About ten kilometers from the forest where Merlin and Luna had been earlier stood a sizable city.

It was under the rule of the Kingdom of Avernia and located not far from the battlefield between the two kingdoms.

Despite its bustling appearance, the population had actually been reduced by more than half.

It was understandable, considering the war was taking place nearby.

Those who felt unsafe chose to move to cities farther away—or even to the capital of the Avernia Kingdom—for more reliable protection.

At this moment, in a fairly crowded tavern, Merlin and Luna sat at one of the tables, wearing cloaks with their faces hidden beneath their hoods.

Fortunately, Merlin was tall enough that no one suspected he was only ten years old.

"Eat first. Your body needs a lot of energy before we go to the capital," Merlin said, stabbing a piece of lamb from his plate and eating it.

The taste couldn't be described as good, but it wasn't bad either—it was completely ordinary.

Still, that didn't bother Merlin. As long as it was edible, it was enough for him.

Unfortunately, Luna couldn't be as indifferent. Her expression showed clear disgust and nausea toward the food in front of her.

The dish didn't look bad, but the taste didn't sit well on her tongue at all.

"Why? You don't like it?" Merlin asked, glancing at her.

"M-m! I... don't like it," she said honestly. "It tastes so strange. Is this what people ate hundreds of years ago? It's disgusting."

Her words made Merlin's expression darken. He held back his irritation and said, "Luna Tharot, I know you were born with a golden spoon in your mouth. I also know you've always lived in luxury and never experienced hardship."

"But that doesn't mean you can insult food." He frowned and continued eating. "Every meal is made from ingredients that are difficult to grow, like vegetables, or from livestock raised with care, like sheep, goats, and cows. The food you despise is something thousands of hungry people out there long for."

Although it had been two years since he was reincarnated as Merlin Clay and had enjoyed the Clay family's wealth, that didn't mean he had completely forgotten his identity as Merlin Ken.

Back then, he even struggled to have three meals a day. Losing both his parents had made his life truly difficult.

If not for his grandmother, who took care of him, he might have died long ago.

To ease the burden of his living and school expenses, which were covered by his grandmother, he worked hard and eventually earned a scholarship.

Because of that, he cherished every bite of food.

Yet, he also knew that someone like Luna couldn't share the same thoughts. Since childhood, she had been destined to live in luxury.

Luna fell silent at his words. For some reason, they stirred a memory she had been trying to suppress—the sight of starving people in the city of Dralmor.

More than once, she had escaped from the mansion, either to take a walk or to protest her father's decisions that went against her will.

At that time, she had seen many children her age rummaging through trash in search of rotten bread.

And just now, Merlin's words felt like a slap that woke her up.

She looked at the food in front of her, and the disgust and nausea she had felt vanished instantly.

Without hesitation, she lifted her spoon and began to eat with enthusiasm.

As it turned out, the taste wasn't as bad as she had imagined. It was just that, because she had judged the food poorly from the start, it hadn't tasted good at all.

"[Ding! The affection of heroine Luna Tharot has increased by 3 points! Current affection: 63 points (40)]"

Merlin was startled but quickly regained his composure. With a faint smile, he continued eating.

Suddenly, two tall and burly men walked in and sat at the table behind them.

"Hey, have you heard the news?"

"Yeah, I heard. It's really horrible!"

Merlin paused for a moment but soon resumed eating quietly, his ears subtly tuned to their conversation. Luna beside him did the same.

"The Tharot family has declared an all-out war against the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria. They say this battle will be the climax. What do you think, buddy?"

"The climax of the battle, huh? Sounds exaggerated, but it's not impossible. The two kingdoms have been at each other's throats for a long time. Sooner or later, a major war was bound to happen."

"Tsk! It'll be interesting to watch. I'm rooting for the Avernia Kingdom, then."

"Are you sure? The Holy Kingdom of Aldoria is powerful, my friend! I heard the king himself will take the battlefield. And get this—he even awakened his predecessor's Golden Dragon Spirit! Clearly, the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria has to win."

Their conversation was full of excitement, but Merlin and Luna stiffened at the words.

They looked at each other, trying their best to stay calm.

"Did you hear that? The decisive battle is about to begin. We have to get to the royal palace immediately," Luna said frantically.

She knew this was only a replay of the past. There was no way they could alter the outcome that history had already set.

Still, she couldn't stand by and watch the Kingdom of Avernia fall so easily. At the very least, she wanted to try to change that fate, even if it was futile.

Merlin gave a small nod. "Don't worry. Once we finish eating, I'll gather some information. For now, finish your meal first."

Luna nodded quickly and hurried to finish her food.

Ten minutes later, they were done eating and went to pay.

However, Merlin didn't take out the money right away. Instead, he made small talk, as if he had known the cashier for a long time.

"By the way, I'm curious about something," he said with a faint smile. "Do you know the quickest and closest route to the capital? If you do, please tell me."

He took two gold coins from his pocket, placed them on the counter, and slowly pushed them toward the cashier.

The cashier looked surprised, glanced nervously around, then quickly picked up the coins.

"Hehehe… that's easy, customer," he said with a chuckle. "You can take a horse-drawn carriage on the west side of the city. Tell the coachman you want the fastest route to the capital. But…"

His voice lowered as he leaned closer, resting his arm on the counter and bringing his lips near Merlin's ear. "You'll need to pay extra. It's a dangerous route, and most coachmen don't want to take it."

"I see…" Merlin nodded slowly. "Thank you for the information."

He pulled his hood forward, took Luna's hand, and walked out of the tavern.

Meanwhile, the smile on the cashier's face lingered. He looked at the two gold coins in his hand, his expression filled with delight.

"Hehehe… I'm rich!"

But his joy didn't last long. As he examined the coins more closely, he noticed something strange about the engraving.

"Huh? Coins from the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria? Wait…" His face went pale. "Could it be… those two are spies!?"

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