"Hah... what a jerk! How did I even meet her? And... what's with this sudden plot change? Can't you be a little more serious, system?"

Inside his room, Merlin lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in annoyance.

He knew the plot of this novel had changed a lot, but this was just too much. If he hadn't arrived earlier, Luna might have already been tainted by those bad guys.

He even started to doubt whether this world was still the same as before.

Listening to his tirade, the system felt embarrassed. However, it could do nothing but let out a long sigh.

"[I'm sorry, Master. Honestly, I don't know about this either. I know reasons like 'unknown world direction' sound clichéd, but... that's just how it is. All of this happened because of your desire to change your fate,]" the system replied helplessly.

Merlin was at a loss for words. The answer was already in his mind, but hearing it directly somehow made him feel uneasy.

Shaking off his thoughts, he rubbed his temples and said, "Alright, I admit my mistake. Yeah, it's all because of me, and I'll accept that. But if things keep going in an unknown direction, what will happen to the other heroines or even... the main character?"

The system paused for a moment before replying briefly, "[I don't know. You'll have to find out for yourself.]"

Merlin: "..."

The urge to punch the system rose within him, but he quickly held it back. After all, the system was just a program without a physical form.

There was no point in getting angry at it anyway.

"Open Luna Tharot's status panel," he ordered coldly.

[Status]

Name: Luna Tharot

Age: 11 years old

Identity: Daughter of Duke Tharot's family

Talent: A

Guardian Spirit: Owl of Wisdom (★★★)

Rank: –

Affection: 0 (10)

Upon seeing the affection column, Merlin frowned.

"System, what's going on? Why is her affection still zero, but there are 10-point brackets next to it?" he asked, confused.

"[That's because you're hiding your identity, Master,]" the system explained calmly. "[If you wish, you can go back and reveal your identity as Merlin Clay. But I can't guarantee whether the affection will disappear or not.]"

Merlin fell silent, his eyes narrowing.

'So, that's what they call shadow affection, huh? I didn't expect something like that to happen to me,' he muttered.

Shadow affection refers to the favorable impression a main character receives from a heroine or another supporting character.

However, it's not directed at his true self, but rather at another identity he uses.

For example, since Merlin had hidden his identity from Luna Tharot earlier, the little girl naturally couldn't recognize him. So, her affection was directed toward another version of him.

The problem was, he wasn't the main character—yet it was really happening to him.

Tossing his head, he turned his gaze toward the window. The rain, which had been a light drizzle earlier, was now pouring down heavily, accompanied by occasional flashes of lightning.

The atmosphere felt cozy and calm, with a faint chill in the air, making Merlin feel drowsy.

Without realizing it, his eyes slowly closed, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

Shortly after he fell asleep, the door to his room opened, and James entered, carrying a tray of food.

When he saw Merlin sleeping, a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Young Master must be very tired," he whispered softly.

He stepped forward and placed the food on the desk.

After that, he walked over to the bed, pulled up the blanket, and gently covered Merlin's body.

'Engagement, huh? I hope the Tharot family shows proper courtesy. Otherwise, don't blame me for being cruel,' he muttered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

...

Boom!

The sound of thunder rumbled across the dark sky filled with black clouds. Heavy rain poured down, drenching the town of Dralmor and its surroundings.

Pedestrians who had forgotten their umbrellas hurriedly took shelter in front of roadside shops.

In the midst of the pouring rain, a little girl walked with unsteady steps. Her tiny body was chilled to the bone, yet she didn't seem to care.

Her eyes were blank, lost in thought.

That girl was none other than Luna Tharot—Merlin's fiancée.

'Who is that boy? Why is he so strong? And why did he help me?' she murmured to herself.

The earlier incident was still vivid in her mind. If not for his help, she would have been harassed by those bad guys.

To be honest, it was terrifying. Although she was saved, the fear lingered, and she wasn't sure if she could ever fully recover from it.

The boy's words echoed in her head once again.

"I came to help simply because I wanted to. That's all."

It felt strange to hear such words in a world where every act of kindness toward a stranger always came with a price.

After all, nothing in this world is truly free, right?

"Young Lady!"

A woman's panicked voice suddenly came from ahead. Luna snapped out of her thoughts, lifted her head, and saw a beautiful maid running toward her while shielding herself from the rain.

"Where have you been, young lady? Why did you leave the house like that? Do you know how worried I, the Lord, and the Lady have been?" The woman cried, her voice trembling.

Luna took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I know, and I'm sorry, Tina."

Tina shook her head gently as she rubbed Luna's wet hair.

"It's alright, young lady. What matters is that you're safe. Come on, let's head back. The carriage is over there," she said, pointing to a carriage waiting on the right side of the road. "The Lord and Lady are waiting for you."

Hearing Tina mention her father and mother, a flicker of irritation rose in Luna's chest, but she managed to suppress it.

"I understand," she replied flatly. "Let's go."

...

Morning...

The rain hadn't stopped since yesterday. Although it wasn't as heavy as before, it was still enough to keep most people indoors.

A thick mist had descended from the mountains, blanketing the entire city of Dralmor and making it difficult for people to move around.

Even so, it didn't stop Merlin and James from heading to the Tharot family mansion.

"Let's go, Young Master," James said.

Merlin gave a small nod. The two climbed into the carriage, and soon James pulled the reins.

The carriage began moving through the rain and mist that veiled the scenery.

***

The Tharot family mansion stood at the far end of Dralmor City.

About two hundred meters before the main gate, the road leading to the mansion was heavily guarded to ensure no strangers could enter.

When James's carriage arrived, the guards stopped it immediately. However, the inspection didn't last long before they were allowed to pass.

On both sides of the road, rows of beautifully arranged artificial trees stood neatly in the rain.

The sight, combined with the misty weather, made Merlin feel as if he were entering a fairy forest from the eastern continent.

After a short while, the Tharot family mansion finally came into view in the distance, and Merlin's eyes widened instinctively.

"Damn... it's huge!"

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