Chapter 449: Situation Summary (3)
Oliver, after having a pleasant conversation with a staff member named Child at the House of Angels, headed toward the temporary office.
Navigating through the bustling streets undergoing redevelopment and greeting people along the way, he soon arrived in front of the office.
Creak.
As Oliver was about to knock on the door, the old door swung open. It was James.
"Mr. James, have you already finished your conversation?"
"Ah, yes... Mr. Forrest explained it well. Although nothing has been decided for sure yet, there are some matters to report to the boss."
James's emotions showed a more satisfied expression than before. Forrest's proposal seemed quite appealing.
That was fortunate. He felt sorry for constantly breaking promises.
"Mr. Dave. If there's nothing else, may I return to Wineham? I need to convey what was discussed with Mr. Forrest to the boss."
"Ah, of course... I'll probably be staying here for about a week longer, so if you find the proposal unsatisfactory, please let me know. In that case, I'll make sure to keep the appointment with the apothecary."
"Thank you for your kind words... If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell me what it's about? Is it something as important as the Magic Tower or the redevelopment? I'm just curious."
It was genuine. James’s curiosity was sincere rather than an attempt at manipulation.
It was a natural reaction. Despite his past of suddenly disappearing, Oliver generally kept his promises diligently, almost to a fault, and didn’t pay much heed to profit and loss.
Quite unusual for a black magician.
Because of this, even though he had postponed the meeting three times, it felt more like there was some important reason behind it rather than him playing tricks.
Oliver replied, "There’s someone I’d like to meet. They’re a bit far away."
"Heh... Is it a woman?"
James asked half-jokingly. However, Oliver pondered seriously before answering.
"Um... Ah, yes, it is a woman."
...
As soon as Oliver finished his conversation with James and entered the office, Forrest spoke up.
"It doesn’t suit you."
He had unintentionally overheard the conversation with James.
"What are you talking about?"
"The fact that you’re going to meet a woman. It's normal for a man, but coming from you, it just sounds strange."
Oliver tilted his head. The response was similar to James’s, and even Jo and Al, who were beside Forrest, showed a similar reaction. Why was that?
"Is it... that strange?"
"It's not an insult, just odd. Is she pretty? The lady?"
Forrest asked jokingly to lighten the mood.
However, Oliver pondered again, just as seriously as before, as if recalling whether the person was male or female.
"Um... I think she was pretty. I'm not sure now, though."
"Huh... I see. Now I'm even more curious about who she is, considering you’re willing to go meet her despite being so busy."
"I'm curious too."
His reply was intriguing. Forrest shifted the conversation.
"...Well, that's enough small talk. Let's discuss business, shall we? That’s why you're here, after all. Dave, take a seat over there, and Jo and Al, you two step outside for a while."
It was time for the executives to discuss important business matters.
Jo and Al immediately nodded and respectfully exited the room, while Oliver sat down in the chair as instructed by Forrest.
Forrest poured a prepared drink into a glass and handed it to Oliver.
As Oliver sipped the drink, he asked, "How did the talks with the city go?"
"They went about as expected."
"So, it went well?"
Forrest nodded.
Yesterday, Forrest had met with Carver, the city’s Minister of Internal Affairs, and informed him that Oliver had attacked Enjoyment.
Carver inquired about what had happened, and in the process of explaining, he also learned that Oliver had indeed managed to defeat Enjoyment.
Although Oliver had said he would do it and Forrest believed him, it was still shocking to see it actually happen. Carver, being the Minister, was even more astounded.
So Forrest took a bold step.
He claimed that Oliver would somehow secure the druids' knowledge and offer it to the city.
The details on how to accomplish this weren't discussed due to time constraints, but Forrest managed to persuade Carver solely based on his trust in Oliver.
Moreover, the situation was already beyond repair.
Having one foot in this side already, Carver advised Forrest on the city council’s reaction and the potential impact on the city.
Carver warned that the council members might be wary of Oliver, given that the Enjoyment incident was a significant affair and the rise of newly wealthy superhumans was becoming an unpredictable factor in Landa.
Thus, he suggested that Forrest arrange a meeting to convince the council members directly, as there was only so much he could do as an associate within the city.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too difficult. They had a solid card to attract the council's attention.
"Did the druids' knowledge have an effect?"
"It certainly did."
Forrest answered concisely.
With Carver's assistance, Forrest entered the council's meeting and immediately presented the winning move.
He offered a copy of the druid knowledge that Oliver had secured.
Negotiations usually progress slowly, with both sides gradually confirming their needs. However, there are times when a sudden shock is necessary to make a significant impact. This was one of those times.
Forrest recalled the council members' reactions. They visibly showed signs of agitation.
This was quite a remarkable occurrence.
The council members, who had survived in this city where the lines between the underworld and the public were blurred, rarely showed agitation over ordinary matters.
This indicated that they had presented a very effective negotiation card.
One council member asked, "How did you secure this?"
"I don't know the details. It was Dave who obtained it. All I know is that Dave will soon be able to secure even more extensive knowledge and share it with the city."
"Why would he do that? Why share such a valuable asset?"
"Because he promised to."
Everyone fell silent. Fulfilling a promise just because it was made was rare in profit-driven Landa. Yet, coming from someone who had lived by such principles, the words carried a unique weight.
For a moment, the council members were overwhelmed by Oliver.
There is nothing more frightening than something that is difficult to understand.
After that, the rest was not difficult. It was a matter of persuading them to lower their guard toward Oliver and accept him.
"May I ask how you managed to persuade them? I’m curious," Oliver asked.
