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IBHJ Chapter 259
🕑 Added 2023-05-12 23:21:19 +0000 UTC"Your Majesty, I challenge you to a duel! Come and face me!" Scathach's voice echoed through the palace as she stood poised with her twin spears.
For five long years, she had endured the taunts and bullying of this despicable king. She had suffered 1,793 defeats at his hands, but now, she had honed her skills and vowed never to lose again.
Scathach strode confidently towards Shirou, ready to challenge him once again. As she approached, Shirou swallowed nervously, setting aside the paperwork in his hands and forcing a smile. "You're here to duel me again, Scathach."
She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. After 1,793 failed attempts, she had grown accustomed to Shirou's typical opening remarks of scorn and ridicule. So why was he suddenly being polite?
"Yes," she replied, still unsure of what to make of his behavior.
Indeed, just addressing her by her name, Scathach thinks this king is polite enough. After all, when it comes to this king, he is always calling her a shameful waste or scum...it's really annoying!
"Please, Scathach, come and take a seat," Shirou invited her with a gentle smile, motioning to a chair in front of him.
What... What kind of conspiracy is this?
Scathach broke out in a cold sweat, "I...I won't come over."
Shirou continued to smile gently, "Come on, sit over here."
"I...I think I'll pass."
His expression darkened as he suddenly reverted to his old ways, scowling at Scathach and calling her a shameful waste. "I told you to come over here! Do I have to drag you?" he snapped.
"Oh...oh, okay..." Scathach felt a wave of anxiety wash over her as she reluctantly took a seat, sweating profusely and feeling incredibly nervous.
What does he want to do? Is this a new trick? There was no such move in the 1793 duels record!
Gently stroking her hair, Shirou asked in a soothing tone, "Have you been eating and sleeping well in Camelot lately? Do you need my help with anything?"
"No, I haven't had any difficulties,"
As Shirou stroked Scathach's hair, he asked in a gentle tone, "Let me ask you something, and please answer me truthfully. If you were asked to be my teacher when I was a child, how would you train me?"
"Train you when you were a child? Um, do you want me to answer honestly?" she asked, unsure.
He nodded. "Yes."
"Um... would you be upset?" she asked tentatively.
Shirou smiled reassuringly. "Of course not. I am a magnanimous king. How could I get angry?"
Scathach studied Shirou's face for a moment before answering, "Well then, I would definitely stab you to death! First, the heart, then blind your eyes! Then tear your hair apart and split your head in two... ah, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
Shirou's expression remained stoic as he gently pulled on Scathach's hair, causing her to burst into tears. "But didn't you say you wouldn't get angry?" she sobbed.
"I'm not angry, I'm just restating my question. If you had met me as a child, how would you have trained me, you scum?"
"Why do you have to ask such a strange question? You're already grown up... ah!... I see, I see! I would train you with gentleness and tenderness!" Scathach cried out, wincing as Shirou tugged on her hair. "Please don't pull my hair anymore, it hurts!"
He released his grip and said, "Remember what you said today. You may leave now."
"But... but the duel..." she hesitated.
Shirou gripped Scathach's hair tightly, causing her to cry out in pain.
"I got it, I got it, I'll go down, just stop pulling me! At least now I'm serving you as a warrior and representing Ireland, right? Please treat me better!"
As she descended, Scathach couldn't help but feel annoyed by the king's strange question. If she had trained him since childhood, there would be no need for such inquiries. Perhaps the best course of action would be to simply stab him to death to prevent him from causing harm to others again.
Her mind wandered as she formulated a plan: poke his eyes out, cut off his tongue, kick him to the ground, and stomp on him as hard as possible. Finally, she would sit on his back, grab his hair, and make him taste the bitterness of hair-pulling.
"Decision made," she muttered to herself. "Today's dream will be about this."
...
Shirou sat at his desk, staring at the paperwork in front of him. He couldn't concentrate, not with Zelretch's words echoing in his mind. What if Merlin had deceived him? What would he do then?
Finally, he set aside the paperwork and called forth Merlin.
"The king has summoned me? Very well, I'll make my way over there now," Merlin replied, setting aside his work and following the guard to the palace.
"Hey, hey, hey, will the king be rewarding you, Melly~☆?" Ruby teased. "You were the one who invited Zelretch, after all."
"You're overthinking things, Ruby. That king knows how to exploit people to his advantage. It's a good thing you're not a person, or else you might have learned what it's like to be used up," Merlin grumbled. "And while we're on the subject, when are you going to stop clinging to my hand?"
"I, Ruby, have fallen in love with Melly~! I won't leave~!"
"This is really troublesome. Even my staff is obsessed with me, and I know I'm charming, but this is beyond my imagination. Sigh-- who made me naturally flirtatious, charming, and adorable?" Merlin couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Ruby: "..."
Ruby felt queasy and thought she might vomit.
Meanwhile, Merlin arrived at the palace, full of energy. However, as soon as he stepped inside, he sensed that something was amiss. His cheerful demeanor disappeared, replaced by a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. Inside the expansive palace, there were no palace officials to greet him, only four knights and attendants - Kay, Gawain, Agravain, and Artoria.
These were the same people who knew that Shirou was departing.
Shirou sat on the throne, his bare chest revealing a well-built body with eight-pack abs, as he sharpened the edge of his sword.
"Shing... Shing..."
The sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the palace.
Agravain closed the door to the palace, plunging the already-quiet room into an even deeper silence, save for the sound of Shirou grinding his sword.
Merlin couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
"Yo yo yo, Melly~ looks like you're in trouble~!" Ruby gloated.
