Genius Warlock

After the battle with the war wizard, Oliver stayed in the small town of Burton for two days.

The work was tougher than anticipated, so he took a day off and spent the rest of the time exploring the city, which was chaotic due to rumors of rebels causing an anxiety outbreak near the outskirts.

Despite the unrest, this situation actually worked in Oliver's favor, as the spread of anxiety caused people to talk to anyone, making it easier for Oliver, who struggled with socializing, to overhear their stories.

– The rebels joined forces with the malevolent Warlock, known for his wickedness.

– I heard that he's a high-ranking member of the Black Hand, a so-called "Finger".

– Reports suggest that a large number of kingdom soldiers on patrol were overpowered.

– No, it wasn't just dozens. I heard the number was in the hundreds.

There were various unusual rumors circulating.

To Oliver, who was aware of the actual details, they were simply outrageous tales.

But if he listened closely, they were not entirely false.

It was true that the rebels joined forces with the Warlock and that the kingdom army was unable to apprehend them.

However, the details became distorted in strange ways.

The most absurd of these rumors was the fire that engulfed the mountain.

It was likely a result of Oliver and the war wizard's battle, but it was altered into a story of the rebels smuggling in a dangerous weapon as the cause.

– Weapons of mass destruction smuggled across the sea.

– They say a hideous Warlock sold them.

– There's a possibility that the ground is contaminated. Ugh, that's scary.

– It is said that this time the rebels were brought down to prevent the weapons of mass destruction.

Before anyone realized, the rebels were rumored to have been intercepted by the kingdom army while planning acts of terrorism.

Oliver suspected something artificial about these rumors, similar to the one surrounding the attack on Landa prison.

People from the kingdom, like those in Landa, appeared to have fabricated numerous lies in just two days and distorted the truth to their liking.

This did not mean that Oliver had any negative thoughts or feelings.

He did not care about how the rebels were perceived.

However, if he had to make a statement, he would say that people are surprisingly gullible when it comes to rumors.

It seemed to him that judgment was clouded by anxiety and all information was blindly accepted, like a sponge.

Perhaps they wanted to believe in something.

Eventually, after two days, Oliver was able to connect with Arthur's group.

They appeared well-groomed, as if they had just taken a bath after evading the kingdom army.

When asked about this, Arthur explained that the members of the Kell Liberation Army requested they clean up before leaving.

Oliver was amazed at how close they had become, but Arthur credited Oliver's contribution to the relationship.

This was due to Oliver's role in stopping the war wizard.

Although it meant nothing to Oliver, who simply did what he could, he didn't argue.

The most important thing was that he could now return with Arthur.

Going alone without knowing the outcome of their mission would have been too risky.

However, before leaving, there was one matter to address.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Did you receive the balance information?"

"Yes, I received it."

"Excuse me, may I know the details?"

"Hmm…It's not the right time or place to discuss it. Can we talk while on the way?"

? ? ? ? ?

Oliver and Arthur traveled back to Landa in a transport truck, just as they had on their journey from Landa to Burton.

The two trucks were the same as the ones they had taken before.

Oliver and Arthur occupied the same seats as they had on their previous trip.

As the sound of the cars and the wind entering the luggage compartment faded, Arthur kept his promise to Oliver and told him the information he received from Willes.

"Edward X, Jr.," he said.

"What?" Oliver asked in confusion.

"Willes said the Demon worshiper is Edward X," Arthur explained.

Edward X… Oliver recognized the name.

He thought back, trying to recall where he had heard it before.

"Is it Edward X, the current crown prince?" Oliver asked, suddenly realizing the connection.

"That's right," Arthur confirmed.

Edward X, the crown prince of the British Empire, was known to be a troublemaker in the royal family.

Oliver was aware of him as he had read articles about him in the news.

Despite being widely loved, Edward's controversial statements and scandals with married women kept him in the headlines.

For example, he made an insensitive remark about using orphan children for mining and destroying forests inhabited by Druids for economic gain.

"Apparently, Edward X was caught in a scandal when he was caught fleeing from a married woman's husband's house naked," Arthur mentioned.

"And he's the one linked to the Demon?"

"According to Willes, yes,"

"Why would he be involved with Demons?"

"I don't know. Willes said he didn't know and Hewitt only saw a glimpse of the royal family when accessing the World Tree, but couldn't get the details."

Oliver and Arthur remained silent, each lost in their thoughts.

Arthur seemed to be grappling with complex emotions.

Oliver couldn't understand why it was such a big deal for someone from the royal family to be linked to Demons, but it clearly came as a shock to Arthur.

Oliver pondered for a moment before asking Arthur a question,

"Will the information we received help Landa? Can it lower the city tariffs?"

Arthur studied Oliver's expression before responding,

"You're quite enigmatic. Sometimes you make choices that seem nonsensical, and at other times you're like a naive child, ignorant of the world."

"Is that so?"

"Yes,"

"If what Willes says is true, this information is not just useful for lowering city tariffs, it's a weapon Landa can use if the Parliament or Royal Family ever threatens the city."

Arthur's tone was not filled with uncertainty, but with a firm conviction.

As if it were inevitable that one day Landa would need to utilize this information as a secret weapon.

Arthur suddenly changed the subject.

"Anyway, I just wanted to thank you again. I may be cold-hearted, but I still have a conscience. Your help allowed me to successfully complete the mission, and I'm truly grateful."

