Chapter 455: Oliver tilted his head.

A living legend who killed over a hundred Druids? That was hard to grasp.

But the word that puzzled him the most was ‘Woodsman.’

It seemed to be a nickname, but Oliver had never heard it used for him before.

The bald old man noticed Oliver’s reaction.

“Seems like he has no clue,” he remarked.

Edith turned to look at Oliver.

“…Why that reaction?”

“I don’t really understand. Woodsman? What do you mean by that?”

The people around them began murmuring loudly. It was only natural since the person in question had no idea about his own introduction.

The bald old man and the traditional capitalists showed annoyance and mockery, while the nouveau riche group seemed disappointed and confused.

Edith, however, remained calm.

“Of course, it’s your nickname. You got it after you killed over a hundred Druids like cutting down trees… Isn’t that right?”

“Yes.”

Oliver answered firmly.

“But I’ve never killed a hundred Druids.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I only killed 82.”

The atmosphere changed instantly, and everyone furrowed their brows at what seemed to be nonsense. But Oliver was serious. Thanks to Joe’s intervention, he’d stopped at 82. That was an important issue to him.

Edith, after hearing Oliver’s answer, looked ahead again.

“And he’s as crazy as the rumors say. Just look. He’ll be a real asset during the shareholder meeting. He can handle those ‘Red Ones’ terrorist Dark Wizards and the Pinkman hired by the noble group… By the way, you’ve worked with Pinkman before, haven’t you?”

“Just once.”

“Perfect. That means you’ve got experience.”

Although Oliver couldn’t agree at all with her story, Edith made up her mind.

Feeling that things might escalate too far, Oliver interrupted.

“Excuse me, Miss Edith… I haven’t agreed to take the job yet.”

“Oh, but I assure you, you will. You owe me.”

Debt. At the mention of that word, memories flashed in Oliver’s mind.

When Edith informed him about Marie and the chosen ones being in danger due to the Holy Knight.

She had called it a debt when giving him the information and told him he could repay it later. Without hesitation, Oliver had accepted it back then.

It had seemed more important at the time.

“You haven’t forgotten, right? So, what’s your answer?”

Edith asked. The answer was already as good as decided.

“As long as I only need to help until the shareholders’ meeting ends?”

“Precisely, until the meeting ends and everything is settled. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, there’s no problem.”

“Good. Honestly, even if there was a problem, I wouldn’t care.”

Edith spoke sharply. Oliver nodded, not bothered, and agreed to her proposal once again. A promise was a promise, after all.

With Oliver’s employment secure, Edith showed satisfaction. Then, someone else spoke up. It was the bald old man.

“So, what do you want from me?”

The attention shifted from Edith and Oliver to the bald old man.

Judging by his influence in this space and the fact that the mansion butler called him master, he seemed to be Bryan, the leader of the traditional capitalist group.

He looked at Oliver.

“Dave, the solver from T-District’s 30th Street… I’ve heard of you. Took down the source of all evil during the Randa ABC Incident and turned into a businessman. Didn’t expect to see someone this thin, though.”

Oliver was about to correct him, saying he had never turned into a businessman, but Edith interrupted him.

Bryan continued.

“If you hired such a fixer, you must have paid a hefty price. Edith, I know it’s not free. What do you want?”

Edith smiled at how quickly Bryan was moving the conversation forward.

He pulled over a nearby sofa, placed it in front of Bryan, and sat down across from him.

“Let’s be frank. As you mentioned, hiring this guy was very expensive. I had to use a debt I had carefully saved for later.”

“You’re going on and on.”

“Fine, I’ll get to the point. Let’s change our candidate to oppose the noble group.”

Edith came straight to the point. This immediately caused an uproar among Bryan’s people. They protested, saying the matter was already settled.

But Bryan and Edith continued the conversation.

“That’s absurd.”

“Ha! You know better than anyone it’s not absurd. The damn Dark Wizard terrorists and the nobles’ Pinkman are pushing us into a disadvantageous position. If this continues, we’ll lose. No, we’re bound to.”

Edith stated with certainty.

“If you were sure you could win, you wouldn’t be holding this shareholders’ meeting. Some say Kenny was even forced to resign under threat… It can’t go on like this. The Pinkman are pressuring other shareholders, and our side is sitting ducks. Isn’t that proof we’re at a loss?”

Edith’s tone was rough, but no one could deny her words.

It seemed that the shareholders’ meeting was becoming more and more disadvantageous for their side.

Just then, someone interrupted. A man who seemed to be a mercenary officer spoke up.

Although his arms and chest were thickly muscled, his belly protruded like a small mountain. He radiated an aura of immense magic and vitality, a sign of great skill.

“Forgive me, but are we really saying that this skinny skeleton is better than us?”

“Of course. What, are your ears blocked? Did I not just say he’s one of the top solvers in Randa? Randa, I said! He’s also a Magic Tower wizard.”

“I’m merely an employee.”

Oliver added immediately, fearing people might overestimate him. But it had no effect.

“A Dark Wizard in the Magic Tower?”

