Here is the English translation rendered in a smooth, professional novel style, while preserving the original meaning and tone:
---
The next day.
Merlin sat on his bed, his mind empty yet restless. He pondered what he should do before reaching the age of seventeen.
"…Waiting two years is a long time," he muttered.
"I have to reclaim some of my power that's still inside the Tower."
Merlin's magic required access to the Tower. As long as he had not entered it, he could not use spells such as conjuring fireballs, controlling the wind, or grasping lightning. All of those required contracts tied to magic—contracts stored within the Tower, each bound to different floors.
From the very beginning, Merlin had only been able to use basic magic that required neither contracts nor complex magic circles.
All he could do for now was train the Mana within his body, refining it as fuel for the magic he would wield in the future.
Merlin sat cross-legged on the floor of his room and began to meditate. He focused on processing his Mana, circulating it throughout his body.
It was a meticulous practice—one meant to cleanse his body of impurities that obstructed the flow of Mana. A simple routine, yet one that would greatly affect his future.
While Merlin was meditating, the protective magic he had placed around the house reacted.
"…Someone's here," Merlin said calmly after completing a full circulation.
He rose to his feet and walked toward the front door, still dressed in his sleepwear.
He opened it slightly and peered through the gap. His eyes widened when he saw a beautiful woman standing outside.
"Jane?!" Merlin exclaimed in surprise.
"How did you know where I live?" He hadn't expected Jane to show up at his house so early in the morning.
"Don't tell me you forgot that you were the one who told me," Jane said, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"…Did I?" Merlin looked doubtful.
"Not directly," Jane continued.
"No wonder!" Merlin froze for a moment.
"Are you really going to make your guest wait outside like this?" Jane smiled sarcastically, having stood there for quite some time.
"…"
Merlin raised an eyebrow.
"Fine… come in," he said after a brief pause, finally stepping aside.
"Thank you," Jane replied with a smile as she entered.
Jane removed her shoes before stepping inside. As she passed by Merlin, the gentle fragrance clinging to her yellow casual dress brushed against his senses—a fresh, slightly sweet, fruity scent.
"Where are your parents?" Jane asked, noticing how quiet the house was.
"They're out of town."
"So you're alone here?"
"Yes." Merlin nodded lightly.
"Be honest with me," Merlin said, watching Jane closely. "What made you come here?"
Jane halted mid-step.
"…One month from now, I'll be entering the Tower," she said, producing several badges identical to the one Kyran had shown Merlin the day before.
"…Those are entry badges for the Tower," Merlin said after examining them.
"Yes. I just obtained them today."
"…And I've decided to enter the Tower next month."
Merlin sensed something beneath her words.
"…What do you want?" he asked bluntly.
"…Are you afraid of dying inside the Tower?" Merlin guessed. Ever since Jane arrived, he had felt the Mana within his body subtly trembling.
Jane glanced at Merlin's collar.
"It might sound insane to ask a child who hasn't even turned seventeen yet," she said slowly, "but seeing that you're an Apostle… age is nothing to those who are directly connected to the gods…"
"…I want to ask you, as an Apostle, what life inside the Tower is truly like," Jane said. Despite growing up in a family of Climbers, fear still lingered within her—fear of the countless possibilities that awaited her inside the Tower.
"I've heard that Apostles receive information about the Tower's floors directly from the gods."
Hearing this, Merlin realized the weight of his role as an Apostle.
"Don't worry," Jane added quickly. "I'll pay for every piece of information you give me."
She wanted to ensure that the exchange benefited both of them.
"How much?" Merlin asked first. It might have sounded materialistic, but he genuinely needed money at the moment.
"One hundred gold coins," Jane said.
"!!!"
Merlin's eyes widened in shock at the sheer amount.
He fell silent, thinking carefully. The offer was tempting, but there were risks. He did not know the Tower's current condition. According to the books he had read, several floors had undergone changes, meaning their structures and systems were likely different as well.
However, if he refused to provide information that other Apostles would normally know, Jane might begin questioning his legitimacy.
Did I ask the wrong thing…?
Jane worried as Merlin remained silent, afraid she might have offended him or challenged his integrity as an Apostle.
What Jane did not know was that information from an Apostle was considered priceless. Even the smallest fragment of knowledge could be worth thousands of gold coins.
"…Information about the floors, huh…" Merlin murmured, stroking his chin with a serious expression.
"Don't rush through each floor."
"Every floor has its own secrets."
"The secret I can share is this…"
"A magic forest. Three Arches flowers. Near a waterfall."
"Take the three flowers and place them beside a gravestone hidden behind the largest tree in the magic forest."
"Place them crossing one another."
"…And pray. You will receive something in return."
Each word Merlin spoke carried immense weight. Jane's eyes widened as she listened, her body stiffening at the revelation of a secret she had never heard before.
The words of an Apostle were representatives of truth itself. It was impossible for an Apostle to lie.
At that moment, Jane realized she was carrying information that even the Union might not possess.
She bowed deeply, her head lowered in pure respect. Her noble status meant nothing now as she bowed before a child who was an Apostle.
"Thank you."
"…"
Merlin was momentarily stunned. Was this excessive… or was it not?
In truth, Merlin had shared that information based on his past life. He had obtained the reward by accident back then—a spell called Soul Manipulation.
But now, he no longer needed that magic. Compared to the Laws he had once wielded, even the strongest spells paled in comparison.
His true goal upon entering the Tower again was no longer to gather spells, but to reclaim the power of those Laws.
"I'm not being paid with just a thank-you, right?" Merlin said dryly, extending his hand.
"!!!"
Jane panicked.
"Of course not!"
"Here!" She quickly handed him a small leather pouch containing one hundred gold coins.
"Honestly, one hundred gold coins still feels too little for the information I received."
"Tomorrow, I'll come back with something even more valuable!" Jane bowed once again.
Merlin smiled in satisfaction. He had no intention of refusing such an offer.
"That's fine," he said, accepting it with a pleased grin.