"Let's speak plainly," Wendell began. "Owen is soone we hold in high regard within our family. As such, all eyes and ears in the Owen household are constantly upon him."
Gin understood the implication imdiately.
"So, you've been digging into my background," he said with a calm smile.
Wendell nodded without pretense. "We conducted a little investigation."
At those words, Owen's face tensed with discomfort, though he said nothing.
He had anticipated this. He knew he had neither the authority nor the strength to prevent the elders of his house from investigating soone like Gin. Still, Owen wasn't worried.
He was confident that no inquiry, no matter how thorough, would reveal anything damaging.
Now, seeing Gin again, Owen felt his trust deepen. The ti apart had dulled his impression, but today that sense of admiration returned in full force. He was convinced—this man was vital to him.
"So," Gin asked, leaning forward with interest, "what did you find?"
Wendell observed him carefully, noting the genuine curiosity in Gin's expression.
"Who exactly are you?" he finally asked.
Gin said nothing, still curious about how much they had discovered. He wanted to hear their findings first.
"No matter how deep we searched, we uncovered nothing," Wendell admitted. "We know you're from another city, but don't bother claiming it's sowhere trivial. Our main estate isn't even in this region—it's far from here, in a city called Lumar."
At the ntion of Lumar, Gin's eyes glead briefly.
'Lumar... that's the city linked to the portal in that hidden warehouse,' he thought. His mind raced with new possibilities. It seed his next journey would take him there.
"How much have you uncovered?" Gin asked casually, though Wendell suspected there was more to his question.
"We traced your activities back to your collaboration with a broker nad Jay," Wendell said. "Beyond that, nothing. It's as though you vanished from existence before that point."
"I've simply lived quietly, dedicating myself to studying magic," Gin replied with an air of nonchalance.
Despite his claim, Wendell knew that living in obscurity without leaving any trace was nearly impossible. Still, he didn't press further.
"Hmph. You don't seem like the type to hide away quietly," Wendell muttered before steering the conversation toward another matter.
"The shield developed at the Runewright Workshop," Wendell said, narrowing his gaze. "How involved were you? Frankly, that artifact's quality far exceeds what I expected from Runewright's capabilities."
"Ninety-five percent,"Gin answered matter-of-factly.
"Ninety-five?" Wendell's eyes widened slightly. "At that level, you might as well have done everything yourself, apart from the physical fra."
"Correct," Gin confird with a slight nod.
Wendell let out a deep chuckle. "Owen has a good eye for talent, I see."
But the elder's expression soon darkened as he lowered his voice. "However, there's been interference lately. Have you noticed?"
"Interference?" Gin echoed, unfazed.
Wendell's brow twitched at the casual response. "Hmm. It seems you're not fully aware. The West Ham city governnt is currently discussing distributing the Runewright shield to their military forces."
Before Gin could react, Owen interjected excitedly. "That's great news! Securing a stable buyer is a major step forward.
Negotiating the price might be tricky, but this could solidify long-term success."
"Indeed," Wendell acknowledged, "but there's a complication."
Owen's enthusiasm faltered, replaced by confusion. "A complication? The governnt seems to have made its decision.
Isn't it just a matter of finalizing the contract?"
With a knowing smile, Wendell replied, "There's a rival now."
Owen's expression shifted to disbelief.
"A rival? That's impossible. The shield was developed by Mage Gin himself.
There can't be another workshop capable of producing sothing similar... unless—" His eyes widened in sudden realization.
"They've copied the sulsik," Wendell confird grimly. "A perfect imitation of your shield, and they're ready to undercut your price."
Owen clenched his teeth in frustration, while Gin remained eerily composed.
The sight of Gin's calmness seed to aggravate Owen even more.
"Who are they?" Owen demanded.
"Shine Workshop," Wendell replied, his voice asured as he studied Owen's reaction.
"Shine? The underground workshop?" Owen hissed, his anger intensifying. "Those bastards... how dare they!"
Wendell watched Owen curiously. It was only their second eting with Gin, yet Owen's rage seed deeply personal. Why?
Sensing the tension, Gin finally spoke. "Calm yourself. I'm not bothered by this," he said gently.
Owen shook his head vehently. "No. They need to be taught a lesson."
Gin offered no further argunt, rely fixing Owen with a steady gaze. The weight of that silence forced Owen to swallow his anger.
"Thank you for your concern," Gin said after a pause. "But I've already made preparations. Everything will be fine."
Both Wendell and Owen were curious about what those preparations might be, though neither asked directly. Wendell leaned forward slightly, a spark of intrigue in his eyes.
"The city plans to conduct an official test soon," he said. "I'm considering attending. Would you be opposed to that?"
Gin shook his head. "Do as you wish."
"You do realize the test might not be entirely fair?" Wendell added.
"It doesn't matter," Gin replied simply.
Wendell's curiosity deepened. He had expected more resistance. What hidden advantage did Gin possess that made him so confident?
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the eting drew to a close. As Gin and Owen departed the reception room, Wendell watched Gin's retreating figure thoughtfully.
Once Gin was out of earshot, Wendell turned to the other elders. "Well? What do you think?"
Karl frowned. "Strange. I couldn't penetrate the outer magic he's cloaked in."
"You couldn't?" Wendell asked, astonished.
"No. I tried every technique I know, but it was impenetrable. He's either using a specialized artifact or has mastered an advanced defense technique."
Adler, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "My concern lies elsewhere. Owen seems unusually attached to that mage. Far more than he should be."
The room fell into a contemplative silence as the elders processed Adler's words.
"We should keep a closer eye on both of them," Wendell finally said.
"Agreed," Karl and Adler echoed.
With that decision, the elders resolved to use the full resources of the Owen family to uncover any hidden truths about Gin. Whatever secrets he harbored, they would not remain hidden for long.
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