"First, I explained the founding spirit of Landa and its driving force for development. I emphasized that Landa's progress came from acceptance, not rejection."
"And that convinced them?"
"No, that was just the wrapping. The real substance came after that. I warned them that rejecting you would jeopardize not only the redevelopment of the X-District but also the druids' knowledge and, furthermore, erode the trust that numerous talented individuals who have settled in Landa have in the city. That would signify the city's weakening."
"Ah..."
"Moreover, I pointed out that even if they expelled a formidable talent like you out of concern, you would only end up joining an external faction. That was simply a fact... And, most decisively, I addressed the current geopolitical situation."
"By geopolitical situation, do you mean the druids?"
"Yes. The druids, who had long secluded themselves in Greenland, eventually aligned with the royal family. It seems they've developed worldly ambitions. This strengthens the royal family and the central council."
Oliver nodded. Indeed, the situation was unusual, especially considering that the backing came from Edward X, who was associated with demons.
"Additionally, there are rumors that the mage schools are also moving independently."
"Are you referring to the Magic Tower?"
"No, not the schools within the tower, but the original mage schools from which they stem. They’re all located outside of Landa."
Ah, Oliver understood what he meant.
The Magic Tower originated as branches of these original mage schools, something he had learned while studying the tower's history in Merlin's Library.
The current Magic Tower consisted of branches that had declared independence and then formed an alliance. In essence, while the branches of Mjölnir, Skadi, Agni, and other schools were based in Landa, their roots were elsewhere, making the structure rather peculiar.
"Are they also involved with the royal family?"
"They’re involved with multiple factions, including the royal family, central council, nobles, and even foreign governments. While such exchanges have always existed, they’ve become more active lately. It’s a tense situation, no matter how you look at it."
Forrest took a sip of his drink before continuing.
"Interestingly, we actually benefited from this tension. It allowed me to persuade them not to take you lightly."
"Ah... As expected, you are quite impressive, Mr. Forrest."
"Strictly speaking, it's the council members who deserve the credit."
Forrest attributed the success to the council members rather than himself. It was genuine humility.
"No matter how much we speak from our side, it doesn’t matter if the other party isn’t willing to listen. Usually, people in such high positions lose their sharpness, but the council members had the clarity to acknowledge the situation. They may be corrupt, but they haven’t completely fallen into decadence."
Oliver roughly understood what Forrest was saying.
"When we finished the discussion, I delivered one final decisive blow, and that sealed the deal... But are you sure you can turn the forest in the central X-District into a resource for Landa?"
...
Indeed, the final factor that persuaded the council members, who had become wary due to recent events, was the plan to develop the forest in the X-District, which emerged during the battle with Enjoyment, into a resource using druid knowledge.
"I can’t guarantee anything, but I think it’s possible if we put in the effort."
Oliver spoke calmly, as he usually did. In a city like Landa, where competition was fierce, such an answer might have earned him a slap in the face, but Forrest surprisingly found himself feeling more trustful.
After all, Oliver had never failed despite speaking like that.
"We’re in the process of securing druid knowledge through Third, and we have druid herbs and seeds that were collected during the battle by the corpse puppet. With careful research and analysis, we should be able to transform the forest into a druid sanctuary. Plus, we have Mr. Seamus on our side."
Indeed, Oliver was planning to use the corpse puppet—Seamus—and others to develop the forest into something akin to a druidic holy ground like Greenland's sanctuary.
It would be a waste to let the forest that had formed disappear.
Child's training was also for this purpose. To develop the forest using the corpse puppet Seamus and Bathory, basic communication skills were necessary.
"So, have you found any druids’ corpses at the black market?"
Forrest shook his head with a hint of embarrassment.
"Sorry. It’s proving more difficult than I thought. We’re searching not only in the black market but also in overseas black markets, but someone else keeps snatching them up. It’s probably the reformist druids."
Oliver wasn’t surprised. They had not only taken the live Enjoyment but also the corpses. Even in death, druids remained druids.
"Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped."
"Are you sure you’re okay with this?"
"Yes. It would be better to have more manpower, but we’ve already harvested some tissue."
Oliver referred to the 82 druid corpses lying in the cold storage.
While Third was reading the druids’ knowledge or memories, Oliver had been extracting small portions of tissue bit by bit.
"If we enhance Mr. Seamus with this, he might be able to manage the entire forest on his own."
Although it was just a possibility, Forrest didn’t dismiss it.
There hadn’t been a single instance where Oliver’s words didn’t come to fruition. Forrest suddenly realized how dramatically his life had changed.
He had planned to spend his remaining days doing small tasks, yet here he was, not only taking on significant projects brought by Oliver but also leading district-wide operations and negotiating with council members.
All of these were things he had dreamed of as a poor employee. Forrest resolved to work even harder.
"...We'll continue searching for druid corpses. The demand has driven up prices thanks to the reformists, so someone will eventually supply them."
"Thank you. By the way, can I ask what you talked about with the apothecary's assistant? He seemed quite satisfied."
"It was nothing significant. The apothecary showed interest in druid herbs, so I proposed a collaboration. I explained our project... Although we’ll need to discuss it further, I believe he’ll agree. Since he expressed a desire to study druid herbs, it would be difficult for him to refuse."
"That’s a relief."
Oliver felt reassured. He had planned to keep his promise to the apothecary if necessary, but the sooner things moved forward, the better.
Sensing Oliver's eagerness, Forrest asked, "By the way, who exactly is this woman you're going to meet? I’m personally curious."
"Her name is Joanna, and she’s a holy knight."
"......"
"She’s currently in the New World."
Oliver answered without a hint of hesitation.