Once the parade ended, Merlin and Luna decided to explore the city.

With the festival in full swing, every corner of Dralmor buzzed with activity. Streetlights glowed warmly, and merchants' calls echoed from both sides of the road.

Merlin and Luna shopped for food, clothes, and all sorts of other items.

They didn't really need the clothes—they already had plenty at the mansion—but bought them simply for the fun of it.

After they finished shopping, they decided to return to the mansion.

By coincidence, it was already midnight. Yet instead of quieting down, the city seemed even more crowded.

Luna, however, was very sleepy, and returning was the only sensible choice.

They climbed into a horse-drawn carriage, which soon started moving toward the mansion.

"Are you happy?" Merlin asked, glancing at Luna beside him.

"Very happy!" Luna replied with a bright smile. "I didn't expect this year's Dragon God Festival to be this much fun. Thank you, Merlin!"

She remembered how, in the past, she had thought having a partner would be boring and troublesome.

Now she realized how wrong she had been. Having someone by her side—someone who truly understood her—was wonderful.

If only she had known earlier, she would never have shut herself off from others.

Still, she was grateful that when she finally opened her heart, the gods had sent her a soulmate who truly understood her—Merlin.

With a gentle smile, Luna rested her head on his shoulder and asked, "What about you? Are you enjoying it?"

Merlin rubbed her head. "Of course I'm enjoying it. This is one of the best Dragon God Festivals I've ever attended."

Unlike Luna, who was usually alone, Merlin had attended every Dragon God Festival with Catrine. For him, the festivals had always been enjoyable.

After all, Catrine was one of the heroines he admired most in the novel.

So this year, he couldn't help but feel guilty for not being with her.

"Thinking about another girl, are you?" Catrine's grumpy voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Ahem!" Merlin coughed lightly. "No, you've got it wrong. I was just thinking about my younger sister. I regret not being able to spend time with her at this year's festival."

He let out a soft, helpless sigh.

Luna sat up straight, looking at him curiously.

"Wait… You have a younger sister? Her name is Catrine, right?"

"Yes, that's her name," Merlin confirmed.

Luna rubbed her chin and stared at him suspiciously.

"Merlin… You're not in love with your sister, are you?"

Merlin blinked in surprise, then put on an innocent look. "What? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

"Humph! Don't try to fool me," Luna snorted, folding her small arms across her chest. "You two aren't related by blood—who's to say you don't have feelings for each other?"

Her instincts weren't entirely wrong—there was indeed a special bond between Catrine and Merlin.

But how could Merlin admit it? In the past, he might have confessed honestly—just to make Luna angry on purpose.

But now, he didn't want to—he couldn't bring himself to hurt Luna's feelings.

"You're misunderstanding, Luna. Don't think strange things," Merlin said in a calm, soothing tone.

Luna narrowed her eyes, her suspicion still lingering.

"I don't believe you. Then prove it—who do you love: me or your sister?"

The corner of Merlin's mouth twitched slightly; he hadn't expected Luna to throw such a bold question at him.

As his mind raced for an answer, Lyserra's voice suddenly echoed in his thoughts.

"Merlin, be careful. I sense an evil presence behind you!"

Merlin gasped. 'Assassins?'

"Yes. It seems they're targeting you and your fiancée. There are two of them, and each is at the Fifth Spirit Core stage."

'Fifth Spirit Core?' Merlin's expression grew serious.

His power was currently at the Eighth Spirit Core stage. Facing two Fifth Spirit Cores would be challenging, but not impossible.

"I can handle them for you—but you'll have to give me a reward," Lyserra's confident voice rang in his mind again.

"Huh?" Merlin frowned. 'Are you… but your power—'

Before he could finish, Lyserra interrupted with a teasing tone. "Don't worry about that. My power is fully recovered. I just can't unleash it completely because you're still too weak."

Merlin felt a stab of pain in his chest, as if pierced by a sword.

He realized how slow his progress had been since reaching the Eighth Spirit Core stage.

But he also knew the reason—his talent was only ranked at A-level.

If only he had S-level talent, plus a special bloodline, he would have become incredibly powerful in no time.

In the future, he planned to ask the system for help in finding a potion that could awaken a bloodline.

"Merlin, why are you so silent? Do you like your sister more than me?" Luna complained, grabbing his arm and shaking it. "Am I not as important as your sister?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at him with a desperate gaze.

Seeing her behave so childishly, Merlin couldn't help but chuckle softly. It was strange for Luna—the girl who used to see herself as strong—to show such vulnerability.

But he had grown used to it. Ever since the Grail of Time incident, Luna had been completely open with him.

"You're misunderstanding," Merlin said, gently patting her thigh. "Whether it's Catrine or you, both of you are very important to me. So don't think anything bad, understand?"

Luna brightened at his words. Although it wasn't a fully satisfying answer, at least she knew that in Merlin's heart, she mattered.

Still, she pretended to cry, sniffing dramatically. "You're lying."

Merlin: "…"

Now he finally understood why so many men dreaded it when their partners sulked. Girls really were difficult to figure out!

Boom!

An explosion suddenly erupted behind them.

Luna and Merlin froze, exchanging a quick glance, before deciding they needed to get out—fast.

The horse-drawn carriage carrying them came to a halt just seconds after the explosion.

When they stepped out, they saw black smoke rising into the sky in the distance.

"What's that? Why was there an explosion? Could it be an enemy attack?" Luna asked warily, readying the Blazion Spear in case danger approached.

Merlin narrowed his eyes, and instantly Lyserra came to mind.

'Could she have caused it?' he wondered silently.

The idea made sense, and gradually Merlin's tension eased. He patted Luna on the shoulder and reassured her, "It's fine. It wasn't an enemy attack."

"Not an enemy attack?" Luna frowned, still doubtful. "Then who caused it?"

Merlin smiled, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Just a lesson for the bad guys."

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