281. Sleeping Forest (2)
pallang. pallang. pallang.
An old woman with fairy wings flew forward with a wand that looked like something out of a fairy tale.
The old woman was quite old and bloated, but, funnyly, her flying figure was soft enough to be reminiscent of a butterfly.
“I think….”
The old woman pointed to a door.
It was an old and huge gate, and although it had faded with time, it felt the touch of a craftsman.
“It’s amazing. Why haven’t you been able to visit this huge castle for a week?”
It wasn’t because I didn’t really know, it was out of admiration.
Merlin knew to some extent why the castle could not be found.
Merlin is the one who inherited the research and knowledge from the previous archives.
“Because this is the princess’s forest. Even a small needle can be found at once if he wants it, and he can never find a huge castle if he wants it.”
The old woman explained in her own way. It’s not that there’s nothing to argue with, but Merlin didn’t argue to keep the guest’s example.
This time, I came here to ask a question, not an academic discussion.
Little profit-
As Merlin stepped in, the massive gates opened on their own.
Even the inside of the castle was strange.
When the gates were opened, of course, the lobby had to come out, but for some reason the bedroom came out.
A bedroom with nothing but a huge bed.
“You’ve come…”
Above the bed with curtains on all sides. A girl’s voice was heard.
At most, it was a youthful voice that could have been in his mid-late teens.
Merlin is dumb. thump. thump. went into the bedroom. Quietly – the gates were closed.
“Did you know I was coming?”
“Yes······. I saw you in my dream.”
“I hope you are great. Then why didn’t you call me earlier?”
“sorry. I was sleepy.”
The Sleeping Beauty. With an answer worthy of that name, the curtains covering the bed gently rolled back.
A girl with him appeared.
A girl with pure white skin and abundant honey-colored hair. She was as green and beautiful as fresh fruit.
Just looking at his appearance, he couldn’t believe he was a warlock who could even compare with his fingers.
‘······ Also, I don’t think he’s lived for hundreds of years.’
“Something······. Do you think you are being rude?”
Said the princess, looking through Merlin’s thoughts.
Merlin admitted it.
“I didn’t think of it as being so disrespectful. I just admired your youth for so many years.”
“Are you envious of this blessing?”
“Do you consider it a blessing?”
“Well······. no. I think of it as a curse.”
“I think the same. Blessings or curses, in fact, there is only one difference… When it hurts, I want to look younger, but overall, I want to decline.”
The princess let out a laughter characteristic of a girl. Like the laughter of other girls, it was attractive in itself, but there was a subtle sadness.
“ah······. Also, archive. You are wise. Humans are only beautiful and valuable when they grow old and die.”
“No particular wisdom desired.”
“But I have chosen that wisdom, and I am carrying that weight…. I really respect you. You know everything, but you can’t do anything, and you still accept it without going crazy. It’s hard to imagine for me.”
At the princess’s words, Merlin staggered and stood in front of her.
There was a strange tension, but neither of them felt hostile towards each other.
“I think the princess is wrong.”
“Am I?”
“exactly. The archive doesn’t know everything. I just know a little more than others. And while it’s powerless, it’s not that it can’t do anything. you can struggle That’s why I’m here.”
The corners of the princess’s lips rose softly.
“I apologize. I just woke up and made a mistake… Instead, I’ll answer any questions you may have. What do you want to ask me?”
The princess allowed the question. Merlin could feel his old heart beating.
“Has the apocalypse begun?”
“I do not know? Wouldn’t that be the best you know?”
Merlin ha ha! and laughed. Because there was no clearer answer than this.
“[The needle moves the moment there is a huge hole at the end of the world] .
“I never dreamed that I would live for hundreds of years. That’s why life is hard and it’s fun.”
Merlin raised an eyebrow at the princess’s remarks that did not match her appearance.
However, at the same time, he couldn’t laugh at all.
It was natural. How many people can laugh at the inevitable end?
Even the end began because of none other than the humans themselves.
Even more, the archives had predicted this day hundreds of years ago.
‘But I didn’t do anything.’
“Don’t blame yourself. Archive. In the beginning, the previous archives were also an issue that had not been touched.”
“Thank you for the consolation. Princess······. So, did the prince of hell and the son of an angel come to earth as prophesied?”
“I do not know? As you know, I can’t give you a direct answer… However, one thing can be asserted. If there is a prince of hell, there is a son of an angel, and if there is a son of an angel, there is a prince of hell. You can’t take these two apart. It’s like two sides of a coin.”
“Then I can’t even ask where the Son of Angels and the Prince of Hell are.”
