Merlin Deserves to Die!

"Even Mushushshu, which are well suited to living in swamps, have been sighted in the wetlands of the Reed Plains."

"Also, judging from the sounds we heard earlier, they seemed to be nesting and breeding there..."

"If this continues, the road from Uruk to Kusa will be cut off."

"Ore from around Mount Epiph will be unable to be transported and circulated quickly. That's troublesome."

Merlin habitually rubbed his chin as he thought, and a hint of concern appeared in his eyes.

Then, the Great Sage, who rarely showed such a serious expression, turned to Samael, who had accompanied them all the way, and smiled apologetically.

"Sorry for dragging you into this, little brother, but fortunately, the crisis has already been resolved."

"The remaining roads around here should be safe. What are your plans now?"

Before Samael could consider his answer, Anna beside him raised her head and softly suggested,

"Come to Uruk with us! It's the safest place right now!"

Sensing the child's goodwill, the ancient serpent lightly placed his hand over Anna's head and gave it a gentle pat, smiling as he nodded.

"Sure. I carry a mission, and I was planning to visit King Gilgamesh anyway. We can travel together again."

Standing at the front of the road, the incubus smiled, gave a slight bow, performed an elegant courtly salute, and raised his hand in invitation.

"Then, welcome, you two, to the world of Mesopotamia—the oldest fortress city of humanity, Uruk!"

As the saying went, mountains looked close but took forever to reach. The magnificent city seemed close enough for its outline to be visible.

Yet the three of them had departed from the border of the Reed Plains at noon. By the time they truly reached the outskirts of Uruk on foot, only the afterglow of the setting sun remained.

Beneath the blood-red sunset, the entire city was dyed in magnificent colors. Supply wagons and dispatched soldiers flowed endlessly along the broad, firmly packed roads.

The high walls built from clay-fired bricks shimmered with magical runes, appearing impregnable.

The outer walls on either side of the arched gate, painted blue and yellow, were decorated with sculptures of livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, and dogs. Their simple lines carried an ancient charm.

Through the open gates, the layout within the city could vaguely be seen.

Though night was approaching and war was underway, Uruk, which had gathered most of Mesopotamia's surviving population, remained exceptionally bustling.

The sounds of people coming and going, trading, talking, playing, training, forging, and all manner of daily life never ceased.

Fruit and vegetable stalls, pottery workshops, ironworks, observatories, livestock farms, inns, restaurants, and countless other places with their own functions filled the city, making it prosperous and lively.

After handing over the travel pass hanging around his neck at the city gate, Merlin, who was leading the way, guided Samael and Anna through Uruk, the fortress city that had withstood the monster tide for half a year.

"It's getting late. Even if the King hasn't gone to sleep, he still has plenty of work to do."

"How about I take you to the embassy first? Tomorrow morning, we can go to the Royal Palace Divine Tower to request an audience."

After taking in the charm of this Sumerian city, Merlin glanced at the sunset gradually sinking below the horizon and made the suggestion.

Samael glanced at Anna beside him, who was busily crunching away at a snack, and smiled faintly.

"If meals are included, I have no objections..."

During the inspection at the city gate, a kind guard had taken pity on the child who had crossed mountains and rivers to seek refuge in Uruk and given Anna some biscuit-like snacks he had been carrying.

After that, from the moment the three entered the city, the sounds from the girl's mouth had never stopped, like a greedy little squirrel.

Noticing the gazes beside her, Anna looked up with slight panic, her little face covered in biscuit crumbs.

After recalling the topic they had just discussed, the little girl nodded blankly, bared her fangs, and delivered a fierce warning.

"Mhm, mhm. Also, Merlin isn't allowed in the kitchen!"

The White-Haired Succubus first clutched his chest in a wounded pose, then helplessly nodded under Anna's teeth-grinding threat.

"No problem. This time, you can eat as much as you want!"

Samael and Merlin exchanged looks and nodded in mutual understanding.

The ancient serpent could tell that Anna had become much more cheerful along the way because of the pair's banter, so he tacitly chose not to expose the Great Sage's little trick of teasing people.

Besides, he wanted to satisfy his own appetite and thoroughly wash away the fishy taste lingering in his mouth.

After learning the embassy's location, Samael took out a purse from his pack and prepared ten silver coins of the Priestess, entrusting the shopping task to little Anna, who was extremely curious about the market across the street.

As for those ten silver coins of the Priestess, they were naturally her payment for running errands.

Watching the delighted little angel hurry away, Samael began cleaning up the embassy, which already showed signs of abandonment, with Merlin's help.

By nightfall, after fruits, vegetables, prepared food, bedding, curtains, and other daily necessities had been bought and brought back, the ancient serpent voluntarily took over as chef and made some mushroom soup and ordinary stir-fried dishes.

Though he was no culinary master, living alone had given him some basic cooking skills.

Along with the guidance of a certain Holy Prostitute, he could manage a few basic dishes fairly well.

As for the diners' verdict, Anna, with a pile of lamb rib bones beside her and busy devouring butter cake, had already proven the deliciousness of the meal with her round little belly.

Meanwhile, Merlin drank ale from his cup with the air of a complete drunkard.

Though he claimed to be an incubus and that human food held little practical meaning for him, he still could not resist trying several pieces and praised them endlessly.

That behavior made Samael, who had once been tricked by that plate of Gazing at the Stars, roll his eyes.

"From now on, Merlin absolutely cannot be allowed into the kitchen!"

Anna, who had been clinking cups and sipping her drink, suddenly slammed a hand on the table. Whether she had spoken on impulse or recalled her painful memories from the Reed Plains, it was impossible to tell.

"If he dares trick us into eating dark cuisine again, we'll blow his head off!"

Beside her, the ancient serpent slipped a juicy lamb rib into his mouth and quietly egged her on.

"Right! Blow his head off!"

Anna excitedly waved her little fists, her face flushing red. Then she tipped back her head and drained her cup in one gulp.

Before Samael could react, the Purple Haired Girl actually summoned her scythe blade, leaped over the table, and swung it at Merlin.

"Hey, hey, hey! Anna! That's a divine weapon that can sever the immortal! Someone will die if you play with it like that!"

The incubus was scared out of his wits and hurriedly dodged.

"Little brother! Stop her!"

Samael frowned slightly and reached out to support Anna, lest her unsteady body stumble into something.

Unexpectedly, the moment they came into contact, a heavy scent of alcohol spread from the little girl's breath.

The ancient serpent's face darkened. He reached over and picked up the cup Anna had used earlier. Beneath the pale milk, a rich smell of ale wafted up.

"Merlin, you actually secretly mixed alcohol into Anna's milk! Go die!"

"Just a little..."

"And look at how poor her alcohol tolerance is. That's all the more reason she should start training from a young age..."

The incubus, hiding by the doorway, cautiously poked his head out and offered a dry laugh in defense.

You even trick children. Pray for yourself, you conscienceless bastard.

Expressionless, the ancient serpent released the little drunken kitten from his arms and leaned close to the girl's ear to whisper temptingly.

"Hic..."

"Merlin... deserves to die!"

Anna let out a full belch and muttered the key phrase she had just heard. With unfocused eyes and staggering steps, she lunged forward like a little kitten baring its claws.

The Flower Magician, who had committed countless misdeeds along the way, finally suffered the consequences and was chased all around the courtyard by the drunken Anna.