165. Postprocessing (1)
After the battle with the war wizard, Oliver stayed in the small town of Beauertong for two days.
The work was rougher than I thought, so I took a break one day and looked around the city the other day, but the city wasn’t usually uproar.
Rumors of rebels rampaging in the not-too-distant outskirts of the city had already spread throughout the city, and people were infected with an epidemic of anxiety.
Well, that wasn’t necessarily a bad story.
Following the spread of anxiety, people often talked to anyone to spread their anxiety.
Thanks to this, Oliver, who lacks the talent for getting along with people, could easily overhear the story.
‘The rebels have colluded with an evil warlock. Very, very wicked!’
‘I heard that you are a black-handed executive? Fingers?’
‘It is said that dozens of Kingdom troops patrolling the surrounding area were adequately beaten.’
‘Nope! Hundreds of people?’
There were all kinds of gossip.
Oliver, who knows the details of the story, is just vain.
But if you listen closely, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
It was true that he had joined hands with the Warlock, and it was also true that the Kingdom Army had died.
Was it exaggerated in a strange part?
However, the most absurd among them relates to the fire that burned the mountain.
It must have been like this when Oliver and the war wizard were fighting, but it was already established that it was a dangerous weapon smuggled by the rebels.
‘Weapons of mass destruction smuggled across the sea.’
‘Did the warlocks sell it?’
‘There is a possibility that the ground is polluted. Ummm, be afraid.’
‘It is said that they defeated the rebels this time to prevent the weapons of mass destruction.’
Suddenly, the rebels were preparing for a terrorist attack and were supposed to be stopped by the Kingdom Army.
Oliver was able to smell the artificial scent at this time.
An artificial smell like when Landa Prison was raided.
It seemed that the people in the kingdom, like Landa, produced a lot of lies in two days and changed the truth to suit their taste.
It wasn’t like I had any thoughts or feelings.
It didn’t really matter to Oliver how the rebels were perceived by people.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
Nevertheless, if I had to say one thing, ‘People are surprisingly good at believing rumors…’. It was just a thought.Anxiety hampered his judgment, and as a result he took all information like a sponge indiscriminately.
‘Maybe I want to believe.’
Anyway, after two days like that, Oliver was able to meet Arthur’s party.
Wherever they came from, they were in good shape for being away from the Kingdom Army.
When asked about this, he said that he had entrusted with the Kell Free Independence Army collaborators to wash it.
It was surprising that they became so close, but Arthur said it was thanks to Oliver.
Thanks to Oliver holding the war wizard’s ankle, he helped out that much.
It didn’t really make sense to Oliver, who just did what he could, but he didn’t bother asking.
The important thing was that I could go back with Arthur.
After all, isn’t it a bit odd to go alone without knowing whether a mission has succeeded or failed?
But before that, there was one thing to check.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Say it.”
“Did you get the balance?”
“balance····. I got it.”
“Then, can I know?”
“Well·····. It’s a little different here, can I talk to you as we go?”
***
Oliver and Arthur’s party returned to Landa in a transport truck, just as they had from Landa to the dumpster.
Two trucks as they came.
The ride configuration was the same as when they came, Oliver and Arthur rode together.
Behind the roar of the car and the wind blowing into the luggage compartment,
As promised, Arthur told Wallace of the balance he had heard.
“Edward X.”
“Yes?”
“The demon worshiper Wallace spoke of was Edward X.”
Edward X. Oliver remembered seeing the name. When was that… Ah!
“Are you the current Crown Prince Edward X?”
“Oh, I know.”
Edward X.
The Crown Prince of the United Kingdom and the issue maker of the royal family.
Oliver knew him because he had read an article about it in the newspaper.
He, who has the modifier ‘beloved’, caused a lot of controversy because he was loved too much, and thanks to that, he appeared in the newspaper once if he could forget it.
The Norse people are ignorant, so they made a lot of comments, such as saying that mining work is perfect, and that the forest where druids live should be pushed for the sake of the economy.
In recent years, the scandal with married women has been the most mentioned in the newspaper.
“I had a secret meeting at my lover’s husband’s house and ran away naked. That’s Edward X.”
“Is he a member of the royal family dealing with the devil?”
“According to Wallace, yes.”
“okay·····. Why?”
“I didn’t hear that. Wallace didn’t know either. Hewitt said that he simply accesses the World Tree and peers around the royal family, not knowing the details.”
Oliver didn’t know what to say, just nodded his head.
Arthur was also silent, not knowing what to say. The emotions seemed very complicated.
I’m not sure, but greetings from the royal family. It seemed to come as a big shock to him that a man named Edward X had something to do with the devil.
Oliver looked at Arthur and pondered for a moment whether to ask a question or not, then just asked.
“Will that help Randa?”
“·····Well?”
“Can I help Randa? Is this the information we got? Can we lower city tariffs?”
Arthur looked at Oliver silently and opened his mouth.
“…you are very special.”
“Yes?”
“It sounds great, but sometimes it’s like a child. Like a child who knows nothing.”
“Is that so?”
“okay·····. If what Wallace said is true, this isn’t just about lowering city tariffs. It’s a level that should be kept as a secret weapon.”
“A secret weapon?”
“A secret weapon for when the Central Council or the Royal Family threaten Landa.”
Arthur’s voice was not vaguely anxious, but certain certainty. It’s like, something like that will happen once in a while.
Arthur suddenly changed the subject of the story.
“Anyway, thank you again.”
“What do you mean?”
“About accepting this job and helping out. No matter how thick my skin is, I can’t help but say thank you as long as I have a conscience. Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I was able to successfully complete my mission.”
“no. After all, it’s what I do for money.”
