Boom!
Thunder suddenly roared outside her room. Luna hurriedly covered her ears, trembling in fear.
Her face turned pale as her body shook. She was terrified of lightning—it always reminded her of past traumas.
Meanwhile, Merlin only glanced at her before returning to the book in his hand.
He didn't care about her at all, let alone worry. Perhaps he had once intended to conquer her, but after some thought, he decided to cancel that idea.
Luna was a time bomb, different from Linda, Catrine, and Margaret.
That girl had a cunning mind and a ruthless nature—even at a very young age. She wouldn't hesitate to use any means to achieve her goals.
To subdue such a girl would take too much effort, and Merlin couldn't be bothered to waste his time or energy on it.
Krrk!
A rumbling sound suddenly came from Luna's direction. Merlin glanced over and saw her clutching her stomach, her face flushed.
"Are you hungry?" Merlin asked indifferently as he stood up. "What do you want to eat? I'll get it."
Luna turned her head to the side and replied coldly, "None of your business."
Ever since Merlin had shown murderous intent toward her earlier that afternoon, Luna had been both afraid and irritated to interact with him.
If not for her father and mother, she would have kicked him out of her room.
Merlin said nothing and quietly stepped out.
As he disappeared from sight, Luna breathed a sigh of relief and looked around helplessly.
'What sin did I commit to deserve a fiancé like him?' she wondered inwardly, feeling depressed.
At first, Merlin had seemed like a handsome, gentle, yet somewhat ignorant boy.
Unexpectedly, he turned out to have a cruel side that was truly terrifying.
Just as she was lost in thought, the door opened again. Merlin entered with a tray carrying a bowl of porridge, warm water, and some cut fruit.
He walked over to her and set the tray on the nightstand.
"Eat," he said flatly.
Luna was about to refuse, but her stomach rumbled again, and her face immediately turned red.
She tried to sit up on the bed but found her body too weak. Pain, aches, and discomfort overwhelmed her, holding her down.
Seeing her condition, Merlin sighed softly, turned around, and grabbed a chair from near the desk.
He placed the chair beside the bed, sat down, and picked up the bowl of porridge, scooping a spoonful.
He blew on it to cool it down, then brought it to her lips.
"Open your mouth."
Luna pressed her lips together, staring at him in confusion. Merlin, however, wasn't in the mood to play around and simply forced the spoon into her mouth.
Unable to resist, Luna eventually gave in and began to chew. The porridge had been mixed with natural herbs and light seasoning to add flavor.
Small pieces of beef, chopped spring onions, and a savory broth topped it off.
Yet somehow, everything tasted bland in her mouth.
"I know it tastes bland. That's because your metabolism is working hard. Anything from outside is perceived as a threat—including the food you eat. Just swallow it; it'll help speed up your recovery," Merlin explained flatly.
In his previous life, he had often worked overtime until he fell sick with a fever that usually lasted one or two days.
But since his boss never cared about his subordinates, he could only rest for a single day before returning to work again.
He had grown quite used to this kind of fever.
Luna was slightly surprised by his knowledge. She swallowed her food and asked weakly, "How did you know?"
Merlin merely glanced at her and replied curtly, "I read and study."
He scooped up another spoonful of porridge and fed her again. Although reluctant, Luna didn't dare to refuse and continued eating until the bowl was empty.
Afterward, Merlin helped her lean against the headboard, then handed her a glass of warm water.
Luna sipped it slowly, feeling the warmth flow down her throat.
Next, Merlin passed her a plate of fruit and told her to eat it herself.
He then placed the bowl and glass back on the tray and left it on the nightstand.
Ignoring Luna's curious gaze, Merlin returned to his seat and resumed reading.
'What an ignorant and... annoying boy,' Luna muttered irritably.
"[Ding! The affection of heroine Luna Tharot has increased by 10 points! Current affection: 15 points (15 points)]"
Merlin glanced at the notification panel with an indifferent expression. However, when he noticed the extra five points in brackets, he was slightly surprised.
"System, what's going on? Why did it add five points?" Merlin asked curiously.
"[That's mainly because Luna was still thinking about you when you wore the mask yesterday. So her affection naturally increased]," the system explained briefly.
"I see..." Merlin nodded slowly, his expression unchanged.
"[I've been observing you, and you don't seem interested in this development. Do you have no intention of making Luna Tharot your partner?]" The system asked curiously.
In the system's view, Merlin was an ambitious man, and it was convinced that he intended to make Luna Tharot part of his harem.
However, since their arrival, it hadn't sensed even the slightest interest in his eyes—and that felt... strange.
"Yes, you're right. I have no intention of conquering her. Let us walk separate paths," Merlin replied firmly.
He had never said such a thing before, but it just so happened that the system asked this time.
The system paused briefly before confirming, "[Are you sure about that choice, Master? It would be a pity if you didn't bring her into your harem.]"
Merlin rolled his eyes and complained, "Do you think I'm a Pokémon hunter? I can't possibly collect all the heroines for myself. I don't have that much energy."
At first, he did plan to conquer all the heroines, but after careful thought, he decided to abandon that ridiculous idea.
He wasn't a man ruled by lust or one who thought with the lower part of his body.
Four or five heroines were more than enough—and Luna was certainly not among them.
"[Heh...]," the system chuckled, as if it understood his point. "[Alright then. I won't force you, but don't you dare fall for Luna Tharot later, okay? If you do, I'll definitely tease you.]"
Merlin smirked confidently. "Go ahead. But I'll tell you now—I won't fall in love with her!"
"What's wrong with you? Why are you smiling to yourself like that?" Luna's doubtful voice came from the bed.
Merlin quickly regained his composure and gave her a cold stare. "None of your business."
Luna: "(｡ • ̀ ᴖ • ́｡)"