Chapter 39

39. Cleanup (1)

After negotiations with the Paternus Celand Branch concluded, the Holy Knights were released. Contrary to expectations, they obediently followed the branch's orders and left Wynham. A few days passed since then. The city returned to its usual quietness, as if the chaos had never happened, but the aftermath was not negligible. Two out of the three giant black magic families in Wynham had vanished. Of course, this in itself was not a major issue. The real problem was the medium and small black magic families and their remnants, who mistook this as an opportunity and began to act recklessly. If their competition intensified, they might draw attention again, but the cautious pharmacist did not want such a situation and decided to take the initiative.

"How many are inside?"

In one of Wynham's slums, James lowered his voice to ask.

Oliver glanced at the abandoned building and replied.

"Eight. They don't seem to know we're here yet."

"Good."

James gestured to his subordinates to block the escape routes. As befitting the pharmacist's subordinates, they moved swiftly to seal all exits. After confirming this, Oliver extracted a small amount of emotion to create two minions.

"Marie."

"Yes, Master."

At Oliver's call, Marie immediately extracted emotion to create a Ras Boom in each hand. She held them without throwing or detonating them, and one of Oliver's minions approached, puckering its lips to start sucking the Ras Booms.

"Better than before."

"Thanks to you, Master."

Oliver's calm praise and Marie's blushing face. Oliver ordered the minion that had swallowed Marie's Ras Boom to carefully enter the building.

"Please."

The minion flew low to enter the building unnoticed. A moment later, a loud explosion echoed from inside the building. The black magicians inside seemed to have been injured, as some of their emotions disappeared, and the rest fell into confusion and fear.

Nodding in satisfaction at the successful ambush, James gave the signal to enter, and his subordinates, armed with firearms and baseball bats, entered simultaneously.

Loud noises came from outside the building, and then one of the subordinates who had entered rushed out, shouting.

"Shit! There's a Doper here."

With that, other subordinates poured out, followed by a remnant of the Dominic family, enhanced by drugs and black magic, breaking through the wall.

"Damn it, you bastards...! I'll crush you all to death!"

Angry and possibly over-enhanced, his skin had turned dangerously red. He picked up a gang member who was shooting and threw him against a wall.

"Shit, you morons! Die before you take the drugs!"

James shouted and fired along with his subordinates. Bullets rained from all directions, but ordinary firepower couldn't penetrate the enhanced muscles to deal fatal wounds.

At best, it could only momentarily immobilize them. Well, that was enough.

"Marie."

"Yes, Master!"

At Oliver's call, Marie stepped forward with a test tube. She cast a targeting spell on the surrounded Dominic remnant, as she had practiced hundreds of times, and then fired three hate bullets simultaneously.

[Hay Bullet] x 3

The hate bullets flew toward the targeted dartboard. However, the enemy, not being a fool, noticed and crossed his arms to defend.

When the steel-like arms met the hate bullets, a wet, cracking sound was heard.

"Shit...! It really hurts, doesn't it?"

Surprisingly, only one of the enemy black magician's arms flew off. It seemed that his specialty in disease magic and drugs was indeed true.

His muscles swelled even more red from pain or anger, and he used this strength to kick and throw broken building debris at the pharmacist's subordinates, then immediately charged at Marie.

"I'll kill you! You bitch...!!"

Marie, taken aback, seemed to recall bad memories and shrank back in fear. Oliver, standing behind her, placed his hand on her shoulder and extended it.

[Hay Bullet]

The hate bullet, fired calmly, quickly flew toward the charging enemy's head.

The more powerful enemy black magician, confident, grinned and raised his remaining arm to block. Surprisingly, a single bullet shattered his arm and pierced through his head.

"!!!"

The enemy black magician's head burst like a watermelon, and he fell forward. Considering how much trouble he had caused, it was a shockingly dramatic scene.

However, Oliver, the actual party involved, seemed unperturbed as he checked Marie's condition and offered advice.

"Your targeting speed has improved, and so has your Hay Bullet... Are you okay?"

Marie regained her composure and nodded.

