Chapter 296: A Hidden Heroine

“Hey! Stop!”

Merlin’s furious voice made the group of children jump.

When they saw him, their faces drained of color.

“M-Merlin Clay?” one of them stammered in horror.

Merlin strode toward them, one hand casually in his pocket.

He stopped in front of Liora and fixed them all with a cold, piercing gaze.

“What do you think you’re doing? Bullying another student? Do you really think you’ve passed and officially become students? Have you forgotten—there’s still one more test!” he demanded, his tone dripping with menace.

They all instinctively backed away. He was right. The academy’s entrance test wasn’t over yet. One final test remained, scheduled to begin soon.

They had never expected Merlin Clay to catch them in the act.

“B-But what we did wasn’t wrong, was it? After all, she’s just a druid. Not exactly a race worth taking seriously,” a girl said, a smug smile on her face.

Her words prompted the others to nod in agreement. Liora was alone, unlike members of other races who always had allies of the same kind.

So, in their eyes, there was nothing wrong with picking on her.

But then…

Smack!

A sharp slap rang out, and the girl clutched her burning cheek, eyes widening in shock.

Merlin’s violet eyes narrowed as he snapped, “What do you mean by that? Just because she’s a druid, you think you can speak to me like that? How foolish. The academy is at fault for even letting someone like you take this test.”

He knew many students, especially those from noble or wealthy families, looked down on others because of their race.

But he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. The girl’s cruel words completely tested his patience.

Snapping out of her shock, tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

Her face reddened as she pointed at Merlin with a trembling hand.

“How dare you slap me!? Even my father has never done that!” she shouted, her voice shaking with anger.

Merlin’s thin smile was laced with mockery. “Since your foolish father never taught you a lesson, allow me to do it. I’m sure he’ll thank me for handling it.”

Those words made the girl’s chest tighten. She opened her mouth to respond, but Merlin cut her off before she could speak.

“What? Do you think you can hide behind your status? Too bad—I’m not afraid of you. Don’t you know? I even defeated and humiliated Lucius, the beloved prince of the Magic Kingdom of Arcadia, in the city square. And you? Is your status higher than his? Is your family prepared to face the consequences of your actions?”

A cold, threatening gleam shone in Merlin’s purple eyes.

The other children swallowed nervously at his audacity. They had all heard the rumors of Lucius being humiliated in the square.

Who would have thought that the one behind it was Merlin Clay—the genius of the first wave?

The girl went pale, her mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out.

Judging by his expression, Merlin was not bluffing. If she pushed any further, her family might very well pay the price.

She swallowed hard, lowered her head, and apologized in a trembling voice.

“I—I’m sorry. Please, don’t involve my family. I… beg you.”

The others quickly followed. They weren’t the ones under Merlin’s gaze, but they still copied the girl—picking on Liora.

Merlin waved his hand lazily, shooing them away. He had no interest in arguing.

Honestly, he didn’t like using threats. That wasn’t his usual way of handling things.

Normally, he would try negotiation first—and if that failed, he’d resort to violence.

Threats felt cowardly, but this was the only way he could handle the situation.

After all, they were all prospective students; he couldn’t just beat them up.

Seeing his gesture, the girl and the others scrambled away without another word.

Merlin turned to Liora, who sat on the ground with a blank expression.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly, extending his right hand.

Liora shook off her reverie and glanced at Merlin’s hand with fear. But then she remembered he was the one who had helped her, and her worries melted away.

“Thank you,” she whispered, taking his hand.

Merlin felt the smoothness of her skin, with a rough texture here and there, like holding a small tree root.

He didn’t care and gently pulled her to her feet.

Liora hesitated, afraid he might be disgusted by her appearance, and quickly withdrew her hand.

“T-Thank you,” she murmured, bowing her head. “I… I’m sorry for troubling you. This is my fault.”

She bit her lower lip, sadness written across her face. She couldn’t understand why they hated her or why they bullied her.

She hadn’t done anything wrong—hadn’t hurt anyone—yet they treated her like this.

“Maybe… maybe I should just go back to where I came from,” she whispered almost unconsciously.

“No! You can’t go back!”

Merlin’s sharp voice jolted her out of her thoughts.

