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Genius Warlock-Episode 438

438. I am? (2)

“You said you were you..”

Merlin hurried after hearing Oliver's answer..

“Mine workers in Goa. A person who ate potato soup alone, learned black magic, and became a problem solver. Just Oliver, Dave, and Zenon. Oh, and I said it's hard to admit that I can't tell jokes..”

“It's still the same now.”

“I like it, I like it... But why do you suddenly say you don’t know how to sleep? I think that's a great answer.?”

Merlin commented. Although his emotions were unknown due to his thick magical barrier, Oliver somehow felt that he was speaking the truth..

“Someone told me I don't think people are that important. To me, people are like biological machines that create interesting emotions. There are no precious people, only precious feelings. Like a toy.”

“······Who said that - no. That's not important.”

Merlin thought for a moment and then opened his mouth again..

“Can I ask how you felt when you heard it??”

Merlin asked a question, and Oliver remembered that time. It wasn't a very pleasant memory, but he was the one who spoke first, so he answered..

“hmm. A little annoying... No, he seemed a little angry..”

“why am i a little angry?”

Merlin asked, resting his butt on the chair. He looked serious and tired at the same time.

“well? I don't know either. I feel insulted?”

“You?”

“People around me too... Mr. Cant, Mr. Forrest, Marie, Jo, Miss Jane, Rossburn, etc. Each person works hard for their own purpose and life, and in a word, they have become my toys, aren't they??”

Merlin nodded silently..

That was correct. No matter how much power or talent you lack, it would be sad if even your sincerity was treated like a toy. very very sad.

It was natural for Oliver to be angry. Especially Oliver, who values ​​the people around him..

“By the way. Elderly... On the other hand, I think he's angry because he got stabbed..”

“Getting stabbed?”

“I value emotions more than people..”

Oliver confessed. The question I kept pondering after the battle with the human meat chef..

“If Master Cant and Lady Jane's feelings weren't interesting, would I have been happy to become friends with them??”

“······.”

“If Marina Jo and Rossburn's feelings weren't pretty, would I have helped them??”

“······.”

“Suddenly, I fell into this thought and it felt like...what can I say...a bit like that....”

Oliver, who had explained well, ended with an ambiguous statement. Like a child who cannot explain his worries and thoughts in words..

Merlin, who had been silent for a long time, finally opened his mouth..

“I wonder if it is possible for a person to genuinely like another person..”

“······yes?”

“Usually people look at the conditions. For example, a woman uses the man's wealth, a man uses the woman's beauty, and a student uses the teacher's skills and experience. To be honest, I wonder if this is wrong. Can't all humans become saints? So, it doesn’t matter if you consider your own interests and preferences. It's the same thing when you look at emotions..”

Oliver nodded slightly..

I couldn't see Merlin's emotions, but I felt like I got the gist of it. Usually everyone does that so there is no need to worry..

The moment Oliver was about to make a decision, Merlin spoke again..

“But the funny thing is, it may get better later for other reasons..”

“······For example?”

“it is not diffcult. A hurt woman marries an old rich man just because she thinks he will die quickly because he is rich, but her old man's consideration may end up liking her. An arrogant man marries a woman simply because she's pretty, but he stays by her side even in difficult situations and falls in love with her again. A disciple may simply choose the teacher's abilities and experience, but may also be impressed by his personality..”

“Is that common??”

“hmm······. To be honest, I wouldn't say it's common. But on the other hand, you can't say it doesn't exist. My point is that you can't like someone from the beginning, but you can gradually like them..”

Quite vague and long explanation. However, Oliver could see how much thought Merlin put into his answer..

I was truly grateful. That you responded to my concerns like this. however━

“━This may not be a proper explanation. If it was a question that could be resolved with rhetoric like this, it wouldn't have been brought up in the first place..”

What Merlin said was correct..

Personally, I was grateful for Merlin's answer, but it did not completely resolve Oliver's doubts..

“However, I can give you some advice on how to do it. I can't say for sure that it's correct, but.”

“If so, what specifically are you talking about??”

“Going back to the beginning. When you first became interested in people outside the world,.”

At that moment, Oliver remembered something he had long forgotten:.

‘Don't stay in this darkness, come out into the world. Meet people there and learn how to live as a human being... Wake up early, work hard, make friends and neighbors, laugh together, and grieve together. Let me help you.’

