Chapter 289
Chapter 289
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 289
Chapter Title: The One Trying to Understand (5)
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"No... The contract ends here."
The elder of the Anti-Development Committee, his entire body wrapped in bandages and a robe, made the unilateral announcement.
It was such an out-of-the-blue timing that Seamus doubted his own ears.
"What did you just say?"
"The contract... ends... here. We're pulling out completely."
The elder addressed the other members of the Anti-Development Committee.
Despite his not particularly loud voice, the members—who had been conducting their ritual of madness—stopped what they were doing in unison and immediately began preparations to withdraw.
"Call all the other brothers too. Our goal is—"
"—Hold on!!"
Finally losing his patience, Seamus thrust out his hand and grabbed the elder by the collar.
This scrawny old man, who was only slightly tall, was surprisingly heavy, like an ancient tree hundreds of years old.
"Damn it... Are you messing with me? Sudden withdrawal? What the hell is this bullshit?!"
"Our goal has been achieved."
Crackle.
Crunch.
With Seamus and the elder as the boundary line, the druids and the Anti-Development Committee faced off against each other, assuming combat stances.
Seamus gripped harder with his fist.
"I hired you with my money. Do your job for what I paid...!"
"Do you think we moved because of a scrap of paper?"
"My money—"
"—We took it because you offered, but I told you, didn't I? We're only helping you according to our oracle. That's why we can stop at any time. Don't you remember?"
Seamus was momentarily speechless.
It was the plain truth.
When Seamus had first met the Anti-Development Committee, risking danger, they had said they would form an alliance with him according to their oracle. They had even warned him that they could sever ties at any time per the oracle.
At the time, Seamus had accepted without much thought, figuring there was no downside. But to think they'd actually pull something like this... It made no sense.
Grip.
Seamus clutched the collar even tighter.
The force would have snapped a normal person's neck long ago.
The other Anti-Development Committee members showed hostility, but the elder, their current leader, raised a hand to halt them.
"We notified you in advance."
"Why the hell are you doing this? Short on cash? I'll give you more!"
"Do you think the will of the Great One can be resolved with money?"
"The Great One? Who the hell is that? Explain it so I can understand! Go drag that bastard Dave here...!"
Seamus trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly recalling what Dugan had said earlier.
The nonsense about the summoned spirit fleeing upon seeing Dave's face.
It was too perfectly shitty timing to call it coincidence.
"...That goal of yours. It's Dave, isn't it?"
"........."
"Answer me! That Dave fuck—"
Tap. Shwoooosh———!!!
Mid-shout, the Anti-Development Committee elder lightly swatted Seamus's hand away from his collar and swung his quarterstaff with the other, carving a long, serpentine, intricate gash into the earth.
Proof of supreme power and skill.
The gash extended not just to Seamus but all the way to where the surrounding druids stood.
"Choose."
"........."
"Will you fight us here to the death? Or let us go? Your sins and arrogance deserve a severed head, but for the sake of the Great One, I'll spare you. What's it to be?"
"...Just one question."
"Ask."
"Who is this Great One?"
The elder, his face wrapped in bandages, smiled.
"This is really weird..."
Oliver said sincerely. This mission had been a string of bizarre events.
The spirit had taken one look at Oliver and vanished, and now the Anti-Development Committee guy had done the exact same thing—staring at Oliver before backing off.
It had been the perfect moment to attack, too.
Yet he had retreated upon seeing Oliver, observed him a bit longer, given a polite bow, and just left.
And the strangeness didn't stop there.
The Anti-Development Committee, who had been blocking the anti-Seamus coalition on behalf of the druids throughout the forest, suddenly began withdrawing.
On top of that, the alien energy felt from the forest's center had also ceased.
Oliver instinctively guessed it was connected to the quarterstaff-bandage guy who had just withdrawn.
He didn't know the exact reason, but it felt right.
"...Well, that's not the important thing right now."
Oliver pushed aside what he couldn't immediately figure out and recalled why he had come here in the first place, pressing onward.
To meet Seamus and ask his questions.
In order to meet before the others joined, Oliver was heading toward the forest center when he noticed an anomaly in the woods.
The immense natural power encircling the entire forest was converging on the center at an alarming speed.
The lush forest reverted from a living fortress of druids to an ordinary woodland, and with it emerged a being infused with powerful natural forces.
It was Seamus.
Empowered by the natural forces spread across the vast forest and the strength of countless druids, Seamus chanted loudly enough to make the entire woods tremble.
