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

"Alright, kids. You've worked hard. Now go back to your rooms and rest," Ardhis said gently.

Catrine gave a small nod and replied excitedly, "Yes, Father!"

She rubbed Sylvia's head, and the ice bird instantly transformed into a blue light that sank into her forehead.

Turning to Merlin, she smiled again and grasped his left hand tightly.

"Let's go back, Brother Merlin!"

In the past, she could never have done that. Merlin was terrifying—just looking at him used to scare her, let alone holding his hand.

But now, her brother had changed, and she no longer felt timid about showing him affection.

Merlin smiled at her enthusiasm. "Sorry, Catrine. I can't go back with you. I need to talk to Aunt Linda. Can you go by yourself?"

As he said that, he glanced vaguely at Linda, leaving her a little confused.

Catrine looked briefly disappointed but quickly regained her spirits and nodded.

"Alright, Big Brother! But promise you'll play with me later, okay?"

Her round eyes were so full of hope that Merlin couldn't resist.

"Of course," he replied softly.

Satisfied, Catrine turned to Livia and took her left hand.

"Let's go, Mother."

"Okay." Livia smiled and didn't refuse.

She gave her son a brief glance before leaving with Catrine for the mansion.

"In that case, I'll head out too. I still have a lot of work to do," Ardhis said, patting Merlin on the shoulder. "I'll leave this boy to you, Linda. If he causes trouble, just beat him up."

The corners of Merlin's lips twitched. For some reason, his father still seemed to hold a grudge against him for his past behavior.

Well, he couldn't do anything about it. If he were in Ardhis' position, he would probably react the same way. Two years was a long time, and the wounds left by the original Merlin Clay were still deep in the hearts of those closest to him.

Linda simply smiled and gave a small nod.

After that, Ardhis walked away, following Catrine and Livia.

"So," Linda said, turning to Merlin with curiosity, "what do you need from me, Merlin?"

She didn't know exactly what this boy wanted to talk about, but she had her suspicions.

Merlin smiled as he rubbed Lyserra's small head before answering, "The reason I want to talk to you is to ask for your help in training me, Linda."

"Train you?" Linda was surprised. "You mean, train you to become strong?"

"Yes," Merlin admitted with a small nod. He took a deep breath, his expression turning serious. "As you know, I am the first son of the Viscount Clay family. But over these past two years, I've hurt my father, my mother, and my little sister. I deeply regret it, and I want to make up for it by becoming stronger so I can protect them."

Of course, there were other reasons he didn't mention. To change his destiny, he had to start growing stronger now. The system was there to aid him, but he couldn't depend on it for everything.

No matter how many cheats he possessed, in the end, he still had to rely on himself—especially when it came to training.

His biggest problem was that he had no real knowledge of how to train correctly. If he followed the wrong training method, he could end up with a fatal injury.

"Training, huh?" Linda muttered, lowering her gaze.

She didn't answer right away, as if weighing his request.

Merlin waited nervously. In the novel, Linda was one of the strongest characters. Her gentle, easy-going demeanor was deceiving—behind it, this woman was terrifying.

She was the strongest mage in Saint Freya's Academy and carried a well-known nickname—the Nameless Mage.

It might have sounded odd, but the nickname had firmly stuck to her. Those who reached the highest level, the First Spirit Core, usually created a name for themselves—something tied to their power or something grand enough to impress others.

Linda, however, was different. When she reached the First Spirit Core, she never created a name.

In the end, people gave her a special nickname—the Nameless Mage. It wasn't an official title, yet everyone still called her that.

Seconds passed, and Merlin felt the air tighten around him. The only person who could help him grow stronger was Linda—only training with her would let him improve safely and steadily.

Suddenly Linda inhaled and gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll help you train. I'll even take you as my personal disciple."

Merlin brightened at the news, but before he could thank her, she cut him off. "There's one condition."

He blinked and nodded. "Of course, Linda. What is it?"

She fixed him with a hard look, suspicion in her voice. "Tell me what happened to you over the past two years. Tell me why you changed so suddenly."

The mood grew colder as she added, almost threatening, "Don't lie to me. If you do, you'll have to face the consequences."