"So, did Brother Merlin go to the Academy to study there?" Catrine asked hesitantly.

Ardhis took a sip of his tea and nodded slightly.

"Yes, he left yesterday with James and his fiancée, Luna."

Catrine's face darkened immediately at the mention of Luna's name.

She knew Luna, of course. Two years ago, her brother had even threatened to break off his engagement with her.

What she hadn't expected was that they were actually engaged—and had even held a party four months ago.

If she weren't holding herself back, she would have exploded with anger.

Ardhis noticed the change in his daughter's expression and sighed deeply.

"Are you jealous, my dear?"

The question snapped Catrine out of her reverie. Her cheeks flushed as she shook her head shyly.

"Jealous? Father, what do you mean? How could I be jealous?"

Despite her protest, her words sounded doubtful even to herself.

Ardhis chuckled softly, then said in a gentle tone, "It's alright, Catrine. You're a teenager now, and I no longer see you as a little girl. Your mother and I already know you have special feelings for your brother, don't we?"

Livia smiled too, watching her daughter playfully.

Catrine's blush deepened, but this time she didn't deny it.

She truly liked her brother—wanted him for herself—but was far too embarrassed to admit it in front of her parents.

"Actually, a year ago, your mother and I planned to set you up with Merlin. But since you weren't around, we ended up canceling the plan."

Although Merlin and Catrine were siblings in name, they were not related by blood.

From the start, the plan had been to make them a couple—provided Catrine had feelings for Merlin.

Since those feelings existed, it was only a matter of time before they would be betrothed.

Luna was certainly his ideal daughter-in-law, and he liked her. But above all else, Catrine remained his top priority.

For nobles, having two or even three wives was not taboo, so he had no objection to letting his son have both.

Catrine swallowed hard and asked softly, "Now that I'm back, will you still go through with it?"

Her wide eyes were full of both fear and hope.

Ardhis couldn't suppress a laugh and shook his head.

"Of course. Now that you're here, I'll still see it through. But unfortunately…"

He sipped his tea, a trace of regret on his face. "Merlin has gone to Saint Freya Academy. I don't know when—or if—he'll be back anytime soon. It seems unlikely. After all, he lost two years of his studies because of the sudden appearance of the Sky Wing Crack."

The crack had delayed many academy students, postponing studies that should have begun two years earlier.

As a result, three generations would be in the same batch—Merlin's generation, the one below him, and this year's newcomers.

The competition would be fierce, especially since the first wave of students included the chosen ones from across the kingdom.

Catrine pressed her lips together, her heart sinking. She longed to officially announce her engagement to her brother, but she knew her wish was impossible while he was away.

Then, an idea sparked in her mind, and she looked at her parents with renewed excitement.

"Father, Mother, I want to enter the academy too!"

...

Merlin and Luna sat quietly on the back of the giant eagle, their eyes scanning the teleportation passage around them.

Everything shimmered in shades of blue, with strange lines stretching endlessly along the corridor.

"Merlin, if we jump, do you think we'll die?" Luna asked, her curiosity breaking the silence.

Merlin shook his head. "No, we won't die. But we'll appear at an unknown coordinate."

The passage before them was created by a mythical artifact belonging to Saint Freya Academy.

The artifact, called the Chrono Mirror, had existed since the academy's founding.

Its purpose was to open teleportation passages to multiple marked coordinates, making it easier for academy representatives to collect students from across the kingdom.

The distances between kingdoms were immense, and even teleportation magic alone was not fast enough.

With the Chrono Mirror, gathering incoming students became far more efficient.

Of course, this facility was reserved only for those deemed special—worthy of entering the first wave.

Students who took the regular test route had to travel from their homes on their own.

That was why the academy granted a one-month break for everyone to assemble before the tests began.

"So that's how it works…" Luna nodded, a hint of understanding in her expression. "By the way, I forgot to ask—what level are you at now?"

She looked at Merlin with curiosity. She had tried to figure it out earlier but couldn't guess his level.

It was as if he were shrouded in an impenetrable fog.

"Me?" Merlin smiled playfully, pointing at himself. "I'm at the Fifth Spirit Core. How about you?"

"Fifth Spirit Core?" Luna's eyes widened in shock. "That's… the same as me. Wait—wasn't I ahead of you two years ago? How are you on par with me now?"

It wasn't that she underestimated Merlin, but the truth was undeniable.

Luna herself possessed S-level talent and the bloodline of the Tharot family's founder.

Statistically, she was exceptionally gifted—surpassing most prodigies in the world.

Meanwhile, Merlin was just an ordinary person with A-level talent and no special bloodline whatsoever.

By all accounts, he should have been at the Sixth or Seventh Spirit Core by now.

"Pfft! You underestimate me too much, Luna." Merlin pinched her right cheek. "How could I possibly lose to you? I'm your partner—I should be your equal, or even stronger than you, shouldn't I?"

Luna's confusion was understandable, and Merlin acknowledged it.

Whether it was Luna, Catrine, or Charlotte, each of them was exceptionally talented.

Even Merlin sometimes felt inferior in their presence.

Without the system, he wasn't sure he could have reached the Fifth Spirit Core stage so quickly.

Luna considered his words, and suddenly, a sweet, radiant smile spread across her face.

"You have a sweet mouth," she said, giving him a playful wink.

Merlin just smiled and shook his head.

Victor, who had been watching them, could only sigh quietly.

"Young people really have it easy…"

Whoosh!

A portal suddenly appeared in front of them.

The giant eagle dove into it, and in an instant, Merlin and Luna were greeted by a breathtaking blue sky.

"Woah!" Luna exclaimed, shielding part of her face with her arms. "Have we finally arrived?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.