"What?" Merlin was shocked by the system's words. "So you mean I'm a threat to this world? But… how can that be?"
"[It's because you changed Tharvis' fate, Master. Do you know how crucial Tharvis' role is to the main character's growth?]"
Merlin fell silent. Of course, he knew how important Tharvis was to the main character.
Just as Abel neared the fourth level of the Spirit Core, a strange barrier suddenly appeared within him, stopping his breakthrough.
The person who helped him overcome it was none other than Tharvis.
Tharvis had concocted a special potion that existed only in ancient texts in the academy library.
Even Leona—one of the continent's top-ranked alchemists—couldn't replicate it, yet Tharvis had succeeded.
At that time, Tharvis had only been at the academy for a year, but his achievements were already extraordinary.
Merlin had thought that, if not for Abel's existence, Tharvis should have been the protagonist.
Michiku sensei had even told him that the original idea behind Tharvis' character was to rival Abel in ability and talent.
But plans had changed, and he became a supporting character—one who still played a pivotal role in Abel's development.
"[And not just Tharvis,]" the system continued indifferently. "[You've altered the heroines Catrine and Linda, the fate of the Clay family, and even the city of Droswen. Master, you've led the storyline down an unknown path.]"
Merlin fell silent once again. His expression flickered with complexity, but only for a moment.
A slight smile appeared on his lips as he looked up at the sky. "But that won't harm me, right? After all, you're the one who gave me all those missions. And isn't your goal to change my fate? So I'm sure you'll protect me."
He wasn't stupid. The system had sent him on missions like saving Tharvis and preventing Droswen from falling to a plague.
Everything was connected to the system, meaning it bore responsibility for the changes in this world's timeline.
The system was silent for a moment, then let out a peculiar laugh.
"[You're really clever, Master. It seems you've grown since first arriving in this world. Don't worry—I'm by your side. Even if this world is destroyed, it won't harm you. I just wanted to scare you earlier.]"
Merlin had already suspected as much and rolled his eyes in annoyance. But he didn't waste time arguing and quickly changed the subject.
"Alright, then. Give me my mission reward," he said indifferently.
"[Ding! Congratulations, Master. You have obtained 1x Potion to Revive the Dead (Mythical) and 50,000 system points! The rewards have been added to your account.]"
When Merlin saw the two rewards, he couldn't hide his surprise.
"1x Potion to Revive the Dead?" He muttered in disbelief. "System, can this really bring someone back to life? This isn't just clickbait, right?"
"[Clickbait? What is that, Master?]" The system sounded genuinely confused—it had never heard the word before.
Merlin realized his mistake and quickly clarified, "I mean… the potion isn't just a name, right?"
"[Of course not, Master,]" the system replied, its tone tinged with mild dissatisfaction. "[All items you receive, whether from rewards or the system shop, are genuine and exactly as described. And yes, this potion can truly bring the dead back to life.]"
"Hiss!" Merlin exhaled sharply. "Amazing! This reward is definitely the best I've ever received."
Whether it was the Ring of the King's Crown, the hypnotic skill, or the unbreakable rope, none of them could compare to the Potion to Revive the Dead.
The items served different purposes, but this potion was far more valuable. He could already imagine the chaos if anyone discovered he carried something like this.
"With this potion, I don't have to fear losing my loved ones," he muttered, a smile spreading across his face.
"[Don't get too excited yet, Master. As the old saying goes, 'Everything has its flaws.' The same applies here. Although it can revive the dead, those brought back will recover only half their strength. Special care is still needed until they are fully healed.]"
Merlin listened carefully and nodded in understanding.
"Thank you for the information, system. By the way, is this potion sold in the system store?"
"[Yes, it is. But you won't be able to afford it.]"
"Oh?" Merlin raised an eyebrow. He glanced at his system points—over 200,000—and his curiosity deepened.
"How much do I have to pay?"
The system paused before answering, "[Five million system points.]"
Merlin: "..."
He had expected it to cost at most a million, but five million was five times that estimate. No wonder the system said he couldn't afford it.
Still, Merlin wasn't worried. Owning one meant having another chance if anything happened to him or his loved ones.
He took a deep breath and smiled broadly.
"This world is getting more and more interesting. I can't wait to see what the future holds for me…"
…
Days passed quickly. During the first two weeks after Linda left, Merlin didn't waste time on games or trivial pursuits.
Instead, he devoted himself entirely to his studies—noble etiquette, physical training, magic, and more.
He realized that the system didn't allow him to live comfortably or safely without effort.
On the contrary, it pushed him to continue training, ensuring he wouldn't become dependent on it.
He did not forget his goal—to change his destiny as a small, insignificant villain. The system had also warned him that danger could arise from unexpected sources, especially since this world already saw him as a threat.
During this time, he continued to strengthen his relationship with Catrine. Even though he had already reached one hundred affection points, Merlin saw no harm in deepening their bond.
Besides, the increased affection points were converted into system points, which proved very advantageous.
The city of Droswen also thrived. Using his knowledge of the modern world, he helped his father overcome several difficulties.
At first, his father was skeptical, but over time, he came to trust and rely on him. Of course, Merlin's actions were not without consequences.
His father harbored suspicions about him, much like Linda had in the past.
Fortunately, Merlin had anticipated this and offered an explanation similar to the one he had given Linda.
And just like that, two years passed in the blink of an eye…