“Why do I smell a girl?”

The moment he heard that question, Merlin froze. He forced an awkward smile and asked hesitantly, “W-what do you mean?”

The old woman didn’t answer right away. Instead, she stepped further into the room, sniffing the air.

“I smell a girl,” she repeated coldly. “Did you bring a girl into your room?”

Her sharp gaze made Merlin’s skin crawl, but he kept his composure and replied with a confused expression, “What are you talking about? Weren’t you on duty in the lobby last night? If a girl had entered, wouldn’t you have seen her?”

Hearing his words, the woman found it reasonable. Still, the scent was strong, and her suspicion didn’t fade.

Without another word, she began walking around the room.

The sight sent a chill down Merlin’s spine. He clenched his teeth, silently praying she wouldn’t open the closet where Margaret was hiding.

But then…

“Ouch!”

A muffled groan came from the bed.

The old woman immediately turned toward him, her eyes narrowing. “What was that? Why did you scream?”

Merlin quickly covered his mouth and shook his head.

“It’s nothing. My leg cramped up. Maybe it’s because I woke up too early,” he said.

The woman stared at him for a moment but said nothing. She turned around and headed for the door.

“Hurry up and take a shower, then go exercise in the yard. Otherwise, I’ll report you to the headmaster.”

After saying that, she left and closed the bedroom door behind her.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief and quickly pulled back the blanket covering him.

Luna was lying beside him, biting his right chest.

“What are you doing? Do you know I almost got caught just now?” he asked in annoyance.

Her teeth dug into his chest. It hurt, and the tingling sensation made him let out a quiet groan.

Thankfully, the old woman hadn’t noticed anything and left immediately.

Luna finally released her bite and giggled.

“Sorry. I just wanted to tease you a little,” she said playfully. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his chest. “I’ve wanted to lie next to you like this for so long. And now it finally happened.”

Her feelings for Merlin were undeniable. She was even willing to give him her body and her purity.

But Merlin refused, saying they were still too young. Although she was a little upset, his answer only made her fall even deeper in love with him.

Merlin’s frustration faded when he heard her words.

“I also want to sleep next to you, but the time isn’t right yet. Be patient, okay?”

He kissed her forehead tenderly. Merlin was a man, and it was only natural for him to have strong desires.

He wanted to be with a heroine like Luna, but sadly, they were still too young, and the time wasn’t right yet.

It wasn’t that Merlin was being hypocritical. It was just that his first experience would involve not only his life in this world, but also his past life.

That’s why he wanted to do it at the right moment—one that would be beautiful and unforgettable.

“I know,” Luna whispered softly.

The two of them hugged, unaware that Margaret and Catrine had already stepped out of their hiding spot.

“Ahem! Can’t you two stop being so lovey-dovey? It’s really annoying.”

“Um! That’s inappropriate! Especially you, Luna, taking advantage of the moment when we’re not ready yet!”

Dissatisfied voices came from in front of them. Merlin felt embarrassed and was about to break the embrace, but Luna only held him tighter.

She pressed Merlin’s face against her chest and grinned.

“What’s the big deal? Merlin is my fiancé and my future husband. What’s wrong with us showing a little affection?”

Her words sparked a flicker of anger in Margaret and Catrine.

However, before the two of them could explode, Merlin quickly pulled himself free from Luna’s embrace and sat up.

“Alright, don’t get provoked, you two. Now go to your places as quickly as possible. We’ll meet at Aunt Lisa’s place in an hour. Got it?”

Catrine, Luna, and Margaret were reluctant to part with Merlin, but they knew they had to leave quickly. Otherwise, they would be in trouble.

“Alright,” the three of them replied weakly.

…

“Have you heard about the party tonight?”

“Oh! Yeah, I’ve heard about it. They say some of the seniors will be coming too—high-ranking members of the academy’s student council.”

“Really? Wow! I can’t wait! I’ve always wanted to meet them. I heard some of the seniors have already reached the Fourth and Third Spirit Core levels, right? There’s definitely going to be an interesting show later.”

The students at Thorn & Vine were chatting excitedly, their conversation focused entirely on tonight’s welcome party.

For them, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and they wanted to make a good impression.