“Yes, but the Archives can answer that you have met the Son of Angels and also the Prince of Hell.”
Several people flashed through Merlin’s mind the moment he heard the answer, but only two of them remained.
One was certain, the other a bit vague.
He also felt special, but compared to the former, it lacked a lot. Like a candle and the sun.
“I want to ask you one more question. Is the end really decided by human hands?”
“Why are you asking something you know for sure?”
“I am asking if I can prevent the apocalypse in advance if I actively move. Princess.”
Merlin asked in a ruthless voice.
I knew this wasn’t going to be a problem that could be solved like this, but nevertheless, the foolish human emotions that remained in Merlin’s mind asked me if this was the way to go… He seemed really stupid.
“That could be a way, too.”
A completely unexpected answer came out of the princess’s mouth.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah, I don’t know the answer, so I can only answer like this. People are mistaken, but a prophet doesn’t know everything. In fact, it is the least known. It’s just a being who speaks what the dream shows. but······”
The princess paused for a moment, then opened her mouth again.
“Whatever the archive does, it is just one step towards prophecy. Talking to him and recommending books to him, giving him advice, helping him to become a disciple, and giving him a letter to deal with a possible crisis… You only reap what you sow.”
“Khahaha!!!”
Merlin went crazy. Because even the abstract word he is pictured in my head who he is.
It seemed really bad. For the great one in the sky. What the hell do you want to do? doll play?
“Excuse me… Did you see my new disciple, no, my temporary disciple in a dream?”
“Yes.”
“If I ask about that child, can you answer it?”
“No, I am not authorized to answer him about him……. However, I can answer one thing.”
“What?”
“Just in case you were concerned, giving him a letter in advance was a very good choice. A very, very good choice.”
The princess smiled sincerely.
***
“Thank you for coming this way.”
A table in the corner of the hall on the first floor of the Forest Restaurant.
Oliver greeted Albert sitting across from him.
He was a wizard of the Moirai school who was on this ABC mission.
“I am only grateful to have met you like this. Is this Mr. Dave’s business?”
Albert looked around and asked.
“Yes.”
“I was thinking about when I would come, but this is how I came.”
Sincerity. Oliver asked.
“Did the fact that the fish dishes here are delicious spread to Mato too?”
“uh······. I didn’t mean that, but I’ll give it a try. I like fish too.”
“That’s good. It is quite tasty.”
Oliver answered and called the waiter and ordered two plates of fish. The waiter nodded with a friendly smile and stepped back.
“Do you usually go to this restaurant?”
“No, I don’t usually do well here. I have something to do. But these days, I have more free time, so I read books and newspapers here.”
“Hmmm…. Do you like books?”
“If only I could learn something interesting.”
“So you asked for this too?
He held out the briefcase Albert had brought.
It looked heavy, but when I opened it, I could see a large pile of documents.
“This is the success pay that Sheriff Arthur requested of us.”
Albert’s pay for success was none other than inside information obtained from the McCluskey security company World Tree.
As a reward for his success in protecting Albert alone and helping him hack the World Tree, Oliver asked Arthur to share all of the data.
Arthur replied that he would try, and then turned to Albert for help through Carver.
The reason was none other than the contract between the Moirai School and the city official Carver.
Data on missions were shared, but data on the world tree was a condition for the Moirai School to have.
In other words, the right to the information belonged to the Moirai school, not the city officials.
In a way, it might not be that strange.
The reason why the Morai School participated in this mission was because they coveted the Druid’s World Tree technology.
By the way, what warlock asks to share it? It was not surprising that he refused. It must have been, but Albert brought it himself.
“Of course, not all data. There are no key data on the Druid’s World Tree. I tried to convince him, but he didn’t listen to me. I hope you understand.”
Sincerity. Albert willingly explained the situation frankly, even if Oliver didn’t ask.
Looking at Oliver’s skills and attitude, he knew that persuasion through facts worked better than clumsy lies.
And the calculation was right.
“All right. Thank you for sharing at least this way.”
As his persuasion worked easily, Albert relaxed and relaxed somewhat.
As the attitude loosened, curiosity arose. Private and public curiosity.
“By the way, can I ask why you asked for data on the world tree? I don’t mean to disparage the solvers, but I know that they prefer money… Are you interested in the world tree?”
“Yes, I was curious because it was a strange creature.”
“Well, well, Dave is rare- ah, excuse me. Dave-san can also use magical powers, so it wouldn’t be strange to be interested in the World Tree. How much do you know about the World Tree?”
Oliver was lost in thought for a moment and spoke only of basic information.
