Chapter 465: . Pandora

465. Pandora (1)

“Are you joking right now?”

An elderly gentleman with silver-tinged white hair and intellectual round glasses asked the man seated before him.

The man pointed to his own crushed nose under the gentleman’s scrutiny.

“Do I look like I’m joking? See this face?”

The man brandished his nose as if it were a token of innocence. The elderly gentleman apologized.

“If I offended you, I apologize, Mr. Edith. It’s just hard to believe a fixer would hit their employer.”

“Well, I understand. I was shocked too. Nowadays, in Randa, new money types with no background are showing up, leading to incidents like this all the time. I never expected I’d be a victim.”

Edith casually complained before getting to the point.

“Anyway, I apologize. I should’ve captured Dave myself, but like an idiot, I failed and got beaten… It’s a disgrace, a complete disgrace.”

The elderly gentleman remained silent. He had already tripled the price to deal with an annoying pest, yet nothing was resolved.

Even so, it wasn’t easy to assign blame.

“You’re disappointed, I see. If it’s alright with you, I can delay my departure and catch Dave. I’ll even hire mercenaries with the money I made this time… And for my nose’s revenge. How abou—”

“—No, that’s fine.”

The elderly gentleman firmly declined Edith’s offer. There was no need to make a messy situation messier.

“You’re also a victim, Edith. That would be too harsh. We’ll take care of it; you just go home and rest.”

“Oh, thank you for saying that. I guess such kindness comes from being affiliated with the Royal Family. I feel a lot lighter now, thanks to you.”

Edith genuinely felt relieved, as he was now free of all responsibility.

The elderly gentleman knew that as well, but despite feeling outmaneuvered, he had no choice.

If he couldn’t leave Edith behind, nothing would get resolved.

“So we’ll handle that fixer named Dave… Is that alright with you?”

“Of course. If you’re doing my job for me, why wouldn’t I be fine with it? …Actually—”

“…What?”

“Kill him good. For my nose’s revenge. I liked my nose, you know.”

The elderly gentleman narrowed his eyes just slightly, trying to gauge whether Edith was serious or not.

He looked like a fat pig on the outside, but his actions were just like those of an old fox.

‘Well, no wonder he bought a noble family’s daughter like a broodmare.’

The elderly gentleman extended his hand toward Edith.

“Thank you for coming to speak even after suffering such unjust violence.”

“No need to thank me. I charged a hefty sum, after all; this is the least I should do. I’d like to help more, but since you said it’s alright, I’ll take my leave.”

“Very well…”

“Even though Dave is currently the most successful fixer in Randa, if the Pinkman team up, you can surely take him down.”

Edith pointedly glanced at the men in pink jackets next to the elderly gentlemen.

“A sniper attack, or perhaps using Holy Power items… Ah, and he can also control the natural forces, so keep that in mind.”

Edith advised them about Oliver’s various rumored abilities, all while pretending to be a real victim.

Even the elderly gentleman, who had witnessed many dirty political tricks while serving the Royal Family, began to wonder if Edith was truly a victim of Dave’s.

Creak… click.

As soon as the confused Edith left, the elderly gentleman turned to the Pinkman. These were all team leaders, experts in their field.

“What do you think?”

Pinkman 1 responded.

“Something doesn’t add up. I’ve never met this fixer Dave, but according to the Randa branch’s report, he isn’t someone who would hit his employer, let alone unilaterally break a contract.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, as a fixer, he has a good reputation. His mission success rate is 100 percent. He’s peculiar but gentlemanly.”

“So, Edith lied?”

“That’s unclear.”

Another Pinkman chimed in.

“Edith’s warnings about Dave’s abilities are all accurate. He’s a rare case of someone controlling natural forces, and recently, despite his scrawniness, his physical abilities have improved. He reportedly underwent some black magic procedure.”

“So, in the end, you don’t know what the truth is. Whether Edith is pulling a fast one or not.”

The elderly gentleman sharpened his tone as he spoke towards the chattering Pinkman.

Though the Royal Secretary’s voice and manner were dignified and courteous, they also carried a coldness and authority that even the Pinkman leaders couldn’t dismiss.

He was someone who had served as a secretary for life in the world’s strongest allied kingdom.

The elderly gentleman spoke once again.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Will you be able to subdue this fixer Dave? Maybe not now, but just in case.”

“Yes, it’s possible.”

Pinkman 1 answered.

“He may be the impressive fixer who single-handedly took down Seamus and Enjoyment, but everyone has a weakness, and that’s our specialty. With the right equipment and team, we can manage.”

Pinkman 2 naturally chimed in.

“However, I don’t think it would be wise to divert manpower right now.”

“Why?”

“The shareholders’ meeting is about to start, and key figures, including the second prince, will soon arrive here. We must bolster security accordingly. Although some military mages will be sent, it’s said that the Red Ones’ black magicians are acting suspiciously, so we need to be cautious. Moreover…”

“…What?”

