by Zhuang Bifan
"Don't be anxious, it's not like I'm asking you to take over now. It's just my idea. You can think it over first; if you're still reluctant to take over in a few years' time, then we'll talk again…" Gerian knew not to push him too hard. He comforted him repeatedly, and with a roll of his eyes, changed the subject. "Other than this, there's another reason…"
"What is it?"
"Heh heh, I heard that some families are already starting to sell their family hoards in order to get the Arcane Magic Potions. I thought, rather than benefiting others, why not benefit the Guild of Magic instead? So, I told them it's alright if the money's not enough, they can use items. Regardless of ingredients or equipment, as long as it can be of use, the guild will accept it.
"I reckon that when the time comes, there will be a variety of things brought to us…" At this point, Gerian was shameless enough to flatter himself. "Although I am knowledgeable, I can't guarantee to know everything. In this guild, you, too, have a good eye for things besides me. You can help me keep an eye to see if I missed anything…"
"…" Lin Li thought, Just tell me straight up you want me to help with the authentication. Is there a need to beat around the bush so much?
Chapter 37 - Peeping
Lin Li did not decline. He was a guru well-versed in all five series, plus a master in general skills. When it came to professional stuff, he would naturally have a better eye than Gerian. Besides, he was also very interested in what the major forces would offer; it seemed to him as fun as a treasure hunt.
The two jerks had a discussion in the reception room. When they came out, their eyes were shining—anyone who saw them would have the feeling of being targeted by wolves.
The preparation for the auction was almost done when they came out. All 17 forces of Jarrosus City were present; even the Merlin Family, which had a fight with Gerian just a few days ago, had shamelessly sent someone to attend the auction.
After entering the guild's hall, the two jerks who were supposed to be the main characters refused to greet them at the front. Instead, they creeped to the back row and sat between a group of mages from the guild.
"President Gerian!" The group of mages at the side turned around to see Gerian, and all of a sudden, they felt chills on their backs. Why did the old fellow come to sit here…
"Shut up! All of you sit properly and watch, no one should make a sound. If anyone dares to sell me out, I'll let him know what's to come after the auction…" Gerian glared, and all the mages shut their mouths in fear.
"See the little moustache, the one in the middle of the second row, wearing a red mage robe and looking all hussy?" Gerian hid among the group of mages, stretched his hand, and pointed pettily at the front row. "That is Evan, the third son of the Merlin Family and Matthew's younger brother. Among the three brothers in the Merlin Family, he's the good-for-nothing one, merely a Magic Shooter now…"
"Then what about the second son?"
"The second son is Fario, the only one I couldn't figure out among the three brothers. Speaking of which, this fellow has always kept silent and low-key. I've beaten him up a few times when we were young, and have always thought he's a useless bum. But, unexpectedly, this fellow has climbed higher and higher, and now he has climbed to the position of the Minister of Wealth of the Felan Kingdom. He is in charge of the economic lifeblood of the kingdom, but I heard he has some problems with Matthew and has not been back in Jarrosus for several years."
The two of them were whispering when a clamor was heard outside the Emerald Tower. Looking up, they saw a middle-aged man in luxurious clothing enter the tower. From a distance, he looked to be about 40 year old; his face was slightly pale, but he exuded an air of authority.
But what really surprised Lin Li were the two attendants he'd brought along.
One of them was wearing a black mage robe; his whole face was covered with a hood, making it impossible to see his features clearly. But the aura that was emitted from him could definitely be described as strong. Among the mages Lin Li had seen, besides Andoine, Gerian, and Old Merlin, this person had to be the most formidable of them all.
The other, probably also in his forties, had a shabby beard and a broad sword leaning on his back that was giving off a scorching aura. Lin Li could see that it was definitely an excellent weapon of fire attribute with just a glance.
"Damn!" Gerian's eyes were wide open at the sight of the middle-aged man.
Lin Li had rarely seen Gerian so without composure since he had joined the Guild of Magic. He couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Which big shot is it now?"
