In a dark place, behind the alley, Oliver was sitting while waiting for someone.
People didn't come here because of the fighting that took place during the night, but it was only for a while.
Oliver thought he could hear the humming of a car, and soon a headlight shone through the alley.
"Is he here?"
"Yes."
The car stopped, and the two people got off as they spoke.
Both were familiar voices, one was Marie and the other was the pharmacist's subordinate, James.
"We are here, Master."
"Ah… damn, so it was true, and here I thought it was fu*king bullshit."
James with a mask on his face looked at Oliver and said tiredly.
To be precise, he saw the group of Paladins piled up behind Oliver.
"Hello, James."
Oliver got up and greeted him.
James greeted him nervously while looking at Joanna and her men still in disbelief.
"Uh… is everyone dead?"
"No, They just fell asleep."
"Sleep? No, okay. Don't explain… How the hell did a warlock defeat the paladins… And why didn't you kill them?"
"I didn't want to kill him."
"Oh? You don't want to kill them? They were trying to kill you, aren't they?"
"Still, I didn't want them to die. That's it."
"That's it?"
"Won't things turn difficult if a paladin were to die?"
Oliver said as he recalled the conversation of the Dominic family.
Those brave people also assumed that they would have to leave the city after killing the paladins.
It was not wrong, so James couldn't deny it.
"Well, okay. That's not wrong. If a paladin dies, it'll be a lot more annoying… But if we were to let them go like this, that would also be troublesome. What are you going to do?"
Oliver looked at Joanna, who was in a deep sleep.
"Well… I'm going to talk first."
"Talk? Are you trying to convince them not to pursue you?"
"Well, I want to do that too, and I also have a question that I want to ask her personally."
"You are seriously going to talk. Don't get me wrong, listen… Are you crazy? She is a Paladin while you're a Warlock, both are like a cat and a mouse. How on earth are you going to talk?!"
"When we first met, we exchanged a few words, but now we're having conversations… wouldn't it be possible like that?"
"Oh, my God."
James has found a god.
It was ironic indeed.
Oliver really seemed like he was seeing everyone equally.
"How are you going to convince them?"
Suddenly, a third voice intervened.
However, this was also a familiar voice.
It was none other than the voice of the pharmacist.
"Boss…"
"They look fine. Aren't they sleeping like a bird over there?"
The pharmacist took off his mask effortlessly.
Despite James's reluctance, he approached and spoke to Oliver.
"I'll ask you once again, how are you going to convince that girl? I don't think she's the kind of person who's easy to communicate with."
"Um…well? Actually, I didn't really think much about this part."
It was a shameless answer. However, the pharmacist didn't get angry, instead, he just smiled like it was funny.
"That's like you. Well, fine. Playing tricks is my specialty… First of all, let me make one thing clear. You shouldn't have come in contact with the paladins. If you had run away as I told you, it would have ended in a much more peaceful way. In a word, you are stupid. "
At his words Marie got angry.
"Pharmacist, mind your words. Master isn't your subordinate. He doesn't need to do what you say?! They were persistent, and would it have been resolved just by running away?!"
Marie got angrier when Oliver was insulted.
When James tried to say something, the pharmacist raised his hand and stopped him.
"Oh, my, I made a mistake. I apologize. Surely, I spoke too harshly to my business partner… But, there's also the unfairness. I didn't just tell you to run away. It was to buy time. Did you think that I'll keep my hands in my pocket and wait until my precious business partner goes bankrupt?"
Marie gave a look as if what he was saying doesn't make sense while Oliver just had his normal face.
The pharmacist turned his head toward Marie and said.
"Why, lady? Is it surprising? I was negotiating with the Parterians by hiring someone on my own. So I wanted you to stall the paladins."
"Is that possible?"
Oliver asked in a surprised tone.
Oliver couldn't think that such a deal would be possible when he saw Paladin Joanna.
"There are bound to be weaknesses in any organization. Especially, if it's an organization that has been existing for more than two thousand years. It doesn't make sense for them to dispatch Paladins here in the first place. Is it possible to send a precious paladin to such an underdeveloped place because some pilgarets were sold? That too, a girl who could be a genius? No."
"A genius?"
"Yeah, genius. I heard that she was a genius girl raised at the Parter school. She possesses a lot of strength and faith. The fact that she knocked out Dominic and Anthony in an instant is proof of that. Those guys are not easy opponents."
"Um…, I see."
"Yeah, for such a genius girl to come here, this is nothing but a conspiracy by another competitor who didn't like our growth. Some political forces inside the Parter church took bribes, and dispatched them to stop our business."
"Um… I see"
Oliver nodded as if he wasn't interested in the story.
"Anyway, I'm so glad that you didn't kill her and just suppressed her. If you had killed her, then it would have led to irreversible results, but since you captured them, it's a negotiable deal… No, we are the ones who have the upper hand now. If that girl fails, there are quite a few people who will bleed.
"I don't quite understand…so what's the point?"
"I'm going to take that girl and negotiate with the head of the Landa branch. At this point, it's possible to get rid of the paladins and tell them to leave our business by giving a small amount of money. And, we won't get hurt any more than this. What do you say?"
"Okay, fine."
The pharmacist smiled at Oliver's quick response.
"It's good that you answered quickly…can I say one more word?"
"Yes."
"Anyway, Since I'm here to help you, can I take this as you owing me a favor?"
"Owing a favor?"
"It means that we are friends. A friend who helps another when in need…"
Oliver looked silently at the pharmacist and Joanna.