Realizing how his words might have sounded, he quickly added, “That’s not what I meant. It would just be a shame if you left like that, wouldn’t it? Besides, I’m guessing you’ve been looking forward to this day. Am I… right?”

His warm smile made Liora flustered.

She looked away, replying softly, “Yes… I have been looking forward to it. But… if the others don’t like me, maybe it’s better if I just go back. There’s no place for me at this academy.”

Tears welled at the corners of her eyes as she remembered the children’s cruel behavior.

Merlin sighed softly. Instead of offering comfort, he asked, “What’s your name?”

Liora blinked in surprise but answered without overthinking it. “I’m Liora. You’re Merlin Clay, right?”

“Oh? How do you know me?” Merlin’s eyes widened.

“Your name was on the list of people who could be challenged in the simulation,” she said, cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

“What?” Merlin was stunned. “Does that mean I’m in the academy’s records?”

He really hadn’t known about that.

“Yes, your name is on the record list. Many of us chose you because we thought you’d be easy to defeat,” Liora said, her cheeks flushing slightly.

She didn’t mean to belittle Merlin—it was simply a fact. She had been one of those who underestimated him.

But Merlin had been incredibly strong. She had even been thoroughly beaten.

If it weren’t for some techniques and defensive items she had, she would have lost within seconds of the fight starting.

Merlin was silent for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle. He didn’t blame them.

After all, it was only natural to underestimate him. Judging by her reactions, it was clear that his avatar had already defeated Liora and the others.

“Anyway, don’t even think about quitting, okay? You haven’t even begun your first day as a student, yet you’re already thinking of giving up. That would be such a waste. I’m sure your parents—and the rest of your druid kin—are counting on you to succeed,” Merlin encouraged.

Liora was deeply moved. Since arriving at the academy, she had only been met with disgusted and hostile looks from other students.

This was the first time someone had truly encouraged her.

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and she cried softly.

“Thank you, Merlin Clay… Thank you for your support,” she sobbed, wiping away her tears.

And then, her sorrowful face blossomed into a radiant smile.

Merlin’s heart raced, as if pulled by some invisible force toward that smile.

“[Ding! Congratulations, Master! You have won the heart of the hidden heroine, Liora Aryn, and grown closer to her! Affection: 40 points!]”

“[Ding! Congratulations, Master! You have received 20,000 system points as a reward!]”

Seeing the two notifications, Merlin was surprised. He hadn’t expected that encouraging Liora would earn him such a reward.

’The hidden heroine, you say? What do you mean, system?’ Merlin asked, puzzled.

“[Simply put, she is not a main heroine like Luna Tharot, Catrine Clay, or Margaret Beethoven. Her presence in the novel is brief, and her role is minor. Even so, she is still considered a heroine in the story,]” the system explained.

“I see…” Merlin nodded slightly, trying to process the information.

Liora’s status was similar to Linda’s. The difference was that Linda’s role as a heroine was obvious, while Liora’s was not.

They had one thing in common: neither of them had been won over by Abel in the story.

’Tsk! Tsk! These results are truly remarkable. Master, thank you for your kindness!’ Merlin praised Linda silently.

He also owed thanks to the children. Without them, this outcome would have been impossible.

Composing himself, he looked at Liora and spoke softly, “It’s okay. By the way, what are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be back at your dorm?”

As he spoke, his eyes drifted to the giant clock on the academy wall in the distance.

It was already five in the afternoon. The sunlight had taken on a reddish hue, and night was approaching.

“I…” Liora fidgeted shyly. “I don’t know the way to my dorm. I wanted to ask, but I was too embarrassed.”

Merlin paused for a moment, sympathy flickering in his eyes. With a quiet sigh, he took her right hand and said, “Come with me.”

Without waiting for her response, he guided Liora toward her dormitory.

…

“Damn it!”

In the academy’s artificial forest, a girl slammed her fist against the trunk of a tree, her face burning with anger.

Several boys beside her hung their heads, their expressions full of fear.

If Merlin had been there, he would have laughed. These were the same students who had just bullied Liora.

“How dare he slap me?” The girl ground her teeth, rubbing her still-aching cheek.

Merlin’s strike had been harsh, and the pain lingered.

“Merlin Clay… and Liora Aryn…” she muttered, her eyes blazing with hatred. “I won’t let you get away with this!”

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