The Novel’s Villain

12. Subordinates Are Too Good at Work(5)

Merlin looked at Jin-woo with his eyes wide open. His body shuddered, and his waist bent automatically.

It was said that a Wizard would recognize the King when the time came. Merlin thought it was just nonsense, but only today could he understand its meaning. Merlin took a deep breath, trying to stop his body from trembling. He straightened his posture like a proper Knight before the King. His attitude became polite naturally.

‘Umm?’

Jin-woo was a little flustered when a wizard suddenly trembled and looked at him with wide eyes. Looking at the outfit, he must be from the British Royal Palace, but it was the first time Jin-woo met him. He had nothing to do with Britain in the first place.

Merlin spoke with a respectful attitude.

“My name is William Merlin Kingston, a man immersed in magic. I know it’s rude, but I’d like to talk with Mr. Lee Jin-woo for a while.”

The General Manager tried to send him back, but when Jin-woo gestured that it was okay, he backed away. He had heard the name William Merlin Kingston before. Merlin was a character who only appeared in the original story by name. It was mentioned that he disappeared in search of an artifact that was said to grant wishes.

When he disappeared, his school split, and the European Circle Wizards collapsed. It was an opportunity for the M School of the United States to reign as the representative of all Wizards.

‘Merlin…the name was even made to sound like a wizard’s.’

Looking at the name alone, he should have been very important. He seemed to have been set as an important figure, but there was no significance and he was only mentioned as the cause of the downfall of the British Wizards.

‘He looks like a real wizard.’

Anyway, he was comparable to Lee Min-woo. A gorgeous middle-aged man was just right to describe Merlin. The bright blonde hair and the profound impression went so well together that he looked like a wizard from a blockbuster movie.

Merlin approached Jin-woo and bowed his head politely.

“Greetings. It is an honor to meet Mr. Lee Jin-woo like this.”

“Yes, nice to meet you. Sir William Merlin Kingston.”

“Please call me Merlin. I am just a Wizard who adapts to the flow.”

Merlin was quite fluent in Korean. Because Korea was a powerful country of competent people, quite a few Knights learned Korean. English was the official language of the world, but Korean could be said to be its equivalent in the world of competent people.

There were many advantages. In JW Gate, only Korean was used there, and the same was true with other Gates in Korea. The largest Gate artifact auction house in the world was held only in Korea. It was a very important factor in promoting the country.

“It was a delicious dish. I became lost because the taste and scent intoxicated me. It made me feel like my life so far was meaningless.”

“Thank you.”

They enjoyed a formal conversation for a while. Most of it was in praise of Jin-woo, but these were words that he would never normally say. After all, William Merlin Kingston was a man who never bothered with anything like flattery. He was rather a person who gave sharp advice to dictators or high-ranking figures.

That’s why the public’s support of him was great. Yet Merlin flattered him with a detached manner. Jin-woo didn’t feel any discomfort about it, as it seemed too obvious. It was so charming that even the General Manager nodded several times while listening along. He even began to take notes.

There was also an impression like he was telling a fairy tale. He was indeed the head of a huge magic school in Europe.

But, finally, he reached the point.

“I know it’s rude, but I want to ask you something.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Merlin let out a groan and looked serious. He was like a tactician in front of a national emergency.

“I would like to ask about the fruit called Golden Apple that came out at the end.”

“Yes, it is the fruit I found at the JW Gate.”

It wasn’t a lie. He bought the seeds from the Dimensional Store, but it was found at the JW Gate after all.

“Are you willing to sell them?”

“Well, it’s so rare…”

It wasn’t rare at all, but Jin-woo said so for now.

‘It’s indeed delicious.’

Did the British Archmage come to him because of it? Jin-woo was wondering what he was thinking.

“That noble archmage…”

“That Sir William Merlin Kingston has such an attitude.”

“Awesome.”

