‘Huh? Her affection went up by five points?’ Merlin was dumbfounded.

At first, he thought raising affection would be difficult, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy.

‘Don’t tell me it’s because I ignored her.’

That thought made him pause. According to the databook, Margaret had always been approached by others—both peers and elders—with a single goal: gaining the favor of the Beethoven family.

The Beethoven family was extremely wealthy. Even the smallest share of their fortune was enough to make someone rich. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net

At least, that was what people believed when they tried to get close to Margaret.

In the end, their actions only made Margaret highly wary of anyone who approached her. In a way, that was one of the reasons she kept her distance from others.

‘If that’s the case, conquering her will be easy,’ he muttered with a small chuckle.

In the novel, the main character used a blunt approach when dealing with Margaret. Of course, it made her uncomfortable—sometimes even upset and resentful.

However, over time, Abel displayed his strengths and talents in front of everyone, which eventually sparked a little interest in her.

Naturally, Merlin couldn’t use the same method. Not only was it time-consuming and inefficient, but he was also too lazy to chase after a girl like a dog.

He had never had a girlfriend, but that didn’t mean he was clueless about emotions. From the many psychology books he had read, he understood that women often liked men who were mysterious and could outshine them in everything.

So, he chose the opposite approach from what Abel had used in the novel.

Still ignoring her, Merlin kept his eyes closed, unaware that behind her mask, Margaret’s expression had turned angry.

‘What an annoying boy,’ she grumbled.

But there was nothing she could do. She didn’t know him, so she couldn’t complain.

After a moment, she calmed herself and timidly looked around.

“Where am I exactly?” she whispered.

The place was dark, lit only by a few torches fastened to the walls.

It was quiet, damp, and foul-smelling. Her chest tightened, and a wave of nausea rose within her.

‘I have to go back to Lisa’s place,’ she murmured, biting her lower lip.

Forcing her weak body to stand, she walked to the cell in front, searching for an escape.

But the bars were too strong, with no gap at all, leaving her utterly frustrated.

“Do you want to get out?” Merlin’s voice came from behind her.

Margaret merely glanced at him and snorted coldly, as if unwilling to interact.

Seeing that, Merlin just shrugged and ignored her again.

Seconds ticked by, and outside, the evening sun faded, giving way to moonlight. Merlin let out a long sigh, massaging his temples.

‘I won’t be able to attend Catrine’s birthday party. That little girl and my parents must be worried,’ he muttered helplessly.

He had wanted to make this night special for her, but it had turned into a mess.

Still, meeting Margaret felt like a bit of luck after a streak of misfortune.

Krrk!

At that moment, a rumbling sound echoed from in front of him. Looking up, he saw it came from Margaret.

The girl quickly covered her stomach and turned away. Even with the mask, Merlin could tell her face must have been flushed.

“Are you hungry?” Merlin asked casually.

Margaret gave no reply, but her stomach betrayed her again with another growl, making her even more embarrassed.

“Pfft!” Merlin chuckled softly and shook his head. He quickly opened the system shop to check for food, and fortunately, it was available.

He purchased five chocolate buns and two bottles of cold water, spending only 5 SP.

After making sure Margaret wasn’t looking, he pulled the food from his pocket, stood, and walked toward her.

Sensing his approach, Margaret instantly grew wary. She stepped back and asked coldly, “What do you want?”

Lisa had once told her that men were disgusting creatures—that they liked to “eat” women until nothing was left. Margaret didn’t really understand what “eating women” meant, but she was certain it was something bad.

That was why she resisted whenever boys tried to get close to her.

Merlin, however, didn’t care about her guarded attitude. He simply held out two buns and a bottle of cold water.

“You’re hungry, right? Eat first. If you faint, it’ll only cause trouble,” he said flatly.

Margaret’s eyes widened in surprise. She stared at the buns and water with hunger, yet her pride and caution kept her hands from moving.

Seeing that, Merlin felt a flicker of irritation. He had deliberately kept his distance, but this girl was more stubborn than he expected.

Without waiting, he shoved the food toward her.

“Just take it. I have no ill intentions. I don’t even know you. The two of us—and the other children—were kidnapped by those wicked people. You’re the only one who’s regained consciousness. At the very least, I’d like to have a friend in this lonely place,” Merlin said solemnly.

Not waiting for a reply, he turned his back and returned to his spot, leaving a bewildered Margaret behind.

‘A friend?’ she whispered to herself.

How long had it been since she’d heard that word? She couldn’t remember.

She recalled once wishing she had a friend, but that wish had always been out of reach.

People only approached her for her status and money; none of them truly wanted her friendship. From then on, she had stopped trusting anyone who tried to get close.

Margaret stared at the buns and the bottle of cold water in a daze. A simple meal like this was clearly cheap.

As the daughter of the Beethoven family, she was accustomed to luxurious dishes, so she had never even touched such plain buns, let alone eaten them.

Yet somehow, this time she didn’t feel disgusted at all—in fact, a faint sense of happiness and pleasure stirred within her.

Without hesitation, she unwrapped one of the buns and was about to eat it but then remembered her mask.

Glancing at Merlin, who was busy eating, she quickly turned away and made sure the area was safe before lifting her mask halfway.

She took a bite of the bun—and at once, her expression changed.

“So good!” she exclaimed inwardly.

She had expected the taste to be bland and the dough to be tough, yet it was far better than she imagined.

The bun was soft and slightly sweet, while the chocolate melted in her mouth, leaving a delightful sensation.

She had eaten many delicious buns before, yet none felt as satisfying as this one.

She devoured it eagerly, only to realize it was gone. Quickly, she grabbed another bun, finished it just as fast, then opened the cold water bottle and took a long gulp.

‘Ah…’ She let out a breath of relief. ‘The taste is amazing! Is this really commoners’ food? How can it be this good?’

If she had known buns could be this delicious, she would have bought ten—no, a hundred—at once.

‘But…’ She bit her lower lip, rubbing her stomach. ‘I’m still not full.’

Suddenly, she remembered Merlin. Hastily, she lowered her mask back into place before turning toward him, her eyes drifting to the bun in his hand with a hungry gaze.

Merlin: “…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep