As We Leave Mount Lu

Utaha Kasumigaoka's mind was completely in chaos.

"Anyway, I'll get Merlin out so he can have a proper talk with you, senior." Shirou spoke, his consciousness entered his Inner World, where Shirou found the silver-haired man.

"Apologize to Kasumigaoka -senpai! Explain yourself properly!" Shirou said without room for argument.

"Hey, but saying things like that to girls at this age will make things really complicated. You'll just be asking for trouble. I'm good at dealing with girls I'm meeting for the first time, but I'm not good at distinguishing them," Merlin warned.

"It's alright! Just say what's on your mind, that's basic etiquette, isn't it?" Shirou said, relinquishing control of his body.

"Ah, Kirishiko, my lovely girl. Actually, I'm Emiya. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Merlin said with a smile as he stepped forward.

"Mr. Merlin, thank you for your help. What do you think of my novel?" Utaha Kasumigaoka asked softly.

"I don't know, because I only glanced at the preview on the webpage. After all, you're so cute, your writing must be cute too. Whatever, you have something to say to me, right? Let's have a pleasant conversation in bed then." Merlin said with a smile, habitually pulling the girl closer and reaching for her buttocks.

"Hey!!" Shirou in his Inner World hadn't had time to stop him yet.

"Slap!" Utaha Kasumigaoka slapped him across the face.

"Ugh... I'm so disappointed. I never expected Magical Merlin to be this kind of person. Let me make this clear: don't think that just because you helped me, you can look down on my work! I'm not the kind of woman who'll sell herself for a little reward!"

There are plenty of online influencers who can help me promote my work. If I had known you didn't genuinely like my work, I wouldn't have accepted in the first place! I will definitely write works that readers like! Merlin! Go to hell!"Utaha Kasumigaoka stormed back to her room.

The image of the wise and refined prince in her mind, the man who understood her, genuinely loved her work, and selflessly helped her, was completely shattered. She never wanted to see such a person again; from now on, they were strangers—no! They were enemies!

Yes, Merlin, as the son of Nightmare, is very good at seducing women. After spending just one hour with him, most women will look at him with favor, and after a day, they will be infatuated with him.

However, he was actually bad at handling subsequent relationships. For example, in King Arthur's time, he did consider using Merlin's diplomatic skills, but the results were always contrary to his wishes.

In an attempt to forge alliances with other powers, King Arthur brought the Knights of the Round Table here to negotiate with the lord. Merlin, who accompanied them, quickly befriended the lord's daughter, hoping she could put in a good word for him.

But before the lord's daughter could get involved, the negotiations were going very smoothly, and the lord had agreed to form an alliance. However, Merlin misspoke, saying that he was just playing around with the lord's daughter and had no intention of marrying her. He also started to curry favor with the lord's daughter's best friend.

So the lord's daughter tearfully pleaded with her father, leading to a complete breakdown in negotiations. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table had no choice but to brave the arrows and spears, and ultimately subjugate the territory by force, thus completing another glorious chapter in the history of the Knights of the Round Table.

As the Knights of the Round Table embarked on their adventures and participated in trials across various regions, they would often need to rely on the power of fairies, goddesses, and witches. In many cases, upon learning that they were King Arthur's knights, the knights would make an exception and offer their assistance.

But often at this point, these women with magical powers would smile kindly and ask, "Do you know Merlin?"

The knights replied with a smile, "Yes, we know each other. We've eaten and drunk together before."

"Oh, get the hell out of here right now!!!"

Over time, the Knights of the Round Table finally realized that Merlin wasn't a genius at seducing women, but rather a genius at making enemies of the women he seduced. They were only meant to shield Merlin from harm; they couldn't expect him to be of any use.

"... Merlin, could you please stop messing with girls in the future?" Shirou said, rubbing his stinging face.

"Oh dear, Shirou, you're putting me in a difficult position. This is the nature of nightmares, like fish swimming in water, Monkey climbing trees, and pandas eating bamboo. There's no way to change it." The silver-haired man in the Inner World helplessly spread his hands and said, "Besides, Shirou, if you saw a girl who needed help, wouldn't you go and help her?"

