Chapter 93: The Promise (2)
Click— Click— Click—
Oliver walked for a long time before arriving at P District.
P District, like T District, was an industrial area and a residential zone for workers. However, due to its proximity to the middle-class neighborhood, it seemed relatively safer compared to other worker districts.
But that was only true for the central area.
As he approached the small church on the outskirts, the atmosphere grew desolate.
The place resembled a forsaken land, with only the occasional beggar in sight.
Oliver handed a couple of small bills to the beggars and surveyed his surroundings.
Thankfully, there didn’t appear to be anything suspicious.
That was a relief. It meant that Joanna genuinely intended to have a conversation with him.
With that thought, Oliver entered the church, which had an old, worn-out cross standing at the entrance.
Inside the rectangular building, long, uncomfortable-looking benches were packed so tightly that it felt suffocating. Oliver wondered if that was why no one was inside.
Of course, it wasn’t his concern.
Oliver took out a few bills from his pocket and placed them in the donation plate before moving further inside.
There, he quietly took a seat behind a woman with long blonde hair, who was sitting alone.
Mimicking her posture, Oliver clasped his hands together and softly spoke.
“…Knight?”
"Shh. Just a moment, please."
Oliver followed her instruction and stayed silent.
He listened closely and could hear Joanna's prayer.
“…Father. Grant us, your weak children, strength, courage, and wisdom. Please watch over us so that we may fulfill the glorious duty you have bestowed upon us. And please, let me become a proud child of yours. Your child prays... Mahala."
As the prayer ended, a solemn silence filled the air. After a brief pause, Joanna slowly opened her mouth.
Her voice was calmer than before.
“…You’re Oliver, right?”
"Yes."
"Thank you for coming."
"I should be the one thanking you for inviting me. I’ve learned how much of an honor it is to speak with a Holy Knight. Truly, I’m grateful. …May I ask you a question?"
"What is it?"
"How did you know it was me? As you can see, my face has changed."
Oliver asked while touching the leather mask he was wearing.
Was there something only a Holy Knight could perceive?
Joanna maintained her characteristic silence before answering.
“…I just knew.”
"...Excuse me?"
"Your demeanor and tone were unmistakably yours."
"......."
Oliver fell silent in shock.
Despite his efforts to act normal and appear as a sensible person, it seemed that his efforts had been in vain, leaving him with a bitter feeling.
“I guess… I should have tried harder, huh?”
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I mean, I tried to appear more like a regular person, but it seems I didn’t try hard enough."
"No, that's not what I’m asking... What are you doing here?"
"Excuse me? You called me here, didn’t you… Oh, are you asking why I’m working as a Fixer?”
Perhaps growing impatient, Joanna, who had been staring straight ahead, turned around to face him and answered.
"Yes, that’s what I’m asking. Why are you working as a Fixer? Weren’t you... the head of a Black Magic organization?"
Her expression wasn’t hostile.
Rather, it showed confusion, curiosity, and perhaps a hint of expectation. Though the exact reason for her emotions was unclear.
Oliver rubbed his eyes as if exhausted before replying.
"I’m just following your advice."
"My advice?"
"Yes, you told me to go out into the world and interact with people. So that’s what I did... Of course, that’s not the only reason, but it was a big one. Thank you. I’ve been meaning to say that, and now I finally can."
Joanna looked stunned, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
It was a familiar expression. The look people gave him when they encountered something they couldn’t understand. Oliver had seen that expression on the faces of those who had spoken with him before.
"......."
"......."
An awkward silence fell over them, and Oliver, who had been eager to meet her, broke it.
He didn’t want to waste time in silence with someone he’d been looking forward to seeing.
"How have you been?"
"Me?"
"Yes… The Apothecary said you’ve been well, but I was still a bit worried. Have you been okay?"
Joanna’s pale face reddened slightly.
At the same time, emotions like shame, embarrassment, and guilt seemed to flicker across her expression, as if she found her past actions disgraceful and regretful.
"…Did I make a mistake?"
After a moment of silence, Joanna responded.
"...Embarrassingly, I’ve been fine."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, even though I failed my mission and couldn’t eradicate the evil drugs, I was still honored with the title of a successful Holy Knight and officially assigned here... It’s truly shameful and guilt-inducing."
Her words were sincere.
"Then why didn’t you tell the truth?"
Oliver asked without much thought. He was genuinely curious. But despite his lack of intent, Joanna flinched.
"…Because the many people who helped me asked me to stay silent. They said it would be better for everyone and the world if I used this opportunity to improve myself."
Oh... Oliver was impressed by the Apothecary.
He had been right. Due to the complex internal politics of the Pater Church, Joanna’s failure wouldn’t be exposed, and as a result, Wineham would become even safer.
Truly a clever man.
"…But you still don’t believe that’s the right thing to do, do you?"
Joanna answered with silence.
Her emotions were a turbulent mix, and it didn’t seem to be solely due to the advice of others. There seemed to be another, more personal reason for her choice. Something deeply precious to her.
Before Oliver could ask about it, Joanna spoke first, beating him by half a step.
"Now it’s my turn."
"Excuse me?"
"To ask you a question. What happened after you left the Black Magic organization?"
Caught off guard by the question, Oliver propped his chin on his hand.
Should he tell her?
Well... It seemed okay. After all, she was the one who had given him the advice, so she had the right to know.
Besides, there was no malice or hidden agenda in her emotions.
"Well, I don’t mind telling you, but it might be a bit of a long story."
"Don’t worry, we still have plenty of time."
After nodding, Oliver began to speak.