Merlin was very polite in front of Jin-woo. He didn’t hesitate to lower his head. The other Knights were looking at the scene in amazement. Merlin couldn’t afford to pay attention to those gazes. He was focusing on every word Jin-woo said. His heart was filled with hope, a sense of duty, and desperation.

Jin-woo felt a strangeness in his attitude and looked at him with the Magic Eye of information. He was Level 75, and his competent person rank was A according to his reputation. Although the rank was A, the Wizards were evaluated more than that because of their great strategic values.

Anyway, the title ‘the best Wizard in England’ suited him very well.

‘Hmm?’

Jin-woo blinked. There was some surprising information.

[-E] Wig of the Merlin School

A high-tech wig made by the Merlin School with a lot of budget and time. It’s hard to tell because it’s made up of several high-level techniques.

*[-E] Natural Motion

‘Umm…’

Jin-woo was able to understand the situation quickly. It was something he hadn’t paid attention to until now, but the Golden Apple certainly had a special function. It was a fruit made by the Golden Tree with strong and deep roots. It had the effect of strengthening one’s hair follicles and even regenerating them.

It hadn’t been long since he had eaten it, but it seemed to have an immediate effect.

‘Hair loss cure is a common subject in modern fantasy, though…’

It also appeared frequently in the novels Jin-woo had read. Things like hair loss cures, diet pills, and skincare remedies. Jin-woo was also a person who once had the same worries. He remembered his hair falling out from stress and age. Was hair loss unavoidable even for Archmage?

Jin-woo looked at him in more detail.

[D+] Curse of Circle Magic

‘All Wizards are bald. That is the circle curse.’

A phenomenon called the Curse of Circle Magic. The curse doesn’t discriminate between genders. Analysts say that this phenomenon was caused by a female Wizard hiding in the forest after becoming a witch. This is the cause of the greatly weakened power of Circle Wizards around the world.

Jin-woo was dazed when he read the information. It was because he was an Archmage.

‘What kind of crazy setting is this…?

Why on earth did the original author make such a setting?

Silence fell over them for a moment. To the others, Jin-woo and Merlin seemed to be having a very deep conversation.

Jin-woo was lost in thought for a moment.

‘Maybe the reason Merlin disappeared is that…’

A wizard who had gone a long way in search of an artifact that grants wishes. Although it was the cause of his downfall, there was still a mysterious and romantic aspect. It was mentioned plausibly in the original. But the other side of it was very tragic.

Jin-woo could read the earnestness in Merlin’s eyes.

‘It would be nice to have a good relationship with him. I was going to throw away most of it anyway…’

Merlin and his school seemed to be of great help in dealing with the Emperor. It was a profitable trade since he could get help in exchange for throwing away his overflowing Golden Apples.

Jin-woo smiled as he looked at him. He wore a business smile when he was at work, but it was very attractive because his charm stat was through the sky.

Hee-yeon, who was glancing at Jin-woo, fixed her gaze. She felt complicated when she saw him speaking on par with that noble Archmage, who was hard to meet even for a Knight. It felt like he was especially far away today.

Jin-woo moved places to have a deeper conversation. As the gazes disappeared, Merlin was able to talk more comfortably. Jin-woo decided to give it a go. That way, it would be advantageous to take his help later.

“As you know, it’s precious…”

“I guess so. It deserves to be called the supreme treasure.”

Merlin answered Jin-woo with a nod.

“Since Sir Merlin asked me, I will try.”

“A-are you sure?”

“Yes, but I cannot guarantee it since it is a special fruit.”

“I understand. I will pay you well.”

Merlin was determined to pay all the costs, even by disposing of school property. The wealth could be collected again. However, there were things he could never get back. Jin-woo shook his head with a slight smile.

“I can’t get money from the Archmage who works for world peace. It’s all right.”

“What? Then…”

“I just want you to help me later when I need it. I will give you what I have for now.”

Saying so, Jin-woo took out a box of golden apples from the subspace and put it down on the floor. Those precious golden apples were piled high, causing Merlin’s eyes to nearly bug out.

