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With those words, Oliver began to silently read the letter.

Swish-swish-swish. Thud. Squeak……. Swish-swish-swish. Thud. Squeak…….

The rhythmic sound of handling paper and the gentle tearing of the envelope echoed in the sewer.

During this time, the two druids waited quietly as Oliver had requested.

It was a rather absurd scene.

Attackers waiting upon the request of their target… or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that they had no choice but to wait?

At that moment, as Oliver made his request, the two druids felt an indescribable presence.

It was the same kind of presence they had felt during their training days when they communed with nature.

Of course, it could have been a misconception. No, it had to be.

A human possessing a presence that matched the vastness of nature… such a thing shouldn\'t be possible, right?

Now, as Oliver sat on a protruding ledge of the sewer, reading the letter, that overwhelming presence they had sensed before seemed absent.

It must have been a misconception. It had to be. But one thing bothered them.

Why did the rats appear to want to scream and flee?

"Haa……"

After a brief yet seemingly endless silence, Oliver carefully folded the letter he had read, slipping it back into its envelope before returning it to his pocket.

He handled it as if it were a treasured possession.

Then, taking a deep breath, he rose from his seat.

Even his slight movement caused the rats to tremble and emit low squeaks.

Squeak……. Squeak…….

"What are your names?"

Oliver politely inquired of the two druids while standing.

Unable to shake off the lingering presence they had felt earlier, one of the druids responded instead of launching an attack.

"I\'m Teddy… and this is Dan."

"Mr. Teddy and Mr. Dan… nice to meet you. Did you happen to be the ones who attacked the Poor Brothers?"

"…Yes."

"May I ask why you attacked them? Did Mr. Shamus command you to do so?"

"No… it was our own decision."

"Hmm… so why did you attack them without receiving orders? It doesn\'t seem like there would be much to gain from it."

Teddy\'s instinct urged him to stay silent, but he disregarded it.

They would be seen as afraid if he remained quiet. As a druid, he couldn\'t accept that.

"…Why wouldn\'t we gain anything? It\'s a way to relieve stress."

"Stress relief?"

"Yes… being caught because of those penniless bastards, we need to find some way to blow off steam. Any problem with that?"

"Hmm… no, while I may not necessarily agree, it\'s not my place to argue. Everyone has their own circumstances."

"Your attitude is better than I expected."

"And I expect the same from you. Do you know where Mr. Shamus is?"

"Do you think we would tell you?"

"You don\'t have to answer me. Mr. Arthur will find out regardless. Can you come with me?"

"Who do you think you are, swaggering around just because you managed to defeat a few druids?"

Teddy brushed off the remnants of the overwhelming presence and fear, mustering his courage, and charged at Oliver.

He excelled in close combat, surpassing anyone else in confidence.

He had been momentarily subdued a while ago, but that was against a mere thief—an exception to the rule.

Moreover, the guy named Dave standing before him was defenseless at the moment. If Teddy landed a solid blow, it would be game over. He couldn\'t afford to miss this opportunity.

"If I do this, I can significantly weaken the enemy\'s forces, and it will also please my boss…"

—[Targeting.]

While Druid Teddy surged forward, Oliver swiftly tapped into the emotions, activating his black magic.

Dartboards materialized in Oliver\'s hand and on Teddy\'s chest, utilizing the emotion of rejection as their foundation, causing them to repel each other.

———Bang!!

Teddy, with his superhuman physique, was not only pushed back by Oliver\'s black magic but also slammed into the opposite wall.

Completely powerless.

Although it wasn\'t a fatal strike for Teddy, Oliver wasn\'t finished with his assault.

Adjusting the embedded emotions within the lock-on, Oliver reduced the emotion of rejection while increasing the power of obsession.

As a result, the dartboards, like magnets, began to attract each other.

They pulled Teddy, who was in an unstable posture after colliding with the wall.

"Attack, boys!"

Dan, Teddy\'s comrade, commanded the ferocious sewer rats.

His friends, with whom he had worked even before joining Shamus\' gang.

Courageous companions who had held their ground amidst bullets and exploding bombs. Yet, in this very moment, they were too terrified of a single warlock to obey his order.

