End of the Magic Era
chapter-4

After watching Fario's fat silhouette flee into the distance, Lin Yun turned back around and looked at Jimmy's two thugs. "Still not leaving? Are you waiting for me to invite you to stay for dinner?"

The two dumb thugs were knocked out of their stupor by Lin Yun's words. "Eh? We are on our way, let's go…"

Once the two thugs carried Jimmy away, the big house once again regained its peace, and Lin Yun led the old butler to a chair. The bruises on his arm had been wrapped. They weren't much of a hindrance, but he was still frowning as he muttered, "Young Master, the eight thousand gold..."

"Rest assured, I can deal with it," Lin Yun casually answered. He truly didn't take a debt of a mere eight thousand gold seriously. The reason behind this wasn't the fact that the concept of currency had fallen out of use near the end of the world. In fact, Lin Yun thirsted for money more than anyone else. He'd long since had his fill of that world where people would fight to the death for a bit of fresh water. His situation was far better now. As long as he was wealthy enough, he could buy anything that he needed or wanted.

But eight thousand really wasn't much, at least for someone who was far beyond the mages of this era. Repaying eight thousand gold coins wouldn't give him much trouble at all, since he had many ways he could get that much within three days.

Given that he'd just had a narrow escape from the end of the world via transmigration, then ended up in an unfamiliar body, and finally was confronted moments later by Fario and Jimmy... After all this, his mind was in a mess, so how could he still have time to think about a mere eight thousand gold?

But even if he didn't care about it, it didn't mean that his butler wouldn't. Seeing his young master's carefree face, the old butler hurriedly warned, "Young Master, we can't really get this sum for the time being. In order to compensate for the losses, we already sold all our properties and compensated the family members of the deceased. We really have no money…"

"I just remembered that when my father was alive, he put an alchemy workshop under my name, didn't he?" Lin Yun had looked through Mafa Merlin's memories and found this fact rather interesting. But although the workshop was under his name, it would normally be operated by Locke Merlin's people. The only thing his father had done was to make it easier for him to purchase magic materials and reagents.

"That alchemy workshop is still there, but…"

"But?"

"But after the accident at sea, the three alchemists all left. I don't blame them. With the current situation of the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce, they also need to think of themselves," the old butler explained while shaking his head. The most important part of an alchemy workshop was its alchemists. Locke Merlin had spent a great amount to get those three alchemists who were at the peak of Thousand Sails City from the other chambers of commerce. If they had stayed, they might not have been able to let the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce truly rise again on their own, but there wouldn't have been an issue with dealing with the current crisis. After all, that was an extremely lucrative business, and it would easily generate much more than eight thousand gold.

Unfortunately, all three of the alchemists left, and even if there were still materials left in the warehouse, they would only be cheap goods. Without the abilities of an alchemist to turn certain raw materials into gold or other things, selling all of that certainly wouldn't be enough to repay the debt.

"Anyways, let's take a look."

"Young Master wants to take a look?" The old butler froze for a bit, feeling a bit strange. Ever since his Young Master woke up from that fainting spell, he seemed a bit different. The previous Mafa Merlin never would have been able to say such bold words in front of that wretched Fario.

And there was that Jimmy. The miserable scene of him howling and weeping after his right hand was burnt scared the butler too. His young master didn't even frown or wince and remained perfectly calm while roasting the thug's hand. It was as if he had become a totally different person from the anxiously sighing young master from a few days ago.

'Young Master truly grew up from facing the adversity. Unfortunately, Master will never be able to see it.'

As the two talked, footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. This guest was a youth that seemed to be about twenty years old and was not very tall. He was wearing a black gown, on the cuffs of which was embroidered a wyvern. This was the standard gown of Okland, the best magic school in the eastern side of the kingdom.

This was definitely a student of the Okland magic school, and he must have already become a mage, because only a mage was qualified to wear a black gown.

That young mage hurriedly entered without waiting for permission of any sort. After a glance at old Pavey's dusty bandage, he suddenly grew angry. "Mafa Merlin! Look at what you did! My father has worked for your Merlin family for more than 30 years, and now he still has to help you deal with your mess. Is this the worth of the Merlin family? How could you feel no shame letting my father be harmed like this?"

