Murphy Kimbell.
The first impression of the man in Oliver’s eyes was a man who looked like a stone statue.
His shoulders were wide open, his body was stiff, and his eyes and expression were rigid like a lifeless stone.
He felt more like an artificially made human than simply a well-trained human being.
He ruffled his hair to one side and spoke again.
“Hello. Mr. Warlock. My name is Murphy Kimbell.”
Oliver got up from his seat and greeted him the same way.
“Yes, hello? I’m Dave.”
An awkward greeting along with a strange sense of tension.
At that moment, Forrest also got up from the seat and opened his mouth.
"If it's okay with you, please sit here. Even though the two of you have already greeted each other, still I'll do the introduction… Dave, this is Murphy Kimbell. He's the boss of the Kimbell family which holds shops from the 40th to 45th Street in District T…. … Mr. Kimbell, this is Dave, the warlock who captured Herbert.”
On Forrest's introduction, Oliver once again greeted Murphy.
Once again, Oliver felt a strange atmosphere.
Maybe it was just a feeling, but somehow Oliver felt that the person in front of him had faced more near-death experiences than all the people he had met.
It includes the Lightning Wizard, Master Joseph, and Paladin Joanna.
Forrest explained as if he read Oliver’s thoughts.
“Mr. Murphy is a Veteran Soldier. A true patriot who fought during the colonial and continental wars."
"Hahaha… That was all a long time ago. Right now, I'm just a person who runs a small business… Anyway, nice to meet you. Mr. Warlock, I personally wanted to thank you for your help this time. Thank you very much."
Murphy was very polite despite his overbearing appearance. However, his heart had different thoughts compared to his words.
He was currently making numerous speculations about whether Oliver was truly the person who completed this job.
Oliver reminded himself of Kent's advice of asking him to be always on guard against gangsters.
“No, I just did my job.”
“Still, thanks a lot. The books and documents you brought were also very helpful."
“I received a reasonable price, so it’s fine. Rather, I heard that you have something to say to me."
When Oliver got to the point, Murphy followed right away.
Forrest took a step back and watched the situation.
“Yeah, as you may have heard, we don’t fully trust this Assistant professor. Once a traitor will always be a traitor.”
"I see…"
"Yeah, that's why I can't trust the wizard’s workshop he's talking about. So, could you give me a brief description of the workshop you saw in District X? I don't know what other tricks he may try to pull on me."
"I've only looked around once. There were four workshop-like buildings, but I was only able to visit one of them. Why don't you go there and take a look yourself?"
“I’ve already gone there. But, the workshop was empty.”
“Empty?!”
“Yes, it wasn’t a simple break-in, someone intentionally emptied the workshop.”
At that moment, Oliver recalled the strangers who were detected by the minion when he escaped with Herbert.
It felt like they were related.
“Um… did I make a mistake?”
"No, I'm grateful to Mr. Warlock for exceeding my expectations for the little money I provided. I'm just trying to get some help."
He looked at Forrest. He shrugged as if nothing had happened.
Oliver thought for a moment, then asked Forrest if he had a paper and pen.
“Do you have Paper and pen?”
"Yes."
Forrest was puzzled, but still, he gave him a piece of paper and a pen.
Upon receiving the pen and paper, Oliver started to draw the sketch of the workshop that he saw. He drew the water tank, pipes, and materials he saw in the place.
Within the scope of his knowledge, he identified what kind of material it was, how much capacity it had, and what was its role in the device, and briefly wrote them down.
Making Pilgarets and reading magic-related books was helpful for Oliver in identifying and remembering things.
“It was roughly like this. I can’t remember more than this.”
It was not perfect, but nevertheless, Murphy and Forrest couldn't help but open their mouths wide at the great drawing by Oliver.
Both of them were startled.
“…… Is there any problem?”
"No. No… it's great… It's wonderful. Really, is this picture right?"
“As far as I remember?”
Murphy carefully folded the paper Oliver had drawn and placed it into his pocket without any further questioning.
Murphy opened his mouth again with great satisfaction.
“And I have one more request.”
