Chapter 273: You’re Going Through a Lot (2)
Chapter 273: You’re Going Through a Lot (2)
“Hehe… Hehehehe… Uhihihihi…”
Anyone would have thought the same thing.
That is, if they saw the state Oliver was in right now.
“Why has he gone mad?”
The one who answered Patrick’s question was Jason, who had recently been under Patrick’s special management.
“He’s… ugh… in love, apparently.”
“Really? Him?”
“That’s what they… urgh… say…”
Thud!
Jason, who had been doing the "simple" warm-up of push-ups in a ten-fold gravity field with Patrick sitting on his back, finally collapsed.
“Tsk, tsk. So weak… At this rate, when are you ever going to hit 7-Star? Huh?”
“Can’t I just… live like this?”
“Nope. Not a chance.”
Tears didn't even fall anymore.
His body had realized that crying would only lead to muscle loss, making things even harder.
“But Knight A in a relationship… Are you sure it’s with a real, living woman? Not some imaginary lady only he can see?”
“No, sir. The other knights have confirmed it. In fact…”
“In fact?”
“They say she’s beautiful and kind, too.”
Patrick’s expression shifted from surprise to dead seriousness.
“He didn't catch her in some weakness and blackmail her, did he?”
Behold the flimsy trust he had for a knight he had personally bestowed a surname upon.
“We looked into it, but there’s no sign of that.”
So you did look into it.
What a beautiful display of camaraderie.
Sanson, who had been listening to their conversation, chimed in.
“Young Master, please don’t look down on Oliver too much.”
“Why?”
Give me one good reason.
Facing Patrick’s utterly sincere gaze, Sanson let out a sigh.
“I saw her once, and she seemed like a good woman.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. Otherwise, who would like a nuisance like him? He’s a troublemaker who’ll never grow up, he’s got a short fuse, and he blows his entire paycheck at the tavern the moment he gets it.”
Is that even a compliment?
“She must have recognized Oliver’s true strengths.”
“I see. Knight A’s true strengths, huh?”
Patrick nodded with a proud expression. Then, he suddenly asked, “And what are those?”
“Well… how would we know?”
“……”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You can’t think of any either, can you?”
“……”
Sanson simply looked away, defending Oliver the only way he could.
Just then.
“Hello, everyone.”
The protagonist of the rumors appeared.
The moment she stepped into the training ground—a place thick with the stench of men’s sweat—it felt as if the entire area brightened.
Blonde hair and blue eyes.
Fair skin and a delicate beauty that looked like a wildflower carved into human form.
As she entered, the corners of Oliver’s mouth ascended as if they were trying to pierce through his temples, while the other knights let out heavy sighs.
‘Why would someone like her be with that guy…?’
‘Life is so unfair and disgusting…’
‘Man, life is bitter.’
Regardless of their thoughts, she walked into the training ground and held out a basket.
“I’m not very good at it, but I baked some cookies. Please, everyone, have some.”
“Oh, you shouldn't have…”
“We’ll enjoy them.”
“Thank you.”
The knights took the basket and began crunching on the cookies. However…
“Good, right? Amazing, isn't it? Whatever my Rita makes, it’s always delicious.”
Watching Oliver act like a total fool beside her made them want to chew on him instead of the cookies.
Oliver then scurried over to Patrick with a cookie in hand.
“Young Master, would you like one as we—? Huh? Young Master?”
Oliver saw it.
He saw Patrick staring intently at his lover. Patrick’s gaze didn't waver from her, his expression grave. Then, he turned to Oliver.
“Hey. Oliver, you…”
“Absolutely not.”
“Huh?”
“No way, Young Master. A person needs to have a conscience! You’ve already got the Vice-Captain, the Princess, and even the Elven Princess living with you. Now you want your subordinate’s girlfriend too—ack!”
“What kind of bullshit are you talking about?!”
He knew that was coming.
Kicked by Patrick, Oliver went flying backward, tumbled across the ground, then scrambled to his feet and charged back at Patrick with a shout.
