Chapter 501: “Phew…,”

Oliver exhaled deeply while soaking in a bathtub filled with potions and herbs.

Just the ingredients that went into the bath cost hundreds of millions of Randa.

Even though Oliver was now quite wealthy, the amount still surprised him. But, as expected if something is expensive, it works—the chill lodged deep in his bones vanished instantly as he soaked.

‘…This is the second time, right?’

Oliver recalled the first time he entered this bath.

Back then, he had fainted and didn’t even know how he ended up in the bath. But now, he had managed to walk in on his own without fainting.

Compared to when he passed out after smoking Filgarett, it felt like a bit of an improvement.

‘But there’s still a long way to go.’

Squeak…

The sound of a door opening was heard. It was none other than a wooden puppet—a Golem assisting Merlin—bringing a towel, bandages, and fresh clothes.

“Thank you.”

Oliver, looking at the wooden puppet-Golem, expressed his thanks, and the puppet-Golem responded with a similar bow before leaving.

Despite its mannequin-like simple appearance, its actions were highly advanced. It could communicate basically, do chores, and even guard the house.

Hmm…

Oliver, pondering something, made a humming sound. Then he stepped out of the bath, dried himself with the towel, bandaged his right arm, changed clothes, and then visited the lounge outside.

There, Merlin was waiting in casual attire.

“You came sooner than expected.”

“I have you to thank for that… How are you doing, sir?”

Oliver asked Merlin, who had been in the cold land with him. Merlin nodded.

“I’m fine. I’ve aged, but I’m not so old that I would fall to my own magic.”

Oliver nodded, accepting Merlin’s explanation.

The reason Oliver had spent a fortune on the bath was that he had been affected by the cold of eternal snow. Although Merlin had been nearby as well, he wouldn’t have been harmed.

After all, someone who could manipulate space magic freely likely wouldn’t fall to his own magic.

‘That was really impressive.’

A memory of Merlin destroying the space where the white flames resided flashed through Oliver’s mind.

It was truly an impressive sight.

To stop time in the space where the target resided and neutralize them was something one couldn’t imagine with conventional magic.

Especially since the current space magic only consisted of ‘Portal Magic’ and ‘Summoning Magic.’

“Could I see your arm?”

Merlin suddenly asked, pulling Oliver out of his thoughts. When Oliver asked for clarification, Merlin repeated himself.

“I asked if you could show me your right arm… It’s not every day you see a fire-breathing arm.”

“Ah, yes. Just a moment.”

Oliver, regaining his composure, removed his shirt. Since his bandage was wrapped from his fingers to his shoulder, he had to remove his shirt to show it.

As he unraveled the bandage, the skin underneath, twisted and charred black like burnt logs, came into view.

It was a horrifying sight, but Merlin showed no visible reaction.

“…You were hurt by a demon?”

“Yes… No, it’s not quite right to say I was hurt.”

Merlin, not angered by these puzzling words, asked calmly.

“Why do you say that?”

“It wasn’t out of malice, more like a greeting I couldn’t handle.”

Again, strange words, but they were true.

The Burned One, with overwhelming presence, approached Oliver as soon as it appeared, bowed politely, and then playfully grabbed his hand, resting its forehead on Oliver’s hand.

At that moment, Oliver’s arm caught on fire.

“So calling it getting hurt might be a bit harsh on him.”

“Is that so?”

Merlin asked. His emotions were unreadable, but judging by his subtle expression and tone, he seemed somewhat incredulous.

“It’s not that it’s the same, it’s just absurd. The demon burns your arm, and you say that? I feel like cracking open your skull to check your brain.”

“My apologies. It’s just that The Burned One seems to have had a lot of misunderstandings in his life… And he still showed me respect and manners.”

“Respect?”

“Yes, he treated me like a noble being, and engaged in polite conversation. So, I should also be polite. That’s just manners.”

Oliver spoke calmly about a tremendous story. No one could say anything, perhaps because of his unwavering attitude.

Maybe that’s why as Merlin finished examining Oliver’s right arm, he asked.

“Surely it’s a peculiar wound from a demon. It seems like even your nerves were burned, but there’s no sign of necrosis.”

“Yes, that’s what surprises me as well.”

Oliver answered as if talking about someone else’s arm.

“Is it painful?”

“A bit, yes.”

“When you say ‘a bit,’ it usually means it hurts a lot. Have you tried any pain relief?”

“I’ve tried various things, but nothing worked. Black magic and other spells didn’t help either.”

“Well, with a fire-breathing arm, it’s not surprising.”

“I agree. Though I only learned recently it could breathe fire.”

“Hmm… How about cutting off the arm?”

Merlin made a rather gruesome suggestion, but it wasn’t just a random comment.

