After his eyes healed and he could see again, Merlin looked around, searching for the figure from earlier, but the mysterious person was nowhere to be found.
"I don't understand... was he looking for me? Ah, never mind, I have to get to the academy," Merlin thought to himself.
Before leaving, Merlin picked up the black powder wrapped in cloth that the mysterious figure had given him. He looked at his reflection in the lake water beside him and realized that his irises had truly turned black.
Feeling reassured, Merlin stored the powder carefully, knowing it would be useful to prevent others from thinking he was blind again.
Merlin continued his journey to the academy without wearing his facial hood. Now that his eyes appeared normal, they wouldn't draw attention, allowing him to walk freely.
After walking a long distance and leaving the forest, Merlin found himself lost, unsure of which direction to take. He climbed the tallest tree nearby, but even from the top, he couldn't see any landmarks. It seemed the forest stretched endlessly.
Merlin climbed down and resumed walking through the forest, unsure if he was heading the right way. He pressed on, hoping to find a way out.
Merlin walked for miles, but his destination remained elusive. Instead of finding the forest's edge, he wandered deeper into its dense and humid interior. The trees grew larger, their canopies blocking out the sunlight, casting the surroundings in an eerie darkness.
As night fell, Merlin decided to rest in a spacious yet damp cave.
"Damn it, I can't even find a way out, and there's not a soul around," Merlin muttered to himself.
He drank some water he had carried from the lake and prepared a resting spot, using leaves as a mat and blanket. Exhausted from the day's journey, Merlin quickly fell into a deep sleep.
After what felt like hours, Merlin woke up, startled to find himself lying on thick fur.
"What is this fur?" Merlin thought, his worry mounting as he feared it might belong to a dangerous beast.
Slowly, he rose, trying not to wake the creature. It was massive—far larger than a human—covered in thick fur, and its sheer size made Merlin shudder in fear.
As he attempted to sneak away, Merlin accidentally stepped on the creature's tail, waking it up.
A deafening roar filled the cave as the beast, seemingly in pain, turned its gaze toward Merlin.
Now, Merlin could see clearly—it was a giant, furry creature resembling an oversized cat. Its size was beyond normal, making Merlin question if he was dreaming.
He repeatedly blinked to ensure he wasn't seeing things, but the creature was undeniably real.
"What are you doing? I helped you, and now you step on my tail? Do you want to fight me?" the enormous cat growled angrily.
"N-No, it was an accident! Wait, you can talk? That's incredible," Merlin stammered, his amazement temporarily diffusing the tense atmosphere.
"You're a strange human to wander here unprepared. What is your purpose?" the giant cat asked, its initial anger fading as it became curious about Merlin's demeanor.
"I'm lost. I didn't mean to come here," Merlin replied honestly, admitting his confusion about the dark forest.
"Then, do you intend to become my meal?" the giant cat asked, its tone sending a chill down Merlin's spine.
"N-No, I don't mean any harm. Please don't eat me," Merlin pleaded, his fear evident.
"But you came to my home uninvited. How can I not eat you?" the cat teased, prompting Merlin to rack his brain for a way to appease the creature.
The sheer size of the beast made any thought of fighting it futile. Merlin realized he needed to negotiate.
"Please spare me. I'll leave immediately," Merlin pleaded again, hoping to avoid becoming the cat's meal.
"Do you think you can just leave?" the cat retorted, making Merlin realize escaping wasn't an option.
"I won't run away, but please, don't eat me," Merlin said again, aware of the beast's dominance and the peril of being stranded in an unfamiliar forest.
"Fine. Fetch me some food," the cat finally said.
"What do you eat?" Merlin asked, feeling somewhat relieved.
"Get me fish from the lake," the cat replied, seemingly amused by Merlin's situation.
"Damn, I've been played! Of course, a cat eats fish, not humans. I'm overthinking this," Merlin thought, exasperated.
"Alright, but I don't know where the lake is," Merlin admitted, unwilling to wander the forest alone.
"You're so troublesome," the cat said before shrinking into the form of an ordinary small cat, now looking much cuter.
"Follow me," the cat instructed, leading the way.
"What's your name? I'm Merlin," Merlin said, trying to befriend the cat.
"I don't have a name," the now-small cat replied curtly.
"Then how should I call you?" Merlin asked, attempting to build rapport.
"Why would you need to call me?" the small cat said, sounding annoyed.
"Well, we're friends now, so we should know each other's names," Merlin explained, feeling less threatened.
"Call me whatever you want," the cat said indifferently, walking ahead of Merlin.
"How about Sofi? Your fur is so soft," Merlin suggested, finding the cat's new form adorable.
"I'm male! I don't want a girly name, unlike you—a guy using a girl's name," the cat retorted sharply, making Merlin freeze.
Merlin suddenly remembered his disguise and how long he had been pretending. His carelessness nearly exposed him.
"Oh, I thought you were female!" Merlin said, trying to cover his slip-up.
"Pervert! If I were female, I wouldn't have slept near you. But since we're both male, I helped you," the cat remarked, making Merlin panic further about maintaining his disguise.
"Alright, how about Lucky?" Merlin suggested, quickly coming up with another name.
"We've reached the lake. Catch me plenty of fish!" the small cat demanded.
"Ugh, I'm taking orders from a cat," Merlin muttered, entering the lake with a sharpened spear to catch fish.
After gathering a decent amount of fish, Merlin returned to shore and found Lucky lounging lazily.
"Hey, Lucky, I've got your fish," Merlin said, approaching the cat.
The cat opened its eyes, stretched, and then transformed into a strikingly handsome human, leaving Merlin stunned.
"Who are you really?" Merlin asked, his voice filled with astonishment.