Genius Warlock

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Suddenly, the resonating voice of Merlin filled the air.

Oliver, deeply immersed in his tasks, shifted his gaze, revealing the telltale signs of exhaustion with dark circles under his eyes.

Upon spotting Merlin’s presence, Oliver responded with a slight delay.

“Elder?”

“Have you had any sleep?”

“I managed to rest.”

“Truly?”

“Yes… Two days ago. At the moment… There is an extensive amount of work to be completed.”

Oliver motioned around him, as if offering an explanation.

In the vicinity of Oliver, a substantial blood reservoir and various auxiliary equipment were tightly arranged. Inside the reservoir, bodies in the process of rejuvenation and damaged corpse dolls – Duncan, Shamus, Bathory – were all present.

Furthermore, there were tasks such as embalming the rejuvenated bodies and separately packaging the organs.

Merlin, carefully assessing the situation, began to speak.

“It appears that you’re swamped with work… Aren’t there others available to assist you?”

While extracting a body from the embalming fluid and suspending it on a hook, Oliver, dressed in an apron, responded. Notably, he was also employing Ptah’s Assistant to mend the damaged bodies and Corpse dolls.

“Um… They all sustained damage in this incident. The Childs also took a heavy toll. So, I’m doing it alone… Don’t worry. It’s more manageable than you might think.”

His final statement held true.

Despite two sleepless nights and the toll of hunger, peculiarly, his physical strength and stamina seemed to have improved, making the work considerably easier.

Even the stiffened bodies, treated with embalming fluid, felt surprisingly lightweight to lift.

“If you put it that way, I can’t argue, but is it really just because of the workload?”

A logical doubt. After all, this kind of work could have been postponed until returning to Landa. Resting for the time being would have been the wiser choice.

There is a time for rest, after all.

Yet, the insistence on continuing the work appeared to be driven by motives other than just the workload.

“Urgent restoration of the Corpse dolls. As a solver who relies on force, I always need to keep my forces in top condition. Plus, there are some materials I wanted to process personally.”

Oliver pointed to the body of Dejihe Durans hanging on the drying rack.

The former Dean of the Galos Life Alchemy Department, her body, now reattached and embalmed after being separated into upper and lower halves in the blood tank, hung there.

An S-grade quality seal was marked on her shoulder.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, there’s a vacant spot among the dolls I use, and her abilities are intriguing.”

Oliver contemplated Dejihe, who had reconstructed her body with whips, while responding. He anticipated a multitude of potential applications.

“By the way, Elder. If it’s not too much to ask, what brings you here? I thought you were still occupied.”

Oliver gestured toward a newspaper on a table in a corner of the basement. Seven or eight out of ten sections of the newspaper revolved around the Archiver.

As a hero who had saved the city from an evil warlock, a collaborator of the Galos royal family, a sage offering counsel on the situation, a benefactor supplying resources, and so on.

It was impressive, but from Oliver’s perspective, it seemed overwhelmingly exhausting. Almost to the point of being declined.

“Not necessarily. If I want, I can have a lazy arvo whenever I want. That’s the perk of having a good rep. Even when you’re doing bugger all, people reckon something’s happening and invent plausible reasons on their own.”

“Is that so?”

Oliver inquired, struggling to grasp the concept.

“That’s the nature of being high up. It either blinds folks or makes idiots out of them.”

“So… are you currently taking it easy?”

“Not exactly.”

Merlin replied, producing something from his coat. It was an anonymous bank account from Gold Smith Bank.

“What’s this?”

“Just accept it.”

Following Merlin’s instructions, Oliver accepted the offered bank account. It appeared to be freshly created, with a single, neatly entered transaction.

The issue at hand was the amount listed on that line, which was unimaginably vast.

“Zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten… I’m sorry, but am I seeing this correctly?”

Oliver questioned, doubting his own eyes, as the account displayed an astronomical sum of 50 billion Landa.