"That's true... then please stop using my name to do these things, okay?" Shirou said in a pleading tone.

"But Shirou, the quality of beauties in your world is exceptionally high. I was involuntarily drawn to them." The handsome man in the white robe shook his head, indicating that he was also involuntarily drawn to them.

"Merlin, if you're really lonely, I'll help you contact all those witches, fairies, and goblins you abandoned before. Trust my Magic Eye, I'll help them find Avalon!" Shirou said, looking at the white-haired man.

"Please don't accept this! Alright, Shirou, I understand." Merlin had no choice but to agree.

"Please." Shirou nodded; it would be best if they could reach an agreement.

"But then again, it seems I've already contacted five or six beautiful women using your account," the silver-haired, purple-eyed man suddenly said.

"It's like playing a game together, calling each other 'husband,' and some girls can't distinguish between the real world and the online world."

She seemed to be earnestly asking me for advice on how to deal with an honest girl who would lie to her friends just to pursue her love for otaku stuff;

Like a girl who writes a diary on her phone every day about chatting with Emiya;

There's also Kotoha-chan, who's somewhat knowledgeable about sword-drawing techniques, and Sekai-chan, who loves standing behind others and watching the train tracks.

"Go apologize properly and explain yourself! Why do you always seem so dangerous?!"

"It's a pity that this is impossible. Love is not a transaction, and even nightmares cannot control it. Moreover, girls often become overly attached to relationships and can easily lose their senses. This tendency is particularly evident in these girls."

Therefore, the most rational thing to do at this time is to stay far away and let time wash away these feelings, allowing those girls to calm down. It's okay, they are all excellent girls, and there will definitely be even more outstanding people who will come looking for them."

Shirou covered his face, looking exasperated, and said, "I don't want to admit it, but it's very convincing. Oh well, just don't use my account anymore... no, I'll just delete it. It might be a bit rude to those girls, but it's better for everyone this way."

"Haha, that's really exaggerated. Even I've never encountered a situation where all the girls I met in a certain period of time came knocking on my door at the same time," Merlin said with a relaxed smile.

"No, just one upperclassman is bad enough," Shirou said, rubbing his still-sore face.

Chapter 134 Leaving Mount Lu

Around 5 a. m., everyone was woken up and began washing up and changing into warm clothes. Several students from the Xunyang Branch School also came out. Everyone yawned, greeted each other, and then boarded the bus that was there, which drove up the mountain.

"Good morning, everyone..." Shizuka Hiratsuka sleepy-eyed, rubbed her eyes as she walked out of her room. She was the one who reminded everyone to get up early, and yet she was behaving so badly.

"Good morning, teacher! Cheer up, your hair is still a mess." Shirou shook his head and walked up to her, saying this.

"Oh... oh..." Shizuka Hiratsuka was pushed back to her room.

"Give me a towel to wipe my face."

"Oh..."

"Here's your toothbrush, rinse your mouth and brush your teeth."

"Um..."

After washing her face and brushing her teeth at the sink, Shizuka Hiratsuka finally came to her senses. When she opened her eyes wide and saw the boy standing beside her in the mirror, helping her with her washing up, she immediately blushed.

"Get out of here!! Who told you you could just walk into a girl's room like that?!"

"What's the point of saying anything now that things have come to this?" Shirou had been pushed out the door, shrugged dismissively.

Shizuka Hiratsuka patted her face vigorously with both hands. The person in the mirror still had a slightly red face. She then scooped up some water and washed her face again. After tidying herself up, she finally went out the door again after a while.

After a while, three large passenger buses arrived at the hotel entrance. Everyone quickly got on the buses, preparing to reach the mountain before dawn to watch the sunrise.

Hanpo Pass, with the Yangtze River to the left and Poyang Lake to the right, is an excellent vantage point in Lushan for panoramic views. During the day, one can witness a magnificent and rare sight from here.

