Chapter 406: Millieu

Oliver asked for an apology. He was calm and quiet.

At his words, everyone, including Lucien, his bodyguards, and other members of the organization quietly seated at the corner, burst into laughter.

It was as if they were watching an absurd incident.

The only ones not laughing were Oliver and his companions.

Among them were Murphy, Murphy’s aunt Maggie, cousin Morrison, Yareli in disguise, the bodyguards, and Jane.

Their commonality was that they were all from Randa and knew of Oliver’s reputation. As well as his character.

This was no laughing matter. Not at all.

Lucien, noticing Murphy’s unusual attitude, stopped laughing and spoke.

“Ah… Sorry, I didn’t hear that. What did you just say?”

“I asked for an apology, Mr. Lucien.”

“An apology?”

“Yes.”

Oliver responded with the exact same tone, intonation, and atmosphere.

It was so identical that it almost felt like a machine was speaking instead of a person.

That eerie feeling strangely grated on people’s nerves. It was unsettling, unpleasant, and somewhat chilling.

Just as everyone was beginning to feel this strange, sticky tension, Lucien burst into his amiable, signature laughter.

“Hahaha!! This is unbelievable. It’s been ages since someone asked me for an apology! You’re quite amusing.”

“Thank you for the compliment. I’m pleased to hear that I’m amusing.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I want to be an interesting person, so I read humor books for 30 minutes a day before bed… But, I’m not joking right now. I’d appreciate an apology.”

“Why should I?”

“Because it’s polite. If you’ve been rude, you should naturally apologize.”

“I can’t listen to this anymore… Look here, Mr. Murphy. Why do you let someone beneath you talk like that? Or do you have some intention behind this?”

The woman who started the trouble questioned Murphy, and she wasn’t wrong. After all, Oliver was hired by Murphy, so it was indeed presumptuous.

Murphy understood this, and he glanced at Oliver to stop him, but he quickly gave up the idea.

The wisdom that raised him to be the alcohol king of Randa commanded him to stay silent and hold back.

Instead, Jane, who had been insulted, stepped in to stop Oliver.

She tried hard to smile as she dissuaded him.

“Um… I’m fine.”

Surprisingly, Oliver, who had been standing like a stone, responded and turned his head.

“You’re fine?”

“Yes.”

“Even though your efforts, achievements, and fellow Sisterhood members were insulted, you’re fine?”

Oliver asked Jane once more. Was she really okay? He already knew she was lying, but if she said she was fine again, he would retreat.

Because it was Jane’s choice.

Jane instinctively hesitated, sensing the weight of her words.

“I… I…”

“And if you’re not fine, what’s going to happen?”

The woman interrupted Jane and Oliver’s conversation, stepping in.

She was more than just trying to provoke; she was genuinely angry at Oliver, thinking he was being arrogant.

“I asked, what will you do if I don’t apologize?”

She pushed her face close to Oliver’s, demanding an answer. Oliver responded.

“Hmm… I haven’t thought that far.”

“What?”

“I thought if I asked politely and explained the reason, you might apologize.”

“Ah… You’re completely nuts, aren’t you?”

“Some people have said that in the past. I’m not sure why… Can I ask what it would take for you to apologize, miss?”

Oliver asked, and the woman in front of him showed great displeasure, as if she’d been insulted.

“Did you just call me ‘miss’?”

“Uh… Yes, because you are a miss.”

“…Do you want me to tell you what it would take for me to apologize?”

“I would appreciate that.”

“Father?”

The woman looked at Lucien, who, after calculating in his mind, nodded.

With his approval, the woman opened her mouth.

“We’ll settle this according to Gallos tradition… If you win, I’ll apologize. What do you think?”

“Oh, what should I do?”

“Hmph… Hey! Bring a sword!”

***

The woman called out for a sword. Then she handed it to Oliver, challenging him to a duel.

She said it was the tradition of Gallos.

“Strictly speaking, it’s a tradition that was buried.”

“How buried?”

Oliver asked Murphy while inspecting the sword he received.

He didn’t know much about swords, but it just looked like an ordinary sword. Hard, cold, sharp.

“It’s been about 50 years. It disappeared along with the noble culture during the revolution.”

“Oh, my. That’s crazy.”

Maggie, watching from afar, mumbled as Murphy explained the situation easily.

It wasn’t hard to understand. They were supposed to be negotiating the price of magical liquor, but suddenly they found themselves in the middle of a battlefield.

The members of the Murat Family, who had gathered around, were the evidence.

In the worst-case scenario, they could lose their lives, and even if they didn’t, they would have to prepare for significant losses in future deals.

