Genius Warlock - Chapter 601

Genius Black Magician – Episode 601

601. The Changing Randa (2)

Childhood and old age are different.

Forrest knew this fact better than anyone.

He had experienced childhood in the past, and now he was enjoying his old age.

Even though he was the same person, the difference between his younger self and his current, older self was so great that they could be considered different people.

His joints were like steel when he was young, but now they were like worn-out clothes. When he was young, he could eat and eat and still be hungry, but now he could only eat soup and be full.

His dreams and ambitions were the same. When he was young, he was always full of hope and felt like he could fight anything, but now that he was this age, his greatest ambition was to secure his old age, and it was best to avoid unnecessary fights. This was especially true when his opponent was stronger than him.

However, if asked what changed the most, it was the perception of time.

When he was young, everything was boring and slow, and he thought that the times would never change, but as he got older, he realized that the world continued to change.

The colony that seemed to be expanding forever was stagnating, and rumors of the queen’s deteriorating health were spreading, who seemed to reign forever. The world was changing slowly but surely.

And sometimes it changed so quickly that it was hard to keep up.

The sudden death of the Fingers, who had reigned for dozens or hundreds of years, was like that, and the crazy proposal that the Pater Church would sponsor the Black Magician was like that, and the fact that Zone X had become a livable area was like that.

Coincidentally, all of these things were related to the man sitting in front of him.

“Did you have a good trip?”

A high-rise office overlooking Zone X. Forrest asked the man in front of him.

Dave, the fixer who now represented not only Zone T, but the entire Randa, an employee of the Magic Tower, and a co-representative of the Redevelopment Union.

“Thanks to your consideration, I was able to have a good trip.”

He nodded as usual and answered politely. It was not a new attitude. However, Forrest sensed that Oliver had changed a lot in the short time he had been away.

It wasn’t because of his dyed black hair, and it wasn’t because he was wearing gloves on both hands. The atmosphere itself had changed.

His demeanor had changed occasionally in the past, but this time it was different. In the past, it had been temporary and the range of change had not been great, but this time it was different.

As proof of this, there was something strange in Oliver’s eyes. A strange look of determination and obsession.

Forrest was able to see through it because of his profession as a broker who faced the desires of others, and that was why he was both expectand worried.

For such a light to be in Dave’s eyes.

Knock.

While Forrest was observing Oliver, Oliver placed a long box next to him on the table.

“What is it?”

“It’s a travel gift. I heard it’s polite to buy something when you go far away.”

Forrest opened the box.

“Alcohol?”

“Yes, it’s moonshine made in Vin City. I heard it’s made safely, so it’s good for your health and the taste is guaranteed.”

“I don’t know if the word ‘safe’ goes with ‘moonshine’, but I’ll take it with gratitude.”

“You won’t drink it?”

“I’ll save it for a special day. It’s not that the alcohol is too strong to drink.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I met Al-ssi before I came. I heard there were a lot of things going on in Randa.”

“I got a call too. A lot of things happened. But the biggest scoop of all-”

-Knock.

Forrest placed the newspaper he had prepared in advance on the table. It was none other than the article that the Great Magician Archive had recovered the Sea of Oblivion, which even the United Kingdom had given up on.

[Great Magician Archive! Defeating the Sea Monster and Recovering the Sea of Oblivion!!]

Under the fancy title was a picture of the sea monster torn into three pieces.

“Randa has a scoop every day, but the biggest scoop right now is Archive Merlin and his disciple, Zenon Bright I. Zenon Bright is-”

“-It’s the name I use in the Magic Tower.”

“That’s right, your double identity. Honestly, what’s the point of calling it a double identity? Everyone knows.”

Forrest’s words were true. Zenon Bright was already one of Oliver’s double identities that had been revealed in Lake Village. However, it had not disappeared and was still being maintained, perhaps for political reasons or because of the inertia of time.

Thanks to this, an absurd double identity was born that everyone knew about. It was a double identity that was perhaps rarer than a perfect double identity.

“That’s not the reaction I was expecting.”

“What reaction were you expecting?”

“Well? Oh, this is wrong. Actually, you did all this. Can you correct the report? I thought you would say the same thing.”

He guessed perfectly based on Oliver’s past appearance.

Oliver said he would gain money and fame to obtain the Book of the Devil, but ironically, he didn’t want excessive fame.

He wanted fame that was not overwhelmingly high, but just enough, moderately high. It was truly contradictory. Well, is that the only contradiction? Anyway, Oliver answered.

“I thought about that, but listen first. I think I’m ready.”

“Is that all?”

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll focus on business for now.”

“Suddenly?”

“Yes.”

After hearing the answer, Forrest stared at Oliver. It was something to be happy about, but he was rather worried. People don’t change suddenly, just like the saying that people who die suddenly die. In order to change, you need a motive that suits you. A strong motive such as death, the secret of birth, and revenge.

“What’s the reason?”

“Hmm, I think I should live diligently? Wasn’t Miss Jane kidnapped a while ago?”

“And she came back safely.”

“Yes, fortunately. But I can’t be lucky forever. That’s why I think I should live diligently. For myself and the people around me. Wouldn’t it be sad if something happened? Poverty, accidents, disasters. Business is not the only way to do that.”

“That’s right. Life must be secure for its foundation to be solid.”

“I also have personal greed.”

“What greed?”

“I want to be a human. A good person. Like Mr. Kant?”

It was out of the blue, but for some reason, Forrest wasn’t particularly surprised.

“What does doing business have to do with being a good person?”

“Didn’t Forrest-nim and Paul Carver say that doing business is helping others? Because it creates jobs.”

Forrest could not deny it. In fact, he had said such a thing, and most of the upper class in Randa had that idea.