Centered on the forest core—where the alien energy and numerous druids were—a massive volume of earth erupted, triggering a colossal landslide.
Rumble rumble rumble———!!!
The forest-shaking landslide spread radially at the shaman's will, repelling the advancing anti-Seamus coalition and bearing down on Oliver too.
Facing the landslide surging toward him, Oliver drew out emotion particles, linked them to his hand, and swung from right to left.
Kwaaaaaang———!!!
The mass of emotion particles shoved aside a portion of the forest, dirt mound and all, like a giant's hand.
Thanks to that, Oliver escaped the natural disaster.
Seamus didn't stop; he raised massive wooden pillars densely from the ground, forming an enormous defensive wall around the forest center.
They were so huge they pierced through the canopy.
The anti-Seamus coalition advancing from all sides suffered significant casualties and halted, while Oliver too was pressured by the pillars surging up around him.
Though he had turned them to ash in an instant with Devouring Flame.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
As Oliver reduced the surrounding wooden pillars to ash and extinguished the flame, applause rang out. It was Seamus.
"Impressive. Very impressive! Landslides and wooden pillars. You used them with intent to kill... Were you always this skilled?"
Seamus appeared, having infused his body with the natural power spanning the entire forest and the strength of numerous druids.
His power was so vast that green natural energy leaked out through his trained flesh, visible to the eye.
It was immensely powerful—and precariously unstable.
"Are you alright, Seamus?"
"Oh... Are you worried about me?"
Seamus deliberately shifted the topic with obnoxious cheer, not wanting to reveal his overexerted state.
Beyond that, he shone with anger, grim resolve, and above all, a sense of responsibility. Responsibility for the mess he had caused and his subordinates.
Even pushing his body to the brink of bursting was for that reason.
Seamus opened his mouth again.
"That's unexpected. If you were truly worried about me, you shouldn't have barged in like this... I don't get it. I didn't think you hated me. Tell me. Why did you turn against me? We had fun partying together."
"Ah... I am grateful for your kindness back then. However, since you attacked not just me but also Lord Forest and Al with the Anti-Development Committee before, I figured you'd understand."
"Ha! Sneaky bastard. You knew all along and pretended not to."
"I only found out recently."
"So who is Al? I get trying to kill you and Forest, but who's Al?"
"The employee driving Lord Forest's car at the time. He's a restaurant worker and guide."
"Do I have to care about some nobody like that?"
"Who knows? ...I do, though. He's kind, and he knows all the restaurant jokes. Speaking of which, may I ask why you attacked me?"
"I don't want another guy like me popping up in Crime Firm. It's ladder-kicking. Got a problem?"
"No, I was just genuinely curious."
"Good attitude. You're an annoying prick, but I like you anyway. That's the spirit. Everyone's doing this shit for money, so let's overlook the small stuff."
"I agree to an extent."
"Great, perfect! With that in mind, let me make a proposal."
"A proposal?"
"Yeah, take a look around."
Oliver scanned the forest with his eyes as instructed.
Wooden pillars thicker and larger than ordinary trees formed a seamless wall.
"You're the only one inside this wall. The rest of the city's forces are out there. Meaning you're alone."
"Aren't you alone too, Seamus? The other druids seem to have no spare energy left, all supporting you."
Oliver said, glancing at the rear druids continuously channeling power to Seamus through trees, roots, and earth.
They were drawing out their own strength from afar and pouring it into him nonstop.
"You sure know how to poke where it hurts. Always this sharp?"
"Who knows... I don't really know my own personality. But my friend says it's unique. Seems naive yet clever, appears frail but stubborn, never gets angry, sees value in everything... He says he likes my personality."
"Touching. Should I play it on violin?"
"That friend was attacked by one of your subordinates."
"What?"
"They cut off one of his arms. As a stress relief."
"Ah... Is he one of those Poor Brothers gang members?"
"Yes."
"Wonder how you ended up friends with beggar scum... Anyway, what? You here for revenge?"
"No, he told me not to seek revenge. Not to get angry. It's just a common thing in Landa. So I came to ask questions. About you, Seamus... To try understanding you, even a little."
"Understand?"
Seamus squinted one eye, blatantly showing displeasure.
"You dare try to understand me?!"
"Can't I at least try?"
"Perfect... Just perfect! I had some questions too!"
"That's fortunate. May I ask first?"
"Go ahead."
Seamus answered while compressing natural power into his body.
His veins bulged visibly beneath his skin.
"Did you become a fixer and businessman for the money, Seamus?"
"Obviously. Like everyone else."
