Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1034

Signpost (22)

In the third district of the massive city of Balkan, at an old cathedral on the edge of the area.

Before a praying goddess statue, an old man with jet-black hair was playing a game of chess alone.

Despite his age, his hair and eyes were a vivid, clear black.

Whiooo…!!

The old man, holding a black stone and gazing at the chessboard, was met with a quiet breeze.

In the seat opposite him, where the wind had passed, sat a woman wearing a loose cardigan.

The old man, not surprised by the woman’s appearance, placed the black stone down and spoke.

“Hiberk. You’re late.”

“You’re just early, Yasir.”

The woman, adjusting her thick glasses, frowned.

“Move 34, A18. I wouldn’t place it like that. Take it back and redo it.”

“There is no redoing, Hiberk.”

The old man with black hair chuckled in a deep voice.

“The word ‘again’ is no longer permitted for us.”

“……”

“But it is surprising how things have turned out like this.”

The old man’s eyes, having placed the black stone, became hazy as if recalling a distant memory.

“I never would have imagined you accepting this kind of life.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all. Quite the opposite.”

The old man shook his head, watching the woman pick up and place a white stone.

“It’s just that I never thought you of all people… would side with the outside, not the center.”

“Your habit of speaking in roundabout ways is still the same.”

The woman retorted in a flat tone.

“If you’ve worked as the Speaker of the Senate for that long, you should have learned how to be considerate of those below you.”

“……”

The old man didn’t answer.

He simply placed the black stone he was holding down, carrying an endless, heavy silence.

Clack.

Flipping the white stones on the chessboard one by one into black stones, the old man said.

“The Underworld King is moving. It won’t be long before he reaches the entrance of the Lost Paradise.”

“……”

“I think he…”

The old man hesitated before speaking.

“I believe he won’t ignore the deeds Jinwa has built up.”

“The last descendant of the Black Law wouldn’t have such a righteous personality.”

“That’s right. But that man… he demands very high standards of himself and others.”

The old man shook his head, looking at the white stone the woman had placed.

“Now that the black mage has restarted his flight, he will never try to finish things in a half-hearted manner.”

“……”

“Conflict is inevitable. What’s important is controlling the situation afterward. Measures to protect the closed areas in preparation for the worst-case scenario-”

“Did you ask the wrong person for help?”

The woman replied, moving a white stone.

“I only inherited some of the talent for recording; the work of the Ascendants [beings who have transcended mortal limitations] is a completely different realm. It’s not a curse I can handle.”

“……”

“It’s even more so for Ascendants who achieved transcendence on their own without being bound to the center. Unless it’s a special case like the Heavenly Eye, they won’t feel anything for us.”

“But…”

“But, if it’s while I’m staying in Balkan, I’ll think about it seriously.”

The woman gave an empty smile, watching the black stones quickly flipping over on the chessboard.

“That mage you guys are watching, I kind of like him too.”

“……”

“He openly said he’d use us. He seemed to want to prepare for something, and I’m curious what it is.”

It was a coldness mixed with a sharp cynicism, completely different from the languid smile she had in front of Lenok.

“So, until then, don’t interfere. You wouldn’t refuse such a small request, would you?”

* * *

“Ban, I’m not even bothered by the areas around the Magic Tower getting wrecked anymore, you know?”

In the head mage’s office on the top floor of the Adamantine Magic Tower in Balkan’s 49th district.

Looking out the window at the street scenery, where restoration work was still underway, Jenny sighed.

“But having such an abomination take root around the tower is a different matter. It’s a serious emergency.”

“…An abomination.”

Lenok chuckled wryly, following Jenny’s gaze to the prairie landscape that had unfolded in the sky above the window.

The self-sustaining domain, the Funeral Ship of the Returning Sea, of Cyrus Ardeltio, the funeral director from the central city.

The shape of that domain, newly established above the Magic Tower, didn’t look good to Jenny’s eyes.

A few days after Anathema’s funeral and the battle that had turned the 49th district upside down.

Lenok was taking a short break while organizing the affairs of the Magic Tower.

He had brought nobles into the tower, but it would take time for them to settle in and for the people around them to adapt.

