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Oliver asked for an apology.
Very calmly and quietly.
Upon hearing these words, not only the bodyguards positioned behind Lucian but also the other members of the organization who had been silently observing the situation from the corner of the room burst into laughter simultaneously. It was as if they were witnessing a trivial incident.
The only ones who did not join in the laughter were those who had accompanied Oliver. Among them were Murphy, Murphy’s aunt Maggie, his cousin Morrison, Yareli in disguise, the bodyguards, and Jane.
What united them was their shared origin in Landa and their knowledge of Oliver’s reputation and personality. In their eyes, this was no laughing matter at all.
Observing Murphy’s unusual reaction, Lucian stopped laughing and inquired, “Ah… Sorry. My hearing’s not good. What did you just say?”
“I said I would like an apology, Mr. Lucian.”
“An apology?”
“Yes.”
Oliver replied with the same tone, intonation, and demeanor as before. His words were so identical that they almost seemed to be coming from a machine rather than a person. This eerie similarity created a discomforting atmosphere, causing everyone to feel somewhat uneasy.
Amidst this oddly tense ambiance, just as everyone was beginning to feel strange, Lucian burst into laughter once more, displaying his characteristic good-natured humor.
“Ha ha ha! This is, this is surprising. How long has it been since someone demanded an apology from me! You’re quite amusing.”
“Thank you for the compliment. I’m glad to hear that I’m amusing.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I want to be a fun person, so I look at a humor book for 30 minutes every day. Every night before I sleep… But now is not a joke. I’m asking for an apology.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Because it’s polite. If you’ve been rude, you naturally apologize.”
“I can’t listen to this anymore… Look here, Mr. Murphy. Why do you let your underling speak like this? Or is there some intention behind it?”
The woman who had triggered the incident directed her question at Murphy. She wasn’t entirely wrong; currently, Oliver was employed by Murphy, and his actions seemed presumptuous.
Murphy was aware of this, and he initially looked at Oliver as if to reprimand him. However, he eventually abandoned the idea. His judgment, which had made him the king of the Landa liquor industry, dictated that he remain silent.
Ironically, it was Jane, the one who had been insulted, who stepped forward to restrain Oliver. She attempted to smile as she held him back.
“Look… I’m okay.”
Surprisingly, Oliver, who had been standing like a statue, reacted to her words and turned his head.
“You’re okay?”
“Yes.”
“You say you’re okay even though the efforts and achievements you’ve built up and your fellow sisterhood members have been insulted?”
Oliver asked Jane once more if she really was okay. He already knew it was a lie, but if she confirmed it was okay again, he intended to back down. Ultimately, it was Jane’s choice.
Jane also seemed to instinctively recognize the power of her statement and hesitated for a moment.
“I’m…”
“What will you do if it’s not okay?”
Amidst the ongoing conversation between Jane and Oliver, the woman approached and abruptly interrupted them. Her demeanor went beyond mere provocation; she appeared genuinely angry with Oliver, perceiving his actions as presumptuous.
“What will you do if you don’t get an apology?” she inquired, bringing her face close to Oliver’s. Oliver responded cautiously.
“Um… I hadn’t thought that far?”
“What?”
“I thought if I asked politely and explained, maybe you would apologize.”
“Aha… This guy is completely crazy?”
“A few people have said that to me in the past. I don’t know why… May I ask what would make you apologize, miss?”
Oliver inquired politely, but the woman standing before him bristled with immense displeasure, as if she had been insulted.
“Miss?”
“Uh… Yes, because you are a miss.”
“Do you want me to tell you how I might apologize?”
“That would be appreciated.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Dad?”
The woman turned her gaze toward Lucian, who, after a brief internal calculation, nodded in agreement.
The woman who had the answer spoke up.
“Let’s settle this according to our Galos tradition… If you win, I’ll simply apologize. What do you say?”
“What do I have to do?”
“Hmph… Hey! Bring a knife!”
***
She called for someone to fetch a knife and then handed it to Oliver, proposing a duel.
She explained that it was a tradition of Galos.
“Strictly speaking, it’s a tradition that has died out.”
“How long has it been dead?”
Oliver, examining the longsword he had been given, asked Murphy. Although he wasn’t well-versed in swords, it appeared to be a typical one—hard, cold, and sharp.
“It’s been about 50 years. It disappeared when the revolution happened and the nobles’ culture was swept away.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s crazy.”
Maggie, who observed from a distance, couldn’t help but mutter under her breath. They had initially come to negotiate the price of magic wine, and now they found themselves unexpectedly in the midst of a potential battlefield.
The evidence was the gathering of members from the Mura family.
In the worst-case scenario, lives could be at risk, and even in a more favorable outcome, they had to be prepared for significant consequences in future transactions.
