NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: An Apology
In the dining room, three people sat together, enjoying their meal.
They were an adult man, an adult woman, and a six-year-old girl.
The man was tall and well-built, with a stern face, short brown hair, and a thin beard on his chin and beneath his nose.
Although only about twenty-six, his aura of authority made it impossible for anyone to resist his presence.
Across from him, a mature woman sat with elegance and calm. Her snow-white hair was tied in a loose braid that flowed down her back.
Her purple eyes gleamed like finely cut sapphires, framed by long lashes, and the gentle smile on her lips carried a charm both soothing and captivating.
At the end of the table, a small girl with a short stature sat quietly. Her silver hair was styled into two braided pigtails, adorned with a butterfly-shaped ribbon in the middle.
Her round cheeks made her look cute, but her gloomy expression suggested she was having a bad day.
The woman glanced at the little girl and sighed softly.
"My dear," she called gently. "Where is Merlin? Why hasn't he come to the dining room?"
The little girl trembled, lowering her head to hide the emotions on her face.
Ardhis continued eating, chewing, and swallowing lazily.
"I don't know. Maybe that damn boy is sleeping," he muttered in a disgruntled tone, stabbing a piece of meat on his plate before eating it irritably.
The woman paused for a moment, then asked again, "Did you tell Maya to wake him up?"
"I did, but I'm not sure the boy will listen to Maya. After all, it's the same every day," he replied.
Those words left the woman speechless. She stared at the delicious dishes before her, but her appetite vanished.
As a mother, Livia was deeply worried about her son, Merlin. In the past, he had been obedient and kind; he never even dared to refuse her orders.
But everything changed about two years ago. For some reason, the boy had become mischievous and defiant.
He dared to oppose both her and her husband's orders and often hurt his younger sister, Catrine. Her husband had tried many methods to punish him, hoping to make him change.
Unfortunately, all efforts were in vain. Merlin only grew more rebellious.
The situation made Livia suspect that her son might be cursed. Yet after examinations by doctors and powerful mages, no trace of a curse was ever found.
Just as the atmosphere grew quiet and heavy, footsteps echoed from the dining room door.
Ardhis, Livia, and Catrine turned their heads—it was Merlin.
Livia was about to greet him warmly, but Ardhis' cold stare silenced her.
She anxiously glanced at her son, biting her lower lip.
Merlin entered and walked toward the table. His gaze shifted between his father and mother before stopping on the little girl, who sat at the end of the table with her head lowered in fear.
'So, that's Catrine, huh? What an adorable little girl!'
Merlin felt as though an arrow had pierced his heart, nearly making him lose control. Fortunately, he managed to compose himself quickly.
To be honest, among all the heroines in The Lost Hero novel, Catrine was the one who caught his attention the most.
She was described as graceful, beautiful, and charming. But beneath that, her true nature was cold, cruel, and unforgiving—the result of Merlin Clay's past cruelty.
Remembering that, Merlin's hatred for the original Merlin Clay reignited, and he longed to kill him right then and there.
"It's surprising that you actually came to the dining room for breakfast. I was just about to go to your room and wake you up myself."
The cold voice, sharp as an ice spear, snapped him out of his thoughts. Merlin looked up and found his father, Ardhis, staring at him with disgust.
Of course, Merlin wasn't angry. He understood his father's disappointment.
As the Clay family's hope, Ardhis had given him everything—affection, love, attention, and even luxuries. Yet all Merlin ever returned were problems.
To make matters worse, the real Merlin often hurt Catrine, the adopted child considered part of the family and the daughter of Ardhis' late friend.
Day after day, the disappointments piled up until Ardhis finally gave up on him.
"All right, dear," Livia interrupted with a gentle smile. "Merlin just woke up, and he must still be feeling dazed. Please don't scold him."
Ardhis rolled his eyes and sneered. "You're always defending him. Didn't you see how this brat caused trouble yesterday?"
"I know, but…" Livia began, only for Merlin's voice to suddenly cut her off.
"It's okay, Mother. What Father said is true. Everything was my fault. I'm sorry to all of you."
He bowed his head to all of them, his palms clenched together.
Although he was in Merlin Clay's body, he was not that bastard. He didn't want to disappoint his parents or make Catrine hate him.
In his previous world, his parents had died when he was still in elementary school. After that, he was raised by his uncle and aunt.
That was why he wanted to use this chance to gain the affection he had never received in his previous world.
Ardhis, who had been swallowing his food, suddenly choked at the sight. He quickly grabbed a glass of water and gulped it down in one go.
Once relieved, he looked at Merlin with a puzzled and astonished expression.
"What did you just say?" he asked suspiciously. "Apologizing? You? Did I hear that right?"
It wasn't that he had misheard—he simply wanted to confirm whether his ears were deceiving him.
Livia was just as surprised as Ardhis. She looked at her son from head to toe, as if she were staring at a completely different person.
"You didn't hear wrong, Father," Merlin said earnestly. "I want to apologize to you. Everything was my fault, and I promise I won't do it again."
Whoosh!
All of a sudden, a gust of wind brushed past Merlin, carrying with it a faint, soft whisper.
"Thank you, Merlin. Now, I'm truly… at peace…"
Merlin's eyes widened in shock. He didn't know who the voice belonged to, but only one figure appeared in his mind.
"Merlin… Clay?"
--------//Author Note://--------
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