Even though Lenok was mediating the process, various problems were arising.

“It’s not something to laugh about. Do you know what rumors are going around in this city right now?”

Jenny’s expression turned serious as she turned to face Lenok.

“They’re whispering that the crazy mage has now even brought in a graveyard to bury the people he kills.”

“……”

“I tried to contact the noble undertaker to see if we could move the location, but no one who tried got an answer. It’s completely impossible to communicate.”

“Let’s remodel the training grounds at the back gate of the Magic Tower to make some space.”

Lenok said with a wry smile.

Even Lenok had never had a proper conversation with the funeral director, so it was obvious how others would fare.

It would be like talking to a wall, so Lenok would have to at least mediate.

“It’s not that he doesn’t understand the language. If there’s enough space, he’ll accept moving the location.”

“I hope so, but…”

Since the central nobles were staying in the tower at Lenok’s request, it was necessary to provide them with as much convenience as possible.

Jenny knew this, so instead of solving the problem herself, she came to Lenok to report on the recent trends.

Lenok, who had been engrossed in reading the Black God Magic Manual, picked it up and said.

“How is Jutiya Hiberk doing?”

“She’s just as strange, but she’s the complete opposite of that undertaker.”

Jenny shrugged.

“She wanders around Balkan all day, then briefly stops by the tower at midnight before leaving again. She doesn’t seem to have any intention of staying in one place.”

“Has she asked for anything in particular?”

“We provide expenses for people who go out on errands from the tower. She refused it from the second day. Do you know why?”

Jenny, unable to hide her bewilderment, tapped the desk.

“She said she earns more money in a day than that. She told us to save the budget.”

“The provided expenses aren’t small. Has she already found a source of income in Balkan…”

He knew that the nobles he had recruited were only formally tied to the tower and could not become members of the tower in the first place.

Even considering that, the actions of the two nobles in the massive city were quite unique.

It was as if they were used to living alone, having wandered the continent for their entire lives after their homelands were destroyed.

“Oh, and this is a bit of a different story. She asked if you were planning to entrust her with the computer system.”

“The computer system?”

“She said she could organize all the systems in the tower within a week and increase process efficiency by nearly 30%.”

“That’s…”

If it was Jutiya, who had worked as a clerk for Ars Nova, saying it, then even that absurd statement wouldn’t be a lie.

While Lenok was deep in thought, a languid voice echoed from beside him.

“She’s Bajur’s granddaughter. You shouldn’t talk about her like that.”

“…!!”

Jutiya, wearing sunglasses and standing blankly behind Jenny, appeared.

Jenny, who was a step late in noticing Jutiya’s presence, was startled and stepped back towards Lenok.

She was holding a pamphlet in one hand, like a tourist enjoying a trip, and stirring a smoothie she had bought somewhere.

But Jutiya, unfazed by Jenny’s extreme reaction, spoke in a flat voice.

“What I said was that I’m more confident in computer work than clerical work. It was just an example.”

“Ah, ah…”

“Adamantine said I could relax and do nothing, but I have no intention of living off someone else’s dime. If you’re short-handed, it would be nice if you could tell me.”

Lenok, looking at Jutiya, who was nodding with a sullen expression, asked.

“I heard you weren’t staying at the Magic Tower. Did you enjoy your city tour enough?”

“Not nearly enough. You live here, but you don’t know how vast this massive city is.”

Jutiya gave a languid smile and held out the pamphlet she was holding in front of Lenok.

“Even if you only pick out the must-see tour courses to visit the main tourist spots in Balkan, it takes more than two months. You can’t see everything in just a few days.”

“I see.”

“I went to the central district of Balkan today, and it was fun to meet some familiar faces after a long time.”

“……”

“Tomorrow, I’m going to the botanical garden in the 31st district. I’m meeting another acquaintance there. The city is so big and there are so many people, it’s fun.”

Jutiya seemed to be fully enjoying her tour of the massive city.

Since she had some time, she was focused on meeting acquaintances living in Balkan.

But Lenok knew why Jutiya had returned to the Magic Tower at this time today.

“So, Adamantine. The results about Torben are coming out today, right?”