However, it was entirely understandable for Maggie to react this way when the head of the organization was assisting the instigator of the incident in donning a gauntlet and answering questions.
Oliver offered an apology.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Murphy. I’ve caused trouble when you’ve gone to the trouble of hiring me.”
“I’m regretting that I should have hired Solver Dave. But it can’t be helped. After all, hiring Zenon was my choice. Don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“However, may I consider that you owe me one?”
Murphy shifted his tone and inquired. It was a notable change. Amidst the complex situation, he was seeking to salvage something positive.
Oliver genuinely admired and agreed.
“Of course.”
“I’m pleased to hear that. In that sense, may I ask if you know how to handle a sword?”
Murphy looked at the sword that Oliver held somewhat casually. From the way he handled it, it was evident that Oliver was not familiar with swords.
“I handle it when preparing meals.”
“And for other purposes?”
“I don’t know much about that.”
“Is it alright with you that you can’t use magic or black magic, only enhance your body and weapon with mana to fight?”
“Well, I think—”
“—Hey, aren’t you ready yet?”
The woman shouted at Oliver, who was engrossed in conversation with Murphy. She was already clad in a corset-style armor, complete with a gauntlet, and held a sturdy, thick-bladed rapier in one hand. Regardless of her proficiency in mana usage, mana was tightly enveloping both her sword and armor.
Oliver harnessed the mana stored within his body to empower the longsword, just as he had previously infused power into a tonfa.
“Be careful. I’m not sure about black magic… but that lady, Sara, is quite famous among the Mura. She’s called ‘Mad Sara’ because she’s aggressive.”
Oliver observed Sara attentively.
“She doesn’t seem mad to me.”
Oliver conveyed his honest impression. Her behavior might have been rough, but it reminded him of Lucian’s demeanor—what was visible on the outside often differed from the inner character.
“Is that so? Anyway, be careful. A surprise dagger attack can be quite fatal.”
“Thank you for the advice.”
Oliver moved forward, acknowledging the duel area that had been prepared. He positioned himself opposite Sara.
As Oliver advanced, the Mura family members who had gathered to witness the duel erupted into cheers, calling for her in Galos to teach the audacious man from Landa a lesson. The venue swiftly filled with noise.
Amid the commotion, Sara swung her sword through the air and inquired, “What’s your specialty? I don’t know what kind of nerve you have, but judging from your bold words, it seems like you must be somewhat skilled, right?”
Oliver glanced at the longsword he held. It remained an ordinary sword—a sharp blade crafted from steel.
“I know a bit of black magic. And magic, too.”
“So, you’re a jack-of-all-trades? From the way you’re holding it, it doesn’t look like you’ve handled a sword before… Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Actually, I’m not really okay.”
“Huh?”
“I personally don’t like swords. They’re too sharp… I dislike them because they can cut things you don’t want to cut.”
Crack!
Right after Oliver’s remark, Sara concentrated the mana coursing through her body into her legs and executed a swift dash, closing the distance in a single fluid motion. It was a technique he had seen before, somewhat different but reminiscent of the techniques employed by disciples of Human-meat Chef.
It was intriguing that the Mura, who were in competition with the Human-meat Chef faction, employed similar techniques. Perhaps it was a natural convergence.
In the blink of an eye, Sara closed the gap and aimed her rapier at Oliver’s shoulder, launching a rapid attack—
—Snap! …Thud.
“Just like this,” Oliver explained, swinging his sword with only one arm while maintaining a normal posture.
Although it was evidently an unsuitable stance for swordplay, remarkably, Sara’s rapier was cleanly severed in two.
The once-noisy atmosphere in the room suddenly fell silent, as if someone had poured cold water over it. Sara, too, remained frozen, her eyes wide with disbelief and astonishment.
Amidst the stunned silence, the only one who appeared unruffled was Oliver himself. He examined the blade with a touch of discomfort.
“It’s still too sharp.”
“What… what did you just do?” Sara finally managed to stammer.
“I deflected your attack. More precisely, I tried to deflect it.”
Oliver pointed at the cleanly sliced rapier. It was fortunate that it was a sword; otherwise, he might have unintentionally caused a grave incident.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I didn’t necessarily ask you to believe it. I just told you what’s true… Can you apologize now? I think I’ve won, haven’t I?”
“Where do you get off… guh-!”
Snap! …Thud.
As soon as Sara drew the dagger from her waist, Oliver once again swung his longsword, cleanly slicing through the dagger. The motion was still somewhat clumsy, using only one arm, but the result sent a shiver through everyone present.
Sensing the sudden tension, the members of the Mura family had lost their previous smiles and awkwardly rose to their feet, drawing various weapons such as swords, axes, maces, and modified guns from their waists.
Naturally, Murphy’s group huddled together, seeking to protect each other.
Oliver expressed his confusion. “Why is everyone doing this?”
