Chapter 11. Mr. Gil, You're Embarrassed and Angry
For Tine, the Master of Gilgamesh, today was another uneventful day.
How leisurely.
There were no enemies on the streets, no one coming to challenge Gilgamesh, and no experts infiltrating the area. Even the unidentified person who had fought Gilgamesh last night hadn't made any further moves and had vanished without a trace.
Birds soared in the sky, and Snowfield City was as peaceful as ever. The climate was pleasantly mild, and though Tine felt inexplicably low-spirited, surely everyone else must be enjoying this gentle Snowfield City.
However, Tine's mood refused to brighten.
Tine's situation was probably the worst it could be. Because the King she was staying with, Gilgamesh, was sitting upright on a comfortable sofa.
He seemed to be in a foul mood.
Ever since he returned from the Snowfield City Central Hospital, he had been wearing a permanent scowl. But it was strange to Tine, because strictly speaking, the King was completely unscathed.
He supported his cheek with his hand, staring into the void, his expression devoid of any pleasure.
Only two days ago, he had been laughing happily due to reuniting with an old friend, but now he showed a fickle side; the playful smile had vanished from his face.
Gilgamesh kept his eyes open, bored to death. Innumerable messages seemed to flow through his crimson eyes, yet he said not a word. He remained on his throne, not only having no intention of going out since last night but barely even moving.
Ever since he returned from the battle against the unidentified faction, he had been taciturn. Not only that, he would occasionally ask inexplicable questions.
"Hey, Tine. You said I was summoned during the Fourth Holy Grail War. Is that true?"
Tine froze for a moment, then answered mechanically:
"Yes. Your descent was a magnificent spectacle already confirmed, and your battles captivated countless people."
She hadn't lied. At the very least, the intelligence regarding the legendary battle between the King of Heroes and Iskandar had indeed helped the Tine family decide their resolve—it was this battle that showed the King of Heroes was invincible in the Holy Grail War.
This answer should have been fine, but the follow-up question that came next left Tine frozen in place:
"Then, what about the Fifth Holy Grail War?"
'What?'
Tine's mind blanked, her code stopped running, and her eyes darted like a small fish swimming in a bowl.
'What does he mean by 'what about the Fifth Holy Grail War'? Did the King appear in the Fifth Holy Grail War? I don't know that!'
"What? Can't answer? Then I'll change the question—who was the Archer of the Fifth Holy Grail War? And does he have anything to do with me?"
Gilgamesh stared impatiently at Tine and demanded.
Tine: ..........
Gilgamesh: .........
"It seems I had too high expectations for you."
Rarely, Gilgamesh did not fly into a rage; he merely gave a short, condescending evaluation. By his own standards, this could even be considered a decent attitude. But for Tine, it was no different from a thunderbolt striking on a clear day—utterly disastrous.
'Why? King, why!?'
"Wait, King! It is indeed my incompetence, and I will accept any punishment you deem fit. But the information blockade regarding the Fifth Holy Grail War was extremely abnormal, as if it were unobservable, hidden within a black box. We were truly unable to do anything, lacking your superior abilities!"
Tine's small figure shattered instantly. Teetering on the brink of being "sunk," she desperately explained, trying to keep the "favorability rating" that was plummeting from falling further, tiptoeing in an effort to push it back up.
The secrecy of the Fifth Holy Grail War was indeed abnormally tight. Tine had once wanted to know what happened back then, only to find nowhere to learn about it.
Tine only knew that the overseer of the Holy Church had died... but then again, the one from the Fourth had also died. And the Masters sent by the Mage's Association were either dead or missing... but then again, those from the Fourth were also dead.
'Does this imply some subtle difference in meaning? Tine doesn't understand!'
"A boring excuse."
Gilgamesh looked away from Tine, disinterested.
About five minutes later, while watching out the window, he refocused his gaze on Tine. Realizing that the other party had probably calmed down, Tine let out a sigh of relief, as if she had survived a catastrophe.
Gilgamesh closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the torrent that seemed to reflect in his eerie irises had finally vanished.
"King, why did you ask?"
Gilgamesh answered with abnormal coldness, not wanting to say even a single word more:
"Hmph, I just saw a ridiculous scene earlier. To be able to project even the impossible—it is likely that these eyes have shifted from observing facts to observing hypotheses. That it can even project hypothetical events is a grave inconvenience caused by these eyes being too excellent."
'...Can he even find an angle like that?'
Although a strange thought crossed her mind for a moment, Tine shook her head hurriedly, driving away the disrespectful delusion.
'The King's eyes are excellent. Remember that.'
"Totally unbelievable. If I don't run into those people again, I'll just treat it as an illusion."
In front of Tine, he regained his arrogant smile, as if he were just laughing off what he had seen. Seeing him back to his usual self, Tine let her guard down, a childlike smile appearing in her heart.
'Everything is indeed still under the King of Heroes' control! Right, right?'
The cool breeze blew with a rustle; in the distance, one could still see the endless forest. The world was sunny and peaceful, quiet and harmonious.
Only one doubt remained, which Tine buried in her heart.
The final sentence was a bit strange.
'What if he runs into those people again?'
"Who is it!"
A loud shout interrupted Tine's thoughts. Gilgamesh suddenly stood up, reprimanding a corner of the room. The corner looked empty.
But Gilgamesh stared unblinkingly at that position. He stood still, and several "Gates" opened around him.
Finally, as if he had received the sentiment from the other side—"You're still not dead yet"—he could no longer suppress it, his mouth twitching into a smile. He closed all the gates, opened a new one, and pulled out...
The nameless pillar sword glowing with a dark red radiance, and so on, and so on!???
"Lord Gilgamesh, you cannot use that here! The people below will die! They will really die!"
"What does that have to do with me? They are not my subjects."
"Everyone in this world has the potential to turn over a new leaf and kneel before you as your subjects, so please give them a chance, I beg you!"
"Don't stop me. Regardless of the people from last night, at the very least, I am going to slaughter everyone on the Bounded Field side!"
"Lord Gilgamesh—!?"
'Ah, Tine is finished.'
Although it was "as usual," the King's mindset seemed to have undergone a subtle change.
The reason for his temper tantrum was something Tine could no longer handle.
'At least, at least tell Tine the reason!
Maybe I could solve it? Like, by... comforting him?'
Tine thought.
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