Someone muttered, prompting everyone to murmur louder.

Once again, Oliver was reminded how unusual it was for a Dark Wizard to be hired at the Tower.

“It was just luck.”

Oliver said to the people. Truly, it had been due to Merlin and Kevin that he landed the job, so luck played a part.

However, the people weren’t listening to him, their murmurs growing louder.

Suddenly, Oliver wondered how things had come to this. He had only come here to meet Joanna.

‘Perhaps using Dark Magic back then was a mistake?’

He thought back to when the zombie puppet had attempted to self-destruct, wondering if letting it explode would have been better.

Then he wouldn’t have been caught by the Holy Knight, and he wouldn’t be here now.

Of course, that would have caused countless casualties in the explosion.

‘Hmm, that doesn’t seem right… Besides, Miss Edith’s request is legitimate.’

Oliver tried to think more positively.

Joanna wasn’t likely to leave the city, so it should be okay to take it easy for now.

Moreover, he had developed an interest in the New Continent and Prometheus Corp.

It wasn’t a bad situation after all.

As Oliver tried to come to a positive conclusion, a young mercenary exchanged looks with the officer and then came forward.

Despite his young age and light reddish skin, he seemed to hold a certain rank.

He stepped forward, determination shining in his eyes.

“Would you mind if we test that out?”

All eyes turned to the young mercenary who had stepped forward.

“Since you’re hired by Miss Edith, you’ll be working with us, so we should know your capabilities, right? How about we test it?”

The mercenary looked at Edith as he spoke. Bryan also agreed.

“It doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Rumors can be misleading, especially when someone is this confident. Besides, I’m curious to see those skills as well.”

Edith turned her head to Oliver.

“Are you okay with this?”

“Well… If my employer wishes it, then I’m fine with it.”

“That’s good.”

Without warning, the young mercenary who had suggested the test suddenly drew a tomahawk from his waist and hurled it.

Empowered by magic, the tomahawk whizzed through the air like a bullet, aiming straight for Oliver’s head.

Thwack. Boom!

Oliver instinctively caught the incoming tomahawk mid-air and slammed it into the marble floor.

The incredible sight, which happened in under a second, shocked everyone, but it wasn’t over yet.

The mercenary, gathering magic in his feet, launched himself toward Oliver, following up with a magically charged punch.

The timing, form, and speed of the punch were top-notch.

Crack!

A dull thud echoed as the mercenary’s punch landed.

But it was the sound of Oliver’s fist connecting with the mercenary’s chin after parrying the attack.

Oliver had unconsciously counterattacked, and the ambushing mercenary crumpled forward, like a puppet with its strings cut.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Everyone blinked at the scene before them. It was a rare sight to see a Dark Wizard not only fend off a close-range attack from a skilled magic-user but also effortlessly subdue them.

However, Oliver, oblivious to his achievement, just supported the fallen mercenary.

“Oh dear, are you alright?”

***

“Puhahahahaha!”

After the commotion ended, Edith returned home.

He burst into laughter in front of a table loaded with various foods. Some food particles even sprayed onto the table from his mouth.

His behavior was far from well-mannered.

But across from him, Oliver was also stuffing himself with food, completely indifferent. He couldn’t seem to fill his stomach, no matter how much he ate.

“…Aren’t you going to ask why I’m laughing?”

Oliver, after swallowing a whole buttered lobster, wiped his mouth with a napkin and asked.

“…May I ask why you’re laughing?”

“You’ve changed significantly.”

“Pardon?”

“You used to eat quite a lot, but you never seemed hungry. Now you look famished.”

Oliver nodded in agreement. He had always eaten a lot, but even with smaller portions, it had never been an issue.

Whether he ate more or less, he had always been satisfied with his meal.

But that wasn’t the case now. He was so hungry that he even ate calorie bars when it wasn’t mealtime.

“Do you have some serious illness? Or is it battle aftereffects?”

A sharp guess. Oliver replied that it was nothing serious. Just a persistent hunger.

“It doesn’t interfere with my work.”

“Well… That’s good, then.”

Edith replied. For some reason, though, it didn’t seem to be the real point.

“Anyway, that was amusing earlier. Though they lack the organizational power and skills of Pinkman, even the Conquistador Mercenaries aren’t pushovers. And you managed to subdue one. I knew Dark Magic was impressive, but I didn’t know your reflexes were that good.”

“It’s probably thanks to training with my friends.”

Oliver casually replied. Though he felt his physical abilities had improved because of the Flesh Cook, he couldn’t tell the whole story.

‘Still, I didn’t expect to grow this strong.’

Oliver recalled the moment when he had instinctively blocked the tomahawk and counterattacked the mercenary. It had been a surprise even to him.

“By the way, are those mercenaries well-known?”

“Well, maybe not in Randa, but here in the New Continent, they’re fairly famous. Their skills are one thing, but they’re also descendants of the first explorers who conquered this land.”

“Ah, so that’s where the name comes from… Impressive.”

“It’s not. That’s just a lie.”