[Black Suit]

[Black Armor]

While maintaining the lock-on, Oliver clenched his hand, enveloping it with Black Suit and Black Armor, transforming them into gauntlets to strike Teddy, who was being pulled towards him.

Bang——!!!

With a resounding crash that reverberated through the sewer, Druid Teddy collided with the ground.

Even though he had attempted to shield his face with his arms, it proved futile.

His arms shattered, his face crushed. That was the outcome.

Once the vibrations ceased, and the echoes faded away, an icy silence fell.

An exceptionally cold silence.

Tak. Tak. Tak.

Oliver stood before Druid Dan.

Dan stood frozen in place, unable to move.

Although Dan possessed the same fighting spirit as Teddy, he was rendered helpless in this moment.

"Allow me to ask again, would you kindly come with me? I don\'t have enough hands to carry both of you. So…"

Oliver\'s voice trailed off, but Dan experienced a fear more profound than any threat.

It was as if an indescribably immense and ominous force loomed over him, casting its gaze upon him.

Under such intense pressure, Dan could only perspire and nod his head. Oliver, expressing gratitude, grabbed Teddy by the ankle and walked away.

"Ah."

Oliver, belatedly realizing, glanced at the rats frozen in terror.

The rats remained frozen in their places, still trembling as they were when Oliver initially commanded them.

Oliver extracted their emotions and cast two black magic spells upon them.

[Eternal Famine]

[Cannibalism]

Malevolent black magic, radiating a dark aura, engulfed the rats, and Oliver proceeded forward as if unaffected.

As soon as Oliver disappeared from sight, the rats, tormented by hunger, began to devour each other.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

"Welcome back…?"

In the basement office of the Forrest Restaurant, transformed into a broker\'s headquarters,

Forrest, who had been sweating over multiple communication devices, greeted Oliver.

He appeared exhausted, yet he straightened his disheveled attire, striving to maintain his usual presentable appearance.

"I heard you suddenly disappeared."

"I had urgent matters to attend to."

"And I also heard that you apprehended two Druids, handed them over to Carver, and left."

"I took care of the urgent matters."

"Well, may I ask why you\'re here?"

Forrest inquired, his concern stemming not from anger towards the solver who had abandoned the mission but from worry about Oliver\'s unusual behavior and the prevailing atmosphere.

"May I… sit for a while?"

Oliver gestured towards the chair opposite Forrest and asked.

Forrest nodded in agreement.

With permission granted, Oliver settled into the chair, noticeably different from his usual demeanor.

Normally, Oliver maintained an upright posture, but now he seemed slightly slouched, displaying signs of weariness.

"…Are you alright?" Forrest asked.

"Yes… It\'s just that this matter took longer than expected, and I feel tired. By the way, this office resembles the old restaurant office, only larger, doesn\'t it?"

"As I\'ve mentioned before, I prefer working spaces that feel familiar… By any chance, is there something you wish to discuss?"

"More precisely, I have a favor to ask… May I?"

"As long as you\'re not requesting a guarantee, I\'ll listen to everything."

Forrest, concerned about Oliver\'s unusual state, attempted to lighten the mood with a joke and provided a response.

Fortunately, Oliver reacted positively.

"Are you joking?"

"Indeed."

"Hmm… It seems fun. I\'m envious."

"If you\'d like, I can even compile a joke book for you. So, if you have a favor to ask, go ahead. If you wish to skip this mission—"

"No, it\'s not that. I just… Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"The story of you and Mr. Kent, from the past. We agreed to discuss it after the mission was over, but I suddenly became very curious."

Oliver inquired in his typical indifferent manner, yet Forrest noticed a subtle change in him.

Instead of growing angry, Forrest poured two glasses of liquor into crystal glasses and extended one to Oliver.

"I\'m still gathering my thoughts. Which part would you like to hear?"

"From the beginning to the end?"

Forrest took a sip of his drink.

"Well then, I\'ll have to begin with my youth. Care to guess what I did when I was young?"

"Um… Did you work at a restaurant?"

"Exactly. I worked at a fairly reputable restaurant that was well-known in the area. As a waiter."

"Like Mr. Al?"

"Yes, I was a waiter who politely took customers\' hats and coats, served food, and hoped for tips. Prior to that, I started off as a dishwasher. So it was a slight improvement… But I wasn\'t content."

