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"A donation?" Carver asked with surprise.
"Yes," Oliver replied.
Carver looked at Oliver for a moment, then nodded in understanding. "Yes, I understand. It's not too difficult as long as you provide the funds."
"Thank you. Here," Oliver said, pulling out a bank book from his belongings.
Inside the bank book lay an impressive sum of one billion, a success fee he received for the ABC commission. It was a fortune that could rarely be acquired without special abilities, natural business acumen, or immense luck. Nonetheless, Oliver handed over the large sum to Carver without hesitation.
"Please donate exactly as much as the orphanage needs. Not more, not less… And please let me know when the money runs out."
"Hmm… Yes, I understand," Carver replied hesitantly.
"Do you, by any chance, wonder why?"
"Honestly, it would be strange if I didn't."
Oliver's interest in a fallen paladin and the orphanage piqued curiosity. But Carver interrupted before Oliver could reveal his reasons, expressing that he didn't want to know.
"This city is complicated, and so are the people who live here. I know this better than anyone else who has worked as a public servant. That's why I try not to get involved in other people's affairs unless it's absolutely necessary. It's less mentally exhausting that way."
"I see…"
"All I care about is the prosperity of this city and the people who will help it prosper. Aside from that, I don't care what you're interested in, Dave. Even if I am curious."
Carver's straightforward goals and conviction impressed Oliver. He was one of the few people he had encountered in Landa with such clarity of purpose.
"But, could you promise me one thing?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"If there's a chance that Landa will be harmed, please let me know in advance. It's not that I don't trust you, Dave, but the future is unpredictable… It may sound trivial, but if you suddenly cause harm to Landa, I won't stand idly by."
Carver meant his words seriously, fully aware of their weight.
"I promise. If I think I'm going to harm Landa, I'll definitely let you know. And…"
"Yes?"
"I don't take you lightly, Mr. Carver. I think you're really incredible. I admire you."
Oliver's sincerity touched Carver, a mix of joy from being acknowledged and respect for his counterpart.
"Thank you for your words. Then, I'll discuss the rest in detail with Forrest."
"Yes, I appreciate your help."
After their conversation concluded, Carver left the building with a polite greeting.
As if waiting, Joe approached Oliver. "Are you done talking?"
"Yes, Joe, were you waiting for me?"
"Yes… Did you, by any chance, form an unofficial alliance with the city?"
"Yes, I've made up my mind. It doesn't seem like there's anything to lose, and Mr. Forrest also thinks forming an alliance is the wiser choice. Refusing the offer might raise suspicions."
Joe nodded, trying to hide his dissatisfaction.
Noticing Joe's emotions, Oliver asked, "Do you not like the idea, Joe?"
"Well… No, it's not that. I'm not planning to be arrogant. It's just that, being from here, I can't really trust the city officials," Joe confessed.
Oliver understood his concerns. District X had suffered from misappropriation of city council funds, subsequent misfortunes, and the city's indifference. Trust in the city varied by district in Landa, with the wealthier areas being more trusting than the poorer ones.
‘Landa is indeed a complex city.'
"Um… there might be some circumstances, right?" Oliver suggested, trying to see things from the councilors' perspective.
Joe seemed to understand but still showed complicated emotions, finding it hard to fully accept the situation.
Changing the subject, Joe asked, "If it's okay with you, may I ask when we can ask for your guidance again? Some people, not just the newbies, want to get a checkup from Dave. I hope you can spare some time for them, even if it's inconvenient."
"It's not a bother. I have much to learn from all of you as well, so don't worry."
"Thank you."
"But, could you wait for about 2 weeks?"
"2 weeks?" Joe seemed surprised.
"Yes, I have some work to do."
With the final exam approaching, Oliver was already overwhelmed with his Magic Tower responsibilities. Preparing for the exam was a demanding task, and he had various other duties related to his position as a personal staff.
Joe seemed disappointed but understood the situation, nodding in agreement.
"I understand. I'll wait during that time."
"Don't just wait and waste time. Could you please fill out this file for the next 2 weeks?" Oliver handed Joe a folder.
Joe looked through it, puzzled, and asked, "What is this?"
"It's a list of tests. Please conduct physical tests as written there, classify grades, and evaluate each person's mana skills and black magic skills… even the ones you are not confident with."
"I don't know much, but it seems systematic."
Oliver had put effort into creating the file by researching and referencing books about training and magic from the Pure Magic School Tower Library.
"Yes, it's something I developed based on those references. Don't do it alone; share it with each of the officers."
"Why should we share it?"
"Now you guys also need to learn how to teach people if you want to keep replenishing members."
Joe couldn't argue with the point. It was essential for the officers to learn how to guide and train new members independently without always relying on Oliver's assistance.
"Hmm… I understand," Joe said, contemplating the situation.
"Is there a problem? You seem a bit uncomfortable."
