"Well then, I'll be going," Merlin said, rising slowly.

He glanced at the window and noticed it was already late afternoon.

It was time to return to the academy, and Luna was probably looking for him by now.

Nivis gave a slight nod and warned, "Be careful. If I'm not mistaken, this facility is in a remote part of Brindel. If anything happens to you, my mother will be upset."

"Of course. Thank you for the warning," Merlin said with a soft chuckle.

He turned and walked away until he disappeared from view.

Nivis watched him go, her expression dazed.

"Prepare lunch and dinner, right? He really likes my mother's cooking," she murmured with a faint smile.

Merlin's previous request had been to have food delivered to him for an entire year.

Of course, that only covered lunch and dinner; for breakfast, he would go to her mother's shop in the cafeteria.

Given Merlin's kindness, the request wasn't much. Nivis wanted to repay him in some way but realized she had nothing of value to offer.

Thus, she agreed to Merlin's request, thinking of how she might repay his kindness—though she knew it was impossible.

...

"Hah… fresh air really is the best," Merlin muttered, taking a deep breath before exhaling.

He gazed into the distance, where the guards stood at the front gate.

After exchanging greetings with them, he walked out of the facility.

The atmosphere was quiet, slightly gloomy. Since the facility was in a remote area, the surrounding buildings were mostly the sides facing the main road.

Merlin continued walking, hands tucked into his pockets.

"System, open the mission panel," he commanded.

"[Ding! Recruit three supporting characters who will become the main character Abel's primary assistants in the future! Reward: 200,000 system points and two random legendary items! Mission status: 1/3]"

Merlin nodded in satisfaction at the 1/3 mark. His efforts to win over Nivis had clearly paid off.

"Just two more to go. There's Jared, whom I want as my subordinate… but who will be the last?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

There were actually quite a few supporting characters who aided the main character, Abel.

Not all were crucial, though. Some only helped in minor ways, while others played truly significant roles.

Those of lesser importance included Jared and Nivis. Neither had a major impact on the story.

Therefore, Merlin wanted the third supporting character to be someone truly important—someone who could help him fight the evil god Vorgrath in the future.

Lost in thought, he unconsciously reached the end of the road.

To his left and right stretched the busy main street, filled with horse-drawn carriages moving in both directions. People passed by with cheerful expressions.

Merlin observed the scene in silence. Having come to see himself as part of this world, he sometimes forgot that he hadn't originally belonged here.

He was a stranger from a world called Earth.

As the afternoon sun slowly sank, streetlights flickered on, illuminating the city.

Merlin headed to the right side of the road, intending to buy dinner to take back to the dormitory.

However, while enjoying the calm afternoon atmosphere, he heard a commotion about ten meters away.

Startled, Merlin quickened his pace and soon arrived at a dark, narrow alley.

"Hit him! Don't let him get away!"

"Damn it! This kid is really stubborn! If it weren't for his academy status, I'd think he was an adult!"

"Keep hitting him! Don't let anyone find out, or we'll be in serious trouble!"

Merlin listened to the shouts, his expression turning grim.

"An academy student?" His eyes narrowed with anger. "Who would dare attack one?"

Academy students were under the academy's strict protection, even within the Brindel area.

Anyone who dared to harm academy students had to be prepared to face severe punishment.

It was one of the ways the academy maintained the integrity and safety of its environment.

Yet, surprisingly, there were still those bold enough to break the rules, even on academy territory.

Without hesitation, Merlin stepped into the alley. The air was heavy and dark, littered with trash from nearby shops.

It was clearly used as a makeshift dumping ground.

The deeper he walked, the louder the sounds of cursing and fists striking flesh became.

Merlin's expression darkened. At the source of the noise, he saw four or five adults beating a boy.

Calling him a "boy" felt odd—he looked far older than his age.

Tall and well-built, with a bald head, brown skin, and thick eyebrows, he wore the academy uniform, though it was torn and bloodied from the beating.

Merlin studied the boy closely and froze.

"Jared Lowson? It can't be him…"

Jared Lowson was the supporting character he had been seeking.

Although his face wasn't shown in the databook, Merlin recognized him immediately by his distinctive features.

He had a bald head, dark brown skin, round eyes, thick eyebrows, and a towering, almost adult-like posture.

His body was muscular too, a result of having worked as a blacksmith like his father.

Who would have thought he'd find him in such a pitiful state?

With a cold glare, Merlin shouted, "Stop!"

The five men froze, their eyes meeting Merlin's icy gaze.

"Danger! Someone saw us!" one of them yelled in panic.

The others flinched. Three of them clenched their fists and lunged at Merlin.

Since there was a witness, he had to be dealt with immediately.

But Merlin showed no fear. As one fist shot toward his face, he dodged effortlessly to the side.

More fists came at the same time, leaving him no chance to evade again.

Merlin merely smiled and caught both fists in his palms.

The men froze in shock, ready to strike again, but Merlin squeezed with crushing force.

Cracks echoed through the alley, and both groaned in pain.

"Ouch! It hurts! Let go!"

"Stop! My bones are broken!"

They collapsed to the ground, faces pale. Merlin released his grip and kicked their faces with his right foot.

Merlin tilted his head just in time, another fist whistling past the side of his skull.

If not for his sharp reflexes, the blow would have smashed into the back of his head.

Merlin seized the attacker's wrist and slammed him forward.

"Woaa!" the man shouted in shock, but he was helpless as his body was lifted and hurled to the ground, crashing into his two companions.

The three of them writhed on the ground, groaning in pain, unable to fight back.

Merlin brushed his palms together and cast an indifferent gaze at the two remaining men.

"Come forward," he said coldly, "or I'll come to you."

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