“I am more than that. I was able to receive something more valuable than money.”
“Is it worth more than money? Oh, by the way, did you say that you are participating in a city project?”
Before joining the mission, Oliver had heard of it.
The fact that there was a project to create an armed group separate from the Police Department and the Municipal National Guard, and that Arthur was involved in it.
According to Forrest, stable income, equipment support, and political power of its own within Landa are generated, so it is not bad to participate in it depending on the direction you are going.
However, in return, freedom was lost, and he had to become a worker for poetry.
“Thanks to you, my position on the project is secured, enough to build my team. So, by any chance, do you have any plans to participate in the project? Oh, don’t get me wrong. You’re not talking about coming under me.”
Sincerity.
He had no intention of going in, but Oliver asked out of curiosity.
“Me? Why?”
“I would like to ask why you ask such a question on the contrary. You’re fighting a war mage, but it’s no longer just a fixer. It’s hard to be treated properly compared to your abilities. structurally.”
Arthur’s attitude was very serious.
“I’m not joking, I’m not brushing my teeth. Due to the nature of this mission, rumors of your battle with the war mage won’t spread, but that doesn’t mean you’re losing your skills. If you have that level of skill, you can officially sign a contract and join the organization.”
“is that so?”
“Of course, there are a lot of people who want you. Crime Firm, City Councilman, Capitalist…. Any dog who is overly greedy will pressure you. Taking that into consideration, joining the organization first is not a bad choice.”
“Is that the city’s new armed forces?”
“hahaha…. Looks like your stomach looked too much. I don’t lie. It’s my desire to work with a talented friend like you, but it won’t be bad for you either. A newly formed organization has no existing politics, so those with skills have an advantage over it. That is the reason why I joined the project.”
It was sincere.
It was quite surprising. I thought Arthur’s participation in the project was purely because of a stable job… It seemed that wasn’t all.
Arthur had his own aspirations.
“If I bring a friend like you, my position will be better, and it will be easier for me to take over the organization by using my friendship with you. Of course, it’s not just about looking at virtue. I want to help you get the best treatment. You’ve got enough skills. Then, you will be able to receive benefits that go beyond simple money. Maybe you can get around the law…”
Arthur carefully blurs the tail of the last part.
However, apart from that, everything he said was sincere.
He obviously intended to use Oliver, but at the same time he was willing to help accordingly.
Some kind of alliance proposal.
It wasn’t a bad offer, but Oliver politely declined.
“I appreciate you and thank you for your words, but I will refuse.”
Arthur shone with regret. He wasn’t angry or obsessive.
“Well, if you don’t like it, there’s nothing you can do… If it’s okay, can you tell me why?”
“There is no particular reason. It’s just that I don’t really want to belong anywhere.”
“is it? That’s weird. Where did you get a daisy?”
Oliver immediately thought of members of the Joseph family, including Marie and Peter.
“no. Rather, they were treated well. just····.”
“just····?”
“If I belong to an organization, shouldn’t I do things I don’t want to do? I didn’t like that.”
Arthur looked at Oliver with an absurd expression on his face and nodded as if convinced.
“Well, then there is nothing I can do.”
***
After arriving in Landa, Oliver and Arthur’s party parted ways.
Arthur said he would do the job report to the city, so Oliver nodded and went to Forrest.
As we entered the restaurant, Al greeted us as usual and escorted us to Forrest.
Forrest was busy in his underground office, communicating with multiple communication devices. But for a while, he saw Oliver and stopped communicating and greeted him.
“Come on. I thought it was time to come back soon.”
“Thank you for waiting. If you are busy, will you come back later?”
Forrest shook his head, examining the communication device the size of a human head.
“I’m not busy. I just have something to find out. Wait a moment.”
Forrest raised a finger to apologize, then brought two crystal glasses and a bottle of spirits.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen Yangju.”
“And expensive sheep. Very expensive.”
“how much is it?”
Forrest pondered for a moment, then whispered into Oliver’s ear.
whisper whisper.
“… I didn’t hear it wrong, did I?”
“No.”
“A bottle of alcohol is worth a house?”
“There are a lot of rich people in the world, and there are a lot of people who make luxury items for them. Let me drink.”
Oliver took a sip of the liquor that Forrest authorized.
It was pretty tasty.
“Isn’t it okay if I praise you a little more? Most people die without even knowing it exists, let alone tasting it.”
“It’s so delicious, you don’t know?”
“Yes. Most people don’t even know there is such a drink. The only people I know are the powerful, the rich, and people like us who do business with them. It is not an item that is circulated in the sun, but a mysterious liquor that only circulates in the shade.”
Five·····. Oliver nodded in amazement. Well, isn’t it that strange?
Murphy’s Sorcerer was similar.
“By the way, why are you giving me such a precious thing? Thank you, but it is overdone.”
“It’s yours too. It’s a thank you gift from the Brokers Guild. You were exempted from tax this year because you did the city’s secret request… And this is my thank you gift.”
Forrest held out a wrapped gift box.
“What?”
“Cloak. A detailed manual is included there, so check it out later. You can wear it to work, or you can wear it to an important event. The design is modern.”
“ah····. thank you.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not much compared to what you got. Rather, may I ask how the mission went? I know it’s a success, but I want to hear the details.”
Oliver nodded and reported on the mission.
From meeting Wallace, negotiating with Wallace, attacking the kingdom army, encountering the war wizard, and the last balance.
Although the story was long and only the main points were summarized, it took quite a while, but Forrest became a serious face and wrote something on a piece of paper and held it out.
was the address.
“For now, today… No, don’t go home from now on, stay at this hotel. I’ll pay the money. Don’t come out until I tell you to come out.”