At this moment, the surroundings were still pitch black. Looking up, one could see the brightest Morning Star, while looking down, there was a black abyss.

After getting off the train, Shirou and his classmates walked for a while before finally arriving at Hanpo Pass. Along the way, they met tourists from other places who were waiting quietly.

Today I'm lucky, there's no fog. Before long, a bright color appeared in the sky above. Without warning, at a steady pace, a point of light peeked out from the distant black mountain. The world seemed to be divided into three colors: blue sky at the top, gold in the middle rendered by a halo, and black below.

A point of light emitting a dazzling glow slowly rose, gradually growing larger before everyone's eyes.

"They're out!"

"The sun is out!"

Wow, it's so beautiful!

It was something that should have been taken for granted, yet people shouted with excitement. Some girls even jumped up and down with their hands clasped together, while others took the opportunity to hug each other. It seemed that in this place, on this mountain, everyone's love for nature had been ignited.

Gradually, the sky was tinged with orange-red rosy light, while the nearby branches, leaves, and protruding rocks remained Black Shadow, like an ink painting.

Below, a rolling sea of clouds was now also tinged with color.

Looking up, a golden-orange halo hung high in the sky, and even the people watching the sunrise on the mountain were bathed in the sun's radiance. At this moment, everything in the world seemed to have become an exquisite painting.

People took out their cameras and phones, wanting to capture it all on camera.

Some people took turns stepping forward and standing at the edge of Hanpo Pass, striking various peculiar poses.

It looks like holding hands with Black Shadow in the sunlight; it looks like leaping in the glow of the sunset; there are also misaligned shots that make it look like an outstretched hand is holding the sun in its grasp.

"Teacher, you have a DSLR camera, can you take a picture for us?" A female student ran up to Shizuka Hiratsuka and said coquettishly.

"Sure, let me know if anyone else wants to take pictures. Students from Xunyang School, don't hesitate to do so." Shizuka Hiratsuka agreed.

"Teacher Hiratsuka, over here, over here."

"Teacher, I'm counting on you for this as well."

"Thank you, teacher. We won't be polite then."

"Wait, Teacher Hiratsuka, don't just take pictures of the girls, take care of the boys too!" someone called out.

"Yes, yes, alright, line up one by one! Boys, go last!" Then Shizuka Hiratsuka was kept busy being ordered around, and she herself didn't get a single photo taken. She looked a little annoyed, but didn't show it.

"Teacher, let me take a picture for you," Shirou said, stepping forward as he noticed the situation.

"No need, I'm a teacher anyway," Shizuka Hiratsuka said awkwardly, shaking her head.

"Since you've come all this way, teacher, you must want to take some photos too," Shirou said.

"Is it alright?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked the boy, looking at him with some interest.

"What are you saying? Hurry up, it's almost dawn," Shirou said, extending his hand.

"Oh, thank you, Shirou!" Shizuka Hiratsuka smiled and handed the DSLR camera to Shirou, striking what she thought was a cool pose in the sunrise.

"Why is it a boxing pose?" Shirou chuckled, pressing the shutter to capture the woman's radiant smile and the glow of the sunset behind her.

This beautiful sunrise lasted for about ten minutes before it ended. By then, the sun was high in the sky, illuminating the entire earth. The sky had turned blue, the sea of clouds had turned white, green leaves swayed in the wind, and brown, strange rocks stood tall. The Morning Star in the sky had also disappeared.

"Where are you going? We're planning to climb Five Elders Peak," someone asked a new friend they had just met.

"Well, we'd like to visit the Botanical Garden on the other side. Goodbye then, have a pleasant trip," the tourist opposite waved.

"Goodbye, have a pleasant journey." As dawn broke, the tourists who had met at the scenic spot smiled and said goodbye, each heading off to another attraction.

After playing around for a while, the students from the school gathered together and had breakfast.

"It's already dawn. Let's find a place to have breakfast, and then head to the next location. Remember to collect your trash properly and dispose of it properly," Shizuka Hiratsuka said.