"Yes... I'm fine."

"Good. Then, let me say this again. You did well just now. Your casting and speed have improved. However, creating multiple Hay Bullets and lowering their density is a bad habit. If you had made them properly, you would have pierced not only his arms but his body as well... If you don't make them properly, it's meaningless. Understand?"

Like a teacher instructing a student, Oliver calmly and patiently explained, and Marie listened attentively.

It would have been a pleasant scene if not for the bodies in front of them.

After James instructed his subordinates to clean up, he approached Oliver and spoke.

"Seeing you two get along so well makes me feel good."

"Is that so?"

"No, it's sarcasm. Don't do that in front of bodies. It's creepy."

James said this and then used a machete on his belt to cut off the dead black magician's head and put it in a bag. Fortunately, the bag was specially treated to prevent blood from leaking. Oliver, seeing this, asked.

"Why are you taking the head?"

"We can't kill all the remnants of Dominic, Anthony, and other black magicians. We need to show them that the big ones have been taken down... Well, it's a bit messy, but that's how it is."

"Oh... I see."

"You always react the same. Have you ever been surprised in your life?"

"A few times."

James shook his head, not believing it. It was a normal reaction.

"Mr. James. The cleanup is complete. We've removed the drug production equipment and found the stashed loot and money."

"Good. Don't touch a penny and put it in the car. We need to share it with the black magician... If it's okay, send a lady to check it together? That would be cleaner."

Oliver looked at Marie, and she immediately went to the cleanup site.

James spoke to his subordinate again.

"Once everything is cleaned up, call the police to wrap things up, can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The conversation concluded smoothly. Oliver looked at James and asked.

"Then... Is this it for today?"

"Yeah. Want to smoke one?"

James, with a cigarette in his mouth, offered. Oliver shook his head.

"No, thank you. There's not much to do today."

"Well, of course. We've been fighting for a few days... Personally, I'm grateful."

"Are you talking to me?"

"Yes. To you. Thanks to you, the work was much easier, and fewer people died. I appreciate your help. The others act all high and mighty, but you're quiet, which I like."

"Well, I also get help."

That was true. While he was helping the pharmacist, it wasn't for free. Oliver was handling the reorganization and stabilization of the organization, setting up new hideouts and safe houses, and expanding the Filgeret production facilities, among other tasks. Moreover, he had received books from the Dominic and Anthony families, which he had diverted during negotiations with the Paternus Church. While many of these were beneficial to the pharmacist, they also helped Oliver.

A short while later, Marie returned.

"I've checked everything. I've listed all the seized production equipment, loot, and cash. We can receive our share later."

Marie showed a meticulously written note in her notebook.

"Hmm... I see. If there's nothing else to do today, can we go back?"

"Wait a moment. We fought together, and you're just leaving?"

"Yes."

"Damn, you answer too quickly. Do you hate me? Sorry, but come to our place for a bit. The boss wants to see you."

Marie was about to say something, but Oliver stopped her.

"The boss?"

"Yeah, he seems to have something to say. Is it okay?"

"Um... Yes, it should be fine."

***

Oliver, Marie, and James rode in a truck to a warehouse built on the outskirts of Wynham. All the drugs supplied to Randa passed through this place, including legal drugs, Filgeret, and suspicious aphrodisiacs.

Despite its shabby appearance, it was actually well-guarded.

"Why did you call us here?"

Marie asked James.

"I don't know. Miss, I'm just a paid employee. Don't be so prickly. It hurts."

Oliver reassured Marie, and she calmed down. She seemed dissatisfied with the pharmacist's arbitrary call.

After a while, the car stopped. James, Oliver, and Marie got out in that order, and the people around the warehouse, who were moving cargo or on guard, greeted James and Oliver.

"Where is the boss?"

"He's waiting in the office inside the warehouse."

"Got it... Follow me, I'll guide you."

James led the way, and they followed silently. On the way, Marie grabbed Oliver's collar.

"Master?"

"Yes, Marie?"

"Look over there."

