Genius Warlock

It was unexpected that the events were simply a coincidence.

Arthur mentioned that Willes had taken refuge in the incinerator and was attempting to regain strength by assembling remnants of the Kell Liberation Army in Landa, potentially endangering the autonomy of Landa City.

The rebels congregated in the autonomous city within the Empire, and the city could not utilize the police or the city's defense forces as any missteps could bring unwanted attention.

In order to resolve this issue, the city employed experienced and reputable veterans-cum-Solvers, like Arthur and his associates, as a solution.

However, in an ironic twist, just as Arthur was planning an attack on Willes, Willes launched a surprise raid on the city prison to rescue his imprisoned associates.

Although it may have seemed like a coincidence, the resulting damage was too substantial to be dismissed as such.

Despite increased security measures, the prison was taken by surprise by the enemy's firepower, and three out of the five prison compartments were breached, causing numerous inmates to escape into the streets.

The city quickly mobilized police and some defense forces to capture the escaped criminals, but many were still able to flee, causing chaos in Landa.

"It’s everywhere…."

Forrest brought a stack of newspapers published in Landa and dropped them on the desk with a thud.

He then flipped through one of the newspapers and began reading from it.

"This newspaper, The Talker, has the latest update on the prison raid. According to the authorities, it was a premeditated act of terrorism carried out by the Anti-development committee in District Z."

"….?"

Oliver was confused, as he had no knowledge of the Anti-development committee or what premeditated terrorism meant.

He asked Forrest,

"I'm sorry, Mr. Forrest, but wasn't it Mr. Willes of the Kell Liberation Army who actually stormed the city prison?"

Forrest replied, "That is correct. I'll read you another article from a newspaper with no credibility. It states that an unnamed source claims that a group of Warlocks were responsible for the prison raid, done to save a member of their organization who had been captured by the police a few days prior, warning of the dangers of the Warlocks. The article may not be credible, but they have a good picture."

Forrest showed Oliver the picture in the newspaper.

The photograph was well-taken, depicting prisoners pouring through the crumbling prison walls and the cracks, with the black and white tones emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

However, Oliver still had doubts.

He asked Forrest, "As you said, the picture was definitely taken well, but the question remains, isn't it Mr. Willes who attacked the prison? You said that through the communication device yesterday, didn't you?"

Forrest replied, "Yes, it was Willes. But the newspaper is talking about something else because the city requested it. It would be a huge embarrassment for the world to know that the Landa city prison was raided by the Kell Liberation Army, who were hiding in the city."

Oliver asked, "Isn't getting the prison raided itself a disgrace?"

Forrest replied, "Don't be naive, it's a fact. I have nothing more to say."

He then handed Oliver a glass of wine and continued,

"To be honest, you are right, it is a shame that the prison was raided, but the damage has been done. Now the city wants to minimize the damage as much as possible. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the best one in this situation."

"I don't quite understand….. If you don't mind, can you explain it?"

Forrest thought for a moment and nodded.

"I think it's best if I explain it to you. You deserve to know. First of all, you know that Landa is a free city, right?"

Oliver nodded, acknowledging that Landa was a city within the United Kingdom, but not ruled by the royal family or the central parliament, and in some ways was considered a separate nation within a country.

Forrest continued, "But freedom comes at a cost. The creation of the city of Landa was a miracle, an unlikely alliance of politicians, capitalists and wizards came together to rebuild the city after a catastrophe. But it's not just a one-time cost, Landa has to pay huge taxes to maintain its status as a free city. But the problem is that people are not satisfied, they want more."

"More?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, the royal family wants to regain control over Landa, and the parliament wants to take away its free city status and make it just another administrative district. Everyone wants a piece of the golden goose."

Forrest said with a hint of sarcasm.

Oliver seemed to understand the situation.

He had heard similar stories before.

"But Landa must hate it," he said.

Forrest nodded, "Exactly. That's the reality. So, every year, Landa fights an invisible war against the parliament and the royal family, to protect its autonomy. And suddenly, the city jail is raided by the Kell Liberation Army? What do you think?"

Oliver replied, "I don't know for sure, but I think it'll become an excuse."

Forrest smiled and poured Oliver another drink,

"Correct. You get a prize. That's why they spread those tabloid rumors first. It takes a lot of time to uncover the truth if you spread a lot of lies. When it comes to the autonomy of Landa, newspapers and radio stations are in the same position as the city, so they cooperate. It's a rare sight, so remember it."