There wasn’t much to it.
He told her about how he secretly left the Joseph Family and visited X District, where he met Kent along the way.
He explained Kent’s actions and described the beggar faction that followed him, being detailed but not excessive. Perhaps, deep down, Oliver had hoped that Joanna could put into words the indescribable feelings he had when he met Kent...
However, contrary to his expectations, Joanna simply nodded without saying anything.
Oliver then moved on to how he became a Fixer.
He left out details that might harm others but shared the more interesting stories—about the retired soldier and the brave boy who asked him to teach him how to read. And, as he spoke, Oliver realized how many people he had met.
It was hard to describe, but it felt satisfying.
Noticing this, Joanna spoke.
“…You seem happy."
"Well… Yes, I am. The world… it’s a pretty interesting place."
"I'm glad to hear that... But is there a particular reason you became a Fixer?"
"Well, I got a job offer, and it’s one of the few ways I can earn decent money for what I’m capable of."
Oliver answered vaguely. It didn’t feel right to tell a Holy Knight that he was working to buy books on Black Magic and demons.
"…So, you fight for money?"
"Yes. Even if I work hard at a restaurant, I can barely afford one book… But I only take jobs that don’t harm ordinary people, so I think it’s fine. After all, Fixers are the ones who clean up the Contaminated Zones, right? So we’re helping, in a way."
Joanna fell silent again, as if she had nothing to say in response.
She looked at Oliver with a very complicated expression.
"Let me ask you something."
"Sure, go ahead."
"Did anything happen between you and Puppet?"
"…No. What exactly are you asking about?"
"...Black Magicians are said to serve those stronger than them, correct?"
Oliver recalled his time in the Joseph Family.
"Yes, that seems to be the case."
"Did you become Puppet’s servant in exchange for your life?"
"...No, I didn’t... But, if you don’t mind me asking, what would happen if I had?"
"I wouldn’t be able to leave you alone anymore."
Joanna spoke firmly, her eyes intense. She meant it.
"Oh, I see?"
"Yes, Puppet is… a heinous criminal who has lived for hundreds of years, committing countless atrocities. On top of that, he has cultivated many Black Magicians and created numerous criminal organizations, spreading chaos throughout the world. Worse still, he’s also an executive of the Black Hand, which seeks the destruction of the human realm. He is an unforgivable existence."
"…The Black Hand is trying to destroy the human realm?"
"Yes… Why do you ask?"
"...I just thought the Black Hand was a powerful criminal group of Black Magicians. You know, a big, tough organization. I didn’t realize they were trying to destroy the human realm."
"...They make deals with demons regularly. That’s what the Church’s investigation has uncovered."
"Then, does the Church know much about the Black Hand?"
"To some extent."
"Could you tell me what kind of organization they are?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just curious. Like I said before, I had an opportunity to join them once. I turned it down because of the terms, but I’ve always been curious about what they’re like."
Joanna stared at Oliver intently.
There was deep suspicion mixed with faint trust. It was an odd, conflicting combination, but in a way, that was the beauty of emotions.
The contradictions and conflicts, the paradoxes. That’s what made them beautiful and interesting.
"The Black Hand is a loose coalition of powerful Black Magicians."
Oliver’s ears perked up.
The Black Hand was shrouded in mystery, even to the point where Kent couldn’t give him detailed information. But now, he was hearing valuable insights from an unexpected source.
"According to the Church’s investigations, they’re not led by a single leader. Instead, each ‘Finger’ leads a separate faction, making it difficult to even call them an organized group."
"Fingers?"
"Yes, that’s what they call the executives of the Black Hand. People like Puppet."
Oliver suddenly had a basic question.
"Why? Why is it called the Black Hand?"
He hadn’t expected an answer, but to his surprise, Joanna responded.
"The Black Hand symbolizes death. It’s everywhere, like a shadow."
Death, everywhere like a shadow...
"Is that true?"
"...Sadly, yes. The Fingers, including Puppet, have spread their influence worldwide like a web. They’re even connected to corrupt high-ranking officials in various countries. We monitor and investigate that."
It was fascinating. As Kent had said, the Black Hand was indeed a dangerous and powerful organization, but Joanna’s explanation made it more concrete.
Oliver felt a growing sense of regret.
Maybe he should have accepted the offer from the Puppeteer, Glyp.
If he hadn’t become an enemy, he might have been able to meet Puppet and have all kinds of conversations with him.
But then again, the conditions made him hesitant.
If he hadn’t met Kent, he might have followed through with it.
His thoughts felt a little complicated.
While Oliver was lost in these thoughts, a beeping sound suddenly rang out.
Startled, he looked up to see Joanna checking some kind of device. It seemed to be a communication device.
After checking it, she turned it off and stood up.
"I'm sorry, but I have to go... Something urgent has come up."
"Oh… That’s unfortunate. I still had so many questions."
"Don’t worry... I’ll come by occasionally to keep an eye on you."
Although her tone carried a warning, Oliver was actually pleased.
Didn’t that mean they could meet again and have more conversations?
"That’s wonderful news. Thank you."
"...You’re happy about that?"
"Yes, I like you. You’re beautiful."
At that, Joanna flinched and blushed in anger.
“…Stop saying weird things."
“…I’m being sincere, though. That beautiful light… It was truly beautiful."
"..."
Joanna frowned and rummaged through her belongings.
Oliver didn’t feel particularly alarmed and simply watched her.
A moment later, she pulled out a small booklet.
"What’s this…?"
"It’s the Pater Scripture. You seem to like books, so give it a read."