After a while, he answered.
"… Yes."
Oliver was in a safe house owned by the pharmacist.
In addition to Oliver, there was also Marie, a senior disciple, and James, who was a subordinate of the pharmacist.
Oliver watched paladin Joanna and her men along with James and Marie while the pharmacist was negotiating with the Parterians.
James and Marie were nervous at first, but now they have relaxed a little.
Of course, it was not like they were being careless with the passage of time.
It was because of another reason.
"Damn, can you really see all the rooms at the same time?"
James said as he practiced extracting emotion while sweating hard.
"Yes, it may be a bit confusing, but I can indeed monitor everyone."
Oliver answered with one eye closed.
Currently, Oliver synchronized his vision to the visions of the minions and watched over paladin Joanna and her team who were bound in solitary confinement.
In addition to the minions that were sharing their vision, Oliver also placed 3 minions each with Las Boom and Las Bullet, and perhaps because of that, they were relatively relaxed.
James, who succeeded in extracting emotions said.
"Ahhhh… How can you do all that alone…? Here I am having a hard time just to stabilize these emotions?"
The emotion in James' hands got stabilization.
At that moment, Oliver indirectly helped James by giving him a hand.
"This is how you do it. Can you feel it?"
"Oh, I can feel it. Thank you."
"No, it's not a big deal. You couldn't extract emotion until recently, but isn't it possible now? If you keep going, you'll be able to do what I'm doing."
"Aww, thank you. I wish I was stupid enough to believe those words…."
After saying sarcastically James once again focused on the emotions in his hands.
"Okay. Now try to maintain the emotions that way.
"How long!"
"As long as you can."
"Is that not difficult?"
"It's okay."
"What's okay?"
As James and Oliver talked like that, someone knocked on the door.
"Is it you Marie?"
"Yes, Master. May I come in?"
"Yes."
When permission was granted, Marie carefully opened the door and entered.
"I have something to report to you, Master."
"Is the paladin awake?"
Oliver, who was looking through the minion, asked.
Marie nodded her head gloomily in surprise.
"Yes."
"Um… Did they talk?"
"They don't seem to be willing to talk, but they seem to be in good shape."
Oliver nodded mechanically.
"Excuse me, James. I have some business to do. Can you practice on your own?"
"Uh, of course…but I'm very curious, what are you going to talk about with the paladin?"
"I don't know either."
"Are you sure you don't want to touch her?"
"Touching her…what do you mean?"
"So. You… no, I was wrong."
James waved his hand as if asking Oliver to forget it, and as Oliver was about to leave, James called Oliver once again.
"I'm really sorry to bother you, but can you please answer me this? I'm very curious. Why didn't you kill the paladins, and why do you want to talk with her? Is there any special reason?"
Oliver paused as he thought for a moment and then opened his mouth to answer.
"Because it was beautiful…"
"Beautiful…?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's true, but… I never thought you would be a character who gets attracted by beauty….. No, it's okay. I'm sorry that I asked. Ahh… I feel weird when I am talking to you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes! Just don't cause problems."
"Okay, I understand."
Leaving James in the room, Oliver went with Marie to the basement where paladin Joanna was located.
Since they were on the second floor they had to go through the hallway and the first floor, and while passing through, the disciples and the pharmacist's subordinates bowed their heads as soon as they saw Oliver.
Most of them were sincere, not pretentious, and Oliver reflexively asked Marie.
"Why is everyone doing that?"
"What do you mean? Master."
"They seem to be having respect towards me."
"Because you are a great warlock who defeated the paladins single-handedly."
"Is that a big thing?"
"Yes, Master… I swear this is a huge thing."
Marie's words were sincere.
Oliver recalled the words of the Dominic family, who also said something about gaining fame by killing paladins.
'Um, it might be because they are strong people.'
Oliver exhaled, not knowing the weight of his achievement.
He didn't know how great it was to defeat the Holy paladins by himself.
"Master."
"Yes, Marie?"
"Could you please allow me to ask a question?"
Oliver stopped because he could feel the seriousness in Marie's voice.
"Please speak."
"What kind of black magic was that you used in the sewer?"
It was an unidentified black magic that conquered the paladin Joanna and her party at once.
Absolute darkness that dominated the space and suppressed those who opposed it.
Oliver, who had a faint memory of that time, tried to use the same black magic again but was unsuccessful.
It seemed like it can be used only by using Oliver's own emotions.
"I don't know either."
"…you don't know?"
"Yes."
Marie became silent.
Oliver looked at her and asked.
"Why are you asking such a question?"
"... I don't know anything."
"What?"
"I don't know anything about what kind of person you are, master."
"... I don't know much about Marie either."
"...."
Oliver looked at Marie's feelings.
It was difficult for him to understand her, but he could see that she had emotions of regret, disappointment, and sadness.
He would have ignored her normally, but Oliver could not ignore Marie who came to his rescue during a desperate crisis.
"Um… we'll talk later."
"Master?"
"Let's talk about who I am and who Marie is. I also have something to thank Marie for."
Marie didn't answer but kept her mouth shut and she bowed her head.
She was happy, but Oliver didn't know what she was happy about, he felt that she was truly an incomprehensible person.
"Excuse me, can I go now?"
"Yes, yes Master! Sorry for wasting your time."
"No. Thanks to you, I survived. Take a break."
Marie bowed her head at those words, and Oliver entered the paladin Joanna's room which was at the far end of the basement.
"Hello?"