Chapter 178: A Little Thing (Rolling for votes!)
"Haha, Leon Merlin, couldn't make it in Seaview City so you ran off to Rockridge? I heard your old man, Roger Merlin, died at sea, even the Goldspark Trading Company went bankrupt, and now you're left all alone. Man, you really are pitiful..." The young mage, barely in his twenties, talked a mile a minute, almost spitting on Leon's face as he spoke...
The problem was, Leon genuinely had no idea who this guy was...
Which annoyed Leon quite a bit—he didn't even know this guy, so what was with the 'hey buddy' routine?
Leon stepped back, annoyed, dodging the young mage's spit attack, and shot a puzzled glance at Salomon...
"That's Harrison Burns, Clifford Burns' son..." Salomon saw Leon's expression and knew the young Archmage's forgetfulness was acting up again.
In fact, it was practically an open secret in Seaview City: everyone knew Roger Merlin's son had risen at a frightening pace over the past year, but his memory seemed to have seriously declined. He'd often stare at someone for ages before finally asking, 'Who are you again?'
"And who is Clifford Burns?"
Salomon's face twitched. Clearly, he'd once again underestimated the extent of the young Archmage's forgetfulness, so the top mage of Seaview City had to prompt him again: "One of the Seven Merchant Guilds of Seaview City—he's the boss of the Blue Moon Trading Company. Used to run alchemy business like your father, Roger Merlin. After the Goldspark Trading Company monopolized the alchemy trade, Clifford Burns shifted Blue Moon Trading Company's focus to Rockridge. Seriously, try to remember..."
From that last sentence alone, you could tell Salomon was losing patience. After all, he's a distinguished Archmage, master of Sage's Spire, now stuck helping Leon recall all these trivial details—wasn't that a bit much?
"Uh..." Leon knew he'd gone a bit too far. After Salomon's jab, he scratched his head and started digging through Matthew Merlin's memories.
And sure enough, after a little digging, Leon managed to find it...
Speaking of Clifford Burns, the guy really was down on his luck...
For centuries, the Burns family had run the alchemy business in Seaview City, but when Clifford Burns took over, he ran smack into Roger Merlin's meteoric rise. In just twenty years, Roger built the Goldspark Trading Company from nothing into a behemoth that crushed every other guild. Blue Moon Trading Company's market share was eaten away day by day, and eventually, they had to pull out of alchemy altogether and became just a sideshow to Goldspark.
As for Harrison...
He was the eldest son of President Clifford, showing decent magical talent from a young age. Became a full mage in his teens, then studied three years at Auckland Academy, and by the time he returned to Seaview City, he was already a Ninth-Rank Mage.
For his age, he was one of the standouts among Seaview City's younger generation. People like Matthew Merlin or Mason were nowhere near his level, and back then, most folks compared him to Ryan.
Too bad Harrison was nowhere near as good as Ryan...
Ryan was from the Monty Family, one of the top powers in Seaview City. Even after Goldspark Trading Company rose to prominence, it never threatened the Monty Family's status.
But Harrison was different. He came from Blue Moon Trading Company, which was already being crushed by Goldspark. If Roger Merlin hadn't shown a bit of mercy, Blue Moon would've declared bankruptcy ages ago.
Back then, Harrison had just returned from Auckland Academy—a Ninth-Rank Mage at such a young age, naturally arrogant. Seeing Blue Moon Trading Company's sorry state, he couldn't hold back his anger and found an excuse to give Matthew Merlin a beating.
One was a Ninth-Rank Mage, the other just a Ninth-Rank apprentice. The outcome was obvious...
In short, Matthew Merlin crawled home covered in bruises, which royally pissed off Roger Merlin.
The master of Goldspark Trading Company unleashed his full power—like a cold wind sweeping away dead leaves, it took him only a month to push the already struggling Blue Moon Trading Company to the brink.
With bankruptcy looming, Clifford Burns panicked, dragged Harrison to Roger Merlin and his son late at night, and had Harrison—already a Ninth-Rank Mage—bow and apologize to Matthew Merlin, a mere Ninth-Rank apprentice.
In the end, Roger Merlin let Blue Moon Trading Company off the hook, but also told Clifford Burns he never wanted to see Harrison in Seaview City again.
That's why Clifford Burns moved Blue Moon Trading Company's business to Rockridge, and Harrison joined the Ashen Tower, becoming an Archmage two years ago.
"So, you remember who I am now, right?" Seeing Leon frown, Harrison couldn't help feeling smug.
Back then, it was all because of Matthew Merlin that he had to swallow his pride and apologize. And it was thanks to Matthew Merlin that his father's Blue Moon Trading Company had to leave Seaview City.
In recent years, Blue Moon Trading Company had done well in Rockridge, and he'd become an Archmage at the Ashen Tower. Harrison had almost forgotten everything about Seaview City.
He never expected to run into Matthew Merlin here today.
It was a dramatic reunion—the humiliation Roger Merlin dealt him years ago would be paid back a hundredfold to his son today...
Thinking that, Harrison sized Leon up again...
Though he wore a brand-new black robe, aside from decent craftsmanship, it didn't show much magical fluctuation. He looked empty-handed, not even a staff. News from Seaview City said Roger Merlin died at sea and Goldspark Trading Company collapsed, and it seemed to be true...
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Otherwise, how could Roger Merlin's son have ended up like this?
Back when Roger Merlin was alive, just to make things easier for his son's magical studies, he opened an alchemy shop for him right on Triumph Avenue, the busiest street in Seaview City.
But look at him now...
For a moment, Harrison couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental. The once untouchable young master of Goldspark Trading Company had fallen this far.
"So, Matthew Merlin, what are you doing at the Ashen Tower?" Harrison's voice was thick with superiority—anyone who didn't know better might think he was the master of Ashen Tower himself...
"Just a little thing." Of course, Leon wasn't about to tell Harrison that his so-called 'little thing' was actually attending the Order of the Arcane Hand Gathering...
But that vague answer meant something else entirely to Harrison...
"Oh..." Harrison dragged out his reply, making sure everyone knew he 'understood.'
Of course, Harrison only thought he understood...
Harrison figured Matthew Merlin must've come to Rockridge because he'd heard Ashen Tower was recruiting new members and wanted a shot at it.
That made sense...
As one of the two great mage factions in the eastern kingdom, Ashen Tower's annual recruitment drew plenty of apprentices and low-level mages hoping for a chance. Everyone knew that landing a spot there could instantly boost your status, maybe even earn you personal guidance from an Archmage or access to the deepest magical secrets.
The perks alone were things most apprentices and low-level mages couldn't even dream of...
Thinking that, Harrison couldn't help but smirk. In the past, maybe Matthew Merlin could've snuck into Ashen Tower.
But this time, he shouldn't even dream about it...