Genius Warlock

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Scratch. Scratch. Scratch…

Inside a secluded professor's private office at the corner of the Tower of the Elementalist Department in the Magic Tower, Oliver sat quietly, engrossed in writing a report.

The report focused on Eve and was intended to be shared with the Moirai School. Due to Oliver's involvement, they couldn't secure Eve completely, so they requested him to provide whatever information he could gather. Willingly, Oliver took on the task.

Eve was a significant entity for those well-versed in the knowledge of the World Tree.

‘Um… I don't have any regrets,' Oliver thought to himself, reminiscing about the past.

He remembered the moment when he confronted Shamus and accessed the World Tree.

Eve, an ethereal and malevolent mass of energy, was ensnared, much like prey caught in a spider's web. In human terms, she was stripped of even the freedom to move a finger.

Naturally, when Eve laid eyes on Oliver, she pleaded for release from her confinement, seeking help like a drowning person gasping for air.

[…And I set her free.]

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch…

Oliver continued to write the report, detailing how he employed his willpower to undo the restraining device crafted by the druids. In return for her release, he asked Eve for information about Shamus and sought compensation in the form of ABC indemnity.

It was a moment worth remembering, so Oliver diligently transcribed every detail without interruption.

"Hmm… Should I include this part too?"

Abruptly, the sound of writing ceased.

Oliver deliberated whether he should document Eve's state after her release and his subsequent actions.

Upon being freed from her restraints, Eve experienced a brief moment of joy and exhilaration as she savored her newfound freedom. However, it was short-lived. Soon after, a profound hostility towards humans emanated from her, catching Oliver off guard.

Nevertheless, he quickly surmised the cause, drawing upon Merlin's "Theory of Evolution of the World Tree." According to the theory, Eve's affinity towards humans could be influenced by the accumulation of information. Positive information would lead to fondness, while negative information would provoke dislike. In Eve's case, it appeared she belonged to the latter category.

‘So, did Mr. Shamus restrain her for this reason? Or did her anger stem from being confined?'

If given the chance, Eve seemed prepared to harm or even kill humans.

After careful consideration, Oliver decided to include that particular observation in his report. Doing so not only helped him organize his thoughts but also shed light on Eve's intense animosity.

"Next, what I did was…" Oliver mumbled, preparing to write about his actions following his assessment of Eve's condition.

Knock. Knock.

Just as he was about to put his thoughts into words, a knocking sound echoed from the door, interrupting his train of thought.

Reactively, Oliver raised his head and employed the Warlock's Eyes, whicy allowed him to perceive the person standing on the other side of the door.

It was someone he had never encountered before, radiating an aura of pure and immense mana.

Knock. Knock.

The knocking sound persisted.

Oliver requested a moment of patience from the person outside, stowed away the report he had been writing inside a drawer, and made his way towards the door.

Upon opening it, he was greeted by a well-built man standing at approximately 180 centimeters in height, boasting firm muscles.

Unlike the clean-shaven appearance typically seen among wizards, this man had slicked-back hair neatly styled with pomade and sported a short beard, which surprisingly didn't make him appear untidy. On the contrary, it lent him a distinct sense of refinement.

"Are you Zenon Bright, a private employee of Kevin?" the man bluntly confirmed, while extending his hand for a handshake.

Oliver, caught off guard, reflexively responded, "Yes, who are-"

"-Terrence from the Roar family. Nice to meet you," the man introduced himself as Terrence, gripping Oliver's hand with an uncharacteristic warmth commonly absent among residents of the Magic Tower.

Terrence's hand movements were swift, and his grip firm, but it was his cufflink that caught Oliver's attention.

Engraved on the button was a roaring lion, a symbol that sparked a faint sense of familiarity within Oliver's mind.

"Are you alright?"

Oliver responded, slightly delayed in his reply.

"Ah… Nice to meet you, Mr. Terrence."

"Mr.? Just call me Terrence comfortably. Anyway, I'm glad to meet you. Did Kevin not mention my name? Typical."

"Do you know Professor Kevin?"

"Know him? He even asked me to substitute for you."

In that moment, Oliver realized that Terrence was the person Kevin had brought in to cover for him during his vacation following the ABC incident.

‘He said he was a talented war wizard. I guess he wasn't lying,' Oliver, observing Terrence's physical condition and the powerful mana emanating from him. It was clear that Terrence was a highly capable individual.

"Don't stare too much. Although I'm handsome, I'm not into men," Terrence playfully remarked, blending jest and seriousness.

"Oh… sorry. I did hear about you indirectly from Professor Kevin, but I never imagined we'd meet like this."

"I also never imagined… that lone wolf Kevin would hire an employee. That's why I came out during my vacation. I was curious… But, it seems like it wasn't a waste," Terrence remarked, studying Oliver intently and displaying a sense of satisfaction.

Confused, Oliver began to ask, "What do you mean, I don't under-"

Swoosh!

Suddenly, Terrence threw a punch that halted just in front of Oliver's nose. The punch was incredibly fast, even infused with mana, making it quite powerful. The wind pressure whipped Oliver's hair.

"Why didn't you dodge?"

"…It was too fast?" Oliver fibbed, concealing the real reason he hadn't dodged. In truth, there was no intention to hit him.

Thankfully, Terrence burst into hearty laughter, apparently believing the lie.

"Ha! My punch is indeed fast. I was even a boxing champion in the Magic Tower."

"We have boxing in the Magic Tower?"

