Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Joseph (2)
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Next morning.
After having breakfast with Joseph, Oliver changed into inconspicuous plain clothes and stepped out of the hotel.
Ah, of course, he also grabbed the bag full of money.
Even in the morning, Landa was teeming with people, and there were just as many cars crowding the streets.
"There are really a lot of people here."
"That's right. It's both the charm and the curse of the place. Now, follow me."
Joseph led Oliver toward the road.
He raised his hand, and within seconds, a yellow car that looked like a beetle pulled up.
A triangular emblem sat atop the car, emblazoned with the words "Dodds Taxi Union."
"Get in."
Joseph said as he opened the door.
Oliver did as instructed and climbed in, with Joseph following right behind and shutting the door.
"Where to, sir?"
The driver, dressed in a neat uniform, tipped his hat slightly as he asked.
"X District... Just to the entrance."
"X District...? Yes, understood."
A shadow flickered across the taxi driver's face for a moment, but he said nothing more and started driving.
As the car hummed to life and moved forward, the scenery outside shifted rapidly. Oliver watched it for a bit before turning to Joseph with a question.
"Master. Sorry, but where are we headed?"
"Where else? To meet Andrew... It's quite the interesting spot."
Joseph wasn't exaggerating.
After riding in the car for quite a while, the tall, elongated buildings gave way to squat, rundown ones, and the streets looked dilapidated even to Oliver's eyes.
They had traveled much farther than the initial pickup point, yet what was truly intriguing was that the number of people hadn't decreased—in fact, it had increased.
Like cockroaches swarming, almost.
The car came to a stop. The uniformed driver turned his head politely.
"Sir, this is the entrance to X District. I'm sorry, but I can't go any further."
"I know. Thanks for the ride. Here's the fare, and this is a little extra for your trouble."
Joseph handed over the fare plus a hefty stack of bills.
The driver tipped his hat in gratitude, then sped off as soon as Oliver and Joseph stepped out, fleeing the area like his life depended on it.
Oliver had a vague idea why.
The street looked quiet at first glance, but it was dotted with countless people, all radiating sly, predatory malice, like they were waiting for prey.
Poised to pounce at the slightest opening.
"Master?"
"What is it?"
"Is this place still part of Landa?"
"Well, yeah. The higher-ups in Landa don't give a damn about it, but it's still Landa... Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just curious."
Joseph gave a sly grin.
"Curious how?"
"It's the same city, but the vibes are night and day."
"Not that surprising. This is X District, after all."
"X... District?"
"I'll explain on the way. Let's move."
Joseph started walking as he spoke, and Oliver followed.
The street was a tangled maze of shabby concrete buildings and shanties, covered in graffiti and curses everywhere.
But that was nothing.
Deeper in, it went beyond simple vandalism—blasphemous scrawls painted in blood appeared, along with totems made from animal bones and hides.
"What's... that?"
Oliver asked, pointing to a totem set up in a side alley.
It was woven from bird and rat skulls, marking some kind of territory, it seemed.
"Who knows... Haven't seen it before. Probably some no-name shaman or black mage made it. Or maybe beggars threw it together to scare people off."
"...You know this place well?"
"Of course. I've been here a few times on business or just to check things out. More than that, it's where I was born."
"Ah..."
Oliver nodded with a small sound at the unexpected revelation.
"Landa's divided into 26 major districts, grouped for convenience as A, B, C, and so on. Here's a question: Which districts are the most important?"
"...Not sure."
"Too bad. Anyone with a bit of common sense could guess it. Naturally, the earlier letters like A District are the prime areas, with better security overall. Not always, but generally."
Oliver nodded silently.
"Conversely, that means the later ones—Z, Y, X, W—are the bad ones. What do you think?"
Oliver glanced around.
The deeper they went, the more rundown and dangerous the streets looked. But what bothered him more was the growing malice in the air.
"Kinda... feels that way."
"Haha! 'Kinda'? Well, it's all subjective anyway. Could be."
"...So, did you meet your master here?"
"Huh?"
Joseph's emotions twitched. It seemed like an unexpected question.
"Uh, yeah. He lived here as a black mage."
"There are black mages in Landa?"
"Black mages in Landa? What a dumb question. If anything, there are more here than in Wineham. Wineham's got maybe single digits even including small groups, but here? Major organizations alone hit double digits, and if you count the small fries, it's three. Hell, no one knows the exact number—they're scattered everywhere."
Hoo... Oliver felt a spark of interest at this new info.
Come to think of it, it wasn't that strange.