"I'm just doing it for the money," Oliver replied.

"It's more than that. I can gain something even more valuable than money through this," Arthur countered.

"More valuable than money? Oh, I remember now. You mentioned you were going to be involved in the city project, right?"

Before taking on the mission, Oliver had heard about the city project to create a separate armed group besides the Police Department and City Defense, with Arthur being a part of it.

Forrest had mentioned that participating in it could be beneficial, with stable income, equipment support, and political power within Landa.

However, freedom would be sacrificed, and one would have to become a worker for the city.

"Your involvement in this mission has secured my position in the project, enough to establish my own team. So, have you given any thought to joining the project? Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking you to join under me."

Arthur spoke sincerely. Oliver asked out of curiosity,

"Why me?"

"I'd like to ask the same question. With your level of fighting skill, it's strange for you to remain just a solver."

Arthur was serious in his tone.

"I'm not kidding. Due to the confidential nature of the mission, rumors of your fight with the war wizard won't spread, but your skills won't disappear. With those skills, you can officially sign a contract and join the organization."

"Really?"

"Of course. Many people will want you, including the Crime Firm, city councilors, and capitalists. The greedy among them will pressure you to join. That's why it's not a bad choice to join the organization first."

"Is this the city's new armed group?"

"Hahaha, I see you've figured it out. I'm not lying. I'd love to work with a competent friend like you, but it won't hurt you either. There are no existing politics in the newly formed organization, so the one with the skills has the advantage of claiming their place. That's why I'm involved in the project."

Again, Arthur spoke sincerely.

Oliver was surprised to learn that Arthur's involvement in the project was not just for a stable job, but also driven by his own aspirations.

"By having you on board, my status in the organization would improve, and I could leverage our friendship to gain control. Of course, it's not just me who will benefit. I'll make sure you receive the best treatment. You have the skills, and that means you could earn more than just money. We might even be able to bend the rules…,"

Arthur mentioned the last part cautiously.

Although he had ulterior motives, everything else he said was genuine.

He aimed to benefit from Oliver's presence, but at the same time, he also intended to help him.

It was a proposal for an alliance.

However, Oliver declined the offer politely.

"Thank you for your kind words, but I must decline. I appreciate the offer," he said.

Arthur appeared disappointed but not angry or persistent.

"Well, if you don't like the idea, there's nothing we can do about it. May I ask why?"

"There's no specific reason. I just don't feel like being a part of any organization," Oliver explained.

"Really? That's strange. Did you have a bad experience with any organizations before?"

Oliver thought of the Joseph family, including Marie and Peter.

"No, I was actually treated well. It's just that… being a part of an organization means having to do things I don't necessarily want to do, and I don't like that idea,"

Arthur looked shocked, but he eventually nodded in understanding.

"I see. Well, there's nothing we can do if that's the case,"

? ? ? ? ?

After reaching Landa, Oliver and Arthur's group split.

Arthur said he would inform the city about the mission, so Oliver agreed and went to meet Forrest.

When he entered the Forrest restaurant, Al greeted him as usual and took him straight to Forrest's office.

Forrest was occupied with multiple communication devices but stopped as soon as he saw Oliver and welcomed him.

"Welcome back, I thought it was time you came," said Forrest.

"Thanks for your patience. If you're busy, can I come back later?" asked Oliver.

Forrest shook his head, looking at a communication device the size of a human head.

"I'm not busy. I just need to find out. Wait a minute."

Forest raised a finger to ask for understanding and brought two crystal glasses and a bottle of liquor.

"It's my first time seeing this liquor.”

“It’s a very expensive one.”

"How much is it?"

Forest pondered for a while and whispered in Oliver's ear.

"…I didn't hear that wrong, did I?"

"I don't think so."

"A bottle of alcohol costs more than buying a house?”

"There are many rich people in the world, and there are many people who will make luxury goods for them. Try it."

Oliver took a sip of the wine at Forrest’s recommendation.

It was quite delicious.

"Wouldn't it be nice if you praised it a bit more? Most people don't even know it exists," said Forrest.

"It's this good, but they don't know it?"

"That's right. Most people don't even know there's alcohol like this. The only people who know are the powerful, the rich, and the people like us who deal with them. It's a mysterious liquor that's only distributed in the dark, not in the sun."

“Um…”

Oliver nodded in wonder, acknowledging that it was not unusual.

He thought of Murphy's Magic Wine, which was similar in nature.

"Thanks for the gift. By the way, why did you give me such a valuable item?" asked Oliver.

"It's from the Brokers union as a thank-you gift for doing the city's covert favor. Because of your help, we were exempt from taxes this year," explained Forrest as he handed Oliver a gift box.

"What is it?" asked Oliver.

"A cloak. The instructions are inside, take a look later. You can wear it for work or important events. The design is modern," said Forrest.

"Oh, thank you,"

"It's not much compared to what we received, don't worry. Can I ask you how the mission went?" asked Forrest.

Oliver nodded and reported the details of the mission, including meeting with Willes, negotiations, raids, the encounter with the war wizard, and the final outcome.

Forrest listened attentively and jotted down an address.

"First of all, don't go home today. Stay at this hotel and don't leave until I tell you to. I'll take care of the expenses,"

(To be Continued)

OR

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