Genius Warlock-Episode 528
528. debt collector (1)
‘This······. It's fascinating.’
Oliver sat upright with his eyes closed and muttered to himself..
When he visited the small town of Nofton under a special order from the Magic Tower to persuade Eve, Oliver was able to directly see and experience the project that the Magic Tower was working on..
Among them, there were quite a few projects related to the World Tree..
Long-distance movement magic using the World Tree, energy conversion of the magic power contained in the World Tree, and magic that embodies the memories of the World Tree into reality, etc..
Each and every piece of research was worthy of being remembered in history, and Oliver was able to learn again why the Magic Tower was called the Magic Tower..
Although it was Lilith, not the Magic Tower, that implemented the technology, the important thing is that Oliver saw it with his own eyes..
Every single thing was surprising and impressive, and as soon as Oliver finished the mission, he wrote down what he saw and remembered in a separate notebook and wondered if he could apply it..
Luckily there was. That's exactly the way I'm practicing right now..
Using the power of nature to contact the World Tree and communicate with Eve, receive images refined by Eve through this, and indirectly feel the Druid training in one's mind..
It was set up in theory, but I wasn't sure if it would succeed, but it was more successful than I thought..
‘I owe a lot to Eve... It would be possible to meditate even if you were in Root Net, but there would have been restrictions due to limited time..’
Oliver thought to himself, and that was a correct point..
In order for Oliver to use the World Tree, a fee was required, whether it was emotions, magic, or natural forces, and this was inevitably subject to time constraints..
There were many other difficulties.
For example, it was questionable whether it would be possible to accurately retrieve only the desired memories from the memories of the World Tree, which were piled up like strata, and there was also the risk that the body would become defenseless while accessing the World Tree..
Of course, the problem per row could be solved if you invested time, but the problem is time. However, thanks to Eve, Oliver was able to skip all of those minor steps and start training right away..
It's like cutting off fish bones and feeding it to you..
In order not to waste this good fortune, Oliver focused more on the image Eve had projected directly beyond his closed eyelids..
[Close both eyes and keep your posture straight. Feel the power of nature like that.]
A druid came to the young trainee and spoke. In one of his hands, he held a twig that was too thin to be called a club, but too thick to be called a whip..
Although Oliver's concentration was momentarily broken by the new image, he soon regained consciousness and focused on the young trainee he was trying to imitate..
A boy who, like Oliver, has not yet succeeded in connecting with nature, but will soon. Well, it will be easier to imitate..
‘Communication with the forces of nature and spirits.’
Oliver focused his mind, clearly recalling his goal..
Of course, I didn't feel it right away, but it was much better just to have someone to follow in front of me. I guess it's the difference between having a compass and not having it.?
Thanks to this, Oliver was able to continue to focus on meditation without giving up even though he did not feel any concrete changes or achievements right away..
Then a change occurred. Although the power of nature was not felt, the image projected by Eve changed from lines to surfaces to become more specific and clear..
Not only that, but the area of the image expanded around the young trainee, showing other children in addition to the boy Oliver was imitating..
girl and boy. What they have in common is that they look tired and hungry, and a druid holding a long branch hits a girl..
[Concentrate your mind. The adaptation period will soon end. If you do not feel the blessings of nature by then, you will not be able to receive proper rations..]
rationing. Having grown up in an orphanage and a mine, Oliver knew what it was. Food, something to eat. It was the thing I needed and feared the most..
Perhaps because of this, Oliver felt for a moment that he was in the same situation as other trainees..
‘But why is the image expanded? I asked to see only one person suitable for imitation..’
Oliver had his doubts, but soon decided not to care. Eve probably decided it was better this way. It felt like I was actually being taught on site, so I was more immersed in it..
[Ughhh······!]
Oliver was still concentrating on his meditation when a boy rolled his eyes and gave a foamy bite..
Even though no one had explained it to me, I could tell that Oliver had a rejection reaction to the forces of nature..
Just as not everyone can properly handle magical power, the power of nature also requires various conditions, such as individual talent and temperament, and a body to digest it..
[It's a defective product. kick me out.]
The druid guiding the trainee pointed with a branch and said firmly:.
Strangely enough, it was the same reaction as when a sick child came out of the mine..
The workers dragged the boy away, and the boy, who came to his senses late, desperately shouted for another chance. He said he had nowhere else to go, that if he was kicked out like this, he would die..
