In the morning...

"Hahaha! I'm glad you're alright, son. I thought I'd hear news of your death."

Inside the dining room, Ardhis couldn't contain his laughter. Sitting beside him, Livia pinched his waist and shot him a cold glare, instantly making Ardhis swallow his amusement.

"Pfft!" Merlin chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Father. I won't die that easily. I'm still young, with a long way to go. And most importantly, I won't leave before you do."

Ardhis froze at that, the corner of his mouth twitching as a blue vein appeared on his forehead.

"Hahaha!" Livia laughed, covering her lips with her left hand. "He's right. How could you die while your father is still alive?"

Watching his wife and son ganging up on him, Ardhis could only swallow his grievances along with the food on his plate.

After that brief exchange, the four of them began breakfast, chatting about various things. Naturally, the main topic was Merlin's kidnapping the night before.

Sensing his parents' curiosity, Merlin recounted everything, despite the fact that James had likely already told them.

"By the way, we discovered their origins," Ardhis said, taking a bite of grilled lamb. "According to James, they belong to a kidnap syndicate operating across the kingdom. They often abduct children and demand ransom from their parents. Most victims come from prominent families, and the total number has already exceeded three hundred."

Once James arrived last night with the unconscious Merlin, he immediately mobilized his troops to search the place where Merlin and the other children had been held.

He also ordered an investigation into the syndicate's possible involvement in other crimes, the results of which only came in a few hours ago.

"Oh?" Merlin raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "As I expected… they seem to have done this more than once."

Judging by how well-trained and professional they were, it was clear the syndicate had been operating for a long time—especially the thin man who had captured him yesterday.

"Oh, Father, can you find out the identity of the blond man James killed?" Merlin asked. "From what I remember, the kidnappers were ordinary people with impressive combat skills, but the blond man… he's someone with special power, at the Ninth Spirit Core level."

If his guess was correct, the reason the burly man who traumatized Margaret in the novel might possess special power was connected to the blond man.

It wasn't impossible that he came from the same evil organization that would later attack Saint Freya Academy.

"I haven't found out yet," Ardhis admitted, shaking his head. "But don't worry—the investigation isn't finished. It should be done today, and I'll let you know the results later."

"I see." Merlin didn't press further. Patience was all he needed; eventually, everything would unfold on its own.

As they were finishing breakfast, hurried footsteps sounded outside, and a maid entered, her face filled with worry.

"My lord, sorry to interrupt your breakfast," she said in a trembling voice, bowing slightly.

Ardhis was surprised but kept his composure. He set down his knife and fork and gave a small nod.

"It's fine. Is there any urgent news?"

The maid stepped forward and stopped beside him, handing him a letter with her left hand.

"News just came in from the guards at the outskirts of the city," she explained. "It says that the inhabitants of a nearby village have been poisoned."

Ardhis' brow furrowed. "Poisoned?"

He took the letter and read it carefully. Beside him, Livia watched her husband's expression darken. Subconsciously, she asked softly, "Did something happen, husband?"

Ardhis took a deep breath, closed the letter, and placed it on the table. He didn't answer immediately, instead asking the maid to leave first.

Once she had gone, Ardhis turned to his wife. "The guards have just discovered dozens of villagers near the city who have been poisoned."

"Poisoned?" Livia's voice was filled with shock. "How… how did this happen?"

"I don't know yet. The letter doesn't give details. The guards are still investigating. Once we know more, I'll inform you," he replied.

Livia nodded slowly, asking no further questions.

At the other end of the table, Merlin, who had overheard the conversation, suddenly gasped.

"Brother Merlin, what's wrong?" Catrine asked curiously, offering him a piece of beef.

Merlin quickly regained his composure, taking the beef and chewing it slowly before swallowing.

"It's okay," he said gently, rubbing his sister's head. Then he turned to his father. "Father, is there another problem?"

Ardhis hesitated, but realizing that Merlin was no longer the boy he used to be, he decided to tell him.

With a small nod, he admitted, "Yes, there is a new problem. Earlier, the guards…"

He began explaining the contents of the letter in detail. The longer he spoke, the paler Merlin's face became.

"Do you know the symptoms of those who were poisoned?" Merlin asked in a strained tone, struggling to calm his rapidly beating heart.

"They complain of stomach aches, their skin turns slightly purplish, and even the sclera of their eyes takes on a purple hue. According to the guards' reports, about ten people have already been affected. The exact number is unknown since the investigation of the village is still ongoing," Ardhis explained with a small sigh.

Just last night, a child kidnapping syndicate had threatened his son. And now, an even larger problem had arisen so suddenly.

Ardhis couldn't help but wonder—was Droswen City truly plagued by bad luck, or was something far darker at work?

'Stomach aches… skin and eyes turning purple?' Merlin whispered, at a loss for words.

Those signs were not ordinary poisoning—they pointed to a plague that could devastate Droswen City in the future.

'System, do you think this is a plague about to break out?'

Although he already suspected the answer, he needed confirmation.

"[Yes, Master. It is a plague that requires your intervention,]" the system replied seriously.

'Good!" Merlin nodded firmly. "Don't worry, I'll handle it and stop it before it spreads any further!'

…

"Tsk! I heard you were kidnapped last night. Is that true?"

Standing in the courtyard of the mansion, Linda looked up at Merlin with a small smile.

"Yes, I was kidnapped last night, Master. But it turned out to be a blessing—I got to fight at the level of the Ninth Spirit Core," Merlin said proudly.

"Oh?" Linda's eyes widened in surprise. "You've really improved. All the training wasn't in vain—you've grown so much."

Merlin smiled sheepishly. Then, remembering Linda's promise, he asked eagerly, "By the way, we're practicing magic today, right?"

Linda gave a small smile. "Yes, we'll start practicing magic now…"

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