At a table set for six, Merlin, Luna, Catrine, Margaret, Monica, and Liora sat down to eat their lunch.

“Did you hear what they were saying?” Luna asked, glancing at the students.

“Yes, we did,” Catrine, Margaret, Monica, and Liora replied in unison.

“Is it true?” Luna asked again. “Are the seniors really coming to the welcome party tonight?”

Margaret stabbed a piece of shrimp and savored it for a moment before answering, “Yes, that’s correct. I heard that several seniors will be attending. One of them is Rosaline Hexaris.”

Some of the others didn’t recognize the name, but Merlin knew it immediately.

“Rosaline Hexaris? Is she Lucius’s older sister?”

“Yes! She’s his older sister. She’s also one of the Seven Ring Bearers at this academy and incredibly powerful,” Margaret explained.

Luna’s and Catrine’s expressions immediately turned serious. They both glanced at Merlin, whose face remained calm.

“I didn’t expect her to be here too. This is bound to get interesting,” Merlin said with a small chuckle.

He pierced a piece of pork, put it in his mouth, and chewed thoughtfully.

Rosaline Hexaris was one of the heroines—but she was also considered a villainess. That dual status made her uniquely distinct among the existing heroines.

Abel had a conflict with Lucius, and naturally, Rosaline’s hatred extended to him as well. But as their quarrels continued, the two grew closer, and eventually, Rosaline officially became the heroine of the novel.

“[Ding! Mission launched! Conquer Rosaline Hexaris and make her your woman! Reward: 100,000 system points and 1x Mystery Reward!]”

The system’s voice, silent since yesterday, finally sounded again.

Merlin was surprised and gave a faint smile. “Welcome back, system. I thought you were dead.”

System: “…”

“[Your words are so rude, Master!]”

“Pfft! Sorry, I was just joking,” Merlin chuckled, then asked curiously, “So, can you tell me why you died yesterday? It’s strange that something like that happened.”

In Merlin’s eyes, the system was incredibly powerful and seemingly capable of anything. Yet strangely, it had malfunctioned just from checking Abel’s condition.

To him, that made no sense at all.

“[It’s hard to explain, but a mysterious force attacked me, Master,]” the system said in a grave tone. “[That’s why it took so many points to check the protagonist’s condition. Otherwise, I might not even exist anymore.]”

A deep sigh followed, as if the system were deeply frustrated by the incident.

Merlin’s expression darkened as he listened.

“Do you know who attacked you?”

“[I’m not sure, but there’s one figure I believe fits the bill best.]”

“Tell me who it is,” Merlin demanded, his voice heavy.

The thought that someone could harm the system unsettled him. He didn’t want to live under the shadow of a threat he couldn’t even see.

The system paused before replying, “[I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. Your power is currently too weak. It’s better if you stay out of this figure’s way. Don’t worry—I’ll protect you. You can rely on me.]”

Instead of reassuring Merlin, the answer only made him more anxious.

But there was nothing he could do. The system was right—he was still too weak, and provoking a stronger opponent would only put himself in danger.

“I understand. Back to the main topic—can I refuse that mission?” Merlin asked.

“[Generally, you can. But…]”

A teasing smirk appeared on the system’s face. “[It feels strange that you’re refusing it, Master. You usually accept every mission I give you.]”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “This time is different. Lucius and I are enemies—we’ve even reached the point of mutual hatred. I’m not confident enough to conquer Rosaline.”

“[I believe in your abilities, Master. If you can, just take the mission. It would be a shame to miss out on 100,000 points and that mysterious reward. I’m sure you’d enjoy it,]” the system coaxed.

Merlin fell silent for a moment, staring intently at the mission panel.

A few seconds later, he made up his mind and gave a small nod.

“Alright, I’ll take it,” he said, tapping “Yes” on the mission.

“[Great! Oh, right! Ding! Congratulations, Master, for completing the mission ‘Become the Perfect Couple with Linda Thalsis’! Reward: 90,000 system points and 1× Ardasus Bracelet (Legendary) have been awarded!]”

Merlin glanced at the reward panel with satisfaction. He had 115,000 system points left, and with the additional 90,000, he was back up to 200,000 points.

Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the side, followed by a calm, monotone voice.

“Merlin Clay, do you have a few minutes?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep