Merlin wasn’t dumb. He knew why Sofia had suddenly become cranky, and it was his fault.

  The escalation of emotions was a dangerous and tricky thing, if not handled well could develop into something that could burn those involved. Chima had warned him of this, and even though he had planned to listen, things had taken a different turn than he had intended. All hope wasn’t lost, but it was a lot more complicated now. He could just reach for Sofia’s hand now, pull her back, and let it out to her that she should stop thinking about him the way she was. But, he still hesitated. Perhaps it was foolish. But he couldn’t help but consider what would happen to their friendship.

  It had been far easier confessing to Janeth, than it was to reject another.

  How did people do that?

  “You should get your bag,” said Sofia at that moment as they arrived at the hut Merlin had taken for his home for the duration of his stay in the Tower. Her voice was thicker than usual, and lower. Obviously. She was annoyed and confused.

  Merlin sighed. “All right. I’ll meet you all at the gate.” He turned around and walked into the hut, putting his somber thoughts behind him. And, as if to help him with that, his nose was blessed with a sumptuous smell. Merlin couldn’t quite describe it, but if he was to try his best and make an attempt regardless, he would compare it to the smell of sizzling bacon and fresh bread entangled. His mouth watered.

  Jung turned around, his golden slitted eyes perusing Merlin for a moment. He was squatting before his hearth, a pot hanging over a fire and a ladle in hand.

  “Smells nice,” said Merlin with a smile. “You’re making me hungry.”

  Jung remained silent for a moment. Then he stuck out a tongue and licked his ladle as if to tease Merlin into becoming even more hungry. Which was definitely the Drachen’s intention.

  Merlin had been adamant on rejecting the Drachen’s food during his stay, and he had ended up pissing Jung off.

  Of course, it wasn’t his fault. The last time they had taken something presented to them from the Tower, which was the bowl of water Baba had offered them back in his tent, it had tasted like a mishmash of mud and clay. The water had looked clean and yet tasted like that, which meant that could have only come as a result of the fact that the simulation was affecting their taste buds in relation to things from the Tower.

  It was better to reject food with the claim that one wasn’t hungry, than having a scrunched face while eating. Now, that was rude.

  Merlin jerked a thumb at his room—well, where he had taken as his room.

  “Wanna get my things,” he said. “It’s time for me to leave.”

  Jung blinked, then turned away and continued stirring whatever he was cooking. Merlin took that as the Drachen giving him leeway to do whatever he wanted. He nodded and walked into the room. Blue jumped off his shoulder immediately and crept into Merlin’s bag just before he picked it up.

  He had already readied his things, so he didn’t have much to do. He gave one last look around the room and sighed. It hadn’t been the most pleasant six days, but, for a simulation, it had evoked a good number of emotions from him. It was funny, though, they had managed to clear their quest in less than the time they had been given to do it. He wondered if they would be the first to leave their assigned Tower, but he doubted that. Nora had President Sakamoto on her team. Merlin was yet to see the disciplinary club’s president in action yet, but there was this feeling he got from him that told him he was as strong as they came. And, well, there was the instance where he had zoomed in to save Merlin from Choi Sangook. A memory Merlin would love very much to forget.

  Whatever the case was, they had completed their mission and that meant he would be able to compete in the tournament. He was looking forward to it. He had to prove to his parents that he was no longer just their little kid and they could depend on him, even if only a little bit.

  Ready, Merlin turned around and left the room to meet Jung standing outside, a dirk in hand.

  [Have this], said Jung. [A gift].

  Merlin blinked. “Uhm… Why?”

  Jung’s forehead creased. He pushed the dirk into Merlin’s hand forcefully and took a step backward so that Merlin couldn’t hand it back.

  [A gift], Jung repeated. [Take it].

  Merlin glanced at the dirk and sighed inwardly.

  It was not that he wanted to reject the gift, it was just impossible to accept it. This was a simulation, however realistic it was, modeled to play out like an interactive game dependent on one’s choices, and that meant everything that existed within it wasn’t real.

  How was he to take something he had been offered in it out, when the one who had offered it couldn’t leave?

  [You have received a token of friendship]

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Merlin jerked back slightly as a sudden blue screen bearing words appeared before his view.

  [Gift: D-Rank Dirk received]

  [Description: A dirk whose blade was crafted from the Scharf rocks of the southern cave, imbued with the natural essence of the mythical dragon, Xéros. Highly congruous with enchantments, in return boosting its inherent capabilities]

  [Accept gift?]

  [Yes?/No?]

  Merlin was shocked. What was happening? This was the first time the System had done something like this, it hadn’t happened when he had received his bow and arrows from Park Yuri, and this feature definitely didn’t exist in Singularity Mage.

  Was he losing his mind? What sort of modifications did The Sleeping Jacket make to the System?

  [Does something trouble you]? Jung asked, noticing Merlin’s frozen stature.

  Merlin snapped back and chuckled. “Nothing. I was just impressed by the craftsmanship.”

  Jung had a brief smile spread his lips apart. [I made it myself], he said. [I always wanted to be a craftsman. Ended up a warrior].

  Merlin blinked. Then gave a smile of his own.

  “Well, you can pursue your dreams now, can’t you?” he said. “The war is over. And you don’t have to be worried about being attacked by any village anymore.”

  Jung nodded. [That is true. But we also have to ascend the Tower. I do not suppose I have the time to sit around crafting weapons].

  There was no point convincing the Drachen as this whole thing was a simulation, but Merlin would feel disappointed with himself if he just let things fly as it was.

  “You don't have to think about crafting as sitting around and doing nothing,” he explained. “Everyone has a role to play in life. And that is how each Drachen has a role to play in ascending the Tower. It isn’t a necessity that you pick up a spear to help your kin. How about you make those spears for them instead? The journey to the second floor won’t be an easy task, and you’ll need all the weapons you can get. I’m sure they’ll welcome a warrior turned crafter.”

  Jung’s eyes widened softly, and his smile was a lot wider and visible this time. He bowed.

  [Thank you], he said. [You have been a light to us in these dark times. You and your friends].

  Merlin blushed. That was a high praise. He scratched his head sheepishly.

  “Heh. Thank you.”

  ###

  Merlin was the last to arrive at the gate. Again. But this time he was not met with furious gazes. They were all engaged in some sort of—chat?—with the Drachens around, and Senior Sun-Hee and Senior Hyunwoo were with Krieger, Zauberer, and Baba.

  What exactly were they all doing when they couldn’t actually understand themselves? Or had the war built some sort of natural connection between them?

  Merlin thought briefly before his thoughts shifted momentarily to the dirk he had hidden in the lower layers of his bag, still confused as to what was going on. He had ended up accepting it, but that didn’t mean he was certain it would be leaving the Tower with him. And if it did, then that would be totally surprising.

  Was the System going to keep doing that?

  At this rate he wouldn’t be able to predict what it could and couldn’t do. And that would be horrific.

  “Finally arrived, eh?” Man-Shik said, slapping Merlin on the back as he did. “What were you packing?”

  Merlin replied with a chuckle. “My things, obviously.” Then he walked towards Baba and Krieger and bowed slightly in respect to the old Drachen. “I suppose that’ll be all?”

  Baba nodded. [Precisely, Blessed. Thank you, and your friends, for your help. We shall not forget today, ever. And we will make sure to repay you all one day.]

  “And we will be more than appreciative of your help,” Merlin replied despite knowing that such would never come to be. Simulations weren’t real.

  Krieger walked forward, took Merlin’s hand and shook it. But it was not without purpose as something had been transferred from the Drachen to him.

  Merlin looked at the object in his palm. It was a seashell—or looked like one—possessing intricate markings and a rope passing through it to turn it into a necklace.

  Another token?

  [It is called a Meer], explained Krieger. [Blow on it whenever you need our help, and we shall come to you if we have the means]. He tightened his grip on Merlin’s palms once more. [The Drachens of Blatt will forever be indebted to you and your friends].

  Krieger’s words triggered the System, and, as Merlin had expected, a pop-up certifying the Meer as a token appeared.

  [You have received a token of friendship]

  [Gift: C-Rank Meer received]

  [Description: A necklace carved from the bones of the neckpiece of the Baba of Blatt, enchanted by the dragonpriest, Zauberer, to connect worlds. Blow on it, and the Drachens shall hear your plea for help.]

  [Accept gift?]

  [Yes?/No?]

  Merlin glanced at Zauberer with the notification of the System, and the dragonpriest gave a simple nod in his direction. He pursed his lips and nodded as well.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I accept your gift.”

  [Gift: C-Rank Meer accepted]

  Merlin shoved the necklace into his pocket, and that concluded their goodbyes. He turned to the rest of his mates, and they proceeded out of the village, sent forth by waves and cheers from the Drachens behind them.

  It was all a feeling Merlin had never experienced before. And, unsurprisingly, he loved it. Being seen by others for doing good, and being appreciated for it. It was soothing, calm, and it had been that way all through their trek until the sandworms appeared, and they’d had to repeat their ‘Bait and Ride’ tactic, but without Krieger this time.

  It helped reduce the distance of their trek to the escape portal, though. And for that they were glad. That was, until they hurried through it before the sandworms could have them for dinner and found the Open field in a different way than they had left it.

  “What’s going on here?” Senior Hyunwoo asked, panting as they all looked around.

  The Open field had become an amalgam of cables and machinery, and all around were erected tents with technicians bumbling from one place to another comparing datasets.

  It was not until a good second had passed before they were noticed and the Open field fell silent. Everyone turned in their direction, took a moment to make sure they were seeing clearly, and then their eyes widened.

  “Get the headmaster! Quickly!” one shouted, and a sinking feeling stormed Merlin’s stomach.

  There could only be one explanation for all this. The System had done it again.