"But I've never seen someone as successful as you still pushing so hard for more... Is there a special reason you crave money so much? You've already succeeded greatly as both."
"That much doesn't cut it. Money's like that— you can never have enough."
Sincere.
"I'm the one who wants to ask: With your skills, you could make easy money without running errands for others. Why not? 'Don't wanna join anywhere'—that's bullshit. Why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to know about beautiful light."
Seamus snapped his fingers.
"Ah, right... You mentioned it before? Some special emotion? Even so, you'd desperately build power and money for that? I told you last time."
"Hm... Actually, I've thought about experimenting a few times because of that."
"What? Experiment?"
"Yes, human experimentation. I read a few books in my master's study about extracting extreme emotions. For example, putting a child and mother in a giant cauldron together..."
Oliver trailed off, but Seamus instinctively realized it wasn't a normal experiment.
He sensed not mere material greed, but something more malicious and insidious.
"And? Did you?"
"Hm... No. I wanted to try once, but experimenting on living people felt off. And I'm glad I didn't. I can see all sorts of fascinating emotions and people without doing that."
Oliver recalled.
"A mage and mana user who won't give up even when chased from the Magic Tower and their family; a black mage striving for their dream even trading with demons; someone protecting beggars despite being one; a bastard child enduring any humiliation or crisis without quitting for their goal; a black mage building a huge organization for their faith despite disagreeing; a mage earning recognition through skill despite skin color discrimination; a holy knight belatedly upholding convictions; a civil servant staking their life on beliefs; kids who keep pushing forward despite hardships, sending letters... The world is truly fascinating."
"So you're curious if I'm fascinating too?"
"Yes. I don't think you're doing this just for greed anymore. At first I did, but now... I see a strong sense of purpose and responsibility toward your comrades. It's quite pretty."
"Crazy pervert bastard. Spouting whatever..."
"Why risk so much danger, make enemies of all Landa, just for money? What do you want?"
Seamus swallowed a curse, fell silent briefly, then spoke.
"...To become the master."
"...Pardon?"
"To become the master of my own life. Do you know? The kingdom and Landa boast they're the world's most advanced systems, spouting about freedom and equality for all?"
"...Yes."
"But it's bullshit. Those without money or power aren't free or equal. They're slaves. That's the way of the world. I told you that before."
Oliver silently agreed. He had been the same in the orphanage and mines.
"In the past, I drew lots with my brothers, got picked, and was led by my father's hand to be sold to druids. For a sack of potatoes. After that, I vomited blood training to become a druid I never wanted to be. While over half the kids who came with me died."
Sincere.
"Then opportunity came. The orthodox old fogeys fought the reformist old fogeys, and we Enjoyment barely seized freedom... We're wielding power to get what we want now. Got a problem?"
"Hm... Not that I have nothing to say, but basically no."
"Thanks... This is all for me to become master of my life. To enjoy true freedom unbound by anything, I need money. An enormous amount."
"How much that you'd go this far?"
"Who knows? Enough to build a nation or an organization stronger than the Magic Tower... I can think slowly. Money lasts forever. Anyway, back to my proposal."
"Please, go ahead."
"Name your price. No one's here but you, so be honest. I'll pay whatever you say. Just bow out of this. Bonus: I'll forgive you killing my men."
"Even if you pay me, there are many outside?"
"No problem. I can kill the rest myself. Proof: they haven't breached the pillars yet."
It was true. Over a thousand troops were struggling against the wooden pillars, a testament to the power gap.
Not that the outsiders were weak, but Seamus was on another level.
"What will you do after killing them all?"
"Kill 'em and run. Things got messy. Gotta cut the knot. Like a great conqueror."
Sincere. Seamus truly intended to take on over a thousand alone.
After agonizing, Oliver said,
"...Can I really name any amount?"
"Yeah, go nuts. 100 million? A billion? Ten billion? Whatever."
"Then, could you give me 3.1302 trillion 550 million Landa?"
Seamus flinched.
"...ABC investment total."
"Yes. Return that, and I'll withdraw. Convince the others too. Kant lost an arm, but... workplace accident. I'll stick to my job."
"You think I'm making this offer out of fear? Just lazy."
"I know. But as I said, I'm just doing my job."
"Ha... Fine, better this way."
"Pardon?"
"I was wondering whether to let you go or not, curious about your identity. 'Great One' bullshit... Now it's clear. Gotta take you out too."
My identity? As Oliver opened his mouth to ask what he meant, Seamus erupted the natural power in his body outward and charged.