Genius Warlock

"Yes, may I ask where I need to go to get to the Elemental School building?"

After Oliver had finished speaking, he checked himself to see if he sounded natural. There was no issue with his eye contact, gestures, or tone. He had practiced with Coco and the residents of Angel House, so it came naturally to him. However, being his first time, it was difficult to tell.

The girl with curly silver hair and thick glasses didn't respond immediately, as if something was amiss, but looked at Oliver with a hint of curiosity and suspicion.

He didn't feel bad, he just wanted to thank her for engaging in conversation. Above all, Oliver was also observing her during that time, so he could learn from her.

‘She looks tired. On the other hand, there are no creases on her clothes and her emotions are calm… It feels similar to the elites I saw.'

After they had finished observing each other, she spoke, "…Why the Elemental School?"

The girl asked with a slight note of caution and doubt.

‘Did I miss something?’

"I was supposed to go to work today."

Oliver took out his wallet from inside his pocket and showed her the Magic Tower employee ID that he had received from Merlin.

On the employee ID, there was another leather mask image of Oliver, with the employee number, and the phrase "Zenon Bright," which was his second fake name.

The first name Zenon was given by Merlin, and the last name was a slight variation on Dave's surname Wright.

“…a private employee hired by the professor.”

"Yes."

"Which professor is this? This is my first time seeing you."

"It’s Professor Kevin Dunbara of Elemental School."

The girl gazed straight into Oliver's face and pointed in one direction.

It was a building in the shape of several towers connected into one, and it was a structure with a systematic and unique design reminiscent of a cogwheel.

"There. If you go to the front door, there is a building information board, so you can refer to it."

"Ah, thank you. Have a nice day."

"Yes, you too."

After thanking the girl, Oliver went on his way. He thought that she was quite kind for a person with vast yet pure mana inside her body.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

The soft tick-tock of the antique clock echoed through the dimly lit lab, as Kevin Dunbara glanced at his watch. His neatly tied hair and sharp suit exuded an air of flawlessness that belied the danger lurking around them.

“I will come a little earlier from now on.”

"No, there's no need to do that. It's inefficient. Don't be late.”

"Yes, I understand," Oliver responded politely, eyes flickering around the lab, taking in the strange sights.

Merlin had allowed Oliver into the Magic Tower, but it was Kevin who had taken a risk in helping him. Oliver knew that he must follow Kevin's instructions closely if he hoped to benefit from the Tower.

"By the way, you're not late. I thought you'd be late," Kevin said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

"Actually, I was almost late. The Magic Tower is bigger and wider than I thought, so I got lost on the way."

"That's right, you need a map," Kevin replied, reaching for a map on his desk and handing it over to Oliver.

Oliver tilted his head, surprised at the presence of a map. Why hadn't Merlin given him one?

"Did Elder forget to give it to me?" Oliver asked.

"No, rather, he didn't give it to you on purpose. He likes to put his pupils in difficult situations. He says it fosters caution and quick thinking," Kevin explained.

Oliver nodded in agreement, silently musing on the lessons Merlin taught his pupils.

“But who told you the way?” Kevin asked, his sharp eyes scanning Oliver.

"A girl helped me at a critical moment," Oliver replied, thinking back to the young woman who had guided him through the Tower's labyrinthine corridors.

"Interesting… Did you leave your quarterstaff behind?" Kevin asked, studying Oliver carefully.

Oliver shook his head, then took a small wooden stick out of his pocket.

It was the quarterstaff that was reduced by shrinking magic.

Oliver had learned the spell from Merlin and had intended to carry it in his magic bag. However, he had decided to keep it in his pocket for easy access in case of an emergency.

“Here. Elder said it catches people’s attention,”

"Shrinking magic…carrying it around is quite a hassle," Kevin remarked, his eyes fixed on the intricate spell woven around the wooden stick.

It was true. Casting the spell was only the beginning; maintaining it required a continuous supply of mana.

For Oliver, this meant extracting mana from his own body or frequently imbibing potions to replenish his reserves.

"But I feel at ease when it's by my side," Oliver offered in defense.

"Really? It doesn't appear to be enchanted with any magic or black magic," Kevin observed skeptically.

"Yes, but still, it puts me at ease," Oliver replied with conviction.

Kevin let out a sigh. "Well, that's none of my concern. Do you know what your role is?"

Oliver nodded. "Yes, Elder informed me that I am an employee of the Magic Tower, hired by the professor's noble mercy. My job is to assist him in his work and provide labor whenever the Magic Tower requests it in my spare time."

"It's almost right. Take these."

Kevin handed Oliver some brochures, each with a stern title:

[Magic Tower Rules]

[Obligations and Benefits of Professors and Individual Employees]

[Rules and Methods for Using the Facility]

Oliver quickly glanced at the covers, noticing the harsh handwriting that hinted at the strictness of the rules.

"You'd better familiarize yourself with these as soon as possible. The Magic Tower is an insular place, and the rules can be unforgiving. If you break them and suffer consequences, I won't be there to help you," Kevin warned sternly.

