The afternoon sun spilled lazily onto the forest clearing, filled with the fragrance of grass and soil.
Mahina, who had no classes this afternoon, quietly stood guard outside the Little Log Cabin. Not far away on a rocking chair, Little Merlin was completely submerged in the soft cushions. She held a thick hardcover book in both hands, her long dark blue hair cascading over the back of the chair, tracing arcs in the air as the chair swayed gently.
The world seemed to stand still, with only the rustle of turning pages. Mahina began to understand why Ophelia wanted Merlin to bask in the sun. Little Merlin was too quiet; if she had a novel, she would not move for an entire day. Meanwhile, Orino and Mahina found it difficult to interrupt while Little Merlin was reading, so they could only sit quietly and drink tea like Ophelia.
Ophelia sat elegantly by the wooden table, white steam curling from her black tea. As for Orino…
“Ugh… this is way too quiet…” The Great Fairy muttered indistinctly while stuffing orange-flavored ice cream into her mouth, her eyes filled with boredom. “Little Merlin is completely different from the baby Orino imagined. She doesn’t cry or throw tantrums, and she doesn’t want to be lifted high in the air. This isn’t babysitting at all. No… at least she should say ‘ rawr.'”
Mahina ignored the fairy’s complaints. She rose slowly, trying not to make a sound, and sat on the grass beside Little Merlin. After smoothing out her skirt, she turned her head to look up at Little Merlin in the rocking chair.
From this angle, she could see the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, dappling Little Merlin’s exquisite, doll-like face. Her long eyelashes cast faint shadows over her eyelids, trembling slightly with every breath.
Truly… Mahina was satisfied with just this. The sense of fulfillment made her eyes feel hot. Being allowed to stay by her side was enough. She loved her to death.
However, Mahina suddenly remembered something.
“Little Merlin.”
“What…” Little Merlin’s eyes remained fixed on her book.
“Do you remember telling me many stories in the past?”
“Yes, it was I who pestered Little Merlin to tell them. I loved Little Merlin’s stories the most, and I love Little Merlin the most.”
Mahina watched Little Merlin tenderly, her gaze like water and her smile like the moon, pouring out all her gentleness. She reached out, wanting to touch those blue strands of hair, but stopped her hand in mid-air.
“The stories you told back then became my salvation, a beam of light in my darkness — just like you. I love you, Merlin. Whether it is Adult Merlin or Little Merlin, I like them both, and I love them both.”
Even if the current Little Merlin could not understand these feelings, Mahina had to say them. She did not want to lie about her emotions anymore, nor did she want to hide them for fear of being hurt. Perhaps by persisting day after day, she could even speed up the process of Little Merlin finding her emotions again. It did not matter even if Merlin hated her after regaining those feelings, for that was a reality she would have to face sooner or later.
Mahina hoped Merlin could live healthily and happily; only a Merlin who had found her loved ones again would be whole. It was precisely because Mahina had hurt Merlin that she had chosen to trade her own love for power…
Little Merlin still did not look at Mahina. “You’re a meanie…”
Mahina’s smile grew even more tender, though tears shimmered in her eyes. “Even if Merlin scolds me or hits me, Mahina won’t leave.”
“Suit yourself.”
Even with Ophelia right beside Little Merlin, Mahina had no intention of hiding her feelings. Once she had passed Ophelia’s test, what was there left to hide? Ophelia simply pretended not to see anything, focusing on her own business. Orino, who had just arrived, was still a bit uncomfortable with it all. With a faint blush on her face, she buried her head in her bowl of ice cream, her spoon moving rapidly as she pretended to be nothing more than an emotionless ice cream-eating machine.
Mahina continued to watch Little Merlin; she was confident she could spend a lifetime just looking at that profile.
“Can I pet your head?”
“No.”
“Then I have one more small question.”
“What?”
“Back then, when Little Merlin was still Little Merlin, where did you learn so many stories? You told me so many, didn’t you? I’ve always been curious.”
“… You’re a meanie, so I won’t tell you.”
“Hmm… Later on, I searched through every novel in the country, but I couldn’t find a single book with the same stories you told. I searched all over the Slums back then and couldn’t find any books either. Where did they come from?”
“Hmph.”
“In all these years we were apart, I’ve been puzzled by this. I’m curious about the original works, but I’m also curious about the things Little Merlin likes.”
“I just know them. Why does there have to be a reason for everything?”
Annoyed by Mahina’s questions, Little Merlin closed the book with a *snap*, leaped off the rocking chair, and ran with a *pitter-patter* of small steps to hide behind Ophelia. Looking at that tiny retreating back, Mahina smiled helplessly. It seemed she had been too impatient today, despite promising herself not to rush.
Suddenly, Ophelia stood up and looked into the distance. Orino, sensing the change, followed suit. While babysitting, the child’s safety was always the priority.
“Is the Princess here?” the voice of a student called out from afar.
It was a student from the Alchemy Department; Ophelia recognized them. Hiding behind her mother, Little Merlin poked her small head out and blinked.
“What is it?”
“We haven’t been able to see Little Merlin lately.”
Ophelia sighed. “It’s because Little Merlin doesn’t like going out. If I force her, she’ll just throw a tantrum. Is there a reason you’re looking for her?”
“As expected, nothing escapes Professor Ophelia’s eyes.”
The girls looked at Ophelia and Little Merlin uneasily. The leader of the group scratched her head awkwardly, exchanged looks with her companions, and then summoned the courage to look at Little Merlin. Little Merlin tilted her head curiously.
“Well… for the Star Moon Festival in a few days, the Second Year Section of the Alchemy Department will be hosting an open-air maid cafe. We wanted to ask… Little Merlin to be a maid.”
“Of course! You don’t have to bring in customers! You just have to stay nearby! Since Little Merlin is so cute, you don’t have to do anything at all.”
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