Landa surpassed Wineham in every way—size, development, population.
It'd be weirder if there weren't more black mages.
Realizing this obvious truth made Oliver feel the world's vastness anew.
He'd been a frog in a well... And that realization brought him great joy.
It meant there was so much more to learn and explore. How could he not be thrilled?
To learn more, Oliver pressed on.
"So why did you come down to Wineham, Master?"
"Hmm... Embarrassing to admit, but the competition here was too fierce, so I left."
"Pardon?"
"Like I said earlier, Landa's crawling with black mages, fighting each other every damn day. New groups pop up and vanish daily. I busted my ass to become one, but it was still cutthroat. So I had to decide: tough it out here or leave to build strength."
"I see."
"Think I'm a coward?"
"No, I think you're smart."
"I see... Thanks. Stop here."
Joseph halted abruptly in front of a walled-off building that looked like an abandoned hospital upon closer inspection.
"Andrew's inside."
"Ah... It looks shut down. Is it still operating?"
"Half right, half wrong. It's abandoned, alright, but someone else is running it. Come on."
Oliver followed Joseph through a side door at the back of the fence.
"Not that way—this way."
Joseph called out as Oliver headed toward the hospital.
"But the hospital's that way...?"
"Hospital's closed. The real operation's in the basement of that warehouse over there."
Joseph pointed to a large warehouse behind the hospital.
Oliver followed, and sure enough, there was a massive door leading underground beside it.
"Andrew's getting treated down here?"
"Yeah, funny, right? A black mage healing people in an old hospital."
"Yes, a bit amusing."
Kiiieek――――
Joseph pushed open the heavy basement door, and the sound echoed everywhere.
Oliver went in first, Joseph behind. It was pitch black without light.
But that didn't last. Joseph snapped his fingers, igniting the wall torches.
"...It's kinda amazing, though."
"...What is?"
"Treating Andrew with black magic. I figured it was impossible since you said it was tough, and absorption magic doesn't work for healing."
"Ha... That's what's amazing?"
"Yes. I thought all black mage groups were like us."
"Well, we're the common type. But black magic's vast and deep—depending on the mage's inclinations and talents, it takes different forms."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
They continued chatting as they walked the straight corridor.
"Economically speaking, making Filterettes or life force supplements is the most efficient. High profits, surprisingly low risk."
"Risk?"
"Yeah, risk. No matter what, we're using people as ingredients. The government's not gonna ignore that. Everything we do is illegal—we're targets... but they don't hunt us to extinction."
"Why not?"
"Lots of reasons, but the core one's that they're customers too. Filterettes have side effects like cigarettes—easy to indulge without worry. Life force supplements? Can't get enough of 'em... So it's all performative oversight. No real intent to wipe us out."
Hoo... Oliver perked up at the unexpected answer.
He hadn't even considered Filterettes or supplements being illegal, let alone that the surveillance was just for show because of demand.
The world was as fascinating as black magic.
Then they spotted a skull strewn in the corridor, dark red flesh still clinging to it—rotting, probably.
"But everywhere has its oddballs. Some ignore efficiency, safety, or reason. They branch into other trades instead of just drugs or supps."
"I see. Like what?"
Oliver asked, noting the increasing skulls.
"Well, like the black mage here treating people—with life force, twisted manipulation, disease-line magic. Surprisingly popular with high-society clients. Good money, sometimes safer than us."
"Got it. Anything else?"
Now it was half-rotted corpses piled up, old enough for maggots to writhe in them.
"Some love combat—work as mercenaries or fixers. If you're skilled, pay and safety are solid, and you level up fast. Nothing beats real fights for training."
"I see."
"Turn right here."
Oliver veered into the right corridor at Joseph's direction. Soon, a large room opened up.
Bodies were stacked around the edges, walls, floors, and ceiling splattered with dried brown blood—proof they'd been killed here.
But the real standout was the altar opposite the door.
Three rectangles and nine circles were carved into it, stained red with blood.
"Anything beyond healing or merc work?"
"What do you mean?"
"Other ways black mages operate."
"...Some start religions."
"Religions?"
"Yeah."
Oliver approached the altar.
"Sorry, could you explain more?"
"Religions for demons—worshipping them, offering tribute... Unlike the others, it's incredibly hard and dangerous."
"Doesn't sound appealing. Why do it?"
Oliver checked the body on the altar as he asked.
Its waist was gruesomely severed.
"The rewards match the risk. Demons are evil, sure, but they grant immense blessings."
Oliver peered at the body on the altar... no, at Andrew.
"Is that why you killed him?"