Genius Warlock-Episode 66
“It's a gray market.?”
"okay. Do you remember last time I said I didn't know about the black market??”
Forrest asked after pouring himself a drink and handing one to Oliver..
"yes..… . But you said you know something similar..”
"I have a good memory. Gray market is something like that. Strictly speaking, rather than being similar, it's more like a side branch from the black market.."
"It's a side branch?”
"Yes, I understand what I don't know. Because it’s a relatively recent story. It's a product of some kind of sales strategy..”
Forrest continued his explanation. Judging from the way he spoke, he seemed to know quite a bit..
“The gray market is a place that sells small or low-grade items distributed in the black market. Someone randomly called it Gray Market, and now that's the official name..”
Oliver thought for a moment, took a sip of the drink Forrest gave him, and then asked:.
“..…If it's a low-grade item, what specifically are you talking about??”
"We also handle small stolen goods, relatively low-level information, medicine, moonshine, magic items, human emotions and vitality, and some magic books..”
Oliver was intrigued at that moment..
"It's a black magic book.?”
"Yeah, but it's not that great. Even if they sell it, it's just a basic book..”
It was a frustrating sound, but Oliver showed no sign of it at all..
No, I was rather excited. Even if you don't get satisfactory results right away, you can take the first step..
This process was also a great joy..
“…Are you okay??”
"yes? Ah, yes… . Is there a place that handles higher grade items??”
"of course. For convenience, it is divided into black market and gray market, but it is further divided into invisible grades. There are definitely places that handle higher grade items. However, the problem is that it is not easy to find. Security is stricter than you think..”
"What should I do to use a higher level market??”
"You either have to spend a lot of money to get noticed, or you have to become friendly with a big name who has ties to the black market. For example, a crime firm official. they most definitely.”
"Is it because crime firms are managing the black market??”
Forrest paused for a moment at Oliver's question..
".....It's half right, but half wrong.."
"...?"
"It is true that crime firms are deeply involved in the black market, but they do not manage it all. The black market exists more abstractly and complexly than that. As a group, not as a single entity. So it's not easy to figure out everything there... . It's dangerous too.”
Oliver looked at Forrest's feelings..
Regardless of whether the story itself was true or not, Forrest's feelings were sincere..
It was unexpected. Even though I said I didn't know anything when we first met, I knew a lot more than I thought..
It goes beyond what I just picked up..
"okay.”
"Okay, anyway, back to the point. The places I introduced won't be bad for a place you've been to for the first time. Although the quality of the item may be somewhat lower, it is not that dangerous. Emotions can also be replenished.”
With those words, Forrest handed out a piece of paper with a map and a strange business card..
Forrest's F sign was drawn on the business card..
"Here's a map with the location and a ticket to pass by. Write the recipe once and burn it. If it leaks, your credibility will drop..”
Oliver nodded and put the note and business card in his arms..
"thank you for the gift.”
"It was nothing. Thanks to your good work, I can also introduce you. I hope you like it.”
"Yes, I like it already… . Well, can I speak this time??”
“Oh, I said I had a question. Something?”
"Before taking on the mission, I was planning to tell you briefly about how Forest gathers information once I succeed and return. Can I hear it now??’’
“ah.… . right. I made that promise, right? Well, okay. It's not that great.”
"thank you.”
Forrest poured another drink into his glass before speaking. Even in Oliver's glass.
"hmm..… . There are many ways to obtain information, and it is surprisingly easy..”
"Oh, is that right??"
"Think of it as a kind of snowball. Once the conditions for collecting a certain amount of information are established, you roll. Then the information is gathered... .. In my case, the conditions started with the broker union..”
"Broker's Association?”
"Yes, because of the nature of this job, everyone is very interested in information. Rapidly changing situations, accidents, new people, etc. So, a certain level of information is shared between brokers in the same union..”
"Just sharing?”
"Only a certain level of information. More secret and detailed information is traded between individuals. With money or information. Or they can make connections among themselves..”
“hmm.… . okay. So you get all the information through a combination of brokers??”
"That's not true. Although they are business partners, they are also competitors. If you rely only on that, you'll just fall behind. Everyone has their own separate lines of information. In my case, I use a troubleshooter and an information dealer..”
"For information?... By any chance, are you talking about Coco??”
"Oh, now that I think about it, you said you two met..”
"Yes, on my way home yesterday.”
"He's one of the intelligence dealers I do business with. If you have a story worth selling, come find me, or I'll come and ask for it.."
Oliver nodded with interest, like a child listening to an old story..
“then… ..Are you only getting information from broker unions, troubleshooters, and information dealers??”
Oliver asked, looking at Forrest. Specifically, I looked at his emotions..
“..…no. I don't use it often, but there is another line..”
"Oh, where is it??”
“It's an organization called Heimdall..”
“Heimdalyo?”
"Yes, a group of magical hackers who control the World Tree..”
"World tree… ? magic hacker.…?”
As Oliver mumbled a new question, Forrest let out a small laugh..
"I guess you don't know this. Well, no one really knows. A warlock who only trained underground would have no idea..”
“..…can you tell me?”
Forrest checked his watch..