“Sometimes going back can mean moving forward.”

Oliver chewed and swallowed the entire calorie bar he was holding in one hand..

It didn't seem wrong. No, that was correct. The best answer among the many answers that Merlin gave.

‘you are······. It's broken.’

‘You don't think people are that important... No, it's more than just me. I hate people, but you don't even that.’

Joanna and the human meat cook. They were two completely different genders, ages, and social statuses, but surprisingly, they were in the same vein when it came to Oliver..

As Merlin said, going back to the beginning might be the way forward. However, there was a problem.

“Think carefully... Because knowing and learning is scarier than you think.”

“yes?”

“Oh, it's no big deal. Just an old man giving advice. Knowing and learning something is fun at first, but later it becomes difficult and scary..”

“Have you ever been like that??”

Merlin laughed. A sad-looking smile.

“of course······. You asked me earlier, right? Have you ever experimented on Kevin's family??”

“yes······. sorry.”

“There's no need for you to be sorry. Because I did it. By my own will, without anyone's pressure... Perhaps, if it hadn't become an archive, even Kevin would have been used as a test subject. With a smile.”

Merlin smiled..

It was strange. Oliver, who can see emotions but is insensitive to feelings, could sense that Merlin was sad right now..

Feelings like regret, sadness, and shame.

It was even more surprising than when I saw his emotions for a moment right after defeating the human meat cook..

“Why did you stop after it became an archive??”

“I found out. That they are people too. person just like me.”

***

Merlin explained. What it's like to be an archive.

It wasn't much different from what Oliver knew. Inheriting knowledge from previous archives. But he said that receiving succession is not everything..

It is said that they inherit not only the enormous wealth, achievements, and reputation of the archive that has been around for over a thousand years, but also their experiences, realizations, and sometimes emotions..

‘Experience, realization, emotion.?’

‘Yeah, mainly the intense ones. For example, he realized that the Mormot he used as an experiment was a person just like him. When the predecessors learn it through experience, the archives they inherited also learn it. Whether you want it or not.’

‘I'm sorry to break it to you, but didn't you already know that Mormot is a human??’

‘that's right······. But at the same time, it's wrong. I know, but I don't know.’

‘yes?’

‘You could compare it to sin. A sin that you know is a sin because others say it is a sin, and a sin that you recognize as your own sin... They're both sins, but they're completely different sins.’

‘I can not understand.’

‘I'm not doing well either... Why did I not see Kevin, his family, neighbors, and friends as proper people at the time? What made you think you were special?.’

‘······Can I ask you one more question? What on earth is an archive??’

Merlin opened his mouth after hearing the question..

“Dave? Dave? dave!”

“Forrest?”

Oliver, who had been lost in thought, was brought back to reality by Forrest's voice..

Looking around, I saw people participating in the Area X redevelopment project..

Marie from Choosing People, Joe from Fighter Crew, and other District.

Among them, there was a face that Oliver recognized..

Dinklage, the leader of the gym that Joe and Oliver attend, and Smith, Ewan's student and creator of Big Mouth..

For reference, Smith was not a native of this area, but thanks to his natural black magic craftsmanship and business acumen, he was recognized as a person from Area X..

With fighter crew members as his main customers, he grew the workshop he ran alone into a workshop with three employees and ten students. As his customers diversified, he supplied not only people from Area X, but also the gray market and black market operated by the Crime Firm. was doing.

It was truly ironic considering that the reason he came to Area X was because of trouble with the crime firm..

In any case, Smith had now become a big name to the point where he had a separate conversation with Forrest to discuss opening a workshop in a new development site..

Talk. Talk.

Forrest, who was sitting next to me, poked my side and asked softly..

“Are you very tired??”

“No, sorry. I thought about something else for a moment... I'm sorry to everyone too..”

Oliver apologized not only to Forrest, but also to everyone else at the meeting..

Fortunately, not only friendly people like Marina Jo, Dinklage, and Smith, but also other friendly people responded okay..

It was natural. The two strongest forces here supported Oliver, and no one knew that Oliver was the key to this project..

“I'm sorry, but how far did I go??”

“They said that land owners and building owners in some of the streets they had planned to purchase had disappeared. I think they went into hiding in an organized manner..”

