But what was going on today...?
After Felix spat contemptuously on the ground, he couldn't help but feel a bit confused. He'd come with the contract to collect the debt, so that kid should've hurried over to say something nice, or at least looked anxious. But instead, he just sat there, casually responding to Felix's words. And then there was the way he looked at Felix—something was off.
That scrutinizing gaze didn't look like he was facing a debt collector—it was more like he was sizing up a ridiculous clown.
Felix wanted to spit out a few harsh threats, to make the kid beg and grovel again. But for some reason, when the words reached his lips, he just couldn't say them. Worst of all, Felix suddenly realized that, facing this nephew he'd always looked down on, he actually had to clear his throat several times to muster the courage to speak.
"You don't need to worry about being careful. Here's the deal: either you pay up today, or use the house to settle the debt. Otherwise, I'll hand this contract over to the Seaview City Merchant Guild and see who dares to do business with your Goldspark Trading Company after that!"
At those words, even the old butler's face changed.
Felix's move was truly vicious. Sure, the Goldspark Trading Company was on the brink, with even the house about to be taken for debt, but Perry knew this was only temporary. The master's decades of connections and reputation couldn't be wiped away by a single shipwreck. As long as the company had a bit of time, it could recover from this crisis. Maybe it wouldn't regain its former glory, but at least the young master would have no worries about food and clothing, and could even continue his magical studies. Perhaps one day, he really could become a mage...
But the contract must never be handed over to the Merchant Guild. Reputation is the foundation of a trading company’s survival. If the guild makes a ruling, things will get out of hand...
Perry’s face gradually turned pale, and the right hand clutching Felix’s sleeve began to tremble.
Leon, on the other hand, remained as relaxed as ever, as if he hadn’t heard Felix’s venomous threats at all. He even had the mind to joke with Perry: "I told you, Uncle Felix really does care about us. See? He’s already worried no one will do business with us."
"Young master, you must be joking..." Perry's smile looked more like a grimace than anything cheerful.
Leon gave a small smile and didn't say much more. He held a certain respect for the old butler; after all, Perry had stayed even when Goldspark Trading Company was on the brink of collapse, doing everything he could to protect the Merlin family. That was far more than what a mere servant was ever expected to do.
"Enough, kid. Spare me your fake concern—let's get down to business!" Even Felix, thick-skinned as he was, couldn't help but bristle at Leon's sarcasm. "You've read the contract. Your father borrowed eight thousand gold coins from me. Two choices—pay up now, or use the house as collateral. I've got other business to attend to, so don't waste my time."
"The house is out of the question. Your offer is just too generous—I’d be worried you’d get the short end of the stick." Leon’s tone dripped with sarcasm. After all, the house had cost ten thousand gold coins, and now Felix wanted it for a debt of only eight thousand. That was generous to a fault.
Felix was in full 'nothing left to lose' mode now. He ignored Leon’s sarcasm and pressed on, thick-skinned as ever: "So you’re saying you’re going to pay the debt?"
"Paying you back isn’t impossible..."
"You’re really going to pay?" Felix was caught off guard by this answer. He stared at Leon in disbelief, mind racing. Everyone in Seaview City knew that after the shipwreck, Goldspark Trading Company was drowning in debt. Even Roger Merlin’s old house had been stripped bare by the families of the victims—now, not even a rat would bother sneaking in. Where would they possibly get the money?
No way. That’s impossible!
Felix coughed twice, trying to look composed. "Well, that’s great. If you’re willing to pay, that’s... that’s obviously for the best. Eight thousand gold coins—hand them over."
"Paying you won’t be a problem. But Uncle Felix, I’ve only just returned—don’t you think I deserve a little time to figure things out? Otherwise, how can I be sure someone isn’t trying to scam my family? Oh, don’t get me wrong, Uncle Felix—I’m not saying you’re a con artist..."
