Even if there had been a misunderstanding with Merlin at the time, Mahina still hadn’t kept in touch with them.
Because soon after, they had disappeared without a trace, just like Merlin. Even if she had stayed in contact, in the eyes of Mahina—who was determined to break ties with Merlin at the time—it felt like it would have become a messy relationship that was impossible to untangle. Ultimately, Mahina did not look into where they went. Because Mahina, who mistakenly thought she had been betrayed, was in too much pain back then. Just thinking about any memory related to Merlin made her heart ache uncontrollably.
Li wore a clean, tidy cloth dress. Although the fabric wasn’t expensive, the fit was perfect, and her face glowed with a healthy radiance she had never shown before. At this moment, her attention was completely captured by the shrunken Little Merlin.
“Wow… She really did get smaller…”
Star-like light twinkled in Li’s eyes — the uncontrollable affection seen when witnessing something cute. She couldn’t care less about how stiff the atmosphere was; her mind was filled with the desire to pull that soft little ball, who was currently eating chocolate, into her arms and nuzzle her fiercely.
“Little Boss, can I hold you?”
Little Merlin only grumbled in a small voice, not pushing Li away. Although it was embarrassing to be held like a baby by her childhood friend, she didn’t seem to hate it that much because the woman’s embrace was warm.
“Aren’t you already holding me…”
As Merlin’s right-hand man, John knew better than anyone what kind of hurt Mahina had once caused Merlin.
“What are you doing here?” John’s voice was low and cold.
Mahina subconsciously hid her finger, stained with Little Merlin’s saliva, behind her back. Knowing she was in the wrong, she didn’t even have the courage to talk back.
John wanted to say something more aggressive, but his gaze fell on Little Merlin. The little girl, who was currently licking chocolate stains from the corner of her mouth, didn’t show any resentment toward Mahina’s presence; instead, she looked calm. He glanced at Ophelia. Standing behind Little Merlin, Ophelia also looked peaceful.
John clicked his tongue with great reluctance, ultimately suppressing the displeasure in his heart. However, the look he gave Mahina was still like he was looking at something filthy. Since the mother and daughter didn’t mind, there was no point in him saying anything more.
Ophelia broke the awkward silence at the right time. She gently stroked the top of Little Merlin’s head and looked at the two uninvited guests with a smile.
“While I am happy to see you, didn’t I tell you in the letter? Merlin turned into a baby due to Soul Damage and needs to rest for a while.”
“My apologies, Highness Ophelia.” In front of Ophelia, John retracted his thorns and became respectful and polite. “Even though we received your letter and knew you wrote it on her behalf… we really couldn’t rest easy without seeing our Boss’s safety with our own eyes.”
John scratched his head with a smile. “We originally wanted to bring everyone, but we thought we might startle the Boss, who turned back into a child. In the end, we decided that only Li and I would represent everyone to come and take a look.”
Li finally couldn’t hold it back anymore. She crouched down and showed an aunt-like smile in front of her former Boss. “Um… Boss Merlin? Do you still remember me? I’m Li~”
Little Merlin looked at the girl leaning in. Although her memories were a bit blurred, that familiar sense of intimacy kept her from feeling repelled.
“I remember… Every time I treated you to a meal, you’d fleece me for every penny. You were never polite. It made me so angry!”
“*Waaah!* So cute! And the Boss really kept her memories.” Li happily nuzzled Little Merlin’s cheek, which smelled of chocolate. “This is cheating! I want to take her home and raise her!”
Although John spoke that way, seeing the lively Little Merlin confirmed it: Merlin was fine. Furthermore, according to Ophelia, she would recover before long. That was enough.
Watching this warm interaction, the smile on Ophelia’s lips deepened. She asked casually, “By the way… how are your wedding preparations going?”
The light small talk exploded in Mahina’s ears like a thunderclap. After all… she was the only one who didn’t know; she was the only one excluded. Mahina snapped her head up, her eyes wide as her gaze drifted back and forth between John and Li.
Li turned her head, looking at the shocked Mahina. Her expression was complex, containing a hint of sympathy, a hint of distance, and a hint of indifference.
“John and I are planning to get married.”
Mahina opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound. Those friends who used to play and bicker by her side were actually getting married. Mahina clearly realized that during the years she was absent, everyone was moving forward, embracing happiness. She was the only one trapped in place.
‘Was Mahina… happy now? No… she didn’t have the right to be happy.’ Just like she was once a member of this group of friends, now she was just an outsider who had hurt Merlin.
“It won’t be that soon,” John said, scratching his hair somewhat shyly. “Things are happening one after another, and I’m just too busy to manage. Besides… how can a wedding happen without the Boss? Since Merlin has turned small, we can’t be in a rush.” John glanced at Little Merlin, who was eating chocolate.
“That’s right.” Li nodded as well, taking John’s hand. The simple yet shiny engagement rings on their fingers sparkled in the sunset.
Once… she had something similar. It was her own fault, and she could never get it back. Her current self seemed completely out of place in this warm atmosphere, left out in the cold.
“Originally, besides visiting today, we also wanted to share the good news with Merlin… but as long as Merlin is doing well, we’re very happy.”
Ophelia glanced at everyone outside. “Come inside and sit for a while.”
John declined awkwardly. “No… we just wanted to confirm that Merlin is fine.”
“Your fiancée doesn’t seem to think so.” Ophelia looked at Li, who was excitedly interacting with Little Merlin.
“Wow, so soft and cute. Much cuter than her boy form back then.”
“Don’t get so close!”
“Oh, what does it matter? She’s clearly so soft and light… When I’m tired from work, if I could just take a sniff of Little Merlin, I feel like…”