Genius Warlock - Episode 9
9. junior disciple (1)
Tiles on the floor, pipes on the walls, water vapor in the air.
Oliver, who won the battle, was declared the winner by Joseph and washed himself in the shower room provided in the basement..
This was my first time washing with warm water, so it was quite unfamiliar, but it wasn't too bad..
It's much easier to wash than cold water, and the hardened blood comes off easily just by holding your face under the stream of water..
After washing up, Oliver dried himself with a towel and went outside..
The clothes I had put in the basket were gone, and instead there were new clothes I had never seen before..
“·····.”
Oliver stood still, not knowing what to do. Where on earth did his clothes go?.
I wondered if I should go out and search, but I heard a voice outside the door..
“that····. I washed everything?”
“yes?”
“Did you wash everything??”
A voice I heard for the first time. I answered first.
“yes.”
“Well, then. Get dressed and come out. I will tell you where I will live from now on..”
Oliver spoke to a strangely trembling voice..
“That's the problem.”
“problem?”
“Yes, my clothes are gone?”
“That thing... no clothes?”
“yes.”
“I threw that away. She has new clothes in the basket, so she changes into them. Even if you are a low-level student, you are an official disciple. You must think of your master's face and be dignified. why? By any chance, are these clothes important??”
“no. no.
”Phew····.“
A sigh of relief was heard beyond the door..
Oliver did as the voice said and took out new clothes from the basket and put them on. A white shirt, jeans with suspenders, and a black jacket..
It was a little bigger than Oliver's body, but that was no problem. He could actually be said to be a genius..
It was the best clothes Oliver had ever worn in his life. Although the parties did not care.
After I finished dressing, I opened the door and went out. Standing outside the door was a young man who looked to be about five years older than Oliver..
“····. I changed my clothes.”
“Yeah, really? then···. Follow.”
The strangely rigid man spoke and moved awkwardly..
He was cautious, as if he was treating him like a subordinate, but when I looked at his emotions, I could see that he was scared..
Oliver didn't understand why he was doing that, but he soon put his mind to it..
After passing through an ant cave-like hallway, we arrived at a huge living room..
There were about ten people there..
The number of people was similar to when I was a temporary disciple, but the size and quality of the rooms were clearly different..
Although crude, there was a proper iron bed for each person, and next to the bed was a treasury stand and a small desk where personal items could be stored..
It could not be compared to a barn with only a damp matrix..
“This is the living room you will be staying in..”
“·····.”
Oliver turned his head and stared. The young man said, sweating profusely as if he was burdened by those gazes..
“Even intermediate disciples cannot use the private room. It's only possible if you become a senior disciple..”
Oliver asked.
“Are you staying here? I am···?”
“uh? Uh, because you are now a low-level disciple. Should I stay here??”
Oliver tilted his head as if he didn't know. 'Cause he really didn't know.
The reason I wanted to become a low-level disciple was simply to learn black magic, and it did not include any improvement in living or treatment..
No, it would be more accurate to say that I didn't even think about it..
Oliver asked again just in case..
“Can I really stay here??”
“Yeah, that's your spot.”
The young man said, pointing to the worst spot in the corner. Oliver walked over and looked..
A bed that is neither damp nor moldy, with a warm looking blanket, a sturdy water stand, a clothes hanger, etc..
“Hey, if you don't like the seat,-”
“- I like it.”
“I like it?”
“Yes, thank you.”
When Oliver expressed his gratitude according to the way he lived his life, the young man let out a subtle sigh of relief. And then I gathered courage and opened my mouth again..
“then···. Let me tell you about some rules..”
rule. Oliver perked up his ears..
There were rules in the orphanage, there were rules in the mine, and there were rules in the factory above..
If I broke the rules, I got beat up, and if I did something wrong, I could have been kicked out, so I rarely showed concentration..
I can finally learn black magic, but wouldn't it be unfair if I got kicked out??
“what are the rules?”
“uh····. It's nothing special, it's about the role you have to play as a low-level disciple. First of all, I am the head of this room. So you must follow my instructions.”
“yes···. Manager.”
