“Merlin, Mahina.”
“Here.”
“Will you always love each other?”
“Yes.”
“Life is long, and the human heart is fragile.”
“Greedy hands are always reaching for gifts.”
“Gentle eyes always hide a blade.”
“Partial ears only listen to sweet words.”
“Timid feet forever turn away from hardship.”
“A deceitful tongue often weaves lies.”
“A fickle heart changes its lock and key day after day.”
“A bared back, entrusted to another, will eventually be stabbed.”
“Such is human nature, but even so—”
“Are you still willing to love each other, prepared to be betrayed at any moment, and spend your lives together?”
“Yes, I am willing.”
❉❅❆✼❊
A year and a half after their first meeting, Merlin and Mahina got married.
The greatest catalyst might have been Merlin’s “Bedtime Story.”
Merlin didn’t know those fairy tales for children, so the stories he told were all novels he’d read in his Previous Life.
Of course, in order not to affect Mahina’s education, he only told pure love stories.
Perhaps it was these beautiful stories that stirred something in Mahina, and she began to yearn for Marriage as well.
Because it was an indispensable part of all beautiful stories.
Mahina understood: the destination for a man and woman is “Marriage.” If she could only choose one person to walk through life with, it could only be Merlin.
“…Merlin.”
“What is it?”
“I like you, I love you, let’s get married!”
On some insignificant night, Mahina mustered her courage.
It was her first time saying these words, and just saying them used up all the strength she had. In that moment, she was like a Steam Maiden, her face constantly radiating heat, so embarrassed she couldn’t look at Merlin’s face.
To her, Merlin had long been special.
He saved her when they first met, cared for her time and again on the edge of life and death, comforting her.
They were clearly strangers, yet he had done so much for her. Without Merlin, she would probably have died in that Plague.
She liked Merlin’s reserved smile, liked hugging him when he returned during the day, liked his Bedtime Stories, liked the warmth of sharing a bed with him.
If she could only choose one person to spend her life with, it would be Merlin.
In the dark and stinking Slum, the girl still yearned for the beautiful, pure love’s end—Marriage.
So Mahina spoke up.
Merlin was a little stunned by the sudden confession.
“Mahina, how old are you?”
This was a question Merlin had never asked.
“Eleven.”
Only eleven… For Merlin, with the memories of his Previous Life, the impact was a bit much.
In his Previous Life, he hadn’t even finished elementary school at that age, and now this body of his was only ten.
Mahina was actually a year older than him…?
It didn’t show in her personality… but she was indeed tall.
He could feel the girl’s attachment to him, but he hadn’t expected it to turn into love so quickly.
“Uh… isn’t it a bit too early?”
Mahina tilted her head slightly.
“But Peasant children all get married at around thirteen, and Nobility, though a bit later, often have their engagement set as early as seven. So, it’s not that early…”
Mahina felt she was just a little early for Marriage, not to the point where it was impossible, and besides, she had heard of girls getting married at eleven.
She had already mustered all her courage.
To Merlin, he once again felt the shock of being in another world, unable to quite get used to the sudden culture clash.
In his memory, even two sixteen-year-old high school students getting married seemed just like playing house.
Let alone a ten- and eleven-year-old…
Seeing Merlin’s hesitation, Mahina thought he just wanted to use age as an excuse to refuse her.
She felt wronged, and tears were about to fall.
“Don’t cry.”
“I really, really love you, Merlin. If I marry, it will only be with you.”
Mahina, with tears in her eyes, secretly watched Merlin’s expression.
Merlin sighed.
“Mahina…”
“Don’t say it! Give me some time!”
Mahina quickly waved her hand, not wanting to hear Merlin’s rejection.
Merlin’s fingertip gently brushed the corner of her eye, wiping away the tear that stubbornly clung there.
“Listen to me—”
“I’ll be good! Tomorrow! Just give me a day and I’ll pretend nothing happened. We’ll just go on as family like always, okay?”
Yes… Merlin didn’t have to say yes, just saving her was more than enough.
“I’ll keep being the Mahina who stays at home doing chores, and we’ll sleep side by side again like this… At the very least, I hope you won’t leave me behind…”
Mahina had been pampered by Merlin for so long that until just before being refused, she hadn’t considered the possibility of failure. If she had known, she might as well have stayed friends…
Mahina just wanted him to always be by her side, to have something more real to confirm their relationship.
Not just this vague “friends living together.”
“I…”
Merlin noticed her slender fingers unconsciously twisting her skirt—a small gesture that betrayed her nervousness beneath her brave front.
“I’ll behave! Just give me one day to adjust!”
Merlin suddenly grabbed Mahina’s shoulders.
“Listen to me! I love you too.”
“What?”
“I said I love you, let’s get married, Mahina. Just like you said, let’s get married.”
For Merlin, this was a decision made with a hint of guilt, because he hadn’t completely erased the values from his Previous Life.
Well, so be it.
Seeing Mahina cry, his heart almost broke. He didn’t want this girl to be sad.
What did it matter if he was only ten? If this was an acceptable age for Marriage in this world, then so be it.
After all, even as children, he and Mahina had managed to survive in this dark Slum without relying on any adults.
Is getting married as an adult really the right thing? Then why do adults get divorced?
Since they could already live independently, what was wrong with getting married?
In his Previous Life, though already eighteen, he was still just a clueless University Student, unable to support himself alone.
Now, though only ten, he could at least live independently and take care of Mahina. In some ways, he was more capable than his Previous Life self.
Merlin reasoned with himself.
In the end, Mahina’s tears didn’t stop, but only increased at his answer.
“Really?”
“Really! So don’t cry!”
“I’m so happy…”
Merlin wiped her tears with his fingers. In the end, he agreed.
In both lives, he had always been lonely—this was the first time anyone had ever said they were willing to love him.
The pink of the girl’s large eyes and her love finally melted his heart.
As for age, since it wasn’t out of place in this world, there was no need to worry.
One thing was certain: he didn’t want this girl to be hurt.
“Should we have a wedding?”
“Mm”