"Thank you, Young Master Merlin. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what to do with this sudden surge of visitors."

At the cashier area, Lisa bowed her head, her face full of gratitude.

Her shop, usually quiet, had suddenly filled with a large number of students.

In fact, six to eight students had no choice but to be put on a waiting list before getting a seat.

For Lisa, it was an extraordinary sight, something she had almost never imagined.

Even in her wildest dreams, she hadn't expected this to actually happen.

Merlin wiped the sweat from his neck and chuckled softly.

"It's okay, Auntie. I did it because I wanted to," he replied casually. "But you have to be ready—at lunch and dinner, your shop will definitely be even more crowded. It'll be harder than this morning."

The waiting list wasn't just because the seats were full; it was also due to students who had already been seated quickly ordering more after sampling a few dishes.

Merlin wasn't surprised. As he had said, Lisa's cooking was truly delicious and flawless. Anyone who tasted it would inevitably be satisfied.

"You're right," Lisa nodded with a long sigh. Then she clenched her fists and said with determination, "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I have to give it my all!"

Merlin chuckled softly, saying nothing more.

Once the shop was tidy and in order, Merlin broke the silence. "By the way, Auntie, I'm curious about something. I heard you have a daughter. Is that… true?"

Lisa, who had been counting her morning earnings, froze for a moment but quickly regained her composure.

She lifted her head and looked at Merlin gently.

"Yes, I do," she replied. "And she's the reason I was in serious debt yesterday."

Lowering her gaze, she continued in a trembling voice, "But I don't blame her. After all, it's my fault that she had to go through that."

Merlin remained silent, thinking of Nivis' past and how she had been affected by the black pox epidemic.

'If I'm not mistaken, it happened when she went to your hometown, right?'

When Nivis was seven, Lisa had moved her to her mother's house—Nivis' grandmother—in a village in the Knight Kingdom of Batrum.

No one could have predicted that the village would be struck by the Blackpox epidemic, which claimed nearly half its population.

Fortunately, Nivis and her grandmother survived the epidemic. Sadly, her grandmother passed away just a few days later.

Since then, Nivis had lived in hardship, while Lisa had carried a huge debt to ensure her daughter's survival.

Merlin looked at her intently and asked, "May I know what illness your daughter had, Auntie?"

Of course, he already knew the answer, but he pretended to be ignorant so as not to raise suspicion.

Lisa wiped the tears from the corner of her right eye and replied weakly, "It was blackpox, Young Master. You already know that, don't you?"

"Blackpox?" Merlin feigned surprise. "Isn't that an extremely deadly plague? How did she contract it…? Wait—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or reopen old wounds. I'm sorry."

He lowered his head, wearing a guilty expression.

Lisa was startled, then quickly straightened Merlin's posture.

"It's okay, Young Master Merlin. You're not at fault. In fact, I'm very glad that you care so much about my daughter," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of panic and relief.

Unbeknownst to her, a faint smile appeared on Merlin's face, but he quickly hid it.

He pretended to look relieved, then steered the conversation back to her daughter.

"So, where is she now? Is she at the special rehabilitation center in the capital?"

Lisa nodded slightly. "For now, she's there. She's receiving special care, but every time I visit her, it feels like my heart is being cut with a knife."

Who could be happy seeing their child suffer?

Lisa knew no parent would want that for their child, including herself.

Unfortunately, she had no other choice. To cure Blackpox, a golden-level potion with a purity above forty-four was required—a price far beyond anything she could ever afford.

Merlin fell silent for a moment, stroking his chin, then said, "Auntie, I think I have a solution. Do you want to hear it?"

Lisa's eyes widened in shock, sparkling with hope. "A solution? Please, Young Master Merlin, tell me!"

Seeing the hope and excitement in her eyes, Merlin felt a warmth in his chest. Then he explained, "I have a friend who studies alchemy. Coincidentally, he has managed to create a potion that can cure Blackpox. Of course, the results aren't guaranteed, but…"

Before he could finish, Lisa grabbed his right hand, holding it tightly.

"I want it! Please, give it to my daughter!"

She remembered the first day Merlin had come to her shop. Back then, he had mentioned that his friend, an alchemist, could concoct a potion to fight Blackpox.

Lisa had wanted to ask how to get it, but she had been too shy. At that time, she and Merlin were practically strangers.

Merlin wasn't surprised by her reaction. Nivis was in critical condition.

If she wasn't saved immediately, it was only a matter of time before she died.

Moreover, the trust Lisa had placed in him over the past few days made her rely on him completely.

"All right, Auntie," Merlin said seriously, nodding. "Don't worry. This afternoon, we'll go see your daughter."

...

The city of Brindel buzzed with people moving about. The sun shone brightly, casting a warm and refreshing glow over the streets.

Amid the crowd, Merlin and Lisa walked side by side.

To avoid being recognized by other students, Merlin had disguised himself in ordinary clothes.

Actually, this was forbidden. Academy students were required to wear their uniforms when going out. But Merlin didn't care about breaking the rules.

As the saying went, "Rules are made for the weak. The strong are the ones who make the rules."

He had already made a name for himself in the eyes of the academy professors, so breaking one rule wouldn't get him hated—or expelled.

Five minutes later, they arrived at a special building on the outskirts of the city.

Unlike the rest of the city, the area around the building was quiet—only ten to twenty people could be seen.

Three men stood guard in front of the gate. Lisa approached them and showed her ID.

Once permission was granted, she and Merlin entered.

Along the way, Merlin observed his surroundings with curiosity.

'So, this is a rehabilitation building, huh? It feels a bit gloomy… and creepy,' he whispered.

They finally entered the interior, which was equally quiet. Only nurses and guards passed by, along with a few civilians—presumably the patients' family members.

"Welcome, Mrs. Lisa Astrala. Would you like to see your daughter?" greeted the nurse at the reception desk politely.

Lisa gave a small smile. "Yes. Can I visit her now?"

The nurse checked the list on the table before nodding.

"Of course. Please go ahead. Your daughter is waiting for you."

Lisa let out a sigh of relief and turned to Merlin. Together, they walked down the hallway to the right.

Watching them leave, the nurse smiled faintly.

"What a handsome boy… Could it be that he's—"

She quickly shook her head, cutting off the thought and dismissing her wild imagination.

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