Genius Warlock

The appearance of Paladins Elton and Joanna caused outright irritation in the emotions of the city official.

The reason was unknown, but he did not seem to like the Paladins very much, yet he stood up and greeted them formally.

“…. Nice to meet you, Sir. This is Paul Carver from the Landa Department of the Interior. It is a pleasure to meet the Paladins who are the guardians of mankind.”

The city official, no, Paul Carver lied naturally.

As if to repay this, the Paladin named Elton also answered with a lie.

“Nice to meet you too.”

“Sir, there must have been a guard outside, how did you get in?”

Upon hearing the question, Elton put his hand under his iron coat and pulled out a piece of paper.

The paper was whiter than the clouds as if it was emitting light.

"I came in justly according to the provisions of the city contract. You've worked hard so far. From now on, we'll be interrogating this warlock. You can leave."

The man named Elton spoke in a hard, coercive tone befitting his solemn appearance.

But Paul did not lose either.

"I think you've misunderstood something, Sir, we're not interrogating. We were just investigating. This person……is not a criminal, but a worker from the Solver’s guild that belongs to the city."

At the unexpected words, Oliver looked at Paul.

He did not have any particular feelings for Oliver but spoke that way due to his hatred against the Paladin.

Paladin Elton answered.

"I know. But, Puppet has appeared, and it's up to us to decide whether the subject is an investigation or an interrogation. I'm sorry, but please step back."

“It is true that we have to cooperate according to the city agreement, but we are investigating first, so please wait for a while.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

"It's not a request. There's nothing in the city contract that says we have to give the subject we're investigating right away. I'm sorry, Paladin. This is Landa."

"Do you plan on interfering with a Paladin's work?"

"I'm just doing my job. Just like you, Paladin."

The atmosphere got tense.

Oliver did not know why, but the city official and the Paladin seemed to hate each other, which created a sense of tension that seemed to break any second, and Oliver watched the scene with interest.

As the tension gradually increased and reached the limit, a woman opened the door and entered.

She had short hair and wore a suit, and Oliver instinctively understood that she was a city official like Paul.

The atmosphere was very similar.

She approached Paul and whispered.

It was hard to hear what she was talking about, but after a moment of annoyance in Paul's emotions, he relaxed his impression as if he had accepted the situation.

“… … I guess I made a mistake, Sir. Since something unpleasant happened in the contaminated zone, I got too emotional. I’m sorry, Paladins."

"…No. It's good to be zealous about one's work. I think it's a virtue that our holy Father bestowed upon us, humans."

"Yeah… Well then, I'll take my leave, Paladin… Dave?"

"Yes?"

"Please faithfully participate in the investigation of the Paladins."

"Um…, yes. Nice to meet you. Officer Paul."

Oliver replied calmly.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

City official Paul left, leaving the two paladins in the room.

The tension quickly faded, and instead, a sense of hostility and hatred towards the warlock took its place.

It was clearly visible without even looking at the emotions of Paladin Elton.

"Name."

Paladin Elton asked as he sat down.

Appearing to be middle-aged, he had voluminous hair and a beard, and his facial features perfectly resembled a stone sculpture.

Emotions also became hard and rigid, as if following his appearance.

Oliver observed him calmly and answered.

"My name is Dave. I'm a solver from District T."

FLUTTER FLUTTER.

Paladin Elton spoke, as he scanned the files.

“Who is the broker in charge?”

“Mr. Forrest on Street 27.”

The file folder fluttered once again.

“How did you come into contact with him?”

"……"

Oliver didn't answer and just looked at Elton.

He looked like a lion because of his thick hair and beard, and he glared at Oliver as if he was looking at his prey.

It looked like if Oliver showed the slightest weakness, he would bite him.

Maybe it was a normal reaction. After all, Paladins are beings that fight warlocks.

‘No, was it the Demons?’

Oliver felt absurd looking at the situation where a Paladin unconditionally opposes a Warlock.

He felt that it would be nice if he could talk without hostility even if he could not be friendly.

Oliver unconsciously looked at Joanna, who was sitting next to Elton.

"Hey, Answer?"

At Elton's anger-filled words, Oliver asked cautiously.

"I'm sorry, but do I have to answer? I think it’s getting a bit personal."

Hearing Oliver’s answer, Elton said, putting his hands together and leaning his torso slightly forward.

