Booaaaang—
Three trucks stopped in front of a factory.
There was a sign that read <Ham Sausage Factory> above the factory's front door.
When the door of the truck in the front opened, everyone who was working inside, came out and greeted.
"Welcome Master!"
"Welcome Master!!!"
The disciples led by Peter bowed their heads to Oliver who stepped out of the truck.
“Yes, I am back. And, you don’t have to do this every time.”
Oliver showed a blunt expression.
However, Peter did not give up.
“But still you are our Master… And…, who are they, Master?”
Peter asked as he watched some people get off the truck following Oliver.
At first, Peter didn't realize who they were, but soon he recognized that they were the remnants of the Anthony and Dominic family.
“Aren’t they the members of the Anthony and Dominic family, Master?”
“Um, yeah… Pharmacist said that they wanted to join our family. So I brought them here. So, Please tell them where they are going to live and the rules they have to follow.”
“……”
Peter couldn't reply as he was stunned looking at the warlocks who had surrendered.
Everyone was in a state of dejection.
“Um, is there anything wrong?
"What? Oh, no! No. Of course, you can… But, Master."
“Yes, Peter.”
“How would you want us to treat them?”
“What?”
“Actually people who come into the family like this are usually given the lowest treatment.”
Oliver looked at the members of the Anthony and Dominic family.
As soon as they felt Oliver's gaze they soon lowered their eyes.
A lot of small and medium-class warlocks have also surrendered to Oliver without making a fuss.
It was due to the terrifying existence called Oliver, who was similar to Joseph, Dominic, and Anthony in the past.
“Is there any reason to discriminate? Peter will work with others to classify them according to their skills and let them receive treatment according to their class.”
“Ah, Yes, Master… Everyone! Follow me this way.”
Peter summoned the frightened remnant warlocks and took them somewhere along with the fellow senior disciples.
They followed him with depressed expressions on their faces.
“Wow… that’s great.”
James, who came along with Oliver suddenly spoke as he got off the truck.
“What?”
"Well… Now you look more like a real owner of a warlock family. You can control everything with just one word, right?"
That was true.
After subduing the paladins alone and becoming the owner of Wineham's biggest warlock organization, the respect and loyalty of the family members towards Oliver have increased noticeably.
However, it wasn't just for that.
In addition, Oliver gained respect for expanding and organizing education time while distributing weekly wages and special privileges to all disciples.
There was no special reason, Oliver simply thought it was the right thing to do, but the results were outstanding.
At this point, anyone would be proud of themself for achieving such a great feat, but there was no such thing in Oliver's expression, which disappointed James' expectations.
“Um… it’s because of everyone’s hard work.”
"Haha…"
James laughed.
Oliver’s words were sincere, so it felt even more alien and frightening to James.
Oliver had established an unprecedentedly powerful organization in Wineham’s history but still, he was calm as if it was no big deal.
Oliver reached out his hand toward James.
“Yeah. Thank you for helping today, and you did a great job today.”
“Thank you, James too did a great job.”
“So…. When is my next class?”
"Come when it's convenien… No, try to come as soon as possible."
"What? What’s the rush?"
“No, I just thought, it’s about time I finish things.”
At the incomprehensible words, James tilted his head, but he didn't bother to ask.
Oliver saying something he couldn’t understand was not a new thing, so, he just let it slide.
After a handshake, James drove back in the same truck.
Not long after, James understood the true meaning behind Oliver’s words.
⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩
Nothing much had changed since Anthony and the Dominic family disciples joined.
Oliver got up in the morning, cleaned, ate, and went straight to black magic training, the same routine when he used to run the family.
Each class disciples were trained separately and Oliver trained intermediate, junior, and informal disciples while rotating with some Senior disciples to decrease his time.
Normally, after that, he would have gone to read the books, but now he didn't do that, instead, he gathered the Senior disciples separately and gave them intense training.
Currently, there were 14 senior disciples in the Joseph family (Oliver did not change the family name) through the reorganization.
Oliver trained them separately in two groups according to their characteristics.
The first group practiced synthesizing emotions that were required for preparing the current pilgaret.
At a glance, it doesn't look like much, but everyone was having a hard time due to the synthesis process and the great backlash when it failed.
“Ughhhhhh!”
Just then, a senior disciple who failed to synthesize the emotions sat down and screamed in pain.
"Are you okay?"
“Yes… I am fine, Master.”
"Then get up and practice again… Black Shield."
Oliver moved his hands to block the attacks coming from three different directions.
Now, Oliver was training the second group in combat training.
The second group with Marie as the leader was filled with people who were more interested in the firepower of black magic than the production of pilgarets.
Oliver dealt with them properly on the spot and taught them the necessary senses and skills required for battle.
Of course, he also trained the Senior disciples who synthesized emotions at the same time.
It was a bit of a crazy sight but considering the lack of time, it was inevitable.
“Everyone, don’t give up and focus until the end. If you get distracted when you’re almost done then the emotions will immediately rebound. Stay focused until the end, and don’t let your guard down even after you’ve completed it…. Hate Bullet.”
The bullets of hate that flew in seven directions hit the stomachs of Marie and other senior disciples.
Due to the moderate reduction in power, no one had a bullet piercing through their body.
They just grabbed their stomachs and moaned as if they had been kicked very hard.
