Genius Warlock

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Jane asked to be introduced to Yareli.

Upon the request, Oliver reflexively glanced over at Yareli, who was seated across from him. How should he introduce her…

“Just… someone I know.”

After some contemplation, Oliver replied. Given his mission for the tower, he couldn’t provide a more direct answer, so this seemed like an appropriate response.

In any case, Yareli and Oliver were familiar with each other.

Whether the assumption was accurate or not, Jane and Murphy, who overheard the response, had their doubts but refrained from arguing.

It was Yareli who inquired further.

“A person you know?”

“Yes… Isn’t that correct?”

Oliver, perplexed by Yareli’s reaction, responded with confusion because he and Yareli were indeed familiar with each other.

However, Yareli displayed an unusually incredulous expression, tinged with a hint of contempt. This was particularly noticeable because she rarely displayed much change in her demeanor.

This awkward silence was accompanied by a palpable sense of discomfort. Murphy whispered softly, breaking the silence.

“I think I’ve seen this somewhere…”

Oliver nodded in agreement, experiencing a sense of déjà vu.

‘Ah, that’s right. The party.’

Oliver recalled a previous encounter when he had taken Jane to a party. There, he had introduced Jane to Murphy as someone he knew, and then…

“Nice to meet you. My name is Jane.”

In an effort to dispel the awkwardness, Jane approached Yareli first and extended her greetings.

Yareli, upon receiving the greeting, assessed Jane’s attire and then, as if recollecting something, rose from her seat.

“Hello. You must be the famous investor from Landa, Ms. Jane? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Recognizing Jane, Yareli greeted her with politeness and proper decorum.

Oliver felt an inexplicable sense of joy witnessing this exchange. It was truly remarkable and a matter of pride that Jane was acknowledged to such an extent, even by someone like Yareli from the tower.

As Yareli and Jane exchanged pleasantries, the previously awkward atmosphere began to dissipate, and naturally, Murphy introduced himself as well.

“Hello, Miss. I’m Murphy Kimbell, a small trader. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m also pleased to meet you, Mr. Murphy, who is gaining a reputation as a businessman.”

“Do you know me?”

Murphy asked with curiosity, and rightfully so, considering he was affiliated with a criminal organization as a gang member and earned the nickname ‘Liquor King’ for his significant involvement in the illicit magic wine trade, amassing considerable wealth in the process.

According to occasional updates from Forrest, Murphy’s influence and financial power were said to surpass that of an average crime firm executive.

“Yes. I also know quite a few people in Galos, and I’ve heard about the person who supplies the wonderful liquor that competes with Bloody Wine… My introduction is late. I am Yareli Issai of the Skadi Subschool of the Tower. I have come to Galos briefly for some business, and it’s an honor to meet such esteemed people.”

Yareli openly revealed her identity, clearly with some thought behind it.

“If you don’t mind, may we join you?”

***

Yareli suddenly proposed joining their company.

It was an unexpected suggestion, but Oliver, assuming she had her reasons, chose to remain silent and observe for the time being.

Murphy and Jane, equally surprised by the offer, hesitated briefly but seemed to find no objection and accepted Yareli’s proposal after a few words.

“How could I refuse when I meet someone I know in a foreign place? I would be pleased to sit.”

With a playful tone, Murphy took a seat at the table as Yareli had suggested, and Jane followed suit.

“Have you ordered yet?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s good. Then, shall we order first? It’s not much, but as a token of my appreciation for your company, I will take care of it.”

Murphy made this offer and then deftly summoned a server to place an order in Galosian.

The fluency and natural pronunciation far exceeded Oliver’s, who had diligently studied the language.

Oliver was genuinely impressed. “You’re amazing, Mr. Murphy. You speak Galosian very well.”

“It’s nothing. I just learned it because trading through an interpreter became too cumbersome.”

“Still, it’s impressive. Galosian is quite difficult to learn.”

Yareli joined in to praise Murphy, and Oliver concurred. In terms of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, he personally found Galosian to be more intricate and demanding than the Kingdom’s language.

“Necessity led to a quicker learning process. Thanks to that, I’m now able to save on interpreter fees, which is great.”

“…Ah, you’re joking.”

Oliver playfully retorted upon hearing Murphy’s words. Given that Murphy had earned the nickname ‘Liquor King’ in the affluent Landa, interpreter fees were certainly not a significant expense for him, making it clear that it was a jest.

“Yes, it’s indeed a joke.”

Murphy’s response was tinged with an incredulous yet familiar emotion.

Oliver couldn’t discern the reason behind Murphy’s emotional response, but he was pleased. His daily 30 minutes of humor study before sleep didn’t seem like a waste; he felt that he was improving and took pride in it.

“Mr. Murphy, you mentioned you’re here on business. May I ask what specifically brings you here? …If that’s alright with you.”

Yareli inquired suddenly and directly, and surprisingly, Murphy responded calmly, without any sign of being flustered.

“I’m here to negotiate the price of magic wine sales. Usually, we negotiate with each passing year, but there arose an unusual atmosphere in Galos.”

Oliver believed he knew what that unusual atmosphere was. Nevertheless, his question came from a different place.

While he contemplated whether to ask or not, quick-witted Murphy provided an answer first.

“Ah, don’t worry too much about it, Dave… My business dealings are somewhat known to the Tower, so it’s not that big of a secret.”

Oliver was taken aback by the unexpected revelation but quickly grasped the situation. After all, the primary ingredient of Murphy’s business, magic wine, was crafted from potions, and the Tower was the primary supplier of potions. It underscored the blurry boundaries between the hidden and the visible in Landa.

