While Orun and the others were listening to the princess's request at the explorer guild, the armored explorer Oliver was visiting Cavadele's general store.
"You're back. How did it go?"
Cavadele asks upon seeing Oliver enter the shop.
"Just as you predicted. The labyrinth near Farira Village overflowed, and the princess—who was heading this way—was attacked."
"I see. Sending you and Orun was the right call. This way, we prevented the scenario where the kingdom gets unilaterally trampled by the imperial army."
"Is the princess's presence really that significant?"
"Against the imperial army, the royal army won't be able to buy much time. To quickly organize an allied force, making her the figurehead is the fastest way—at least that's what I think. The princess probably shares the same view, which is why she offered herself as a piece on the board."
"A big-picture perspective, huh. I still can't see how much this outcome will affect things in the end."
"Hohoho. That's something you can only cultivate through experience. Unless you're a genius, that is."
"Like Orun, you mean?"
"Orun is a little different from a 'genius.' Though from the outside, he looks exactly like one."
"...We got sidetracked. Anyway, does this mean the transaction conditions are cleared?"
"Yes. No problem."
"Then hand it over—the 『Spirit's Eye』."
"...Are you really sure? There is the precedent with little Shion-chan, but in reverse, that one case is the only precedent. There's a chance it could leave you a broken shell, you know?"
"Yeah. I'm aware of the risks. But in the battles to come, if I can't see spirits... it won't even be a conversation... That's obvious."
Oliver's expression remains hidden behind the helmet, impossible to read, but his voice alone conveys considerable resolve.
"Besides, right now I'm stronger than Orun, but once he regains his power, I'll just be dead weight to him. I can't afford to stall here."
"...Understood. If you've made up your mind to that extent, I have nothing more to say. I've prepared the place—follow me."
Having confirmed Oliver's determination, Cavadele leads him to the basement of the general store.
This room is used for experimenting with developed magic and magic tools, so it has a reasonable amount of space and durability.
When Oliver reaches the center of the room, Cavadele operates his storage magic tool, and six cylinders about two meters tall appear at equal intervals, surrounding Oliver.
"Within the area enclosed by those cylinders, you can rampage as much as you want without worrying about damaging the surroundings. No need to hold back."
"I appreciate it."
After the exchange, Cavadele activates the cylindrical magic tools.
The cylinders resonate with each other, and a barrier made of mana deploys to envelop Oliver.
Confirming that, Oliver removes the helmet covering his head, exposing his bare face. He brings the crystal in his right hand—resembling a yellow topaz, the 『Spirit's Eye』—to his forehead.
After taking several deep breaths, he steels his expression and crushes the Spirit's Eye.
The dense mana contained within the Spirit's Eye begins leaking into the surroundings. Oliver invokes [Mana Convergence] to draw that mana into his left eye.
Immediately after, Oliver's scream echoes through the basement.
A searing pain—as if the moisture in his eye were boiling, as if his optic nerve were burning straight through to his entire brain—feels eternal to Oliver.
After a few minutes pass, silence reigns in the basement once more, a stark contrast to before.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
Oliver presses his left eye, breathing heavily from the shoulders, staggering but still standing on both feet.
"...Oliver, do you recognize me?"
"...Yeah. It's you, you heartless old bastard—Cavadele Evans, right?"
Cavadele breaks into a smile at Oliver's rude remark.
"Hohoho. If you can still throw insults like that, there's nothing to worry about. Magnificent, Oliver."
"So this is the world Orun, Shion, and Luna see..."
Oliver removes the hand covering his left eye and lets out an admiring voice as he gazes at the world now in his vision.
From that eye leaks golden mana so dense it has become visible, and geometric patterns unlike magic circles float up within it.