“Arghhhhh…!”
A senior disciple, who could not bear the pain threw up.
For some reason, everyone stopped what they were doing and watched it in silence, and soon, only the sound of breathing and a strange silence remained in the training ground.
“…… What are you all doing?”
When Oliver asked, a senior disciple said.
“It’s a little…hard, Master.”
“Um, there are recovery potions and healing ointments given by the pharmacist. If you are injured or tired, use it as you like.”
Restorative potions and healing ointments, although they are made for supply and are relatively inexpensive, those things are said to cost a lot compared to basic items.
Oliver's attitude of generously giving away such things as he trains the disciples were rare in Wineham…. No, not just Wineham, it was also a rare thing in Landa, and also in the magic tower.
If we think about it in common sense, everyone should be happy, but as the intensity of the training was so high, everyone got tired and eventually became far from being happy.
“… What are you doing? Faster.”
The senior disciple whose body was drenched in sweat asked.
“How about taking a little break? Master?”
“Why? Everyone has their limits, so, don’t you have to practice more, so that your skills can improve faster? I really don't understand,"
Oliver asked in a puzzled voice.
“Everyone is so tired…”
“Don’t we have medicine? Then….”
Oliver realized what was going on and shouted.
“Are you saying that you want to quit? Just because you are tired?”
At Oliver's question, everyone shook their heads.
"Oh, no. It’s not like that, Master. But, if we were to overdo it like this then we might seriously get injured…"
“You won’t get hurt.”
"What?"
“Group 1, you guys are only following the training schedule that I specified, right?”
“Ah… yes, yes Master.”
“Then, even if you were to fail in the middle, you will only get some light burns on your hands.”
Oliver’s voice had a sense of intimidation even though it was not intended, but hearing his firm tone, all the Senior disciples bowed their heads and said nothing.
They acted like a child who gets scolded for being lazy.
While such a heavy and uncomfortable silence was pressing down on the space, Oliver spoke once again.
“If you want to stop, then you can stop.”
Everyone shook their heads at Oliver’s unexpected answer.
After a small pause, Oliver spoke again.
“I have no intention of forcing you to do anything. I just want you to learn, and this is the best way to help. If you don't want to then you can quit anytime. But before that, I want to ask you something. Didn’t everyone come here because you want to become powerful warlocks? In that case, is it okay to be like this? Are you guys really going to stop here?”
As soon as Oliver finished speaking, Marie, who had been sitting still while sweating profusely got up with her trembling body along with other senior disciples, applied medicine and ointments, and came back.
Peter's group 1, who synthesizes emotions, also started extracting emotions again, Oliver spoke again as he watched them.
“Now… let’s start again, shall we?”
“Yes! Master!!”
⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩⏩
After the training was over, the Senior, intermediate, junior, and informal disciples ate in the newly prepared Eatery.
Unlike the previous place, the new one was very spacious, so it was enough for everyone to eat together.
Not only that, the quality and quantity of the meals were also abundant, so, everyone was able to eat without discrimination.
Is it because of that? Although the training was difficult, unlike in the past, everyone was full of energy and the atmosphere was not gloomy.
No, it became bright.
“Today’s training was really hard…”
“Is it difficult only today? Yesterday and the day before yesterday, maybe, tomorrow too?”
All the senior disciples who had undergone Oliver's rigorous training burst into laughter.
It is true that the training was difficult but no one was dissatisfied with it.
Everyone called Oliver who was younger than them as Master from the bottom of their hearts.
In fact, it was natural.
Since the standard of living has increased, they have been building up their skills beyond comparison to the past.
If it goes on like this, it wouldn’t be a dream to be reborn as a true warlock and become independent.
“…are you all going to be independent?”
A senior disciple asked.
“It’s not a joke, but if we were to practice for a few years like this then we might be able to become independent… Are you all going to be independent?”
Everyone was silent.
The term "disciple" means a subordinate, and they were nothing but a slave to their master.
Therefore, the word independent was a word they can dream of but can’t think of.
In fact, the majority of Masters either don't accept them or don't teach them properly.
However, if they go on like this, then the word independent might become a reality for most of the Senior disciples.
When everyone was thinking about it, one of the senior disciples spoke.
“Well… it’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but I haven’t seriously thought about it in this environment.”
“Environment?”
Now, they could buy most of the things they wanted using the weekly pay they receive every week.
Although it’s not a huge amount of money to play and eat for the rest of their lives, they could be able to raise enough to build their own family based on their current situation.
However, ironically, when such an environment was created, the senior disciples… No, the disciples of all classes, including the senior disciples, were losing their will to become independent.
They've been through a lot of things lately and realized that they couldn't become successful just by learning black magic, and they are satisfied with their life right now.
Above all, they were all ignorant of fear and has the utmost respect for Oliver.
Everyone knew it, but they couldn’t agree with it boldly and in such an awkwardly silent atmosphere, someone spoke to change the subject.
“By the way, where is Marie? Is she sick?”
“No, She went to get Master’s meal.”
(To be Continued)
To read ahead ?$1/chapter
CH 41 (Marie's confession)Aug 17CH 42-43 (First steps into the world)Aug 19CH 44-45 (Oliver becomes a beggar)Aug 22CH 46-47 (Beggar Kent)Aug 23