“A lie?”

“Yeah, the New Continent is called the Land of Beginnings because you can erase your past and create a new one. Go out on the streets, and you might meet a king’s bastard, fallen nobles, or descendants of a forgotten dynasty.”

“Oh…”

“But even so, their skills are real. People here at First Step hire them whenever they need muscle. For suppressing protests, beating and killing labor activists, handling real estate disputes, hunting down ‘Red Ones’ terrorists, tracking criminals, and so on.”

Edith pushed a piece of pork rib into his mouth, having dipped it in sauce.

“Not that they could hold a candle to Pinkman.”

“Are Pinkman really that formidable?”

“What? Are you asking because you genuinely don’t know? You’ve been at this long enough to know better.”

“I know they’re a sophisticated mercenary company, composed of superhumans, regular troops, and former police personnel. Their organization is solid. But that’s only theoretical knowledge.”

“That’s good. Knowing as much as you do is already impressive. I’ll add that they also have their own Net Navigators. That’s what makes Pinkman so terrifying. It’s more deadly than mere physical strength.”

“I see. By the way, Miss Jane told me about it.”

“What?”

“Miss Jane. She told me when I first guarded her. We talked about Pinkman and other things.”

“I see…”

“Do you know that Miss Jane is heavily involved in the Ravely reconstruction project in Gallos’s capital?”

“I couldn’t care less. What I’m more curious about is why you’re telling me.”

“I just wanted to let you know.”

“Hmm, well, I just feel like hitting you. What, think I won’t?”

Edith grabbed the large liquor bottle beside him, asking the question. He really seemed willing to throw it.

“If I offended you, I apologize.”

“Of course, you should be sorry. I’m your employer. Don’t ruin my mood… No telling how things might go from here on.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Curious about Edith’s ominous words, Oliver asked, but Edith didn’t reply.

“You should start thinking on your own. Do you think everyone will kindly answer your questions? People only answer when it serves their interest.”

“That’s a fair point… Then, may I ask something relevant to the current matter? Since it’s related to your interest, Miss Edith.”

“Go ahead.”

Edith said, gnawing on a gigantic roasted goose.

“Why did you hire the Conquistador Mercenaries instead of Pinkman? I don’t mind, but it seems like you and the others value Pinkman more.”

It was a reasonable question. While businessmen today might skimp on workers’ wages, they wouldn’t skimp on paying for violence.

They knew that cutting costs there could risk not just their business but their lives as well.

Especially for the wealthy, like Edith.

“That’s a better question. But you’re still wrong. It’s not that we didn’t hire Pinkman; we couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“The noble group hired them. They primarily serve central politicians and nobles connected to the legislature, so they refused our offer despite us asking first.”

Oliver roughly understood. Pinkman received many requests from the political sphere, so much that they had ties with the political world.

Yet, it left him wondering.

“But aren’t capitalists and businesspeople their primary clients?”

“Yes, but to Pinkman, we’re like wild animals in the forest, whereas politicians are more like livestock raised at home. Pinkman prioritize business convenience, political influence, and national contracts. So, when forced to choose, we’re the ones they drop. As long as the forest exists, wild animals will keep coming up.”

Oliver understood. But it gave rise to a new question.

“But if this shareholder meeting is to elect a CEO, does having mercenaries really matter that much?”

“That’s a stupid question. Why? Do you think things run smoothly just because you’re outside of Randa? The moment voting starts, mercenaries might have nothing to do, but till then, they’re crucial. For example, convincing other shareholders who are on the fence.”

Oliver immediately understood. It was something he had witnessed multiple times in Randa.

Edith added.

“Actually, even after the meeting starts, mercenaries will be needed. If things go south, they might use force to block the meeting entrance or overturn the entire session. Of course, the opposition would respond in kind. Violence is indispensable. That’s why Bryan agreed to re-elect a candidate, even if it was conditional.”

“Ah, so that’s why Bryan’s mansion was so heavily guarded.”

Edith shook his head.

“That’s a different case. That mansion was always guarded like that, even before the shareholders’ meeting.”

Oliver tilted his head and asked why. With that level of security, the upkeep costs would be significant. Rich people were known for being particular about their safety, but this seemed excessive.

“There have been disturbing rumors about the New Continent for a long time.”

“‘Red Ones’ Dark Wizards?”

“No, not that. I mean children’s ghost stories. Like how, every night, a fish-man comes up from the port and offers deals, or an old man with a sack takes children away… Did you happen to see anyone praying on the boat when you came here?”

Oliver recalled the time he boarded the passenger ship.

“There was. A sailor on the harbor deck was lighting candles and praying, asking to be protected from sea monsters.”

“That’s also a kind of ghost story. They say there’s a crocodile so massive and powerful that it lives between the Old Continent and the New Continent. It’s all nonsense, but a lot of people still believe it… Even now, sometimes people claim to have seen the monster from the tales. That’s why rich old folks always hire mercenaries. They’re scared. Isn’t it hilarious? Having so much money, but still trembling at children’s ghost stories.”