“A Net Navigator has reported the presence of the Forest Maiden in this city. It’s a rare opportunity. We should focus our efforts there.”

“So, you’re suggesting we just ignore the pest?”

“No, I suggest we let the Holy Knights handle it instead. According to the report, they’re also keeping an eye on Dave, so if we inform them that Edith has left, they’ll take care of it.”

Pinkman 2’s practical suggestion was seconded by Pinkman 1.

“I agree. Considering the personality of the Holy Knights, they’ll likely do more than we expect.”

The cool-headed advice from the Pinkman team leaders. The Royal Secretary, substituting for the first prince, responded.

“Very well. Proceed as you’ve suggested. The rest of you, continue preparing to welcome the second prince and other distinguished guests. Keep an eye on the opposing shareholders. This shareholders’ meeting must conclude smoothly so that Prince Edward can be appointed as the CEO.”

***

“Hmm…”

Inside a room at the First Step hotel.

Oliver was sitting on the bed, surrounded by a pile of books, reading a particular volume.

It was none other than a demon’s book, the one he’d partially read before, [Demon. Summoning. City. Observation. Record.].

The book contained many intriguing stories, documenting the exploration of a city from the outskirts to the center after a demon had been summoned.

For example, it mentioned an unknown, twisted entity (presumed demon) appearing in a village 100 kilometers from the city or the mass suicides of many people.

While summarizing it in a single line might seem underwhelming, the details and illustrations in the book made it impossible to dismiss it lightly.

How should I put it… despite the responsibility the author bore, there was an overwhelming sense of fear conveyed.

And that fear peaked the moment the author moved from the outskirts and entered the city center.

“The inside of the city was terrifying beyond words because it was too desolate. This city, ■■■, was once a great, prosperous city on Earth, but now there was nothing left. Not even a single corpse.”

Scratch, scratch, scratch.

Oliver sat cross-legged, muttering the words as he transferred the contents to his notebook.

Previously, the book had been written in a mostly objective and neutral tone, but suddenly, it shifted to a more personal reflection, almost like a commentary.

Thanks to that, it became easier to immerse himself in the text.

“There were no corpses at all. Despite being a city of cities where countless people lived, all that remained were the large, ornate buildings that were evidence of its once-prosperous past. Massive structures that shot up like spikes, marble-clad tombs, gigantic golden statues, mysterious and colossal beasts’ idols. Aside from that, there was nothing. As if it had all been nonexistent from the start.”

Amidst the text, there was an illustration depicting the city at that time. The city was vast, grand, and ornate as described.

However, at the same time, it was unnervingly clean. So clean that it gave one chills.

The book’s author seemed to feel the same way, as they spent several lines detailing the feeling.

The eerie sensation of excessive cleanliness,

The oppression from the overwhelming silence,

The abnormal eeriness of an Bean City.

Nonetheless, the author didn’t flee but continued exploring the city, and after a week, they managed to discover some interesting things.

The first was a record presumed to have been left by the citizens, describing the signs preceding the demon’s descent.

Though much of it had been lost, it mentioned that the signs were multiple, not singular. The first sign was that the water turned red.

An interesting story. Oliver meticulously transferred this information to his notebook before reading the second discovery.

It was a strange tree, resembling a human being.

“A tree unlike any other I’d ever seen… not a tree, but hard flesh… between the wounds, something dark red … alive … hot, pulsating, even if broken, it regenerated… from what’s presumed to be the mouth, some sort of whispering sounds… communion? A prayer? A curse?… the bulging parts… wriggling… It seems this tree…”

The book contained several pages describing and detailing the strange tree, and Oliver mumbled softly to himself as he transferred all the contents.

There were also illustrations, but unlike earlier ones, these were vague and metaphysical, making it hard to tell exactly what had been drawn.

As if even the illustrator didn’t know what they were depicting.

Oliver still attempted to mimic the illustrations as closely as possible in his notebook.

Finally, he finished reading the first demon’s book, [Demon. Summoning. City. Observation. Record.].

“Ugh…”

As soon as he closed the book, Oliver felt a wave of fatigue and massaged the center of his eyes.

The beginning and middle sections of the book were also filled with fascinating stories, but the part about the city’s interior towards the end was even more so, demanding more of his concentration and, thus, more exhaustion.

“Though that’s not the only reason I’m tired.”

Oliver stood up from the bed, stretched his body, and thought while appeasing his hunger with a Calorie Bar and some cookies.

The fact that he found nothing after searching all the suspicious places based on the information Edith gave him also added to his weariness.

Having found nothing, he pushed himself even harder, which only further drained him physically and mentally.

In hindsight, this might have been inevitable.

