"[Ding! Congratulations, Master. You have completed the hidden mission: Awakening Maya's Hidden Power! Reward: Scythe of Death (Legendary) and 50,000 system points have been credited to your account!]"

Seeing the panel appear out of thin air, Merlin was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected such rewards—let alone such a precious item: the Scythe of Death!

'Wait a minute...' He frowned. 'System, I don't use a scythe. Why would you give it to me?'

As a mage, Merlin didn't need weapons. Occasionally, he used Primordium daggers for close combat, but a scythe was clearly useless to him.

"[That weapon is indeed useless to you, but that doesn't mean it's useless for your maid, Maya.]"

The system's words left Merlin stunned. Only then did he remember the bloodline Maya carried—the Lord of Death!

In many legends, the god of death was always depicted wielding a scythe to reap the lives of mortals.

Obviously, this weapon was meant for Maya.

'You're right, system. How could I forget?' Merlin chuckled softly.

Though it wasn't for him, he felt no anger. He already had his own weapon, so another one was unnecessary.

"Young Master, why are you so quiet?"

Maya's worried voice came from the side, accompanied by a gentle touch on his forehead.

Merlin looked at her with a soft smile and shook his head.

"It's alright. By the way, I have a gift for you."

He opened his right palm.

Whoosh!

A black light emerged, hovering above his hand and gradually expanding until it formed a two-meter-long scythe.

Its appearance left Maya dumbfounded. She couldn't understand how such a massive scythe could materialize out of thin air.

Subconsciously, her admiration for Merlin deepened several times over.

"This weapon is called the Scythe of Death, and it suits you perfectly, given your connection to the bloodline of the Lord of Death," Merlin explained, carefully handing the scythe to her.

The weapon was incredibly heavy—perhaps thirty kilograms or more.

Without channeling his mana, even holding it with one hand would have overwhelmed him.

Maya's eyes sparkled as she gazed at it. Honestly, she had fallen in love with the scythe at first sight.

With burning excitement, she accepted it. Merlin was about to warn her about its weight, but to his surprise, Maya lifted it effortlessly, as if it were no more than a simple wooden stick.

Merlin was left speechless and let out a long sigh.

'The system deliberately gave this weapon as a reward—it was clearly meant for Maya,' he murmured.

Maya examined the scythe with pure joy. It stretched two meters long, its shaft a blackish-swathe color adorned with black flame symbols from end to end.

The curved blade was black and strikingly beautiful.

Its curve was not perfectly symmetrical—there were slight irregularities—but they only enhanced its aesthetic appeal.

The tip of the blade was razor-sharp, capable of killing with a single thrust.

Grasping the scythe firmly, Maya bowed to Merlin.

"Thank you, Young Master! This gift is truly incredible!"

It had never occurred to her that something like this could happen. Half an hour ago, she had been an ordinary human, without any special powers.

Every day, worries haunted her—whether her young master might abandon her or no longer want her—especially when she remembered Merlin's close interactions with Linda two years ago.

Although she knew her young master wouldn't be so cruel, a tiny speck of fear still tainted her trust in him.

That speck slowly grew, causing her to wake from nightmares, afraid of being left behind.

But now, her destiny had changed. She was no longer the useless Maya—she had become someone with special powers!

She could accompany her young master on his journey, always remaining by his side!

[Ding! Maya's affection increased by 10 points! Converted into 10 system points!]

[Ding! Maya's affection increased by 50 points! Converted into 50 system points!]

[Ding! Maya's affection…]

The system's nonstop notifications left Merlin stunned and dizzy.

"Young Master? What's wrong? Are you hungry? Maybe you should have some breakfast first."

Panicked, Maya quickly caught Merlin as he began to sway.

Merlin rubbed his temples and waved his right hand, trying to steady himself.

"It's alright… Maya. Thank you for your concern," he said in a hoarse voice.

Nothing was wrong with his body, but the constant system notifications had given him a pounding headache.

Fortunately, the sound finally ceased, allowing him to breathe freely.

Maya helped Merlin sit upright again, then took a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and neck.

Feeling her gentle care, Merlin felt a warm sensation stir within him.

'She's really kind,' he murmured.

"[Ding! Congratulations, Master! You have activated a hidden feature: turning unimportant characters into important ones. Your personal maid, Maya, has had her status changed. You can check her status panel!]"

Merlin's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Maya, still anxious in front of him, and whispered, "Open the status panel."

[Status]

Name: Maya

Age: 17

Identity: Merlin Clay's Personal Maid, The Destined Heroine

Talent: A

Guardian Spirit: -

Rank: Ninth Spirit Core

Bloodline: Lord of Death (Gold)

Favorability: 100+

As Merlin read the identity column, his eyes landed on the phrase "Destined Heroine." He immediately asked, "What does that mean, system?"

"[Simply put, Maya has gone from being an insignificant character in the storyline to a heroine. However, her status differs from other heroines. She is exclusively yours. How does that sound? Isn't that amazing?]"

"Hiss!" Merlin drew a deep breath, utterly amazed.

It was unexpected that such a feature could unlock so suddenly and completely by chance!

His luck was truly remarkable.

"Young Master, let's have breakfast first. Lady Livia actually asked me to call you, but I… just forgot," Maya said, blushing.

"It's alright," Merlin reassured her, taking her right hand and holding it firmly. "Mother won't be angry just because I'm late for breakfast. What matters most now is for you to get used to your new powers. I'll help you."

Without waiting for Maya's reply, Merlin stood and guided her to the spot where she had previously awakened her talent and bloodline.

There, he began helping her stabilize the power within her using his magic.

***

"Where is that child? Did he oversleep?"

In the dining room, Livia frowned in displeasure. Sitting beside her, Ardhis stabbed a piece of lamb and ate it.

"It's fine. He's probably tired from last night, so let him sleep until noon," he said casually.

Livia scowled at his answer. She pinched Ardhis's right hip and scolded, "All of this is because of you, my dear! If you hadn't given him the work that should have been yours, he wouldn't be so exhausted!"

"Ouch!" Ardhis groaned, struggling to pull away, but Livia's grip was too strong.

Across from them, Catrine ate quietly, seemingly unaffected by the argument.

Two years had passed, and her beauty had blossomed even more. What once looked childish was now replaced by the unmistakable charm of a young woman.

Her silver hair flowed long, with the right and left sides braided, leaving the center cascading down her back.

An ice-crystal-shaped ribbon hung from the front right side of her hair, adding to her allure.

'Where's big brother Merlin? Why hasn't he come out yet?' Catrine asked softly, a hint of worry in her voice.

Just as she drifted into thought, her mother's voice spoke from the front.

"By the way, will the engagement with the Tharot family really take place?"