He had once earned 20 billion for capturing Shamus in the ABC case, but this was more than double that amount.

“You’re seeing it correctly. 50 billion Landa. It’s yours.”

“I don’t understand.”

Overwhelmed by the staggering sum, Oliver ceased all his activities. Money was something he appreciated, but only when it was earned through deserving work.

“It’s a reward for a job well done. Just accept it, no need to worry.”

“But I can’t fathom why I would deserve this. Over the past four days, all I’ve done is eat, sleep, and work here. I haven’t done anything to earn such an enormous amount, 50 billion.”

Oliver spoke sincerely, and Merlin, upon hearing this, was both surprised and found it typical of Oliver. “Haven’t done anything?”

“You are aware that Human-meat Chef is a high-risk criminal, right?”

“Yes, I know. The enemy of the world. The most notorious criminal universally condemned by the entire world. They can be executed without trial, and killing them carries a substantial… Ah.”

Unaware, Oliver had been explaining about high-risk criminals and then realized the source of the money.

“It’s a bounty.”

“Exactly.”

With Merlin’s concise response, Oliver once again glanced at the account balance.

[₤50,000,000,000]

“Isn’t that an excessive amount?”

Now comprehending the reason behind it, Oliver questioned the sum.

Even for a centuries-old ogre, 50 billion Landa for a single life was an astronomical figure, far surpassing Oliver’s understanding of economics.

“Moreover, as far as I’m aware, Galos is facing a challenging situation at the moment. Can they afford such an amount?”

“It was paid by the Parter Church. You don’t need to be concerned.”

“The Pater Church?”

“Yes. To be precise, it’s from a fund contributed by several nations and wealthy individuals, including Galos and the United Kingdoms.”

“I don’t quite grasp it.”

Seeing Oliver’s curiosity piqued, Merlin, inwardly relieved, provided an explanation.

“It’s a fund established after a certain incident.”

“An incident?”

“Yeah, fair enough. But let’s chuck that yarn aside for now. It’s too long to explain right now… Anyway, after that incident, the fear of the Black Hand among nations skyrocketed, and they each chucked in bounties, eventually pooling them in the Parter Church’s bank for admin convenience and efficiency.”

“So you’re saying this amounts to 50 billion?”

“Since it’s a mixed sum from a bunch of nations and individuals. Plus, the Parter Church handles the dosh, so interest keeps stacking up. Note that the exact bounty for the Human-meat Chef wasn’t set at 50 billion.”

“??? “

“The church operates a vast fund and allocates percentages to individuals deemed dangerous. The Human-meat Chef’s share just happens to be 50 billion.”

“Hmm… It’s strange to hear that 50 billion is just a part of it, but I think I understand… May I pose another question?”

Returning to his usual demeanor, Oliver inquired, and Merlin welcomed the question.

“What is it?”

“If Human-meat Chef is valued at 50 billion, what are Mr. Puppet, Mr. Pan, and the Mr. Pied Piper worth? I’m just curious.”

“The precise amounts are uncertain since interest continues to accrue, but Puppet is valued at around 55 billion, Pan at about 47 billion.”

“And the Pied Piper?”

Oliver inquired again when Merlin intentionally omitted an answer. Merlin hesitated for a moment before responding.

“1.82 trillion Landa.”

Oliver was taken aback. 1.82 trillion Landa was 300 billion more than the combined value of the Human-meat Chef, the Eternal Puppet, and the Eternal Child Pan.

“That extra 300 billion is the bounty on Gretel, the Human-meat Chef’s sister. We passed it on to the Galos royal family. After all, they officially contributed.”

Oliver nodded. He had been unaware of receiving a bounty and had left all the troublesome aftermath to Merlin. It wasn’t his place to comment.

“But the bounty on Mr. Pied Piper seems outrageously high. It surpasses the combined amount for the others, including Ms. Gretel.”

“I’ll explain that later. We have other matters to discuss now.”