“There is no need to add you... Anyway, let me explain again. A low-level disciple is an official disciple, but is still the lowest rank in the family. Because temporary disciples and servants are not formal family members. I understand?”
Oliver didn't know what a servant was or what a family was, but he nodded..
“Okay, the servants will do the miscellaneous tasks like preparing meals and cleaning the rooms, but we have to clean the important places. For example, a classroom, laboratory, workroom, or study. The owner likes things to be clean, so we have to clean it every morning. I understand?”
Oliver nodded again..
“In addition, our role is to run small errands for our seniors and assist them in experiments..”
“Experiment?”
“Yeah, just follow what you're told..”
“uh····. All right. But, Mr. Room Manager. Can I ask you something??”
“Well, what is it??”
“When will I be able to receive the master's teachings??”
“Uh, lower-level disciples usually receive training once every two weeks. When I write it down, once a month. Most people study on their own based on class content..”
“ah·····.”
A strange look of disappointment passed across Oliver's face, which was as dazed as a corpse. I was definitely happy to be able to take classes regularly, but it was still too little. I thought I would take a new class every day, but.
The head of the room seemed to know those feelings and spoke as if comforting him..
“The teacher can't help it because he's busy teaching his seniors and managing his business. And don't try too hard.”
“Why??”
Oliver asked sincerely. He became a disciple at best, so why not work hard? The head of the house was about to answer, but then closed his mouth and then blurted out his words..
“that····. Um, nope. Just don't worry about it. That's all I'm going to tell you. I have nothing more to ask?”
“doesn't exist.”
“That's good. Well then, let’s get along well from now on... Oh right. Check the drawers and check the items. Do you have a notebook and pencil? Even if you say you don't have it later, they won't give it to you except during regular rationing..”
Oliver opened the drawer and checked. As the room manager said, there was an old notebook whose color had turned yellow, a pencil that looked like it was left behind, and a dirty eraser..
“Why is this there??”
“well···. If I want to learn black magic in earnest, I need to write something down.?”
***
Oliver left the basement and went up to the surface during his personal time..
Unlike when I was a temporary disciple, I didn't have to do any factory work, so I had more time to utilize it than I thought, but that didn't mean I came up to the surface for no reason..
Oliver came out to the workshop past the sausage boxes and miscellaneous items and visited the factory workshop that was being cleaned up..
They must have worked hard today, as the floor was littered with crushed meat and trash. When the temporary disciples who were cleaning them up found Oliver, they lowered their eyes and lowered their heads..
Now Oliver is an official disciple. Because it was for them... Of course, it wasn't just that.
Oliver tilted his head when he saw the suddenly changed attitudes of his fellow workers..
They were jealous and envious of Oliver, angry and afraid at the same time..
It had a similar glow to the head of the room, but I really couldn't understand it..
Oliver approached a temporary disciple..
“Well, can I ask you something??”
“huh? Uh, yeah?”
“Where is Director Marie??”
The worker said that Marie was in a corner of the factory, and when she actually went and looked, she was standing alone behind a huge grinder that was rusting red from disuse..
Oliver unconsciously examined her feelings. She looked very sad and despondent.
“Director Marie?”
Oliver called out to her, tapping the grinder politely..
She was so lost in thought that she didn't feel any sign of him and was startled. When she saw Oliver, she made a surprised expression and then frowned..
“Oliver... sir.”
“yes, hello?”
Oliver greeted. But her eyebrows only narrowed further..
When I looked at the form of light, it seemed unpleasant, but I had no idea why, so I was a little confused. she opened her mouth again.
“What's going on here??”
“There's something I'd like to ask you.,”
“ask? under····. Are you kidding me??”
“yes? no.”
“So, how is it that someone who became an official disciple in less than 10 days is asking me, a temporary disciple for 6 years, a favor??”
She may have meant it to be sarcastic, but unfortunately it didn't work on Oliver. She didn't understand the sarcasm and she just answered honestly..
“To officially learn black magic, you have to learn letters and numbers. But I never learned that. So, can you teach me? Marie said she knows how to do it.?”
“·····.”
Marie was silent. she looked dumbfounded.
