"Auntie, you've got the wrong idea," Merlin said with a long sigh. "I'm not Aunt Lisa's boyfriend—or a gigolo. She's just my friend. I came here to see her daughter, Nivis."

The nurse froze when he called her "auntie." But when she heard the rest, her shock only deepened.

"You're not her boyfriend?" Her eyes went wide. "How can that be? Wait… don't tell me you're lying."

She gave him a playful, knowing smile. She understood that some people didn't like their identities being revealed, especially if it was related to work, like being a gigolo.

Seeing that the nurse still looked doubtful, Merlin reached into his pocket, pulled out his ID card, and held it up for her to see.

"See? I'm not Aunt Lisa's boyfriend. I'm Merlin Clay, a student at the academy. Do you believe me now?"

When the nurse read his name, her heart began to race.

"Y-You really are a student from the academy! And… you're Merlin Clay—the champion!?"

Her breath quickened, panic creeping in. She stepped back hurriedly, buttoned her top, and stammered, "I-I'm sorry, Student Merlin Clay. I didn't mean to accuse you of being a gigolo. I… I…"

She hadn't expected that the handsome boy before her was one of the academy's new students.

And not just any student—he was Merlin Clay, the boy who had caused a sensation by taking first place in the academy's test just days ago.

The news had spread throughout Brindel. If only she had known he was Merlin, she never would have dared tease him.

After all, this facility belonged to the academy. If Merlin had reported her, she would have been fired on the spot.

Merlin slid his ID card back into his pocket and waved his left hand.

"It's fine. I'm not angry. Just… don't do it again."

It wasn't worth making her suffer over such a small thing.

Honestly, if it were his old self, he might have been tempted by the nurse's offer.

Who wouldn't want free money and special treatment from a woman that beautiful?

But ever since he was reincarnated into this world, his tastes had changed drastically. Except for heroines, he had no interest in any other woman.

The nurse let out a relieved breath. Fortunately, Merlin had forgiven her—her job was safe.

"Thank you, Student Merlin! Thank you!" she said, bowing her head respectfully.

Merlin only nodded and stepped back into the room without another word.

Watching him disappear behind the door, the nurse let out a deep sigh.

'Fate is still on my side… I almost got fired. But…'

She bit her lower lip, swallowing hard.

'Merlin Clay is so handsome… I want to devour him without leaving a trace… hehe…'

***

When Merlin entered, he saw Lisa preparing lunch for Nivis.

"Do you like my cooking?" Lisa asked softly.

"Mmm! I love it, Mom!" Nivis nodded eagerly, scooping up the food in front of her and eating heartily.

No matter how many times she ate it, it never grew boring.

At a time when loneliness and fear of the future weighed heavily on her, this meal was the only medicine that eased her worries.

"I'm glad you like it." Lisa exhaled in relief and patted Nivis's head affectionately.

She turned to Merlin, walked toward him, and stopped a meter away.

Bowing her head, she said, "Thank you, Young Master Merlin. Because of you, my daughter has finally recovered. Truly… thank you."

Merlin hadn't only cured her daughter—he had also cleared her debts.

Lisa felt a surge of gratitude, wondering if she could ever repay him. But she resolved that she must, no matter what.

Merlin helped her stand and replied softly, "No need to thank me, auntie. I did it all of my own free will."

His words were entirely true. He had helped not just out of pity, but to fulfill his own goal—to complete the system's mission.

Of course, he couldn't tell anyone about that, not even Lisa or Nivis.

Lisa was even more moved by his words. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly realized that words weren't enough.

It was better to focus on how she could repay Merlin in the future.

"Oh, right! I have to open my shop in the cafeteria!"

Her eyes widened as she remembered her work. But Nivis had just recovered and still needed her care.

"Don't worry about it, auntie. Leave it to me. I'll take care of her until lunch is over. You should go back to the academy," Merlin suggested.

Nivis nodded enthusiastically. With her mouth full, she added, "Young Master Merlin is right, Mother. Go ahead. Don't worry about me."

Lisa's doubts melted away. She smiled warmly and said, "All right. Please take care of her, Young Master Merlin, and I'm sorry for troubling you."

"It's fine," Merlin replied, waving his left hand casually.

After a few more words, Lisa picked up her bag and left, leaving Merlin and Nivis alone in the room.

Merlin walked over to the chair beside the bed and sat down. He took the portion of food Lisa had prepared for him and began to eat.

They ate in silence, not a single word spoken.

Suddenly, Nivis set down her spoon and whispered, "Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin's hand paused in midair, and when he looked up, he saw tears streaming down her face.

"You're welcome," he said simply, returning to his meal.

Nivis tried to hold back her sobs but failed. She covered her face with her hands and cried openly.

Merlin didn't offer any words of comfort—he just stared at her, as if quietly enjoying her tears.

This clearly annoyed Nivis. She pulled her hands away, her tear-streaked face flushed with anger, and scolded him, "What kind of reaction is that? You don't want to comfort me? Are you even a man?"

Her cheeks puffed out, clearly showing her displeasure at his response.

Merlin chewed slowly and swallowed before speaking.

"It's not that I don't want to comfort you, but it wouldn't help. Sometimes emotions need to be released, so I'm letting you cry until you feel better."

He was lying. In reality, he was just too lazy to soothe her. Anyway, his goal had already been achieved.

Merlin glanced at Nivis's status panel and couldn't suppress a small smile.

"[Ding! Affection from Nivis Astrala increased by 10 points! Current affection: 100 points!]"

Supporting characters were clearly different from heroines—they were much easier to win over.

Still, his approach couldn't be careless. He had to find their weaknesses and exploit them.

Once that was done, their loyalty was guaranteed.

"By the way, Nivis, I have a wish," he said, a thin, meaningful smile curving his lips. "I hope you can grant it."

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