Chapter 321: Rigen Island

“There is no line between good and evil among them.”

Those words struck Merlin like lightning. His mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t.

He bowed his head, his expression complex.

’Afraid of death, huh?’ he whispered, narrowing his eyes.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t surprising. Those who had reached the pinnacle of this world had invested extraordinary time and resources.

It was impossible for them to sacrifice themselves for mere so-called “morals.”

Besides, the Arden family was incredibly powerful. They could build a black market empire because of their formidable backing.

If Merlin remembered correctly, the latest draft before his death mentioned three powerful figures standing behind the Arden family.

All three were at the First Spirit Core level, much like the three Gabriel Solaynes who protected the family.

Of course, they might not be as strong as Gabriel Solayne himself—after all, he was the second most brilliant genius after Arthur Solayne.

Even so, the presence of three top-tier experts made the Arden family untouchable. Unless the protagonist, Abel, acted, destroying the family was impossible.

After all, the Arden family was one of the top villains in the novel The Lost Hero.

After calming himself, Merlin took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and said evenly, “I understand.”

Linda frowned, sensing something unusual in Merlin’s sudden change of emotion.

’He wasn’t affected by what I said, was he?’ she wondered silently.

She had realized long ago that Merlin was realistic, yet kind-hearted. He couldn’t bear to see others hurt or in trouble.

That trait was rare, but if taken to extremes, it could become dangerous. She worried Merlin might forgive his enemies and dig his own grave.

“Merlin, you…”

Before she could finish, Merlin raised his coffee cup and said calmly, “It’s okay, I understand, Master. You can relax.”

He sipped his coffee with an unreadable expression. Truthfully, he was angry—but not at those cowardly experts. He was angry at himself.

In the past, he had thought becoming a Fourth Spirit Core expert was enough to protect himself and his loved ones.

But after Linda revealed the truth, he realized how naive he had been.

The Second Spirit Core wasn’t enough. The First Spirit Core wasn’t enough either. He had to break the limits of this world and become the strongest.

Memories of his future self surfaced. According to Lyserra, his future self could easily kill Gabriel Solayne and the dragon Calystron.

It was as if an adult were playing with a child. To reach that level, his future self must have surpassed the First Spirit Core entirely.

So he had to achieve it too. Only then would the laws and rules be within his grasp.

Fwoosh!

A wave of relief washed over him, as if invisible chains had been lifted from his body.

Linda remained silent for a moment, then exhaled deeply.

“I understand.”

After that, the two continued discussing the Arden family. Merlin shared his analysis, and Linda listened in amazement.

Without realizing it, two hours had passed, and the ship carrying them finally arrived at Rigen Island.

Once it docked, Merlin and Linda disembarked from the deck, along with the other guests.

It was clear they were all invitees of the Arden family.

As they stepped onto the pier, dozens of luxurious horse-drawn carriages waited for them.

One carriage stood out—it was gold and pulled by three black horses.

A tall man in a formal robe approached Merlin and Linda.

“Are you the Head of the Academy, Linda?” the man asked.

Merlin glanced him up and down, then whispered, “Status panel.”

[Status Panel]

Name: Arkas Arden

Age: 30

Status: Butler of the Arden Family

Talent: S-Rank

Rank: Eighth Awakening

Bloodline: Descendant of the Vampire Duke (Gold Grade)

Favorability: 10

As Merlin read the panel, his eyes widened in shock.

’Eighth Awakening? That’s equivalent to a second spirit core!’ he thought. ’Someone that powerful… just a family butler? This is insane.’

The Second Spirit Core was considered a high-level expert on this continent—Leina and Jason were prime examples.

Their strength was at the level of the Second Spirit Core and the Eighth Awakening—extraordinarily powerful.

Yet Arkas, who possessed the same level of strength, was merely a butler.

Not to mention, his bloodline was terrifying—a descendant of the Vampire Duke.

Merlin’s eyes swept over Arkas, taking in his pale, handsome face, as if his blood had been drained.

