Chapter 365: Elder Council
Trailing behind...
With a muffled bang, the guard blocking the way didn’t even have time to finish his sentence before a fireball sent him flying.
The surroundings instantly fell silent...
“Told you to learn from me...” Ross Merlin shook his hand, snuffing out the lingering flames on his fingertip. Muttering curses, he booted a few more guards out of the way and swaggered into the Council Hall with Leon.
By now, more than half of the Merlin Family’s seventeen elders had arrived. When Leon and Ross Merlin came in, no one bothered to greet them. The elders just clustered in small groups, whispering among themselves.
“I have to say, Cousin Ross, you’re about as popular as a plague...” Leon could tell at a glance that Ross Merlin’s standing was even worse than he’d imagined. This was the power center of the Merlin Family—everyone here was influential, and their attitude basically reflected the family’s as a whole.
In other words...
The entire Merlin Family didn’t care much for Ross Merlin...
Leon had met plenty of unpopular people, but never anyone quite this bad...
Even Mason from Seaview City...
Well, at least Mason is popular among the rich kids in Seaview City...
...Ross Merlin hadn’t expected these old guys to be so rude. After forcing a couple of awkward laughs, he was already cursing their ancestors in his mind. Damn it, are you really too tired to say hello to me?
Just as Leon was mocking Ross, the doors to the Council Hall swung open again. This time, Owen Merlin and Leon Merlin walked in, followed by a tardy elder. Now, all seventeen Merlin Family elders were present.
After entering, Owen Merlin glanced at Leon from afar, his expression unreadable, somewhere between a smile and a frown. Who knows what he was thinking...
But Leon Merlin...
Leon Merlin nearly stumbled, almost landing flat on his backside. After barely managing to stay upright, his face went pale as a ghost. When he looked at Leon, it was as if he’d seen a specter...
...The moment Leon saw him, Leon Merlin practically gasped for breath.
He rubbed his eyes—no, he wasn’t seeing things.
Rubbed his eyes again—still not seeing things!
Damn, I really wasn’t seeing things!
It really was Matthew Merlin!
The moment he realized he wasn’t hallucinating, Leon Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin. What was going on? Why had he come to the Merlin Family? Wasn’t the whole Seaview City incident already settled? Why won’t he let me go? This is the Merlin Family—what does he want?
“Morning!” Leon called out to Leon Merlin with a smile—after all, they were at least acquaintances.
But he hadn’t expected that his greeting would scare Leon Merlin even more...
“What... what do you want!” Leon Merlin practically jumped back two steps, clutching his chest like a frightened girl...
Leon awkwardly scratched his nose, surprised that a casual greeting could frighten Leon Merlin so much...
Leon shook his head helplessly and sat down next to Ross Merlin...
But just because Leon sat down didn’t mean Leon Merlin felt any safer...
This young genius of the Merlin Family stared at Leon with a look of suspicion and confusion, unable to figure out why this bastard had come to the Merlin Family. Was the Seaview City incident not over yet? Did he really chase me all the way here to embarrass me again?
This... this is just bullying!
Leon Merlin was instantly furious...
Though, to be fair, he was careful about his anger...
What could he do? He couldn't afford to mess with Leon...
Back then, he'd gone to Seaview City hoping to recruit Leon, but his anger got the better of him. One magic lock later, his mana was sealed tight. If Professor Hogg hadn’t stepped in, he might never have cast another spell for the rest of his life.
He’d thought, with Professor Hogg intervening, maybe he wouldn’t have to be so cautious anymore.
But nope, nope...
That time was even worse...
Walked into the Gilded Rose, and ran smack into Joey...
Joey the Star Sage!
The master of the Cloudspire Tower, a peak Title Archmage, Auckland’s closest thing to a Heavenly Mage—just hearing his name was enough to make people tremble. And when he appeared before Leon Merlin, he was the living, breathing Star Sage himself...
Oh, heavens...
Twenty years at Cloudspire Tower and he’d never seen a real Star Sage, but there he was in a little alchemy shop in Seaview City...
And it wasn’t just any situation, either...
Back then, master and apprentice were both stunned. Leon Merlin didn’t even remember how he got back to Auckland—he spent the whole next month in a daze.
