“It was nice meeting you. Marie.”

Oliver left with just that one word.

The emotional particle, which had been deprived of control, had already been scattered into the air and disappeared, and no one, including Marie, could catch it.

They were all overwhelmed by Oliver’s overpowering presence.

After a while, Marie’s subordinates stood up one by one and approached Marie, who had collapsed.

Normally, a Warlock would harm their owner at this point, but these subordinates, who were not ordinary Warlocks, sincerely worried about Marie and supported her.

Whether it was the one who was beaten by Marie or not.

“It’s a relief. Your body is recovering… Ah! There are potions, neutralizing agents, and a first aid kit in the car! Bring them now!”

“I’ll bring it!”

Without a second thought, they moved in perfect order to retrieve the supplies. Their actions were reminiscent of children who were worried about their injured parents.

It was a strange sight for Warlocks, but if you dug deeper into the details, it was not that strange.

Most of Marie’s subordinates were orphans, commodities of human trafficking, or slaves and guinea pigs for small-scale Warlock families. Their lives had no hope. In such darkness, Marie had saved them, recognized their talents, and taken them in as her own.

To them, Marie was a mother who had saved them from a harsh world, a savior. But despite her subordinates’ deep gratitude towards her, Marie’s attention was fixed on someone else. “Did you hear him?” she asked, her emotions barely in check.

“Master, are you all right?” one of her disciples asked.

“Yes, I’m fine…He’s gone,” Marie replied, her voice trembling with emotion.

Marie’s disciples felt intense hatred, jealousy, and resentment at those words. She had been attacked until she was on the brink of death, yet Marie’s attitude towards Oliver remained the same. She had been blindly looking up to the existence of ‘that person’ or ‘master’ that she had been talking about for a year, and even now, despite being rejected, she had not changed. No, it had gotten worse.

They couldn’t help but wonder, what the hell was he?

Of course, they saw his strength and presence, but… Even so. This was so unfair.

They exuded a sticky, boiling emotion, and Marie read those emotions.

“As I warned you, never harbor disrespectful emotions towards him,” she cautioned them, her voice filled with pure sincerity.

It was not bravado or process, but a genuine warning that came from the depths of her heart.

Marie’s disciples stood before her with heads bowed, much like children facing an angry parent. They had no choice but to acquiesce to her demands, despite their personal reservations.

Satisfied with their reaction, Marie took a deep breath and spoke again.

“I haven’t forgotten that you attacked our master earlier. And yet, you’re alive and breathing only because of his words. In other words, you’re alive thanks to his mercy. So never dare to have such disrespectful emotions. This is a warning.”

Her subordinates suppressed their resentment and nodded in submission. They knew better than to disobey their leader.

One of the disciples soon approached with potions, neutralizing agents, and a first-aid kit.

“You, you need treatment first. Your condition is critical,” she said, assessing the damage done to Marie’s body by Oliver’s attack.

Her body was riddled with holes, bursting, breaking, and contorting. If it weren’t for Marie’s unique black magic, it wouldn’t be strange if she died. Fortunately, she was slowly recovering to some extent.

“Wait a minute,” Marie instructed, before channeling her mysterious black magic. Blacklight stained her body, connecting the wounds like threads and slowly restoring her body. Restoration occurred automatically, regardless of Marie’s will.

Thanks to this magic, Marie could fight without worrying about her recovery, and she could even defeat enemies who were one or two levels above her. It was an inexplicable power, one that even Marie herself could not fully comprehend. She only knew that she could use it while fighting hard to protect the family left by her master.

It was as if someone had put clothes on her. Perhaps that was why, sometimes Marie felt like she was borrowing someone else’s power, not her own. Nonetheless, she was grateful for the aid, thinking to herself, ‘Anything is fine… As long as I can stand by his side.’

Marie put off trivial facts and slowly dispelled the black magic since she had completed her recovery. As the black light that colored her body retreated to the center of her body, Marie’s uniquely pale skin was revealed.

When she received more than a certain amount of damage, the damage remained, leaving a permanent mark. Her subordinates began to heal her wounds as if they were used to it. They had experienced a similar situation when expanding the cult.

“Hmmm…”

Despite lowering the toxicity of the potion with neutralizing agents, Marie bit her teeth as if she was in pain, enduring the discomfort as she focused on recovering.

The wound on Marie’s body was healed by emitting bubbling bubbles. The ointment taken from the first aid kit was then applied, followed by a wet cloth and bandage.

As her disciples tended to her injuries, an incomprehensible resentment and anger surged up within them. They couldn’t fathom why the woman they loved and respected would cling to such a man.

Eventually, one of Marie’s disciples spoke up. He was a good-looking man who caught everyone’s attention.

“Don’t say anything. Because I know what you’re going to say,” Marie interrupted, glaring at her disciple with sharp eyes.

“…but still allow me to speak. It’s something that must be said,” the disciple persisted.

Marie was fanatical and cruel in matters related to “him,” but otherwise, she was warmer and more capable than anyone else.

She knew how to efficiently manage the organization and treated everyone fairly. In a harsh world, she was the first competent and considerate person they had ever seen.

Despite being a Warlock, everyone respected her and followed her. Of course, that man was one of them.

The disciple continued, “I didn’t mean it, but we met him, didn’t we? And he rejected us.”

“Oh, that’s foolish. Just because the sun rejects the little things, how can the little things deny the sun? Don’t you dare talk about him and us on the same line. It’s arrogance. It’s disrespectful,” Marie replied firmly.

“But, master…”

“… Again, don’t deny him. You exist because I exist, and I exist because he exists… . Our existence is only possible because of Him. Whether you want it or not,” Marie spoke with sincerity.

Her disciples were even more angry, realizing that a man they had never seen before wielded such power over them and their organization.

