"May I call you 'brother'?"
Merlin froze momentarily, his expression shifting as he looked at the shy Shen Ling'er standing before him.
"What did you say? You want to call me brother?" He inquired, his tone laced with hesitation.
Shen Ling'er nodded slightly, her face flushing with a faint blush.
"Yes, I want to call you brother," she replied nervously, her fingers tightly clasped together. "Would that be alright?"
Merlin didn't agree immediately. Instead, he asked softly, "Why do you want to do that? Can you explain your reasoning?"
Shen Ling'er bit her lower lip, carefully choosing her words. "Earlier, you said the reason you saved me was because I reminded you of your sister. You mentioned seeing her reflection in me."
She paused, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red, before continuing with a shy stammer, "That's why I want you to see me as your sister, and I'll see you as my brother. This way, you won't feel lonely anymore."
Her voice grew fainter, betraying the embarrassment she felt in revealing such thoughts. Yet, despite her unease, she chose to express her feelings openly, hiding nothing.
Throughout her life, she had been overlooked by everyone—her father, her mother, her two sisters, and even the people around her. Her existence felt as fleeting as a gust of wind: noticed, but never truly seen. This constant neglect left her trapped in sadness and despair.
But for the first time, someone genuinely cared for her—someone willing to risk his life to save hers. And in a survival test arena, where everyone else was either a rival or an enemy, Merlin's actions touched her heart even more deeply.
She had nothing to offer in return for his kindness—nothing but herself. After much thought, she resolved to become a sister to Merlin, so he would no longer feel the sorrow of parting his true sister from his original world.
As he listened to her reasoning, Merlin's face reflected a complex blend of emotions. His expression seemed to convey that he was deeply moved by Shen Ling'er's thoughtfulness and sincerity.
However, deep down, Merlin was brimming with laughter, struggling to suppress his amusement and delight.
"Hahaha! Becoming my younger sister? How amusing," he muttered to himself, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
Initially, he had crafted countless scenarios and elaborate plans to earn Shen Ling'er's complete trust, even preparing multiple contingencies in case she became suspicious of him.
But never in his wildest imagination did he expect her to willingly offer to be his younger sister—a situation that felt like someone handing him a hundred kilograms of gold for free!
"Tsk! Is this because of my [LCK] stat being off the charts, or is it my [CHA] stat that makes women so enthralled they lose all sense of reason?" Merlin mused with a sly grin, glancing at the status panel that materialized to his right.
Noticing Merlin's silence, Shen Ling'er grew increasingly anxious and fearful. She had no idea how he would respond to her sudden, seemingly irrational request. Given how recently they had met, anyone might think of her as impulsive or even foolish.
As her body trembled slightly and her toes curled with unease, a warm hand unexpectedly rested on her right cheek.
Startled, Shen Ling'er looked up to see Merlin smiling gently as he pinched her cheek.
Before she could respond, he chuckled softly and said, "Alright, I agree. From now on, I'll call you by your name, and you may call me brother."
Hearing his words, Shen Ling'er's once-dim eyes lit up like sparkling stars. "Really? I can call you brother?"
"Of course," Merlin replied with a light smile, withdrawing his hand from her cheek and patting her head gently.
Standing at six feet five inches, Merlin towered over Shen Ling'er, whose petite five-foot-five frame made her look small and delicate—like a true younger sister before her big brother.
Feeling the warmth of his touch, Shen Ling'er closed her eyes and smiled brightly. She had always longed for someone to pamper her, to pat her head affectionately.
Unexpectedly, the person who gave her this comforting warmth was neither a family member nor someone she had known for long, but rather a man she had only just met.
At that moment, the brightly shining Sky Board slowly faded, and Sophia's voice once again echoed through the sky of Thaloria.
"After witnessing the casualties from the first game, some of you might feel fear, while others may feel relief. For those who are frightened, there is no need to worry too much—you are the fortunate ones who survived the first round," Sophia said in a cheerful and reassuring tone.
Then, her tone shifted to one of cold indifference as she continued, "However, for those of you who feel relieved, don't get too comfortable. Don't think for a second that you're safe from becoming part of the casualties in the first game. There are still the second, third, and seventh games awaiting you."
"So, prepare yourselves well and stay vigilant. The person standing next to you now might very well be your sworn enemy in the next game… hehehe!"
As Sophia's final words echoed across the various safe zones, everyone quickly glanced around with wary, hostile eyes.
Merlin raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk of mockery forming on his lips as he observed the reaction.
"How amusing. This administrator, Sophia, is intentionally heightening the tension between us, stoking the flames of conflict," he murmured with a soft chuckle.
While he didn't know Sophia's exact intentions, he had a hunch—perhaps she wanted to make the upcoming games more exciting.
Moreover, he had a bold theory: this test might not be as solitary as it appeared. Perhaps gods like Quinella were watching, viewing the test as a form of entertainment.
If that were true, Merlin was certain that the next game or challenge would be far more difficult than the first.
Brushing aside those thoughts, Merlin turned to Shen Ling'er and casually asked, "Did you hear what she said, Shen Ling'er? The person closest to you could become your enemy. Right now, I'm the one near you. Aren't you worried that one day I might suddenly attack or betray you?"
Shen Ling'er's expression paled, but she quickly regained her composure and shook her head resolutely.
"I'm certainly afraid, Brother Merlin," she replied seriously, "but I'm sure you wouldn't go that far, right?"
Merlin paused for a moment, then smiled softly. Reaching out, he gently patted her head and said, "Don't worry, I won't do that. You're my younger sister now, and I would never hurt you."
As long as the situation didn't force him to sacrifice Shen Ling'er, he had no intention of hurting or betraying her. After all, Shen Ling'er possessed exceptional talent—an investment and a key tool to help him build his power in the Altheran world.
Moreover, her extraordinary beauty made it impossible not to feel drawn to her.
Shen Ling'er smiled brightly at his words, her happiness evident as she wiggled around in delight.
"Oops! It seems I've talked too much," Sophia's voice echoed in surprise, then continued eagerly, "Without further delay, I will now reward all of you who survived the first game!"