Chapter 348
Chapter 348
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 348
Chapter Title: Truth and Sincerity (1)
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"Haa... As expected, the Archive lives up to its name."
Gretel said that as she cast her portal spell.
The air tore open in a swirling vortex not just around her, but also near her fallen subordinates, struck down by Merlin's lightning.
The bizarre edges of the portals were lined with tongue-like tentacles that swallowed up her collapsed minions, living or dead alike.
Merlin called out to Gretel as she departed.
"Thanks for yielding."
"You're still a bit much for me to handle. For now, anyway."
With those cryptic words, Gretel stepped into the portal and vanished.
A departure as anticlimactic as her entrance had been dramatic.
But rather than finding it disappointing, Oliver simply realized that Merlin was far greater than he had imagined.
Not that Oliver knew much about Merlin in the first place.
"You alright?"
Once Gretel was fully gone, Merlin reverted to his usual demeanor and asked.
Oliver gathered his quarterstaff, the damaged Corpse Puppet-Low Striker, and the Child-Second inside it. He checked his own body and then answered Merlin's question.
"Aside from the clothes you gifted me getting a bit torn, I'm fine."
Facing off against the Grand Master of the Magic Tower and coming away with torn clothes as the worst of it might sound like bravado at first glance. But Oliver meant it sincerely.
Especially since they were a gift from Edith. It was a shame.
Merlin, who knew that, could only chuckle wryly.
To think he'd say something like that after facing Theodore...
Yet at the same time, Merlin found it perfectly natural. So natural it almost felt hollow.
Merlin silently gazed at Oliver before turning to look at Theodore, who had aged rapidly in an instant until he looked even older than Merlin himself—no, more like a walking corpse—and at Karl, who was half out of his mind with terror.
His friend and his friend's grandson.
"Hmm... Dave."
"Yes, sir."
"For now, can we step out of the lake and talk?"
***
Following Merlin's suggestion, Oliver exited the lake and set foot in the forest, left in ruins by the battle's aftermath.
Thanks to the lake water overflowing multiple times, the ground had turned to mud. Broken trees and massive trunks uprooted and toppled littered the area here and there.
"How did you get here?"
Oliver, who had used his Corpse Puppet to carry Theodore, Karl, and the fragments of Theodore's flesh, asked Merlin abruptly.
"Didn't I tell you? I came on a whim."
Merlin replied with his characteristic sly smile, and Oliver stared back with his usual blank expression.
"...That whim was triggered by sensing something here, though."
"Sensing?"
"After the conference started, I checked this place through the World Tree. I like peeking on folks... And today, I saw something that made me doubt my own eyes."
"What?"
"Two Eves fighting each other."
"Ah..."
Oliver let out an involuntary sound.
He had told her not to, but it seemed Eve had gone out of her way to spread word of the situation outside.
'Thanks... Hope she didn't get hurt.'
Oliver worried about Eve. She had said fighting here would put her at a disadvantage.
"It's such a rare sight that I watched from afar. As you know, even one Eve is a miracle, but two—and fighting each other? A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, right?"
"Yes."
"Then one of them spotted me and suddenly informed me of the situation here. That the Life School hosting the conference and the Life Alchemy Department were attacking the guests... So I rushed over."
"You just arrived, then?"
"That's right. Why?"
Oliver sensed something off but didn't press. It wasn't that important.
So he moved straight to the main point.
"Thank you for your help, sir. I survived thanks to you."
Oliver formally expressed his gratitude for Merlin's aid against Gretel.
He couldn't gauge her full strength, but considering her spatial magic, fog barrier, superior mana quality, and the fleeting glimpse of her concealed emotions—not to mention summoning minions—she was no ordinary mage. Fighting her might have ended in victory or defeat, but without Merlin, Theodore and Karl likely would have been taken.
In other words, Merlin's help had secured not just his safety, but the spoils as well.
"I'm the one who's grateful. You helped the Tower's people, didn't you? I'm retired, but still affiliated with the Tower. I mean it sincerely."
"I'm currently on the Tower's payroll too... How did you hear about it?"
"Yareli told me on the road today. She desperately explained to me how hard you worked to help."
"Yareli?"
"Yeah. I saved her from an ambush by Life Alchemy mages while she was fleeing the forest. That's when I heard the full details of the situation here and your exploits... I didn't know that girl could get so passionate."
"Ah... Is she safe?"
"For now? Why, worried?"
Merlin asked, sounding surprised. It was only natural—Oliver showing interest in a woman.
Oliver replied.
"Yes, I have some questions for her. She promised to answer. Glad she's alright."
Merlin watched him with a subtle curl of his lips, observing this enigmatic, intriguing figure like a specimen.
"What's that look for, sir?"
"...The mana in your body is impressive. Did you absorb every last drop from the lake?"
"Ah, right. Excuse me a moment."
Remembering belatedly that he had drained the lake's mana, Oliver headed to the water's edge and knelt on one knee.
"What are you doing?"
"Returning it to the lake. I extracted it to fight Theodore, but I don't need it anymore."
Oliver stated the absurd fact as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Absorbing the vast mana of Lake Village's lake was beyond human limits in the first place. Reversing it was equally impossible.
Like a waterfall flowing upward—it defied reason.
Yet Oliver calmly performed the act right before Merlin's eyes.
He returned the lake's remaining mana back to it.
A waterfall flowing upward—a breathtaking sight. Merlin watched silently.
"Ah... And sorry about that."
As soon as he finished restoring the mana, Oliver returned to Merlin and apologized.
"Sorry for what?"
"My identity got exposed. To way too many people to hide... You helped me, so I'm sorry."
