Chapter 568: Request for Help (1)
“Thank you for agreeing so willingly.”
After releasing Ewan’s shackles, Oliver extended his hand in greeting.
Ewan grasped it with a smile.
“My teeth are important, so you need to keep your promise to protect me and also make peace with the Bean City people.”
He reminded Oliver of the conditions he’d set for acting as his guide.
The request involved persuading various people in Bean City—who held grudges against Ewan—to reconcile with him. Clearly, Ewan had his reasons for wanting access to Bean City, despite its reputation as the city of black magicians.
So, he chose to accept Oliver’s request, hoping to gain something in return.
“Of course. However, I also have a request.”
“Damn it, that wasn’t part of the deal. I don’t like you.”
“My apologies.”
Oliver offered a verbal apology, though he retrieved an item from behind his back without any hesitation.
It was a tonfa made of bone, stained crimson with flesh and blood.
“Oh... this is something I made for you, isn’t it?”
“I’d like to request it be reforged.”
“Why the hell?”
Ewan swore, but it wasn’t without reason.
“I put a lot of effort into making this, so why would you want it reforged?”
Ewan’s question was genuine, and Oliver, in part, agreed.
The tonfa crafted by Ewan was remarkably hard and boasted the ability to store and release black magic.
Simple but powerful.
However, Ewan had reason to be offended by such a sudden request for reworking.
Yet Oliver wouldn’t ask without a reason.
“I apologize. Please don’t misunderstand; it’s not that I’m unhappy with your work... but this form isn’t suitable for its current use.”
“Can’t you explain it in a way that makes sense?”
“The corpse puppet that used this weapon has been severely damaged.”
Indeed, in the process of blocking the massive arm of a giant reptile that emerged from a lake crafted by Fish Person magic, Oliver’s corpse puppet, Duncan, had taken substantial, irreparable damage.
Unlike Durance, another of his corpse puppets, Duncan’s arm had been enlarged for close combat alongside Oliver. The result was predictable.
Duncan’s arm had grown to the size of a giant’s fist, but the monstrous arm of the reptile—a beast larger than even a giant—had shattered Duncan, reducing him to dust, save for his head, left shoulder, and arm.
Even with Oliver’s refined skills in corpse puppet repair, it was beyond saving.
Fortunately, his Child puppets, Second and Fourth, only suffered minor injuries.
“What a shame. Duncan, the corpse puppet. I heard he played a significant role in killing hundreds of Enjoyment members, and even destroyed a Tree Giant in a single blow. Isn’t it a pity?”
Ewan, familiar with Duncan’s achievements against Enjoyment members, commented knowingly. Oliver corrected him.
“He only killed eighty-two.”
“That’s creepier somehow... Well, alright. I admit, equipment should be adapted to the user. What would you like instead? I assume you already have something in mind?”
“...Two French knives, please.”
Oliver spoke cautiously.
“French knives... the kind you find in the kitchen?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
At Oliver’s answer, Ewan smirked with an odd expression. After all, equipment often represented the identity of the user.
And yet Oliver was requesting kitchen knives instead of weapons. Ewan seemed to have caught onto what kind of corpse puppet Oliver intended to create in Duncan’s place.
As proof, he didn’t stray from the topic or attempt unnecessary negotiation.
Instead, he simply listened to Oliver’s request.
“Fine, I’ll make it. Why not? However, there is one issue. Even for me, reforging a flesh-based weapon will take considerable time. Will that be alright?”
“It’s alright. I need to return to Landa for a bit anyway.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d rush straight to Bean City, yelling ‘Waaah!’”
Oliver hesitated. He wanted to rush to rescue Jane, as Ewan suggested. But not just yet.
“There are things I need to prepare.”
“Prepare? Are you sure? That rich, beautiful young lady could die any day now. That lunatic fan of hers is extremely dangerous... he’s insane.”
At Ewan’s comment, as though he knew something, Lucien frowned, but Oliver maintained his usual calm.
“Yes, I’m confident. I believe Miss Jane will be safe. She’s brave and intelligent.”
“Hoo... is that so?”
Hearing Oliver’s answer, Ewan, unusually, didn’t argue. Instead, he seemed to support Oliver’s conviction.
“Do as you wish. It’s your decision. In that case, I’ll work on the reforge at my pace. How about meeting here once each of us has finished our business?”
“That sounds good. Thank you for taking on such a troublesome request.”
Expressing his gratitude, Oliver took out a sheet of paper imbued with spatial magic from his coat.
“I’m planning to return to Landa now. Would you like to join me, Mr. Ewan? To reforge the flesh weapon, you’ll need access to Zone Z, won’t you?”
“Oh, I’ll pass. What’s the fun in traveling with a guy? I’ll manage on my own. Go by yourself.”
“Understood. Thank you once again.”
With Ewan’s response, Oliver gave Lucien a polite nod and left the basement without hesitation.
Leaving only Lucien and Ewan alone in the dimly lit space. Lucien looked at Ewan in astonishment.
It was unexpected how easily Ewan had agreed to help Oliver, especially when Oliver had only persuaded him by threatening to remove a tooth as collateral. Lucien knew that alone shouldn’t have been enough.
If Ewan truly cared about debt or feared losing a tooth, he wouldn’t have risked owing or incurring grudges from powerful entities in the underworld, like Bean City and Milieu.
For this reason, Lucien suspected there was another reason behind Ewan’s willingness to help Oliver.
“Curious, aren’t you?”
Ewan straightened his back and stretched with a slight crack.
“You’re wondering why I agreed so readily, right?”
Lucien remained silent.
Ewan was reckless, often wasting money and creating huge debts, yet Lucien also knew Ewan was a black magic artisan with remarkable skills and an inexplicable aura of mystery.
