Mattel.
Mattel.
Mattel.
Oliver had heard the name before.
It felt a little familiar and he wondered where he heard the name previously.
"Do you mean Mattel, the research Lab of School of Life magic?"
When Oliver asked the question, he recalled the time he had to catch a Chimera that escaped from a laboratory, as part of the test to become a Solver.
Oliver caught it and became a Solver.
While still feeling like yesterday, it also felt like a very distant memory.
"Life, what? I don't know about those difficult things. They said it's a research lab affiliated with the Magic Tower.”
To the hostess who had no idea about the Mattel Lab, Oliver asked once again.
"They took him as a student?”
"Yes… they said they are sponsoring motivated, talented children. In public interest… As you know, with your help, Rosbane learned to write on his own, didn’t he? They said it’s a great thing and took him."
"Um…, so, did you send him?”
"Yes, Rosbane seemed to want to go, and they also gave me some money. They said it was to compensate for the absence of Rosbane. So I sent him. There's no reason not to send him, right?”
"Um… is it really okay to send him like that?"
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying that I sold Rosbane somewhere for money?”
Putting her hands on her waist, the inn hostess frowned unpleasantly.
"Um.., what I meant is…"
"… Look here, Mister. You're a good customer, and that’s it between us. It's rude of you to suddenly come here and say that! More than anything, it's you who said you'll come back and never showed your face, that’s wrong and that’s not polite. With dirt on your face don’t come and preach to me on what’s right or wrong. You don't seem to be here to eat, so you should leave. Stop poking your nose in other people’s lives."
In an unfriendly gesture, the inn hostess waved her hand at Oliver.
Oliver had no choice but to leave the place.
Oliver was thrown out to the streets with a thud and a slammed door.
Oliver thought, looking at the yellow-lit inn.
"Mattel Lab…”
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"Dave…?”
TRING.
The moment Oliver opened the door to the restaurant, Al came out.
His face was filled with surprise as he looked at Oliver.
It was more of an expression of meeting an unexpected guest than being caught by surprise.
"Hello, Mr. Al. How are you?"
"Oh, yes, I’m fine. I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to return so quickly. Are you here to see the boss?”
"Yes, can I meet him?"
"Of course. He’s having dinner. Would you like to join him?"
"No, I’m fine. I have to save money for a while."
For some reason, Oliver didn't feel like eating.
But Al recommended it again.
"Haha. Money is fine. It's an honor to be able to serve someone like Dave."
Someone like you… Oliver felt those words were kind.
Still, Oliver politely declined again because he didn't have an appetite, even though he knew it was not the right thing to do.
"It's all right… I'm serious. Actually, I don't have an appetite.”
"Oh, then I can't help it. I'll take you to the boss."
Al said, bowing his head politely.
As Oliver followed Al, he saw Forrest who was eating on one side of the restaurant.
A white fish dish with baked potatoes, topped with white sauce, served along with white wine.
Forrest, who was eating, saw Oliver.
Like Al, he also looked a little surprised.
"Oh, my… What an unexpected guest. You came faster than I thought"
“I'm sorry. I came because I wanted to ask you something, not because of work.”
Oliver said, sitting naturally across from Forrest.
"Ask something? First, let's eat and then talk. Al?"
Oliver said before Al could open his mouth.
"No, it’s okay. . .. Strangely, I don't have an appetite right now.”
"Is that so? Eating is a great blessing… Wait…"
Forrest looked at Oliver and opened his mouth again.
"When did you last sleep? You look a little tired”
"Um… well? I stayed up all night for a few days because I had some things that piled up."
"You can't do that. A healthy body is the greatest fortune….. First, go and get some sleep."
"Thank you for your words. I'll just ask this and go back.”
"Haa…"
Forrest sighed.
He put a piece of fish flesh in his mouth, mumbled, and asked while washing it over with white wine.
"So, what are you curious about?"
"I want to know about Mattel Lab.”
The clatter of the fork and spoon stopped.
Forrest froze for a moment before slowly raising his eyes and looking at Oliver.
"Mattel?"
"Yes. Mattel, who once offered a bounty to catch a Chimera."
"Uh, why are you asking about them now?”
"I'm suddenly curious."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"……"
Oliver looked at Forrest silently instead of answering.
His silence was heavier and more convincing than his words.
Even Forrest, who was very experienced in this field, stopped asking anymore and just replied.
"Mattel Lab….. It's a research institute built with the support of Magic Tower’s School of Life magic. Of course, it belongs to the School of Life magic.”
"What do they research?"
"They study life and magic as a whole, but their main focus is the medical and military sectors.”
"Medical and military? That's unusual."
"It's not even that unusual. It's contradictory, but it's close. For example, treating soldiers' injuries can provide data for surgical treatments, and human modification technology, which is part of the military, can be used to make the upper class's bodies healthier and stronger."
Oliver nodded. It did seem to make sense now.
"That's fascinating."