Following Marie's direction, Oliver saw the remnants of the Dominic and Anthony families gathered on one side. They looked defeated but not like prisoners.

"What's going on?"

Marie asked, tense. Oliver, however, remained calm.

"Let's go and ask."

They entered the warehouse, where boxes were stacked, and reached the office on the second floor. Two intimidating men guarded the entrance, allowing only Oliver to enter.

Marie was about to protest, but Oliver calmed her.

"Well, it should be fine."

"Thank you for your cooperation. Please go in, Mr. Black Magician."

A bulky man opened the door politely.

Entering through the open door, they saw the pharmacist sitting at a desk. He closed the document he was reading, stood up, and greeted Oliver politely.

"Thanks for coming. I've been waiting. Let's shake hands first."

The middle-aged man and the mid-teen boy shook hands.

"Would you like to sit down? Do you need anything to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"Well, then, wasn't the job easy?"

"Not really. It was appropriate."

"Appropriate?"

"Yes, for training Marie."

The pharmacist looked beyond the door.

"Sure enough, you brought her. That's why I had you come in alone. She gets angry at every word, which is scary."

"Oh... I'm sorry?"

"No, it's not that bad. Anyway, you often bring her around."

"Well, just..."

"Haha, it's not important. Anyway, I called you to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, things went much smoother than I expected."

The pharmacist was sincere.

There were troublesome black magicians among the remnants of the Dominic and Anthony families and other minor black magicians, but with Oliver's help, it was no problem. They were now on their own, and as a result, the pharmacist saved a lot of time, manpower, and money.

"I'm glad I could help."

"Yes. That's why I prepared a gift for you."

"New books?"

"No, not that. Those were all the books I gave you last time."

"Oh... Then?"

"Did you see anyone on your way here?"

"... The remnants of the Dominic and Anthony families?"

"Exactly, the remnants. Both leaders are dead... By the way, they came on their own, asking for protection."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, we're currently cracking down on Wynham... To survive, they either have to fight and win, leave, or kneel."

"Oh... I see."

"I'll give all of them to you."

"Excuse me?"

"I said I'll give all of them to you."

Oliver showed no particular reaction. He had no particular interest in them.

The pharmacist, noticing this, explained how significant this decision was.

"It may not mean much to you, but it's a big deal for me. If you accept them, I can produce Filgeret independently."

"..."

"Still, I'm giving them to you to maintain a good relationship with your family."

At first glance, it seemed like a generous offer, but in reality, it wasn't.

The surrendered black magicians could only produce common Filgeret, which was widely available. In contrast, Oliver could produce incomparably better Filgeret, to the point of being a threat.

In other words, the pharmacist's gift was not particularly valuable, and Oliver was aware of this to some extent, as evident from the pharmacist's calculating expression.

Oliver remained silent, and the pharmacist looked at him.

After a while, the pharmacist sighed.

"Well... The Filgeret they produce isn't particularly valuable, but it's a token of my trust in you."

"Well... I'm grateful to you, Mr. Pharmacist."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I know you've helped me a lot."

The pharmacist's expression showed relief.

"I'm glad you understand... In that sense, when can you start producing Filgeret in earnest?"

"Well, I can make it immediately, but I need to train others, so it will take some time."

The training involved synthesizing emotions, and currently, Oliver was training some of his senior students, including Peter.

"Is there a reason for this? It would be better if only you made it."

"There's a lot to do... For stable production, this is better."

"Well, that's true, but..."

"Don't worry. I'll start production by the deadline and deliver on time."

Hearing this, the pharmacist approached Oliver and extended his hand.

"I'm getting old and worry a lot. Can we confirm our agreement again?"

"Mr. Pharmacist will support and protect my family and provide the necessary support for production, and I will only do business with Mr. Pharmacist?"

"Yes, it's embarrassing to say, but I want to maintain a good relationship with you for as long as possible. If possible, for life."

Oliver silently looked at the pharmacist's hand.

The silence stretched, and the tension grew, but he finally shook the hand.

"Yes, that's my wish too."

'While I'm here.'

Oliver intentionally omitted the last part of his response.