Chapter 60

<60. A New Job (1)>

While Forest and Oliver were chatting about Al and Oliver, Oliver started his second job.

The first job was, of course, to get acquainted with Forest and become a problem solver.

The second job was no less important and, in some ways, more difficult.

It was none other than finding a place to stay.

...I know. It sounds ridiculous. But it was the truth.

For Oliver, who lacked everyday experiences like buying things or having ordinary conversations, finding a place to stay was unexpectedly difficult.

It might sound silly, but it was more perplexing than catching a chimera, though fortunately, it wasn't as difficult as he had expected.

Cant had already shown him a few good places to stay and explained how to rent a room and how much the rent could be reduced for a long-term stay.

They even role-played a few times, which helped Oliver secure a decent room at a lodging place not far from Forest's restaurant more smoothly than expected.

Since it was open all night, he could get a room without any trouble, and following Cant's advice, he paid a month's rent in advance, which allowed him to get a discount.

Click—

Oliver opened the door and entered, looking around the room.

It wasn't a great room for the price, but it was quite spacious.

For Oliver, who had been sleeping in a beggar's den until yesterday, it was a very good room.

He put down his bag, leaned his quarterstaff against the wall, and took off his coat, feeling a small sense of satisfaction.

It was a truly successful first day after leaving the beggar gang.

Although it was different from what he had expected, he had met Forest and become a problem solver, and he had found a place to stay for a while... It was pretty good.

However, the joy was short-lived.

Because this was just the starting point.

Oliver's goal was to use the black market independently to obtain the books and knowledge he wanted.

However, compared to that goal, what he had done today was not even the starting point.

Cant said the black market was an unknown territory that not just anyone could access.

If someone with some underworld experience like Cant said that, it was clear that Oliver, who had just started, would need considerable effort to get there.

Moreover, even if he gained the right to use it, that wouldn't be the end. Because he needed money.

Cant himself couldn't use the black market, so he didn't know the details, but judging by its reputation, it would require a huge amount of money just to use it once.

Especially since what Oliver wanted were rare books on black magic and demons, he would need even more money.

Oliver agreed with this.

While he wasn't sure if it was a good example, a single vial of Philogeret cost 100,000 randas, and a box cost 2 million randas.

Oliver could make as much as he wanted if he wanted to.

So, it was a natural inference that rare and dangerous black magic books and books on demons would be even more expensive.

As these thoughts continued to link together, Oliver felt a bit tired but couldn't fall asleep.

Instead, his mind became clearer.

He needed to reorganize his thoughts about this problem to sleep well tonight.

So, Oliver took off his shirt and picked up the quarterstaff he had leaned against the wall to clear his mind.

When he stretched it out, it almost touched the opposite wall.

In that position, he started swinging the quarterstaff, just as he had practiced with Cant.

The sound of the air being cut was heard, and it was a significant improvement from the beginning.

Oliver mechanically repeated this series of movements while thinking about what to do next.

The first thing he thought of was his goal.

That goal, of course, was the black market.

Although it started with a story he overheard, the black market was essential to learn about the beautiful light, black magic, and demons that now interested Oliver.

To use this route, he needed to become a capable problem solver, build a reputation, and form connections with influential people.

People like the capitalists, politicians, or the heads of major crime organizations that dominated this land...

Cant said that with Oliver's skills, there would be enough demand, so he shouldn't worry too much, but honestly, Oliver was skeptical.

Because Oliver couldn't gauge whether he was strong enough or not.

Of course, he had never lost to any black magician he had met so far, but Oliver found it hard to feel proud or confident about it.

There were people like the lightning mage and Joseph who had almost killed him,

Especially, the moment he faced the old man on horseback was still unforgettable.

Despite its grotesque appearance of flesh and entrails, Oliver didn't think he could win a fight against it.

While a sense of familiarity was stronger than fear, if it had attacked instead of greeting him, Oliver was almost certain he wouldn't be here now.

It was just an instinct with no basis, but it was more certain than any evidence.

Oliver survived only because of luck.

Therefore, Oliver tried to be as careful as possible. Cant also advised him to do so.

Of course, Oliver didn't want to die.

Dying was scary, and it was even scarier when he had so many curiosities.

Cant advised him to collect information to avoid such scary situations.

He said that was how he survived.

Of course, Oliver intended to follow this advice.

He planned to solve requests step by step as Forest, the broker, suggested, build a career, gain trust, and learn about this world.

Although he was a bit impatient, Cant said things had changed since his time, so it was a necessary process.

By understanding his position in this world, Oliver planned to approach the black market slowly but surely.

In the past, he wouldn't have thought this deeply, but thanks to Cant's constant explanations, he now realized the importance of it.

To minimize risks and approach his goal.