Merlin looked at Jin-woo. Any rich man, any honorable man, was bound to show a feeling of greed when giving something away. However, he couldn’t read such a sign from Jin-woo at all. Merlin felt that Jin-woo was too dark. Perhaps because of that, the surroundings looked rather bright.

‘You can make your wish come true if you take one step forward. What are you hesitating about?’

Merlin closed her eyes. His troubles didn’t last long.

“By risking my soul, the Circle Wizards belonging to my school and I will support Mr. Jin-woo.”

Merlin said something rather tough to convince him. He didn’t have to go that far, but Jin-woo decided to accept it. It put his mind at ease when he thought he could get some help later. People had to help each other, after all.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

When Jin-woo asked for a handshake, Merlin held Jin-woo’s hand tightly. His head bowed naturally. The moment he held Jin-woo’s hand, Merlin was overwhelmed with emotions he had never felt before.

It was a very heavy feeling.

Whoosh!

Something rushing from Jin-woo filled his heart. It climbed up from the bottom, gradually filled up, and went past the heart to the tip of his head. Then it burst out.

Golden light filled his world.

‘Ah…!’

Was it because his wish came true? Was it because he was freed from the curse that was like a lifelong grudge? Merlin felt free as the shackles that had always bound him were released.

[You have successfully signed a contract with William Merlin Kingston]

‘Hmm?’

Suddenly, unexpected information came up. It was very out of the blue. Jin-woo tilted his head and looked closely at it.

[William Merlin Kingston swore a soul oath in exchange for a wish to the Emperor of Gold.]

[William Merlin Kingston has changed jobs to ‘Sage.’]

[The Merlin School was influenced by the Emperor of Gold and changed to the Golden Wizard School.]

[A+] Sage (Change Job)

The Emperor of Gold granted his wish and opened up new possibilities. The Archmage who fulfilled his wish finally broke free from bondage and became a Sage after gaining enlightenment. Now everyone will praise him, calling him the Sage of the Sun.

*Circle Magic rises by 1 level.

*His soul cannot escape from the Emperor of Gold.

*His mana is dyed with a brilliant light resembling the Emperor of Gold.

Changing Job Technique

[B+] Sage Time

He can judge freely and accurately against any adversity. Leadership, persuasion, magic power, and casting speed are greatly increased.

*Leadership increased by 200%

*Persuasion increased by 200%

*Casting speed increased by 100%

*Magical Power increased by 100%

Merlin suddenly changed his job due to the influence of the Emperor of Gold. He became Rank A+, surpassing even the American Archmage.

‘Is this okay?’

Jin-woo just hoped it would be helpful later. Everything kept going in a different direction from his intentions.

“I am greatly indebted. I must pass on this realization and blessing to all Circle Wizards. I will see you again soon.”

“Oh…yes.”

Merlin stored the golden apples in his subspace. He thanked Jin-woo once again, stopped by the bathroom for a while, and then returned to his seat where the British Knights were located.

‘Well…it’s a little tiring.’

Jin-woo watched Merlin’s back as he left, feeling exhausted. In contrast, Merlin’s face was full of confidence. His spirit was completely different from before. He evoked admiration just by looking in his eyes which were filled with a strong spirit. It was the true image of William Merlin Kingston, the Wizard of the Sun.

A British Knight looked at Merlin and spoke carefully.

“May I ask what you talked about with Lee Jin-woo?”

“It was something related to the future.”

“The future?”

“Yes, a promising future awaits.”

The Knight tilted his head.

Merlin turned his head to look at the Knight.

“Sir Alex.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t call him just by his name just because he’s not here. A Knight must always learn to be respectful.”

“Yes! I’m sorry! I will keep that in mind!”

Merlin patted him on the shoulder and nodded.

“It’s bright.”

He saw a miracle once again. A bright future was filling up the path before him. The future was simply so bright.

‘And it’s dark.’

However, the darker the head and wider the forehead, the better. It was glorious darkness. It was also the reason why Circle Wizards fell into black magic.

