Chapter 517: Contradiction

“What do you mean, over there?”

Oliver asked with a perfectly pure expression, without a hint of hesitation.

It was so natural that even Lilith and Marie almost believed for a moment that nothing had happened.

A testament to the fact that deceit is not about intelligence but sincerity.

Silence briefly dominated the space, but as time passed, Lilith let out a small laugh.

As the essence of the World Tree, she wasn’t one to speak, but the blatant lie Oliver just told was more impressive than the space manipulation techniques he had shown before using the World Tree.

Objectively, there was no comparison at all.

Yet, Lilith felt that way. She pondered why she reacted like this, but only laughter escaped instead of an answer.

Just moments ago, she was beating Oliver to death, and Marie was really trying to kill him, yet suddenly all those feelings vanished. It was absurd even in her own thoughts.

Puppet was right; emotions are truly difficult. Awkward, dangerous, but also fascinating.

“Aaaaaargh!!”

Lilith stopped laughing and then screamed, swinging her fist at Oliver’s face.

The impact was much weaker compared to before.

In fact, it was Lilith, her body already fractured, who suffered the damage, but even still, Marie was enraged to the point her hair stood on end.

Just as she was about to act on her anger, Oliver raised his hand.

It was a gesture to stop.

Marie, mad on behalf of Oliver, was about to say something but stopped when she saw his face.

His expression was the same as usual—calm but with an underlying depth.

Marie forcefully swallowed the rage that was rising up her throat, then bowed her head and stepped back quietly.

Like a priest humbly serving a deity, with devotion and loyalty.

“Thank you.”

Oliver expressed his gratitude to his follower. There seemed to be more sincerity in his voice than usual.

“…”

Marie responded with silence. Oliver turned his attention to Lilith’s crumbling arm.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh my, are you concerned?”

“Yes… Well, I was wondering if you could continue in that state, considering we were in the middle of something.”

“In the middle of something?”

“What we were doing. I was lying down, and you were on top of me, beating me. I thought that’s what you wanted to continue doing… Or maybe not?”

It was hard to tell whether he was joking or serious. Lilith’s smile twisted awkwardly.

“Ha… If only I could.”

“You can go heal yourself first. Actually, I could heal you now, but the mages I sent outside are trying to get back in, so I think it might be inappropriate.”

Oliver said, widening his Warlock’s Eye.

As expected, the Tower of Magic mages were quite persistent. Despite being sent out, they were trying to get back in.

“It sounds like you’re saying I can come visit anytime.”

“It’s not just ‘sounds like’; you really can come back and hit me. If that eases your anger even a little… I feel sorry.”

Entering in the middle of the conversation, Marie did not understand a thing. However, she didn’t interrupt nor show any curiosity. She simply stood there silently.

“I really do hate you.”

“I’m sorry. But I do hope it gets better.”

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

Lilith’s hair changed into a dazzling display of all sorts of colors.

“I’m not sure. But I’ve heard something like this before. A young woman marries an old, wealthy man for his money, but eventually, she begins to like him because of his thoughtfulness… Maybe you hate me now, but maybe you’ll hate me less later?”

Oliver quoted a conversation he had once had with Merlin. Honestly, he couldn’t be sure of the outcome, but he hoped for the best. Because he really felt sorry for Lilith and wanted to maintain a good relationship.

Perhaps seeing through his heart, Lilith gave up on this topic.

She had already witnessed Oliver’s way of speaking through the World Tree, so it was obvious that continuing this conversation wouldn’t be fun.

She clearly saw she’d fall into that unique pace of his.

The major mistake was not being able to lead the conversation when she tried to shake him with a question at the start.

It was unfortunate, but Lilith soon set her mind at rest.

After all, it was only a matter of time. It wasn’t just about today. In fact, this might even be amusing.

Lilith loosened her stance, signaling that she had no intention of attacking anymore, and spoke.

“Alright… I’ll give in to your threat and withdraw with Eve.”

“Thank you. But can we call it a request?”

“No way… I refuse.”

Lilith shook her head firmly, displaying a rejecting and disgusted expression.

Even Oliver, who had some difficulty distinguishing expressions, could recognize it.

He wanted to press for it to be considered a request, but given the situation, he decided to respect her wishes.

“And there’s one condition.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“The Skadi Faction wizards who came with me… Please return them all to me. Including the corpses, I want to take them back.”

Lilith made a rather sizable request.

It was known that the Tower of Magic and traditional factions had long been at odds.

So, to ask for the prisoners and corpses of the Skadi Faction wizards who attacked the Tower of Magic by hiring the Road Gang and Crime Firm?

That was like asking for the second most important trophy in this mission after Eve, and a card that could secure an advantage in their conflict with the traditional factions.

In short, it was an unreasonable demand. At the very least, it wasn’t a request the one forced to step back in this situation should be making.

Common sense, that is.

But luckily for Lilith, and unfortunately for the Tower of Magic, Oliver was not someone who operated by common sense.

“Here they are.”

Oliver summoned the captured Skadi Faction wizards and their corpses to the space, just as he had sent out the Tower of Magic mages.

