Chapter 95

<95. ID (2)>

The office inside the bar wasn't very large.

It was about the same size as the office in the Forest Restaurant, but it felt even smaller due to the disorganized interior.

It was just right for two people, and a bit cramped for three.

Murphy organized the scattered papers on the desk and said,

"Ah, I'm sorry. I've been busy lately, so it's a bit messy."

"No, it's fine. You certainly seem busy."

Oliver recalled the bustling bar.

It was packed with people, and quite a few were drinking magic wine, which cost a fair amount per glass.

"Here it is."

Murphy took out a brown envelope from the bottom drawer and handed it to Oliver.

Oliver opened the envelope and checked the contents.

Inside were a fake birth certificate and an ID card in a booklet form.

Oliver opened the booklet-style ID card, which had a face that subtly resembled his own, along with the name "Dave Wright."

There was also other personal information such as place of birth and date of birth.

"This is...?"

"It's your new ID. Do you like it?"

Oliver examined the ID and birth certificate.

"Yes, I like it."

"I'm glad you like it. It's worth the effort to prepare a first-class ID."

"First-class?"

"Ah, you didn't know. Fake IDs are also graded. There are various types, but they are usually divided into three grades."

Oliver showed interest. He could glimpse people's wisdom from such small details.

"Could you tell me how they are divided if it's not a problem?"

"Of course. Why not? Do you like alcohol?"

"I can just take a sip."

"Good."

Murphy said this and opened a bottle of magic wine placed in one corner of the office.

It glowed green, and unlike the one sold in the bar, it had a much higher concentration of magic power.

*Pour* Murphy offered the glass and said,

"Fake IDs are divided into three main grades: first-class, second-class, and third-class. Third-class IDs are just toys that mimic the appearance of real IDs and are easily detected by the police. Second-class IDs are made by bribing city officials and are fine for daily use, but they will be detected if thoroughly investigated."

Oliver nodded.

"First-class IDs are different. They are not artificially created but taken from existing identities."

"Existing identities?"

"Yes, many people who are born with proper identities waste their lives. Most of them are in debt they can't handle, and the Crime Firm confiscates their identities in exchange for debt."

Oliver looked at his ID.

"So, this ID has an original owner?"

"Yes. That's why there's no risk of it being detected unless someone specifically checks. The person whose identity it is definitely existed. You can say you're living someone else's life."

Oliver looked at the face on the ID.

"Interesting. It looks a lot like me."

"That's because it was surgically altered through magic. With the right excuse and money, you can get a new ID. At that time, the name is also changed to suit the customer's convenience."

*Hmm*... Oliver reacted as if he had heard an interesting old story.

"The method is simple and secure, but first-class IDs are a bit expensive due to the difficulty in finding suitable people, the cost of surgery, bribes, and cleanup."

"Yes, I had an idea. Mr. Forest mentioned it would cost a few hundred million. To do this much for me, I'm very grateful."

"No, compared to what you did for me, it's not much. I benefited a lot last time... How does the wine taste?"

"Ah, I haven't tasted it yet. Just a moment."

Oliver took a sip of the green, glowing magic wine.

It was quite good.

"...It's delicious."

Murphy seemed a bit disappointed, as if Oliver's reaction wasn't what he expected.

"Ah... I'm glad it suits your taste."

"Yes, it's delicious."

"I'm glad. It's a product aimed at the upper class."

"The upper class?"

"Yes, as I mentioned earlier, my goal is not just to make bootleg alcohol but to create a product. That's why, despite the higher cost, I attach labels to the bottles and give them impressive names to enhance the product's quality."

After taking another sip of Murphy's magic wine, Oliver spoke again.

"And I plan to vary the quality to maximize profits. This is a high-end product for the city's politicians, mages, and capitalists. It's called 'Gout de Dieu'."

"...What does that mean?"

"It means 'God's Droplet' in Gallos."

"Gallos?"

"It's a continental country below this one. We've fought a lot with them, and sometimes we've been allies. They're not good at fighting, but they excel at food and alcohol."

"Is there a reason you named the product in their language?"

"Yes, doesn't it sound impressive? Most people like foreign languages they don't understand because they sound impressive."

"Ah..."

Oliver nodded.

Murphy's words were partly sincere, and it was quite an interesting story.

Oliver took another sip of the magic wine.

Compared to the wine Forest gave him, this one seemed to have a more addictive quality, making him want to keep drinking.

At that moment, he thought about whether using emotions to process the wine, like Philgeret, might make it even better.

'No, that would be a waste, wouldn't it? Making the wine sold in the bar already consumes a huge amount of emotion.'

"I have a question. Can I ask, Mr. Murphy?"

"Yes, feel free to ask, Mr. Black Mage."