“What is it?”

“Many things.”

Merlin began the conversation with the first topic concerning the bodies of the Human-meat Chef and Gretel.

“As I mentioned before, ownership of Gretel’s body will be divvied up by the kingdom, Rokuri University, and the Magic Tower. The details of who gets what are still up in the air.”

Oliver understood. Gretel had lived for centuries, harnessing the knowledge and blessings of a demon, consuming numerous wizards, and even absorbing a few drops of hell’s energy.

Her body was a treasure trove of knowledge. In terms of academic value, it exceeded her 300 billion Landa bounty.

Hence, it was challenging for anyone to relinquish ownership of her body, even if it required resorting to forceful means.

Oliver felt the same way, but he tried not to dwell on his disappointment.

Firstly, it was Merlin who had essentially defeated Gretel. Secondly, Oliver had something else he desired even more.

“What happened to the Mr. Human-meat Chef’s body?”

“Everyone believes it disintegrated as planned.”

Oliver felt relieved. Right after defeating the Human-meat Chef, Oliver had wanted to secure his body, but Merlin had advised that it wouldn’t be easy.

Just like with Gretel, the Human-meat Chef’s body also held great value. Many factions would openly demand ownership, Merlin had warned.

Honestly, it wasn’t an unjust situation. Such occurrences were common in the world, however unfair they might appear.

But Oliver hadn’t given up. He particularly wanted to possess Human-meat Chef’s body.

Oliver intended to study it and perhaps transform it into a corpse doll. Or even before that, he simply wanted to possess the body.

On this matter, Oliver sought Merlin’s assistance, and Merlin had proposed that if Oliver handed over Gretel’s body, he could take ownership of the Human-meat Chef’s body without any disputes.

“If you accept the chicken instead of the pheasant, it’s hard to ask where the pheasant has gone. Especially for those who haven’t contributed much.”

Oliver understood the implications of that statement. He had heard the explanation before.

The idea was that Human-meat Chef’s body had disintegrated during the battle. If they presented Gretel’s body, which was relatively intact, everyone would focus on it and overlook Human-meat Chef.

Indeed, that made sense. Everyone was so fixated on Gretel’s body that they didn’t even consider searching for the Human-meat Chef’s body. After all, it was in the Archiver’s records.

“As promised, I will study the Human-meat Chef’s body first and then return it… Is that acceptable?”

Oliver nodded without hesitation. He had received significant assistance during the battle, and Merlin had aided in smoothly securing the Human-meat Chef’s body. Besides, Merlin was his temporary Master.

“You may study it for as long as you need, as long as it is eventually returned.”

“Oh… Your words are touching. Are you learning to flatter these days?”

“No… Do you have a book on it?”

Oliver asked in all seriousness, and Merlin sighed.

“That was a joke… You still lack a sense of humor.”

“I dedicate 30 minutes to studying it every night before bed.”

“Make it an hour.”

Oliver automatically agreed with his temporary Master’s advice. It made sense. Perhaps the issue was with the duration. What could he learn in just 30 minutes?

“Also, I’ll hand over the books that belonged to Human-meat Chef as soon as we’re back in Landa. Research materials, diaries, and even demonic texts. But the demonic texts will be kept in my library, so you can have a squiz at them there.”

Oliver readily nodded. He understood the potential danger of the demonic texts, which made Merlin’s decision reasonable and acceptable.

He was content with Merlin’s cooperation and didn’t question it at all.

“Thank you.”

“Give your thanks to the Galos royal family. It’s thanks to them that we dodged any hassle from the paladins.”

That was a fact. In principle, all of Human-meat Chef’s books should have been under the paladins’ jurisdiction.

Their mission was to safeguard the human world from malevolent demons.

However, Merlin’s acquisition was largely due to the assistance of the Galos royal family.

‘Of course, the royal family didn’t offer their cooperation without their own motivations.’

It wasn’t just a saying; it was a straightforward reality.

