Unsealing Emptiness

When Ozul woke up, he waited for Raven to finish, and after that, they left the house in their usual clothes.

Raven had an anxious expression, it eased only after Ozul said,

“Show this expression in front of others again, and I will never let you come with me,” Ozul would not force her to cover her every expression, but showing vulnerabilities was a no-no. It was also a lesson for Raven.

Raven also did not want to leave Ozul’s side. Hence, hearing the last part, her face involuntarily did the magic.

Living in the City for four years, Ozul had studied all the places. He knew where the Count’s Manor was.

In half an hour, Both Raven and Ozul were standing in front of Count Oliver’s Estate. Entering through the gate, the guards did not dare to stop them. They had received their orders from above.

Walking a bit further, Ozul saw the same smiling man waving at them.

.....

“You came! Lord Oliver has been waiting for your arrival,” The smiling man said with a slight bow.

Ozul just nodded, and the smiling man began to lead them inside the building. Raven appreciated the paintings and other decorations along the way.

Soon they entered a room with a big door. The smiling man opened the door and gestured for them to enter while he stayed outside.

Inside the room, Ozul and Raven saw a blonde man wearing professional clothes looking at them. His eyes beamed with excitement.

A man in a butler’s uniform was standing behind the blonde man.

“You must be Ozul and Raven!”- Even now, Count Oliver could not believe that the kids in front of them killed everyone in the Viscount’s estate!

One of them only emitted an aura of a Rank-1 Mage while the other one did not even have Mana!

“How did you know?”- Ozul only had this simple question.

“I am a Count. So, I can easily find out your names.” Count Oliver raised his head a little—obviously boasting.

“I meant, how did you know it was us?”- Ozul really hated it when he has to repeat his question. Now this Count was just becoming more and more of a nuisance.

“Oh. Well, you see, it is a long story.”- Count Oliver wanted to sound a little mysterious. But Ozul put an end to it when he spoke,

“Your people were hidden outside the Viscounts Manor, weren’t they?”- Ozul said in a dull tone.

“W-wait. How did you kno-”

Ozul did not let him talk and continued,

“They saw us and matched our heights to the only two kids that the Viscount had a feud with. Why did you send your people outside the Viscounts Manor?”- The last part was just him muttering to himself.

There was no other way Ozul could think of. It also meant that the Count before him was not your usual idiot Noble.

“Now you won’t do it, unless... You were also planning to assassinate him.”- There was no other reason for the Count to station his men outside the Viscount’s Manor.

Also, When they were going to fight the Viscount, he had guessed that the Count sent them. It meant that they were at odds. Ozul just had to connect some dots, and the reason was apparent.

“W-what!

*sigh*...

You’re also smart, huh.” The Count sighed as he did not anticipate such an outcome.

“Well, you have already guessed so much, Do I really need to bother explaining the next part?”- The Count asked in a deflated voice. He wanted to reveal his ways slowly and sound mysterious in front of them, but his plan failed miserably!

“You want to recruit me,” Ozul said as he shook his head. He did not want to work under someone else. Giving orders is much better than receiving them!

“At least you should consider my offer! I can provide you with resources, wealth, anything you desire. Well, at least what I can provide.”-The Count did not want to give up on such talented individuals!

“I don’t like to work when I don’t like it.”- It sounded confusing, but what Ozul meant was that he only liked to work when he feels like it.

“So, you won’t reconsider, huh.”-The Count asked for the last time. But all he received was a shake of Ozuls head. The Count did not bother asking Raven because he noticed that she had left all the negotiations to Ozul.

But the Count did not know that Raven was actually just an ordinary Rank-1 Mage and a Rank-1 Fighter. It was only Ozul that did all the work in the Viscount’s Manor.

“Anyways, even if you don’t want to work under me, there are other ways that we can cooperate.”- The Count did not want to let them go just yet.

“I’m all ears.”- Ozul and Raven both sat down at the chairs opposite of Count Oliver.

Raven began to think that the Count was a good-natured person after noticing his behavior. But Ozul knew better than to believe that fellow’s act. The Count did not have any ill intent towards them, but the Count had probably done some ill deeds to gain such ferocious aura.

The Count began to tell the real reason for him planning the assassination against the Viscount.

“We were in the same faction lead by one of the dukes, but that idiot broke some rules...”-The Count explained his reasons. There are always different factions under an organization.

“Causing the destruction of that village for some small profits.

*Sigh*

He broke many rules. If he were left alive, the opposing faction would have used it to their advantage.”

“He forgot that we do things quietly!”- The Count finished explaining.

“What do you want with me?”- Ozul did not care about anything else.

“Hm. Impatient, are we? I have a proposal for you. You do small tasks, and you get profits. As simple as that.”- The Count stated.

“I can work with that only if I get to refuse each time if I don’t like the task.”- Ozul did not mind doing things; he planned to do so anyway.

“Haha! Decisive, I like it. You have got your self a deal!”- The Count happily praised Ozul.

The Count did not care if he was discussing with a kid or not. All that mattered to him is that Ozul can do things! He would also not ask any of his secrets because it was outright disrespectful!

“Now that we have come to an agreement, I would like to offer you your first task. If you may.”- Count Oliver said as he waved his hand, and the butler presented a file in front of Ozul.

“What is it? I’m too lazy to read it all now.”- Ozul asked with a deadpan face.

“Haha, a man *cough* a boy of humor, I like it,” Count Oliver thought that Ozul was joking.

“I am not fooling around. And don’t say, “I like it” like a pervert,” Ozul said while weirdly looking at Count Oliver.

”

*cough*...

Well, the file is about your objective. Specifically, information about your target. I want the man dead,” Count Oliver’s expression turned solemn and explained the task.

“I want pills and comprehension tablets for small Rank Mages,” Ozul stated his demands.

“Hoho... Not even looking at the target? Very well, you have a deal,” Count Oliver wondered why he would need such things, but did not probe any further.

“Time?”- Ozul wanted to know the time limit for the task. The more the time limit, the better.

“Everything is explained in the file,” Count Oliver replied.

“Okay.”- Ozul handed the file to Raven and stood up. It was time to leave; there was nothing he wanted to ask anymore.

Count Oliver did not ask him to stay, as well. He wanted his task done, and in return, he will provide resources—nothing more, nothing less.

Ozul and Raven left the Count’s Manor. On the way, Raven did not say a word.

When they reached the house, it was already nighttime.

When Raven saw that the time was right, she said, “Can we trust him?” Even though earlier Raven felt that the Count was friendly, after listening to the objective of the task, she was not so sure anymore.

“Of course not! But no one said that we have to trust him, or he has to trust us. We just made a deal; I will complete the task, and Oliver will reward us,” This time Ozul explained everything to Raven.

“If I don’t like the task, I can refuse it. Besides, I can’t even kill Oliver and loot all of his belongings,” Ozul said.

“Eh?! He is that strong?”- Raven exclaimed as it was a first for Ozul to say, ‘he can’t.’

“Strong? A little. But it is not because he is strong that I can’t kill him. It is because he is part of a faction, and the faction has more Counts, Marquis, and even a Duke... They will start a man-hunt on me If I kill a member.”

Ozul was not afraid if they start hunting him or something, but it would get really annoying to travel in the future.

“Oh...” Raven felt that it made sense. How can she be so stupid not to notice such obvious things?

“Anyways, let’s just sleep,” Even though Ozul had slept all day except for when he visited the Count, he still wanted to sleep!

Raven sighed at his extraordinary laziness, but if she gets a chance to be close with him, she was not complaining.

They did not care about the file and left it for tomorrow.

From here on out, their lives will get busy.