"Last time, you mentioned that the Crime Firm also runs real estate companies. How much would it cost to buy a warehouse? I don't necessarily need to buy one; renting is also fine."

Oliver asked, thinking that now that he had an ID, it wouldn't hurt to start making preparations.

He might not be able to buy one immediately, but it wouldn't hurt to know the price.

Murphy smiled.

"This is interesting."

"Yes? What do you mean?"

"I was just about to talk about that."

"...?"

"Mr. Black Mage, what would you do if you had a warehouse? A warehouse free from external surveillance and prying eyes. I happen to have one at a very low price."

"...Well, that would be good, but..."

"Then, can we talk about it for a moment?"

***

Of course, Murphy wasn't just giving away the warehouse.

There was a corresponding request.

"The truck issue?"

"Yes."

"Do you also run a trucking business, Mr. Murphy?"

"No, I don't. It's run by a family above ours, the Hoffman Family. They focus on various businesses, with transportation being their main one."

"Transportation?"

"Yes, Hoffman Transport. They deliver anything, anywhere, using large trucks. Flour, wine, canned goods, clothes, fuel... Sometimes they also transport drugs, contraband, and magic wine."

Oliver nodded.

At first, he didn't think much of it, but as Murphy explained in detail, they seemed quite important.

In addition to legal transportation, they also delivered items for the Crime Firm, and they had connections with the police, resulting in a high delivery success rate.

In other words, they occupied a part of the logistics in both the legal and illegal sectors, but they were recently facing significant difficulties.

"What kind of difficulties?"

"Someone keeps attacking the trucks."

"Attacking them? Who?"

"I don't know for sure. This is a place where getting shot isn't unusual. There are countless reasons and suspects, such as personal grudges, business, and politics."

Indeed.

"Um... Can't you even guess?"

"Actually, there are a few. If Hoffman can't do their job, the Crime Firm's board will transfer the business to someone else... There are four or five families. But it's not certain. They haven't even caught the tail of the attackers, even with good mercenaries."

"So, you want me to catch those attackers?"

"Yes, by the way, Hoffman has already tried a few times. They spent a lot of money and hired famous problem solvers, but they failed and just lost money... Oh! And there's one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Since the trucks keep getting attacked, the drivers are on strike."

"Why? Because their colleagues were killed in the attacks?"

"That's part of it, but the company also tampered with the documents to take half of the insurance money they should have received."

"Ah... That's not good, is it?"

"It's a very bad thing."

"But why are you telling me this?"

"The drivers didn't just go on strike; they also received support from a labor union. They're determined. I'd like you to help with that too."

Oliver shook his head.

"I don't really want to get involved with ordinary people. As a Black Mage, I could end up in jail. Or worse, dead. Anyway."

There were other reasons he didn't want to, but he didn't mention them.

It was more effective to talk about benefits, and it was also cleaner.

"Ah, I didn't explain well. I'm not asking you to kill the striking drivers, but to help with the negotiations."

"Negotiations? I don't know anything about negotiations."

"Just having someone of your caliber stand behind us would be enough. The other side is also in a difficult situation and is willing to reach an agreement. They're offering 65% of the insurance money."

"It doesn't sound very good."

"This is a significant concession. Regular businesses do this too. You can think of the 35% as a kind of fee."

It didn't resonate much, but he didn't argue.

Murphy knew the city's dynamics better than Oliver.

"Then why aren't the workers negotiating?"

"They would, but the labor union is inflating their expectations. They promise to get twice the original compensation. They'll take more than half of it. In other words, the drivers won't get much more by negotiating with us. So, we'd like you to stand behind us and add some persuasion. Of course, if necessary, we might need to use some force, but we'll try to keep it as low-key as possible."

Murphy explained very carefully and cautiously, much more so than before.

"Will I really be of help just by being there?"

Murphy took a sip of the magic wine.

"...I've seen you fight mages. You will definitely be of help. Also, a more interesting rumor has been spreading recently."

"A rumor?"

"Yes, about a Black Mage in T District who survived a fight with a Puppet. The city is trying to suppress it, but the rumor will spread eventually."

"...I didn't just survive; I saved them."

"That's not the point. The important thing is that you met a Puppet and survived."

Oliver thought carefully. Was this really a good idea?

Raising his reputation as a problem solver was one of his goals, but this felt risky.

Surviving the Puppet was more due to the powerful energy sources like the entrance to hell and the artificial soul, not just his own strength.

Well, it might not matter, since the deed was already done.

"In short, if I help Hoffman Transport, you'll give me a warehouse?"

"Yes, whether it's a purchase or a long-term lease, we can arrange it as you wish."

"Can I see it now? I'd like to check it out."

Murphy smiled.