In the dining room, Livia placed two plates on the table.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Luna sat side by side, smiles on their faces.

"Eat up, dear," Livia said softly. "If you want more, just say so—I'll make something else."

With a smile, Livia patted her chest proudly.

Luna giggled and nodded slightly. "Thank you, Auntie. Your cooking is always delicious. I still remember the taste—I can't wait to eat it again."

Her gaze lingered on the dishes in front of her, a bit of saliva gathering at the corner of her mouth.

Her words were not mere compliments. They came from the heart.

Livia's cooking was truly delicious, and Luna had missed it every day.

"Pfft! You're still as sweet as ever. Alright, you two eat first. I still have a few things to finish," Livia said.

She genuinely liked Luna and had already begun to see her as her future daughter-in-law.

In the past, she hadn't liked Luna very much, thinking she was a spoiled girl who couldn't do much.

However, after getting to know her over the past two years, her view of Luna had completely changed.

If only Catrine were here, she would surely be sitting on Merlin's left side, making the scene even more beautiful.

Shaking her head, Livia turned and left the dining room.

Merlin turned to Luna and said softly, "Don't just stare. Come on, eat."

He picked up a chicken thigh and placed it on Luna's plate.

Seeing this, Luna was no longer shy and began eating heartily.

"M-mmm! It tastes just as delicious as ever!" she exclaimed happily.

She grabbed several pieces of blue squid stir-fried with spices and devoured them in one go.

The sweet, slightly salty, and savory flavors blended perfectly, creating a pleasure that was difficult to put into words.

Merlin chuckled as he watched her enjoy his mother's cooking so enthusiastically.

Not only Luna—he also had to admit that his mother's cooking was truly delicious.

He began eating as well, and soon the two of them were completely immersed in the rich flavors of the food before them.

Suddenly, Merlin remembered something and asked, "By the way, Luna, I want to ask you something. Have you received an invitation letter from the academy?"

"The academy?" Luna paused in surprise, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a white envelope. "Do you mean this? Yeah, I've received it."

Merlin let out a quiet sigh of relief. To enter the academy, an invitation letter was required.

Of course, they could also enter by revealing their identities.

Even so, using an invitation letter as proof was far more efficient and faster.

"That's good, then. How about we leave together? If you go back to your family's mansion, it'll take time, won't it?" Merlin suggested.

Luna smiled and looked at him playfully.

"Merlin, you're not trying to take advantage of me, are you?"

Merlin was momentarily confused before finally understanding what she meant.

He coughed lightly and explained calmly, "What do you mean by taking advantage? Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

He put on a displeased expression.

However, Luna was completely unaffected. She rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her index finger gently against Merlin's chest.

"Actually, I wouldn't be angry if you did," she said, biting her lower lip as she glanced at him with a mischievous smile.

Glup!

Merlin swallowed and tried to steady his racing heart.

'Calm down, Merlin. Don't get carried away,' he reminded himself repeatedly until he finally composed himself.

Then, he raised his hand and pinched Luna's cheek.

"You never change, Luna Tharot," Merlin said with a soft chuckle. "Do you really think you can tease me like that?"

Luna puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"I'm not joking, Merlin! I'm serious!" She looked at him intently. "If you wanted to do it, I wouldn't mind."

She leaned closer and whispered near his ear.

The ticklish sensation, mixed with an unfamiliar thrill, made Merlin's body stiffen.

He took a deep breath and shook his head.

"I understand what you mean," he said gently. "But it's not the right time yet. Let's wait until we're more mature."

They were only about twelve years old—still far from the marriageable age of fifteen.

His refusal wasn't hypocrisy. In his previous world, teenagers doing such things wasn't unusual, so he didn't feel embarrassed or conflicted about the idea itself.

However, this world was growing increasingly strange and unpredictable.

The future was chaotic, and even Merlin didn't know what awaited him.

Before thinking about anything else, he needed to deal with the threats ahead.

Only then could he hope to live peacefully alongside those he cared about.

Luna felt a twinge of regret at Merlin's rejection. Yet, at the same time, she felt oddly happy.

His ability to resist temptation reassured her. It meant the boy she liked wouldn't be easily swayed by other women.

"Tch! Fine, I won't push you," she said with a slight pout. "But don't forget—you belong to me."

A sharp, meaningful glint flashed in her eyes.

Merlin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Only then did he remember—Luna was a genuine yandere.

'I really need to be careful with her feelings,' he muttered under his breath. 'Otherwise, I might actually get stabbed someday.'

He remembered a comic he had once read, where the protagonist met a tragic end after betraying the heroine.

Therefore, he couldn't act carelessly around her, or he might end up suffering the same fate as that unfortunate protagonist.

The two continued their lunch in a warm atmosphere, occasionally punctuated by lighthearted jokes.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot to ask," Luna said. "Did you know that not only our generation will be entering the academy, but also the two generations above us?"

Merlin nodded slightly. "I know. After all, we lost two years from the original admission schedule."

Luna smiled and continued, "Then did you know that the academy is opening many slots for other races?"

This time, Merlin was surprised, clearly not expecting that.

"Opening more slots for other races? What's their purpose in doing that?" he asked, puzzled.

"I'm not sure either," Luna replied. "But I heard the academy master is doing it to gain support from those races. After all, the Sky Wing crack has become a concern for many parties—especially the three kingdoms."

Merlin pondered her words and felt they made sense.

If he wasn't mistaken, the Sky Wing crack would indeed cause massive chaos in the future and would require the power of other races to suppress it.

However, that was still far off and hadn't even been revealed in the novel yet.

"I see. That makes sense," Merlin said calmly. He clenched his right hand and added confidently, "When we get to the academy, let's show everyone what we're capable of."

Luna's eyes sparkled as she nodded enthusiastically. "You're right—let's impress them!"

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