Chapter 496: Busy Return (1)
“Hm, I didn’t expect to find you here at this hour… Is there something going on?”
Oliver asked as he approached Forest, who was sitting at an outdoor table in front of a café near the harbor, having just disembarked from the Landa Heng passenger ship.
“Waiting,” Forest replied.
“Oh… Who are you waiting for?”
“You, of course… You look quite different,” Forest answered as he observed Oliver. As he said, Oliver’s appearance had indeed changed noticeably. Though he had been scrawny even before leaving, one side of his once-dark hair was now bleached white, and his right arm was wrapped in bandages, clearly indicating a serious condition.
As Heimdall mentioned… It seemed like coming out was indeed the right decision.
“Heimdall, you say?”
“Yes, he informed me that you were injured. It wasn’t surveillance, so don’t misunderstand.”
“Understood.”
Accepting this explanation, Oliver sat down across from Forest. He figured that it was Pandora who had told Heimdall about it. It wasn’t a bad thing, as he was planning to meet Forest anyway.
“It seems like every time you leave Landa, you come back injured.”
“That’s not always the case. There are times when I come back in one piece.”
Oliver spoke as if it were someone else’s problem. It wasn’t a boast; he was being sincere, which made it more concerning.
“It really is worrisome.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“Of course, I’m worried. You’re the best fixer I do business with, and a key part of our operations. Could the business even continue without you?”
This wasn’t an exaggeration. The two main pillars supporting the current redevelopment project were the Fighter Crew led by Jo and The Chosen Ones led by Mari. In addition to those, there were fixers and mercenaries hired by Forest, as well as the W-District affiliates who joined in later, but none could compare to the two main organizations. Both had competent black magicians and strong organizational structures.
And the reason these two organizations could work together without significant issues was none other than Oliver.
“I’d rather not end up bankrupt and on the streets in my old age. There’s nothing sadder than a penniless old man,” Forest said in a tone uncharacteristic of him, though it didn’t come off as unpleasant. It actually made Oliver feel a bit sorry because it was clear that Forest was genuinely concerned about him—not just as a business partner who had gotten hurt, but as a friend.
“…I apologize.”
After hearing the apology, Forest took a sip of his coffee, as if trying to clear his mind.
“Did you receive satisfactory advice?”
“Yes… Although it didn’t completely resolve my concerns, I think I got a decent answer.”
“Well, that’s something, then. If someone as picky and ambitious as you could find advice that satisfied you, that’s quite the accomplishment.”
Forest called the server to order another coffee, as well as a coffee and dessert for Oliver.
Oliver, seeing this, went ahead and ordered another coffee and cake.
“Wouldn’t it be better to finish your drink before ordering more?”
“It’s not for me.”
“?? …Well, fine. By the way, how’s your arm? I heard you sustained a serious burn.”
“Ah…”
Oliver looked at his right arm.
“I did suffer a burn.”
“Yes, it seems that way.”
Forest, who had been observing Oliver, responded. Burns were known to cause severe pain, and judging by Oliver’s pale complexion and dark circles under his eyes, it was evident that he was suffering significantly.
“Is treatment possible?”
“It’s a rather unusual burn, so it won’t be easy. Will it affect the business?”
“Normally, yes. In the underworld, if the leader appears weakened, all sorts of challengers emerge. But you needn’t worry.”
“I’m relieved, but why is that?”
“Last time you came back looking frail, people underestimated you, and we all saw what happened. They won’t make that mistake again. Even here, people learn.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“So focus on your recovery and rest for now. Mari and Jo can handle the business just fine.”
Oliver nodded in agreement. It was true that while Oliver had firmly established their position by swiftly taking down their biggest competitor, Enjoyment, in the early days of the redevelopment, Jo and Mari had since taken care of the daily tasks and minor issues smoothly. They could be trusted.
“I’ll let everyone know that you’re injured ahead of time. If they see you suddenly hurt, there will be an uproar.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course. Just thinking about the potential chaos is exhausting.”
“By the way, does my hair look alright?”
Oliver asked as he ran a hand through his hair. Forest glanced at it.
“It’s got that traditional wizard look… mixing more than one color.”
“Yes, I’ve been told that.”
“Hm… It’s supposed to look tacky, but it doesn’t look too bad. You look more like a wizard than a black magician. Why, are you considering changing the color if I say it looks shabby?”
“No, I’m not.”
Oliver recalled a conversation with Kent. In the past, he had offered to craft Kent a new arm made from real flesh and bone, but Kent had declined, saying all his scars were part of his life story. It wasn’t a logical reason, but it was a response that felt admirable, and Oliver decided to imitate it for now.
Forest chuckled quietly.
“Such nonsense… Well, I’ll be taking my leave.”
Forest stood up and placed the coffee payment, including a tip, on the table.
“Already?”
“I’m a busy man with the business. There are a lot of places calling me, and a lot to investigate… Besides, don’t you have someone to meet?”
Forest glanced at the coffee and cake sitting beside Oliver. At first, he didn’t understand, but then he caught on, noticing Oliver’s subtle behavior.