If he were just an ordinary man, he wouldn’t have survived after earning such resentment from Bean City and Milieu.
“Is it because of Mr. Dave?”
Unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, Lucien asked. And the guess was correct.
“That’s right. It’s because of Dave. He’s finally changed.”
“Changed... how?”
“From an observer to an active participant. Whether it’s for the better or worse remains unknown, but it doesn’t matter to me. Either way, it’ll be interesting.”
Though Lucien didn’t fully grasp Ewan’s words, he felt a strange and primal fear. An intrinsic dread that couldn’t be shaken.
Ironically, he was caught between the desire to understand and an urge to remain ignorant...
...
In Landa’s Tower of Magic, home to a multitude of schools.
Each school occupied a massive tower, reflecting its unique characteristics and philosophies.
For example, the Elemental School had five interlocking towers—Agni, Skadi, Enlil, Gaia, and Mjolnir—forming a complex structure.
The Pure Mana School, by contrast, was a straightforward cylindrical column with a minimalistic design.
The Moirai School, specializing in the World Tree, had a tower seamlessly integrated with the World Tree itself.
Thus, each school’s tower embodied its distinctive specialties and ideals.
The Life School was no exception, housed in a grotesque cone-shaped tower that narrowed as it rose.
Oliver climbed toward its peak.
Tap, tap, tap.
As he made his way through the tower, tapping his quarterstaff on the floor, the wizards and students—whether because of Oliver’s reputation, recent changes in the school, or his subtly altered demeanor—kept their distance, neither sneering nor causing trouble.
This allowed Oliver to reach the Life School’s Grand Master’s office without much difficulty.
Until the secretary at the door stopped him.
“Excuse me, please wait!”
A well-built secretary blocked Oliver’s path, betraying a sense of unease under his imposing appearance. Given the recent rumors of Oliver’s exploits, it was understandable.
Resisting the urge to simply barge in, Oliver halted.
“Yes.”
Relieved by Oliver’s compliance, the secretary exhaled, somewhat at odds with his large frame.
“Did you make an appointment? Meetings with the Grand Master require prior scheduling.”
“Oh... apologies. My situation is urgent, and I couldn’t arrange one. When would be the soonest available time?”
“At least a day in advance—”
—Beep.
The secretary’s explanation was cut short by the sound of a communication device.
It was the direct line to the Grand Master’s office, installed on the secretary’s desk. The secretary hastily pressed the button, and Merlin’s voice came through.
[Send him in.]
“Oh... yes, understood.”
At his command, the secretary opened the door politely, and Oliver offered a nod before stepping inside.
“I apologize for the intrusion.”
“...”
Having nothing further to add, the secretary remained silent.
Passing him by, Oliver entered the Life School’s Grand Master’s office, which had become considerably less cluttered since his last visit.
There, Merlin was sitting, surrounded by fewer piles of paperwork than before.
“Welcome.”
“It’s been a while, Elder.”
Oliver greeted Merlin respectfully.
...
Merlin, upon Oliver’s arrival, brought out two cups and poured coffee, displaying a calm demeanor. Oliver didn’t feel the need to rush him, knowing that haste wouldn’t solve anything.
Patience and preparation were essential now.
‘Still, I do feel a hint of impatience.’
He sensed a peculiar feeling of dissonance between his mind and heart, awaiting Merlin to speak.
Fortunately, the wait wasn’t long.
“You arrived quite quickly, from the tower’s entrance all the way to the Grand Master’s office.”
“How did you know...? Oh, did you use magic to monitor the building?”
“No, I employed a simpler method.”
Merlin pressed a button under his desk, and a soft hum of magic activated, illuminating several screens showing various surveillance images throughout the Life School’s tower.
“...Is this a new hobby of yours?”
“No, it’s been here since Theodore’s tenure. Don’t get any strange ideas... Though, it has proven convenient.”
Merlin rewound the magical surveillance footage.
The images showed Oliver walking a straight path down the hallway, not even glancing aside.
The wizards of the Life School, with their characteristic pride, yielded the hallway to Oliver, seemingly intimidated.
The footage made their fear all the more apparent.
“It seems I caused more trouble than I thought.”
“Well, what does it matter? They moved aside of their own accord. Still, it’s a rare sight within the Life School... They generally consider themselves superior to other schools.”
Oliver nodded. Given that they studied life directly, seeking immortality and unlimited accumulation of power, this attitude was to be expected.
“It might be because of my reputation as a fixer and establishing a business in Zone X.”
“You’re underestimating the pride of the Tower. Their arrogance isn’t easily shaken. They still regard you as little more than a backstreet fixer, a man dealing in money. They may humor you when necessary, but they don’t truly acknowledge you.”
“Then, I must have you to thank for my position, albeit temporary, as your disciple, Elder?”
“To some, you’re nothing more than an experimental subject. Moreover, having a backer doesn’t guarantee genuine respect or fear.”
Reflecting on the emotions he’d seen in the Life School wizards, Oliver understood. They didn’t fear Merlin, his mentor by proxy—they feared Oliver himself.
“...I don’t fully understand.”
“Rumors are spreading. It’s still uncertain, but...”
Oliver felt a hint of unease.
“What is it?”
“The story that you fought Puppet’s Finger... It seems true.”
Merlin, gauging Oliver’s reaction, spoke as if he’d anticipated it. To his surprise, Oliver seemed unbothered.
“Yes... It just sort of happened.”
Ordinarily, Oliver would have asked for guidance in such a situation. But his demeanor now was unexpectedly indifferent, as if it didn’t matter.
Merlin saw through the change.
“You must have been through a lot.”
“A little... And that’s why I have a request.”
“Oh, and what might that be?”
“Could you help me face a sea monster?”