“hmm.… . Sorry, can I do it later? A guest is coming soon.”
“ah…..”
Oliver sighed in disappointment..
I checked my watch, and it was clear that quite a bit of time had passed..
Although it was unfortunate, Oliver nodded obediently..
I've already heard enough interesting stories, so it would be inappropriate to bother you any further..
"All right.”
"I'm sorry. I'll answer you later when I have time..”
"no. I got a lot of help... .. ah!”
Oliver stopped preparing to leave and started searching inside his arms..
"What are you doing now??”
"wait a minute. I also have something to give you. I don't know if it will be helpful to you, Forest.."
With those words, Oliver took out a bottle of potion, a ledger, and documents obtained from the magic workshop..
Forrest was interested..
"This.....?"
"I found it at the magic spell workshop. I don't know, but I think it might be useful..”
At those words, Forrest looked at the ledgers and documents more actively. The emotions of joy and gladness shone through, but when I saw the potion, a bit of shock and surprise also shone through..
“..…Did you really get it from a magic spell workshop??”
"Yes, I just picked it up because it was there. I don't even know if it's right.”
“Right.… . I thought it was a day to give gifts, but it turned out to be a day to receive gifts..”
"I'm glad you're happy.”
"Thank you so much. Will it come right away tomorrow too??”
After thinking for a moment, Oliver shook his head..
"no. Forest told me about a good place, so I'll go there tomorrow..”
"Good. Well, see you later..”
After shaking hands with Forrest, Oliver came out..
When I got out into the street, I looked again at the map Forrest gave me..
The map depicted a traditional market in Area T..
It was a bit surprising that Gray Market was located in a traditional market..
Well, that's not that important. What was important was that the mission was successful, and that although it was not a black market, it was possible to go to the gray market, which is a side branch of it..
I wanted to go right away, but I was tired after working all night, so I decided to stay overnight..
I can't believe this kind of luck has already arrived... .. I was really looking forward to tomorrow..
***
The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment..
It was a phrase I had seen in Joseph’s journal in the past..
This was a phrase written when Weinham could not be conquered due to the pharmacist's intervention and had to be shared with the Dominic and Anthony families..
At the time, Oliver only understood the meaning of this phrase but could not sympathize with it.,
Only now, a long time after leaving the family, can I sympathize with those words..
I felt sorry for Forest, who took care of me for the best, but the gray market he introduced caused Oliver's great disappointment... . Or maybe Oliver was expecting too much..
My heart raced with anticipation as I walked around the crowded traditional market in District T and gave my business card to the gatekeeper disguised as a fruit seller, but as soon as I entered, my anticipation quickly turned into disappointment..
What should I say… .. Should I say it’s too ordinary??
The gray market secretly installed inside the traditional market was very similar to the traditional market outside..
I like it. It was similar. It was just the same..
A stall piled with fruit, a butcher shop with hanging meat, a cart loaded with strange herbs, etc..
No, that wasn't a big problem. To be honest, the traditional market was also fun. Whether it's bargaining or soliciting customers.
However, the items sold did not meet Oliver's expectations..
As Forrest said, in the gray market, young or old people who appeared to be warlocks were selling emotions and vitality extracted from small stalls, but the quality was very poor..
As if it was squeezed by force.
Also, black magic items such as glutton's pouch, leather mask, watcher's eye, and aphrodisiac were of poor quality..
It was extremely crude compared to what I saw in the workshops of the Joseph Family or puppeteer Glip.,
I've never made some of these before, but I thought I could make them better if I asked Oliver to make them right now..
Well, in a way, it was natural. At best, everything in this market was sold to third-rate thieves..
Oliver had high expectations because he heard it was connected to the black market..
A side branch is just a side branch..
Still, Oliver decided to buy some items just for experience..
Because it was such a waste to go back like this.
I purchased one each of the extracted emotions and vitality, and also bought one black magic item to examine..
A leather mask, a glutton's bag, a watchman's eye, etc..
Oliver also had the same thing, but it was a well-made item and it was a waste to use it for experiments, so I bought one here for research purposes..
When I thought about it that way, I even thought that it turned out better. If it was something like this, I didn't think it would be a waste to break it after looking at it..
After putting the emotions and black magic items into his bag, Oliver decided to spend the remaining time looking around the gray market..
Nothing interesting, but just in case next time I use another gray or black market..
As I went deeper inside, I saw something a little different..
There were places selling old clocks, strange-looking stuffed animals, elixirs made from the life force of animals, cheap pilgarettes, and even books..
It was a strange book with only pictures of naked women, not just a book about black magic or the devil..
Anyway, Oliver looked around the gray market, bought more leather belts and cases to store test tubes, and left the gray market..
Although it was tiring since leaving the family, he had never felt bored or disappointed, and for the first time, Oliver felt that way and headed home..
My heart sank and I lost all my energy. At that very moment, Oliver felt something..
1It was a split second, as if the seconds had been split into hundreds, but I definitely felt something..
It's similar to the lightning wizard I met in the past... no... . Incomparably pure and powerful magic power.
I was not mistaken, but when I turned my gaze, there was an old man sitting at the end..
"Hello. Young friend... . Did you come to read a book??”
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