The Extra Villain: I Made a Contract With The Dragon Empress!-Chapter 285: Luna’s Innermost Feelings

"Ahem, I want to ask you something. Why do you have a bruise on your cheek, Nivis?" Merlin asked, curiosity in his voice.

Nivis, slurping her noodles, was startled. She rubbed both cheeks, blinking in surprise.

"Bruise? What do you mean?"

Merlin’s gaze fixed on her right cheek. "It’s on your cheekbone. The color is a bit darker than the surrounding skin. That’s clearly a bruise. What happened? Did you trip and hit your face?"

He meant it as a joke, but the air around them suddenly turned quiet and tense.

The smile on Merlin’s face vanished, replaced by a rare, serious expression.

"What’s wrong with you two? Why so quiet? Could it be that what I said is true?"

Nivis forced a smile. "Yes, I fell, Young Master. So, don’t worry about it."

Merlin, however, didn’t believe her. He turned to Luna, waiting calmly for the truth.

Noticing his gaze, Luna realized hiding it was useless.

"Something bad happened a few days ago while you were away. At that time—"

Before she could finish, Nivis grabbed her left arm tightly.

Startled, Luna turned to her. Nivis’s expression was sad and desperate, silently pleading, "Don’t tell him."

But Luna shook her head and gave a reassuring nod.

Watching the silent exchange, Merlin’s suspicion deepened. Whatever happened, it had to be serious.

Realizing Luna couldn’t be persuaded, Nivis gave up, bowed her head, and returned to her meal.

"This is what happened, Merlin. A few days ago..."

Luna began recounting everything in detail.

Merlin stayed silent, eating as he listened, though the hand holding his spoon trembled ever so slightly.

Nivis noticed it and felt a swirl of emotions. Merlin was clearly angry, yet he kept his composure perfectly.

Stealing a glance at his calm face, she felt a strange warmth stir inside her.

"That’s basically how it happened. But you don’t need to worry. I taught him a lesson. That boy won’t dare bother Nivis again—at least, for now."

Luna smiled proudly, though she quickly masked it with a straight face.

Still, her eyes betrayed her, silently asking for praise.

Merlin chuckled softly, reaching out to ruffle her hair affectionately.

"Well done. Thank you for protecting Nivis while I was away. I’ll make sure you get a reward later."

Those words lifted Luna’s spirits. She suppressed her excitement, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

"You’re welcome. I did it because I wanted to. Oppressing the weak is a disgusting way to show strength."

Merlin read the sincerity behind her words and chuckled quietly. Pulling his hand away, he turned to Nivis and spoke gently, "I’m sorry. Because of me, you had to go through that. I’ll make it up to you."

From Luna’s account, it was clear that Lucius wanted Nivis as his subordinate.

His motives weren’t entirely clear, but Merlin suspected that Lucius had realized he was responsible for what happened to him in the magma sea.

However, Lucius had no solid evidence, so he tried to target those around him instead.

Among them, Nivis was clearly the weakest and easiest to intimidate.

Unfortunately for him, Luna was present, and Lucius’ plan to pressure Nivis completely failed.

"N-No, don’t apologize like that, Young Master. It’s not your fault. It’s Prince Lucius’ fault, and you don’t need to compensate me. I’m fine," Nivis stammered, panicking at Merlin’s words.

Merlin’s kindness toward her was immense. He had saved her from the black pox disease that had tormented her for years.

Nivis knew she could never repay him in her lifetime. Anger or blame toward Merlin was simply impossible.

Merlin said nothing more, though he had already decided to make it up to Lisa later.

As for Lucius, he wouldn’t dare act anytime soon—not out of fear, but because he knew it would be foolish.

After being publicly slapped multiple times, showing up and causing trouble now would be nothing short of idiotic.

"Oh, right, Merlin, I almost forgot," Luna said, reaching into her pocket and handing him a piece of paper. "This is for you."

"What’s this?" Merlin asked cautiously as he accepted it.

Luna’s expression suddenly soured, tinged with jealousy.

Merlin shivered, unable to understand why her mood had shifted so abruptly.

But he didn’t dare ask. He immediately unfolded the paper and began to read.

His face changed in an instant, from confusion to shock.

"This..." He swallowed hard and glanced at Luna, who continued eating with a perfectly straight expression.

