The person she knew best. After parting with Lucia, Merlin walked and walked, and then saw the person she once least wanted to see.
That person who once occupied her entire field of vision was now standing uneasily in the shadow of a large tree.
Merlin’s voice was completely flat. She didn’t even intend to stop walking, just slightly turned her head.
“Need something?”
“Ah… I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m doing alright.”
Almost the moment Mahina’s voice fell, Merlin gave her answer.
It was less an answer and more a perfunctory response to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
Merlin looked at Mahina. Her eyes no longer held any spark; only disgust remained.
“Merlin…”
Mahina took half a step forward, as if wanting to touch that pure white hem of the robe.
“If there’s nothing else… let’s leave it at that. We’re no longer on the same path.”
Merlin turned her head away, directing her gaze toward the distant teaching building, as if it were more attractive than the person before her.
She didn’t want to see Mahina now. Even if there were misunderstandings, that person was still the source of her pain.
The cold nights of tossing and turning after parting, the heartbreaking lies before the competition that trampled her self-esteem, tightened around Merlin’s breath like thorns.
After it was over, only ugly scars remained, not love.
What difference did it make that the lies had reasons? What difference did it make that the misunderstandings were cleared?
The fact that her heart was hurt was real. The blood that was shed was real. The wounds were real.
Merlin originally intended to leave directly, but a certain decision that flashed through her mind made her stop. The heels of her high heels struck the ground heavily, making a cold, hard sound.
She didn’t turn around, just stood with her back to Mahina.
“You won the competition. I will leave this academy.”
Anyway, before losing love, Merlin had already decided that no matter who won or lost, she would never see each other again.
Since Merlin lost, she would probably go back to live in the Elven Forest, and Mahina would continue to stay at this academy.
Merlin had originally planned that if she lost, she would just hole up in the Elven Forest and never come out.
Ophelia had planned this from the beginning; Merlin had only just now compromised on it.
If Merlin really intended to leave, she certainly wouldn’t stop her.
Merlin still had a lot of elven and royal knowledge to learn.
“I’m sorry… Merlin… even though I’ve said it until you’re tired of it…”
Mahina’s tears fell drop by drop, gradually soaking the ground.
She had decided she wouldn’t cry ever since she met Little Merlin.
Why couldn’t she hold it in?
‘How embarrassing if someone sees this.’
Merlin looked at the pitiful Mahina and sighed. Someone might even think she was bullying Mahina here.
‘Really…’
Merlin pulled Mahina to a more secluded spot and sighed.
Mahina immediately wiped away her tears and tried to force a smile.
That face had once been Merlin’s most beloved face, that smile her most beloved smile.
Mahina’s smile was gentle but not forced, and could always heal people’s hearts. Whether in the slums or at the academy, Merlin loved her smile. But the Mahina at enrollment was too cruel—she didn’t even offer a single smile.
At that time, Merlin really felt wronged to the point of tears.
But now? Now she didn’t care.
Let her smile at whoever she wanted. It didn’t matter.
“I’m sorry… I promised you I would never cry in front of you, but I still couldn’t help it…”
Emotional tug-of-war was too exhausting. No ripples stirred in Merlin’s heart; she only felt that this endless emotional tug-of-war was too draining. Her patience was slowly running out.
“Anyway, on the upcoming Radiance Day, I’ll return to the Elven Forest. I probably won’t come back after that. The loser accepts the wager.”
Hearing this, Mahina anxiously grabbed Merlin’s hand, desperately wanting to convey her feelings to her. However, Merlin’s eyes were like a stagnant pool—no hatred, no love, only a chilling emptiness.
“Then! Since I won, the original wager was that the winner listens to the loser’s condition. I can change it, right!”
Merlin was silent for a moment.
“Mm… mm! I don’t have any great desires. I just hope that when I want to see you, you’ll allow me to be by your side.”
“The original scope was only within the academy, you know.”
Mahina bit her lip and lowered her head.
“Just don’t drive me away.”
“If you don’t get too close, like this current distance is fine.”
To Merlin, Mahina was now at most a nuisance.
Since her heart was dead, what difference did it make whether she was by her side or not?
“Okay, thank you, Merlin.”
Mahina looked at Merlin, who seemed to have something to say but held back.
“But what?”
“Because of the wager with you, I originally planned to move back to the Elven Forest. Maybe even if the wager changes, I’ll still go back… Yet… the things I cherished were always shattered by you, piece by piece.”
As she finished, Merlin’s originally steady voice trembled. Not because of lingering attachment, but because of the grievances piled up in her heart that she couldn’t let go. Those feelings she had once treasured were smashed on the ground by Mahina’s own hands, and now she wanted to glue them back together with a few “sorry’s” and tears?
Merlin had only lost love, but she hadn’t lost her grievances and sadness.
“Right now… I only remember negative emotions. But I think that’s fine. I remember everything, Mahina.”
Merlin turned her head away and left.
A spine-chilling fear crawled up Mahina’s back.
She was about to grab Merlin’s hand, but Merlin immediately shook her off.
Merlin still didn’t turn around.
“This distance is over the line.”
Mahina bit her lip and told herself that she deserved this. She stepped back, tried to adjust her state, and wanted to show Merlin that smile she once loved most.
Although the current Merlin… no longer reacted to her smile.
Wasn’t that… Mahina’s own fault?
If she hadn’t pushed Merlin’s heart to the brink, if she hadn’t insisted on leaving scars on Merlin’s heart, would Merlin have abandoned love at the last moment?
Ahaha… In the end, it’s all the same. With a heart so broken, how could she still love?
Being able to briefly enjoy Little Merlin’s love was already the greatest luxury. It was just Mahina’s own mistake.
Even in her sadness, Mahina maintained that smile like a spring breeze.
Showing weakness once in front of Merlin was enough.
Compared to the hurt Merlin suffered, compared to the nights Merlin couldn’t sleep and soaked her pillow with tears, what was this?
She had to be strong.
“I’m leaving now.”