Jutiya, who was sipping her smoothie through a straw, narrowed her eyes sharply.

“It’s more fun than I thought, but at least I need to know how long I have to stay here. I can’t keep wasting time, can I?”

“The examination should be finished by now.”

Lenok put the Black God Magic Manual in his arms and stood up from his seat.

“Let’s go to the underground chamber right away.”

“…Haa.”

Jenny also realized who Lenok was going to meet and wore a tense expression.

Cyrus, who was motionless in the sky near the Magic Tower, and Jutiya, who was touring Balkan every day.

But an even more serious and critical problem was sleeping in the underground chamber of the Magic Tower.

Fwip!!

“…Ugh.”

Jenny frowned at the flash of lightning that struck her eyes as soon as she entered the underground chamber.

The electric light brightly illuminated the huge underground chamber of the Magic Tower, made of obsidian.

Amidst the thunderous roar of lightning that echoed throughout the chamber, an old man with white hair was sitting with his eyes closed.

Crack, crack…!!!

A strong, bold appearance. A powerful vitality that didn’t match his age.

Just by crossing his arms and keeping his mouth shut, he exuded an intimidating aura that made it difficult to speak to him carelessly.

But what caught the eye first and foremost was the intense glow of the electric current that wrapped around his body.

Zzzip!!

With just a breath, a tingling breath of lightning flowed out, illuminating the surroundings brightly.

Every time his eyebrows twitched, lightning flashed and thundered, and electricity flickered through his hair.

The old mage was flashing and glowing wildly, as if he had become a living lightning bolt.

Jutiya, who was standing behind Lenok, waved her hand with a languid expression.

“Akendrias, are you awake?”

“…Hiberk.”

Torben, who had opened his eyes slightly, scoffed after seeing Jutiya’s face.

“You’re still alive. Be grateful for my junior’s mercy.”

“That’s what I was about to say to you.”

Jutiya tilted her head and asked.

“Shouldn’t you be grateful for his mercy, since you lost to Adamantine and survived?”

“Ha! That’s why those who don’t know about magic…”

Torben said with a confident expression.

“I have already formed a bond of lightning with my junior that is thicker than blood. A momentary victory or defeat is nothing, so why should I worry about my life?”

“……”

Jutiya was speechless, and Jenny looked around in bewilderment.

“Is that true?”

Lenok said with a serious expression.

“We haven’t even properly introduced ourselves, let alone formed a bond of lightning.”

But Torben didn’t even care about Lenok’s reaction and spoke confidently.

“I thought you would have paid dearly for holding a funeral without my junior’s permission. It’s amazing that you’re still alive.”

“I’m sorry, but weren’t we on the same side until we arrived in Balkan?”

When he was fighting Lenok with all his might, and now he was naturally scolding the nobles from Lenok’s side. Torben’s behavior was so natural.

Even Jutiya was tilting her head at the absurd change of attitude.

“Alright, that’s enough!!”

Torben raised his hand with a shout and declared.

“I will punish the impudence of the old nobles on behalf of my merciful junior…!!”

Crackle!!

As Torben drew up his magic power, explosive lightning surged from his body.

The intense energy that illuminated the dark underground chamber in a flash of blue.

Jutiya’s indifferent face was dyed with lightning, and Jenny’s complexion turned pale.

It was such a high level of magic power that it was hard to believe he was a mage who had been defeated by having his domain broken, and Lenok was wondering if he should intervene.

[Aboob.]

Thump!!

The white baby dragon that had risen from behind the head mage bit his head.

“~~~~!!!!”

Ignoring the head mage’s silent roar, the guardian spirit mumbled as if sleep-talking, with its eyes closed.

Every time it did, the electricity flowing from the head mage’s body began to be rapidly sucked into the guardian spirit’s body.

Whoosh…!!

“…Wow.”

“……”

Jutiya, who was gaping in admiration, and Jenny, who had frozen like a statue, were stunned.

Even the nobles of the center didn’t seem to have imagined that Torben would be in such a state.

“Cough, cough!!”

Only after the guardian spirit had sucked up all the electricity it wanted did Torben, coughing heavily, come out.

