Chapter 596: Visitor (2)
“Your sight has improved quite a bit, hasn’t it?”
Merlin, whose invisibility spell had been penetrated, remarked in admiration as he took a seat at the table.
Interestingly, he was facing a direction completely different from where Oliver was. However, Oliver didn’t comment on it, as he also wasn’t looking at Merlin.
The two continued their conversation while facing away from each other.
“…Maybe it’s due to my recent fight with Pan. It seems my sight has improved a little.”
“The speed at which young folks grow is frightening. If you keep it up, you’ll be able to see right through my dark old soul.”
“It’s not quite at that level yet.”
“Well, that’s a relief. It’d be embarrassing to have my innermost thoughts exposed.”
Merlin, joking in the manner typical of the elderly, sipped the coffee placed in front of him.
“Hm, good beans. Would you like some as well?”
“Yes… Has Miss Jane arrived safely in Landa?”
Oliver asked as he accepted the cup Merlin offered him.
“Yes, she arrived safely… along with Pan’s children.”
“I’d heard as much. Thank you for taking them there as well.”
“No need to thank me. I just dropped them off since it was on my way… Not sure what she’s thinking, but that brave young lady is going to be quite busy from now on.”
Oliver had a vague understanding of what Merlin was implying.
Pan’s children. Although they were indeed children, they were also Pan’s subordinates, essentially part of his ‘fingers.’
Simply bringing those children to Landa carried no small amount of risk. To reduce that risk, Jane had to give them new identities, teach them how to live in the city, and so on. That alone would keep her rather busy.
“While that’s part of what I meant, there’s another reason, too.”
“Another reason?”
“Ah, you might not know about it. Quite a bit happened in Landa while you were away. One such event involved a lawsuit among the Sisterhood.”
Merlin mentioned how shortly after Jane had been kidnapped and gone missing, Madam Miranda had attempted to take over Jane’s business.
Oliver wasn’t particularly surprised; Edith had already informed him about it. Likewise, he wasn’t surprised by what Merlin said next.
“Just as Madam Miranda was about to take over Jane’s business, a woman named Elizabeth filed an objection.”
Elizabeth. Known as ‘Mama’ and the head of the House of Angels, she was someone Oliver also knew.
Though she was getting on in years, Elizabeth was a woman of dignity, someone her employees followed like a mother. She possessed not only the skills to run her business well but also the patience to endure Edith and the courage to protect her staff from disrespectful customers.
“She declared herself Jane’s legal guardian to protect her business. Thanks to that, Landa has been buzzing.”
Elizabeth declaring herself as Jane’s guardian to protect her business…
Oliver immediately sensed Edith’s involvement in this.
“Is there a reason that would cause such a commotion?”
“More than you’d imagine.”
Merlin answered firmly and held up his index finger.
“First, your friend Miss Jane is quite a famous investor in Landa. No, she’s actually very famous. She was involved in the initial stages of the Gallos reconstruction project and achieved impressive results. Just her involvement alone is enough to pique people’s interest.”
“I understand.”
Merlin raised his middle finger.
“Second, the fact that it’s a lawsuit among the Sisterhood is something noteworthy. Like any organization with its secrets, the Sisterhood doesn’t usually reveal its internal affairs to outsiders. But a lawsuit? That alone would fuel all kinds of rumors and make people gossip.”
“What kinds of rumors, exactly?”
“There are too many to list… This is Landa, after all. But if I had to mention one, there’s talk that Miranda, fearing Jane’s rapid growth, deliberately orchestrated her kidnapping.”
“What a ridiculous rumor.”
Oliver muttered without realizing it, knowing the true circumstances of the case.
While he disapproved of Miranda’s attempt to take over Jane’s business, she hadn’t gone so far as to plot the kidnapping.
“What matters is that it seems plausible enough. With Elizabeth filing a lawsuit as Jane’s guardian, it’s no wonder it’s been the talk of the town.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Well, now that your friend has returned, it’s all old news… But she made a good choice. Although it’s true Elizabeth hired a good lawyer, any longer, and she might have lost the case.”
Merlin praised Jane’s quick return to Landa, and Oliver nodded in agreement. He understood now why she had been in such a hurry to leave, even though she didn’t want to go.
Perhaps she had anticipated this situation.
He respected her. Despite being kidnapped by Pan and caring for the children, she hadn’t missed a single detail.
It seemed there were many different ways a person could be strong.
“Speaking of which, it’s about time for me to head back as well.”
While Oliver was sorting his thoughts, Merlin abruptly spoke up.
“I’ve left my duties at the Tower of Magic unattended for too long, and the work has piled up. Any more slacking, and I’ll be nagged at. I’m too old for that kind of scolding.”
Merlin expressed his intention to leave with a joke, and Oliver stood up and bowed his head toward him.
Although his sore side made his posture a bit awkward, he managed to convey his gratitude.
“…Thank you for putting up with my one-sided request, sir.”
Merlin paused thoughtfully at Oliver’s sincerity before getting up himself.
“Even if I was only a temporary teacher, I’m still a teacher. Besides, I’ll get repaid many times over later, so there’s no need to be overly grateful… More importantly, how long do you plan to stay here?”