The royal family, which had remained inactive as Human-meat Chef and his minions wreaked havoc in the city, managed to earn a reputation for assisting in the city’s protection, thanks to Merlin’s intervention.

It wasn’t a challenging feat. It merely required Merlin, with his esteemed name as the Archiver and his practical actions, to make such a claim.

Furthermore, Merlin uncovered and provided evidence of the financial connections between the Human-meat Chef and the commoner faction to the royal family, significantly weakening the faction that posed a threat to them. He also extended various forms of assistance to the Galos royal family and government, who had suffered substantial political and economic damage due to the destruction of the capital.

He even transferred ownership of the Hecatoncheires summoned by Gretel, allowing them to secure funds based on it, generously donated a significant portion of the Archiver’s wealth, and shared credit with Rokuri University and the royal family, bolstering their positions.

By skillfully managing the conclusion and aftermath of the incident, the Galos royal family and government had little choice but to comply with Merlin’s requests.

Oliver, who had previously been uncertain about why even the royal family recognized the Archiver’s authority, now had a clearer understanding of the situation.

The Archiver was not merely a wizard; it was a figure of tremendous influence across various domains.

“You’re truly remarkable.”

Oliver, reawakening to Merlin’s greatness, commented. However, Merlin simply shook his head.

“The one who deserves a shout-out is you. After all, didn’t you take down both the Human-meat Chef and Gretel?”

Oliver shook his head in return.

“No, Elder. You had almost subdued Ms. Gretel. She was powerless.”

Merlin had much to say but chose to remain silent, listening to Oliver.

“As for Mr. Human-meat Chef… Yes, I did defeat him, but to be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I can’t quite recall it.”

“You can’t remember?”

“Yes… I mean, I do remember, but it feels surreal, almost detached.”

“So, you decided to let me take all the credit?”

“No, it’s not like that. I just didn’t want to be associated with Mr. Human-meat Chef. Judging by the newspapers, I believe I made the right decision.”

Oliver gestured towards the newspapers once more. They were brimming with stories about Merlin, and Oliver would have preferred to avoid such a spotlight.

Wasn’t it all too chaotic, too overwhelming, too conspicuous, and too exhausting?

“Also, personally, my memories of the Mr. Human-meat Chef are… unsettling.”

Oliver recalled the last conversation he had with the Human-meat Chef. It was… disturbing.

“Well, if that’s how you see it, I’m relieved. I was worried I might’ve pinched a young bloke’s moment of glory, but it seems that’s not the case.”

Merlin joked, and Oliver nodded, expressing his agreement wholeheartedly.

Halting Human-meat Chef was a duty and a personal desire, not a pursuit of fame.

He was more than content with the 50 billion in cash and several high-quality bodies, including that of the Human-meat Chef, despite his lingering unease.

‘But maybe it’s alright since I glimpsed a moment of your emotions, Elder?’

Immediately after defeating the Human-meat Chef, Oliver had a fleeting insight into Merlin’s emotions, which had seeped through his magical defenses. Those emotions were…

“Alright, I’ve said my piece, so I’ll take off.”

“Already?”

“What, gonna miss an old bloke like me?”

“It’s not about missing you, but I’ve learned that it’s polite to offer a cup of coffee.”

“It would have been better if you skipped the first part and just said you wanted to offer me coffee out of genuine desire, not politeness.”

“…I would like to offer you coffee, Elder.”

“Too late… Besides, when old blokes mix with young folks, they often cop a bit of ribbing.”

Young folks? Old men? Oliver was momentarily puzzled by these words, but he quickly grasped their meaning.

Jane was approaching through the basement corridor.

(To be Continued)

CH 424-433 (Vs Human-meat Chef Part4) $3CH 434-443 (Dave Vs 100 Druids) $3CH 444-453 (Adventure in New Continent) $3CH 454-463 (Meeting with Joanna) $3464~ $1/chapter

OR

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