"No… it's just that there are a few guys who can't read, so I'm wondering if they can do this kind of work."
Oliver gasped, realizing the issue. Many members in the Fighter crew were illiterate, and it wasn't uncommon. Reading and writing required significant education, and most of them had not received such opportunities.
Even Oliver himself had been illiterate just a few years ago, but he had learned thanks to Marie's help.
‘Thanks to Marie, I learned… I wonder if she's doing well?'
The thought of Marie brought back memories of their meeting and parting, which were both memorable, though not entirely pleasant. He wondered if she had kept her promise, as she hadn't shown up in Landa for quite some time.
"Excuse me, Dave?" Joe brought Oliver back to the present.
"Yes?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else. What did you say?"
"No, just, can we do this with the ones who can read for now? No matter how much I think about it, if they can't read, they can't even start."
"Yes, in that case, it can't be helped. But can I ask you one more favor?"
"What is it?"
"Everyone in the Fighter Crew should learn to read."
"Read?"
"Yes. Since they can't do anything because they can't read, they need to learn to read."
Joe seemed unsure and asked, "I'm sorry, but who will teach them? The ones who know how to read barely do it at a passable level; they're not in a position to teach anyone."
"Please ask Mr. Forrest."
"Excuse me?"
"Mr. Forrest. Al and other employees at the restaurant can all read, and they have experience teaching."
Oliver recalled the restaurant work and the jokes he had learned from his time there over the past three years.
"All the employees were good at speaking because they all dealt with customers, and in particular, Al was particularly talented at teaching. He even wrote notes about restaurant jokes."
Oliver convinced Joe to ask Forrest for help, and though Joe hesitated, he eventually nodded in agreement.
***
"Ohhh…" The students collectively gasped during the [Magic Combat Basic] final exam.
They were in awe of the match unfolding before their eyes, featuring Derick.
Despite this being his tenth consecutive match, he showed no signs of fatigue and secured a clean victory.
His dominance left no room for dispute.
Despite his long absences, he displayed astonishing improvement in his skills.
"Professor was right. He has really improved," Oliver remarked, impressed by Derick's performance.
While Derick's skills were similar to the last time they had fought, his fighting style had undergone significant changes.
In the past, he heavily relied on powerful fire magic as his primary strategy, using other spells only as secondary options. However, now he exhibited a more versatile approach, adapting his magic depending on the situation.
For opponents with strong firepower, Derick purposely drew them into close combat, using his swordsmanship to overpower them without relying on special magic. On the other hand, if the opponent excelled in close combat, he countered them with high-powered fire spells.
Against well-balanced opponents, he combined swordsmanship and fire magic, effectively shaking them before delivering decisive blows. Compared to the past, Derick's combat strategy had become much more diverse and efficient.
"That guy is not to be taken lightly," Kevin commented as they watched another match.
This time, Felix was engaged in his test match, and he was performing exceptionally well.
Though he had just reached the level to attend Kevin's class, he had surprisingly absorbed Kevin's teachings in a short period. He showcased the sturdy and heavy magic characteristic of the Gaia School, pressuring his opponent by manipulating the stones of the arena to create walls, heavy projectiles, or weapons.
While Felix's magic lacked the flamboyance of Kevin's fire magic, it made up for it with solid defenses and powerful strikes that could turn the tide of the match. His opponent was clearly struggling under the pressure he exerted.
"He's calm," someone remarked.
"And quick," another added.
Indeed, though Felix appeared slow and composed, he reacted instantaneously whenever his opponent cast a spell, either defending or counterattacking.
Comparing this to the past when he struggled to react despite having sufficient mana and magic skills, his improvement was remarkable.
‘Hmm… They're all envious,' Oliver thought as he observed the students' reactions to Felix's match.
These students, like Felix, had received training from Oliver. However, unlike Felix, they hadn't shown much growth throughout the semester.
They had subtly requested Oliver's help, hoping for improvements similar to Felix's, but Oliver had turned them down. He believed they needed to hone their basic skills first, such as physical stamina and mana flow.
‘It's a shame. If they had followed well like Mr. Felix from the beginning, I could've helped them. Elder also told me to do as I wish.'
However, most of them preferred to follow Kevin's teaching methods, even if it meant receiving lower scores.
‘It's unfortunate, but there's nothing that can be done about it,' Oliver concluded, returning his attention to evaluating Felix's match.
During this time, Kevin interrupted his work, which was unusual for him. "What do you think about Derick and Felix's improvement?"
After thoughtful consideration, Oliver replied, "Mr. Derick seems to have become stronger by shedding his excesses, and Mr. Felix seems to have become stronger by filling what he lacked."
Satisfied with the answer, Kevin's face lit up with contentment.
"What about that?" Kevin pointed towards the third arena, where Yareli Issai stood, having frozen and overpowered her opponent with ice magic.
"Hmm… She's been well-balanced and strong from the start, hasn't she?" Oliver replied with an observation.
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