NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52: Incredible Luck
Margaret Beethoven is the most prominent heroine in The Lost Hero. Not only is her identity fascinating, but her role in the main character Abel's growth is just as crucial.
Once the curse on her is lifted, she grows deeply attached to the protagonist—even showing yandere tendencies.
In the novel, she is described as calm and gentle, yet difficult to read. Since childhood, she has always worn a mask and never had friends.
Consequently, her emotional growth was stunted, leaving her seeming flat and unpredictable.
Yet now, of all the possibilities Merlin had considered, he never imagined he would actually meet her!
"System, am I seeing things wrong? Is that Margaret Beethoven?" Merlin asked in a hurry.
"[You are not mistaken, Master. She is indeed Margaret Beethoven,]" the system replied solemnly.
Although Merlin already expected the answer, hearing it directly from the system still left him uneasy.
"In that case, why is she here? Don't tell me she was kidnapped like me. But… that doesn't make sense, does it?" His brows furrowed in confusion.
Margaret Beethoven was the first daughter and heiress of the Beethoven family. Her security was said to be the strictest in the world—Merlin was certain even the princes of the Holy Kingdom of Aldoria weren't as heavily guarded as her.
So how could she have been kidnapped?
"[I don't know either, Master. But more importantly, isn't this your chance to get close to her?]"
The system's words made Merlin flinch. He remembered how he had always wanted to take Abel's place by Margaret's side in the novel.
Well, he wasn't a hypocrite. Who wouldn't want to be supported and loved by such a beautiful girl? Anyone who claimed otherwise must be gay.
"Is it okay, system? If I interfere too much, won't that change the storyline?" Merlin asked doubtfully.
"[Change the storyline? Pfft! Master, you're really funny. Ever since you reincarnated into Merlin Clay's body, the storyline of this world has already collapsed. Whether you interfere or not, the result will still be the same,]" the system replied with a chuckle.
Merlin was left speechless. The system was right. Even just turning Catrine's hatred into affection had already strayed far from the original timeline.
"Isn't there a mission for that?" Merlin asked playfully.
If he could get a reward from a mission, it would obviously work in his favor.
Upon hearing that, the system rolled its eyes and complained in annoyance, "[Master, you're really sneaky as hell! Humph!]"
"[Ding! A new mission has been released! Save Margaret Beethoven from the kidnappers! Reward: 1x Scarlet Blight Cure Cream and 15,000 SP! Do you want to accept it? Yes/No]"
Merlin glanced at the reward, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"Scarlet Blight Cure Cream? System, don't tell me this is meant to cure the curse on Margaret's face."
As he had once said, Margaret was afflicted by a mysterious curse that scarred her face. That was why she was always insecure and never dared to interact for long with people outside her family.
"[Bingo! That's right, Master! So, what about the reward? Do you like it?]" The system grinned.
Merlin chuckled softly and nodded. "I like it a lot. Thank you, system."
Without hesitation, he pressed "Yes," and the mission was officially accepted.
He glanced at the unconscious Margaret, already thinking of the many ways he might approach her later. From what he remembered, Margaret was an extremely cautious and careful girl.
Those traits were clearly written in her databook, which meant he couldn't afford to be careless or reveal his intentions too openly. Otherwise, it would surely backfire.
"In that case, I won't make a move yet. It's better to see where these kidnappers take me," he whispered indifferently as he slowly sat cross-legged.
Closing his eyes, he began meditating to clear his mind and prepare for whatever lay ahead.
...
"Where did the young master go? Why can't I find any trace of him?" James muttered as he scanned the crowded streets.
It had been more than fifteen minutes since he circled the city, yet there was still no sign of him.
James, whose expression was usually indifferent and calm, now showed clear signs of worry.
He no longer knew where to search for Merlin. Just as anxiety began to gnaw at him, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from about fifty meters ahead.
Turning his head, he saw ten—no, twenty—silver-armored warriors running with panic on their faces.
Behind them followed a horse-drawn carriage. At first glance, it looked exquisite—far more luxurious than the one he was driving now.
Clearly, the person inside had to be someone influential and wealthy.
Suddenly, faint voices from the soldiers' conversation reached his ears.
"Did you find any trace of the young lady?" one of them asked.
"No, not yet," his comrade replied in a low, dejected tone.
At once, the others' faces turned grim. They had been searching for Young Lady Margaret for half an hour, yet without success. If this continued, they were sure to face severe punishment.
"Have you found any trace of the young lady?"
A cold voice came from behind them. The soldiers turned and saw a beautiful woman in a maid's uniform step out of the carriage.
Her face was grim and cold enough to cow anyone with a single glance.
One of the soldiers stepped forward and answered, "No, we haven't found her yet, Head Maid Lisa. But we'll keep searching and bring the young lady home."
His voice was stiff, betraying his fear of the woman before him.
It was only natural. Lisa was no ordinary maid—she was the Beethoven family's head maid and an exceptional swordswoman who had reached the Seventh Awakening.
If she wished, she could cut them down with a single slash.
Lisa inhaled deeply to control her anger, then nodded heavily.
"Okay. But I expect you to move quickly. Otherwise, you will face the consequences. Understood?"
Her knife-sharp gaze made everyone nod awkwardly.
"We understand," they replied in unison.
"Leave now."
They dared not argue and immediately rushed off to search for Margaret's trail.
Watching them leave, Lisa let out a small sigh and rubbed her temples.
'Young lady, where have you gone?' she murmured worriedly.
"Are you looking for your young lady? Did she disappear too?"
A man's voice suddenly came from behind. Startled, Lisa turned to see a middle-aged man approaching with his eyes closed.
"Who are you?" Lisa asked cautiously.
She could sense his intimidating aura—one no weaker than her own.
The man, James, gave a faint smile as he introduced himself.
"My name is James, servant of the Clay family. I heard your young lady has gone missing, hasn't she? Coincidentally, my young master is also missing. It seems they were both kidnapped by the same person. So… may I join your search?"