"It doesn't matter if you don't tell me. Then, I can arrest you and take you away according to the city agreement."

“….Can you do that?”

Elton muttered in a low, resentful voice.

“Of course, you are a warlock. You are a scum that corrodes society. A potential danger that threatens the human world….”

Whatever he said, he was sincere, so Oliver explained everything. He was also afraid of being arrested.

"Okay….. I'll answer. I got introduced to him.”

"Introduced? Who?"

"From a Solver who worked with Mr. Forrest in the past. He introduced me, and thanks to him, I was able to easily get into a contract with Mr. Forrest."

“Who is that solver? How did you meet?”

Oliver pondered whether or not to answer.

He did not want to give Kent’s name….. But, the situation deemed it.

Elton was asking for confirmation rather than being curious. Oliver did not know how, but he seemed to already know about Kent’s existence, and if Oliver lied, he was ready to bite him.

“Answer?”

“His name is Kent.”

"Kent?"

“Yes, he was the person who bought me and taught me about the outside world.”

Oliver lied.

It was not a lie on the spur of the moment, it was a lie that was made after talking with Kent.

Kent suggested that it would be appropriate, and Oliver who wanted to hide the fact about his Master and his life in the Joseph family also felt the same way, so he accepted it.

Fortunately, the Paladin did not have any doubts.

‘Are there many such children?’

“Where were you before you got sold?”

“I was in a mine.”

"Mine? Where?"

“I don’t know. It was just a Mine.”

“What are the features of that mine?”

‘Features…..’

“It was dark and deep, and there were a lot of kids. The supervisor hit the kids frequently. May I ask why you are asking that?”

"The question is mine. Warlock…, is it true that you met Puppet alone?"

"Yes."

"Why? As a warlock, you do know how evil Puppet was, right?"

Elton's emotions shone strongly with suspicion.

Oliver responded as he did with Paul earlier.

“It was because it was the only way I could survive.”

“So you went alone to deal with the infamous Puppet?”

“I didn’t go alone. I went with other colleagues.”

"Yeah, I know. One soldier Solver and the two warlocks hired by the Goodman mercenaries. I've already investigated them all. Thanks to that, I know that you're the only one who actually met Puppet… What did you do with Puppet?"

“We talked, we fought, I lost, but he let me go.”

“Did he release you?”

"Yes, he released after saying it was fun."

"Fun? What?"

"Um? We talked about something before we fought, maybe he liked that?"

“… What did you talk about?”

“This and that. He talked about his research.”

“What kind of research?”

“He said that he was doing research on making a Perfect Human…. to be more precise, resurrecting them.”

“You mean resurrecting people?”

"Yeah, at least that's what he said with his own mouth."

Elton, who was skeptical, took out a notebook from his pocket and began to write.

The sound of scribbled letters reverberated quietly, and then Elton asked.

"By the way, I have a doubt. Why did Puppet tell you about his research?"

"Um? Maybe because I asked him?"

“He said because you asked him?”

“Yes, he was kind.”

Kind. At those words, Elton's expression hardened.

He showed disgust as if he was looking at a human sh*t.

“Did I say anything wrong?”

“Wrong… The wrong you did was to learn black magic. Do you know about the notoriety of Puppet?”

"To a certain extent… He lived for hundreds of years, there are rumors that he’s immortal, and I also heard that he was active in various fields such as drugs, weapons, illegal medicine, and demon worship."

"Yeah. Besides, he has done countless human experiments around the world. I saw those horrific experiments and the victims. He once took control of a small rural village and used dozens of humans living there as guinea pigs."

"I see."

At Oliver's calm response, Elton's expression grew more serious.

Oliver didn't understand what he was dissatisfied with.

It was said that it was an open secret that numerous human experiments are carried out in the laboratories by Wizards in District F.

Oliver wondered whether the Paladins did not know about this, or was it okay if it was a human experiment conducted by a wizard?

Oliver still did not understand what people were thinking.

Despite the situation being the same, they are sensitive at times and insensitive at other times.

It felt like everything was too fickle, inconsistent, and jagged.

Oliver found it interesting.

"That's why we Paladins chase after Puppet. His mere existence is dangerous for good people. I actually defeated him a few times, but he reappears laughing every time… My goal is to get rid of him and make the world safe. ”

"Okay."