He used spatial magic via the World Tree as a medium, mimicking Lilith.

It wasn’t too difficult. Since Lilith had already constructed techniques over the World Tree, Oliver only needed to use them.

It was difficult to use spatial magic without any medium, but if there was one, the story changed, especially if it was enhanced with a precise technique.

“Wh-what’s this?”

A large ice wizard who had resisted Oliver to the end looked around wildly at his surroundings, speaking in a disheveled state.

It seemed he had been persuaded, albeit differently, during the time Oliver was away. Like pulling teeth in another form.

Oliver was about to explain what had happened when Lilith activated the technique and transported them somewhere far away.

Considering even Oliver couldn’t see them, it seemed to be outside the city.

“Impressive… Aren’t you leaving, Lilith?”

“…There are some things I want to ask and some things I need to say.”

“What is it you want to ask? And what do you need to say?”

“If I just go back like this, the Tower of Magic won’t stay quiet. Are you okay with that?”

At those words, Marie, who had been quietly listening, flinched. Her primary concern was Oliver’s safety.

“Of course, you have power, so they won’t strike right away, but they will certainly hold a grudge and seek revenge later. The Tower of Magic may seem reasonable on the surface, but they also have countless flaws. They don’t easily recognize someone solely based on ability. People aren’t that kind of creature.”

“Well… I didn’t really think that far ahead. My mission is to persuade Eve.”

Oliver admitted that he hadn’t thought of anything beyond his task. It was the truth.

Nevertheless, after hearing Lilith’s words, he comtemplated for a moment before speaking.

“If things get really unbearable, I’ll just resign. Right now, Lilith’s wishes are more important.”

“…”

“Alright, then, what is it you want to say?”

“The question I asked you… although you brushed it off again this time, don’t forget it. Whether you like it or not, the time will come when you have to give an answer.”

“…Understood.”

After a brief silence, Oliver replied shortly.

It seemed like an offhanded response, and it might have been, but on the other hand, it also seemed to carry many thoughts and intentions.

Being Oliver, it was hard to tell.

As Lilith prepared to leave, having heard his answer, Oliver called out to her.

“Lilith.”

“…Yes?”

“May I give you a hug?”

Lilith paused for a moment, perhaps surprised by the unexpected question, then shook her head.

“…No.”

Then, drawing upon her crumbling body’s remaining strength, she disappeared from Oliver’s sight.

It felt almost anticlimactic compared to the chaos of their first meeting, but Oliver was personally satisfied.

He had met Lilith, spoken with her, and Eve was safe… He even met Marie, who he hadn’t encountered in Randa.

As Oliver turned to call Marie, she quietly approached him first and offered a handkerchief.

Oliver took the handkerchief and began wiping the blood off his face. The leather mask he wore was torn once again.

“Hmm…”

With a quiet sigh, Oliver activated the Ptah’s Assistant skill, using a mechanical arm made of magical power to meticulously repair the leather mask.

“I’ll wash the handkerchief and return it.”

Said Oliver, who had almost finished wiping off the blood and had repaired the leather mask.

The handkerchief, which had been white when Marie gave it to him, was now dirtied with his blood. Marie responded.

“Would you mind returning it just like that?”

“What?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like it back just as it is…”

Marie trailed off, and after a moment of hesitation, Oliver handed back the bloodstained handkerchief. After all, she had asked for it.

After Marie took back the handkerchief, Oliver, using the control over the space that he had taken from Lilith, began restoring the area to its original state.

He then asked the question that was burning most in his mind.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes… I’m fine.”

Recalling how Oliver had supported her, Marie’s face turned slightly red. Her pale skin made it all the more noticeable.

“I’m glad… But how did you know to come here?”

A fundamental question. Marie hesitated, seemingly unsure how to explain.

“On the way back to Randa… I sensed Master Dave’s energy… And it felt like someone was harming it…”

Oliver looked at Marie, confused by the answer. She didn’t seem to be lying, but it was still hard to believe her story.

Sensing energy and arriving here because of it? It sounded preposterous… Even if that were true, breaking into the magical space created with the World Tree by Lilith was no trivial feat.

Even the mages from the Tower of Magic could only barely make it in after Oliver took control, creating a gap in the technique. But Marie had broken straight in.

A deep understanding of spatial magic, the ability to dismantle the spell Lilith built, and significant magical power—none of it made sense. On top of that, her combat power shown in the fight with Lilith was equally puzzling.

However, Oliver chose not to press her on the issue immediately.

There were still things to be done, and he had seen the strange hand hovering above Marie’s head.

Oliver decided to put off the matters that couldn’t be resolved right now and focus on what he could do.

“Do you have any questions, Marie? Anything about the current situation or Lilith, whom we just fought?”

“… Honestly, I am curious. But I will wait until Master Dave explains it.”

She meant it. Marie was genuinely curious about what had happened and about Lilith. Yet at the same time, she didn’t plan to ask until Oliver chose to share that information.

It was an act driven by her respect and consideration for Oliver.