“Are you talking about the security issue?”
"Yeah, yes, I was going to talk about this. Soon, I'm planning on opening a magic wine factory… To be frank, this is a very big thing in this field of business."
"Is that so?"
“Yes. The market for magic wine is as large as it is for legal alcoholic beverages. Although there is a high risk in manufacturing and consumption, there is always a steady demand for these products. If we can continue to mass-produce these products then we can make a huge profit.”
What Murphy said was the truth. When Oliver saw Forrest, he too nodded.
Murphy was a lot kinder at explanation than he expected, and Oliver soon understood the reason for it.
The man in front of him right now was in desperate need of Oliver.
As Kent said, a situation where the Solver had the upper hand appeared.
Of course, he could cut Oliver when the job was done, but at least until then, he was going to satisfy Oliver’s needs as much as possible.
Murphy continued.
"However, the bigger the business, the fiercer the competition is, and the competition in the back alley is accompanied by violence. So I need someone to protect the factory until it's finished."
“Um, if it’s okay with you, can I ask you a question?”
“A question?”
“Yes, if it’s okay with you.”
“Of course, it’s something I should do. So, What do you want to know?”
“You said until it’s finished, does that mean it will be all right after it’s finished?”
“Yes, from then on, it will be fine. If we prove to our superiors the benefits that will be gained through the quality and production of the product, then our organization will naturally protect us. So now is the most crucial time.”
It wasn't very convincing, but still, Oliver nodded.
There were a lot of things that Oliver didn't quite understand about the so-called organization in the first place.
Still, he could see what it means for an organization like Crime Firm to compete and cooperate.
"Honestly, I know it's rude to ask like this. So, at first, I tried to stop them with just me and my family. It's not something I want to brag about in front of a Warlock, but I'm actually pretty confident in fighting."
What he said was true.
"Then?"
“It’s because of Herbert and the officials that were backing him in the Magic Tower.”
Murphy mentioned the most sensitive part of the job.
“It’s the wizard. If the Wizards decide to act, we won’t stand a chance. That’s why I came here to ask for help.”
“There’s no guarantee that I can beat the wizard, right?”
“If the word that a skilled warlock like you is guarding the place goes out, maybe they will hesitate to make a move. Even they don’t want to make a big deal out of this.”
Oliver nodded.
Murphy didn't want Oliver to stop the wizards. He just wants him to be a scarecrow to threaten the Wizards.
"I know it's an inappropriate proposal. It doesn't really make sense to ask for someone to fight against a wizard with only 30 million that too a wizard from the Magic Tower. But, as far as I know, the only person who can do this is Mr. Warlock. If you agree to it I'll add more rewards."
“More?”
“Yes, we can’t pay more than this due to lack of cash right now, but on the premise that the factory is operating safely, we will add another 30 million by the fall of next year. A total of 60 million.”
Oliver looked at Forrest.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t take jobs with such uncertain payment.”
“Well, I also understand Mr. Forrest’s position. He prefers to do solid business. But I’m serious.”
Oliver saw Murphy's feelings. As he said, he was sincere. Of course, in order for that sincerity to become a reality, the factory had to be successfully completed and operated.
“Aside from that, we can do our best to help you in other ways as well.”
“Other ways?”
“Anything I can help with, like the black market.”
Oliver looked at Forrest again. Forrest shook his head this time.
"Mr. Forrest didn't say anything. It was just my guess. It looks like I got it right."
“How did you know?”
"I've been to several places on the battlefield. I've met a few warlocks. It's rare for a skilled warlock to wander alone."
When he heard the story, Oliver thought he should make a companion. The warlock wandering around alone seemed to stand out more than he thought.
“Even if it’s not a black market, we can provide you with a bridge so that you can use the services of the Crime Firm, such as identity cards and buildings.”
“Identification card? Building?”
“Yes, it would be more convenient to have an ID to work in Landa, and it would be cheaper to rent a room for a long time than to stay at a dormitory or inn. Crime Firm is involved in all these businesses.”
“…..”