Oliver explained how his identity had been revealed, apologizing again to Merlin.
In the heat of the moment earlier, he'd overlooked it, but now that things had settled, being a black mage masquerading as a Tower employee was a major issue.
His contributions here might prevent a big fallout, but the Tower's prejudice against black mages made it hard to be sure.
Worst case, he could hide or flee, but that would trouble Kevin and Merlin, who had helped him.
That's why he felt bad. Putting those who helped him in a tough spot was a fact.
"Don't worry. I heard about that too. I was a bit angry at first."
"Sorry again. I got dragged into the story..."
Oliver glanced at Karl, still clinging to Batori like a rabbit.
"...But saying not to worry means you have a plan?"
"At my age, I can handle any situation. I've already come up with two solutions."
"Oh... Like what?"
"Pin all my crimes on Kevin. The safest, most reliable option. Kevin's the weak one in the Tower, while I..."
"Sorry, don't look at me like that. I helped you earlier, remember?"
"Ah, my apologies... So, the other one?"
"It's a bit risky, and I'd have to take some damage myself."
"Personally, I'd prefer that one."
"Worried about Kevin?"
"Yes, he's impressive... Isn't he your master, sir?"
Merlin's joking expression hardened at the pointed remark.
His thick mana barrier made emotions hard to read, but Oliver caught a glimpse of guilt. Like Kant had shown in the past.
"...You heard, then."
"Kind of by accident... Ah, don't misunderstand. I'm not judging you. I just think the professor is truly amazing."
"...If it's alright, can I make a request too?"
"To me? Yes, go ahead."
"Will you give me disposal rights over Theodore and Karl?"
At the sudden proposal, Oliver tilted his head, and the waiting Corpse Puppets let out their signature shrieks, signaling aggression.
"Baldy! Fuck! Kill!! Baldy!!"
"Kyahahaht—!"
The Corpse Puppets deferring to Oliver's will. He raised a hand to calm them.
"Sir... What do you mean all of a sudden?"
"I heard roughly what you plan to do with them. But getting answers from Theodore will be tough. He's about to die."
Oliver looked at Theodore, gripped like a dog in Sheamus's hand.
As Merlin said, his life force was waning; he looked moments from death. Five minutes? Ten at most?
And his mind wasn't intact, crumbling under terror.
Even so, Oliver didn't like the proposal much.
"The corpses are valuable to me too."
"I know. That's why I'm asking."
Merlin made the request calmly but firmly.
An unexpected turn. Oliver felt an odd sensation, like the irritation during his talk with Batori...
"...Why make such a request? Planning to save him?"
"No, I can't save him anymore—not even me. I just want to bury him."
"Theodore?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"He's my friend. And I could have ended up like that... So I want to give him a proper burial. Even a bad guy like me wants to preserve that much dignity."
Oliver stared at Merlin silently. The thick mana wall still blocked his emotions, but somehow, he sensed pity for Theodore.
"...Should I hand over Karl too?"
"Yes, I'd appreciate it. He's my friend's grandson... We'll handle his punishment at the Tower."
Karl, gripped by Batori, looked at Merlin and Oliver in terror.
Oliver looked back. He wasn't as broken as Theodore, but he feared Oliver, filled with deep confusion and despair inside.
Like he still couldn't shake the shock of betrayal by his grandfather.
Ironically, Oliver thought of Colin from that trembling form.
The boy he couldn't save in Martel.
"What if I refuse?"
"What can I do if the owner refuses? Just plead sincerely."
Without readable emotions, Oliver couldn't tell if it was genuine, but somehow, it felt real.
Oliver pondered. Honestly, he didn't want to give up the corpses.
Both had decent performance... Even if not, he wanted to turn them into Corpse Puppets.
Because he felt like it.
A strong impulse surged as Oliver looked at Karl again. He was trembling. Colin flashed in his mind once more.
Then, amid the impulse, something intruded. Something Oliver couldn't explain.
Confusing. He wanted advice from someone.
Kant's words surfaced.
'I like that side of you. So please, don't let revenge, anger, or hatred poison you over things like this. Those emotions... They're addictive. I don't want that for you.'
Recalling it, Oliver felt his confusion and impulse subside.
"Alright... But on two conditions."
"Name them."
"I have some questions. Answer them in Theodore's place, since you're his friend."
"Promise."
"Second, let me hit Karl once... I want to."
Merlin turned to look at Karl, slumped and gripped by Batori.
"...Alright."
The moment he heard the reply, Oliver walked past Merlin toward Karl. Corpse Puppet-Batori stood him up.
Karl, who had been so confident before absorption, now trembled in his eyes with fear, staring silently at Oliver.
Without even thinking of resisting.
Oliver raised his fist mechanically toward the powerless man and swung.
Thud—
With a dull impact, Karl crumpled to the ground like a doll.
Plunged into deep despair.
Oliver thought again of the orphans abandoned in the mines.
"Colin."
"...?"
"The boy who died in Martel—his name was Colin. And he was even more scared than you... Just saying."
With that, Oliver turned away without another glance at Karl and walked back to Merlin.
Even so, he could see Karl drowning in profound guilt and regret.
'Did I say that to see this?'
Oliver questioned his own actions. It felt similar to when he'd made Colin confess back then.
Doing it without knowing exactly why, just feeling like he had to... Confusing.
"That enough?"
At Merlin's question, Oliver looked at Karl, dazed and tear-streaked.
"Not sure... But I think we're done here."
"Good."
"Yes... If it's alright, may I ask how you'll handle things now?"
Merlin smiled.
"Face it head-on with truth and sincerity, like a man."
"Head-on?"
"Yeah. With truth and sincerity."