I wanted to share everything I knew purely and have a conversation with Albert about the subject, but he refrained from it because there was a hidden meaning in Albert’s feelings.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
Nevertheless, Albert looked surprised.“like······. You know a lot about the World Tree. It’s not easy to figure out.”
“I bought a book and read it.”
“Ah, the black market and the gray market?”
In fact, it was Merlin’s used bookstore, but Oliver didn’t bother to edit it.
“Actually, you can find good books there these days… If it’s okay with you, can I tell you a little bit about the World Tree before the food arrives?”
It shone with a mixture of estranged emotions and personal favors.
As soon as Oliver nodded, Albert built blocks of information about the world tree, based on what Oliver had said.
Most of them knew, but Albert’s explanation was very good, apart from that.
He explained the concepts that are rather vague, and the hypotheses that are currently being contested, easily and well.
After a while, the fish dishes came, and it was time to chat again.
“I heard the story. I get it.”
“It was easy to explain, but it is the listener’s ability to understand. You are better than you think.”
Sincerity. Oliver thanked him.
“Thank you for your words. You are kind.”
Albert, who was constantly worried about Oliver’s attitude, shone with conviction, and pulled out a business card from his pocket.
“What is this?”
“Did you say you were kind to me earlier?”
“Yes? Oh yes.”
“It sounds a bit blatant to say this, but there is nothing free at Landa. Even the favor. In fact, we, Moirai, want to maintain a good relationship with Dave in the future.”
“Me?”
“Yes, Mr. Dave. As you may know, Landa is a great arena for power struggles. Small street vendors and large city councils. They slander each other for power wherever they are. It’s no different than a tower.”
“I’ve heard the story.”
“Our Moirai school is known as a powerful new school emerging along with the Life School and the Spatial School within the Mato. It’s not wrong, but it’s actually somewhat different.”
“Could you give me an example?”
“You can use force. It’s simple, childish, but more than anything else, it’s definitely powerless.”
“ah······.”
Oliver exclaimed. However, I didn’t know it was strange.
As I’ve said before, the Moirai were a school that valued information more than power.
It was natural that they lacked power compared to other schools.
“There is a reason why I participated in this reckless mission.”
“Isn’t it because of the Druid’s world tree technology?”
“It is the biggest, but it is also to create friendly forces in the city. This ABC is one company in a small way, but it is a big thing that can reorganize the power structure of Landa City. Do you know?”
Oliver nodded. If that’s the case, I’ve heard from Forrest.
Currently, part of the Landa City Council is competing with those who received money from Sheamus and those who did not.
I don’t know if I expected this to happen from the start, but I didn’t know that the fate of some city councilors and city officials could be changed depending on how the ABC mission was completed.
“If Mr. Carver gets the job done, maybe we can build a good relationship with our Moirai school with the city councilors who supported him.”
“Well······. understand. It’s an edge over the horse tower competition through the city council. But I don’t know what that has to do with me. Aren’t I a warlock?”
“I think there is a misunderstanding, but we, the Moirai School, are a school that receives a lot of information through the World Tree. In other words, compared to other schools, the head is a little more open. Just being a warlock isn’t so tight that you can ignore someone as talented as Mr. Dave.”
“Thank you for your words.”
“I am serious. We know that some warlocks are no less than wizards. Dave is one of them. We want to build good relationships with those people.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Even the same wizards, but different schools tend to think of us as a sub-organ.”
Oliver was convinced. In fact, when I worked at the tower, there was a sign of that.
“Of course, I am not asking you to do anything right now. It’s just a greeting in advance. If you maintain a good relationship with us, we will be able to repay you.
“Well······. Can you teach me the knowledge of the world tree?”
“Knowledge is tricky, but I will try to persuade you.”
“okay. Okay. Then, I will speak to the broker, Forrest.”
“I am satisfied with that.”
“But we’ll talk about it when things go well.”
“Yes?”
“I said it was a story after things went well… After the attack on McCluskey’s security company, a lot of time has passed, but there’s not much to say about it, isn’t it?”
That was true. After the McCluskey Security Company and its undercover company were all shut down by the city police, ABC was still alive and well.
The investment proceeds were always paid on time, and thanks to this, the amount of investment poured into ABC increased even more, exceeding 2 trillion won.
“You don’t have to worry too much.”
“You don’t have to worry?”
“Yes, there might be an interesting article coming out soon.”
Albert said with a strange expression on his face. Judging from his emotional state, it didn’t seem like he was just talking.
And actually, a few days later, ＜Cassandra＞ newspaper published an article on the front page.
The article title was:
[Anonymous report. Investment firm ABC. Have a secret meeting with a rare scammer!!!]