As Marie struggled to stand up, her disciple gave her a potion that condensed Life force to replenish her stamina.

“It’s not entirely fruitless,” Marie muttered after drinking the potion. “Although he is not with us, we were officially granted permission. As expected, we were the chosen ones. To be able to stand next to our true savior….. We are his true followers. We are truly chosen… It’s just that we are still small when compared to him.”

An illogical and chaotic way of speaking, but that was not a problem. The act of seeking logic from faith in the first place was the height of stupidity. Faith was simply believing and following.

At that time, the disciple who was exchanging words with Marie struck a candle. “But he told you not to interfere with his daily life.”

Marie sighed and stopped. “… Yes, he did, but no matter what happens, the sun will always rise. We just need to do our work according to that. To increase the number of believers, expand the church, and create more of his followers. So that he won’t be ashamed whenever he comes.”

The disciples couldn’t say anything after seeing Marie’s unusual eyes and determined tone. Usually, she was a wise woman who listened to the opinions of others, but she never backed down when it came to faith.

Marie ordered, “Let’s all go back now. Today is a meaningful day. Let’s go straight back and make a plan.” The disciples politely bowed their heads and answered that they would obey the order.

After a while, the disciples, each with large or small injuries, got into the car and started moving.

The two F-series vehicles drove out of the forest and onto the outskirts road of Landa leading to Wineham.

Marie closed her eyes because of fatigue while she was going back. At the same time, she remembered Oliver’s words and repeated what he said.

‘…you’ve gotten prettier.’

Beep-beep-beep-beep-clunk!

Oliver’s attention was drawn to the ringing direct communication device. He hesitated for a moment before picking it up, his work clothes and apron making him feel uncomfortable.

[Dave?]

“Yes, Mr. Forrest, it’s me.”

[I see. I thought something had happened since you weren’t picking up the device.]

“I’m sorry, I was working,” Oliver explained truthfully, even though he hadn’t moved from his spot.

He had set up his equipment in the basement to continue his research and work. Though limited to short tasks, such as repairing and making Corpse dolls, Oliver was making progress.

[What kind of work?]

“I was dismantling the contaminated creature alive by referring to the black magic book I bought at the auction house.”

[Aha… I shouldn’t have asked]

Oliver looked at the workbench he was working on.

The giant spider Parker, which was handled by Kell Liberation Army Allister, was thoroughly dismantled except for the head, claws, organ that spits out silk, and the tail with thorns.

Thanks to this, there was blood all over the place, but there was no problem because helper 1 was skillfully cleaning it.

“I’m thinking of attaching it to the next corpse doll.”

[For combat?]

“No, it’s not suitable for combat, so I’m just going to attach it to Helper 2 because the spider web will help with the work.”

[I don’t want to know what it is, but it’s good that it’s not for combat. If a corpse doll with a spider head wanders around, this city, where faith is at rock bottom, will also ask for help from a paladin.]

“Yes, that’s what you said in the past too.”

Oliver replied, recalling Forrest’s advice from the past.

After learning about his use of the corpse doll, Forrest had advised him to use something that was as good as possible, as the uglier the appearance, the higher the hostility.

So Oliver didn’t make the corpse doll – rags 2 right away, but was researching a way to keep the original function and look good.

At least, it was different from its usual appearance in battle.

“Don’t worry too much about that. How was the broker’s meeting? I received the book through Mr. Al, but it’s a pity that I couldn’t meet you.”

[Oh, that was nice. That’s just the right amount of flattery. You must have learned how to speak to others other than makeup from Ms. Coco.]

“I mean it.”

[Well, it was good as usual. With the union fee, I can stay in a top-notch hotel and receive free services. Especially, this time I felt like I was the main character. It’s all thanks to you.]

“I’m flattered.”

[mean it. Who would have thought that the bodyguard job would have such a stroke of luck? Anything can happen in this world after all] Forrest said, his voice trailing off.

Oliver nodded, understanding Forrest’s sentiment.

He heard from Al that Oliver’s killing of the intruder in the auction house impressed those who attended as guests at the time.

Most of the auction house participants were influential people in Landa, so it was a very good promotion.

“Was there any other news?”

[I wish there wasn’t, but things don’t always go the way we want. There’s talk about the Security Bureau of the City project. They’ve already hired some skilled and reputable Solvers.]

“Oh, everyone must be very dissatisfied?”

[Usually, it is. They stole the outstanding solver who was working with us. However, it is not so serious that the city provides a reasonable brokerage fee. It’s just a temporary setback.]

“Oh, I see.”

[Even though the city seems sloppy, sometimes the work is sharp. Anyway, I’ve discussed with other brokers how the birth of the City Security Bureau will affect the balance of power and the brokerage union. Although there was no plausible answer. By the way, the contamination zone cleaning season is back]

“Has it already returned?”

[Yes, fortunately, this time it’s the turn of the other districts, so you don’t have to participate. Why? Do you want to participate?]

Oliver thought for a moment and shook his head.

He had enough books now, although if he didn’t have the black Magic book, he would have wanted to participate. Reading the books he had was his priority for now.

“No, thank you.”

“That’s a relief. If you volunteered for that, your value might drop.”

“Really?”

[Not necessarily, but you have to take on expensive jobs to get expensive. Speaking of which, when can you work? I don’t mean to ask you to work right away, but work is piling up. I hope you can take on something soon.]

Although he couldn’t see his emotions, his voice sounded sincere.

While Oliver was wondering when it would be good, someone came in front of the basement entrance and knocked on the door.

He was a man whose emotions were quite familiar.

Oliver took off his apron and hung it up, then walked to the front door and pulled the doorknob.

As the door opened, Merlin flicked his shining hair and glanced up.

Oliver excused himself and turned to the communication device, “If possible, can I contact you later?”