"It's really strange in that sense… a guy like Puppet showing mercy on someone."

"As I said before…"

“You want me to believe that? That he even gave you a lecture about his research. Very funny.”

Elton said with a twinkle in his eyes.

If he could, he wanted to beat the sh*t out of Oliver right away.

“Can you prove that you have nothing to do with Puppet?”

“Proof?”

"Yeah, proof that you have nothing to do with him."

Oliver tried to think logically.

“…. Can you prove that I’ve something to do with him?”

"I might. If I use my hands to speak with you."

It was a bluff.

He wanted to do it, but because of something he could not torture Oliver.

So, he was hoping that Oliver would say something suspicious by putting pressure on him like this.

“I can only tell you that I have nothing to do with him.”

"Is that so? Then answer me this. Aren't warlocks a species that would do anything if they could be strong? Did Puppet not suggest anything?"

"No, he didn’t. However, I got an offer like that from another warlock some time ago."

"Hmm… what's the suggestion?"

“He said he would make me join the Black Hand if I handed over the beggar children and women to him. He said I would be able to improve my skills in no time.”

“What did you say?”

"Unfortunately, I said no. I thought it would be easy to learn black magic if I entered Black Hand, but I didn’t like it."

“…. why?"

“I did not want to offer the kids and women.”

“Hahaha… A warlock refused the opportunity to enter Blackhand because he didn't want to sacrifice some mere beggars?"

"Yes, even mere beggars are humans like everyone… like Mr. Paladin, aren’t they?"

BANG—!

Elton smashed the table with his fist.

Even though his hands were not strengthened by Paladin’s powers, the table got split into two, and Oliver, who has no emotions, was in danger of being stabbed to death if this man attacked him now.

Oliver hated being in pain or dying, and fortunately, no such tragedy occurred.

Joanna whispered something to calm Elton, and he quickly regained his composure.

Oliver wondered what she talked about, and he regretted that he couldn't talk with Joanna or ask her questions about his current status.

It was very regrettable. He wanted to thank her for giving him advice, the advice that made him come to the outside world, because of which he was having so much fun.

‘It’s a pity.’

While Oliver was regretting that he couldn’t talk to Joanna, Elton sat down and asked again.

"In short, you and Puppet have nothing to do with each other?"

"Yes, that's right."

Elton stared at Oliver for a moment, then got up and left.

⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩

After remaining in the room for a few more hours Oliver was able to get out.

Looking at the attitude of the city official and Paladin, he thought something serious might happen, but fortunately, nothing like that happened.

He wanted to experience a lot more, so he didn't want to get caught up in this kind of commotion.

There was also the option of throwing away his identity, but he didn't want to use that method as much as possible because of the things he had accumulated so far.

“Here's your stuff.”

A woman handed a bunch of luggage over the tempered glass-covered counter.

She didn't do anything special with Oliver's luggage.

There was an empty test tube after use, a wallet-sized glutton bag, and a glutton bag in a leather case.

The woman said to Oliver who was checking his items.

"It’s illegal to carry such glutton bags undetected. This is a special case, so we’ll leave it, but in other cases, it can be annoying for both of us."

"Yes. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the kind explanation."

The woman looked at Oliver with a slightly startled look.

Oliver asked.

“Um… can I ask you a question?”

“What?”

"By any chance, do you know where my quarterstaff is?"

"Quarterstaff?"

“Yes, a wooden staff. It has a bandage in the middle.”

“Is it important?”

A voice asked from behind.

Oliver answered.

"Yes, it's something important. Because I got it as a gift… Paladin Joanna?"

Oliver answered, looking at Joanna holding Kent's quarterstaff.

“Do you know my name?”

“…… Didn't we see in the room earlier?.”

“I didn’t tell you my name.”

"Um….. you didn’t tell?"

"Yes. I didn't tell you."

Joanna answered firmly.

‘Um..….’

Oliver was in a pinch.

He wondered whether he could get out of the situation by saying she looked like a person named Joanna he knew, but thought it would be more suspicious and decided not to say it.

In the end, Oliver decided to change the topic of the conversation.

"By the way, it's mine. Ms. Paladin."

"I know. That’s why I borrowed it for a while. I wanted to know if it had any kind of evil spell."

“Um… did you find it?”

"No, it's clean… Can I talk to you for a moment……… Oliver?"

(To be Continued)