“I’m saying this because we desperately need the help of Mr. Warlock right now. If you help us, we will not forget the grace. It may sound like a bluff, but if I get to a higher position in Crime Firm, I can help you a lot more than this.”
Once again, he was sincere. Although he felt more determined than confident, he was also planning on having a long-term relationship with Oliver in mind.
“I’m sorry, but can I have a conversation with Mr. Forrest, just the two of us? I would like to discuss with him for a moment.”
“Of course. Of course, you have to. Then I will be out in the next room for a while, so please call me after talking.”
Murphy gladly accepted and got up.
Oliver and Forrest were left alone.
Oliver was the first to speak.
“Is that true? If he gets a higher position in the Crime Firm, he can help me?”
“That must be true. As I said before, I am also keen to find a new force within the Crime Firm. You can ask him for a reasonable favor. He seemed like he will do anything to get your help.”
It didn't sound too bad.
It was like doing something and getting something in return. It has always been like this for Oliver.
“Will Mr. Murphy grow that much?”
“To be honest, I don’t even know. A person who is likely to become a giant floats dead the next day in the Dames River the next day, and a person who was like a drunkard becomes a giant… But, if you ask my opinion, I’ll say there is a possibility. ”
“Possibility?”
“Yeah, it takes a long-term plan to survive in this place, and Murphy has it.”
“Is it because of the Magic wine Factory?”
"No. It's because Murphy is a Reinforced human. A human whose body is strengthened with the power of medicine and magic. It's a basic surgery that costs thousands of millions, but he got it for free. In the military."
"Um…for free, how?"
"Because he willingly accepted being a test subject. Thanks to that, he became a Reinforce human for free and after being discharged, he used that power to dominate five streets in District T. He knows when to step back and when to take risks."
Oliver understood exactly what Forrest was trying to say. Although this request may be of low value from the standpoint of a broker or a Solver, it seemed like a good investment for Oliver.
However, he couldn't decide on his own, so Forrest offered Oliver an option.
“To be honest, if you want short-term gains, you could just ignore this and I’ll put you on other lucrative jobs….”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
"I don't know what's going on. I'm just suggesting options. The choice is yours. Murphy seems to be in a hurry, so he won't give you much time to think."
Oliver nodded. He didn't know what the odds were, but it seemed like a good deal for a long-term investment.
It didn't seem too bad to make an acquaintance with a person who might become an influential figure at the Crime Firm.
Upon the news that a decision had been made, Forrest called Murphy, and Murphy opened the door.
“Did you decide, Mr. Warlock?”
“Yes, I will do it. Instead, I have a favor.”
“Please? What?”
“I heard that there might be a fight with Wizards, so it takes a lot of emotion and Life-force. Is there any place I can get it? I know one gray market, but the product quality is poor.”
“Yeah, If that’s all you need, I can provide that. Do you need anything else?”
Oliver pondered whether he should ask for more.
“…There is nothing other than that. Can I tell you later?”
"…..of course."
CLAP!
Forrest clapped his hands and pulled out the contract.
“Okay. Then, let me write the employment contract.”
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
After that, Oliver bought emotions and Life-force in bulk through the new gray market that Murphy introduced him to.
The Gray Market he was introduced to this time was pretty good.
When he talked to Forrest and Murphy about this, they said it was because of the nature of the gray market.
Although it was connected to a huge black market, it was relatively poorly managed because it was not close by, so sometimes good things come in and sometimes bad things come in.
Then, they said Oliver would be able to know when a good product would arrive by accumulating experience and would be even able to purchase a good quality product at a lower price.
It really seemed like a normal marketplace, and Oliver decided to do it that way.
“Is it here?”
Oliver checked the address on the note.
[No13, 42nd Street in District T.]
Oliver reached a place after a long wandering through the densely populated area with factories and warehouses, but all he could see was a shabby warehouse surrounded by factories.
He really wondered if this was the place where the magic wine production facility was, and then he heard a familiar voice.
“You are here. Mr. Warlock.”
“Mr. Murphy.”
"Yes, I'm sorry for not coming to pick you up, I'll show you around. Please follow me."
(To be Continued)
