"Well then, I'll be going now, Margaret," Merlin said, slowly rising from his chair.
Margaret stood as well. "I'll walk you out."
Merlin immediately shook his head. "No need. I can manage on my own."
Before Margaret could finish, Merlin smiled reassuringly. "I appreciate your concern, but it's really not necessary. I can go by myself. You don't need to trouble yourself."
Margaret let out a soft sigh and didn't insist. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a gold-colored card.
"Take this as a token of our friendship," she said quietly.
Merlin accepted the card and examined it. It was stiff and solid, with an image of a black ship and five stars engraved at the bottom.
On all four sides were wavelike engravings, reminiscent of the sea—beautiful and mesmerizing. Merlin froze instantly, his heart starting to race.
"An exclusive Beethoven family card?" he exclaimed in shock.
As the wealthiest merchant family on the continent, the Beethovens issued special cards only to those they recognized.
There were five types of cards, ranging from one star to five, with the stars indicating the owner's status and closeness to the Beethoven family.
Merlin didn't fully understand the card system, having never seen one himself.
From what he knew of the novel, Abel had once received a five-star card from Margaret in exchange for the curse-healing potion he had made.
A five-star card was extremely powerful—its owner could buy anything from the Beethoven family stores across the continent for free.
Yes—free, without paying a single coin. On top of that, the card offered various privileges, such as the right to hold direct meetings with Blue Sky Trading House executives and even with the head of the Beethoven family.
Now, the five-star card that should have belonged to Abel had fallen into his hands, leaving Merlin surprised, thrilled, scared, and excited all at once.
"Oh? You know about the five-star card too?" Margaret asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Yes, my father told me about it," Merlin replied casually.
Margaret chuckled softly. "This card is yours now. You can use it however you like. Consider it a reward for the cream you gave me."
Merlin was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I can't accept this. It's too much of a gift."
He moved to return it, but Margaret stopped him, puffing out her cheeks in mock annoyance.
"Merlin, we're friends, right?"
Her question caught him off guard. He nodded slowly. "Yes… we're friends."
Margaret's smile widened. "Then take this card. It's a gift from me, as your friend. Understand?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩
Her eyes sparkled with hope and warmth, and Merlin had to swallow hard.
He stared at the golden card for a moment before finally nodding, still hesitant.
"Okay… I understand," he said softly, sliding the card into his pocket. "Thank you, Margaret."
"No need to thank me," Margaret said, waving her hand. "You're my friend, so it's only natural I give it to you. Besides, you saved me from those kidnappers. To me, your kindness is far more valuable than any card."
Her words came straight from the heart. Money, wealth, status—they didn't matter to her. What she truly wanted was someone sincere.
And Merlin was that person, which made her willing to do anything for him.
A warmth spread through Merlin's chest. For the first time, he felt the true meaning of accomplishment.
"Well then, I'll be going now, Margaret."
"M-mm! Be careful, Merlin," Margaret said, smiling sweetly.
Even with the curse staining her face, her beauty and youthful charm shone through.
Merlin nodded slightly and turned to leave. But before he could fully descend the stairs, Margaret's voice called after him.
"Merlin, can we meet again someday?"
Startled, he turned to see the sadness she was trying to hide.
"Yes… of course," he replied gently.
"Hehehe… I'm so happy…" Margaret giggled softly.
Merlin simply smiled and continued down the stairs. Even after he disappeared from view, her smile lingered.
She stared at the cream in her hand and whispered softly, "When we meet again, I'll make sure you're mine, Merlin. I won't let you escape. Fate has brought us together… hehehe…"
Her eyes sparkled with a strange, unsettling light.
If Merlin had been there, he would have felt a chill run down his spine. That glint belonged to someone consumed by obsession… someone yandere.
"Oh? Finished lunch already, Young Master Merlin? How was it? Did everything go well?" Lisa greeted him with a bright smile.
"Lunch went well, Lisa," Merlin replied gently. "By the way, I remember you were the one who saved me back then. I haven't properly thanked you."
He bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, Lisa. I hope you're not offended."
Lisa blinked in surprise and hurriedly helped him to stand. "What are you doing, Young Master Merlin? I helped you because it was the right thing to do. Please, lift your head. Otherwise, the Young Lady will scold me."
Her panicked, worried tone made Merlin chuckle softly.
"All right, I understand. But there's no denying that you helped me, so… thank you."
Lisa felt a warmth in her chest. Merlin was a young master, and boys his age were usually arrogant. Yet in front of her, he was polite and well-mannered, making her feel at ease—and like him even more.
"I accept your thanks," Lisa replied with a giggle. "By the way, do you want me to see you out? How about I walk you home?"
Merlin shook his head. "Thank you for the offer, but it's not necessary. I don't want to trouble you. All right, I'll be going now. Goodbye, Lisa."
"Goodbye," Lisa replied, giving a small nod.
Merlin walked out of the room, soon disappearing from her sight entirely.
"Hah…" Lisa let out a soft sigh. "How lucky the Young Lady is to have met Merlin Clay. At last, she won't have to be lonely anymore…"
"Thank you for visiting our restaurant, Young Master Merlin."
Five waiters bowed their heads to him.
Merlin smiled and gave a small nod, then turned and walked out.
"[Master, you're incredible! The five-star card is one of Abel's cheats in the novel, yet you got it so easily. I'm so jealous,]" the system sighed.
"Pfft!" Merlin chuckled. "Don't be so jealous, System. But you're right—I didn't expect her to give me that card either. Could this be the result of a hundred points of affection?"
"[If not that, then what else?]" The system rolled its eyes. "[By the way, where are we headed now?]"
"Let's go to the jewelry store first. I didn't get a chance to buy a necklace for Catrine yesterday," he replied.
With that, he headed toward Celestia Jewelry, walking with a spring in his step. Suddenly, two soldiers stepped in front of him, their conversation catching his attention.
"The number of victims keeps rising, doesn't it? If this continues, it's not impossible that Droswen City will be affected too."