"Why don't you go down and take a look?"
"Fine, I really want to see just how many uncles I have..." Leon's face was dark as he left the study. This was getting ridiculous—one Felix wasn't enough, now another uncle had appeared out of nowhere. Damn it, when would this end?
"Young master, I don't think he's faking it..." The old butler quietly whispered as they walked down the corridor.
"Oh?" Leon immediately furrowed his brow.
"Back then, your grandfather and father really did come from another city. I still remember—there were rumors at the time that they were actually part of a large family, but due to family disputes, they had to hide in Seaview City. What the man downstairs said..." The old butler struggled to find a better term, so he kept it vague: "It's more or less the same as what the man downstairs claimed..."
"No way..." Leon's expression soured. "What about Felix, then?"
"That much I know. Felix really is a Merlin by blood, but your family connection is actually pretty distant. It was only after your father made his fortune that Felix came crying to the door, begging to be acknowledged. Your father had a soft heart and accepted him as kin..."
"This is absurd..." Leon couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. Not long ago, he'd been relieved that Matthew Merlin's social connections were simple, saving him a lot of trouble. But now, everything had changed—there was a cousin waiting downstairs, and now, out of nowhere, another uncle had appeared.
Forget it, it didn’t really have much to do with him anyway. Might as well go meet this cousin who’d dropped in out of the blue.
Coming down from the second-floor study, Leon spotted a young man in his twenties sitting in the living room before he’d even reached the bottom of the stairs. Leon put on a broad smile and walked over, extending his right hand: "Hello, I'm Matthew Merlin."
"I'm William Merlin." The young man glanced at Leon's outstretched hand, neither intending to shake it nor to stand up. His gaze fell on the furnishings in the living room, and a look of undisguised disdain crossed his face. "You may call me Archmage William, or Master Alchemist William. I really don't care. Also, you'd better replace these cheap decorations in your living room—I don't do meetings in places this shabby."
"Heh..." Leon's eyes narrowed slightly.
The young man who called himself William Merlin truly possessed the power of an Archmage—above level five, at that. For someone not yet thirty, such an achievement was nothing short of extraordinary.
Just look at Ryan, also not yet thirty—after becoming a first-level Archmage, he was hailed as Seaview City's once-in-a-century genius. But this William Merlin was far more than a mere first-level Archmage...
A first-level Archmage and a fifth-level Archmage may seem only a few ranks apart, but in terms of power, the gap is vast. After reaching the fifth tier, an Archmage can learn fourth-tier spells and also possess five Arcane Sigils. Once any mage attains five Arcane Sigils, a transformative leap occurs, pushing the power of a fifth-level Archmage into an entirely different realm.
You'd probably need ten Ryans just to stand a chance against this William Merlin.
Such strength at such a young age was truly something to be proud of.
But when that pride was aimed at Leon, his mood instantly soured...
"By the way, Matthew Merlin, right? I'm here to tell you that both your grandfather and mine come from the Merlin Family. Technically, you should call me cousin, but I don't care much for that title. So unless it's something special, just call me Archmage William or Master Alchemist William."
"Alright, Archmage William..."
"The reason I came this time is because some old folks in the family—who knows how—found out about your branch and heard you weren't doing well. Your father suffered a shipwreck, racked up a huge debt, and you yourself are still a ninth-level magic apprentice, struggling for years without becoming a mage. So those old guys sent me to settle your father's debts and, incidentally, give you a few pointers in magic, so you can finally put on that pitiful black robe and stop disgracing the Merlin Family..."
"Um, Archmage William, may I ask..."
"Knowing too much won't do you any good. Best not to ask what you shouldn't." The young Archmage didn't even lift his eyelids, shutting down Leon's question as if he were ordering a servant.
...
"By the way, Matthew Merlin, I heard you own an alchemy shop called the Gilded Rose?"
"Yes, that's right." Leon nodded, then looked at William Merlin with some curiosity. The Gilded Rose was popular in Seaview City, but how did this young Archmage from distant Auckland know about it?
Unfortunately, after asking that question, the young Archmage lost all interest in further conversation. He slowly stood up: "Alright, I've spent all day traveling from Auckland and I'm exhausted. Have someone prepare a quiet guest room for me, and just send dinner up to my room."
This time, Leon couldn't even be bothered to roll his eyes...
The old butler couldn't stand it anymore, hastily summoned two servants to arrange a guest room and breakfast for the young Archmage. But even after everything was set, the Archmage didn't leave; instead, he stared at Leon in confusion. Leon was so baffled that the Archmage finally snorted in annoyance: "What are you standing there for? Do I have to carry my own luggage? Can't you see anything?"
Damn, he's really asking for it...
Cursing inwardly, Leon called a servant over to help Archmage William with his luggage. Only after finally sending off this cousin who'd dropped from the sky did Leon begin to calm down and start piecing the whole situation together.
It seemed unlikely that William Merlin was lying...
The body he now inhabited was almost certainly, as William Merlin said, a branch of that supposedly powerful Merlin Family.
But the Merlin Family hadn't contacted Seaview City for decades—so why suddenly remember this lost relative now? Was it really just a coincidence, as William Merlin claimed? It seemed a bit too coincidental...
Wait, just now William Merlin asked if he owned an alchemy shop called the Gilded Rose.
Could it be... was it because of the Gilded Rose?