"Is that so?"

"The tips were decent, but witnessing the wealthy customers who were far beyond my reach felt more demeaning than I had anticipated. I disliked the fact that the restaurant owner, who did nothing but oversee operations, earned more money than I did. And above all, there seemed to be no future."

"A future?"

"No matter how generous the tips of a waiter could be, it didn\'t seem like I could escape the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck. I desired to age with dignity. Eventually, after much contemplation, I began trading information with a regular broker from the restaurant. I agreed to share what I saw and heard at the restaurant, and in return, he provided me with some money and taught me the ropes of the brokerage business. It wasn\'t a bad deal. At the time, there were various business dealings happening within the restaurant."

"So you started as a broker."

"That\'s right. And that\'s when I met Kent. He was a rookie solver who had just begun trading with a broker."

"Um…"

"Both of us were insignificant newcomers back then, but driven by our desire for wealth, we formed a partnership. We relied on intermediaries, focused on making connections… Time passed, and before I knew it, I had gained a comprehensive understanding of the industry, much like any seasoned middleman, and developed some expertise. Kent wasn\'t superhuman, but he became a solver with a sharp wit."

"What happened next?"

"We broke free from the intermediaries we relied on and began working together. With the networks I had established over time, I became a broker, sourcing jobs, while Kent utilized his underground contacts to become a trusted solver, minimizing costs to maximize profits. During that period, there was a surge in redevelopment projects, so we primarily dealt with tasks such as eviction of displaced individuals, debt collection, physical altercations, arson, and even murder. The work was straightforward, and the money that flowed in was quite substantial. It may seem insignificant compared to your standards… somewhat embarrassing."

"I don\'t find it insignificant or embarrassing."

"Is that so?"

"I believe I\'m in no position to judge anyone."

"That\'s very understanding of you… Anyway, Kent and I were at the bottom of the ladder, but we achieved what we desired. I had saved up enough money to enjoy a comfortable retirement, and Kent earned sufficient income to support his wife and son. Moreover, we were fortunate enough to secure a major project from the city, granting us the opportunity to conduct business in the upscale district. It was a breakthrough. The scale of the money we dealt with changed."

"But why are you in District T?"

"Things became complicated. One of the jobs we undertook turned out to be highly precarious. Someone sought revenge. Despite being cautious about our security, we let our guard down due to a sudden stroke of luck, and I found myself facing a gun pointed at my forehead."

"What did he want?"

"He wanted information about Kent. The man had lost his family because of Kent."

"…Did you give it to him?"

In that moment, guilt and regret flickered across Forrest\'s emotions.

Forrest nodded, took a sip of his drink, and began to speak.

"I wanted to survive… I can\'t argue if you blame me."

"I don\'t intend to blame you. You\'ve already discussed the relationship between brokers and solvers several times… What happened next?"

"The avenger who held a gun to my head left Kent with a permanent leg disability and took away his wife and son. Just as he had suffered. Kent vanished, and I relocated my business from the front district to District T."

"Because of guilt?"

"Well, initially, I thought so, but now that I reflect on it, it doesn\'t seem that way. It was simply a matter of losing a partner like Kent and losing my own confidence. I moved to a place where I could conduct business safely. In other words, it was a move born out of fear."

Forrest let out a bitter chuckle and took another sip of his drink. Guilt, regret, self-doubt, and self-loathing colored his emotions.

Oliver pondered for a moment before speaking up.

"…Life seems to be very complicated."

"I agree."

"Why is it so complicated?"

"Because we are weak. Weak to temptation… No, that\'s just an excuse. It\'s merely because I am a wretch… If you wish to terminate our contract after this mission, just say the word. The contract duration-"

"-Do you want to terminate it with me?"

Oliver asked earnestly.

His serious tone made Forrest flinch.

"No… not at all. How often in my life do I get the opportunity to work with someone like you?"

"Then, it\'s settled… Excuse me for a moment."

Oliver rose from his seat as if he had concluded his business.

Forrest was taken aback by his surprisingly calm demeanor.

"May I ask why you brought it up all of a sudden?"

In response to the probing question, Oliver waved his hand in the air a few times before finally answering.

"…I\'m trying to understand."

(To be Continued)

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