So everyone found a place to sit down, took out milk and bread from their backpacks, and enjoyed the scenery and the breeze while eating their breakfast. Shirou looked around but didn't see Chou Meimei.

At this moment, one of the girls' followers, a girl named Wan'er, stepped forward and explained to everyone.

"Chou Meimei went home first because she wasn't feeling well. I'll take over the translation work from now on."

Wan'er spoke fluent Japanese. In fact, she was even more talented than Chou Meimei in learning languages and literature. She had pretended not to understand before simply to avoid being at school and to steal the boss's thunder.

"Is it alright? Shall I take her home?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked worriedly.

"Thank you for your concern, Teacher Hiratsuka. Please don't worry, Zhou is naturally frail; he's just a little tired. The Zhou family has already sent someone to pick him up and take him home," Wan'er said.

"That's good." Shizuka Hiratsuka breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. If she had gone out with Shirou without permission last night and caused other students to fall ill, she would have been a terrible teacher and would have felt guilty.

"So, as Zhou also said, 'Please don't worry about her, just enjoy the sights of Lushan,'" Wan'er said.

"Okay! Did everyone hear that?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked the students behind her.

"Thank you, and please take care of me today as well," the students from Chiba Branch School said to the students from Xunyang Branch School.

"We're on our side, well, we've all been together for a while now, so relax and have some fun," Wan'er said with a friendly smile.

"Alright! Let's enjoy the fun of Mount Lu today!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted, raising her fist.

"Okay!" The students happily raised their hands in agreement. Compared to the previous one-sided competitions, experiencing the exotic culture, having fun activities, and eating delicious food here made them much happier.

"Hmm! Good answer!" Shizuka Hiratsuka nodded in satisfaction, then said, "When you get back, remember to write down an 800-word reflection as your assignment for this exchange activity."

"Hey... that's not fair. Teacher Hiratsuka, you're not our language arts teacher here," the third-grade students complained.

"I'm in charge of you now. If you want an excellent rating from me, you'd better do it obediently," Shizuka Hiratsuka said domineeringly.

"Yes..." Forced by their intimidation, the students could only give a dry reply.

"Alright, let's go!!!" Shizuka Hiratsuka shouted excitedly, fiddling with her DSLR camera.

Led by Wan'er and Lingyue, the group toured the Botanical Garden, climbed over the Five Elders Peak, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Finally, they arrived at the Three-Tiered Waterfall Teacher Hiratsuka had been looking forward to. To get from the top to the bottom of the waterfall, they had to walk down a long slope with more than 3,000 steps.

This is a mountain spring that flows from Dayue Mountain, flows behind the Five Elders Peak, and forms a waterfall at the edge of the cliff. It falls onto the first large stone platform, where the water splashes and transforms into a long, silvery-white stream that resembles a white dragon. It flies to the second and third large stone platforms and finally falls into the pool below ground, hence the name "Three Cascades".

"Ohhh! Ohhhh!!!" Ms. Shizuka Hiratsuka suddenly cried out excitedly, took out her DSLR camera, and started snapping pictures in this direction.

'After all, this is where Shiryu punched the waterfall backwards and obtained the Dragon Cloth. Who knows, there might even be a large rock somewhere where Libra Dohko once meditated.'

"Teacher, please be quiet, it's embarrassing," Shirou whispered, sensing the strange looks around him. Fortunately, it was the off-season, so there weren't many people around.

"Shirou! Shirou! Did you see that? It's spectacular!" But Shizuka Hiratsuka, caught up in her excitement, ignored her and kept turning back to tug at the boy's clothes.

'Where did this stupid couple come from?'

'Are these tourists from the island nation? Showing off their love here?'

'Am I supposed to come all the way up the mountain to see the waterfall just to be fed dog food?'

Resentful and bitter glances were cast from those around them.

"Shirou! Take a picture for me! Hurry, hurry!" Shizuka Hiratsuka ran over excitedly and handed the DSLR camera to the boy.