Merlin’s delicate hands, wrapped in lace gloves, withdrew another box from behind the sofa—a much larger one this time, about the size of a human body.
“This is a second-order light armor, my personal gift to you.”
“Whether you agree to my condition or not, I will give you this light armor as an apology for disturbing you.”
With graceful poise, Merlin slid the box in front of Charles, who accepted it without hesitation, storing it in his ring without even a glance. When something is offered so willingly, why refuse?
Charles’ sapphire-blue eyes calmly observed the alluring woman before him, and he asked, “Ms. Merlin, why did you seek me out?”
Merlin’s gaze met his, her autumn-hued eyes hinting at layers of mystery. She replied softly, “Everyone has their own secrets, don’t they, Master Charles?”
Charles kept his eyes on Merlin, who held his gaze with a playful yet enigmatic smile, making it impossible to decipher her true intentions. After a pause, the ring on Charles’ finger emitted a blue flash as the box vanished.
“Alright, I agree.”
Merlin extended her hand toward Charles, her voice laced with sweetness. “Happy cooperation, Master Charles.”
He took her hand. “Happy cooperation…”
Later…
“You agreed too hastily, Master Charles!” Leo accused, his tone revealing his disapproval.
“Do you even know what being on a team means? In the future, you’ll be taking on life-and-death missions together. If your teammates are strangers you can’t trust, you might lose your life!”
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Leo’s voice trailed off, and his face tightened, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
Charles sighed and replied gently, “I know, Leo.”
“No, you don’t!” Leo glared fiercely at him.
“It’s not too late to return the dagger. I can afford a fifth-order supernatural weapon!” Leo insisted.
Charles merely shook his head and, standing on tiptoe, gently patted Leo on the head.
Leo froze, watching Charles’ sapphire eyes, which reflected a serene calmness akin to a lake under a clear sky—a lake with a subtle sadness hidden beneath its surface.
“I know, Leo. But I... don’t have a better choice, right?”
Now Charles understood why the Duke assigned Issa Wilton to him. A young noble like himself, without connections among his peers, would struggle to find reliable teammates.
From the moment he entered Merlin’s room, he knew he would accept her offer. Both the weapon and the teammates she promised were things he needed.
“Leo, you’ve chosen a very useless master. I hope you won’t be disappointed.”
Charles dropped his hand, his tone tinged with self-deprecation.
Leo gazed at the boy’s delicate face and saw a determination that belied his young age. She had seen the scars on his back, marks left by Livril’s torture—a burden most twelve-year-olds couldn’t endure.
His mother didn’t love him, his father treated his children as tools, and his siblings wanted him dead. Charles’ birth was a tragedy, yet he strove to ensure his life’s end would be anything but.
“Of course not, Master Charles,” Leo murmured, pulling him into a warm embrace. “You will be the brightest star in this world. It is my honor to follow you.”
Charles lay quietly in Leo’s arms. Exhausted by the ceaseless demands of his world, he had grown accustomed to its complexities and distrust.
Finally, after a pause, Charles lifted his head and remarked innocently, “By the way, Leo, your breasts are really small!”
----------------------------------------
Some time later, Merlin still reclined lazily on the sofa, one of her long, shapely legs draped over the sofa’s edge. Her cheongsam slipped slightly, but she paid no mind to the view it offered.
“Hiss…”
A dark green snake, thick as Merlin’s forearm, slithered over her smooth back and coiled around her thigh.
Merlin reached out and gently stroked the snake’s head, smiling as it narrowed its eyes, clearly relishing her touch.
“Are you afraid of him, Smaug?”
The snake nodded, a flicker of fear visible in its immense pupils.
“So, our young Master Miller has more secrets than I imagined,” Merlin mused, stretching languidly and closing her eyes with a contented sigh.
She didn’t know if bringing Miller into Shirin’s team was wise, but with Smaug’s sixth-order power, it would be intriguing to see who—if anyone—could instill such fear.