Clean Up

Oliver received a call from Forrest while speaking with Jane.

The call was, of course, about the job.

[Hey, Dave, it's Forrest. I won't beat around the bush – the meeting with the city went well and they've agreed to pay the fee after the settlement. They want to deliver it to you personally, maybe to thank you for your service or just to check things out. It's tough to turn down this offer, so can you attend the meeting at the location I mentioned earlier?…. Thanks.]

Oliver couldn't see through Forrest's emotions since he was talking through a communication device, but the conversation with the city seemed to have gone really well.

Still, he found it difficult to understand.

He accepted the job at the city's request and was shocked to find himself in danger as a result.

Nevertheless, Oliver pushed aside his worries and followed Forrest's instructions to meet with the city official.

The meeting took place at a nearby café.

"Thank you for coming," said Paul Carver, the city official, as Oliver approached the table covered in a white tablecloth.

Carver was enjoying tea and pie.

"How are you, Mr. City Official?" Oliver asked.

"Just call me Carver," he replied.

"Would you like to sit down?" Carver offered Oliver a seat, and he took it.

"We chose this cafe because it's crowded," Carver explained. "I thought it would be convenient for you."

As Carver stated, the cafe was bustling with people, mostly well-dressed individuals like older gentlemen and their wives.

They were indulging in tea, coffee, cakes, scones, etc.

"Thank you for considering my comfort," Oliver said.

"By the way, I noticed some people here who seem nervous and on edge. They're keeping an eye on you, Mr. Carver."

Carver raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise.

"As I heard, you do have good eyesight. Did you read their thoughts?"

"No, not to that extent," Oliver replied.

"I just observed their nervous emotions."

"Don't worry about it," Carver said. "They're just following strict regulations for their official duties. It can be a tough city. As for me, I'm just an ordinary person without any protection."

Oliver questioned Carver's remark.

He didn't seem to have any special powers, and his mana and Life-force were similar to those of a regular person.

However, Oliver was intrigued by Carver's emotional state.

Strange as it may sound, his emotions were really solid.

Even people living in back alleys, such as Solvers and gangsters, sometimes have their emotions fluctuate, but he was surprisingly calm and composed, as if he had erected an emotional barrier.

"Is it okay to ask you a question, Mr. Forrest warned me not to. I'm just very curious."

"Sure, ask away."

"Do Solvers get killed after taking the city's mission?"

The question was sudden and felt like a punch in the face.

Oliver didn't intend it to be offensive, but it still had that impact.

Carver, however, remained calm and collected.

"It's not a common occurrence, but it does happen. It's evaluated on a case-by-case basis."

Oliver let out an 'Ah' in surprise.

"May I ask why?"

"There's a saying in the East, 'Heaven's secret', which means once those secrets are exposed, those who know them are usually eliminated to protect the system," Carver explained.

"What system is that?" Oliver asked.

"Think of this store as an example. It has employees and customers, right? Customers pay, and employees provide services and products."

Oliver looked around the store. As Carver said, customers paid when they went out, and the waiter delivered the tea and cake.

"But what happens if the customers don't pay, the store will fail, right?"

"Yes."

"The same goes for the world. Although it's much larger and more complicated, the basic system is similar. Each entity, like the city of Landa, the royal family, and the Parliament, plays its part. It's not perfect, but it works together to maintain the system."

It wasn't perfect, but Oliver thought he could roughly understand what he meant.

It seems that even though the city of Landa and the royal family may seem at odds, they still rely on each other to keep the system running.

"If I talk about what we found during the mission, could there be a crack in the system?"

"Crack… Let's say it could be a little noisy. Don't you know if you live in Landa? The truth is weaker than you think. It works only when a powerful being speaks."

"Then, isn't there any reason to care about me in the first place?"

"Higher-ups don't want even a small risk. Bold, but timid at the same time."

At that time, the shopkeeper brought a tray, poured coffee into the glass in front of Oliver, and gave him a banoffee pie.

"Enjoy your meal."

"I ordered it for you. Try it. This shop is famous for its pie."

Oliver took a bite of the pie as he was told.

"…it's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it. I like pie… Anyway, what I want to say is we've had to take drastic measures a few times in the past, but we have no intention of harming Dave. We also have an agreement, so we don't do things without thinking. It's a prescription given only when there's nothing we can do."

He meant to a certain extent what he said, and Oliver nodded.

"Yes, I understand."

"…Really?"

Carver said with a strange feeling.

"Yes, it could have been a little dangerous, but don't you mean it ended without any problems?"

"Well, that's true."

"That's fine by me. The story of heaven's secret and system you told me about was also interesting….. Since I've been taught, can I ask you one more question?"

"….what is it?"

"Then, will the price of coffee go down?"

Oliver pointed to the coffee in front of him.

"…you're a funny guy."

"Really?"

"No...the price of coffee will remain the same. We're not going to use it right away, we're going to save it for a rainy day."

"I see. Mr. Arthur also said the same thing."

Carver looked at Oliver for a moment and opened his mouth.

"Thank you for listening. May I proceed?" Carver said, and pulled out a white envelope from his pocket.

Oliver opened the envelope to find a bankbook and a seal inside.

