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Chapter 47: An Offer and Freedom of Choice "Your talent is truly amazing. What if I give you a chance to rise?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞 Hearing that, Tharvis was stunned. He pointed at himself and asked, "Me? Talented? Young Master, aren’t you mistaken?" He was just an ordinary person without any talent—something he had long accepted, so he never paid much attention to it. But now, Merlin was telling him that he possessed extraordinary talent—something he had never even imagined. Merlin gave a small nod, his gaze shifting to the potion in his hand. "Yes, your talent is truly remarkable. You might think your potion is flawed or a failure, but in truth, it’s only imperfect. The black spots are simply impurities left behind." "But that’s not the main point. Normally, concocting potions is something only alchemists can do after studying theory for at least a full year. Even then, success isn’t guaranteed. Many fail dozens—no, even hundreds—of times before they finally succeed. But..." His eyes returned to Tharvis, filled with admiration. "You managed it without any theory, without any proper equipment. Just a pot and all the ingredients thrown in at once. Honestly, there has never been a method like that before. That’s why I was so surprised when I heard how you did it." After saying that, he let out a long sigh tinged with envy. His own talent was A-ranked, yet it wasn’t truly his own—it came from the potion he had received as a reward for awakening his Guardian Spirit. In reality, he was nothing but untalented trash. Without the system, he probably would never have risen up or changed his destiny. That was why he felt deeply grateful to it. System: "[Ahem! I’m so embarrassed, Master. Still, I’ll gladly accept your gratitude! (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)]" Merlin ignored the words and turned back to Tharvis. "So, what do you think about my offer? Will you accept it?" Tharvis frowned. Honestly, he had never expected something like this to happen to him. From his potion being dismissed as flawed and then suddenly bought, to now receiving this unexpected offer—it all felt like a dream. He couldn’t process everything at once, leaving him lost in deep thought. ’Should I accept it or not?’ The question echoed in his mind. He sensed no malicious intent from the boy before him. Besides, even if there was, what could he possibly want from him? He was just a poor boy with nothing. It was ridiculous to think that someone like Merlin would be after his life. Even so, this was not an offer he could accept lightly. If he left, what would happen to his grandmother? Who would take care of her? He longed to change his fate, but he couldn’t bear to lose her. Seeing him hesitate, Merlin only smiled, making no effort to rush him. He understood that this was a difficult decision for Tharvis. After all, it was so sudden—anyone would find it strange to accept right away. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a Clay family badge and handed it to him. "Take this," he said. Tharvis snapped out of his reverie and instinctively accepted it. He examined the gold-colored badge closely. It bore the motif of a golden bird with wings spread wide. At its center was the image of a sword and a spear, majestic and domineering in design. "I won’t force you. The choice is yours," Merlin said casually as he turned away. "If you refuse, just keep the badge. But if you decide to accept, come to the large mansion on the north side of Droswen City and hand this badge to the guards. Tell them that Merlin Clay sent you." Without waiting for an answer, Merlin walked out of the narrow alley and disappeared into the crowd. Watching his back fade away, Tharvis bit his lower lip and glanced again at the badge in his hand. "The Clay family? Don’t tell me... He’s the young master of the Clay family, infamous for being troublesome and annoying? If that’s true, then this is really... a miracle..." *** "[Why don’t you force him, Master? If you persuaded him a little more, I’m sure he would accept,]" the system asked in confusion. It could see that Tharvis actually wanted to accept the offer. If Merlin had been more patient, the outcome might have been certain. But Merlin only smiled as he looked up at the blue sky. "Have you ever heard the saying, ’A river never forces a stone to flow’?" "[No, I’ve never heard of it,]" the system admitted, embarrassed. Merlin chuckled softly before explaining, "What I mean is, nature allows things to take their course and lets fate decide. If I force Tharvis to come with me, it might backfire. He has his own struggles, and I don’t fully understand his situation or the burdens he carries." In the databook, Tharvis’ information was incomplete. The only detail mentioned was that he had a sickly grandmother, who eventually passed away when Tharvis was thirteen. For that reason, Merlin chose not to act rashly and risk ruining Tharvis’ impression of him. "[Master, you really are smart and wise! How did I not notice you’ve changed so much? Back then, you were still quite naive,]" the system said admiringly. Merlin remained calm at the praise, showing not the slightest trace of pride. "At that time, I was still shaken and unfamiliar with this world. On top of that, I was in a child’s body, so naturally I appeared naive and immature. But now, things are different. I can control this body freely, and the original Merlin Clay’s childish nature no longer affects me." What he said wasn’t an excuse but the truth. Back then, he was just a modern human who had never seen magic or monsters—let alone a dragon. So his reaction was perfectly natural. It would have been strange if he had suddenly appeared strong and fearless. More importantly, Merlin Clay’s body was still that of a child. The instincts of youth remained ingrained in his very bones, unconsciously influencing him. Even so, he had already learned to control it, knowing when to act mature and when to lean on his childish nature to avoid unnecessary suspicion. The system grew increasingly in awe of Merlin. At last, it felt truly proud to have a master like him. "By the way, how’s the mission, system? Did my actions earlier count as saving the supporting character?" Merlin asked. "[Not yet, Master. Saving him means changing his fate completely. Still, the progress has already reached 60%. Just a little more, and you’ll complete it.]" "Alright, I see," Merlin nodded. "That was within my expectations." His steps came to a halt in front of the largest potion store on South Street—the Alkira Potions Shop. A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he nodded. "Let’s go in..."