Chapter 16: Apology and Compensation

After recovering from staggering, a fierce glint appeared in Mason's eyes and the magic staff in his hand was activated, the gem at the end letting out fierce mana fluctuations.

"Give it a try." Lin Yun had already arrived during the argument, and although there was a smiling expression on his face, the mana fluctuations around him let everyone know that if Mason dared to make a move, the young master would definitely not be polite.

"Merlin, you came just on time!" As he saw Lin Yun appear, Mason didn't dare to attack the old butler, but he still kept his overbearing attitude. "I came with good intentions and brought friends for your Gilded Rose's reopening to give you some business, but I didn't expect you to be selling fake items. My friend just drank your potion and has some problems. You should compensate him!"

"I know that this dragon eye gem is quite precious, but you don't need to raise it that high for me to see..." After Lin Yun drew closer, he first pushed away Mason's magic staff before casually asking, "Which potion did your friend drink for him to have a problem?"

"It was that healing potion!" Mason unhesitantly answered. He had asked around before, and healing potions were truly first-rate potions. There weren't that many alchemists in Thousands Sails City that could craft effective healing potions, and they all had high status. They weren't people that the current Gilded Rose could hire.

Moreover, that healing potion was dark red...

Only failed healing potions were dark red.

"Take a look, he already drank more than half of the potion and his injury didn't improve at all! Moreover, the wound that had already been scabbing started bleeding again!" Mason made his subordinates bring a stretcher while explaining.

A young person that was perhaps in his late twenties was lying on the stretcher. His right arm was wounded, and after opening the bandage, a deep and long cut was revealed. And from the bloodstains and the residue, it was evident that it had truly been healing before splitting open.

"I know you have no money right now and can't even afford your uncle's debt, but surely it wouldn't be good to use that as an excuse? For the sake of our friendship, I'll ask my father if he can help you. But what about the fake potions?" Mason had a grieving and sorrowful expression, but he was inwardly gloating. 'You dared to humiliate me in the Sage Tower, so today I'll destroy your workshop and humiliate you in public. Indeed, that so-called friend was someone I spent a few hundred gold to hire, he agreed for me to cut open the wound on his right arm. As for that healing potion, I already had people throw half of it away. The remaining half should be good enough as evidence. With the testimony of that guy and the potion, you will be the one suffering!'

Mason felt that Mafa's fate was as good as sealed. 'What will you do? Planning on saying that this healing potion is a real one? Such a joke, you could cheat other people, but you can only dream if you want to cheat me. The Twin Moons chamber of commerce has a Great Alchemist, he patted his chest and guaranteed that a dark red healing potion was definitely a failed product.'

"What do you think? I'm helpless, my friend suffered such a huge loss, what does your Gilded Rose think about that? I have a very simple suggestion. First is to compensate my friend, I guess ten thousand gold should be fine. If you can't procure it, then you are definitely lacking sincerity. In that case, you'll have to admit that the Gilded Rose sold him a fake potion that harmed him and then guarantee that no such things will ever happen again."

Even Mason himself felt that the two conditions were harsh. The entire Thousand Sails City knew that the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce had gone bankrupt and that Locke Merlin's son wasn't able to pay the debt that he owed his uncle. How could he come up with ten thousand gold for compensation? Moreover, before the matter of the compensation was even settled, he still had to publicly apologize and admit that he sold a fake potion. That would truly be a great humiliation. After that, proudly raising his head in Thousand Sails City would be a dream for Mafa Merlin.

Of course, when those two conditions were put forward, Mason was already prepared to haggle over the amount of the compensation. When the time came, it would be fine as long as he insisted on the 2nd condition. As for the ten thousand gold, he didn't care much about it, as he didn't lack money. The goal was to ruthlessly trample on that kid's pride.

"That sounds reasonable. Our Gilded Rose opened to do business, so if there really was a problem with that healing potion, offering compensation and apologizing is a matter of course." Who knew that Lin Yun would be extremely straightforward and not argue the matter at all?

"Ah?" Even Mason, who had always been thinking about how to shame this guy to get his revenge, couldn't help freezing. He had prepared so many more arguments. 'How can he agree so quickly? Well, it doesn't matter, saving some effort is also good.'

"Since that's the case, then hurry up and settle it, you should compensate and apologize. I still have things to do, I don't have time to chat with you."

"Hey, Mason, did you listen to me? I said, 'if there really was a problem with the healing potion'... You should understand the meaning of this, right? Or do I need to explain for you?"

"What do you mean?" Mason had an unpleasant expression.

"Looks like you really didn't understand..." Lin Yun regretfully shook his head, inwardly cursing the standards of Noscent's compulsory education before very patiently explaining to Mason, "What I mean is if there is an issue with that healing potion, we will definitely compensate and apologize, but if there is no issue with that healing potion, I wonder what Mage Mason plans to do?"

"No problem?" Mason lowered his head to look at that half-empty bottle of healing potion, and when he saw the unsightly dark red color, he steadied his resolve and declared, "If there is no problem with that healing potion, I'll eat its bottle!"

"Good." Lin Yun nodded and waved to an employee in a corner. "You, please come over."

"Eh?" That employee was about 20 years old, a faint mana fluctuation could be seen on his body, he should be someone who just became a magic apprentice. Nothing could be done about that, as studying magic was very expensive. An average person without a family background like Mafa Merlin or Mason simply couldn't cope with such a huge expenditure, thus, most magic apprentices would look for work to ease the burden.

"What's your name?"

"Boss, I'm called Remy."

"Very good, Remy, do you want to get a raise of one hundred gold to your salary starting next month? If you are willing, roll up your sleeve..."

"Eh?" Although the young apprentice rolled up his sleeve, his mind was in chaos. His current salary was only 100 gold, so how could his salary double just by rolling up his sleeve, wasn't that too irrational?

While he was thinking about it, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right arm.

"Ugh..." Remy felt a chill as he looked down and saw that his boss had given him a deep cut.

'Damn, I knew that an offer to double my salary couldn't be anything good...'

"Good, help me test the flavor of this healing potion." Lin Yun said as he handed over the remaining half of the potion. "Don't just stare at it in a daze, drink it fast, I still have things to take care of."