267 Patriarch Position (1/2)

How could a harsh condition compare to the ruin of the Monchi Family? Monchi came with the intention of giving all their magic materials to the Gilded Rose. As long as Mafa Merlin took them, he wouldn't bother the Monchi Family.

This was an unspoken rule between the major powers. It was the same for everyone, even if Mafa Merlin overtook Solomon as the strongest mage of Thousand Sails City.

Otherwise, which force would dare to have dealings with the Gilded Rose?

”High Mage Merlin, the Monchi Family is very sincere about this cooperation. We can take our time to discuss the payment if you are in a bind. It is just as High Mage Merlin said, we are forces from Thousand Sails City, we should help each other. I think that after this collaboration, the Monchi Family and the Gilded Rose will have many opportunities to cooperate…”

”This is actually…” Lin Yun nodded. ”Since Leader Monchi said so, it would be disrespectful to decline. When are the magic materials going to be delivered?”

”Tomorrow morning.” To be honest, the young High Mage's question was quite rude, as this wasn't how a cooperative partner would communicate. If it had been someone else, Monchi would have simply turned and left without saying a word at that point.

Unfortunately, this wasn't just anyone...

Monchi couldn't just leave, and on the contrary, he had to plaster a smile on his face while saying ”I wish us happy cooperation” and such platitudes while instructing Ryan to hurriedly gather the magic materials.

”Now that our business is over, I need to consult Leader Monchi about a personal matter, do you have time to talk privately?”

”Of… Of course.” Monchi nearly staggered when he heard Lin Yun.

'Personal matter…'

Monchi knew that the upcoming discussion was the most crucial. If he did badly, he wouldn't be the only one ruined... The entire Monchi Family might be buried with him.

”Let's go to the reception room, it's quieter there…”

The two of them casually grabbed some chairs and sat in the reception room, not sitting in the manner of a host facing a guest, because they both knew that this wasn't a discussion which required such etiquette.

”Tell me how much you participated in causing the shipwreck.”

When Lin Yun talked this time, he no longer acted polite. He looked sharply at Monchi, his mana remaining stable. Often, keeping one's mana perfectly stable like this was most oppressive.

”I…” Monchi, who had been accustomed to pressure, felt nervous for some reason. He opened his mouth, but his throat felt abnormally dry, and thus, he had to force himself to swallow before he could say, ”I didn't participate…”

”Haha...”

”Really, I truly didn't participate…” When Lin Yun's sneer fell into his ear, Monchi got flustered, yet he didn't consider changing his words as he eagerly explained, ”I truly have nothing to do with your father's shipwreck…”

”Eh?” Lin Yun frowned. Monchi's eager expression didn't seem to lie. 'Did I guess wrong?'

”High Mage Merlin, I really didn't participate. Think about it, your father perished in the middle of the vast sea. Archmages might not necessarily come back from that place, it is a forbidden region. Besides your father's fleet, no fleet can sail to that place in the eastern part of the kingdom. Even if the Monchi Family wanted to harm your father, they didn't have the ability to do so then…”

”You mean, my father's shipwreck is truly unrelated to you?”

”In fact, it's not strange for High Mage Merlin to be suspicious. The Monchi Family was indeed the rival of the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce, and I did think of assassinating your father many times, but I was scared of making too much noise. Also, there was someone at your father's side that even Solan himself had no confidence in beating…”

”Ah?” Lin Yun frowned as he heard this. Lin Yun knew of Solan. He was Monchi's younger brother and the youngest 9th Rank High Mage of the Black Tower. He entered the Dark Azure Plane the previous year in order to push towards the Archmage realm. Lin Yun was pretty sure that he should be coming out soon.

It was said that Monchi's younger brother was the most outstanding genius in the past few hundred years. He accomplished the feat of defeating an Archmage as a 9th Rank High Mage and managed to enter the Black Tower Council at such a young age. It was also said that he was a strong contender for the seat of the next Chairman.

Lin Yun always felt that purely in terms of power, Solan had been unequalled in the former Thousand Sails City. Both Solomon and Lys weren't Solan's opponents.

But from what Monchi said...

Locke had someone at his side that could compete with Solan.

This news was a bit surprising.

'To be able to contend with Solan… Was it an Archmage?'

”Are you sure?” Lin Yun looked suspiciously at Monchi.

”Yes, I heard it from Solan himself.”

Lin Yun nodded, but didn't say anything.

But his mind was filled with questions. When he took over Mafa Merlin's body, he had thought that Locke Merlin had been an ordinary merchant and that money was the only thing he had going for himself.

But then, one matter after the other made Lin Yun feel that Locke Merlin wasn't as simple as he seemed on the surface.

First was the Planar Path leading to the Bone Plane...

The array to open the Planar Path had clearly been set up by a Master Alchemist. Inviting a Master Alchemist wasn't that easy as a rich businessman...

There was also his identity as a member of the Merlin Family, as well as this newly mentioned powerhouse protecting Locke that was strong enough to contend with Solan.

As he mulled it over, Lin Yun was suddenly full of curiosity towards Locke Merlin.

But after carefully searching Mafa Merlin's memory, Lin Yun found out that Mafa Merlin didn't know much about his father.

In Mafa Merlin's childhood memories, there were very few things related to Locke Merlin. He might spend ten days to half a month without seeing him. When Mafa became older, Locke directly left him at Seth's place and only dropped by once a year, not staying long every time. It felt as if Locke Merlin thought that Mafa only needed the best learning conditions and the best living conditions... and nothing else.

Mafa Merlin didn't even know who was at his father's side...

He only faintly remembered that six or seven people would follow Locke Merlin whenever he wanted to go out, but he simply didn't know who they were.

'Is the powerhouse Monchi mentioned one of them?'