“Waaaaah! Let’s both die today!”
“Really?”
Screeeech!
Oliver slammed on the brakes instantly.
“Uh, there’s no need to get so serious, is there?”
“……”
“It was just a joke. Haha.”
“……”
He was already a bit off in the head, but it seemed the higher his realm reached, the worse his condition became.
‘Is there some kind of side effect to the mental method I created? No, if that were the case, everyone should be weird. Why is it only this guy?’
Patrick sighed. Regardless…
‘This is an opportunity.’
He had been getting more annoyed by the day because he couldn't find any leads. He hadn't expected the snake to reveal its tail on its own like this. In that case…
‘I can’t go poking around the grass and let the snake escape.’
* * *
Oliver’s house.
Normally, this would be the time when a shaggy-haired young knight would barely wake up from a hangover and rush to work without even washing.
But things had changed recently.
A neatly dressed Oliver stepped out of the front door, followed by a beautiful blonde woman in an apron seeing him off.
“Well then, have a good day.”
“Mmm… I don’t want to go…”
“……”
“Hmm? What’s wrong, my babe?”
“Oh, it’s just that I don’t want to let you go either.”
“Right?”
“Then, do you want to stay home today, honey?”
“I’d love to… but sigh, I probably shouldn't, right?”
If he skipped work without an excuse, a Great Demon would surely descend upon this precious sanctuary.
“I’ll be off then. Stay safe, babe.”
“Yes. See you later, honey.”
After receiving a kiss from Rita, Oliver headed toward the knight order with the corners of his mouth practically hooked behind his ears.
‘Ah, so this is happiness.’
If just living together before marriage is this blissful, how much happier will it be once they’re married and have, say, seven kids?
‘I need to work hard and save money until that day comes,’ Oliver thought as he arrived at work. And then…
Click.
Rita, who had been waving goodbye to Oliver, stepped back inside. She slowly brought her hand to her head and…
“Ugh! Seriously, that piece of sh—!”
It was a scene of extreme stress.
A profession so grueling it could drive even a Dark Mage insane: being Oliver’s girlfriend.
“Babe? Babe?! That little brat who hasn't even lived a tenth of my lifespan has completely lost his mind…”
A shadow flickered in front of Lust, and another Dark Mage, his face full of suppressed laughter, revealed himself.
“You’re going through a lot, Lust.”
It was Greed, the other Dark Mage who had infiltrated the Schneider Duchy.
He looked as if he were desperately holding back a burst of laughter, his cheeks puffed out.
At that sight, Lust ground her teeth.
“Just laugh, you bastard.”
“Pwahahaha!”
Greed didn't hold back and burst into laughter.
He had known Lust for a long time, but he had never seen her lose her cool like this.
Lust pulled a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and said through gritted teeth, “It’s strange. Why isn't the brainwashing working?”
“Aren't you just going easy on him?”
“Why would I?!”
“Well, you know…”
“Dammit, I’m injecting mana into a guy who’s drowning in pleasure every night. Normally, he should have fallen completely within a week…”
“Maybe his willpower is strong?”
“That’s the only logical conclusion. But…”
Lust sighed as she recalled Oliver’s recent behavior.
[My babe, do you want to try wearing this?]
[Did my babe get a boo-boo? Let me blow on it for you.]
[What does my babe want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.]
Willpower?
That cringeworthy fool?
“It’s impossible.”
“Hmm, I agree with that.”
Greed concurred.
Then why wasn't Lust’s brainwashing working on Oliver?
Even high-ranking priests of the Holy Kingdom, tempered by steadfast faith, had succumbed to Lust’s charm and brainwashing.
So why was Oliver perfectly fine?
“What about extracting information or controlling him without the brainwashing?”
“Impossible. He’s unnecessarily thorough about that stuff. I’ve tried probing him a few times, but he shuts it down instantly.”
“Then, how about changing targets?”
“Tsk. If I suddenly switch targets now, I’ll just be seen as a loose woman.”
“That’s not a misunderstanding, it’s a fact.”
“What?”
