"A necklace?" Luna's eyes widened in surprise.

Merlin smiled and nodded slightly.

"Yes, a necklace. And it's no ordinary necklace—it's a legendary artifact."

He held it out for her to see.

The necklace was a fiery red, strikingly beautiful. Its pendant emitted a faint red glow when sunlight touched it.

At first glance, it looked like any ordinary necklace.

But Merlin knew better—this was a powerful legendary item.

He had earned it as a reward for completing a mission to slay 3,000 monsters attacking the city of Droswen.

By chance, the artifact he received wasn't a weapon, but this very necklace: the Sparkling Drop of Fire.

Its ability was extraordinary—it could save the life of its wearer.

Luna trembled as she gazed at it. Guilt welled up in her chest, and tears began to fall.

"Merlin, forgive me," she said, throwing herself into his arms. "I misunderstood you. I was selfish! If you want to punish me, go ahead. I don't mind, as long as you forgive me."

She loosened her embrace and looked at Merlin with an expression full of sorrow and pressure.

She and Merlin had known each other for two years, going on dates and adventures together multiple times.

Yet only moments ago, she had questioned Merlin's love, and now she saw how foolish that was.

Merlin smiled faintly and pinched her right cheek.

"It's okay. I'm not angry. Now, put on the necklace—I want to see you wearing it."

Thankfully, Luna was easily persuaded.

Otherwise, the problem could have spread everywhere, especially considering that the Luna in front of him was very different from the one in the novel.

In the original story, Luna had no remarkable talents.

Although she managed to enter Saint Freya Academy, her major was not offensive—it was purely theoretical and academic.

Even with a yandere streak, she would have had little impact on the main character, Abel.

But thanks to the changes Merlin had made in the past, the world's storyline was now heading in unpredictable directions.

Luna, once untalented, had now become one of this year's first-wave students to possess S-rank talent.

If she were ever to turn fully dark, it could be extremely dangerous—for her and the other heroines alike.

She might even resort to extreme measures, like fighting or killing her rivals.

"Um! Please put it on me!" Luna released her embrace and nodded eagerly.

Merlin gently fastened the necklace around her neck and asked, "Do you like it?"

Luna lifted the pendant and beamed. "I love it, Merlin! Thank you! By the way, what's the name of this necklace?"

Merlin held her hand and pulled it slightly.

"It's called the Sparkling Drop of Fire. It's an artifact that can save your life. If you die, it will bring you back," he explained.

"What? Bring me back?" Luna gasped. "It's really that powerful?"

"Yes, that powerful." Merlin nodded slightly. "However, you must remember—the necklace only activates half an hour after you die. You'll reappear about two hundred meters from the place you died. Most importantly, it has a weakness. If it's destroyed before that, the effect is lost. So keep it safe, and don't let your enemies learn about its ability. Understand?"

Merlin's expression grew serious. The necklace was indeed incredible, but its flaw could be fatal.

As long as Luna was careful, she now had a kind of "second life."

Merlin had given it to her as a precaution. No one could predict what might happen in the future.

She might be hunted while Merlin wasn't there to protect her. The necklace was her guarantee of safety.

Luna felt a surge of happiness and tightened her embrace around Merlin's right arm.

She wanted to thank him again, but she knew it was pointless. Merlin would likely get annoyed if she expressed too much gratitude.

So instead, she remained silent and rested her cheek against his arm.

What they didn't realize was that, shortly after they disappeared from view, a girl emerged from behind the wall, her gaze cold and piercing.

"Merlin…"

...

The front yard of Saint Freya Academy was bustling with children from all over the kingdom.

Normally, the first wave of students numbered only around fifty—the best of the best from each kingdom.

But due to a two-year delay, three batches had been combined into one, and the first wave now consisted of two hundred students.

It was a large number, but still only the first batch. Over the next month, more students would arrive through the academy's entrance test, eventually exceeding two thousand.

As the children chatted in the courtyard, a middle-aged man with brown hair stepped onto the stage.

He wore a red robe reminiscent of the one Kuruv had worn earlier, but brighter and marked with a sword emblem on the back.

Looking kindly at the crowd below, he greeted them, "Welcome to Saint Freya Academy, everyone. I hope you can adapt well. Let me introduce myself—my name is Ronald, and I am the vice principal of the academy. Alright, I won't beat around the bush; let's go over the rules right away. First…"

With that, Ronald began outlining the academy's rules and regulations, detailing what was and wasn't permitted.

As a neutral institution, Saint Freya strictly prohibited bullying—even if the offender was a prince like Lucius.

The academy had its own system of rules, making it impossible for spoiled children to act as they pleased.

When the children around Merlin heard the rules, they breathed a sigh of relief.

What they feared most were the threats and intimidation from high-status students entering the academy.

After all, not everyone came from a privileged background.

Merlin smiled at their innocence.

'How pitiful,' he muttered.

What Ronald said was indeed the official rule—but not everyone would listen, let alone obey.

Violations were inevitable, and Merlin was certain of it.

Of course, if anyone dared to mess with him or his close friends, he would make sure they learned a lesson they'd never forget.

"By the way, I'm sure you all know about the additional quota for non-human students," Ronald continued. "I hope everyone gets along. Do you understand?"

"Understood, vice principal!" the children replied enthusiastically.

"Good!" Ronald nodded in satisfaction. "Then, let's welcome them!"

----///----

A/N: It might be a little early, but Happy New Year to all of you! Thank you so much for all your support this month and throughout the year! I wish you health and happiness in the year ahead! And of course, don't forget to keep cheering me on, okay? Hahaha! Thank you!

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