For someone as curious as Oliver, it was an attitude worthy of admiration.

“I’ll explain everything after we return to Randa… So for now, could we part ways for a bit? I still have business to attend to with the people from the Tower of Magic. If you stay, the conversation could get lengthy.”

As he asked, Oliver created a teleportation circle at Marie’s feet.

He maximized the use of Lilith’s designs to learn the structure and method of this technique, and Marie gladly nodded.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Thank you, Marie… Ah, one more thing.”

“Yes, Master Dave?”

“Thank you for saving me.”

Oliver, belatedly but sincerely, expressed his gratitude to Marie, and then activated the teleportation spell, sending her back to the location of the other warlocks with the Warlock’s Eye. Likely to where her companions were.

After seeing off both Lilith and Marie, Oliver moved toward his final opponent.

Toward Eve, who was trapped within the small World Tree.

Reaching out to convince Eve, Oliver greeted her.

“Hello.”

***

“What the heck just happened?”

“Where did the Skadi Faction go?”

The wizards gathered in a corner of the dying town of Nofton spoke.

There were too many to introduce individually, but they were all skilled individuals who had established solid connections within their respective factions.

While family and connections were important, wizards couldn’t go far without basic abilities.

Thus, when they saw an opening in the impenetrable idea, they immediately entered and found their target, Eve.

It was something only those who had skill beyond that of the many excellent Tower of Magic members could accomplish.

But as soon as they faced the target, they found themselves transported to this place in the blink of an eye.

They were all aware of what had happened.

This must have been part of the ‘Idea’ and the ongoing Tower of Magic research project on combining the World Tree with spatial magic.

If successful, it would have been a monumental achievement, freeing humanity from the limitations of space.

And that’s why it was all the more confusing.

How had someone managed to implement two techniques, both still in the research phase? What was more shocking was that they had no idea who had done it.

Was it Eve, who was inside the Zombie Puppet, or the warlock with two names who was an experiment of the Archive?

The wizards tasked with a secret mission began questioning Derek and Unner, then turned to Yareli.

Asked if they knew anything about what had just happened.

But the responses were the same. They knew nothing.

It wasn’t surprising. Even those entrusted with the secret mission of following the warlock for contingency purposes had no idea.

The problem was that Derek, Yareli, and Unner seemed wholly uninterested in helping them.

Were they upset about having someone tail them unknowingly?

As the wizards were about to argue and try to persuade them, the idea that had stabilized and was holding back external intrusions was dismantled, and someone emerged.

It was the warlock, but an anomalous figure who worked for the Tower of Magic: Dave.

He appeared with his face in disarray, clothes stained lightly with blood, and a small World Tree slung over his shoulder.

Despite the small size, it was a tree. But him, who looked unnaturally skinny, carrying it, made it look almost like a joke.

“Greetings, everyone. I’m Xenon Bright from the Tower of Magic.”

He shamelessly lied. Despite being a back-alley fixer.

But the mage from the Tower of Magic on a secret mission didn’t let it show and responded instead. With the help of magic and Holy Power items, they had completely concealed their emotions, so Dave wouldn’t know what they truly felt.

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Cloud. I was on my way back from completing a mission when I heard support was needed, so I came by.”

The magician named Cloud gave an obvious pre-prepared excuse. If questioned, he’d have provided evidence to support it, but Dave did not question him.

“Ah, I see. Thank you for coming.”

That statement made Cloud feel like an idiot for a moment. To shake off that feeling, he asked.

“Ah, by the way, what exactly happened earlier? The moment we entered, we were suddenly transported here.”

Hearing this question, Oliver briefly explained that it was Lilith’s doing, to save time.

Despite his efforts, Cloud began probing about how Eve had managed to succeed in the Tower of Magic’s experimental magic.

Oliver replied that he would submit a formal report.

“Sorry, I’m just a bit tired.”

“Oh, I see… Then how about we transport Eve for you?”

“Pardon?”

“You do look exhausted. You’re injured as well… If it’s alright with you, we could transport Eve instead.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“No, I mean it. It’s no trouble, really—”

“No, you misunderstood. I’m not fine because I’m being polite. I just genuinely don’t want you to do it. It’s my assignment, and I want to see it through. Plus, I’ve made a promise regarding Eve with the Tower of Magic.”

Oliver spoke in his usual gentle but firm tone. His different attitude caused Cloud and the other secretly eavesdropping wizards to fall silent.

There was an odd power that made them hold their tongues.

Oliver then offered a polite nod to them and walked forward. After a few steps, he turned back.

“Derek, Unner, Yareli, aren’t you coming?”

Since they came together, it made sense to return together. With that simple logic, Oliver asked, and Derek, Unner, and Yareli all followed him without hesitation.

Derek asked.

“What the hell is going on?”

“I got beaten by Lilith but managed to persuade her to concede.”

The summarized information made Derek and the others frown deeply.

Oliver mentioned that one of the Eves was named Lilith, which made Yareli curious.

“How did you persuade Lilith?”

“I’m really good at joking. I read a joke book for an hour every day.”