“I haven’t decided on anything specific, but I think I’ll be here for a few more days. I have a few promises to keep, and the Childs seem to want to stay for a bit longer.”
Oliver mentioned his agreement with Jack about the Greedy Pouch transport unit and the fact that the Childs were eager to enjoy the festival.
He also personally needed some time to sort out his thoughts.
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, not exactly… But things might be a bit hectic once you return to Landa. This recent event is beyond my ability to cover up entirely. With the Sea of Oblivion disappearing and Pan defeated, your name will come up.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Hmm… Not surprised, are you? I expected you’d ask me to find a way to keep you out of it.”
“I’ve already heard a bit from Captain Hook. Can I get the full details when I return to Landa?”
“Alright. It’s hard to predict exactly what will happen. We’ll see how things play out and decide from there.”
“Thank you, as always.”
Oliver’s calm demeanor caused Merlin to look directly at him, as if trying to read his thoughts through his eyes.
After a moment, Merlin posed an unexpectedly odd question.
“…Do you have any specific plans for when you return to Landa?”
“Not yet. I’ll let you know if I come up with something.”
Although his answer seemed to hold something back, Merlin didn’t pry further.
There had been too much crammed into a short time—Neverland becoming a nest for sea monsters and seven-star eels, Oliver’s shadow devouring Neverland itself, and more.
And so, Merlin decided to end the conversation with a simple farewell.
“I’ll be off now, so you should get some rest as well. You’ve done well.”
As Merlin was about to leave, Oliver called out to him.
“I was just lucky.”
“Hm?”
“I’m saying it was all just luck.”
“…”
“I was lucky enough to have Captain Hook, who knew the location of Neverland, and I was lucky that you were there to handle the sea monster… While I did contribute a bit in Neverland, it was only because I was fortunate enough to be born with talent and to possess a right arm infused with demonic power and a shadow infused with the Flesh Chef’s strength… I’m simply a lucky person. Don’t you agree?”
Oliver’s words, claiming he was only lucky.
Oddly enough, he didn’t seem to be asking but rather seeking Merlin’s agreement.
For someone as stoic and accepting as Oliver, it was a rare sight.
In response, Merlin said…
“I agree.”
Oliver could tell that Merlin’s answer was insincere.
“…Thank you.”
...
After Merlin’s departure, Oliver found himself alone.
He had originally intended to rest a bit and go to bed, but whether due to his throbbing side or his conversation with Merlin, he found himself unable to fall asleep.
Could he say his mind was a bit cluttered?
And so, Oliver gave up on sleep and decided to clear his head with a walk around Bin City.
He was also curious about what the Childs and Big Mouth were up to.
Fortunately, that curiosity didn’t last long.
“Arrgh! Bang!”
“Don’t just shout ‘Bang!’ Get the damn money, you beggar!”
“Yeah! Shouting won’t get you a discount, and I already gave you one, didn’t I?”
“So stop yelling! You’re scaring me!”
The first place Oliver visited was the Giant’s Skull Harbor, the noisiest part of the scattered festivals across Bin City. There, the Second Child, controlling the corpse puppet Durance, was engaged in a minor negotiation with some pirates.
Negotiation here meant both sides pointing guns at each other and shouting.
“Bang! Hand it over! I’ll kill you! Bang!”
“With that look and screaming ‘Bang,’ it’s terrifying.”
“Call Captain Hook! That ‘Bang-bang’ freak is threatening to kill us. And it’s scary as hell!”
As Second and the pirates argued over a mix of modern firearms and what looked like antiques, Oliver cautiously approached.
“Excuse me…”
“What? We’re busy. Get lo—”
One of the rough pirates, who had been yelling, paused when he saw Oliver.
In fact, not just that pirate but Second, the other surrounding pirates, and even the onlookers enjoying the argument all froze at the sight of him.
As if time had stopped, everyone widened their eyes and stopped what they were doing, remaining silent.
This was one reason Oliver had avoided leaving the mansion.
Since his return from rescuing Jane and the children, people would always react like this whenever they noticed him. Even if they had been acting normally, they’d suddenly feel an overwhelming pressure upon seeing him and stop in their tracks.
Though people would return to their usual behavior after a short while, Oliver didn’t like the reactions, so he refrained from going out.
‘Still, I’m glad I came out this time.’
Despite the uncomfortable reactions, Oliver thought as he looked at Second and the pirates, still facing off.
“Good evening.”
“Ah… Evening…”
When Oliver greeted them, a bald pirate, seemingly their leader, replied.
“May I ask what’s going on here?”
“Well… This person? This corpse puppet?”
“It’s Second, Baldy.”
“Ugh… Right, this Second here was trying to buy our loot at an unreasonable price, so we were having a minor dispute. This is difficult.”
The bald man pointed to the small bills on the table.
With the various guns piled on the table, the money looked especially insufficient.
Oliver addressed Second.
“Second… You can’t be unreasonable. It’s causing trouble.”
“The trouble is my salary. I work sixteen to eighteen hours a day, but I still can’t afford a gun. Something is seriously wrong here.”
