NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31: A New Mission
"[Ding! A new mission has been released! Save the people of Droswen City from a plague outbreak! Reward: 30,000 system points!]"
Merlin was taken aback by the sudden appearance of a new mission. He immediately straightened up and read its details.
"Save the City of Droswen from a plague?" he muttered, frowning.
The City of Droswen was ruled by the Viscount Clay family. It was a large city and one of the main trading centers in the Kingdom of Aldoria.
Merlin Clay's confidence to act as he pleased in the novel came from the immense power of the Clay family.
Without their support, he might have died long before ever crossing paths with the protagonist, Abel.
Now, however, the system had suddenly issued a mission to handle an impending plague in his city, leaving him both confused and hesitant.
"As far as I remember, there's no plague in Droswen, system. Did you give me the wrong mission?" Merlin asked, voice tinged with doubt.
"[No, Master. I cannot be wrong! There will indeed be a plague in the city you live in. Try to recall again,]" the system replied seriously.
Merlin's brow furrowed as he scoured his memories of The Lost Hero. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened and a shiver ran down his spine.
"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed, stiffening. "Don't tell me that scene in that chapter has something to do with the plague!"
His heart was racing. In volume three of The Lost Hero, there was a conversation between Catrine and the main character.
It concerned why Catrine always wore gloves on her left hand. She explained that there had been trouble in the city where she had lived—the City of Droswen.
Catrine never explained the exact problem, but in the next volume, it was revealed that her left hand had frozen.
The reason was that she had overexerted her powers to save the people of her city.
While reading that volume, Merlin had wondered what had happened in Droswen. Eventually, he had asked Michiku-sensei, who gave only a brief answer: the outbreak of a plague.
And now, the system had issued a mission to stop that very plague, making Merlin uneasy.
"System, when will the plague appear?" He asked anxiously, trying to steady his racing heart.
"[Within the next month, Master. During that time, you must find the cause and stop it. Otherwise, this entire city will be wiped out,]" the system replied seriously.
Merlin gritted his teeth, clenching his left hand. "Don't worry, system. Leave this to me. I will find the cause and prevent it immediately."
The plague was one of the mysteries in the novel. Of course, only he knew the truth—after all, he was the editor of The Lost Hero.
Other readers did not have that privilege. Even so, many had discussed it online, with some guesses pointing directly to a plague.
Unfortunately, there was no solid evidence to support any of those theories. Until his death, the problem plaguing the City of Droswen remained a mystery.
Of course, it needed to be solved as soon as possible. Yet with his current strength, he was little more than useless.
He would have to grow stronger while gathering information about the plague.
With that thought, his fear and anxiety vanished, replaced by determination and an electrifying sense of anticipation.
***
The next day...
In the mansion's courtyard, Merlin stood before Linda with a serious expression. As before, he wore black training clothes.
The only difference was the material—it was more elastic this time, allowing him to move freely.
Linda, meanwhile, looked the same as yesterday. She wore a tight silver dress that accentuated her curves and ample chest.
The skirt barely reached her thighs, paired with black stockings that covered her legs completely. Somehow, the stockings made her look even more striking.
"What are you staring at, Merlin?" Linda's cold voice pulled him from his thoughts.
His silly smile vanished instantly, and he hurriedly cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness.
"I was only admiring your beauty, Master," Merlin said, cooing with an innocent smile.
Linda froze for a moment. Her gaze lingered on Merlin strangely, but only briefly.
'What was I thinking? How could I misunderstand a little boy like him?' she muttered softly, shaking her head.
Merlin's words had sounded so much like the flattery of her past suitors that disgust had flared briefly.
But realizing it came from an eight-year-old boy, the disgust faded, replaced by a faint sense of pride.
Despite her coldness toward men, Linda was still a woman who appreciated a genuine compliment—especially when it came from an innocent child.
Had Merlin known what she was thinking, he would have laughed and teased, "Linda, my real age isn't that different from yours!"
Fortunately, he didn't know, so there was no chance for mockery.
"Alright, enough pleasantries. Time to start training. But first, I need to test your knowledge," Linda said nonchalantly, folding her arms across her chest. "Merlin, do you know how many power levels there are in the Kingdom of Aldoria?"
Merlin gave a small nod and replied calmly, "The power levels in the Kingdom of Aldoria are called Spirit Cores and are divided into nine levels—from the weakest, level nine, to the strongest, level one."
"Good!" Linda nodded in satisfaction. "In Aldoria, they're called Spirit Cores. But other kingdoms use different names. Take the Knight Kingdom of Batrum and the Magic Kingdom of Arcadia, for example. They don't use Spirit Cores; instead, they have Awakening levels one through nine, and Stars one through nine."
Surprise flashed in Merlin's eyes as he heard the names of the two kingdoms.
'The Knight Kingdom of Batrum and the Magic Kingdom of Arcadia, huh?' He muttered under his breath, pondering deeply.
The world was vast, home to many different races. Yet the strongest were humans. They had built many kingdoms, but the most famous were the three main ones—Aldoria, Batrum, and Arcadia.
Each kingdom had its strengths. The Kingdom of Aldoria, for example, was known for its guardian spirits.
The Knights of Batrum excelled in combat. True to its name, the kingdom was built by knights, and its king was a formidable figure with a legendary past.
The Magic Kingdom of Arcadia, on the other hand, stood out in both magic and technology. The kingdom was advanced and powerful, with many great mages whose abilities rivaled Linda's.
In the novel, Abel would eventually travel to Arcadia to resolve a major crisis—one that could have catastrophic consequences for the world.
Merlin did not know what the crisis was. After all, he had died before the latest volume was released.
"Merlin, why are you daydreaming? Did you hear what I just said?" Linda's disgruntled voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"I understand, Master!" Merlin replied firmly.
Linda did not scold him harshly, but her tone was firm. "Don't make a habit of daydreaming like that. Under my watch, you must stay focused. Do you understand?"
Merlin gave a small nod. "Understood, Master."
"Good!" Linda smiled gently. "Then let's begin the training."