"The Castellan of Jarrosus City, Isaac…" Gerian's head began to throb. He pointed at the two attendants behind him. "See those two guys? One is Elliot, the strongest warrior in Jarrosus. He had made a clear breakthrough to level-fourteen last year; I don't even have the confidence that I can win against him. The other one is Andrew, Chief Mage of the Castellan Mansion. Besides Old Merlin and I, he's probably the most ruthless out of all mages in Jarrosus."
At this point, Gerian's chubby face was completely sullen. "We're in big trouble. If the Castellan is interested in those 30 bottles of Arcane Magic Potions, who else would dare to compete with him?"
"Probably not." Lin Li shook his head, disapproving of Gerian's speculations. "The Arcane Magic Potion has too many limitations. You know it too—only a mage apprentice below level-five who has drunk it can permanently enhance their mana. The biggest demand can only come from the 11 mage families. He's Jarrosus' highest official in name, how would this stuff interest him…"
"Makes sense…" Gerian scratched his head. "But just in case…"
"There's nothing like just in case. Send someone to get in touch with him quietly later and find out what's going on first…" Lin Li became active once interests were involved. "Taking a million steps back, even if he's interested in the Arcane Magic Potion, the demand won't be high, at most a few bottles. When the time comes, you will get him a few bottles from the bas.e.m.e.nt secretly. And don't talk about money, just give it to him as a personal favor. We might come to some gains in the future; as long as he doesn't compete openly, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Mm, we'll do just that." Gerian nodded. He was going to entrust a mage with this important task, but hesitated. "I shall just do it personally, it'll seem more respectful this way…"
"Might as well."
After Gerian left, almost everyone arrived.
11 mage families, six underground forces, castellan of Jarrosus, Jarrosus Guild of Magic, plus a few dozen weaker forces and a few hundred wild men from all over the place. Everyone qualified to compete for the Arcane Magic Potion in Jarrosus was sitting in the guild's hall. For a moment, the spacious guild hall looked crowded.
What made Lin Li's jaw drop was that Kevin, who had always been genteel, had taken off his mage robe and put on a white, high-collared long-sleeved blouse this day. He, who wore a black waistcoat, stood on the stage holding a small hammer in his hands, temporarily acting as an auctioneer!
"Ladies and gentlemen! The biggest auction ever held in Jarrosus is about to commence!" Kevin, who was usually stoic and honest, showed no signs of stage fright acting as an auctioneer for the first time and his words were full of incitement. "What will be auctioned next will be nothing less than a miracle, a miracle created by the guild's potion master, Mr Felic!"
Chapter 38 - The Castellan of Jarrosus
Kevin's rousing words were like a boulder dropped in the lake, at once causing a commotion in the hall.
Since the battle between Gerian and Old Merlin, almost everyone in Jarrosus City knew that there was a potion master named Felic in the Guild of Magic. But knowing it was one thing. The Guild of Magic had never admitted—nor publicly announced—on any occasion that they had a potion master.
Until just now, when Kevin finally admitted it personally.
Even if the people present already knew something, they could not hide the shock hearing Kevin admit it. What was the concept of a po
tion master? It was someone who was long out of the ordinary; a few small bottles of potions would be enough to make a power rise from decline and a huge family fall apart in an instant.
A character that only existed in hearsay had finally become a fact in Kevin's words, and all at once the guild's hall was thrown into a pandemonium. Everyone was whispering and looking about. The moment of ferment almost drowned out everything else in the guild's hall.
The scene was out of control, but Kevin was not in the least alarmed. He merely looked on with a smile on his face and waited patiently for them to quiet down.
At the same time, Gerian was having the most congenial talk with Castellan Isaac.
Not far from the two men, the leaders from several forces were looking around, trying to join in and form a friendship with Gerian.