“Yes, I am Linda Thalsis, Head of Saint Freya Academy. Nice to meet you,” Linda said calmly. “This is my partner, Merlin Clay. Did the head of the Arden family send you to escort us?”

Arkas placed his right palm on his chest and bowed slightly.

“Yes, I was sent by the head of the family. My name is Arkas. It’s an honor to meet you, Academy Head Linda.”

His voice carried both respect and a hint of fear.

Linda simply nodded. “Then let’s go.”

Arkas inclined his head and immediately guided them to the luxurious horse-drawn carriage that had been prepared.

Once Merlin and Linda were seated, Arkas climbed into the coachman’s seat, took hold of the reins of the three horses, and the carriage departed from the port.

***

“Have the guests arrived?”

A handsome man sat casually, twirling a wine glass in his hand.

“Yes, my lord. The guests have arrived and are gathered in the main hall. A few have not yet arrived, most likely still on their way. Would you like to delay the party for them?” a servant asked respectfully.

The man set his wine glass on the table and stood.

“No need. Let’s just start the event.”

The servant hesitated, which the man immediately noticed.

“What is it?”

The servant straightened and said, “One of the guests who hasn’t arrived yet is Linda Thalsis, Head of Saint Freya Academy.”

“Linda Thalsis?” The man raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t expect her to be late.”

He glanced at the clock—it was already ten o’clock at night—and nodded slightly.

“Alright, postpone the party, then,” he said casually, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets. “We’ll wait for that woman.”

A meaningful smile spread across his face.

The servant didn’t dare argue. He bowed once more. “As you command, my lord.”

***

Rigen Island was fairly large, stretching ten kilometers, with beautiful and charming scenery.

However, most of its forests had been cut down to make way for the main road used by horse-drawn carriages.

Considering that this was a private island, it wasn’t really surprising.

“Merlin, use this before we arrive at the Arden family’s place,” Linda said as she handed him a half-face mask.

Merlin looked at the mask curiously and accepted it.

“What is this for, Master? Don’t tell me the party is a masquerade?”

Merlin examined the black mask and put it on.

“You could say that, but there’s more to it,” Linda said as she put on a red half-face mask. “This party is attended by people from all over the continent. Some of them are evil, cunning, and unpredictable. I don’t want you to become their target.”

Merlin possessed a spirit guardian above five stars—something that should never have existed in this world.

Linda was afraid those powerful people might discover it and put Merlin in danger.

Although Linda was strong and confident in her strength, she didn’t want to take any chances.

Merlin could feel the sincerity and concern behind her words. A warm feeling slowly spread through his body.

He then leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “Thank you, Master. You really understand me.”

A cold breath brushed against the base of her ear, and Linda’s face flushed unconsciously.

“Daring to tease me, huh?”

Linda pretended to be annoyed and pinched his waist irritably.

“Ouch!”

Merlin winced in pain and quickly apologized. “Sorry, Master. I was just joking.”

Seeing his pitiful expression, Linda smiled in satisfaction and withdrew her hand from his waist.

“Glad to hear it,” she muttered.

Merlin could only shake his head helplessly. Sometimes, he really didn’t understand this woman.

She was always cold, indifferent, and firm toward everyone. Yet only in front of him did she show a spoiled and gentle side, creating a unique contrast.

Fortunately, only he could see that side, which made Merlin feel extremely happy, as if it belonged exclusively to him.

“By the way, I need to warn you. If anyone asks about your identity, just say you’re my partner. Understand?”

Linda’s expression turned serious. “This will help avoid unwanted trouble.”

Merlin nodded reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll remember your words.”

Linda smiled slightly, and they continued their casual chat.

Of course, she had already cast a barrier around them, so Arkas wouldn’t be able to overhear their discussion.

Ten minutes later, they finally arrived at their destination. It was a mansion—no, calling it a mansion didn’t feel quite right.

It was a silver palace, with lights illuminating its entire exterior.

Standing in the darkness of the island, the palace looked magnificent and dazzling.

As their horse-drawn carriage passed through the gate, Lyserra’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

“Merlin, I sense intense danger from within. Be careful. Otherwise, you will die.”

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