There were many things he had to do. He had to convince the faction that fell into black magic and unite all of Europe. Among everything else, the informal event ended successfully. All of the participants came out of the JW Gate with different ideas, but no one could accurately predict what would happen in the future.

* * *

Liu Wei couldn’t control his anger. His whole body trembled from the humiliation and shame. Born as a son of a high-ranking party official, he was a man who never bowed his head easily to others. He had nothing to be afraid of after becoming a warrior of the Chinese people, a Knight, and joined the 3rd Knights and Seven Dragons Association with his extraordinary skills.

There was no doubt that he would soon become a leader and a great one who would lead the inferior people. It was taboo for competent people to enter politics, but would a hero of the People’s Republic of China care about that?

“Damn it!”

Even the ambassador shook his head, and the close businessmen who had always been kind to him didn’t answer. It was all only to continue their relationship with that vicious Lee Jin-woo. He was also expelled from the Seven Dragons Association. It would have been nice if it ended there. He didn’t know what Lee Jin-woo did, but he was in danger of being stripped of his knighthood.

Liu Wei was unable to return to his home country. He had to do something. He had to aim for a twist; he couldn’t fall just like this.

“Thud!”

Liu Wei contacted someone. It was the leader of the Snake Shield Guild Alliance, Blacksnake.

[Have you made up your mind?]

“Did you say that desperation causes miracles?”

[Yes, that’s right.]

“What are your plans?”

At Liu Wei’s question, a spooky chuckle could be heard over the phone. Liu Wei heard his plan. Japan wasn’t even mentioned at the JW Gate unofficial event. It was simply a blatant disregard.

All because of Lee Jin-woo.

The more Liu Wei heard of Blacksnake’s plan, the more convinced he was that he could succeed. Although the personnel and power were insufficient, it was possible with support from the Seven Dragons Association.

[Think about it. The value of decomposition prevention and detoxification technology! It’s worth the job. It may be hard at first, but it’s a sure way to escape from the influence of the Frontline Group and Lee Jin-woo. How long should China and Japan remain wary of the Frontline Group?]

“Umm…”

[According to our information, it is a high-level artifact that prevents decomposition and detoxifies the poison. We have also secured the information of the researcher who is analyzing the artifact.]

“You have an informant? It’s great that you planted one in the G&P.”

[I was lucky.]

Liu Wei was lost in thought for a moment. The technology seen at the JW Gate could be described as a miracle. Decomposition prevention and detoxification! What if he could take that technology completely and bring it back to his home country?

It might reshape the international situation. Furthermore, all countries could participate in the Neutralization Ridge.

“I will contact you.”

Liu Wei nodded. He thought to be portrayed as a hero of the people and proudly returned home. Liu Wei carefully contacted the Seven Dragons Association. He vomited out all the information and gave explanations with desperation.

[I will review it first. Wait]

It was the answer from the Seven Dragons Association.

A week has passed since then.

Liu Wei waited impatiently and chewed on his nails. If the Seven Dragons Association didn’t give permission, Liu Wei would lead a miserable life. He wouldn’t be able to afford more than 200 billion won after he was disqualified from being a Knight. He might have been taken to a prison for the competent people, where he could only work for the rest of his life. If it were Lee Jin-woo, he would have been more than capable of committing such a vicious act.

He was shivering when he received a secret call.

[Make it work no matter what. We’ll support the League Guild.]

“T-thank you.”

[From now on, you are a traitor until you return home. But if you succeed, you will become an executive of the Seven Dragons Association.]

“It is an honor!”

From the Seven Dragons Association’s point of view, it was over whether it succeeded or not. The deportation process for Liu Wei had already been completed. It was enough to put it off as a matter of personal grudges.

‘We just have to hit and run before the Frontline Group moves.’

It was a chance to get revenge on Lee Jin-woo. They thought they would sleep very well if they could see his angry expression even once.

The dice had already been cast. They only needed to succeed once.

Just once!

That one time would change fate!