Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 15: Merlin’s Parents
The dust-covered kitchen curtain was lifted, and immediately, a woman with silky golden hair, exuding an air of mature elegance, slowly stepped out.
Her soft golden hair fell gently to her waist. Her eyes were extraordinarily gentle and beautiful, as if rippling with inner waves. Her skin was fair and delicate, like the finest porcelain, radiating a sacred, untouchable nobility.
Her clothing perfectly showcased her exquisite figure. The tailored long dress was embroidered with intricate patterns, combining feminine grace with an air of authority.
Around her neck, she often wore a simple yet elegant pearl necklace, complementing her aura perfectly.
In her hand, she held a broom, and her entire presence exuded the image of a devoted wife and mother.
Upon seeing Merlin, the woman’s eyes widened. She quickly put down the broom, lifted her skirt, and ran toward him, embracing him tightly.
“Merlin, my son! Mother has missed you so much!”
“Mom… there are people here,” Merlin struggled slightly, but he found that his mother’s strength was terrifyingly great, and his frail body couldn’t push her away.
Roman·Kanna, this stunning beauty, was Merlin’s mother. And Merlin’s smooth golden hair was inherited from her.
“Oh? My son is here? Come, come, let me see what you look like now! Are you still as handsome as your mother thinks?”
A deep, masculine voice rang out from the kitchen. Merlin peeked out from his mother’s embrace and saw a remarkably imposing man emerge.
Silver hair, deep blue eyes—these were the hallmarks of the Leo family. Merlin inherited his golden hair from his mother, but those sapphire-like eyes came from the Leo bloodline.
The silver hair and sapphire eyes of the Leo family were unique across the entire continent of Aize. The man before him was middle-aged, handsome like Merlin, but with the added charm that comes with maturity and experience—a calm and wise presence shaped by the passage of time.
His face was strong and defined, like a work of art sculpted by the years themselves.
This man was none other than Leo Pate, Merlin’s biological father.
Merlin noticed that there was no sadness or loss in his parents’ expressions—only joy at seeing him.
“Father, Mother, I read the letters you sent. I didn’t expect our family to have suffered such a huge upheaval.”
After Merlin spoke, Kanna sighed softly and slowly released him from her embrace. Hands on her hips, she pointed at her husband.
“Yes, you already know the details. The Leo family is now little more than a name. The family lands, the castle—most of what could be sold has already been sold.”
“I’m sorry, son. Your father has been useless. We still owe five hundred thousand gold coins in debt. But don’t worry too much; I still have some friends. Sending you to the Arcane Academy won’t be a problem, though we can’t afford the high-end dorms anymore. Everything—food, lodging, and daily life—will have to be scaled back,” Leo Pate said, his voice filled with guilt.
Merlin shook his head. “That’s not important. Regarding tuition for the Arcane Academy, as long as I earn an Excellent Student rating in the final exams, I’ll receive the scholarship awarded by the school. That will be enough to cover the fees.”
“As for accommodation, don’t worry either. I’ve been wanting to move out of the high-end dorms for a while. The conveniences they offer are unnecessary for me, and five hundred gold coins per semester is just not worth it.”
“Son, you’ve really grown up. You’re so sensible—your father is truly gratified! Sniff sniff!” Leo Pate placed one hand on Merlin’s shoulder and wiped tears from his face with the other.
“You don’t need to worry about my life at the Arcane Academy. I’ll take care of myself. What we should consider first is the matter of the five hundred thousand gold coin debt.”
Upon hearing Merlin, Pate immediately perked up. “Son, don’t worry about the debt. Do you see this tavern? I plan to renovate and organize it properly, settle here, run the tavern, earn money, and slowly pay off the debt.”
Merlin was momentarily stunned. Looking at the dilapidated little tavern, it hardly seemed capable of generating five hundred thousand gold coins.
“Father, I remember you are a powerful Magic Swordsman, and Mother, you are a High-Level Mage. Why not hunt some magical beasts and earn gold from their bodies?” Merlin asked.
Pate and Kanna were a little surprised, but Pate patiently explained.
“Son, although your mother and I have both reached the Fifth Tier, do you know how much we can earn from hunting a Fifth-Tier beast?”
“The materials from a Fifth-Tier beast, including its meat, barely reach a thousand gold coins. Rare ones might fetch eight, nine, or even ten thousand, but have you considered the cost and risk involved?”
Merlin was taken aback. He hadn’t expected that Fifth-Tier beasts, which correspond to High-Level Mages, would be so low in value. On Earth, the novels he read made monster materials absurdly expensive—even the lowest-level beasts were unaffordable for ordinary families. Yet in Aize Continent, a Fifth-Tier beast barely earned a thousand gold coins—equivalent to merely tens of thousands in Yuan.
“Beasts are far stronger than humans. Even hunting the weakest Fifth-Tier beast requires thorough preparation: locating it, checking for other beasts nearby, whether it’s solitary or in a group.”
“For a Fifth-Tier beast, if there’s no Sixth-Tier Mage involved, you need at least two Fifth-Tier Mages, along with mercenary escorts to protect the mages, magical tools for the battle, potions for injuries, and so on. Usually only mercenary companies or hunting parties dare hunt beasts for profit. Otherwise, it’s extremely dangerous.”
Pate continued, “Even weaker beasts aren’t easy to hunt. If a beast escapes, all previous expenses are wasted. Beasts are intelligent. Once they sense danger or a threat to their life, they flee. Hunting them is extremely difficult.”
Kanna nodded. “If we hunted beasts for profit, your father and I would have to join a mercenary company or hunting party and share the earnings based on effort. And if we got injured, the money earned might not even cover the cost of treatment.”