Yet, the leader of the organization was helping the troublemaker put on her gauntlet and answering her questions, so Maggie’s reaction was understandable.

Oliver apologized.

“…I’m sorry, Mr. Murphy, for causing trouble when you hired me.”

“I do regret not hiring problem solver Dave instead. But it’s fine. After all, it was my choice to hire you, Mr. Jenon. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“But may I consider you indebted to me?”

Murphy spoke, changing his tone immediately. It was impressive to see him not lost in the tangled situation, trying to gain something from it.

Oliver sincerely admired him and replied.

“Of course.”

“That makes me happy. By the way, do you know how to use a sword?”

Murphy asked as he looked at the sword carelessly held in Oliver’s hand. From the way he held it, he didn’t seem familiar with swords at all.

“I use one when preparing meals.”

“And for other purposes?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You’re not allowed to use magic or black magic. You’ll only be able to enhance your body and weapon with mana. Are you okay with that?”

“Well, I think—”

“Hey, are you still not ready?”

The woman shouted at Oliver, interrupting his conversation with Murphy.

She was now wearing the corset-style armor she had worn earlier and had a gauntlet on, holding a thick-bladed rapier in one hand.

She seemed to be quite adept at using magic, as mana flowed densely throughout her sword and armor.

‘Is this how it’s done?’

Oliver used the mana stored in his body to imbue the sword with mana, just as he had done with tonfas before.

“Be careful. She might not seem like a black magician, but that woman, Sara, is quite famous among Millieu. They call her ‘Mad Sara’ because of her warlike nature.”

Oliver stared at Sara.

“She doesn’t seem crazy to me.”

Oliver gave his honest opinion. Though her actions were rough, she was similar to Lucien. They were different on the inside than on the outside.

“Is that so? Nonetheless, be careful. Her surprise dagger attacks can be quite lethal.”

“Thank you for the advice.”

Oliver responded as he walked up to an open space that had been cleared out, standing in opposition to Sara.

As Oliver took his place, the gathered members of the Murat Family cheered, shouting in Gallos to teach the arrogant Randa guy a lesson.

The room quickly became noisy.

Amidst the clamor, Sara swung her sword in the air a few times and asked.

“What’s your specialty? I don’t know what kind of guts you have, but from the way you talked back, it seems you know a thing or two.”

Oliver inspected his sword. It was just an ordinary sword made of sharp steel.

“I know a bit of black magic. A bit of regular magic too.”

“So you’re a jack of all trades with no real skills. And from the way you hold that sword, it doesn’t seem like you’ve ever handled one… Are you okay?”

“Honestly, not really.”

“Huh?”

“Personally, I don’t like swords. They’re too sharp… I’m uncomfortable with them because I might cut something I don’t intend to.”

Pak━!!

As soon as Oliver finished speaking, Sara focused her mana into her legs, and in an instant, closed the distance.

It was a technique he had seen before. It was slightly different, but the disciples of the Flesh Cook had used it.

It was quite fascinating. Despite being in competition, Millieu and the Flesh Cook faction used similar techniques… Then again, maybe it was understandable.

Anyway, in the blink of an eye, Sara had closed the gap and aimed her rapier at Oliver’s shoulder to—

—Swish! …Clang.

“Just like this.”

Oliver simply swung his arm holding the sword while standing still.

Even though it was clearly not a proper stance for swinging the sword, Sara’s rapier was cut cleanly in half. Perfectly.

The noisy room fell silent as if water had been poured over it. Sara too, without being able to react, just opened her eyes wide.

Uncomprehending, unable to believe what had just happened.

While everyone else was in stunned silence, the only one who remained composed was Oliver.

He looked at the blade and murmured uncomfortably.

“It’s too sharp, as I thought.”

“Just… What did you do?”

Sara, still frozen, asked.

“…I deflected your attack. Well, I tried to, anyway.”

Oliver pointed to the cleanly sliced rapier. It was a sword, thank goodness. If it had been something else, there might have been unintended consequences.

“Do you expect me to believe that?”

“I didn’t say it for you to believe. I said it because it’s true… More importantly, can you apologize now? I don’t know for sure, but it seems I won.”

“Where do you… Where do you… Kuck—!”

Swish! …Thud.

As soon as Sara reached for the dagger on her waist, Oliver swung his sword again and cut it in half.

Just like before, it was a clumsy motion that only involved his arm, but the dagger was cut cleanly. It was almost chilling.

The Murat Family members, sensing something amiss, lost their mood of amusement and began to rise awkwardly from their seats, drawing knives, axes, maces, or modified guns from their belts.