It was the same anonymous bankbook from the Gold Smith Bank as Edith Rock, and to Oliver's surprise, it was stamped with an amount much higher than he had anticipated.

"Mr. Carver, this amount is strange."

"It's not strange. The city is very precise with its finances."

"Is that so? But I don't remember being promised this much. It's too much."

It was true. The payout for the mission was supposed to be one billion, but the amount recorded in the bankbook was double that amount, including the additional bounty from the raid on the abandoned incineration plant.

Oliver had been counting his earnings and had calculated the compensation he would receive, but the amount in the bankbook exceeded his expectations.

When questioned about it, Carver explained calmly,

"Arthur told me about your active role in the mission. From the search, to the negotiation, to the final stand to protect everyone. Without you, the mission wouldn't have been successful."

"I'm honored."

"It's not flattery, just the truth. Arthur is sharp when it comes to these things. The bonus reflects your contribution to the mission and your performance. Don't hesitate to take it, it's well-deserved."

With that, Oliver ceased to argue.

He was planning to move to a better house, and the extra money would make the move much easier.

He saw no reason to decline.

This would be a step closer to moving into a middle-class housing District.

"Oh, let's be fair. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Um. . . . what is it?"

"I need you to keep the information you heard during the mission confidential. It can be dismissed as a false rumor, but we don't know what the consequences could be. Consider it a secret agreement."

"Of course, I understand. I won't tell anyone."

At the conclusion of the conversation, Oliver rose from his seat, having finished his coffee and pie.

Just as Oliver was about to depart, Carver called out to him.

"May I ask you something?"

"Uh? Excuse me…"

"It's just a personal curiosity, why did you become a Solver?"

The inquiry had a hint of ulterior motives, but there was no ill intent.

It was simply a calculated question.

Oliver replied candidly, as he saw no harm in it.

"I wanted to see the world."

…

After a day of working outside the office, Carver drove back to the office.

Officials at Landa received good salaries and benefits, but they never considered leaving work early or taking a vacation.

Carver sometimes enjoyed working outside, even though it could be dangerous.

He savored the tea and pie he ate during working hours, making it a special experience.

Carver went to the City minister's office, where the head of the Ministry of Interior was located, instead of his own office.

The minister's office was located at the top of the building and had a commanding presence, like a king on a chessboard.

Carver knocked on the door.

After a moment, he heard a voice say "come in," albeit a beat late.

When Carver entered the office, he greeted a middle-aged man who looked tired.

He was surprisingly a spectator of the greatest city in the world. His biggest goal was to keep his place safe, without any accidents…

"How are you, Minister?"

"You're here?"

"Yes."

"Work?"

"I've handled it."

The Minister did not respond.

After a while, he opened his mouth again.

"I feel anxious no matter how much I think about it. He's a Warlock, isn't he? I know those types are dangerous. Do we need to…?"

The minister trailed off, concerned about the potential consequences of any actions taken. Carver replied, hiding his true thoughts,

"I think it's better to wait and watch for now. I've been monitoring Dave's activities for quite some time, and I haven't seen any dangerous moves."

Although Carver's statement was only partially true, as there were suspicious areas in the contamination zone, he didn't consider Dave to be a threat.

With a 100% success rate on missions, Dave appeared to be a valuable asset to them.

Fortunately, the minister nodded slowly.

It was natural because all the work was left to the working team and he didn't even grasp it.

"I mean…."

"Yes, it is. Mr. Minister, a Warlock, but there is no other danger. In particular, in this case, he fought a war wizard and stalled for some time."

"A War Wizard?"

"Yes... I don't know the details, but Arthur's report says he stopped the war wizard by himself and even escaped on his own. That alone is worth the risk. The councilors will want that too."

Councilors.

The Minister took a step back when he said the magic word.

They were the ones holding his own lifeline.

"Then why don't we put him in the project altogether?" the minister asked.

"I tried to do it already, but he refused."

"Really? He seems to be full of himself, for a Solver bugger on the street."

"Don't be too angry, Sir. It's a pity, but it's good in a way. Putting a Warlock in a public institution won't stick well with the public, so there's nothing to regret."

"...."

"The key to the project is not to gather outstanding individuals, but to create a strong organization. It would be cheaper to leave him to the Solver's union and request it when necessary."

"Hmm… really?"

"Yes, sir."

"If you promise me that… you did a great job. Get out."

Carver respectfully bowed and exited the minister's office.

Despite the minister being an inept individual who primarily looked out for his own interests, Carver couldn't escape the fact that any consequences arising from his endorsement of Oliver would fall onto his own shoulders.

All he could do now was hope for the best.

"Haa…"

Carver left the minister's office and returned to his own.

He organized the scattered papers and thought about Dave.

'What kind of man are you really, Dave?'

He had asked Oliver why he did Solver work, and Oliver's answer was that he wanted to understand the world and to know why colonies were born and why poor people were created.

Although it was an answer that would not come from someone who killed for money, it did not sound like a lie.

Carver whispered to himself,

"…Well, if you stay in this city, you'll find out eventually."

Finally, Carver pushed aside his complicated thoughts and finished organizing the papers.

Carver read the front page once again, collecting the papers and aligning them with a sigh.

[City Project: Landa Special Security Bureau]