The Extra Villain: I Made a Contract With The Dragon Empress!

"Awakening?" Merlin stared at his father, stunned. "Do you mean the awakening of the Guardian Spirit?"

Ardhis rolled his eyes. "Is there any other kind of awakening?"

Merlin fell silent, lost in thought. A Guardian Spirit is a spirit that resides within a person.

Naturally, not everyone could awaken one. Only members of noble and royal families were eligible.

The history of Guardian Spirits dates back to the founding of the Kingdom of Aldoria. Long ago, the kingdom's founder, the Holy King Arthur, clashed with a mythical creature known as the Dragon of Light.

Arthur had chosen land to build his kingdom, but it lay within the territory of the Dragon of Light. Conflict was inevitable and lasted an entire year.

Exhausted by the endless fighting, the two finally reached an agreement.

Arthur was allowed to build his kingdom, while his descendants—and a select few others—had to form contracts with the spirits of the land to survive.

Given Arthur's strength, no spirit could withstand his power, and the Dragon of Light willingly formed a contract with him.

From that point on, the royal family and nobles began forming contracts with the spirits, which became known as Guardian Spirits.

Over time, however, circumstances slowly changed. Children born to families with Guardian Spirits were discovered to already possess an innate spirit within them.

So, the old method—forming contracts with spirits—had shifted to awakening the spirits already residing within one's body.

The Guardian Spirit awakening occurred once every three years, and coincidentally, that day was just three days away.

Snapping out of his reverie, Merlin took a deep breath and asked, "Have you hired the Transitioner yet?"

The Transitioner was a mage who helped awaken a person's Guardian Spirit, using a special technique to stimulate the spirit within.

"Of course I have," Ardhis said casually. "She'll arrive when the day of awakening comes."

Merlin nodded silently and continued eating, even as his mind was already consumed with thoughts of the upcoming awakening.

'Damn…' he muttered irritably. 'If I remember correctly, the Guardian Spirit I awakened in the original story was trash.'

Just like his role as an extra, Merlin Clay was considered trash. His Guardian Spirit was just a puppy. Yes, a puppy—the lowest of the low.

He had been the butt of everyone's ridicule, which had slowly hardened his attitude over time.

Merlin didn't know whether his fate would mirror the original Merlin's, but he hoped the system had a solution.

'System, are you—'

Before he could finish, the system's voice sounded in his mind.

"[Ding! The first mission has been released! Awaken your Guardian Spirit on the day of awakening! Reward: 1x Special Talent Awakening Potion!]"

Seeing the notification, Merlin's eyes widened in shock.

'System! Are you serious about this mission?' His heart skipped a beat.

"[Of course, Master! Did you think I would trick you? Hehehe… You completely underestimated me!]" The system snorted proudly.

Merlin's face flushed with happiness, his body trembling with excitement.

'How marvelous! No, System, I never doubted you! Thank you for this mission! Hahaha!' he laughed inwardly.

He hadn't expected such luck. Just moments ago, he had been filled with worry, yet the system had not disappointed him at all.

In the Kingdom of Aldoria, power levels were measured by the "Spirit Core," divided into nine tiers—from the lowest, nine, to the highest, one.

The name "Spirit Core" honored the spirits contracted by noble and royal families. Other kingdoms might use different names, but the levels of power remained the same.

This world was fantasy-themed—swords, magic, and countless other elements. Naturally, these evolved into classes or specializations that people could choose.

For mages in particular, only those blessed with talent could wield magic.

Talent itself was crucial, determining how well one could master their chosen specialization.

It was divided into five ranks: S, A, B, C, and D.

The original Merlin Clay had no talent at all. That wasn't surprising, considering he had been just a minor villain—a completely unnecessary extra.

Now, however, he had a chance to awaken his talent—a true miracle!

'By the way, System, is there a Bloodline Awakening Potion?' Merlin asked, his excitement barely contained.

Bloodlines were another crucial factor that determined a person's future strength. Unfortunately, only those born into certain families, like the royal family, could possess them.

The closest example was Catrine. She bore the bloodline of the "Sovereign of Winter," something that should have been impossible.

After all, the Hermes family were merely ordinary nobles. But for Merlin, who had read the databook, the reason was clear.

Catrine wasn't actually the child of his father's friend—she was an outcast baby.

At that time, Theo—his father's friend—had found her and decided to take her in.

Tragically, a massacre occurred, wiping out the entire Hermes family in a single night.

The exact reason behind it remained unknown to Merlin. The databook didn't provide details, and The Lost Hero hadn't even been finished when he died.

Still, Merlin had a bold suspicion: it must be tied to Catrine's true identity.

"[Bloodline Awakening Potion? That's easy, Master! But you have to complete that mission first,]" the System said playfully.

'Alright! Don't worry, I'll do it,' Merlin replied, his excitement bubbling over.

He had once believed he could rise by his own strength, without the system's help.

Now, it was painfully clear he had only been indulging in a fool's daydream.

Without talent or a bloodline, how could he possibly alter his fate?

"Kid, what's wrong with you? Why are you smiling to yourself like a fool?"

Ardhis' suspicious voice came from in front of him, instantly snapping Merlin out of his reverie.

"Ahem!" Merlin coughed lightly and shook his head. "It's nothing, Father. I was just thinking about the day of awakening."

Despite his suspicions, Ardhis said nothing, only giving a brief nod.

Catrine, however, felt uneasy and moved slightly away in her seat.

'Sure enough—Brother Merlin's head seems to have been struck by iron! I can't go near him, or I'll definitely get hit too,' she muttered, nodding firmly.

"[Ding! Heroine Catrine's affection has decreased by 5 points. Please raise it to ninety points immediately!]"

Merlin: "(O_O)!"