However, no one answered the boy's cries, and the boy's voice disappeared into the distance..
[······.]
[······.]
Silence came again. Although it was just a projected image in his head, Oliver was able to feel the emotions of the children he was training with..
It was just an inference based on the situation and senses, but Oliver could feel it..
In particular, the boy's emotions were first projected beyond his eyelids for Oliver to imitate..
The anger, resentment, and determination the boy feels. As the emotions heightened, the boy's senses became sharper to the extreme, and naturally, Oliver's senses, who were imitating the boy, also became sharper..
Just as Oliver was about to get one step closer to achieving something he had never felt before, he felt the presence of someone and opened his eyes..
“······Lucien?”
Oliver opened his eyes, looked into space and muttered..
“sorry. did you disturb?”
“······no, no.”
Oliver turned his head to the side and looked at Lucien standing far away in the distance..
He was too far away to say he was disturbed by Lucien..
He was quick-witted and stopped at an appropriate distance out of consideration for Oliver..
Nevertheless, the meditation ended because Oliver's sharpened senses distracted him from concentration..
It's similar to how your hearing suddenly improves and you lose consciousness even to small sounds..
Although it was disappointing that the meditation that was going well ended midway, Oliver decided to think positively..
The first time I meditated I didn't get any results, but now I have gained some relief and the difference is huge..
Maybe you'll get better results if you do it two, three, or four more times..
So Oliver decided to focus on the present and not worry about what had already happened..
“I'm really fine. What did you come for instead??”
“My business partners asked to meet Dave. If you don't mind, could he please show his face once??”
“Yes, I understand.”
Oliver accepted without hesitation..
The location of this dense forest, the forces seeking the human meat chef's legacy, and the secret partnership between Millieu and the royal family. Lucien taught us valuable information without conditions, and also provided some of the camp space occupied by Millieu..
In a situation like that, it wasn't that difficult to show your face once..
Oliver got up without hesitation as he answered, and Lucien politely expressed his gratitude..
“thank you.”
“No, it really helped me a lot..”
Oliver spoke sincerely, not in a pretentious way. Of course, I was dumbfounded for a moment because Iwan abandoned Oliver. I couldn't even figure out what to do..
It felt similar to when I first followed Joseph out, and I was able to move properly after meeting Lucien, who I barely knew..
“Oh, by the way, can I run a quick errand before I go? Because it's important.”
“Oh, of course... But what is it??”
“It's meal time soon. I'd like to take some of the stew I was cooking..”
Oliver said, taking out his watch and showing it to me. With utmost sincerity.
***
Scribble... Scribble... scribble······.
Outskirts of a dense forest. Everyone's eyes were focused on one corner of the camp where Millieu was based..
The reason was that a truly bizarre and rare sight unfolded..
“That's a corpse doll, right??”
“uh. It's a fucking corpse doll..”
Onlookers chatted..
Like their conversation, an outdoor cooking utensil was installed on one side of the camp. Among them, in front of a huge stew pot, a corpse doll wearing an apron was constantly stirring the stew..
Even though it was a simple task of just stirring the stew, everyone couldn't take their eyes off it..
Based on common sense, I have never heard of a corpse doll being used in that way. What kind of crazy person would want to eat food cooked by a corpse doll??
I wondered if the woodcutter, a warlock that Lucien had brought in, was trying to subdue Giseon, but before I could think about it, the person in question came out of the forest with Lucien..
“Lucien, would you like some too??”
Oliver very naturally walked in front of the huge cauldron that the corpse doll was stirring and asked. Lucien nodded his head..
“great. It smells amazing. Just like my grandmother made.”
Oliver, who saw through Lucien's feelings, asked again..
“You don’t have to force it..”
“no. I want to eat.”
Lucien is a lie but at the same time his sincerity shines through. It was a contradictory feeling, but I could tell that he was just trying to be considerate of Oliver..
Oliver handed him a bowl of stew..
“Please season it a little stronger..”
After tasting a sip of the stew, Oliver asked the corpse doll, and the apron-wearing corpse doll very naturally added salt..
widely. widely. widely.
In fact, it went without saying that all he had to do was manipulate him, but due to Oliver's experience working with Childe, Oliver talked to him. He was kind of a routine..