Pursuing personal interests is the same as helping others. How idealistic and realistic is this?

“I think that makes sense too. I think this is more productive and sustainable than the way Mr. Kant does it. So I’m going to try doing some business. Is that strange?”

It was strange. The idea itself was not strange, but it was strange because it had changed so suddenly.

Oliver had liked Kant in the past, and it was true that he helped others well, but now it was different from the past.

In the past, the act of helping others was the purpose itself, but now it felt like a means.

It probably had something to do with the obsession reflected in Oliver’s eyes.

However, Forrest couldn’t bring himself to ask. It went against Forrest’s principle of always maintaining an appropriate distance from his business partners.

No, it was because he knew that he wouldn’t get a proper answer even if he asked. Such emotions could not be conveyed by asking. If you touch it awkwardly, it will only hide deeper.

So Forrest shook his head. It’s not strange, he said.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I’m rather glad. I think you’ve become a real Randa person. So, in that sense, shall we talk about business?”

“Is it about the new class?”

“Oh, there’s more to it than that.”

***

Forrest explained. What happened during the short or long time Oliver left Randa, starting with the legacy of the cannibal chef.

First of all, starting with the small things, the unaffiliated gangs that were driven out by the Crime Firm and the Fighter Crew scattered to small towns around Randa and formed completely new gangs.

‘It’s more of a headache than I thought. They loot the supplies going in and out of Randa, and Randa City can’t do much because it can’t exert its power outside of Randa. It’s too big for a private organization to handle.’

‘Is it that bad?’

‘Yeah, they must have been weaklings who couldn’t survive in Randa, but now they’ve built up a solid force. Of course, if I make up my mind, I can smash one or two of them, but it’s not worth it. War only brings losses, and it could lead to containment from the central political circles. Someone must have decided to torment Randa and supported them.’

Oliver seemed to know who that someone was. It was probably the Puppet.

In the process of trying to find the kidnapped Eve, there was a time when Rilis provided equipment to the Load gang and the local Crime Firm branch. Behind Rilis is Puppet.

‘I keep getting involved with him.’

Forrest continued his explanation. He said that he was planning to establish a large magical institution like Matop under the leadership of the royal family.

The scale was so large that even the traditional schools were interested, but Oliver was not surprised this time. He had heard that story from Prince Albert in the New Continent. He had even received a scout offer.

The next explanation was similar. The administrative system reform of Landa through Eve and the Central Parliament of the United Kingdom that covets it. And so on. All of them were stories that he had heard once before, so they were not very new. However, it was helpful for Forrest to explain it in more detail.

However, the most interesting thing was the new class alliance, New Gentleman.

The new class, which is mainly seen in Landa, refers to superhumans who have acquired wealth, and typical examples are the wizard and Enjoyment Druid, Seamus.

And the New Gentleman was said to be an organization created for such new class members to protect their friendship and interests.

Oh, by the way, wizards. To be exact, wizards belonging to Matop were not included here.

The new class belonging to the New Gentleman were superhumans of the same kind as Seamus, or in vulgar terms, they were from the streets.

Those who started as troubleshooters and ran their own businesses. Thanks to this, the businesses affiliated with the New Gentleman ranged from shady to sunny, or somewhere in between.

From simple trading businesses to real estate, agriculture, loan sharking, gambling, newspapers, radio channels, entertainment, mercenaries, prostitution, drugs, and even pseudo-religions.

However, the reason why Landa City was watching them was not because of that.

‘The councilors of Landa City don’t care about that. They think that crime helps the economy to some extent. They don’t care as long as they pay their taxes. The problem is that they are attached to the Central Parliament.’

‘Is there any evidence?’

‘It’s strange that they are united.’

Forrest said that it is not strange for a new class to appear, but it is strange for them to unite.

The reason was none other than the characteristics of superhumans. He said that the nouveau riche with excessive power in the human mind do not get along well with each other.

Most of them have strong physiques and have tasted great success in a short period of time, so their self-consciousness becomes excessively inflated, and when they gather with similar people, they tend to growl rather than make friends.

Am I better, or are you better?

The problem was that when superhumans growled at each other, it didn’t end with growling.

‘But they suddenly united. When there is a threat around Landa, and Landa and the Central Parliament are starting to play a game of chicken over Eve. Why now of all times?’

Then, Forrest suddenly mentioned those who had grown rapidly and entered the new class, and explained that the New Gentleman was founded around them.

‘Why is the name New Gentleman?’

‘I guess they want to be the new gentry class. It’s a kind of vanity.’

The New Gentleman is currently refusing to belong to the Union and is taking away business from the new class, and is also fighting for ranks within the organization, forming a middle ground between a friendship and interest group.

Of course, such behavior made the commoners, the city, and the existing capitalists uneasy, so they consulted and put in the Knuckle Crew.

‘The subsidy is a subsidy, but we were also curious about what kind of guys they were. Also, we can get a say.’

‘Did they accept it?’

‘It just so happened that the New Gentleman superhumans who were competing with the Crime Firm were knocked down by Joe. It seems that it was a kind of verification, so they accepted it. They must have other motives, though.’

‘Did you find out anything?’

‘Not right now. So you don’t have to do anything right now. Probably, they will also be watching you come back and watch the situation.’

‘That’s good. Then, I’ll take care of my business in the meantime,’

‘What business?’

‘I want to talk.’

‘To whom?’

‘Everyone.’

Oliver recalled the conversation he had with Forrest and returned to reality and looked at Celine, the Chosen One’s believer in front of him.

A believer of the Chosen One he first met when he returned to Winham. Oliver greeted the girl.

“Long time no see. Celine. Have you been well?”