Genius Warlock

Chapter 186

Recovering the secret ledger stolen by the thieves.

Recapturing the harbor from a gang.

Eliminating a non-affiliated gang that occupied an area in District O.

Chasing after escaped prisoners.

Destroy the magic wine factory in Landa's outskirts.

And there were various other tasks...

For the past few days, Oliver had received many jobs from Crime Firm, mercenaries, and entrepreneurs and had handled quite a lot of work.

Money was not a problem, as he still had plenty of it. He had done all this work to gain some free time.

It was because if he did a lot of work at once, he could take a break in the name of rest.

Of course, it wasn't forced. It was just Oliver's own courtesy to Forrest, who was considerate of him.

Coco, Arthur, and Al said that it was easy for brokers to get between customers and solvers to work only when solvers cooperated in this way.

In fact, Forrest seemed to understand Oliver's attitude, so when Oliver said he would take a few days off, he readily nodded without asking why.

“Since you worked like this, there won't be anyone complaining if you take a break for a while. The timing is not bad either... It's good, take a good rest.”

During this break, Oliver temporarily moved to Merlin's mansion to receive lessons.

The class wasn't anything special. It was called self-directed learning, where Oliver read the textbooks provided by Merlin and only asked questions about concepts he didn't grasp.

This method proved to be more effective for those with a desire to learn and the ability to read.

After finishing the book, Oliver would lecture the material back to Merlin to evaluate his understanding.

While some might view this educational method as outdated and burdensome, Oliver was quite content.

He enjoyed reading the books and comprehending their contents, as well as asking and answering questions to confirm his understanding.

Sharing knowledge with others was also fulfilling, but the best part was the autonomy it offered to the student.

As a result, Oliver was able to study in his private library in the mansion whenever he had free time, just as he was doing now.

"Hmm... History is interesting too." muttered Oliver as he read a history book about the Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower was steeped in mystique and boasted a prestigious reputation in the history of Landa.

As a result, there wasn't a lot of information available in the book, but it still provided more knowledge than Oliver had gained through casual conversations.

One fascinating piece of information he discovered was that the Magic Tower originated from a single branch of multiple magic schools.

“Are you trying to learn about Magic Tower before entering it?” asked Merlin, who came from behind, while looking at the contents of the book.

Oliver didn't feel his presence coming. It seemed that he had strengthened his mana and hid his emotions even more thoroughly.

Occasionally, Oliver could faintly read his emotions, but as soon as he noticed it, he immediately prepared for it.

Feeling a little disappointed, Oliver calmly replied without revealing anything.

“Um... You are here?”

"Yawn, ya reaction's a bit of a snooze fest, eh?"

"Um, I'm sorry. Shall we start again?"

"What's the point of startin' again, eh? More than that, is that book a bit of a ripper?"

Oliver looked at the book he was reading and replied. "Yes, it's kind of fun. I learned something I didn't know.”

"Like the roots of the magic tower, aye?" asked Merlin, looking at the same page of the book that Oliver had been studying.

Oliver spoke candidly, admitting, "Yes, I was under the impression that the Magic Tower served as the headquarters for all magic schools."

This statement would typically earn ridicule from mainstream wizards, but surprisingly, many ordinary people held the same misconception.

This misinterpretation was a result of information gaps and the insular nature of the magic society.

Merlin, aware of this, responded kindly by explaining, "It's a bit tricky to wrap your head around. Even though the Magic Tower is only a branch, it's the biggest and most well-off in terms of size and resources, mate."

"How did this happen?" Oliver asked.

"Actually, it's natural," Merlin replied. "Landa's been deeply connected with wizards since its creation, so there's almost no bloody restrictions on wizards when compared to other places."

Oliver nodded, understanding that Landa's birth was inseparable from the wizards who had used their power to cope with the great disaster.

“It's a usual story, mate. When a child shows magical talent by chance, they are adopted by a wizarding family, but if their talent is found to be limited, they are often expelled,” Merlin explained.

“Is that a common case?”Oliver asked to confirm.

It seemed like there were more cases like that than he thought from what he saw in the journal.

"I can't say they aren't." Merlin replied

“Um... So, are there a lot of secret deals happening behind the scenes at the Magic Tower? I was actually looking for a book about the Magic Tower to find out more about it,” Oliver inquired.

Audrey's diary held within its pages a story of fear and desperation.

Despite his outward attempts to remain composed, his handwriting betrayed his true emotions.

Audrey was afraid, afraid of the limitation of his magical talents and the resulting suspension of support from his family for tuition and living expenses.

But instead of succumbing to despair, Audrey made plans and looked for ways to secure his own future.

Within the diary, Audrey spoke of the ‘backdoor dealings' that ran rampant throughout the Magic Tower and said that he would carve out his own destiny there.

He said that a wizard from the Magic Tower would be needed anywhere.

In fact, as he had good skills, he made contact with a student who was related to that side and learned about the physiology of that place.

As Oliver read on, he discovered that the backdoor dealings were more numerous and sinister than he had imagined.

There were those who sold unused experimental tools, failed low-quality scrolls, and crude potions made by students, as well as those who received tasks that required magic and used it for their own gain. And then there were the "whisperers," who passed on information about the Magic Tower and the movement of its items.

But the most disturbing revelation came from the existence of a ‘black market,' where even professors systematically sold illegal potions, scrolls, medicines, and magic liquor.

According to the contents of Audery's journal, the scale was beyond imagination, to the point of being responsible for one of the pillars of Landa's underground economy.

That was why Audrey stole the recipe for magic wine and built a magic wine factory as soon as he left the Magic Tower.

The backdoor dealings had participants from all walks of life, from students trying to make a living to prestigious families seeking thrills, and even teaching assistants and professors.

Merlin read the part that Oliver had read, but there was no trace of doubt in his tone, as if he already knew.

Seeing this, Oliver asked, "You're not surprised."

"What's the big surprise? Everything in the world has an expiration date."

“Expiration date?”

"Means everything in the world is bound to get twisted and corrupted."

Saying that, Merlin raised his hand, imbuing it with mana before pouring it into the journal.

Shrrrk. Shrrrk.

The sound of machinery emanated from the book as hidden magic responded and levitated from its pages.

Whoosh!

Swiftly, Merlin snatched the magic information, grasping it as if it were a tangible object.

“What is that?” Oliver inquired, curious about the contents of the magic information.

"He's used a security spell to keep the important info hush-hush with mana. He's been real cautious, so it won't be a cinch to catch him." Merlin replied, impressed by the measures the journal's owner had taken.

"Can I ask what the contents were?"

Merlin's answer was firm. "Nah, ya can't. Think of it as a price tag. I taught ya 'bout this kinda security magic, yeah?"

Oliver was taken aback by the unexpected response, but he had nothing else to say. As Merlin had said, he had been unaware of such security measures until now. With a nod of agreement, he accepted the fact that some knowledge came at a price.

“You are right.”

"Ya got a good attitude for owning up to it. I'll chuck ya a bonus."

"A reward?"

"Yes, I'll introduce ya to the bloke who'll take ya to the Magic Tower and yer temp Senior. Get in, mate."

With that, the door opened and a man entered.

Somehow Oliver didn't notice his presence. But when he saw the man's face, it didn't matter anymore.

“Nice to meet you.” A wizard with black hair and red skin, Kevin Dunbara, said. “Or should I say it’s been a while?”

(To be Continued)

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