Second calmly expressed dissatisfaction, and Oliver tilted his head in confusion.
What was the issue? He was sure he had been paying fair wages and following labor laws.
“Sixteen to eighteen hours?”
“Could you explain that in more detail?”
“Oh my gosh…”
Sensing something strange, the pirates asked Oliver about the Childs’ working conditions, and Oliver proudly explained that they followed Landa’s labor laws strictly.
Hearing this, the pirates…
“Just take the gun…”
“Let’s call it our thanks for saving this city from that sea monster, dammit.”
“Take this, too.”
…remarkably, began gifting guns to Second out of sheer pity.
A pure act of goodwill with no obligation attached. Though he didn’t understand their reasoning, Oliver congratulated Second on the unexpected windfall.
“That’s great, Second.”
“Damn…”
With a look of self-doubt, Second muttered a curse as he gathered both a modern military-grade gun and an antique gun of greater collector’s value.
Elsewhere, similar incidents unfolded.
In the Credit Street, Third, who had been haggling over seeds and exotic plants with smugglers, managed to get a discount and secured the items with a loan from Oliver.
In the Black Workshop, where First and Fourth were bartering with black magicians for corpse puppet supplies, they received gifts of equipment and corpses essential for their craft.
Some black magicians even wiped away tears, though Oliver couldn’t guess why. It was an oddly generous city.
However, the Childs’ reactions to this kindness were far from positive.
“I just don’t understand why they’re all acting this way.”
In the underground fighting ring known as Poisoned Abyss, Oliver expressed his thoughts to Jack, the market organizer of the gluttonous Greedy Pouch fights.
“Why do the Childs seem so upset? They even received gifts.”
Jack gave his honest opinion.
“You genuinely don’t know? That’s actually pretty terrifying.”
“Do you know the reason?”
“Who can say? It’s so in line with Landa’s way of thinking that I wonder if telling you would even help. Do you truly not know what’s wrong?”
“Yes.”
Oliver, who knew how to respect lawful working hours, answered confidently.
As Jack was about to respond to this disastrous lack of insight, cheers suddenly erupted.
“Woo-hoo!”
“Yeah… This one’s a toss-up!”
“This time, I’m betting on the other side!”
The spectators in the Poisoned Abyss underground arena cheered at the sight of Big Mouth’s new opponent.
No wonder—they were facing a bizarre creature resembling a fusion of multiple Greedy Pouches.
Oliver asked a question.
“Big Mouth is fighting to form a transport unit for Bin City, but would a Greedy Pouch like that be useful?”
“Well, as long as it’s deactivated, we can fold it up. And besides, if the same Greedy Pouches fought, it wouldn’t be as exciting.”
As if to prove Jack’s point, the gambling table, which had cooled down from Big Mouth’s winning streak, heated up again with the new opponent’s appearance.
Bets piled up.
Oddly, even Big Mouth himself placed a wager on his own victory.
“Big Mouth. All-in.”
With clear pronunciation, Big Mouth bet on himself, and the Childs staked their life savings on him as well.
For reference, Third, who had borrowed money, went as far as taking out a loan from the loan sharks inside the gambling arena to bet on Big Mouth.
“We believe in you.”
“Win for us.”
“Please.”
“We’re counting on you.”
“Grrrrowl!”
Their conversation seemed almost solemn.
With that, the match began, and the monstrous fusion Greedy Pouch clashed with Big Mouth.
“Grooowl!”
[Hate Bullet]
The enormous fist of the Greedy Pouch golem collided with Big Mouth’s bullet of resentment, stirring up a cloud of dust in the arena.
The citizens of Bin City cheered, and the Greedy Pouches who had sworn allegiance to Big Mouth after their defeat raised their fists to cheer for him.
“Growl (Big Mouth)!”
“Growl (Big Mouth)!”
“Growl (Big Mouth)!”
“Growl (Big Mouth)!”
Filled with energy and avarice, the lively scene even seemed to lighten Oliver’s troubled mind. Just then, a civil servant from Bin City’s city hall approached Jack, whispering in his ear.
Jack’s face took on an unusual expression.
Noticing, Oliver asked.
“Is something wrong?”
“Ah… It’s the White Swan Sect’s prince candidate. He’s requesting asylum in our city.”
...
Footsteps echoed softly…
From the charred remnants of a rural farmhouse, black smoke wafted up from all sides.
Puppet walked over the scene, holding a dagger that emitted a faint red glow, clearly pleased with his acquisition.
Confirming it was no mere illusion, Unyielding Knee gestured in sign language, his posture intimidating as he inquired:
[Is something wrong?]
Standing there, framed by the burned farmhouse, Unyielding Knee continued:
[Aren’t I supposed to have all six prince candidates to claim my position?]
The farm had originally been where one of the prince candidates lived. They had attacked to strip him of that title, just as they had the others.
Yet Unyielding Knee had deliberately let the last prince go.
At Puppet’s request.
“I need to cast a spell before we finish this.”
[A spell?]
“Yes, before we move forward with the main event, I need to place a spell on the greatest obstacle…”