'Well, even so, to become a problem solver capable of using the black market, I will surely face risks.'

Cant's uncertain voice suddenly echoed in his ears.

He had taught Oliver diligently for the past three months, but he always spoke anxiously about the unknown territory of the black market, which he had never visited.

As if he wanted to stop Oliver if he could.

"......"

Oliver stopped swinging his quarterstaff and shook his head.

It was meaningless to think about Cant's reluctance.

After all, this was the path Oliver had to take.

Curiosity could be suppressed for a while, but it couldn't be abandoned.

"Ah... Money is also a problem."

Oliver muttered, sweating all over.

He leaned his quarterstaff against the wall and took out the Gluttony Pouch and the bundle of money he received from Forest from inside his coat.

The Gluttony Pouch, made of skin, teeth, eyes, and the emotion of greed, opened its eyes and looked around on the desk.

To check if there was any money or precious metals nearby.

"....!"

The Gluttony Pouch noticed the bundle of money next to it.

Then, limbs sprouted from the lump of flesh, and it waddled toward the money.

Thud—

As the Gluttony Pouch tried to grab the bundle of bills, Oliver blocked it with his hand.

The Gluttony Pouch looked up at Oliver with a discontented expression.

Oliver smiled and asked.

"Gluttony Pouch. I'm sorry, but could you please take out all the money I put in?"

At first, the Gluttony Pouch swung its arms in anger, but when Oliver silently stared at it, it soon became frightened and started to force its arm into its mouth to vomit the money.

Gurk—! Gurrrk—!

It made a strange sound, like vomiting, and spat out the bundle of bills.

The money was the payment he received from the beggar gang, and Oliver calmly sorted through the bills as they spilled out.

He put the sorted money next to the payment he received from Forest.

In total, it was about 80 million randas.

Considering that he was a former orphan laborer in a mine not long ago, it was a huge amount.

Oliver agreed.

However, it was an insufficient amount for Oliver at the moment.

Not only for using the black market, but also because there were personal projects Oliver wanted to undertake.

For example, making a corpse puppet...

The book he obtained from the puppeteer Glib contained a few books on methods for preserving corpses, remote control, and converting them into corpse puppets.

Oliver had been thinking about trying it out after reading it.

Of course, it might be difficult with a human corpse, but it seemed feasible with an animal's corpse.

The problem was that this project also required a considerable amount of money.

Glib, who was meticulous, had listed the costs needed for the project,

Starting with the cost of securing a workspace, various chemicals, machinery, tools, emotions, and life force, none of them were cheap.

A rough calculation showed that the initial cost for making a corpse puppet would be at least tens of millions to hundreds of millions of randas.

The cost would decrease somewhat once the workspace was stabilized, but it still required a significant amount of money, which meant Oliver couldn't make a corpse puppet right away.

It was a truly regrettable situation.

Wanting to do something but not being able to because of a lack of money.

He understood why many people, including Peter, craved money so much.

Money was essential. Everything from one to ten.

Not just for doing what he wanted, but even for sleeping and eating, money was involved in everything.

This obvious fact, which he had known intellectually, was now felt in his skin for the first time.

"......Interesting."

Oliver, who had been silent, muttered without realizing it.

Until now, he had only done what he was told, whether it was the orphanage, the mine, the black magic organization, or the beggar gang, but now it was different.

Whether Oliver wanted to or not, he had to keep thinking for himself.

How to become a problem solver capable of accessing the black market, how to secure the necessary funds, and so on.

Frankly, it was a bothersome and delegable task, but Oliver felt a different kind of feeling from what he had experienced so far.

The feeling of thinking for himself about what to do next. It was quite intriguing.

"......"

Oliver took out 2 million randas in small change from his total assets and said to the Gluttony Pouch.

"Put the rest back."

The Gluttony Pouch, which had been suffering from hunger, immediately pounced on the bundle of bills, climbed on top of it, and greedily swallowed the money.

It was very greedy, and Oliver watched it silently, muttering.

"First, I need to earn money. Like this."

***

The next morning.

Oliver got up early as usual.

Compared to the beggar's den where he had been staying until yesterday, it was like a palace, and he felt no discomfort.

After washing up and dressing neatly, he had a light breakfast provided by the inn and left for the restaurant where Forest was.

Fortunately, the restaurant opened early in the morning, and the waiter Al greeted him as usual.

"Mr. Dave... What brings you here so early in the morning?"

Oliver checked Al's emotions. There was no malice, but he seemed to be hiding something.

Cant was right when he said that in this world, you couldn't know what was in someone's heart.

"Hello, Mr. Al. I came to see if there's any more work."

"Oh, I see. Then, I'll take you to the boss... Oh, and you can call me Al. Please follow me."