The information Edith provided was nothing more than decades-old rumors. Whether or not they were true was uncertain, and even if they were, it wouldn’t be surprising if they’d vanished after so many years.

A period of decades was enough time for things to be erased or worn away naturally.

In other words, it was a mistake to approach the matter from the start.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

After reading the book and reflecting on recent events, Oliver stuffed his mouth with snacks, feeling a peculiar sense of deflation.

It was strange. The original reason he came to the New Continent was to meet Joanna and seek her advice, but now he wondered what he was even doing.

“I can’t talk to that knight now, and though the demon summoning is interesting, I feel oddly drained…”

For a moment, Oliver sat blankly on the bed, but after a few seconds, he realized he couldn’t stay like this. He forcibly got up.

If he kept going like this, he might end up wasting all his time and return to Randa empty-handed.

A situation he still wanted to avoid.

So Oliver decided to focus on the task immediately before him.

The first task was organizing. He fed the unread demon books to Big Mouth and marked [Demon. Summoning. City. Observation. Record.] with a sign.

The sign indicating it had been read.

He planned to feed the book to the one Edith had given him later.

Since it was a demon book recognized by Merlin, which had been in the possession of the Flesh Cook, Edith’s book was sure to be consumed, incorporating its contents.

“Of course, I’ll read it a few more times first.”

With that thought, Oliver proceeded to feed [Demon. Summoning. City. Observation. Record.] to Big Mouth and finish his organization. Then, he decided to have a meal.

Even after eating six Calorie Bars and a plate of cookies, he was still hungry, even hungrier than before.

Oliver then put on his pants and shirt, layered a vest and jacket, and drew on the mana stored in his body to perform camouflage magic.

Using the pure mana-based camouflage magic, he concealed his gaunt face and hands.

This was to avoid potential pursuit by any Holy Knights or noble groups, following Edith’s advice.

Oliver made some final adjustments using a mirror and then headed to the hotel restaurant, taking his usual seat.

It wasn’t an official reserved spot, but after tipping generously while staying at the hotel for several days, he’d essentially claimed it.

The waiter brought a silver tray with that day’s newspaper and placed it in front of Oliver, who had been expecting it. They’d begun doing this on their own after he’d started reading the paper while waiting for his meal.

“Here’s today’s newspaper, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Oliver responded to the waiter’s kindness with a polite greeting and a tip.

The waiter recommended the day’s menu, and Oliver placed his order.

As the waiter withdrew, Oliver, now alone, picked up the newspaper to read.

While the newspapers of the New Continent were simpler in format than those in Old Continent like Randa, they still contained one or two interesting stories.

One noted that the long-awaited princes and other noble guests had finally arrived in the city.

‘That explains why it was so busy earlier.’

Oliver examined the paper closely for the full details.

The visiting distinguished guests included titled nobles and central council officials, all affiliates of the Royal Family. Leading them was the second prince, Albert IX, who was still in his mid-teens.

Despite his young age, he also held a significant amount of Prometheus Corp stock, just like his brother.

‘The prince, huh… He seems pretty ordinary.’

Oliver thought as he looked at a photo of Albert IX in the newspaper.

He was handsome, clean, and had a sense of dignity from his long education, but fundamentally, he didn’t seem much different from others.

He had two eyes, one mouth, and nose, and two arms and legs.

The same went for the other nobles and central officials.

It was only natural, yet Oliver felt disappointed.

He’d heard so often about the special bloodlines of nobility and royalty that he’d expected something different, but they seemed no different from ordinary people.

‘Is it just because I’m seeing them in a photo?’

Unsure, Oliver scrutinized the picture carefully, wondering if he might have missed something.

He was lucky to find something he’d overlooked. Although it wasn’t what he’d initially expected.

“Lieutenant General Philip?”

Oliver mumbled as he spotted Lieutenant General Philip among the crowd.

Though in his fifties or sixties, the muscular man, well over two meters tall, was hidden only momentarily by the characteristics of the black-and-white photo and the crowd, but once noticed, his imposing presence quickly caught Oliver’s eye.

As Oliver wondered why a mage was even there, someone approached him and spoke.

“The Roer Family may be mages, but they also serve as a significant military division within the United Kingdom and have close ties to the Royal Family.”

The explanation was as satisfying as a good scratch, and Oliver looked ahead.

There, he saw a beautiful woman he had never seen before.

A woman with dark brown hair and fair skin, with a beauty that had a certain understated elegance. Several men within the hotel restaurant couldn’t help but steal glances at her, and Oliver was no exception.

Though his reason was slightly different.

The unfamiliar woman spoke.

“Nice to meet you. I am—”

“—Are you Eve by any chance?”

Oliver asked, cutting through to the woman’s essence.

The woman adopted a surprised expression before smiling and speaking.

“Yes, that’s correct. Though I am not the Eve you might be thinking of. Nice to meet you, Father.”