Oliver looked at the other newspapers with a nod.

The Lair newspaper reported that the prison raid was carried out by a criminal organization to save members, while the Gibberish newspaper reported that it was the act of a pseudo-cult that had become popular recently.

They all said different things, but some newspapers did mention the Kell Liberation Army.

When asked about this, Forrest replied, "It's too suspicious if there's no truth at all, they need to include some truth to make it more confusing."

Oliver asked, "Is it okay to accuse people who have no connection to the raid?"

Forrest reassured him, "Don't worry. They do it on purpose. All of the people they accuse are at odds with the city or are subject to control, and they wrote those articles to take advantage of the situation and increase control over them. It's a way to gain an advantage. Even in the midst of chaos, the high-ranking people are always thinking ahead."

"Um……"

As Oliver thought about it, the groups mentioned in the articles were mainly composed of Warlocks and criminals, it wasn't a random selection of people who could have attacked the prison.

Forrest said, "The city is free, but it requires as much control as its freedom."

Oliver understood this but still had one question,

"I didn't know there were so many groups in Landa. In particular, what is the anti-development committee? There are especially many articles about them."

Forrest explained, "It's an organization that has built a nest in District Z. They have been protesting against the city since the Landa redevelopment time, and surprisingly, even us Brokers Union doesn’t know much about them. They say it's a group of fanatics or doomsdayists. They are usually quiet, but occasionally cause incidents."

Oliver nodded and said, "May I ask you one last question?"

Forrest replied, "As much as you want."

Oliver asked, "Is there a special reason why you explained it in such detail?"

Forrest grinned as if he had been waiting for this question,

"The city wants to talk to you directly."

? ? ? ? ? ?

Forrest explained that Landa would be entering a state of emergency due to the prison break.

It was a natural event that would require the mobilization of the police department and the city's defense forces, and the Brokers union would also fully cooperate in order to extinguish the emergency.

In other words, solvers like Oliver would also be semi-forced to mobilize, and although they would be paid well, they wouldn't be able to refuse the request.

"I don't quite understand," Oliver said as he sat in the backseat of the car driven by Al, the restaurant employee.

Forrest, who was sitting next to him, was reading a book.

"What don't you understand?" Forrest asked.

"I understand that Landa is in trouble now, and that's why Solvers are being mobilized. Of course, I understand that I need to work too," Oliver replied.

"That's a relief. But?" Forrest prompted.

"Then why am I going to the city's Ministry of Interior when I should be out searching the back alleys like other Solvers?" Oliver asked.

Forrest explained, "It's because a city official asked me to bring you. He wants to request the job after seeing your face in person. Unfortunately, I didn't hear what it was about. He said he would tell us when we got there in person. I apologize for the inconvenience. City officials are not easy to deal with, so it's best to cooperate with them."

"No, I don't mean that. I am just curious about what kind of job it is," Oliver said.

"We'll be there soon, so just wait a little longer," Forrest replied.

Forrest's words proved to be true as they soon entered District B, the center of the city.

It was Oliver's first time in the district and he was impressed by the imposing buildings and the sense of intimidation that was different from other districts.

The streets were full of people in neat suits and uniforms, all of them looked busy and focused on their tasks.

Forrest said, "It's always a breathtaking place. You see, this is where the city's elite are gathered."

Oliver replied, "Everyone looks busy."

Forrest added, "That's right. Although they’re criticized for being tax thieves, everyone is working hard unexpectedly. Maybe it's a place you should get used to in the future."

Al, who was driving, interrupted the conversation,

"I'm sorry to interrupt. Boss, I think we'll be arriving at the Office building soon."

Forrest replied, "I see."

He then took out an ID card from his pocket.

After passing through several large buildings, the car headed towards a dark light gray rectangular building surrounded by a wall-like structure made of bricks and steel.

A security guard came out to stop the car and when he saw Al, the driver, he murmured with a sense of contempt,

"Red skin?"

Forrest called out to the security guard from the backseat,

"He's just a driver, Mr. Security guard."

The guard then turned his attention to Forrest, and the contempt he had for Al disappeared.

"I'm so sorry. What brings you here, sir?"

Forrest showed the ID he had taken out and said,

"I'm here to see Paul Carver from the Interior Ministry."

The guard spoke into his communication device for a moment and then said,

"You have an appointment. Please go inside. Excuse me."

(To be Continued)

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