Naturally, Murphy’s group huddled together to protect each other.

Oliver was puzzled.

“Why is everyone acting like this?”

“You dare ask that after creating this situation?”

Sara showed a mixture of defiance, anger, fear, and anxiety on her face as she asked. Oliver could read the truth amidst those emotions.

“I see… You never intended to keep your promise, did you?”

It dawned on Oliver as he asked.

Until a moment ago, Sara had never considered the possibility of losing, so he couldn’t read such emotions from her. But now he could. She never intended to keep her promise from the start.

“…If you lay a hand on me, the people here won’t let it slide.”

Sara pointed to the Murat Family members positioned around the room, warning him. They were all skilled mana users of considerable level.

Hearing her warning, Oliver pondered for a moment and then asked.

“Hmm, I didn’t expect this… What would happen if I killed everyone here?”

“…What?”

“It seems you’re relying on these people not to apologize. So, if I were to kill them all, what would happen then?”

His tone was flat, but the content was anything but.

The surrounding Murat Family members, realizing they were being mocked, simultaneously pointed their weapons at him, and Sara’s face twisted with anger. This was a first for her—to be insulted like this.

“How dare you, even in Millieu—”

“Please answer my question. What happens if I kill everyone here?”

Oliver asked again, in the same even tone and manner as before. The only difference was the atmosphere.

That inexplicable atmosphere had a force that even the formidable Millieu could not ignore.

Everyone went silent under its pressure, and the tension in the room grew overwhelmingly thick.

Just as Oliver was about to move, having received their silent answer, a man urgently spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

The one who spoke was none other than Lucien Murat, a powerful figure in Millieu and the boss of the Murat Family.

He apologized to Oliver with great respect and ordered his men.

“Put away your weapons… I said, put them away.”

He was so serious and grave that it was hard to believe it was the same person who had welcomed Murphy earlier. It felt natural, as if this was his true self.

After disarming his men, he opened his mouth again.

“…May I ask your name? I never got it.”

“It’s Jenon. For now.”

“Jenon, is it? That’s an interesting name.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“…Anyway, I apologize. Our method before entering negotiations is to please or irritate the opponent a bit, but perhaps we went too far this time. There are some people we shouldn’t mess with. Once again, I sincerely apologize.”

It was genuine, but Oliver wasn’t fully satisfied.

“I think the apology should be made to Miss Jane, not me.”

Without hesitation, Lucien tried to apologize to Jane, despite Sara’s attempt to intervene.

“Father!”

—Smack.

Lucien slapped Sara’s face loudly and said.

“Shut up.”

At his stern words, Sara closed her mouth, and Lucien apologized to Jane again. Very, very politely.

“Miss Jane, I am truly sorry. Can you forgive my and my daughter’s rudeness? If you do, I will never forget your mercy.”

He pleaded, tapping his forehead as he did.

It was an excessively deferential attitude for someone with his standing in Millieu.

Jane replied.

“Thank you for the words. I accept your apology.”

“I’m grateful for your generosity.”

After hearing her answer, Lucien looked at Oliver as if asking if everything was now resolved.

Oliver responded.

“Thank you for the apology… Originally, I came as a bodyguard, but… I ended up causing trouble unintentionally.”

Oliver glanced around at the others. They were all still dazed, trying to comprehend the situation.

They were confused as to why Lucien, who had survived the rough Gallos and the chaos of Millieu, would bow his pride and apologize, and who exactly Oliver was to receive such an apology from Lucien.

“Um… I think it might be better if I leave now. What do you think?”

Oliver asked Murphy. Murphy, despite his tension, nodded, feeling both interest and mild amusement in the situation.

However, when Oliver asked if he would go, Murphy declined.

“I still have to finish the negotiations.”

“I see… And Miss Jane?”

“I’ll stay here as well. I’m here for work.”

Understanding this, Oliver nodded. She was here to do her job, just like Murphy and Oliver.

After hearing all their answers, Oliver bid farewell to Lucien, Murphy, and Jane.

He was so polite and cautious that it was hard to believe he was the one who had demanded an apology so boldly.

Yareli, who had been hiding her face with Disguise Magic, also followed Oliver out. As they left, the room, which had been eerily silent, began to buzz with murmurs, as if released from a spell.

It was as though everyone had been possessed by a ghost.

As everyone struggled to make sense of what just happened, Lucien and Murphy, the only ones who truly understood, exchanged words.

“I don’t know who that man is, but he doesn’t seem to be your subordinate. Can you tell me who he is?”

“What’s in it for me?”

“I’ll agree to the terms for the magical liquor negotiation if you introduce me.”