“No, nothing.”
Greed looked away.
“So? What’s the plan?”
“Phew… I’ll have to find another way. Even if I have to push things a bit. I’ll need your cooperation then.”
“Tsk. This tiny duchy is giving us quite a bit of trouble. To think two of us, direct disciples of the Founding Patriarch, have to be stuck here…”
* * *
Oliver arrived at the knight order.
As soon as he clocked in, he was summoned by Patrick. And then…
“Alright, let’s start today’s session.”
They immediately began a sparring match that was no different from a real battle.
“Waaaaagh!”
Oliver swung his sword with everything he had.
Sparring or not, the opponent in front of him was a demon. There was no point in holding back.
Of course…
Whack-whack-whack-whack! Crack!
The result didn't change at all.
Patrick’s wooden sword struck every part of Oliver’s body evenly, and each time, Oliver groaned from the bone-deep pain.
“Ugh…”
“What are you doing? We’re just getting started. Get up.”
“Groan… Aren't you being a bit too hard on only me lately?”
“Hey, that’s a misunderstanding. A total misunderstanding.”
“……”
“What kind of grudge would I have to hunt you down like a rat?”
“Then can we stop for today?”
“Hmm…”
Patrick narrowed his eyes at Oliver, then gave a bright smile.
“Nope. We need to do more.”
“Why? Why? Why? Give me one valid reason why I have to spar—ack!”
“You’ll thank me later.”
“Dieeeee!”
And so, Oliver continued to be pummeled by Patrick.
However, he didn't know.
He didn't know that every time Patrick’s wooden sword struck his body, something was slowly being purged from within him.
‘This feels like I’m doing laundry.’
This was the reason why the Dark Mage’s daily mana injections for brainwashing were useless.
Patrick Schneider, a man who solved most of the world’s problems by hitting them.
The moment he sensed demonic energy inside Oliver, he had started beating it out of him to keep him clean.
So, no matter how many times Lust repeated the brainwashing, it was all for naught.
“Hehe, she must be getting pretty impatient by now, right?”
“What kind of nonsense—aaack!”
“When things don’t go as planned, people eventually look for a Plan B.”
“That’s a vital spot! Gaaah!”
“Let’s see what happens next.”
“Aaaaaaaagh!”
Today, too, Patrick diligently "laundered" Oliver until he was spotless.
* * *
A few days later.
After training ended, Oliver spoke to his colleagues.
“Hey, do you guys want to come over to my place today?”
The sudden invitation left the other knights bewildered.
“Suddenly?”
“Why?”
“For what?”
Their faces practically demanded a valid reason to visit his house. Oliver replied, “Hehehe. Well, my babe said…”
The moment the words "my babe" came out, the knights’ expressions became visibly uncomfortable.
Regardless, Oliver continued.
“She said she wanted to host a meal for my colleagues. Isn't she just the sweetest? Hehehe…”
“Oh, is that so?”
“I’m out. Since when were we that close?”
“To borrow Riman’s words, there isn't a single logical reason to go.”
Just as the colleagues were about to turn their backs and walk away…
“That’s a shame. My babe said she invited her friends from her days as a novice nun.”
“Novice nun…?”
“Friends from back then?”
“Does that mean… they’re beauties on the same level as your lady?”
The colleagues’ interest spiked instantly.
Oliver puffed out his chest and said, “Well, it’s hard to find an unprecedented beauty on the same level as my babe.”
‘I want to kill him.’
‘Should I just kill him?’
‘I’ll do it. I’m definitely going to be the one to kill him.’
Oliver, now the target of his colleagues’ collective hatred, continued.
“But they’re still beauties far beyond what you guys deserve. Well, if you don’t want to, I’ll just ask some other—”
“My friend.”
“My soul brother.”
“Is there anything we should bring as a gift?”
And so, the colleagues accepted the invitation to Oliver’s house.
Watching that scene from a distance, the Great Demon muttered to himself.
“Looks like they’re finally making a move.”
The snake, its patience exhausted, had finally raised its head.