Genius Warlock-Episode 617
617. Druid's Request (1)
“Nice to meet you. Dave. No, is it Zeno??”
Prince Albert said as he took off the hood that covered his face..
Oliver, seeing that face, reflexively opened his mouth..
“king-”
Prince Albert raised his hand and made a gesture to stop speaking..
I wondered why this was happening, but Oliver soon found out why..
Owen was listening..
Owen, feeling Oliver's gaze, spoke as if making an excuse..
“ah······. I met this kid on the way, and he said he was acquainted with the CEO... I've received help in the past, so I'd like to say hello... Did I make a mistake??”
Owen asked cautiously, wondering if he had made a mistake..
Although he was overwhelming in size and strength among the fighter crew, he was naive and had a cruel temper, so he seemed to have completely believed the prince's lies..
‘No. Isn't it a lie?? ’
Oliver thought for a moment. He only hid his identity as a prince, but it was true that they knew each other and that he received help, so strictly speaking, it was not a lie..
Owen was also brought in after seeing this through the eyes of a warlock..
Oliver, who roughly understood the situation, agreed with the prince's words..
“No, we know each other.”
“ah! That's good······!”
Owen, who had been worried, was visibly relieved..
“I thought it would be a bad idea to call the CEO, so I thought about dragging him along, but he said we had to meet alone... I think it's a master... I was wondering if I made a mistake, but I'm glad.”
Perhaps because of his younger siblings, Owen said that he has a weak heart towards children..
Fortunately, this wasn't a bad story for Oliver either..
If Albert had been met in a public place, someone might have recognized him as a prince, and that could have caused an awkward situation, such as spreading unnecessary rumors. It could be said that Owen's naive side helped Oliver..
Once the doubts were resolved, new questions naturally arose..
The question was why the prince came to visit Oliver. All alone, without a secretary or bodyguard..
Even though he was only a boy, the prince was said to have done his best in his role as a prince during the Great Fire of the New World. Considering that, this was a very unexpected and sudden action..
You know what it means to go away on your own..
Oliver wondered why the prince came here alone..
“Owen, you did a great job. I'll take care of it from here on out, so could you please step aside for a moment? When people find me, please tell them that you are running some business.”
Before a full-fledged conversation, Oliver asked Owen to step down, and Owen complied..
Thanks to this, Oliver and Albert are left alone in the back alley of District X..
“Has your hair returned to its original color??”
While Oliver was covering his surroundings with soundproofing and camouflage magic, the prince suddenly asked:.
I didn't understand what he meant at first, but soon I understood..
The first time I met the prince was when one side of my head was bleached white thanks to the Burned Man..
“No, it's dyed. Prince.”
“dyeing?”
“Yes, I dyed my hair because it seemed too noticeable. Prince.”
“I see. I felt fine, but there was a mysterious feeling..”
“I see. Prince.”
“excuse me······. Would you please stop calling me prince??”
“yes?”
“It's etiquette in a formal setting, but right now it's a little uncomfortable..”
“ah······. Yes, I understand······. If you don't mind, could I ask you a question? Why did the prince visit Area X alone??”
Oliver asked an extremely common sense question..
It was strange in many ways that the prince who had just visited today came to Area X alone..
Perhaps it was because of this that Owen could not recognize the prince's face..
Human eyes are not as sharp as we think, and if it makes too much sense, they are even less sharp. Even if something happens right in front of your eyes, you don't recognize it..
“If you had arrived just a little later, it would have been dangerous. The original chestnut is dangerous, but Landa's chestnut is even more dangerous..”
“I figured that wouldn't happen. I heard that District.”
Oliver couldn't say anything. Because he was right..
Excluding areas Y and Z, the most underdeveloped area, area X, has improved significantly as redevelopment progresses..
The reason was that underdeveloped areas disappeared due to development, but the biggest reason was that the fighter crew, the chooser, the mercenaries hired by Forrest, and the fixer patrolled Area X like vigilantes..
It cannot be said that crime has completely disappeared, but security has improved, at least in upper-middle class areas such as K, L, M, N, and O districts..
Considering the past District.
However, it was not the development of Area X that was to be admired here. It was Albert who knew this even though he was not from Landa..
“You know very well.?”
“Our royal secretaries are competent. they recognized.”
Sincerity. But the more I heard the answer, the more my doubts grew..
“Are you very interested in Landa?.”
“No, that's not it, I just heard a rumor about you..”
Oliver tilted his head. His own rumor. He had a hard time understanding what it meant..
The prince hesitated and slowly opened his mouth..
“Didn't you say that? They say personal circumstances are more important. So he turned down my scouting offer..”
“Oh, you're talking about a new magical institution. conducted by the royal family.”
“Yes, that... To be honest, it was embarrassing and difficult to understand. Working for the royal family would be an honorable thing to do, but you refuse it. It was a bit unpleasant.”
Oliver barely refrained from saying, 'Because there are individual differences.'.
It was thanks to the years I spent as a problem solver and Magic Tower employee that it was better not to say that..
“But I think I understand now. That I didn't just reject it. You had grand goals of your own. He wants to develop slums, help people, and establish his own school... A kind of noblesse oblige.”
Albert spoke with expressions of admiration and respect..
Albert seemed to want to say something more, but due to his unique patience and caution, he held back without saying anything..