The Guild of Magic this day was not the same as it was at the beginning. Before Lin Li joined, who would be willing to have any dealings with the Guild of Magic? They had no money nor talent; they had the title of the number one force of Jarrosus, but led a poorer life than anyone else. Not to mention the 11 mage families, the people from the six underground forces, and even the weaker forces, were most likely not interested in having dealings with the Guild of Magic, either.
But since news of the potion master was out, the Guild of Magic transformed from a pheasant into a phoenix. It became the most sought-after force in Jarrosus Guild in an instant; who wouldn't want to butter up to Gerian at this time? This was a guy who hung out with the potion master! If they could make good of their relationship with this old fellow, not to mention other things, just the auction alone would be worth at least 100,000 gold coins to make things convenient for themselves!
Moreover, that was a potion master. It was impossible for him to have only a few bottles of Arcane Magic Potion. As long as they befriended Gerian, they'd have a steady supply of potions…
Thinking back to the past, the Guild of Magic had already come down in the world, but because of the agreement made during the Dark Ages, they could get a batch of potions from the Pharmacists Guild every year. This had established their position as the number one force in Jarrosus.
If there was a constant supply of potions, who else could compete against them in the whole Jarrosus City besides the Guild of Magic?
It was a pity that Gerian already had his eyes on bigger things.
The leaders of the several forces cowered at a side. They wanted to come over, but were stopped by the two attendants of the castellan and could only turn to Gerian for help with their piteous eyes.
But Gerian had no time to care if they were dead or alive. The leaders stood there for a long time, but Gerian did not even blink an eye. He was busy having a heart-to-heart talk with the castellan now.
"Isaac, since you called me Uncle Gerian, then I can't be that petty as your uncle. It's only a few bottles of Arcane Magic Potion—if you need them, just tell me. I may not have much ability, but I can still make the call for such a small matter."
Isaac found listening to Gerian's endless talk both amusing and ridiculous…
He vaguely mentioned that his father had met Gerian when the latter had still been a young mage. To his surprise, the old fellow brought their relationship up another level with a turn of his eyes—they became old family friends, the other party even claiming to be Uncle Gerian…
This, this… He was almost 50 years old this year, and Gerian was no more than 60 years old. Was there such a young uncle like him?
But Isaac had been sitting in the position of the castellan for a decade—he was no ordinary character. Jarrosus was a place where all the major forces were tangled in warfare and chaos. He would have been devoured alive if he had no means to cope with it.
Although he felt somewhat amused and annoyed, he showed no signs of it on his face. He simply made use of the opportunity and acknowledged Gerian as his uncle.
In any case, it was not too bad to acknowledge Gerian as an uncle given his current position…
"Uncle Gerian must be joking. I have no d.e.s.i.r.e for the Arcane Magic Potion. I've come to the Guild of Magic today to have a look at the legendary potion master." Isaac was somewhat of a genius; he had gotten a convenient uncle out of the blue, but addressed him so easily as if Gerian was really an old family friend…
"That won't do! It wasn't easy for you to come to the Guild of Magic. How can I, your uncle, let you return empty-handed?" Gerian was overjoyed hearing that he did not have the intention to compete for the Arcane Magic Potion, but he did not display it on his face. He wanted to give him a gift on their first meeting no matter what, and seemed just like an elder who doted on his juniors.
After a round of declining from each side, Isaac couldn't win Gerian at last, and a bottle of Arcane Magic Potion was stuffed into his hand.
Gerian walked away in contentment, leaving the castellan sitting there at a loss whether to laugh or cry at the situation.
After a long while, the chief mage of the castellan mansion came over and spoke to him in a whisper.
"Can't find?" When Isaac lifted his head, there was no trace of embarrassment at all; instead, his expression was serious and dignified. "You mean, you can't find the person?"
"Yes, Master Castellan. I've tried using the way Mr Grimm has mentioned, but I can't find the person completely."
"Could it be that Mr Grimm had guessed it wrong?" The castellan's face was serious; his eyes swept over all the faces in the hall. Once again, he lowered his voice and asked the mage in black robe, "Do you think it's possible that this person does not belong to the Pharmacists Guild?"
