“Good morning.”
Merlin had just opened her eyes when she found Ophelia watching her quietly.
“Morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“I did.”
This was the first time Ophelia had seen Merlin sleeping soundly in her Lilia form. Even her sleeping posture was pleasant. Her eyes were gently closed, and her small nose twitched occasionally.
“Alright, it’s time to prepare for departure.”
After the mother and daughter had a simple breakfast, Ophelia focused her attention on Merlin’s grooming once again. This time, she went all out, a far cry from their playful bickering on the sofa the day before. Merlin sat obediently at the vanity, letting Ophelia work on her. The two shared mundane conversation to pass the time.
“Did you comb your hair yourself last week?”
“Mostly.”
“No wonder it looked so terrible. What a waste of such a cute face.”
“It’s not like there were major flaws. You’d only notice if you looked closely.”
“You… if you’d just learn properly, would it be like this? And you even called me annoying.”
“I know I was wrong.”
“Don’t move. Stop acting like a spoiled child.”
Ophelia held Merlin’s head with both hands to prevent any mistakes.
“But sometimes I’d run into Marie, and she’d help me re-comb it.”
“If you want to be tough, at least be reliable. Needing another person’s maid just to comb your hair… should I find one for you? A girl walking around with messy hair is unheard of. If you’re worried I’ll use her to spy on you, you can choose one yourself.”
“Actually… I’ll just leave it to you, Mom.”
“Oh?”
Why the sudden change of heart?
Dresses, makeup, maids.
It seemed she just needed time to adjust. The things she was so stubborn about at the start were now beginning to soften.
“Alright then. But finding a suitable elf here will be difficult, and it’s not time to return to the Forest of Elves yet.”
“But is it really necessary to spend so long getting ready?”
Ophelia smiled knowingly.
“Since you’re going to see your little friends, it’s better to look pretty, right?”
“I think looking too pretty might actually scare them.”
Though she couldn’t leave the school, Merlin had already written to them about what happened, serving as a sort of advance warning.
“Stop talking. Come try on the new dress I bought for you. Once you’ve changed, we’re leaving.”
***
“Boss! You really turned into a girl? And an elf?”
“It’s a long story.”
Ophelia sat quietly in the distance, maintaining a respectful space between herself, Merlin, and the companions.
“I was an elf originally; it’s just that no one recognized it before.”
Ophelia simply wanted to protect Merlin, so she kept her distance to avoid interrupting Merlin’s reunion with her friends.
“So beautiful, just like a doll… Is this really Boss?”
“Hmm… it really is.”
The girls crowded around Merlin, looking her over with curiosity.
“Boss was always refined-looking, but to think you’d be this beautiful.”
The boys, on the other hand, felt a bit awkward around the suddenly transformed Merlin. They sat in their seats, observing quietly, unsure of how to handle the distance. Even Merlin’s most loyal subordinate, John, stood behind her without moving.
“Alright, sit back down. Let’s talk business.”
Shortly after leaving Hard, Ophelia had granted Merlin’s request. She brought Merlin’s former companions to live in Zerlion. Now, the three boys and two girls lived in a residential area on the outskirts of the Zerlion capital. They ran an ordinary general store, primarily selling Merlin’s gadgets and potions. The second floor served as their living quarters.
With Merlin’s help, the five of them supported one another. Merlin would occasionally visit to teach them new potion ideas, talk, or check if the business needed improvement. Her companions trusted Merlin as much as ever. Through their interactions, the friends also gradually became familiar with Ophelia. In a way, Merlin’s original wish had been fulfilled, with only one piece of the puzzle missing.
“Are we really going to sell the Starry Sky Roses?”
“Of course. I’ve already done the research. The Starry Sky Roses will definitely be bestsellers. Trust me.”
The girl beside her shook her head.
“Boss, that’s not what we meant… We wanted to ask, is it really okay?”
Everyone knew what the Starry Sky Roses meant to Merlin. Merlin just smiled.
“They’re just roses. Besides, we’ve grown so many. Wouldn’t it be a waste of time and energy not to sell them?”
Yes, the Starry Sky Roses were originally cultivated for Marcina. Since she no longer had anything to do with Merlin, it was better to use them to generate income for her companions. If the plan went well, they might even be able to move to a better location and establish a merchant guild. Merlin had that much confidence in the roses.
“Alright, we’ll listen to Boss.”
“Then we’ll follow the original plan. We start next Friday.”
The business discussion ended, and a pleasant atmosphere returned to the room. Everyone chatted about what had happened recently, racing to share their own interesting stories with Merlin.
“Boss, you went to study at Zerlion Academy, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you see her?”
‘Her’—of course, referred to Marcina and no one else. For a moment, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
“I did. But even if I see her, nothing will change.”
“How cold-blooded. Boss was the one who saved her back then, yet she turned her back on everyone the moment the Duke adopted her. They have no idea how much Boss suffered waiting for her.”
Merlin replied with a smile.
“That’s why I’m working hard now to turn that past bitterness into present sweetness. Work hard on the Starry Sky Rose sales, okay?”
The companions answered in unison.
“Yes!”
Merlin looked at the boy with the buzz cut, who was now two heads taller than her.
“John, I’m leaving it to you. If there’s any trouble, come find me, even though I can’t look after everything from the academy.”
He nodded.
“Leave it to me.”
Seeing John’s hesitant expression, Merlin asked, “Is there something else? Is it that hard to say? Go on.”
“I… Li and I are planning to get married.”
Merlin looked at the short-haired redhead sitting next to him. She was blushing and looking down.
I see.
Both were sixteen now—indeed a good age to marry.
“Do you two plan to move out?”
“Not for now… It still feels more comfortable being with everyone. Everyone is family… After thinking about it for a long time, we felt we shouldn’t separate.”
Should she call that mature or naive?
It seemed the Starry Sky Rose plan needed to be accelerated. At the very least, she needed to give the newlyweds some private space. Currently, this small building was only divided into a boys’ room and a girls’ room.
“Congratulations to you both.”
Li, the redhead, looked up and summoned all her courage to speak.
“Boss, would you preside over our wedding ceremony?”
Ah…
Back then… John had presided over a wedding for Merlin in that ruined church, with Li watching from the side with wide, admiring eyes. Now it was her turn to preside over John’s wedding. Wasn’t that poetic? Merlin only hoped that this time, the two of them could go further and not repeat her own mistakes.
“Of course. When is the date?”
“We’re only just starting to prepare. Even with everyone’s help, it will probably take a few months.”
“Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help.”
The two of them held hands and smiled at each other.
“Thank you, Boss.”