"Raymond, shut up!" The old butler loudly berated his son and wanted to explain what happened in defense of his young master.

But the problem was that Raymond had quite a temper. How could he listen to an explanation upon seeing his father hurt like this? His father had worked for the Merlins for over 30 years. He had always worked tirelessly without any complaint, and been unerringly loyal. Even though the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce was now sinking, he still stubbornly remained to take care of that young master, and what was the result?

After the news of the accident at sea had spread, Raymond had become very worried. He was afraid of what his father might encounter here as people came to demand money, so he found a way to apply for a ten-day vacation before travelling from Fallen Star Lakeside to Thousand Sails City. And on the way, he found out that Locke Merlin's younger cousin, Fario, had hired Jimmy and brought him to collect a debt.

Raymond had grown up in Thousand Sails City as a child. How could he not know who Jimmy was? He hurried toward the Merlin family house, his heart burning from anxiety, and as he entered, he noticed his father's appearance. The anger he felt was naturally re-directed toward Lin Yun.

To be honest, Raymond had always been looking down on Mafa. This young master had a rich and powerful father, and had always been given the best conditions after stepping into the world of magic, even getting the chance to be mentored by an Archmage. When he needed materials for experiments, his father simply gifted him an alchemy shop. Every year, he would use up at least a hundred thousand gold.

But despite enjoying these superior circumstances, he had always been lingering at the door to becoming a mage. After so many years, after so much money used, he was still a mere 9th Rank Magic Apprentice. Raymond had always believed that if he'd been given these benefits, he would have had far more achievements already.

Later on, Raymond successfully became a mage and returned to look at that Mafa Merlin, but there was no envy or jealousy anymore. Since he was a mage, he couldn't envy or be jealous of a mere Magic Apprentice, because the two belonged to two different worlds, and it seemed unlikely that they would intersect. Like those professors at the school said, an inferior existence like a perennial Magic Apprentice couldn't even enter the eye of a mage...

"Young Master, I'm really sorry, this little brat shouted at you without knowing anything. Just wait, I'll scold him and make him apologize to you."

"It doesn't matter, Raymond is still young, so it's quite normal for him to be impetuous, " After saying a few words to the old butler, Lin Yun just headed for the door. Just before going out, he said, "Oh right, Raymond, your father was injured and needs to rest. You got here at just the right time, follow me to the Gilded Rose."

"I... " Raymond almost choked in anger. 'Does that scoundrel want to die? A mere 9th Rank Magic Apprentice actually used that kind of tone to order around a great mage!'

Unfortunately, this great mage didn't have time to explode in anger, as the old butler on the side exploded in anger first. "You little dolt, do you want to anger me to death?"

"Okay okay, I got it…" Raymond did not have a mother as a child, so he had been raised solely by old Pavey. Raymond was both respectful toward and somewhat afraid of his father. When he saw how angry his father had gotten, the young mage's dignity was immediately thrown to the back of his head. He smiled and asked about his father's injury, and after confirming that everything was okay, he picked up his magic wand and chased after Lin Yun.

The road from the Merlin House to the Gilded Rose was about a 20-minute walk. On the way, Raymond didn't really look at Lin Yun. For the sake of his old man, he would at least show the veneer of good grace, but if this fellow didn't know his place, then Raymond would definitely try to embarrass him.

Raymond was quite sure about what Mafa Merlin's goal was.

An apprentice stuck at the 9th rank managed to get in touch with a true mage; how could he not take the opportunity to try to befriend him? Not mentioning anything else, just Raymond's own experience of forming the mana whirlpool would be enough to help Mafa Merlin avoid countless detours. As long as this young master Merlin wasn't a fool, he would definitely ask all kinds of questions.

'When he comes and tries to befriend me, I'll stop playing along and taunt him, and then use the tone of a mage to chastise him.'

'Good, sounds like a plan!'

Thus, Raymond waited for his quarry to approach...