At this moment, someone knocked on the door of the reception room at the top floor of Sage's Spire.
Three people sat in the reception room: one old, one middle-aged, and one young. The elderly man wore a gray robe, his beard was grizzled, and his frame was thin and frail. He coughed from time to time, looking as if his health was failing. In contrast, the middle-aged man sitting across from him appeared much more energetic. His hair and beard were meticulously groomed, and though his clothes were neither extravagant nor ostentatious, the fine fabric and exquisite craftsmanship made it clear to any discerning eye that they were tailored by a master. That single garment alone could easily cost an ordinary family a year's living expenses.
The young man sitting nearby looked to be not yet thirty, but what was truly shocking was the thin ring of silver embroidery on the cuffs of his black robe.
In other words, this was a Grand Mage not yet thirty years old!
Yet in this reception room, both the wealthy middle-aged man and the young Grand Mage treated the elderly man with a respect bordering on humility.
Because the old man’s name was Salomon—President of the Mage Guild in Seaview City, and one of the Triumvirate leaders of Sage’s Spire.
In Seaview City, the Triumvirate of Sage’s Spire were nearly legendary figures. Rarely did they appear in public, and in recent years, almost no one had witnessed their power firsthand. People only knew that these three mages, who jointly ruled Sage’s Spire, had already embarked on the path of Archmage over a decade ago—their current strength could only be described as unfathomable.
Their existence was the true reason Sage’s Spire remained at the pinnacle of Seaview City. Challenging the Spire was one thing, but facing the wrath of three Archmages was no joke. These were not kindly elders; years ago, the infamous Blackwing bandit gang—over a thousand strong—was wiped out by these three in a single blaze. Not a soul survived.
"Come in." The knock briefly interrupted the trio’s conversation, and the old man had to offer his two guests an apologetic smile.
"President Monty, Mage Ryan, I’m sorry to disturb you both." The newcomer was a young mage in his thirties. If Lin Yun were here, he would instantly recognize him—this young mage had appeared in the library earlier, right when Mason was taken away. At the time, he had even glanced curiously at Lin Yun.
After entering, the young mage first apologized to the two guests before whispering a few words into Salomon’s ear.
"Alright, I understand." After hearing the young mage’s report, the old man simply nodded and said nothing more. Instead, he offered the two guests an apologetic smile: "My apologies, President Monty, there was a minor issue at the library just now."
"The library?"
"The library?" Monty’s eyelid twitched involuntarily at the mention of that place. Wasn’t Mason in the library right now?
Who his son was, Monty knew all too well. Usually, he relied on the family’s influence to act without scruples. Now, with Ryan’s help, he’d just advanced to Grand Mage and was riding high, so his behavior had become even more flamboyant. At the recent gathering of the seven trading companies, he’d picked a fight with Roger Merlin’s son over the flimsiest excuse—almost ruining everything.
This time, Monty had spent a hefty sum and put forth a lucrative cooperation plan just to get Mason into Sage’s Spire Library. Before leaving, he’d repeatedly warned his son—Sage’s Spire was no ordinary place, so he must keep a low profile and not bring trouble to himself or the family.
Just thinking about all the possible mishaps made Monty’s head ache. Sometimes he really couldn’t understand it—both were his sons, yet the gap between Mason and Ryan was so vast. One was steady and shrewd, a Grand Mage at a young age; the other only stirred up trouble and couldn’t even advance without his brother’s help.
Once he got back, Monty was determined to discipline Mason properly. If things kept going like this, who knew when the boy might land the family in serious trouble.
Monty hesitated for a long moment before finally asking with difficulty, "President Salomon, is it Mason...?"
"It’s nothing, just a minor issue." Salomon waved his hand, his smile unchanged. "While in the library, Mason had a small disagreement with a young mage. But it’s nothing serious—Solon has already taken care of it."
"So sorry..." Monty apologized repeatedly, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. From Salomon’s tone, it sounded like Mason hadn’t provoked one of Sage’s Spire’s mages—thank goodness. If that was all, a simple apology to Salomon and a show of respect for Sage’s Spire would suffice.
As for that young mage, he’d better know his place. If he insisted on making trouble, the Monty family wasn’t to be trifled with.
The only thing that really mattered was Sage’s Spire’s attitude. But for now, things looked fine. After all, the cooperation plan he’d proposed was very attractive to Sage’s Spire, and at this critical moment, Salomon would surely show him some courtesy.
Just as Monty expected, Salomon quickly accepted his apology, showing no intention of holding Mason responsible. The conversation soon became more pleasant, moving beyond just business. Without the stiff formalities, the atmosphere in the reception room grew increasingly friendly, almost like friends chatting.
At one point, Salomon even shared a couple of stories from his own past. Bear in mind, Salomon had been an Archmage for over a decade—his experiences were legendary. Both Monty, wealthy enough to rival nations, and Ryan, a Grand Mage before thirty, listened with wide-eyed amazement.
When it was time to leave, Salomon even personally escorted them to the door—a rare honor that might not happen again for years.
After seeing Monty and his sons off, Salomon returned to the reception room. Solon, who had been waiting there, finally asked cautiously, "Teacher, should I go and smooth things over with Mason?"
From Solon’s perspective, since his teacher had just had a pleasant conversation with the Monty family, and Sage’s Spire and Twinmoon Trading Company might soon cooperate, it seemed wise to pacify Mason, whom he’d just kicked out of the library. After all, Mason was Monty’s son, and if things got too tense, it wouldn’t benefit the upcoming partnership.
"Pacify him? Tell him to get lost!" Who could have guessed that as soon as the old man sat down, those would be his exact words.
……………………
Should I tell you that I haven’t actually slept yet…