"Of course, physical training is essential for wizards. The body must be capable of handling mana, especially for those in the pure magic faction."

Swoosh!

Terrence threw another punch, this time without any intention to hold back.

Thump!

Oliver tilted his head and deflected the punch, feeling a stinging pain in his palm even with the protection of mana. It seemed Terrence's claim of being a boxing champion wasn't a lie.

"Hoo…" Terrence exhaled in admiration, ceasing his assault. He observed Oliver, who had assumed a defensive posture, and relaxed his stance.

With a sense of satisfaction, Terrence snapped his fingers, drawing Oliver's attention.

"The rumors seem to be true."

"Rumors?" Oliver asked, unsure of how to respond. Derick had mentioned something similar, but Oliver had brushed it off. Now, it seemed he couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Yes, rumors. They say Kevin brought a mercenary or experimental subject from the battlefield. It seems those rumors were not unfounded, huh?" Terrence continued to probe, not easily letting go of his suspicions.

Overwhelmed, Oliver struggled to find the right words. However, he noticed that Terrence's actions lacked malicious intent, offering a small comfort.

"May I ask why you're so curious?" Oliver inquired, trying to understand Terrence's motives.

"I'm just interested. The fact that Kevin is associating with someone. As I mentioned earlier, the reason I took on this annoying task during my vacation is because of that," Terrence replied, revealing his genuine curiosity.

"I can only feel sorry for you if that's the reason you helped me during your vacation.'

A familiar sound resonated from the hallway outside—the unmistakable footsteps of Kevin.

"Oh, could you make some noise when you move?"

"I don't want to hear that from someone who suddenly throws punches at someone else's employee."

"I knew he could dodge it."

"What if he couldn't?"

"Well, it'd be an unfortunate accident… Alright, I got it, I'll apologize. Hey, Zenon. I'm sorry for the sudden punch. Can you forgive me?" Terrence sincerely apologized, his tone reflecting genuine remorse.

"If you were curious, it can be overlooked," Oliver replied, willing to let the incident slide.

"Ohoho. This guy is quite the tough one too, huh?" Terrence chuckled, appreciating Oliver's resilience.

Kevin, on the other hand, didn't find it amusing, but Terrence seemed unperturbed by his reaction.

Observing their exchange, Oliver couldn't help but inquire further, emboldened by their banter.

"Are you two friends?"

"No," Kevin replied curtly.

"Yes," Terrence responded cheerfully.

The stark contrast in their answers left Oliver puzzled.

Terrence explained with a cheerful tone, "Hey… don't be too harsh. We are comrades who crossed the line together."

Kevin's reaction remained stoic, not providing any additional information.

"Could it be that the reason you came to the Magic Tower at my request was to get on my nerves?"

"That's part of it. But the biggest reason is to persuade you to reconsider your ill-fitting role as a professor and consider something more suitable like the military. What do you think?"

"Military duty is enough for me."

"Well, then there's nothing I can do. Uncle has been looking for you… It's not a joke; they could give you a prestigious position if you're interested."

"I'm good. I don't plan to be a chess piece," Kevin responded firmly, his tone conveying his unwavering stance.

Terrence took a step back, acknowledging Kevin's resistance. The conversation appeared to hold a significant weight that Oliver couldn't fully comprehend, but the intensity between the two was palpable.

"Well, I understand… Enough with the jokes. I'll just hand this over and go," Terrence declared, retrieving a file from his belongings and passing it to Oliver.

Curiously, Oliver asked, "What is this?"

"It's an assessment of the students' progress while I was in charge. Their physical strength, mana, magic level, and areas for improvement. Honestly, the results are not very impressive," Terrence explained, referring to the contents of the file.

Oliver skimmed through the document, confirming Terrence's assessment. It contained evaluations and suggestions for improvement, following a similar format to Kevin's reports, albeit with a slightly superior quality.

"Of course. He learned from us," Terrence commented casually, placing his hand on Kevin's shoulder. Kevin reacted coldly, urging him to remove his hand.

"Get your hand off."

"Got it," Terrence complied, withdrawing his hand.

While the two engaged in their banter, Oliver took the opportunity to quickly peruse the file. It held valuable information.

"Um… Can I also learn from this? The training evaluations and methods, I mean,"

"I'll teach you if you join the army," Terrence proposed skillfully, producing a poster from his belongings.

The poster depicted a portly gentleman wearing a bowler hat, pointing forward with his index finger and proclaiming, "The country wants you." It made quite an impression and left a lasting visual impact.

Kevin, however, took the poster from Oliver, neatly folding it, and suggested, "Or you could simply read a book on military training from the Pure Magic Library."

"Of course, that's one way… But learning directly would be much better. If you want to don a cool uniform, get in touch with us," Terrence offered, returning the poster.

Observing the exchange, Kevin gave Terrence a knowing look, and Terrence retreated with a soft chuckle.

After Terrence left, Oliver couldn't help but ask a question that had been lingering in his mind.

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"Just someone I came across a few times during military service," Kevin responded, downplaying any notion of friendship.

"Ah… I see. He seemed very friendly towards you, so I thought…" Oliver trailed off, realizing he had misinterpreted their relationship.

"Nonsense… Instead, get ready to move," Kevin instructed, abruptly changing the subject.

"Get ready to move? For what?" Oliver inquired, perplexed by Kevin's statement.

"Yes, the ‘Basic Magic Combat' class is starting soon. It's time for you to take over again."

(To be Continued)

OR

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