“You’re asking that after you’ve caused this mess?” Sara replied, her face displaying a mixture of determination, anger, fear, and unease. Oliver could discern the truth amid this emotional turmoil.
“I see… Ah, so you have no intention of keeping your promise.” Oliver finally realized and inquired.
Until a few moments ago, Sara’s emotions had been inscrutable, as she hadn’t considered the possibility of losing. But now her true intentions were apparent; she never intended to honor her promise.
“If you so much as touch me, these guys here won’t just stand by.” Sara warned, pointing to the Mura family members surrounding them. All of them were skilled mana users, and quite powerful at that.
Hearing this warning, Oliver contemplated for a moment before asking, “Um, I didn’t expect this… What happens if I kill all these people here?”
“What?” Sara’s face twisted with anger as she exclaimed.
“It seems you won’t apologize because these people are here. So, what happens if I kill all of them?”
Oliver’s tone remained calm, but the content of his question was anything but.
The Mura family members in the vicinity, feeling mocked and affronted, angrily aimed their weapons, and Sara’s rage was palpable. It was the first time she had been insulted to this degree.
“You dare in Mura to—”
“—Please answer my question. What happens if I kill them all?”
Oliver repeated his question, maintaining the same even voice and intonation, but the atmosphere had shifted.
That unexplainable atmosphere held a force that even the formidable Mura family could not disregard.
Under the weight of this unspoken pressure, everyone fell silent, and tension permeated the air.
Interpreting the silence as his answer, Oliver was about to take action when a man urgently spoke up.
“I’m sorry.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThe speaker was none other than Lucian Mura, a significant power player in the Mura family and their leader.
Lucian apologized courteously to Oliver while also giving commands to his subordinates.
“Put away your weapons… Put them away, I said.”
His demeanor was so earnest and composed that it was hard to believe he was the same person who had initially greeted Murphy. It felt like this was his true self.
After his subordinates had sheathed their weapons, Lucian continued.
“What is your name? I haven’t asked.”
“My name is Zenon, for now.”
“For now, Zenon, that’s an interesting name.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Anyway, I’m sorry. It’s our way to either placate or irritate an opponent before negotiations, but it seems we went too far this time. There are those we should not have provoked. I apologize once again.”
Lucian’s apology seemed genuine, yet Oliver wasn’t entirely satisfied.
“I believe the apology should be directed to Miss Jane. It would be the right thing to do.”
Lucian immediately attempted to apologize to Jane, even as Sara stepped forward to intervene.
“Father.”
-Slap-
Lucian firmly slapped Sara’s cheek to silence her.
“Be quiet.”
At his authoritative command, Sara closed her mouth, and Lucian turned once more to Jane to offer his apology, doing so with utmost politeness and respect.
“Miss Jane, I am truly sorry. Will you forgive the rudeness of me and my daughter? If you do, I will never forget this kindness.”
Lucian gently tapped his forehead with his finger as he asked for forgiveness. This level of humility was rather unusual for someone of his stature within Mura.
Jane replied, “Thank you for your words. I will accept the apology.”
“I am grateful for your graciousness.”
Having received Jane’s forgiveness, Lucian then shifted his gaze to Oliver, silently inquiring if there were any lingering issues.
Oliver responded, “Thank you for the apology… I originally came here to work as a bodyguard… It seems I’ve unintentionally caused some trouble.”
Oliver glanced around at the nearby individuals, all of whom appeared bewildered and uncertain about the situation.
They were perplexed by the fact that Lucian, a figure who had weathered the challenges of Mura and Galos, was now humbling himself to offer an apology. Additionally, they were curious about Oliver, the man who had compelled such an apology from someone like Lucian.
“Um… I think I should withdraw now. What do you think?”
When Oliver asked Murphy, the latter nodded, his expression a mix of tension and mild amusement at the intriguing turn of events.
However, when Oliver asked if Murphy would be accompanying him, Murphy declined.
“I have to finish the negotiation.”
“I see… And Miss Jane?”
“I’ll stay here as well. I came to work.”
Acknowledging their decisions, Oliver bid farewell to Lucian, Murphy, and Jane, departing with an air of polite restraint that contrasted sharply with his earlier demand for an apology.
Yareli, who had concealed her identity with an illusion spell, followed Oliver as they left. As they exited, the room’s silence dissipated, and murmurs began to emerge from all corners, as if a spell had been broken.
It was as though the atmosphere itself had been enchanted.
While everyone was still trying to grasp what had transpired, Lucian and Murphy, the leaders of their respective organizations, engaged in a private conversation. They were the only ones who truly comprehended the situation.
“I’m not sure who that person is, but he doesn’t seem like your subordinate. Can you tell me who he is?”
“What’s the price?”
“If you introduce me, when it comes to the magic wine negotiation, we’ll do it your way.”
(To be Continued)
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