Chapter 297: Arrest Them
Link was always an anomaly within the Merlin Family. He rarely appeared before others, perpetually lurking in the shadows. If not for Hoffland Merlin’s summons, he might not show himself for years at a time. Even as head of the Merlin Family, Hoffland knew little about Link—only that his strength was formidable, though its true extent remained a mystery. If pressed, Hoffland could only describe Link as unfathomable...
That’s right, the feeling Link gave Hoffland was one of unfathomable depth.
In Hoffland’s memory, Link had never fought anyone with his full strength. Every time he acted, it was silent and decisive—always a single, successful blow. To this day, Hoffland still didn’t know what level Link’s power had truly reached...
All Hoffland knew was that Link had lived for at least five centuries...
Even back in Thornton Merlin’s era, Link was already part of the Merlin Family, always hidden behind Thornton Merlin like a shadow. He acted rarely, but every intervention came at the most critical moment...
After Thornton Merlin disappeared, Link remained with the family, intervening even less than before, and only obeying the orders of the family patriarch.
Only during the handover of the patriarch’s seat would the outgoing leader reveal this secret to the next.
After sending Link out, Hoffland finally felt at ease.
............
In a courtyard of the sprawling estate, a young mage in his thirties sat with a smile on his face. Standing beside him was a middle-aged mage, about forty, dressed in a black robe with red trim at the cuffs—a mark of a Magus. The young mage sat while the Magus stood, even bowing slightly, his smile tinged with flattery and deference.
Anyone could see that the young mage’s status far surpassed that of the middle-aged Magus.
"Anthony, I asked you to look into my little cousin. What did you find?"
"Master Owen, well..." The middle-aged Magus called Anthony hesitated, his smile growing strained. "I did find out a few things. You mentioned before that Matthew Merlin has been studying under Seth, so I reached out through some channels and asked around. But..."
"But what?"
"But, according to Seth, Matthew Merlin’s talent isn’t all that remarkable. He may remain a mere magic apprentice for his entire life…"
"Magic apprentice?" The young mage, addressed as Master Owen, was clearly a strong contender for the next head of the Merlin Family. Among Auckland’s many young prodigies, Owen Merlin stood out at the very top.
Owen Merlin was surprised by Anthony’s report, then shook his head firmly. "A magic apprentice? That’s impossible. If his strength really is so low, no matter how much wealth he controls, it would be snatched away instantly. In Seaview City, magic apprentices are little more than ants. To hold onto such vast riches, you need power to defend yourself…"
"Yes, Master Owen, I don’t think he’s just a magic apprentice either…" Anthony seized the chance to flatter Owen, then continued, "Also, there are a few students of Seth’s who are Merlin Family branch members. They’re already mages and joined the family mercenary corps early. I asked them about Matthew Merlin this morning, and they recalled that when he was under Seth’s tutelage, he was always timid and silent, never daring to speak up even when bullied. He was always withdrawn…"
At this point, Anthony glanced at Owen again.