Chapter 467: Fifty
Half an hour later, they arrived in Auckland. After parting ways with the three major mercenary groups, Leon Merlin, along with his two brothers and the Dragonblood Orc Hubert, found a carriage and hurried toward the Merlin Family Manor.
Arriving half an hour late, they naturally had no idea what had happened earlier. The Soul Requiem had been discovered and heavily damaged by the mages of Cloudspire Tower and Black Tower, forcing its remnants to flee back to the Charlotte Family.
Not long after, the group returned to the Merlin Family Manor.
After a brief rest, the exhausted Dragonblood Orc Hubert paid no attention to anyone else and promptly fell into a deep sleep...
"By the way, Cousin William, did Farrow make it to Auckland?" Leon suddenly remembered this important matter. Back in the Aurich Mountains, after discovering the natural demi-plane mutation, he had asked Cousin William to contact Farrow in distant Seaview City. He just didn't know if Farrow had arrived in Auckland yet.
"Farrow arrived in Auckland half a month ago, but since none of us were here, he didn't come to the Merlin Family Manor and stayed elsewhere instead." William Merlin nodded quickly, put down his cup, and pulled out a piece of white paper from his pocket. He swiftly wrote a message in magical runes, and as a surge of mana activated it, the paper dissolved into countless motes of light that vanished into the air. "If nothing goes wrong, they should arrive at the Merlin Family Manor in half an hour."
After a while, Leon Merlin, William Merlin, Ross Merlin, and Leon Merlin walked outside the manor together. Their group drew plenty of attention as they moved through the grounds. Ross Merlin and Leon Merlin, especially, were rising stars among the younger generation, famous throughout Auckland. The only one who could once rival them was Owen Merlin, but unfortunately, three months ago, the Elder Council meeting had ended Owen Merlin's magical career for good.
Barring any surprises, the next head of the Merlin Family would be chosen between Leon Merlin and Ross Merlin.
Normally, strong candidates for future family head would be swarmed with flatterers every time they returned to the manor. But this time, no one approached them—even within a hundred meters, people kept their distance.
Seeing this, Leon Merlin and Ross Merlin couldn't help but recall the Elder Council meeting three months ago. Cousin Marfa had gone absolutely berserk—killing three, crippling one. Even after three months, Marfa's reputation for ferocity within the Merlin Family hadn't faded one bit.
The four young men waited outside the manor. Soon, ten carriages appeared in the distance, each bearing the gilded rose insignia. The first carriage stopped, and a young figure stepped out, instantly recognizing Leon and the others. He strode over with a wide grin: "Boss Merlin, Cousin..."
William Merlin's forehead twitched with annoyance. After a whole year, Farrow was still acting like a lunatic, calling him 'Cousin' at every turn. The way he said it was just grating...
One by one, the members of the Gilded Rose Mercenary Corps stepped out of the carriages—fifty in total, not one missing—lining up neatly behind Farrow.
A year ago, they were the worst prospects in the Merlin Family, with no hope of ever becoming Grand Mages. After being sent to Seaview City, they met the current Boss Merlin, and their fates changed. In less than a year, they had all reached the rank of Grand Mage.
Back at the Merlin Family, becoming a Grand Mage was a dream they barely dared to entertain...
Yet after arriving in Seaview City, that dream somehow came true...
They had left the Merlin Family as the least talented mages, but now, after a year, they were returning to this land as Grand Mages.
What a bitter irony...
They knew, all of this was thanks to the young mage standing before them.