"You're not going to watch the match?" Lucy asked again, reminding Merlin about today's tournament.
"I'm not going to the tournament today. I want to help the villagers affected by the disaster. I feel guilty because my mistake caused them to lose their homes," Merlin admitted regretfully, although she couldn't do much to help. She didn't have the money to compensate the villagers for their losses.
"That's why you shouldn't use your powers recklessly. If you still can't control your inner energy, things like this will happen often. Remember not to overdo it," Lucy advised.
In truth, Merlin had great strength and potential, but she hadn't yet realized the full extent of her abilities and tended to be indifferent to her own talents.
"Yes, I understand. I plan to borrow some money to compensate them. I can't bear to see them suffer," Merlin said, deciding to borrow money to make amends.
Unable to meet with Zaky, Merlin decided to borrow money from Azuma, as she didn't know anyone else well enough. She eventually returned to the academy to find Azuma.
"Lucy, let's head to the academy," Merlin said enthusiastically.
"I've been waiting for you to go there for ages. I also want to watch the match," Lucy said, finally heading to the academy with Merlin.
Zaky, who had been worried since Merlin's absence, sat anxiously. He couldn't leave to search for her since the Black Clan members were gathered to watch the tournament.
Azuma, who also hadn't seen Merlin, was growing concerned, fearing she might do something reckless again. Azuma worried about Merlin's tendency for foolish actions that could endanger herself.
During the match, Merlin returned to the academy, showing her participant card at the gate, where security was strict. Unsure where to sit, she wandered around, not knowing which clan she belonged to. Spotting Azuma seated above, she used her flying skill to sneak in undetected and approached Azuma from behind.
"Hey," Merlin said, tapping Azuma on the shoulder. Startled, Azuma didn't recognize her and shoved her backward. Fortunately, Merlin didn't fall.
"Who are you?" Azuma asked, stopping the guards from attacking Merlin.
"Are you blind? It's me, Merlin," she replied, annoyed by Azuma's reaction.
Realizing it was Merlin, Azuma quickly pulled her aside to a more private spot to talk.
"Where have you been? And why are you dressed like that?" Azuma asked, relieved but puzzled by Merlin's attire.
"I had something to take care of, so I couldn't arrive on time. I didn't have other clothes, so I had to wear this. I need some money. Can you lend me some? If I win and get the prize, I'll pay you back," Merlin said, intending to borrow money to compensate the villagers.
Azuma laughed at the idea of Merlin borrowing money, thinking the tournament prize was money. In reality, the prize was a spirit stone weapon, a coveted artifact. Merlin, however, wasn't interested in weapons—she just needed cash.
"How much do you need? I'll give it to you; no need to borrow. But you're not winning this tournament," Azuma said, aware of Merlin's limited skills. She knew Merlin could see her companion beast but didn't know how to control or use its power.
"If you're giving it to me, then as much as possible," Merlin replied eagerly.
"Is this enough?" Azuma handed her ten gold coins, a considerable amount since one gold coin could buy luxurious items. Money was highly valuable at that time.
"More than enough. Thank you!" Merlin said happily and started to leave, but Azuma stopped her.
"Where are you going? The tournament isn't over yet. You need to watch your fellow competitors. Don't take this match lightly," Azuma warned, concerned for Merlin.
"Just for a bit. I need to compensate the villagers," Merlin said, piquing Azuma's curiosity about what had happened with the villagers.
"I'll go with you. Let me inform my siblings first so they don't look for me," Azuma said. She quickly went to notify Asuka, who agreed to take over overseeing the tournament.
Azuma returned to Merlin, who was playing with a cat while waiting. The sight made Azuma curious.
"Whose cat is that?" Azuma asked, sensing the cat's powerful inner energy—it was none other than Lucy.
"It's my pet. I found it in the market. It was starving, so I took it in," Merlin said, deliberately provoking Lucy's anger.
"You little... I'll deal with you later," Lucy muttered through telepathy.
"I love it when you're mad, Grandpa Lucy," Merlin teased, knowing it would annoy Lucy further.
"Alright, let's go," Azuma said, eventually following Merlin to the village.
Using their flying skills, they quickly arrived at the disaster site, guided by Merlin. Azuma was shocked to see the state of the village but hadn't been aware of the disaster.
Merlin began distributing the gold coins she borrowed from Azuma to the villagers whose homes had been damaged and needed repair.
"Who caused this? This isn't a natural disaster—it's the work of inner energy. There must've been a fight I wasn't aware of. Who wields such immense power?" Azuma thought, realizing the destruction wasn't from an ordinary earthquake but a battle involving powerful inner energy.
To the villagers, it was just an earthquake. But to Azuma, a skilled inner energy user, the truth was evident. After inspecting the area, Azuma returned to Merlin, who had finished distributing the money.
"It seems there was a battle with tremendous power that devastated this village," Azuma said, worried that the Black Clan might be involved.
Merlin froze at Azuma's words, realizing her actions had caused the destruction. But she couldn't bring herself to confess. She didn't want Azuma to blame the Black Clan for something they didn't do.
"Should I tell the truth? I'm scared Azuma will be angry with me," Merlin thought, torn about how to respond.
In the end, Merlin decided to be honest. She couldn't bear the thought of her mistake being blamed on someone else, especially given the deeply rooted rivalry between the Blue and Black Clans.
"This was my fault. I'm the one who did it," Merlin admitted, accepting whatever consequences might come rather than lying.