusually pleased lately. Arthur was the only person he couldn't fully understand. No matter the knowledge Merlin wielded or the patterns he tried to unravel, Arthur's thoughts disrupted the future so thoroughly that Merlin's foresight blurred beyond clarity.
This mystery fascinated Merlin deeply—and it was dangerous, potentially catastrophic, capable of ending the world as they knew it.
Yet Merlin was convinced that Arthur would paint a far more magnificent picture than even he imagined.
For that reason, Arthur held a place in Merlin's heart above all else—above the entire world.
But Merlin was troubled too.
Despite his curiosity about Arthur, he was utterly clueless about the king's next move. Pulling Arthur into a dream revealed nothing—Arthur sensed Merlin immediately, his defenses unbreakable. Merlin was forced to blur the dreamscape, unable to glean any secrets.
It was like a curtain hanging between him and the most beautiful painting, forever blocking the full view. A deep regret gnawed at Merlin.
After two nights of failed attempts, Merlin resorted to harsh training—placing Arthur in brutal battlefield dreams to harden him quickly. Cruel, yes, but it was the best help a subject could offer his king.
But today, Merlin had a new plan.
If Arthur's dreams were impenetrable, why not spy through the dreams of those close to him?
Draven was impossible—no trust there.
The three knights—Kay, Gawain, and Lancelot—were powerful and loyal but weren't Arthur's right-hand men, so their knowledge would be limited.
Agravain was promising, but absent from Camelot for too long.
That left only one candidate.
Morgan—admittedly a fool, but a magical prodigy and integral to Arthur's future plans. Even if Morgan himself didn't grasp Arthur's strategy, he surely knew fragments.
"Oh, a direct confrontation would be tricky. But with her personality, she's easy to handle. He hadn't bullied Morgan in a while. No reason not to visit her without raising suspicion," Merlin thought, a sinful smile creeping across his face as he extended his hands toward Morgan.
Arthur pushed open Morgan's door and found her lying on the bed, her face twisted in torment as if trapped in a terrible dream. Nearby, Merlin danced with a strange, gleeful smile.
What on earth?
Did I come in at the wrong time?
Morgan was asleep, Merlin performing some ritual. Was this some new, bizarre pastime?
"I didn't know you had this hobby."
Merlin froze.
"Sorry to bother you. I'll leave."
Later, Arthur disguised himself with a simple hooded robe and staggered onto Camelot's streets.
His mind was already fragile, and witnessing such a strange scene only shook him further.
He wasn't surprised Merlin had attacked him—after all, Merlin was a creature who had never truly been offline. He disgusted people constantly.
Watching Merlin torment Morgan live was shocking, but also oddly reassuring—it wasn't the first time.
Still, there were limits.
"He's a sage destined to go down in history, a future Grand Caster," Arthur muttered. "But to get so carried away bullying a junior that he falls into a trance... Does he really not care about his reputation?"
Arthur felt foolish for ever seeing Merlin as a formidable enemy. Thinking of him as a mere living being was impossible now.
Lost in thought, Arthur wandered aimlessly. His disguise and distracted aura made passersby keep their distance.
Fearful as he usually was of death, Arthur had forgotten his guards this time—proof of how deep his malaise had sunk.
Then, with a sudden bang, Arthur collided with someone at a corner.
He staggered back, barely keeping his balance.
"Oh, sorry—" he apologized reflexively.
But when the other didn't respond, confusion set in.
The hood blocked much of his vision. He could only see the lower half of a woman who had fallen, her silk-stained knees marked with fresh blood. She struggled silently, unable to rise.
Not a word of complaint or blame escaped her lips.
"Are you okay?" Arthur asked gently.
[Task Trigger]
[Abnormal]
Request: Being born abnormal means being rejected by the world, having nowhere to belong. As king, I must give this girl a place to go.
Reward: Special — Miracle (depends on task completion)
[Miracle]
Requirement: Being born a miracle means violating the world's laws. As king, you must eliminate any threat to Camelot.
Reward: Talent — Power (Creator God Level / Random)
An abnormal person? A man of miracles?
Regardless of the girl's identity, the rewards alone stunned Arthur.
Since crossing time, system rewards—except the initial body optimization—had been neatly categorized: [Skills], [Equipment], [Knowledge], and [Props]. This time was different—one [Special] and one [Talent].
The "Miracle" reward was vague, its true nature elusive.
But the second reward, [Talent — Power], clearly referred to divine strength—Creator God level, the lowest tier.
Such power would benefit Arthur for life and enable countless feats.
Yet great rewards demanded even greater trials.
Arthur hesitated. Should he get involved with this girl?
After a moment's pause, seeing her still clutching her knees and unable to stand, he sighed and crouched beside her.
"I'm sorry for hurting you. Can you stand? If not, please forgive me for being rude—just hold my hand. It's my fault, so don't worry. I'll take responsibility until you recover," he said gently.
Kindness was the best response now.
The girl finally reacted, lifting her gaze and placing her small hand in his.
Arthur breathed a relieved sigh as he helped her up. At that moment, a breeze lifted his hood, revealing strands of golden hair.
"Thank you. My name is Manaka. Sajyou Manaka, my Prince."