Very subtle emotions. However, Oliver could see, and those complex emotions aroused Oliver's curiosity and led him to a more honest attitude..
“Prince. Sorry to disappoint you, but to be honest, that's not the case..”
“what?”
“It is true that I contributed to the development of the slums, and it is true that I tried to establish a new school, but this was not my intention from the beginning. At least that's not why I rejected the prince's offer..”
“is it······?”
“Yes, I just happened to do it. The redevelopment of Area.”
Albert’s eyes wavered. The baby had an expression that made him realize that he was not being delivered by a stork, but was being made on the bed..
Of course, Oliver, who grew up in an orphanage, knew how to make it in bed from the beginning, but.
“······But I heard you helped a lot of people? Contaminated area? They said they were intentionally providing jobs for refugees there..”
Oliver quietly admired himself. The royal secretaries seemed really competent..
“That's true. If we can afford it, we plan to provide them with a place to live and build a factory to provide them with jobs. However, it is not the noblesse oblige that the prince spoke of..”
“So is there another reason??”
“Yes, actually, I do it because of my greed. I wonder if I can become a good person.”
“Good people?”
“yes.”
After hearing Oliver's explanation, Albert frowned and made a subtle expression..
“I don't really know what you're talking about... I want to be a good person.”
“That's literally it. I want to be a good person... Because he's a good person.”
The more Albert heard the answer, the more he seemed to fall into a quagmire. He took it for granted. Because we were talking nonsense where the process and result were the same..
A method of speech that becomes more unpleasant the more you listen to it. However, instead of getting angry, the prince just laughed..
Just like when we talked in the New World..
Albert, who was straining his whole body to imitate an adult and deliberately imitating a solemn tone of voice, briefly looked more appropriate for his age..
It wasn't long before a solemn mask and cloak were wrapped around his face and body..
“Big, big. Excuse me... Honestly, I don't understand a word you're saying..”
“I do that too sometimes. Sometimes I don't know what I'm saying or doing..”
Albert smiled quietly..
“Still, I guess I'm not bad. I think they are more honest than the people I usually see... So I don't hate it that much.”
“Are the people you meet usually not honest??”
“Oh, if it sounded like a bad joke, you were mistaken. It doesn't mean you're a liar. However, it is also true that the inside is not revealed. 'Cause my family's royalty and I'm a prince.”
Oliver understood what she meant. It was an inevitable phenomenon that followed if you were in a high position..
The prince smiled bitterly..
“I understand it can't be helped, but sometimes I'm just so tired. Maybe that's why I don't know, but your honest attitude doesn't seem that bad. Whatever it is, it's true that good things are happening..”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“I am truly grateful. Whether for personal reasons or whatever, the people of the United Kingdom are receiving help thanks to you. Even though I am not the crown prince, I express my gratitude as royalty..”
Albert spoke more naturally than he usually did. It was proof that it was sincere..
“Actually, the reason I came here secretly was because my brother told me to. meet you.”
Edward X.
“Secretly too. So instead of going to your broker, I came here. Because if you meet a middleman, a trace will be left behind..”
“Why did the prince's brother ask you to meet me??”
“He told me to try scouting again. They say the magic institution the royal family wants to create needs talented people..”
“ah······.”
Oliver let out a short exclamation. However, it was not because I was convinced, but because I did not understand..
“Don't worry. I couldn't refuse my brother's request, so I came anyway. He doesn't intend to embarrass you..”
“······You respect your brother..”
“Although he had a lot of accidents in the past, and still occasionally gets into trouble, he is showing a suitable attitude as the crown prince of a country... why but?”
“No, it's nothing... I am truly sorry for causing the prince to take a vain step..”
“No, that's unfair. I came here on my own. Also, I want to meet you personally, so I don't think it was a waste of time. When I saw you in the New World, I thought you were a fun person and wanted to see you again..”
“Well then, that's a relief... How long are you planning to stay in Landa??”
“I think there will be some. There are several issues I brought with me. Actually, that's why I came here today. I'm pretty busy starting tomorrow so I don't think I'll be able to come unless it's now..”
“You're having a hard time..”
“It's my duty. I have no intention of complaining... Also, such practical work will be done by the secretaries and central council members who came along as attendants, so I don't have to worry too much. All I'll do is walk around the Randa event, take some pictures, and read a few speeches..”
“Are you serious about your work? It's all there because it's necessary. Isn’t it important that the prince do his best??”
With those words, Albert became a face appropriate for his age for the second time today..
Facial muscles that had been constrained by duty, tension, and fear were freed to achieve a natural expression. the prince expressed his gratitude.
“Thank you for your words... I feel better.”
“Fortunately, the.”
“In that sense, I have some advice..”
Albert suddenly said.
“You too will have to meet the attendants who came with me..”
“Are you a druid??”
“Of course, I knew it. that's right. They will protest against the use of natural forces. It may not be possible, but avoid friction and go in the direction of reconciliation as much as possible. They are currently assisting the royal family, and they are also warlike. I'm giving you sincere advice..”
Albert was sincere. Oliver responded.
“I'll keep that in mind.”
***
Time passes and a few days later.
A large man with green hair wearing a suit said.
“Natural forces and magic. Stop using the power of the druids..”
Oliver responded to this..
“I don't like it?”
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