The old mage, soaked in saliva, turned around with a red face and yelled.

“You, how long are you going to suck my lightning? Get up right now!!”

[Snore.]

The baby dragon was fast asleep, as if it couldn’t even hear the head mage’s shout.

After eating Akendrias El Torben’s domain, the guardian spirit had not woken up while sleeping.

The only time the guardian spirit moved was when it was sucking up the missing electricity from the head mage like a pacifier.

Was the sight of Akendrias El Torben, who had fallen from the head mage of the Magic Tower to the guardian spirit’s electric pacifier, so shocking?

Next to Jutiya, who was speechless and gaping, the side door of the underground chamber burst open.

“Adamantine, you’ve arrived.”

“Murphy.”

Alejandro Murphy, a thin-looking doctor sitting in a wheelchair, pointed to the examination chart in his hand and said.

“You’re right on time. Akendrias El Torben’s examination has just finished.”

The battle had ended when the head mage had fainted in vain, and since then, Torben’s whereabouts had been kept in the underground chamber of the Magic Tower.

After that, Lenok had called Alejandro Murphy, a specialist in biological examinations, to examine the head mage’s body.

Murphy was not only in charge of Lenok’s health check-up, but also a doctor who had experience in treating many high-ranking mages.

With such a doctor, he would be able to pinpoint Torben’s current condition relatively clearly in this case.

But it seemed that Lenok was not the only one who knew Murphy.

“Alejandro.”

Jutiya, who had turned her gaze to Murphy, said.

Her gaze was lowered behind her thick glasses.

“You’re alive.”

“Lady Hiberk.”

Morphy, who had been hesitating, bowed his head slightly.

Murphy’s attitude was more polite than ever before.

Alejandro Murphy was one of the few survivors who had survived in the central city.

If he was an excellent doctor in Ars Nova, it was not strange that there was a noble who remembered him.

But Jutiya’s reaction was not just because she knew Murphy.

Even she, who had been meeting various acquaintances in Balkan, reacted as if she didn’t know she would meet Murphy here.

Lenok, who had been staring at the two of them, asked.

“Is it something that requires time?”

“…No. I’ll take care of that with Lady Hiberk.”

Morphy, who had been hesitating, shook his head and unfolded the examination chart.

“I’ll start by telling you the examination results. I’d like to tell you the results where I am, is that okay?”

“Tell me.”

“Okay. Then… let’s start with the most important fact you need to know.”

Morphy, who was quickly flipping through the examination chart, looked at the head mage Torben, who was lying sprawled out, and said.

“Akendrias El Torben’s body does not contain any major organs, including the heart.”

“What?”

“He’s processing the functions of organs like the lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys by replacing them with electrical signals.”

Morphy, who was sitting in his wheelchair and flipping through pages with graphs printed on them, said.

“Looking at the overall metabolic rate, it’s not like he completely removed the major organs. It’s probably more accurate to say that he has stored his own organs in his domain after turning them into lightning.”

“……”

“That’s why it’s a problem that your guardian spirit ate Torben’s domain.”

Morphy pointed to the baby dragon sleeping behind the head mage.

“Akendrias El Torben’s organs are now swallowed into the guardian spirit’s stomach in a lightning-transformed state. In fact, a part of Torben’s spirit and flesh has become one with your spirit beast.”

“Are you saying that the guardian spirit and the head mage’s body are fused?”

“Spiritually, it’s a similar state. It’s also a situation where one side unilaterally occupies the ownership. In this case, we need to find examples in other fields, not in magical medicine.”

“Other fields, you mean…”

“In cases where a part of the spirit and flesh is unilaterally attributed to one side, in shamanism or Taoism-”

Morphy, who had been frowning, said.

“They often express it as having become a Shikigami [a spirit that serves a master in Japanese folklore].”

“……”

Silence followed.

Jutiya raised her gaze with a bewildered expression.

“By any chance, do I have to stay here much longer than I thought?”

[Arooroong.]

The guardian spirit’s sleep-talking, sucking up Torben’s electricity while sitting with a sullen expression, echoed instead of an answer.