Satisfied with Murphy’s response, Yareli turned her attention to Jane.

“Ms. Jane, are you visiting Galos to invest in the magic wine business?”

It was a plausible assumption. The Milieu, Galos’s united crime organization, boasted members with exceptional combat skills but lacked business acumen, resulting in relatively low capital levels.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Jane shook her head.

“I am here on business, but not for that. I’ve come to look into real estate.”

“Real estate?”

“Yes, I’m interested in the urban development project that the Galos royal family is promoting. I met Mr. Murphy by chance. Well, he’s been a big help, though.”

“That was the matter you mentioned at the hotel.”

Oliver suddenly interjected, recalling their previous conversation. It was when Jane had unexpectedly joined a conversation with Oliver and Marie at the hotel.

Oliver, Marie, and Jane had engaged in various discussions, and during one of them, Jane had mentioned that she might leave Landa for work for a while. When questioned about her destination, Jane had playfully claimed it was a secret at the time.

“I just wanted to keep it a secret back then. Wanted to be a bit mischievous… But I really didn’t expect to meet like this.”

“Me neither. But it’s not bad. It’s quite fascinating.”

“What’s so fascinating?”

Yareli inquired, and just as Oliver was about to respond, Jane spoke up instead.

“It’s quite similar to when we met at the hotel. The situation… Dave was talking with a beautiful woman, and then I joined… It feels like someone is playing a trick on us.”

“A beautiful woman?”

Murphy displayed genuine interest and asked reflexively.

There were numerous rumors about solver Dave’s involvement with women, but as someone who knew him personally, Murphy found them all unreliable. However, the mention of an attractive woman piqued his curiosity.

And it wasn’t just Murphy who showed interest. Yareli also raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued.

“Marie… Just someone I know.”

Oliver explained about Marie, much like he had introduced Jane to her at the hotel. It felt like an incomplete description, but not an incorrect one.

However, Jane seemed to have a different perspective and spoke with a sarcastic tone.

“It seems Dave knows a lot of beautiful people.”

Her attitude echoed what she had displayed at the hotel.

The problem was, despite the passage of time, Oliver still didn’t understand why Jane was behaving this way. So, he decided to respond to her words earnestly. It was simply polite.

“I agree. It seems I know many beautiful people. Fortunately.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Murphy, Yareli, and Jane fell silent, their gazes fixed intently on Oliver. Wondering if he had made a mistake, Oliver added an explanation.

“In my opinion… The employees at Angels House, Ms. Elizabeth, Ms. Coco, they’re all beautiful… Of course, Ms. Yareli is beautiful too,”

Yareli flinched, a reaction similar to when they had parted ways after their airship journey back to Landa. Her flustered emotions were on full display as she glared intently at Oliver, who, not comprehending why, discreetly asked Murphy.

“Did I make a mistake?”

“As I’ve mentioned before, please refrain from including me in that context.”

Murphy made it clear with a gesture of refusal, and Jane’s emotions appeared even more exacerbated than before.

“Ah… Of course, Miss Jane is also beautiful.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

Murphy muttered in astonishment upon hearing Oliver’s words. It was a reaction of disbelief, yet entirely expected.

Yareli’s emotions shifted from bewilderment to annoyance and anger, and Jane, sharing similar sentiments, rested her chin on her hand and stared intently at Oliver.

With a burning desire to open Oliver’s head and understand his thoughts.

It was undeniably frustrating and unfair. If only he knew why this was happening, things wouldn’t be so awkward.

Therefore, Oliver decided to finish what he was saying.

“And Mr. Murphy is beautiful too.”

Pfft━!!

Yareli and Jane, who were staring at Oliver and happened to be sipping water, simultaneously spat it out in a completely unexpected manner.

They were taken aback, and not just them; Murphy was equally stunned.

He quietly exclaimed in shock.

“Alright… Let’s stop this conversation and just eat quietly. Just eat. The food is coming anyway.”

***

Yareli and Jane tacitly agreed to Murphy’s suggestion, and Oliver decided to go along with it.

Everyone at the table was in favor of this.

Oliver respected everyone’s wishes and quietly consumed his late lunch without saying a word.

The only sound that filled the air was the clinking of utensils.

Just as it appeared that the four might part ways without any conversation, leaving a hint of regret in the air, Murphy, who had finished his meal first, spoke up.

“Dave.”

“Ah, is it okay to talk now?”

Murphy’s face displayed an extreme aversion as he recalled the earlier conversation.

“Yes, of course… Just please, no more talk about who’s beautiful. At least not while I’m around,”

“Understood.”

It was a simple request, so Oliver responded promptly.

Relieved by this response, Murphy continued.

“Whew… Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask of you. That’s why I suggested joining the table.”

Oliver wasn’t taken aback. He had sensed such an intention during his prior conversation with Jane before joining the table.

“I was going to handle it myself initially, but having met Dave here, I would like to ask for your help… May I?”

“May I ask what the favor is?”

“Of course. It’s something we’ve already discussed.”

“Something we’ve discussed?”

“Yes. I’m planning to negotiate with the Milieu organization, my trading partners, regarding the magic wine trade, and I was wondering if you could stand in as my bodyguard during the negotiation, even for a while? I came prepared, but I’m feeling uneasy about doing it on their turf.”

It was an unexpected request but not entirely surprising. Oliver contemplated it for a moment but was initially inclined to decline, as he had other commitments.

“I’m sorry, but-“

“-If you help me, I will also assist with the work you’re doing.”

(To be Continued)

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