"You are truly clueless, not recognizing the King's daughter," said Lucy, mocking Merlin for failing to recognize Sujin.
Merlin was shocked, almost unable to believe that the person he had been searching for all this time turned out to be the King's daughter. No wonder her crimes were covered up and ignored by the academy—it was because Sujin was royalty.
"But wait, why are the King's daughter's eyes red? Is she a fake princess?" Merlin asked Lucy, unintentionally drawing attention to himself and prompting Lucy to gesture at him to stop talking about Sujin.
Sujin, the King's daughter, was notorious for her cruelty, using her power to torture and kill anyone who opposed her, especially those daring enough to claim she wasn't the King's true daughter. Even from her eye color, it was evident she didn't share the King's lineage. However, people remained silent out of fear of Sujin's ferocity—Merlin included, as he was one of Sujin's victims.
Merlin knew his adversary was no ordinary person, and he realized it would be challenging to defeat Sujin, especially since she had the backing of her four brothers and the King, who adored her as his only daughter.
The first prince, leader of the Blue Clan, had a blue dragon as his companion beast. The second prince's companion was a lion, the third prince's a scorpion, and the fourth prince's a dog. Sujin, meanwhile, had a dove as her companion.
Merlin, capable of seeing companion beasts, chose not to concern himself and simply observed them from afar, all while plotting his revenge. He shifted his focus to the ongoing tournament. In the first round, there were 20 matches, resulting in 20 winners. Another set of matches would take place the next day.
After watching the lengthy matches, Merlin concluded that he should bring food the next day—at least popcorn—for a better viewing experience.
As the day's tournament ended and the sky darkened, Zaky approached Merlin to suggest heading home.
"Where do you want to go? I'll take you there," Zaky offered, assuming Merlin had a family or a place to return to within the Blue Clan.
"I don't know, honestly. But I'm starving. Could you buy me something to eat? I'm out of money," Merlin replied, shamelessly.
Zaky laughed at Merlin's candidness. He couldn't believe he'd met a woman so bold and unafraid of him, even though he wasn't particularly skilled in combat.
"Alright, I'll buy you some food," Zaky said cheerfully, happy for an excuse to dine with Merlin.
The two began walking out, and Merlin felt lucky to save money since coins made of gold were rare and valuable, often out of reach for the poor, who usually bartered goods. Only the royal family and officials could afford to use gold coins.
But their departure was interrupted by the Blue Clan leader, who stopped Merlin.
"Where do you think you're going? I still have unfinished business with you," he said.
Zaky halted and firmly grasped Merlin's arm, unwilling to let her be taken away.
"Oh, come on! You still need this idiot? I'm starving. Don't make me uncomfortable. At least let me eat first," Merlin complained, clearly famished.
"Come with me," the Blue Clan leader demanded, grabbing Merlin's hand to lead her away.
As Merlin followed, Zaky also trailed behind, unwilling to leave her alone. Meanwhile, Lucy discreetly shadowed them. As a rare, living companion beast, Lucy preferred to stay unnoticed to avoid causing more trouble for Merlin.
Eventually, the trio arrived at a royal family's favorite dining tavern. They sat down, and Merlin insisted on eating first. After ordering, a tray of roasted chicken, vegetables, and rice was placed on the table.
Merlin washed her hands and eagerly began eating, ignoring the two men staring at her in astonishment. Unlike most women, who displayed grace and poise, Merlin ate without restraint, as if she were a starving man.
"Are you really that hungry?" the Blue Clan leader asked, unaccustomed to seeing a woman eat so unreservedly.
"I haven't had rice in days. Of course, I'm hungry," Merlin answered honestly.
Lucy joined her at the table, sharing the food. The Blue Clan leader found Merlin's behavior odd, as it was rare to see a woman so indifferent to appearances. Zaky, however, was used to Merlin's carefree demeanor and found it endearing.
"Don't you have a family to keep you from starving like this?" the Blue Clan leader asked, perplexed.
While Merlin and Lucy devoured the largest portions of chicken, the two men resigned themselves to smaller pieces.
"How long have you known her?" the Blue Clan leader asked Zaky.
"I met Merlin just this morning when she asked me to escort her to the academy," Zaky replied, proud to have her as a friend.
"Just this morning, and you're already this close?" The leader squinted suspiciously at their camaraderie.
"Merlin's just easy to get along with. What's wrong with that?" Zaky said, clearly smitten with her, unconcerned about clan rivalries.
"You don't dislike the Blue Clan anymore?" the leader asked, surprised.
"Well, not entirely, but you can't deny Merlin's charm," Zaky admitted, his feelings for her evident.
The Blue Clan leader warned him, "You're the heir to the Western Kingdom. Don't think your father will approve of you fraternizing with her."
"My father will approve once he sees Merlin," Zaky said confidently, blinded by his affection for her.
"Do you even hear yourself? You're deluded," the leader said, shaking his head. Meanwhile, Merlin, clueless about their conversation, interrupted.
"Wait a minute, isn't this supposed to be one kingdom?" she asked, leaving both men incredulous at her ignorance.