"Are you messing with me?" Felix’s face darkened at once. He glared at Leon, then shouted in his raspy, duck-like voice toward the door, "Jimmy! Jimmy, damn it, get in here!"
At Felix’s shout, a pack of thugs burst through the door. The leader was a bald man with a long scar running down his face, his eyes gleaming with menace.
"Felix!" Perry’s face went pale as he saw the group rush in. He forgot his age and threw himself in front of them. "Felix, this is too much! You know how the master treated you when he was alive, and now, for eight thousand gold coins, you bring these people here!"
Perry had lived in Seaview City for decades—he knew exactly what kind of men Felix had brought. Every one of them was a ruthless criminal, especially Jimmy, who came from the underground Red Scorpion gang. He’d been loan sharking in Seaview City for years, and rumor had it there were at least a dozen bodies to his name.
"Out of the way, old man!" Jimmy, hired for a hefty sum, didn’t even spare Perry a glance. He shoved the old butler to the floor without a second thought.
Then he swaggered right up to Leon. "You must be that Matthew Merlin kid, right?"
"Your right hand, wasn’t it?"
"What?"
"I mean, the hand you used to shove the butler—wasn’t it your right hand?" Leon explained patiently.
"Shut up, kid!" Jimmy had seen every kind of debtor in his years as a loan shark. He knew one thing: collecting debts required a ruthless touch. Gold coins were like cleavage—squeeze hard enough and something always comes out.
This time would be no different...
Maybe Jimmy was thrown off by Leon’s odd question, but he felt his pride take a hit. So he stepped up and slapped Leon hard—using his right hand, of course.
Leon didn’t even blink. He caught Jimmy’s incoming right hand and, ever so politely, asked, "How about medium rare?"
"Wh-what?"
A bloodcurdling scream followed.
A heavy stench of burnt flesh filled the air, the whole room suddenly reeking of roasted meat. Everyone stared in horror—Jimmy’s right hand, the one Leon had grabbed, had burst into flames, the flesh cooked through in seconds.
Not too raw, not overdone—just medium rare.
Jimmy wasn’t weak. Back in the Red Scorpion days, he’d even killed a mage himself. That’s how he’d managed to run loan shark operations in a place as wild as Seaview City for so many years.
Too bad he’d met Leon—a monster who could form a mana vortex in ten minutes, rivaling the city’s top mages. Leon might still be a first-level mage, but in a real fight, ten Jimmys wouldn’t stand a chance. This was a gap of millennia, not something mere rank could bridge.
Leon hadn’t even bothered with a chant—just a quick, silent cast of Flame Hand, and Jimmy, Seaview City’s infamous thug, was finished.
Leon released the charred right hand, acting as if he hadn’t heard Jimmy’s tortured screams. When he looked at Felix, his face was still smiling.
Felix was frozen, eyes wide and mouth agape, his chubby face a portrait of disbelief. This... this wasn’t how it was supposed to go!
Wasn’t Jimmy supposed to walk in, beat this kid senseless, and make him hand over the deed? How did it turn into this? The Jimmy he’d counted on was now curled up on the floor like a dying dog, clutching his roasted hand and howling. Meanwhile, his nephew—who should have been sobbing and surrendering the deed—stood there calm and collected, wearing that strange smile...
That smile... Wait, when Leon looked at Jimmy just now, he’d worn the same smile. The thought gave Felix a shudder, and he instinctively backed away several steps. "You, you, you... what are you planning? I’ll have you know, I’m your uncle! If you dare lay a finger on me, I’ll—"
"Don’t be ridiculous, Uncle Felix. I don’t have time to hurt you—I’m busy." Leon smiled, walked past Felix, and helped Perry up from the floor. After making sure Perry only had a scraped arm, Leon turned and said, "Come back in three days for your money."
Felix looked as if he’d been granted a royal pardon. He stumbled out the door, pausing to toss back a few parting words: "Fine, fine, you really have grown up. You don’t even respect your uncle anymore. I’ll be back in three days—let’s see what you pay me then..."