Oliver cautiously asked if he had any sense of it..
“Did I make a mistake??”
“mistake···. No, you didn't make any mistakes. How could someone who became an official disciple right away make a mistake with someone like me??”
“Oh, well, that's a relief..”
“Ahh! Fortunately, what···!”
Marie eventually exploded due to Oliver's frustrating attitude..
Her shouts echoed throughout the factory, and Marie, who came to her senses belatedly, covered her face as if she were about to burst out in exasperation. Nevertheless, Oliver maintained a consistent attitude..
“As expected, I did something wrong... I don't know what it is, but I'm sorry?”
Marie sat down in her seat with a helpless expression on her face, perhaps sick or tired..
“····. no. It was my fault. I was born in a small corner of the house and barely got a chance, but I am rotting here without any talent. Whose fault is it? It's all my fault. you did nothing wrong.”
The voice sounded resigned, but Oliver could see it..
Her feelings that she still hasn't given up on and is obsessed with. Yet, at the same time, I felt nervous and afraid. It was like a whirlpool of light. It was a bit pretty.
Oliver didn't know how to react, so he stood still until Marie regained her composure. After a while, she spoke..
“····. Please teach me writing and numbers.?”
“yes. You say you know how to do it? You studied?”
“yes···. I studied. Because I have to do at least that. But, why are you telling me that? Of the junior disciples I will be staying with, most of them will know how to write..”
Oliver looked into space as if it was difficult to answer..
“That's... kinda, yeah?”
“That's a bit like that?”
“It's hard to explain, but the way you look at me is like a child. Kids standing in front of the supervisor.”
Marie frowned again at the incomprehensible words, but Oliver then explained further..
“I came from a mine, and the supervisor there was scary. All the kids got scared when they saw the supervisor, so no matter what the supervisor asked, they lied to avoid getting scolded. However, the lower-level disciples are looking at me in the same light as those children..”
It was a heavy-handed explanation, but fortunately Marie understood what it meant..
The lower-class disciples are afraid of Oliver.····.
No, is it actually normal? In fact, Tom, who was at the level of a low-level disciple, was unilaterally toyed with and exploded to death. However, there was another fact that was even more surprising..
“·····. no way. Can you read emotions??”
Oliver tilted his head..
“Maybe? Why is that so??”
“oh my god····. That's the second stage of opening eyes. The first opening is just seeing emotions, right? It's unfair... Since when can I read emotions??”
“uh···. from the beginning?”
Oliver's calm answer. Marie just smiled helplessly, probably because she was tired of being angry..
She thought that she knew and acknowledged that the world was unfair, but today she realized that she was mistaken. How can it be so unfair??
I was so sad and hopeless that I couldn't even cry. At that time, Oliver asked again without notice..
“Then, the text and numbers are?”
“Argh! really·····! Why should I help you? I never know when I might end up as a servant! You never know when another opportunity will come! Why should I waste my precious time on you?! Why?!!”
Marie spoke with her emotions, not her head. After a while, when Marie, who had been fuming, regained her composure, Oliver opened her mouth..
“I heard about servants before I came up here. What is servants??”
Another nonsense. But Marie did not have the energy to be angry anymore and just answered meekly in a weak voice..
“·····. It means a slave who will take care of well-known formal disciples. Cooking and cleaning until I die of old age. This is the final destination for a temporary student like me who hasn't been promoted for a long time..”
“Are you sad now??”
“Of course it's sad. Damn it...! Do you think I'm here to be a maid for the rest of my life? Of course I came here to become a warlock. I really don't have time anymore! But you want me to use that time for you? For you who have talents I don’t have?! That's not real····.”
As soon as Marie finished speaking, she covered her face with her hands as if she was in pain. It felt like her invisible lead mass was crushing her..
Perhaps, if you leave it like this, it will become crushed under the weight after a few days. Luckily that didn't happen.
“·····. What Director Marie said? Next time you ask for help, bring something with you.?”
Marie lifted her head slightly..
“If Director Mari teaches you letters and numbers, I will teach you too..”
“····. What?”
“Black magic.”
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