Oliver nodded in understanding. "I will memorize them promptly."

"Good. Now, go and clean the room across from the lab. It's been neglected for some time, so you'll have your work cut out for you."

"Yes, I understand. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

“What!?”

“Since I became an employee of the professor, I was wondering if there was anything you wanted me to pay attention to or ask for….. I want to do my best.”

“..…don’t be late for class, and don’t cause trouble.”

Oliver nodded, committing the request to memory. "I'll keep that in mind. Anything else?"

"No, that's all. I don't know much about you, so I have nothing else to say," Kevin replied curtly.

Oliver lowered his head, ready to leave, when Kevin stopped him.

"Wait a sec."

Oliver turned around, curious. "Yes?"

Without further ado, Kevin deftly gathered mana into his hand, compressing it into a concentrated form before snapping his fingers.

The resulting sound echoed throughout the laboratory, but the condensed mana spread evenly, sealing off the interior of the room from the outside world.

Now that they were secure from any prying ears, Kevin had a personal question to ask.

"If I may ask, Dave. With your level of skill, I'm sure you could receive offers from any organization. So why do you insist on working as a Solver by yourself? It seems inefficient from my perspective."

Kevin's inquiry was rather indirect, as if scratching an itch that lay just beyond his grasp.

Oliver sensed that Kevin was wary of him, though he couldn't quite say why. Kevin tried to mask his emotions with magic, but his skills weren't as good as Merlin's, so Oliver was able to see through it

"Hmm… It's not like there wasn't any offer, it’s just that I declined them all."

“Why? It would be more convenient in many ways to belong to an organization rather than being a Solver.”

It was a truth that could not be denied.

Though the life of a Solver may appear desirable, with its promise of freedom and autonomy, the reality was far from ideal. The very nature of their work necessitated taking on perilous assignments, with no guarantee of safety or success.

On the other hand, being part of an established organization offered a measure of stability and security. Of course, there were always exceptions to the rule, but in general, the benefits of joining a group far outweighed the risks of going it alone.

“When I belong to an organization, I might be forced to do things I don’t want to do.”

"Things you don’t want to do?"

“Yes, for example, things that require the abduction of ordinary people, such as children and women.”

Oliver answered, recalling Puppeteer Glyph, the first warlock he met when he first came to Landa and stayed at Kent's beggar den.

Suddenly, he wondered what it would have been like if he had accepted his offer and gone to the Black Hand.

"By the way, aren't you affiliated with the Magic Tower right now? And you’re a disciple of Master."

"Um, this case is an exception. We signed a contract with each other and decided to end the relationship if we couldn’t agree on things. Entering the Magic Tower is an extension of that, so I don't think it's a big deal."

Kevin’s emotion shone with surprise.

"I see…"

“Um.… Did I make any mistakes?”

“No, you didn’t make any mistake… Ah, that’s right. Let me warn you.”

“Yes, please.”

"It's been quiet here lately, but soon enough, people will try to pick fights with you and harass you. Don't cause any trouble and endure it quietly."

“Yes, I understand… But, why would they pick fights with me?”

“Because you are my employee.”

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

Leaving behind Kevin’s cryptic words, Oliver stepped into the staff room Kevin had indicated.

Dust and debris accumulated to the extent of rolling around, with stains deliberately smeared standing out amidst the chaos. As Kevin had forewarned, the room was in a state of disarray.

But for Oliver, who had grown up in an orphanage and a mine, this level of disorder was nothing out of the ordinary.

He cleaned up the room using the cleaning kit provided by Kevin, feeling as though it was insufficient.

He subsequently retrieved his own cleaning kit from his magic bag, originally procured for the purpose of creating corpse dolls or clearing out materials. Its efficacy had already been proven.

"Now it's time to get to work," Oliver muttered as he proceeded to tidy up the staff room with his cleaning kit.

After completing the cleaning, Oliver perused the map of the Magic Tower given by Kevin, acquainting himself with the rules and regulations, as well as the duties and perks of individual professors and staff.

He also familiarized himself with the facility's rules and methods of usage.

After focusing his mind on the task at hand, he realized it was time to return home.

Oliver made his way to the front of the lab, but it was unoccupied since Kevin had yet to arrive. While Kevin had instructed him to leave work in the event of tardiness, Oliver wondered whether this was the right course of action.

With the Magic Tower library at his disposal, along with the opportunity to attend classes and a decent salary, even by his standards, Oliver couldn't help but feel that his current circumstances were too comfortable. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to take advantage of his situation by seeking additional work.

"Well, if there is something to do, it will present itself," Oliver mused, and proceeded to get ready for the day's work.

Just then, Oliver sensed someone approaching. Kevin's lab was located at the far end of the tower, making it an improbable location for chance encounters. It was apparent that the person had some connection to Kevin.

Before long, a girl appeared in the hallway. She was a familiar face, the silver-haired girl who had previously shown him the way.

She approached the room, lifting her distinctively thick glasses.

"Hello, Professor Kevin. I came to enquire about the classes you will be teaching this semester."

(To be Continued)

OR

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