“I won’t pry into the details. Privacy is important, after all. Rest well, and at the latest, show your face in five days. A lot of people are worried.”
“Understood, Forest. Thank you.”
After acknowledging Oliver’s thanks, Forest departed with Al, who had been waiting in the distance. It was clear that he had only come to check on Oliver’s condition. Oliver silently thanked him again for his consideration.
“You may come out now.”
After Forest left, Oliver spoke. In response, Erzsébet Ünner, who had been sitting quietly at one corner of the café, approached and took the seat across from him.
Once the apprentice and adopted daughter of Bathory, she was now the leader of the Bathory Family and a member of the Tower of Magic.
She greeted Oliver politely.
“Hello.”
“Yes, hello, Ms. Ünner. It’s been a while.”
It had indeed been a long time, since shortly before Oliver had left for Gallos to deal with the Flesh Chef. It was also a bit puzzling.
“What brings you here, Ms. Ünner?”
“I came to meet you.”
“How did you know I would be here today?”
“I overheard your conversation with Forest.”
Ünner revealed a small mouse hidden inside her sleeve. The tiny brown mouse emitted a faint red aura characteristic of blood magic.
“It’s a mouse raised with processed blood. We can use it to command animals like this.”
As if to prove her words, the mouse quickly hid itself back inside her sleeve upon her command.
“Fascinating. I didn’t know blood magic could be used that way.”
“It’s more useful for non-combat purposes. Although, it wasn’t easy because there are monster rats in this city that prey on other rats.”
“Monster rats?”
Oliver recalled an article he had read in the newspaper, which mentioned a decline in Landa’s rat population, reportedly due to the so-called monster rats. The rumor was widely dismissed as nonsense.
“It’s not just a rumor. My mice have seen them—a large sewer rat that eats other rats.”
“Interesting. A rat that preys on its own kind.”
“Yes, it’s quite a malicious creature. One might even think it was the work of some wicked black magician… By the way, I apologize if you were uncomfortable with me monitoring Forest.”
“Did you do it with malicious intent?”
“No, I did not.”
“Then, it’s fine.”
Oliver answered casually, while quietly sipping his coffee and nibbling on the dessert. His experiments had taught him to eat in a way that wouldn’t aggravate the searing pain, allowing him to alleviate his hunger temporarily.
Ünner watched him intently and then spoke.
“I heard you got injured fighting Pan.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean the Eternal Child Pan, one of the Fingers of Black Hand. Am I correct?”
“…Yes, that’s true. But how did you know?”
“I overheard it during Forest’s conversation.”
Oliver glanced in the direction Forest had left. He was aware he hadn’t shared all the details, but it was surprising that even this was known. He wondered why Forest hadn’t asked him directly about it…
‘Was he being considerate, letting me rest?’
“It will likely become a rumor soon,” Ünner added. “People will soon hear that you fought the Eternal Child Pan and inflicted significant damage.”
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t Oliver himself who dealt the damage, but rather the Burnt One. However, he decided not to elaborate and went along with the conversation.
“How did you come across that information?”
“There’s a network where black magicians exchange information. Even though our Bathory Family has fallen, we can still access it for a price.”
“Despite being under the surveillance of the Tower of Magic?”
Oliver questioned. It was understandable, given the initial suspicion and caution from the Tower's senior members when Ünner and her sisters were introduced. If it hadn't been for their involvement in handling the turmoil caused by Theodoor's experiments in the Life School, the use of blood magic to assist with the aftermath, providing crucial information about the Flesh Chef, and even having explosive safeguards placed inside their bodies as a security measure, the Tower would never have accepted them. It was an obvious fact, evident even to Oliver.
But evading surveillance to access a black magicians' information network? It raised doubts.
“We’ve worked on building some level of trust while carrying out various tasks. During the time you defeated the Flesh Chef, established a business dominating a district, and fought Pan, we were also making efforts to survive.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to undermine your efforts… Wait, what did you just say?”
Oliver paused mid-sentence, realizing something. Did she just—
“Yes, it seems it was indeed true. You took down the Flesh Chef.”
Oliver hesitated before asking again, “...Did you find out through the information network as well?”
“Our Grand Master informed us,” Ünner replied. Currently, Ünner was affiliated with the blood magic sub-school under the Life School, and their Grand Master was none other than Merlin.
“He asked if it was true that you defeated the Flesh Chef and his sister, and the Grand Master confirmed it. He told us that it was Dave who had taken them down… We are genuinely grateful.”
Ünner bowed her head respectfully, conveying an emotion that contained a mix of feelings, though gratitude was genuine.
It felt somewhat strange. Although the Flesh Chef and his sister had indeed had a long-standing grudge with the Bathorys, Oliver was also the one who had killed their mother, Bathory herself. He had apologized twice for it, but receiving a thank you from them was still awkward.
“Of course, Dave did kill our mother… But it is also a fact that such things are common in the world of black magicians. Furthermore, we failed twice in our attempts to kill Dave and were spared both times. We can no longer hold any grudge. Above all…”
Ünner was about to continue but then hesitated. Oliver saw through her emotions.
“What is it that you would like to say? Please feel free to speak.”
“...We hope that you would accept us.”