“It seems like this arm can’t be healed, and the pain seems to be limiting your everyday life.”

Merlin remarked, recalling the dark circles under Oliver’s eyes and his restricted movements during their earlier sparring.

As Merlin pointed out, Oliver’s arm had many drawbacks. Though cutting it off seemed extreme.

“Why not attach a new arm? You could use your own technique.”

“Are you referring to ‘Reconstructing and Transplanting Bodies and Organs using Blood Magic and Life Magic?’”

“Yes. Your thesis was so exceptional that other magicians are researching it. And I’m sure you’ve already commercialized it to some extent yourself.”

Merlin, knowing Oliver well, pinpointed it correctly. Although ‘commercialized’ might be an overstatement, Oliver could create a new arm if he really wanted to.

“I’m not particularly inclined to do so.”

“Why not?”

Merlin shifted his gaze from Oliver’s arm to his face.

“It’s painful and uncomfortable, but it’s a wound left by The Burned One. So maybe if I study it, I might discover something interesting.”

Oliver, who suffered from burning pain, limited movements, and insomnia, said calmly. It sounded like madness, but there was more to it.

“And, I don’t want to cut it off just because it hurts.”

“…What?”

“Did that sound strange?”

“A bit.”

“I see. But I mean it. It’s painful and distressing, but I don’t want to cut it off easily. This wound is part of my life’s story.”

“…Could you explain that a bit more?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure myself. It’s just that I’m imitating someone else.”

Oliver recalled Kent. When offered a new arm, Kent had declined, saying the wounds were his history, something he would carry with him. Oliver was merely imitating that because it seemed cool.

After hearing Oliver’s explanation, Merlin laughed out loud.

“What a string of illogical statements. But then, trying to understand you logically was my mistake.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Depending on the situation… Do you want me to help reduce the pain?”

“Reduce the pain? Do you know a way?”

Oliver asked with surprise. He had tried everything to reduce the pain, but nothing worked.

The only ‘advantage’ of this pain was that it stayed equally painful no matter what he did.

“I wouldn’t say I know a way, but I have something worth trying.”

“What is it?”

“Asking a Spirit for help.”

With that answer, Merlin opened a book in the air, emitting a cold power.

This power was different from Merlin’s; it was thought to belong to the previous Archive Master.

The sky-blue power seemed to scatter, but it formed a magic circle based on Merlin’s intent. An ice crystal appeared and gradually took shape, transforming into the figure of an elderly man.

He was dignified and cold. He looked similar yet different from the Flame Lady summoned by Enjoyment in the past.

Oliver stared in amazement at the Spirit in human form.

Unlike the Flame Lady summoned by Enjoyment or the Salamander summoned by Kevin, this Spirit didn’t vanish or hesitate when seeing Oliver.

“Old Man of Ice. Please.”

The Spirit, called the Old Man of Ice, responded to the summoner’s request. Moving his hands, he created thin ice chains with cold energy and wrapped them around the bandages on Oliver’s arm.

With delicate movements like a dance, the bandages and chains became one.

The unified bandages and chains floated in midair, moving intricately like a machine as they completely encased Oliver’s arm. They did so tightly and securely.

A hissing sound echoed as the heat dissipated, and a pleasant coolness spread through Oliver’s arm, easing the pain, albeit not completely, but enough to bear.

“How is it?”

Oliver slowly clenched and unclenched his right hand at Merlin’s question.

“…It’s much more comfortable now. Thank you.”

“Glad to hear that.”

“Thank you as well, Spirit. Is your name Old Man of Ice?”

Oliver bowed his head to the Spirit summoned by Merlin.

Surprisingly, the Spirit stared at Oliver for a moment before bowing politely in return, then gradually faded away.

“Looks like he likes you. Ice Spirits are usually rather distant, to the point where they don’t even acknowledge people.”

“That’s great news. I thought all Spirits disliked me since they usually hesitated or disappeared when they see me.”

Oliver recalled Kevin’s Salamander and the Flame Lady summoned by Enjoyment.

Most Spirits usually displayed hesitant emotions when they saw Oliver, and the Old Man of Ice was the same. The difference was that this one didn’t disappear and did as Merlin requested.

“Is it because of the Archive?”

Oliver asked, and Merlin nodded.

“That’s probably it. The Archive is the Archive, after all.”

“I see… Thank you so much for your help, sir. Thanks to you, I’ll finally be able to sleep well.”

Oliver opened and closed his hand as he thanked Merlin. It still hurt, but it was much better than before.

“I’ll get going now.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes… Ah, is there anything I can help you with?”

“No, nothing like that. I’m just surprised. I thought you’d have more questions.”

“To be honest, I do have a lot of questions.”