"They realized that amazing fact faster than anyone else and grew up faster. With the help of the School of Life magic at their back, they have patented a lot of magic in this field. Thanks to that, they are currently exerting considerable influence in both military and medical fields."
"Um… That's great."
"Yes."
"Then, do they sponsor anything?"
"Sponsor?"
"Yes… one of my acquaintances went to Mattel. He’s sponsored as a student. Do they do that at Mattel?"
When asked by Oliver, Forrest answered in silence– with a very heavy silence
After a while, Forrest wiped his mouth with a napkin, leaving half the fish untouched.
"…There are often cases where the Magic Tower sponsors children. It can improve their image in the public eye and they can also get some decent talent. If it doesn't work out, they can use them as a worker to do chores. Children who can't even do that will be kicked out as soon as they become adults, so it's not a losing venture if they can afford it."
"Um, I see. But I asked about Mattel. Mr. Forrest."
"Mattel… Of course, Mattel…"
"… Mr. Forrest. If you're going to lie, please don't say anything. I'll be a little sad if Mr. Forrest does that."
Forrest gave up and replied after a heavy sigh.
"Ha… maybe, it's not sponsorship.”
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Mattel Lab has a good image externally, but in reality, it’s mostly filled with people who think Wizards, mainly English Wizards, are the most noble beings in this world."
"Noble beings?"
"The theory is that superior humans and inferior humans are genetically predetermined by nature, and Wizards are the most supreme of them all. Most wizards believe this theory, but the School of life magic is worse….. I don't think they're going to sponsor anyone for free. Even more so, if it's someone they think of as an inferior species."
"Um, I see.”
Rather than being surprised, Oliver felt that his predictions were right.
"Then, why did they take him?"
"Well, how do I know? Is he someone precious to you?"
"Precious? …Not really, no."
Oliver replied.
In fact, Rosbane was not such a kind of existence to Oliver.
He was just someone who he met a few times at the inn where he stayed, and then taught him for a while.
Nothing more, nothing less…..
And in the first place, Oliver did not know what a precious person meant.
Forrest stared at Oliver– as if judging whether he was saying the truth or not.
"…… well, that's a relief. Then, don’t think about him. Just forget about him."
"Um?"
"Forget him, he’s just someone you know. I don't know what's going on, and I don't want to know it either, just forget."
"Um, I'm still curious. Why did they take him if they didn't want to sponsor him?”
"Why are you curious? And does knowing make any difference?"
The words Forrest spoke were smeared with irritation.
Before he knew it, he stopped eating and focused on the conversation.
"Come to think of it, I should have told you something when you first came, but I forgot to tell you. I'll tell you now. The first rule of living in this city– Never swim against the tide.”
"Swim against the tide?"
"Yes, never. Landa is a huge city, and there are huge tides and there are huge catches if you live there. However, if you go against the tide, you can't escape death. Sometimes it may be servile and sometimes disgraceful."
Servile and disgraceful.. Somehow, the last words seemed to have more emotion than usual.
"Do you want to get into trouble with Mattel? Against a giant research Lab that has gained influence in the medical and military sectors with the Magic Tower at its backing?"
"Um… no."
"Then just forget. Sometimes you have to pretend you don't know. It's nothing to do with you, so why do you want to know? Half-a*s knowledge brings only misery.”
"Um… I see. Thank you for your kind words."
Oliver rose from his seat, greeting Forrest politely.
Seeing Oliver like that, Forrest called him.
"Dave."
"Yes?"
"I think you understand, but just in case. Can you promise me that you won't be involved with Mattel?"
After pondering for a while, Oliver answered.
"Um… No."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
At his final answer, Forrest was furious.
Oliver persuaded him not to worry too much and hurried out of the restaurant as if running away to visit his next destination.
It seemed like a very busy day.
"Ho-ho, mate… What's going on?"
The bookstore old man who was cleaning up the store suddenly asked Oliver who visited once again.
Oliver bowed to him politely.
"Hello, Elder."
"Well, hello. I just saw you in the morning. What happened in the meantime? …By any chance, are you here for more advice on women?."
"No, not that."
"Not that….. Then, it must be something serious."
Oliver couldn't deny that.
In many ways, he seemed like a quick-witted person.
Even though he said he was an old man who runs a used bookstore, he seemed somewhat unique.
Actually, it wasn't that strange when you think about it.
He was knowledgeable about World Tree codes, and about a lot of things.
Above all, his mana.
Oliver hasn't forgotten about it yet.
The enormous magic he felt the moment he first met him.
It was a moment when a second seemed to be split into a hundred seconds, and it was never an illusion.
The size, vastness, and purity of his mana were greater than Duncan's, who had Mana hypertrophy.
It was more than any Wizard Oliver has ever seen.
He just didn't have the right timing to ask about it.
However, now seemed like the right time.
"Do you have anything to say?"
Oliver nodded at the old man's question.
"Elder… Are you a wizard?"
(To be Continued)
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