Oliver went with Lucien, eating stew made by a corpse doll in front of the waiting Millieu troops, and the strange and foreign appearance cleared the way for the warlock who had come from across the sea..
“The stew is delicious..”
“Thank you for the compliment. And thank you for doing me a favor. I have to stick to meal times..”
It was like that. Eating turned out to be a bigger problem than expected for Oliver, who suffered from hunger after eating the meat from the chef's palm..
I enjoyed eating before and ate a lot, but to that extent it was a total difference..
Because he knew that, Lucien also allowed it. According to the rumor, there was a time when a restaurant ate until it ran out of ingredients, so it wasn't normal..
Lucien asked carefully..
“I understand. I heard a rumor that you gained hunger as an aftereffect of the battle..”
This may be a sensitive question on this floor. Fortunately, Oliver didn't show any particular reaction..
“Oh, is that right??”
“yes······. But I thought you were feeling better. Because I don’t eat anything except during meal times..”
“hmm······. I guess you could say it's gotten better..”
It was an unknown sound, but it wasn't entirely wrong either..
Even though it was because of the burning pain caused by the burn, my hunger got better anyway..
At least I didn't have to eat calorie bars or chocolate every now and then. Instead, a certain amount of food had to be consumed at certain times..
Currently, Oliver's body is suffering from hunger and burning pain. Because the two types of pain intertwined with each other, it was like walking a tightrope to maintain a condition that was bearable..
That's why he took the stew first, even though the people Oliver gave up asked to meet..
‘Well, there are things I want to try using outdoor cooking utensils and corpse dolls..’
While Oliver was thinking like that, he arrived at the tent where Caïd, the boss of the same Milieu organization as Lucien, was gathered..
Inside the tent, which resembled a portable mansion made up of several large tents, leaders dressed in different outfits were gathered together..
An old man clad entirely in gray iron armor and carrying a huge long sword.,
A young man hiding a whip, dagger, awl, and net under a large cloak.,
A woman in a fancy dress with a knife mark on her face,
A middle-aged gentleman with a huge crossbow and a magical monocle.,
All of them, including men wearing basket-shaped helmets and headgear helmets armed with axes, long swords, daggers, and spears, were all of ordinary skill..
This can be seen just by looking at the amount of magic the body has and its posture. If it was natural, it was natural..
For convenience, it is said that Millieu is similar to the Crime Firm, but they are said to be descendants of fallen nobles, warriors, and thieves..
In addition, whatever it is, they are the people who divided the human meat cooks and the Gallos backworld. It made even more sense that I had no skills..
‘Oh, don't forget that person too..’
Oliver thought as he looked at the iron masked paladin sitting quietly in the corner of the barracks..
An unidentified paladin who welcomed Oliver's arrival no matter what his intentions were..
Oliver asked Lucien about the identity of the paladin, but even Lucien simply answered that he did not know specifically who it was. So he said that they even call themselves the Paladins, or the Iron Mask Paladins..
When Oliver made eye contact with the Iron Mask Paladin, he greeted him, and surprisingly, he responded to Oliver's greeting without any hesitation..
“Mr. Dave. First, let me introduce you to my business partners. From the left: Mr. Pierre, Leo, Valehi, Natung, and Aaron..”
Lucien taught me in order, from left to right..
They were all milliyu, especially those who settled in and around Laville..
Looking at the composition, it seemed that Millieu was also divided into factions within itself..
It wasn't strange. The larger and more extensive the organization, the more pronounced this tendency is. Because of this, the Crime Firm was also divided into factions, small within Landa and largely within the Seland region..
Even after introducing the names, Lucien kindly explained the other organizations in detail..
The main source of income for each boss, who has the longest history, and who has the greatest power..
It seemed like he was trying to praise his colleagues rather than considerate Oliver, but it was interesting information..
After finishing explaining his business partners, Lucien immediately introduced Oliver as well..
“I'll introduce it here. You are the one who helped me twice. Dave Seeya is the most famous woodcutter in Landa, United Kingdom..”
“Nice to meet you.”
While everyone was looking at Oliver, the first one to reach out was Valehi..
She made various calculations through her clever eyes and showed no signs of hiding them..
Everyone already knows that profit and loss calculations are necessary. Rather than hiding it, I planned to reveal it and gain trust..
As if to prove this, she threw a fastball without hesitation..
“Lucien said you would join us. Is that correct??”
