Merlin fell silent at his mother's words. He hadn't expected the engagement issue to resurface so gradually.

As far as he could remember, the engagement between Merlin Clay and Luna Tharot had been arranged when he was nine—technically, just a year ago.

Inevitably, he suspected that all of this was the result of the butterfly effect he had triggered two years earlier.

'The consequences turned out to be enormous. Could it be that the main character really won't appear...?' he muttered, his voice tense.

This fear had lingered for two whole years. Abel, who was supposed to be found by the royal family within the next year, might never be located.

If that happened, the future would descend into true chaos.

"Merlin? Why are you so quiet? Do you disagree with this engagement?"

His mother's worried voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He realized his father, mother, and sister were all watching him anxiously.

Catrine, in particular, looked tense, yet there was a gleam of happiness in her round eyes, as if she were secretly delighted by her mother's words.

"No, Mother," Merlin said, shaking his head. "This matter is too important to be decided by one side alone. What do you think about this engagement?"

He sipped his mango juice, looking at his parents with an inquiring gaze.

"As for me, I actually disagree," Ardhis said frankly. "I've heard that the daughter of the Tharot family is arrogant, cold, and tends to be cunning. For me, having a daughter-in-law like that would be like bringing a wolf into the house."

For Ardhis, the ideal woman was like Livia—comforting, firm, yet gentle.

Well, Livia could be intimidating when angry, but that was understandable and reasonable.

Meanwhile, Luna Tharot truly embodied the image of a high-class noble girl. That was why Ardhis felt his son and Luna were not a good match.

"I also disagree," Livia said, frowning. "That girl doesn't fit the image of the ideal partner in my mind. It's not about her looks but her character. To be honest, I don't like her at all. On the contrary..."

She looked at Catrine affectionately. "I prefer Catrine as your partner. Isn't that right, my dear?"

Ardhis immediately understood the meaning behind her gaze.

"Yes, I agree with your mother," he said.

Livia's words left Catrine embarrassed. Her pale face turned as red as a tomato, and she glanced at Merlin beside her, shy and nervous.

Merlin chuckled softly as he rubbed her head, realizing that his parents were trying to set him up with Catrine.

Of course, it was perfectly legal. There was no blood relation between him and his sister, especially since Catrine's status as an adopted child was widely known throughout the kingdom.

He had no personal objection, but he didn't want it to happen so soon. After all… ahem… there were still many heroines he wanted to meet.

"I understand. But a unilateral breakup isn't the solution—on the contrary, it could have a negative impact on our family. So, let's just proceed as usual. I'll meet Luna Tharot and discuss the breakup with her," Merlin said seriously.

Among all the female heroes, Luna Tharot was the one he didn't want to have any contact with under any circumstances.

Her cunning, cruel, and manipulative nature was truly terrifying.

Certainly, from readers' perspective, Luna had once seemed like an intriguing heroine—Merlin had thought so too.

But after entering the body of Merlin Clay two years ago and realizing the unfortunate fate that awaited him, his outlook had changed.

For a girl who could threaten his future, he would not hesitate to sever ties.

"Since you've said that, I won't comment further," Ardhis said with a casual smile. "The meeting will be at their mansion, so you'll be going with James later. Understood?"

Merlin was clearly surprised by his father's words. "What do you mean, Father? You and Mother aren't coming with me? Isn't the meeting supposed to be between the two families?"

His mother had indeed mentioned earlier that the meeting would begin next week, so it was only natural for Merlin to assume they would accompany him.

"Your mother and I have business in the capital next week, so we can't go with you," Ardhis said, sipping his coffee. "James will represent me and protect you. I've already told Frederin, and he understood the situation."

Merlin was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply.

"Business in the capital, you say? You're not selling your child to them, are you?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Ardhis frowned at the accusation. "You're really cruel, kid. Do you think your father and mother are that heartless? His Majesty asked me to come advise on the management of Droswen over the past two years. He's very interested in how our city has progressed so quickly."

"So if you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being too remarkable."

Ever since Merlin had shown him how to manage taxes effectively, Ardhis had grown increasingly impressed with the boy.

He even sometimes sought Merlin's advice on other matters—like designing irrigation channels for farmers who had opened rice fields two kilometers from the city, arranging pathways so as not to disturb pedestrians, and more.

Surprisingly, his son was both clever and capable!

His intelligence had clearly helped Ardhis manage Droswen, a city experiencing rapid progress.

As a result, the imperial palace had taken notice of these achievements and invited him to the capital next week.

Merlin hadn't expected something of this magnitude to happen. As a child, he felt genuinely proud of his father.

But the engagement… Wasn't it too risky for him to handle alone?

As if reading his mind, Livia immediately reassured him.

"It's okay, dear. Actually, your father and I met with Frederin and his wife last month. We also discussed this engagement issue beforehand, so you can relax."

"Huh…" Merlin sighed deeply. "Okay, I understand. I'll take care of it—you can leave it to me."

"Great!" Ardhis nodded, clearly pleased. "I trust you, son."

Catrine, sitting beside him, suddenly grabbed his arm and whispered, "Brother…"

Merlin turned to her and gently stroked her head. "Don't worry. Leave this to me, okay?"

Catrine pursed her lips and nodded weakly.

"Um… I trust you…"

...

A week later…

Merlin stood in front of the hall, the horse-drawn carriage ready. James was already seated in the coachman's seat, waiting for him.

Merlin glanced at Catrine, then stepped forward and hugged her tightly.

"Don't worry. I'll be back in a few days. Please take care of the house while I'm gone, okay?" He said softly, his voice full of affection.

His parents had already left, leaving Catrine alone in the house. Of course, "alone" didn't mean completely lonely—maids and guards were still on duty around the clock.

"Um… be careful, brother," Catrine said weakly.

She didn't want them to part, but she knew it was impossible to stop the engagement between her brother and the daughter of the Tharot family. All she could do was hope he could handle the situation and break it off.

Merlin nodded slightly and patted her back gently.

After a few brief exchanges, he walked to the carriage, climbed in, and the carriage slowly rolled away until it disappeared from view.

Watching him leave, Catrine bit her lower lip, sadness tugging at her heart.

Suddenly, a mysterious voice echoed in her mind:

"Do you want to become strong?"

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