A month later, his teacher took him to the Pale Plane to fight magical beasts for months on end, dancing with death over and over. The constant pressure finally helped him forget the humiliation he’d suffered in Seaview City...
That’s just how the world of magic works—hard work always pays off. Those hellish months made his power skyrocket; now he was a seventh-level mage. He’d thought, even if he saw Matthew Merlin again, he wouldn’t be so scared...
But the instant he walked into the Council Hall today, Leon Merlin knew he was dead wrong.
Dead wrong.
He was a seventh-level mage now, a big deal in Auckland, one of the few young people who could hold his own. But still, seeing Matthew Merlin again—he was just as terrified as ever...
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Right now, Leon Merlin really wanted to ask—damn it, what do you want from me? I’m already shaking in my boots, can’t you just leave me alone?
Of course, Leon Merlin only dared to think these things...
If he actually had to say it out loud, he’d need a hundred borrowed guts first.
Once everyone was seated and all seventeen elders were present, Hoffland Merlin entered the Council Hall. He took the seat at the head of the long table, scanning each face in turn: “Everyone’s here. Let’s begin...”
There was a clear note of helplessness in Hoffland’s voice...
No surprise there—for Hoffland, the Council Hall was easily the most loathsome place in the manor. Every time he walked in, those old geezers would make trouble for him, especially today...
Just thinking about what was coming, Hoffland couldn’t help but sigh to himself. It really was unfair to Matthew Merlin...
Honestly, if he could, Hoffland would’ve loved to stand up and say a few words in defense of Matthew Merlin.
But, Hoffland knew that was just wishful thinking.
As the head of the Merlin Family, sometimes you just have to look at the big picture.
No helping it—the wealth of the Gilded Rose was just too tempting.
Now, out of all seventeen elders, except for Leon Merlin and Ross Merlin, the other fifteen were practically chanting in unison for Matthew Merlin to hand over the Gilded Rose.
Times like this, even Hoffland Merlin, as family head, had to tread carefully.
Standing up for Matthew Merlin would be just and fair, sure—but the backlash from the entire Elder Council would be brutal.
Especially Legon...
The proposal to make Matthew Merlin surrender the Gilded Rose came from Legon. If Hoffland opposed it, he’d be taking a stand against Legon, who represented all the interests of the Laurel Merlin branch. If Legon kicked up a fuss, the whole Merlin Family could come apart at the seams...
Thinking of this, Hoffland couldn’t help but sigh again...
Faced with the interests of the entire Merlin Family, he had to abandon the idea of fairness. Matthew Merlin was destined to be sacrificed—no matter how outstanding he was, the family’s interests came first, and he was just a pitiful scapegoat...
From across the room, Hoffland cast a look at Leon, his eyes full of sympathy and regret. This young man had only come back to the Merlin Family after Hoffland’s repeated persuasion, and he’d immediately made huge contributions—eliminating the future threat of Stan Watson. Anyone who said Hoffland wasn’t pleased or grateful would be lying. It was just a shame the Gilded Rose in Leon’s hands was too much for anyone to resist...
“The first topic today is expanding the Planar Legion in the Blazeforge Realm. Thorne Merlin, stationed there, has sent three urgent letters, saying the orc attacks have been brutal lately. The Merlin Family’s Planar Legion has suffered heavy losses and needs reinforcements within a month. After the first urgent letter arrived, the family began drawing up a reinforcement plan, which is expected to cost thirty million gold coins. What do you all think?”
After Hoffland finished speaking, the elders began murmuring among themselves.
Leon glanced around casually and could already tell—Ross Merlin was the most isolated in the Elder Council. While everyone else whispered to one another, Ross Merlin just stared at the ceiling, daydreaming. Not much he could do; nobody wanted to talk to him.
Leon Merlin’s situation was a little better, but not by much...
Only a single elder, in his forties, was willing to exchange a few words with Leon Merlin.
The biggest factions in the Elder Council were two groups: one led by Owen Merlin, with five elders, and the other by a sixty-something old man, with seven or eight elders. Leon knew this old man was probably Legon from the Laurel Merlin branch, just like William Merlin had said.