"Watch out—danger!"
Boom!
A powerful explosion erupted, shattering the steps beneath Merlin and Luna.
Thick black smoke filled the air, forming a dense haze that blocked their vision.
Luna shut her eyes in terror. But when she realized she felt no pain, she slowly opened them—only to find herself in Merlin's arms.
"T-This…" Her body stiffened as her heart began to race.
Merlin gently released her. His face was pale, and his breathing was heavy.
Noticing that, Luna quickly grabbed his arm. "Are you hurt?"
The explosion had been so strong that she hadn't even had time to react. If Merlin hadn't shielded her, she would've been dead by now.
"I'm fine," Merlin said calmly, though the faint hiss of pain slipping through his teeth betrayed him.
Of course, he was lying. The blast had struck his back—the very part he'd used to protect Luna.
His back was badly burned. He couldn't see it, but the pain was searing, and he could feel the blood running down.
Luna's eyes widened in disbelief. She shifted slightly and saw the terrible burns on his back.
"You… you're injured!" She cried, covering her mouth with both hands.
The back of his robe was ripped, revealing his charred, reddish-black back. Blood seeped from the burns, streaming down like a dark waterfall.
The sight was so dreadful that Luna's knees nearly gave out.
"It's okay," Merlin muttered, taking a deep breath as he reached into his pocket for an A-level potion.
"It's okay, you say? That wound is serious! We need to go back immediately! I'll get Tina to treat you!" Luna exclaimed anxiously, gripping his arm tightly.
She still couldn't believe Merlin had risked himself to protect her from the explosion.
Didn't he hate her? Wasn't he opposed to being engaged to her?
Then why was he doing this? What was his purpose? Were the masked boy's words true—that helping someone doesn't always need a reason?
Questions swirled in her mind, making her temples throb violently.
"No need. I brought a healing potion," Merlin said.
He opened the bottle and took a sip.
Instantly, a cold sensation spread through his body, including his back.
The excruciating pain began to fade, and the burned skin slowly started to heal.
Luna let out a relieved sigh, pressing a hand to her chest. If Merlin had died, she truly wouldn't have known what to do.
The rescue he had carried out was both a gift and a debt she would have to repay.
"That…" Luna started to say, but Merlin interrupted her before she could finish.
"I know what you want to ask. Don't get me wrong—I'm not helping you because I love you or like you. Stop your narcissistic thoughts."
His words cut through Luna like a knife. She had actually thought so, yet Merlin was shockingly blunt.
Before her annoyance could fade, Merlin continued in a softer tone, "Besides, your father and mother entrusted me with your safety. I cannot betray their trust. And despite our arguments over this engagement, we are still a couple on paper, aren't we?"
Merlin gave her a faint, playful smile.
Badump!
Luna's heart skipped a beat. Her normally cold face flushed bright red.
"You…" She wanted to scold him but couldn't. What Merlin said was undeniably true.
On paper, they were indeed a couple, and that fact could not be denied.
Flustered and lacking a proper retort, Luna looked away, feigning annoyance.
Merlin felt a twinge of guilt and muttered under his breath, 'Am I overdoing it?'
He and Luna didn't get along well, and his teasing had been a bit inappropriate—especially given his usually cold demeanor since arriving at the mansion.
Just then, the system notification panel chimed unexpectedly.
"[Ding! The affection of heroine Luna Tharot has increased by 13 points! Current affection: 55 points (30)]"
The corners of Merlin's lips twitched. The rapid increase in her affection left him unsure how to react.
"[Tsk! Don't pretend, Master. I'm starting to suspect you were lying yesterday. You're actually targeting Luna Tharot, aren't you? Come on, be honest. Relax, I won't mock you.]"
The system's playful voice echoed in his head. Merlin rolled his eyes. 'What are you saying, system? Don't talk nonsense. I'll keep my promise!'
Well, he did want to be kinder to Luna, but only to that extent. At the very least, they could be friends.
That would benefit both of them in the future.
The smoke from the explosion gradually cleared, finally revealing the Golden Grail up close.
"Merlin, let's go check it out!" Luna exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.
She was eager to see if it was real. If it was, she could already imagine how delighted her parents would be.
"Wait!" Merlin hurriedly stepped in front of her. "That explosion shows this place is full of traps. Let me make sure it's safe first."
He picked up a palm-sized stone from the ground and threw it forward.
Buzz!
A magic circle appeared above, and a fireball shot out, slamming into the floor with force.
Luna swallowed nervously. She had been careless not to notice something so simple.
Her gaze lingered on Merlin, filled with curiosity and a hint of admiration.
He didn't stop there. Merlin picked up the other five stones and tossed them toward spots he suspected of hiding traps.
Buzz!
Magic circles flared, detonating powerfully around the area.
After about five minutes, Merlin deemed it safe.
"Come on, let's get closer," he said.
"Um!" Luna nodded eagerly.
To ensure her safety, Merlin led the way while Luna followed closely behind.
When they reached the Grail, Luna gazed at it with sparkling eyes and gently touched it.
"This is the real one!" she cried, overjoyed.
It was said that the Grail of Time had a special bond with the descendants of the Tharot family. Simply touching it allowed those with Tharot blood to sense its presence.
And it was true—she could feel it clearly.
Merlin, however, showed no surprise. From the beginning, he had known it was genuine.
"Merlin, let's go tell Father! I'll write him a letter!"
The verification was done, and now it was time to inform her father.
But Merlin shook his head, glancing at the ruined stairs.
"How can we go back if the exit is blocked?"
Luna froze. In her excitement, she had completely forgotten about that.
"Then…" She bit her lower lip. "What should we do?"
Merlin smiled faintly. "Luna, I have an idea."
"Idea?" Luna raised her eyebrows. "What is it?"
Merlin paused for a moment before replying, "What if I told you… I can actually activate it?"