"I don't think it's possible. Other than the Pharmacists Guild, who else is able to concoct the Arcane Magic Potion…?"
"Are there no other possibilities?" Isaac massaged his temples; a pained expression seemed to come across his face.
Chapter 39 - The Auction
The hubbub continued for about half an hour before the hall gradually quieted down at last. Kevin, standing on the stage, still had the smile on his face as he hit the table with the gavel in his hand. "The auction for the Arcane Magic Potion officially begins now!"
A simple sentence was more effective than a Terror Spell. All of a sudden, the spacious hall fell silent, and not even the slightest sound could be heard.
Just as Lin Li was patiently waiting for the auction to start, he saw Gerian return sighing in despair.
"How was it?"
"Lost a bottle of Arcane Magic Potion." Gerian plopped down on the chair with a resentful expression on his face. "Damn, this is such a big loss…"
"Only one bottle?" Lin Li rolled his eyes. What was the big deal about it, he thought they were robbing eggs…
"It's also money!"
"5,000 gold coins!" Just as Gerian was grudging over it, someone in the hall began bidding.
Lin Li got a shock as soon as the bid was called out. He knew the Arcane Magic Potion was worth a lot, and he also knew these fellows could afford it. But he had never thought that the first bid for the Arcane Magic Potion would be raised to such an alarming level…
What was the concept of 5,000 gold coins? If he were to think of it as a quest from the Adventurers Guild, then McGrenn and his daughter would have to kill 100 Manticores or look for 50 black castles before they could get the chance to exchange for a bottle of Arcane Magic Potion.
Moreover, 5,000 gold coins was merely a starting price.
It was a short young man in his twenties or thirties who had called out the price. He wore a mage robe with fine craftsmanship. Gerian couldn't remember his name even after taking a few looks at him—he was most likely a leader of some smaller force. This guy was probably just like Lin Li, not having seen too many gold coins. After he had called out 5,000 gold coins, he thought that victory was in his hands and was smiling smugly as he sat among the crowd, a smile that said the bottle of Arcane Magic Potion was his to claim.
But before he could sit tight, someone offered a new price.
"10,000 gold coins!"
It was a middle-aged man who participated in the competition. Gerian took a look at him and whispered to Lin Li, "This is Aaron Matsis, the leader of the Blood Brotherhood, one of the six underground forces in Jarrosus that is mainly in control of the casinos. This fellow is not simple; Old Odin has fought for the control of the casino rights with him, but not once did he succeed. Just look, that shorty is in trouble…"
The price was doubled abruptly, which was apparently beyond the young mage's expectations. It was obvious that he was at a loss, but at last, with clenched teeth, he offered a new price. "12,000 gold coins!"
"15,000 gold coins!" There was no hesitation from Aaron Matsis at all. The shorty's voice had just settled when a 15,000 gold coins bid was thrown out.
Aaron Matsis bidding without hesitation was a fatal blow to the short mage. 15,000 gold coins was not the latter's ceiling, but the other party's tone as if it was not 15,000 gold coins but only 15 silver coins made him feel despair.
"15,000 gold coins going once!" The gavel landed on the table, but it felt just like it landed on the short mage's heart instead.
"15,000 gold coins going twice!"
"20,000 gold coins!" Cold sweat broke out on the short mage's forehead. It was all of his assets; he had expected to get at least two bottles of Arcane Magic Potion, but now, the hope of getting even a single bottle was slim. He finally realized how deep the water for the auction was when he recalled how he had arrived at the auction with big ambition.
"30,000 gold coins!"
Aaron Matsis sentenced the short mage to death without even blinking his eyes. This was a price that would send someone into the depths of despair.
The hall was shockingly silent. There was only the sound of the gavel landing on the table.
All eyes fell onto Aaron Matsis. Even the leaders of several mage families were surprised; the Blood Brotherhood had always kept a low profile, and its reputation was far less impressive than that of Old Odin… To think that they had such wealth and guts.