Oliver looked at Lucien at the unexpected question, and Lucien corrected him..
“I said it was a possibility, I didn't say it was possible..”
“That's it there... And from this person’s perspective, it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea..”
Just as Lucien was about to speak, Oliver raised his hand and took the floor..
“Can I ask why you think that way??”
Valehi's eyes flashed like a hunter spotting an opportunity..
“Because in order to gain the legacy of a human meat chef, it is better to move in a group rather than alone..”
Sincerity, not bravado. Oliver asked the reason again..
“As you may have heard, more forces have entered this forest than expected, and all of them are competing against each other. Various mercenary groups, grave robbers, black magicians and puppets in the central part of the continent... No matter how good you are, it's hard to do it alone..”
The woman spoke confidently, but Oliver just ate his stew indifferently..
I've collaborated with other people, but I've never really cared about that. Instead, I raised my hand..
“What is it?”
“Most likely, Mr. Puppet did not participate..”
Everyone tilted their heads at the unexpected story, but everyone showed interest. Because puppet participation was that important..
“On what basis are you saying that? Puppet's disciple, Bombama Bey, came here.?”
“That's why I said you didn't participate..”
“······?”
“At first, I thought Puppet was participating, but after thinking about it, I guess that wasn't the case..”
“what is the basis?”
Before I knew it, Valehi, who was already answering, asked a question. This was not because of her poor information gathering skills or ability to lead a conversation..
Oliver's attitude as if he knew the black hand's finger puppet very well was beyond common sense..
“There is no solid evidence. However, I just thought that the puppeteer I know would move alone instead of with his students..”
It was a story that didn't make sense at first glance, but Oliver soon explained it..
“Mr. Puppet is a person who handles corpse dolls. That's also a military unit. Isn't it strange that a person like that came here with his disciple??”
Oliver got right to the point..
For Puppet, the pinnacle of manipulative black magic, the concept of numbers and troops was bound to be different from that of ordinary people..
For him, who could handle an army of zombies on his own, the presence or absence of disciples did not mean much. Rather, it was more likely to be a distraction..
A living person is more difficult to control than a corpse doll..
Of course, knowing this was an inference that only Oliver, who had met the puppet a few times, could make..
As if it wasn't a very bad opinion, everyone, including Lucien, took it seriously, and their views on Oliver also changed..
Would you say that vague rumors from far across the sea can be felt more personally??
Even his untrustworthy skinny appearance and unsophisticated black-and-white hair seemed to have a unique personality..
Lucien's attitude, reputation, what he shows now, etc. After completing the calculations in his head, Valehi suggested to Oliver that they work together again. Appealing the benefits that come with it.
But Oliver could only shake his head..
“sorry.”
“What don't you like? The reason we settled here on the outskirts is not because we lack power..”
Sincerity. Oliver answered.
“I didn't mean to reject it that way either. Because it's not just me who can decide..”
“Oh, by the way, I see that you have a partner who came with you.?”
“I am not a partner, but a business associate who will only work with me on this matter..”
“Didn't you say you left me alone??”
“Still, a business partner is a business partner. I think I should ask his opinion..”
“hmm······. By any chance, may I know who it is? It could be someone we know..”
Just as Oliver was debating whether to answer or not, a familiar shredding sound was suddenly heard inside the barracks..
Zeng!!
People turning their heads all at once. A crack appeared in the air, and the other Millieu bosses grabbed their weapons at the strange sight, and then Oliver spoke..
“It's him.”
“······?”
“The one who came with me to take care of the legacy of the human meat cook..”
Zeng!!
As soon as Oliver finished speaking, a shredding sound rang out again, and a man appeared along with a strange sight that shattered the air..
“This is Ewan Branham. A master craftsman who creates miraculous objects, a great negotiator who trades beans for cows, and a great wanderer and debt collector. That's me-”
“-Catch that dog.”
“Hit it.”
“tied up.”
“kill it!”
As soon as they saw Lee Wan, the bosses in the barracks, including Lucien, shouted in unison and blocked each person's escape route. They swung their whips, grabbed Lee Wan's arms, and then threw iron nets to trap and beat Lee Wan..
It was as if he had met a debtor he had lost. Then, Lucien said.
“It's not March, it's a real debt collector. We all owe it to you. Wait.”
Lucien said that and started beating Iwan again..
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