Lonely as it was, Merlin enjoyed watching over the Master of Chaldea from the stone tower of Avalon. The Lostbelts had quickly been reduced from 7 to 4. The inhabitants of each were so different, though they had only manifested due to the Tree’s presence. Still, their fleeting lives held meaning. While technically an invasion of privacy, Merlin found amusement not only in observing Chaldea but also in peering into the dreams of the NPCs. He could see what they desired and feared. It was often something simple, like happiness for their family or courage to confess to a lover. But he found a rare case when he stumbled upon your dreams.

Was that him you were dreaming of?

It couldn’t be. Merlin had been confined to the tower for eternity; there was no way you could’ve met. You were practically fictional yourself, someone who didn’t even exist in the version of humanity Chaldea fought to reclaim. And yet, he was certain it was. You longed for a friend—your own lost through the endless resets of the Yuga Cycle—and found one in Merlin, whom you believed to be a product of your imagination.

At first, he thought it’d be fun to meddle in your dreams, which gradually became lucid enough for you to interact with him. He never truly had a friend, so it was his way of fulfilling your dream while indulging in mischief. “You’ve met the Master of Chaldea, haven’t you?” he asked one evening after watching your day unfold. “How do you like him? Do his looks rival my own?”

But maybe that was a mistake. Merlin couldn’t leave his tower or interfere in the world beyond it. So when you were injured fleeing from a Kali, all he could do was watch and hope Ritsuka reached you in time. Only when night fell could he visit you in your dream, kneeling beside you to inspect your injured ankle. “Now now, don’t cry. It’s only a minor wound.” That it was, but it hardly mattered with the next reset of the Yuga Cycle looming. You were defective. Soon, everything would vanish—your memories, your presence, and your very existence. Forgotten by all but Merlin and Chaldea.