None of the others, including Oliver, showed any reaction. Because I've already experienced it a few times..

As the redevelopment of Area.

“Also, are they non-affiliated gangs? It's been destroyed so many times already that I thought no one would intervene here anymore..”

Joe said while looking at the map of Area X. Because he took the lead in purchasing land in Area X more than anyone else, his name value increased and he earned a new nickname. ‘Joe of Persuasion’.

“The problem is not gang affiliation.”

“yes?”

“I think enjoyment is involved here too..”

Everyone's eyes were focused on Forrest. Meanwhile, Oliver got another cup of coffee from Nora and smelled her..

“······It smells good.”

“Ah, yes... thank you.”

Nora answered stiffly..

one of the retainers asked.

“When we say enjoyment, we're talking about guys like Sheamus.?”

“exactly. Druid's Apostasy.”

Clicking tongues could be heard here and there. That's because Sheamus' ABC scam created numerous victims in District X as well..

Although the damages were recovered, that did not mean that the terrible experience at the time went away..

“I found out about it through Heimdall, so the odds are high..”

“Heimdall is a group of magic hackers... Do they even know that? That kind of information doesn't fit.?”

It was a reasonable question. It was suitable for those who deal with the World Tree to retrieve high-quality information under the jurisdiction of the World Tree or to take videos of a specific area, but street rumors like this were not suitable..

A back alley information merchant or broker would have been more suitable..

Instead of giving a long explanation, Forrest took out a photo. It was a photo of two men meeting, and Al distributed the photo to everyone..

“This is the strange man Russell..”

Joe said, and Oliver knew who it was because he heard a rumor..

It was a non-affiliated gang that did not belong to the Crime Firm, and was one of the strongest magic users..

As a former military veteran, he received body modifications from Mattel and strengthened his position through seven protests against the Crime Firm. He is currently said to have gathered a group of magic user users, armed them with military magic weapons, and had a significant presence in the world behind Landa despite being an unaffiliated gang..

“Well, after the Fighter Crew signed a contract with the Crime Firm, they are on a downward trend like other non-affiliated gangs... It's not him that matters, it's the other side.”

Everyone looked at the photo again. The man across from Russell. It was as tall as a tree. He is just as tall as Russell, who is close to 2 meters and 40 centimeters tall..

“Is it enjoyment??”

“That's correct. What is the reason for a meeting between a non-affiliated gang leader and Enjoyment in these times??”

No one said anything, but everyone knew the answer. Unless you're in a back alley, there's no smoke coming out of the chimney..

If there was smoke, someone was starting a fire..

“I got lucky. When Heimdall stopped working for a while and came back into action, I entrusted it to him for personnel purposes, and he brought it to me right away. My skills were good before, but now they are beyond good, they are excellent. This is my first time seeing such detailed net sailing..”

“Now, rather than admiring it, I think we should see how we can overcome this situation, right? An alliance between Druid and an unaffiliated gang... What the druid said last time was true..”

Joe said, and Dinklage and other attendees asked what was happening..

Of course, Joe explained. Reformed druids, special law, three druids who came for this purpose.

I didn't want to get involved with the druid who was tied to the royal family, so I decided to wait and see what happened, but in the end it turned out as they said. It was quite embarrassing..

As if to prove it to him, the attendees of the meeting, which was proceeding smoothly, began to murmur..

Everyone knew through rumors and firsthand that Druids were strong..

If we made a mistake, it could lead to a big war. Same as Sheamus.

Everyone gave their opinions. Let's call that reformist druid and join hands. Or, let's request reinforcements from the Crime Firm. Otherwise, let's hit the player first..

Meanwhile, Oliver alternately smelled the fresh coffee he received and the cookies placed in front of him. As if checking something.

“Everyone, please calm down a little. My story isn't over yet. I have more to say. That's bad too.”

“······?”

“It's difficult to fight this enjoyment right now. They are contacting the city and making a deal.-”

“-Forrest.”

Oliver cut off Forrest's words, and everyone's eyes turned to Oliver..

“Can we take a break from the meeting for a moment??”

“······? why but?”

Oliver, who was alternately smelling cookies and coffee, whispered in Forrest's ear. very calmly.

“Because it's poisonous. Just mine..”