"Ahem..." Merlin cleared his throat, folded the paper, and slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks for the information. Well, I should be going now."

But suddenly...

"You seem rather excited, Merlin. Could meeting Margaret be more important than spending time with me?"

Luna’s voice was cold and sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

Merlin froze for a heartbeat, then regained his composure.

With a calm smile, he replied casually, "How could that be, my dear Luna?"

He let out a light, playful sigh, then stepped closer and stood behind her.

Massaging her shoulders, he added softly, "You are the girl I love most. Compared to Margaret, I spend far more time with you. Besides, Margaret and I haven’t seen each other for... two—no, four years. I just wanted to say hello. And she’s been kind to me, and I haven’t had the chance to repay her. I hope you understand."

His voice carried both helplessness and a quiet plea.

The first rule when dealing with a jealous girl was simple: give a reasonable explanation that wouldn’t make her jealousy worse.

Luna, being a yandere, was easily provoked whenever she heard or saw him with other girls.

Merlin, accustomed to her jealousy, had become adept at calming her.

Just as he expected, he saw her anger and jealousy slowly melt away, replaced by her usual calm demeanor.

"Okay, I understand," she said, rubbing her temples with a hint of annoyance. "But tomorrow, you have to take me on a date. Got it?"

Merlin’s smile flitted across his face, but he quickly masked it with a composed expression.

"Of course, my dear. Tomorrow, let’s go."

He kissed her cheek and then left Lisa’s food shop.

Watching the exchange, Nivis couldn’t help but admire Merlin.

She could see how intensely jealous Luna was of any girl who approached him—but with a single, well-chosen explanation, Luna had completely softened.

’Young Master Merlin is really amazing,’ she whispered, full of admiration.

If she were a boy, she would have begged him to teach her that skill.

Sensing Nivis’s gaze, Luna looked over. "Surprised by my reaction?"

"Ah... um, well, yes," Nivis admitted nervously, but honestly.

Luna gave a faint smile. "I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t upset seeing him close to another girl. I was so angry I wanted to tear apart anyone who tried to take him from me."

The fork in her left hand cracked and snapped in two.

Nivis trembled, swallowing nervously.

"Merlin is someone I love very much. The girls out there can’t have him—he’s mine," Luna said casually, though every word carried a subtle threat.

Nivis felt a shiver run down her spine, her hair standing on end.

"Unfortunately... I realize that’s impossible. Merlin is too extraordinary. I can’t control someone like him forever."

Luna let out a long, soft sigh, as if the cold, terrifying persona from earlier had never existed.

Nivis slowly relaxed, her fear giving way to sympathy as she studied Luna’s sad expression.

’Thank goodness I kept my feelings for Merlin to myself all this time. Otherwise, I’d be feeling the same pain she is,’ Nivis whispered, a wry smile playing on his lips.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t drawn to Merlin. He was not only handsome but also strong, talented, and kind-hearted.

More importantly, he was the one who had saved her from the nightmares that had haunted her for years.

Still, Nivis was self-aware. She was ordinary, with no special status or remarkable talents.

Getting close to Merlin would only be hurting herself.

So she held her feelings tightly, burying them deep in her heart.

Only then could she see Merlin not as someone to desire, but as someone to admire.

The two girls sat in silence for a moment before quietly continuing their lunch.

...

"[Master, you are truly amazing! You managed to suppress Luna Tharot’s yandere nature with just simple persuasion! Your progress is remarkable,]" the system praised, admiration clear in its tone.

But Merlin showed none of the joy the system expected.

He slipped his right hand into his pocket, looked up at the blue sky, and said calmly, "Although I convinced Luna, I can feel her sadness. Honestly... I’m not happy at all."

Guilt and sorrow radiated from his face.

Luna was the heroine he had spent the most time with, aside from Catrine.

Even compared to that little girl, Merlin felt a deeper emotional bond with Luna.

During Catrine’s disappearance, he often played with and visited Luna. Unnoticed, she had become the person outside his family he cared for most.

Earlier, he had sensed the sadness hidden in her eyes, despite her attempts to mask it.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. The path he had chosen was that of a harem, and Margaret had been one of his target heroines from the very beginning.

The wealth of the Beethoven family would also play a crucial role in his future plans.

The system fell silent, sensing the sincerity behind Merlin’s words. He was not being hypocritical.

"[Humans are truly... strange,]" the system whispered.