Oliver admitted. After all, he really did have many questions. Why did such a powerful demon greet him? Why did it call him a noble being? And does it have any connection to the ‘Great One’ mentioned by the Anti-Development Committee?

“But, I won’t be asking them yet. Not for now.”

Merlin’s eyes widened, apparently taken aback.

“Why’s that? Not that it matters; I’m just curious since you usually ask things all the time.”

Oliver thought carefully before finally speaking.

“…I want to go back to the basics.”

“The basics?”

“Yes, as you advised, going back to the basics really helped. So, I’m going to do the same this time.”

“Could you tell me what those basics are?”

“Finding out for myself. Learning through someone else’s words isn’t real knowledge, it’s fabricated… It was the first thing you taught me as a teacher.”

Merlin’s eyes widened even more.

“Haha… This just shows how time is on a young man’s side. You grow by leaps and bounds every day.”

“Thank you for the compliment. But I might ask for help when I can’t handle things alone.”

“Feel free. Asking for help is a privilege of youth… What will you do now?”

“First, I’ll read a joke book for an hour, then get some much-needed sleep. I haven’t slept well lately. After that, I plan to meet someone.”

“Who? A lady by any chance?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Really?”

Merlin asked in surprise. He truly didn’t expect that.

***

The root network (Root Net) was a void world with no sky or ground.

The only things that existed were the vast blackness like the night sky and the magic that threaded through it.

Standing there, Oliver called out.

“Eve.”

His call echoed emptily like a lost sound in the void.

Only silence greeted him. Oliver called out again.

“Eve.”

But once again, silence returned. Of course, this wasn’t a bad thing.

There was no rule that said Eve had to appear just because Oliver called for her. Only mutual free will existed.

Still, an inexplicable unease crept up on him.

The last time he met Eve was during the Lake Village incident. Thanks to Eve’s help, Oliver was able to foil the Life School’s conspiracy led by Theodore.

If Eve hadn’t helped, Oliver likely wouldn’t have been able to even attempt to stop it.

Blinded by a massive fog barrier, cut off from all communication, and isolated, there was little he could have done.

Eve’s intervention allowed him to see through Theodore’s plan, assist others, and respond appropriately, even enabling Merlin to come.

She had truly been a great help. Yet, Oliver hadn’t even gone to thank her, let alone visit, using the excuse of having too many things to do.

“Is that why she didn’t come?”

Oliver mused to himself in the black void like the night sky. It was a real possibility.

Considering that she had risked injury while helping him and received no rewards or even a thank you, it wasn’t unreasonable.

Oliver felt disappointed personally, but if that was the reason, he might consider himself lucky. It would mean Eve was at least safe.

The real issue would be the opposite—Eve wasn’t holding a grudge, but she couldn’t appear. If that were the case, there could be only one possible scenario.

‘No way…,’

Oliver shook his head vigorously. Who could possibly capture and imprison Eve inside the World Tree?

Even the Druids, the highest authorities within the World Tree, had to attack in large numbers to barely capture the newborn Eve. Now that she had grown and was free… It was too far-fetched.

Oliver called out to Eve once more in the void world before disconnecting.

“Are you done?”

Back in reality, Forest greeted Oliver with trees as a backdrop.

“Hmm… For now, yes.”

“I take it you’re not entirely satisfied.”

“Something like that. But it’s still surprising to see the World Tree growing here.”

Oliver remarked as he surveyed the forest around them.

This forest had been created during the battle with Enjoyment. Surprisingly, not only had the trees from that time grown, but new plants were now thriving.

Among them were herbs that normally only grew in Greenland, rare mushrooms, and difficult-to-cultivate flowers, including the World Tree.

“Did the Apothecary provide the herbs and mushrooms?”

Forest nodded at Oliver’s question.

“He generously shared his seeds in exchange for know-how and a share of the profits. He’s an impressive man. Frankly, I was worried about how someone from a small town would be of help.”

Oliver nodded in agreement. There was generally a tendency among people in Randa to look down on those from rural areas or small towns, especially the wealthy.

But at the same time, he understood that this might be inevitable. Randa was a city that had rapidly grown by absorbing neighboring villages and small towns.

Compared to other cities, or even with any city in the world, Randa had no equal in its greatness. To the extent that even the capital of the United Kingdom was considered a candle before a lantern in comparison.

‘Randa is the economic capital, after all.’

Oliver looked in one direction, spotting Seamus and Bathory holding placards.

“Thank you all for your hard work. You’re really amazing.”

“Stop trying to smooth things over with words!”

“Listen to our demands!”

Seamus and Bathory, or rather the Third and the First inside the puppets, shouted.

While Oliver was in the New Continent, they had apparently read some bizarre, fiery book and prepared these placards.

