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

In the novel, Margaret's curse isn't really emphasized. However, the databook mentions, in passing, that the curse made her face terrifying—almost monstrous.

People were frightened of her and avoided her, worried that the curse might spread to them.

In reality, this wasn't true at all. Merlin didn't find Margaret's face scary; it looked completely normal to him.

Keep in mind, he had once seen a news report about a fire. It showed a woman whose entire body had been burnt.

Her skin was red and charred. Her hair was gone, and her scalp was a vivid red, streaked with drops of blood.

At that moment, Merlin had nearly vomited and hurriedly closed the news portal. Compared to that, Margaret's face was perfectly "safe"—not even five percent as horrifying.

Margaret felt her cheeks burn as she sensed the warmth of his hand. She didn't pull away; instead, she leaned into it.

Aside from her mother, this was the first time someone else had touched her like this—someone who genuinely accepted her.

Suddenly, Merlin realized his mistake and quickly withdrew his hand from her face.

"Ahem! I'm sorry, Margaret. I didn't realize—I hope I didn't offend you," he said, flustered.

He hadn't expected to act so boldly. In his previous world, such a thing would have been considered harassment, punishable by two years in prison.

But Margaret wasn't angry at all. White smoke drifted from her head as she lowered it shyly.

"No need to worry," she replied softly. "I'm not angry at all. On the contrary… I'm actually quite happy."

Merlin let out a relieved sigh. If Margaret had been upset, all the affection he had worked so hard to earn would have been wasted.

"By the way," Margaret said, lifting her head. "Is what you said… true? Is my face really cute?"

She intertwined her fingers, her eyes full of expectation.

"Yes, I'm telling the truth," Merlin said honestly. "I don't understand why people avoid you just because of your face. It's actually very beautiful."

His words made Margaret's face light up with happiness.

"[Ding! The heroine Margaret's affection increased by 2 points! Affection now: 98 points!]"

"Oh?" Merlin was momentarily surprised, then smiled quietly. 'Just two points away from 100. That's a relief.'

He didn't know what reward awaited him, but he was sure it would be worthwhile. After all, the system was generous.

The system: "[Humph! Your praise won't sway me! But… ahem! If you do it again, I might consider it.]"

Merlin: "..."

"In that case, let's eat. Otherwise, it'll get cold soon." Margaret's excited voice pulled Merlin out of his thoughts.

He gave a small nod and began eating the food in front of him. At first, he thought the price might not be worth the taste.

But he was soon slapped by the undeniable truth in front of him—it was absolutely delicious!

The ingredients were top-notch, the cooking time was perfect, and the seasonings weren't just thrown together—they were thoughtfully balanced.

"No wonder it's so expensive—this really is amazing," he said in awe.

Ignoring Margaret entirely, he continued eating with gusto. She didn't feel offended. On the contrary, she felt happy.

Her mother had once told her, "A true friend will show their relaxed, natural self around you."

And now, seeing Merlin shamelessly devour his food in front of her, she knew they were truly friends.

With a smile, she also resumed eating. Since the dishes Merlin had ordered were her favorites, she naturally enjoyed every bite.

Half an hour later, the meal was finally over. The table, once overflowing with food, now held only a pile of empty plates.

"Ah… I'm so full," Merlin said, smiling widely as he rubbed his slightly bloated stomach.

The food had been so delicious he couldn't leave a single bite. Margaret, sitting next to him, also felt satisfied.

Yet she still maintained her image as a graceful young lady in front of him.

"Oh, well, Margaret, I have a gift for you," Merlin said softly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a jar of white cream with gold engravings.

"I'm not sure if you'll believe me, but this cream can heal your face."

He handed it to her. He had wanted to give it to her yesterday, but he had been too busy practicing.

Margaret was taken aback, her eyes fixed on the cream in a daze.

"A cream that can cure my curse?" She murmured softly.

Only she knew how many methods and healing potions had been tried to break her curse—and all had failed.

The curse that plagued her was said to be ancient, with no known recipe for a cure. That was why, for so long, no one had succeeded—not even the most powerful mages in the land.

And now Merlin was claiming that this cream could cure her. The thought both surprised her and made her… skeptical.

Sensing her hesitation, Merlin let out a small sigh. He understood why she found it hard to believe. In the novel, Margaret had already reached a point of despair and had given up trying to lift her curse.

Only when Abel could create the right potion would she regain hope.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin put on a reassuring smile. "How about this: you try it first. If nothing happens, you can throw it away. But if it works, use it five times a day. After that, your curse will definitely disappear."

Hearing this, Margaret realized her mistake. Merlin was her friend—there was no way he would lie to her, let alone hurt her.

Quickly, she took the cream and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I doubted you earlier. Don't worry, I believe you! If you say this cream can heal me, then it has to work!"

"[Ding! The heroine Margaret's affection increased by 2 points! Affection now: 100 (perfect). Congratulations, Master, on successfully conquering Margaret Beethoven! Since this is your first time conquering a heroine, your rewards will be doubled! The rewards have been delivered. Would you like to open them now?]"

Merlin took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. Without hesitation, he replied, 'Not now.'

"[Ding! The rewards have been saved and can be opened later!]"

He let out a small sigh and looked at Margaret, her face glowing with happiness. He couldn't help but smile.

'All that effort was worth it…'