NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: A Curse and a Heavy Mission
Merlin fell silent again, contemplating the system's words. Admittedly, they were completely true.
Killing Abel was indeed the quickest way to avoid Merlin Clay's death in the storyline. But did that mean his death could be avoided in other ways?
The answer was certainly no. The world of The Lost Hero was vast and filled with dangers.
It was a fantasy setting, where magic, swords, dragons, elves, and monsters naturally existed.
If he left Viscount Clay's family territory, his chances of dying would increase drastically. So, besides changing his fate, he also needed to grow stronger so he could protect himself and his loved ones.
Once he had calmed down, he looked at the system before him and nodded firmly.
"You're right, system! Killing Abel isn't just unfortunate—it also brings another disaster to me," he said solemnly.
The system seemed satisfied with his response and praised, "[As expected of my master—awesome!]"
Merlin felt slightly embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, do you have any other functions, system? Maybe like a status panel or the ability to see other people's statuses?"
In the system-themed novels popular in his previous world, the main characters could usually view both their own and others' status panels.
It was an extraordinary ability. Since everyone had their own secrets, knowing what they were hiding was like being several steps ahead.
"[Hehehe!]" The system laughed smugly. "[That's one of my basic abilities, Master. Just say 'status panel,' and yours will appear in front of you."]
Merlin was startled and immediately spoke. "Status panel!"
[Status]
Name: Merlin Clay
Identity: The First Son of the Viscount Clay Family
Age: 8 years old
Talent: –
Guardian Spirit: –
Rank: –
Bloodline: –
Health: Extremely poor (suffering from a particularly deadly curse)
As he read through the system panel, Merlin froze at its contents.
But when his eyes landed on the "Health" column, they widened in disbelief.
"A curse? I have a curse?" He was dumbfounded. "System, what does this mean? Why do I have a curse? And… what curse is it?"
He stared frantically at the system before him. As far as he remembered, Merlin Clay had never been cursed.
Although Merlin was only a minor character, Michiku-sensei had still written his information in detail in the databook released last month.
As the editor who revised the draft, Merlin had naturally read all the character introductions in The Lost Hero, so his knowledge was extensive.
"[The curse on you is called Blood Viroth. It causes a drastic change in personality—the kindest person can become vile and cruel. Even a Saint is not exempt. And slowly, the victim dies within ten years of being afflicted.]"
Listening to the explanation, Merlin's body stiffened as cold sweat ran down his neck and back.
'Blood Viroth? Damn… How could this curse befall Merlin Clay in the story?' He thought in shock.
Suddenly, he recalled his past conversation with Michiku-sensei. Back then, Michiku-sensei had come to his office, confiding about the difficulties he faced in writing the novel.
The problem centered on one character—Merlin Clay. According to Michiku-sensei, Merlin had originally been a good person, so it made no sense for him to suddenly become ruthless and violent.
Honestly, with Merlin Clay being just a minor villain, an unimportant extra, Michiku-sensei didn't really need to think that hard. But he was incredibly stubborn and insisted on closing every single plot hole.
In the end, Merlin had suggested adding scenes involving trauma or… a curse.
And now, seeing the curse written on the system panel, he realized this was probably Michiku-sensei's way of plugging that plot hole!
'But…' His eyes narrowed slightly. 'Why isn't this information in the databook? Did Michiku-sensei intentionally leave it out?'
After thinking it over, he felt that was the most likely explanation.
"Haa…" He let out a small sigh and glanced back at the system. "Is the curse still active even after I replaced the original Merlin Clay?"
"[No, the curse is not active for now. However, I can't guarantee it won't activate in the future.]"
The system's answer made Merlin, who had just begun to feel relieved, sink back into panic in an instant.
He swallowed hard and asked nervously, "Then… do you have a way to remove the curse?"
He didn't want to live under the shadow of the curse. It was like having an axe hanging over his head, ready to fall and decapitate him at any moment.
"[The curse can be removed. But first, you must complete the mission I will give you,]" the system replied casually.
"Oh?" Merlin was slightly surprised, his face lighting up. "Then give me the mission right away! I want to be free from this curse!"
"[Ding! Side Mission Unlocked! Raise your little sister Catrine's affection to 90 points! Reward: One S-Level Healing Potion that cures all diseases!]"
"Increase affection points?" Merlin froze, looking dazed. "Is that even possible?"
For the past two years, the original Merlin had bullied Catrine in ways that were nothing less than cruel.
He had locked her in the bathroom, slapped her, and more. Remembering all those moments, Merlin felt the urge to slap the real Merlin Clay.
But when he recalled that Merlin's cruelty had been caused by the Blood Viroth curse, he suppressed his anger and let out a small sigh.
"Looks like I'll have to work hard to make Catrine love me..."