Incidentally, the placards bore unfamiliar slogans demanding shorter working hours and more personnel.

“Can we start a business with this forest?”

“Don’t ignore us!”

Child screamed, but Forest, being wealthy, ignored him.

“I don’t intend to make money from this forest immediately.”

“Why not?”

“I said don’t ignore us!”

Child screamed again, but Oliver and Forest continued their conversation uninterrupted.

“Damn it!”

“Why don’t you plan on making money with this forest right away?”

“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m not interested in money. It’s just not the right time yet. For now, it’s too experimental to be profitable.”

Oliver looked around again and finally understood. At first, he was distracted by the new plants and flowers, but upon closer inspection, he noticed an issue.

The quantity of the plants was too limited for commercial use.

“The seed stock was minimal. But I’m not criticizing the pharmacist. It’s not easy to secure the plants that the Druids handle to begin with.”

Oliver agreed. Even on the black market, Druid-handled plants were rarely seen. Especially when they were effective and rare.

And even if they appeared occasionally, the quantity was very limited.

“But that’s not a major issue. The important thing is that we successfully transplanted the seeds into this forest. We can always increase the numbers. The problem is time and manpower.”

“No more! Can’t work! Reduce work hours!”

“Third’s not entirely wrong.”

“Really?”

Third was surprised his point was accepted, and First even dropped the sign he was holding. Forest explained.

“I’ve read the Druid knowledge that Third wrote down. There seems to be a limit to how much one person can increase the numbers.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The herbs managed by the Druids are highly effective but require a lot of care, and it has to be Druid hands handling nature’s power.”

Indeed. The herbs, mushrooms, and trees native to Greenland boasted exceptional quality but also required a lot of skilled labor.

Expensive things have their reasons.

Considering all this, no matter how much Child worked, the limit was clear, and the efficiency was obviously not going to be good.

“By the way, did you manage to acquire any Druid bodies?”

“Yes, we got four of them.”

Forest whispered. Although it seemed like a small number, given that the Reformists who had settled their internal conflicts were securing both living and dead Enjoyment Druids, it was quite impressive.

“The problem is that four more won’t make much difference. And we have to rely on Child for most of the work anyway, which is also an issue.”

“I really hate this.”

Oliver quietly listened to Forest, thinking about something. Forest continued.

“But it’s not all bad news. Thanks to the transplants, the City has recognized the potential of this forest. Even if it doesn’t produce immediate profits, the possibility of subsidies from the City is high. They’re greedy, but they know how to use resources.”

Forest expressed trust and faith in Randa City.

“Even if the City doesn’t provide support, we still have the income from the redevelopment. So, there’s no urgent problem. The key is not to be impatient.”

“I understand… I’ll also try to find a solution.”

“That would be reassuring.”

With that said, Forest and Oliver walked out of the forest. Of course, before leaving, Oliver didn’t forget to tell the Children to work hard. That was only polite.

“Damn it.”

Leaving the grumbling Children behind, Oliver and Forest exited.

“By the way, what strange timing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Marie. She left just a few hours before you arrived.”

“Ah… That is quite a coincidence. Which branch did she go to?”

“Hamchess. She ran into trouble with some cult. Do you miss her?”

“Yes… I wasn’t here to see her, but it’s a bit disappointing. But in a way, it’s also a relief.”

Oliver raised his bandaged right arm.

When Oliver was first seen by Joe and the others, they were very worried. He couldn’t even imagine what reaction Marie would have. So he figured it’s better if she saw him later, avoiding unnecessary fuss.

“Is that so?”

“Yes… Does that seem strange?”

“No, not really… Oh, what’s that?”

When they reached the Fighter Crew’s command base for the redevelopment project, Forest noticed something and murmured.

Oliver followed Forest’s gaze and saw a boy dressed in luxury brands from head to toe.

“Come on! I told you, I know someone here! I know Dave, the lumberjack!”

“How dare you say that name, you little brat…!”

“These nouveau riche brats… Should we just hang him upside down?!”

A Fighter Crew member and a The Selectors member were both fuming. As Oliver approached to see what was happening, the boy at the center of the commotion shouted.

“Ah… Ah…!! Mr. Lumberjack! Mr. Lumberjack! Do you remember me?! It’s me! It’s me!!”

When the boy saw Oliver, he started shouting louder. Honestly, Oliver didn’t recognize him at first, but soon remembered.

“Mr. Milo, right? Mr. Murphy Kimble’s younger brother?”

“Yes, that’s right! When we were starting our magic liquor business, you helped us against those wizard bastards, remember?!”

“Yes… I remember. But what brings you here?”

“I want you to teach me black magic!”

The youngest brother of Murphy Kimble, who had earned the title ‘Liquor King’ through their magic liquor business, Milo, shouted his request.