Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1124

The unique lightning magic was trying to reach level 9 before Lenox himself.

Torben, watching Lenox stop in his tracks after hearing those words, said,

“The caster and the spell are inherently one, but that law isn’t always followed in every moment.”

“……”

“There are cases where the hierarchy of the caster and the spell differ due to innate talent, a curse, or a subsequent trigger.”

Akendrias gestured with his eyes towards Peisha, who was glaring at Lenox from afar.

“It’s not a perfect example, but that lancer is a similar case. Her understanding of the lance technique has surpassed the extreme, but her own level remains far below.”

“……That’s.”

It was because Peisha had drawn power by sacrificing her hierarchy during the fight with Lenox, but Lenox didn’t explain that far.

He just felt that this lightning-obsessed old man, who seemed uninterested in everything around him, knew more than he thought.

“It’s the same. Your magic gained a trigger and reached ascension first, so it’s trying to run wild against your will.”

Torben shrugged.

“No, it’s not even right to call it a rampage. If it were another caster, they would have been unable to control their spell and died from their body exploding. Rather, it’s more accurate to say that you’re somehow wielding a higher-level spell with your talent and senses.”

“……”

“Is the problem that it can’t distinguish between friend and foe? It’s a miracle that your magic isn’t harming you. This is the first time Bono has seen such a case, so the judgment was delayed.”

Torben’s expression, looking at Lenox, became more serious than ever.

“What on earth happened in Kundara?”

“I learned a lot about myself.”

Lenox gave a bitter smile.

“Even the fact that I didn’t originally want it.”

“……”

“But, yes… hearing that makes it clear.”

Leaving the stern-faced Tower Lord behind, Lenox raised his gaze.

Before the final battle with the Seonjong, Lenox had taken a potion and gained the abnormal state of an Ascended [a being who has transcended their normal limits].

With the senses of an Ascended, he twisted and altered the Uroboros [a symbol of a serpent eating its own tail, representing infinity and cyclicality] and wielded black lightning.

With the help of the Mookrin of the Compendium [a magical artifact], the Life Vessel, Nivek’s antidote, and the Blood Pouch, Lenox had let go of the corruption he had gained at that time and returned.

But the lightning magic Lenox had used then was still there.

Wielded with the senses of an Ascended, forcibly grown, altered, and twisted.

Standing on the boundary of level 9, stopped just before crossing it.

“Thank you for your cooperation. Thanks to you, I’ve made a firm decision.”

Lenox nodded faintly.

“I will be sure to repay you for today’s work.”

“It’s fine. What kind of repayment would comrades walking the same path of lightning give each other?”

Torben chuckled, stroking his chin.

“Just as Bono was reminded of the possibility he had forgotten by looking at you, you too can take whatever you need from Bono.”

“……Something to take.”

Lenox questioned, turning slowly.

The rampage, where even the high and low points of lightning magic could not be controlled, was a backlash of growth.

But this kind of ‘growth’ was not what Lenox wanted.

Lenox’s answer was not the power of the [Door], but the possibility of an image based on the kaleidoscope.

If the lightning magic reached level 9 based on black lightning, it would become the possibility of ‘someone else,’ not Lenox.

The moment he thought that far, Lenox realized that what he had to do had become clear.

‘Adjust the magic while experimenting with the [Door] that exists in the basement of the Kabahim Royal Castle.’

It was clear that something inside the door was what Pandemonium wanted.

Then, what Lenox had to do was to accompany them to the royal capital and adjust his magic against the door.

If that was the only way to control the lightning that was trying to reach level 9 first.

Crackle, crackle…!!!

Lenox’s gaze, watching the dark blue lightning slowly scattering in the sky, sank deeply.

* * *

A half-day after the duel with Torben. The top floor of the Magic Tower, where the sunset was setting.

Lenox, opening the door and entering, stopped in his tracks upon discovering a familiar figure.

A black bob that flowed down her shoulders. A faint presence, even though she was visible.

Even the clear and cool magic power that flowed out naturally with each breath.

“Ivelin.”

Ivelin, who was squatting on the sofa, was watching TV while nibbling on something.

“Sorry I’m late. Did you wait long?”

“Is work all done?”

“Not yet.”

Lenox said, sitting on the sofa opposite her.

He had turned the 49th district upside down while fighting Torben, but that wasn’t all Lenox had to do.

He had just finished processing the business plans and proposals that needed the Tower Lord’s approval, signing various administrative tasks, and securing the minimum alibi needed for Lenox’s other identities.

“I’ve only finished the urgent matters. I can’t keep you waiting forever.”

“I’m fine.”

Ivelin replied without taking her eyes off the TV.

“Sitting here, time goes by faster than I thought.”

“What are you watching so intently?”

“Your news.”

Ivelin pointed at the screen while nibbling on a vegetable stick she was holding.

On the screen, which was divided into dozens of sections, several anchors were busy reporting the news.

[It has been completely confirmed that the Adamantine, who was reported to have left for the central front, has returned.]

[Eyewitness accounts are pouring in that he unleashed large-scale destructive magic in the 49th district as soon as he arrived…]

[The thunder that remains in the sky near the Magic Tower is still interfering with weather observation…]

[There are concerns about significant temperature changes due to the release of lightning that exploded in the sky.]

[Voices of concern are being raised in various circles about the fact that the main culprit of the Kundara collapse has already resumed activities…]

“……”

While Lenox was staring blankly at the screen, Ivelin casually held out a vegetable stick.

“Want some?”

“……Sure.”

A stick made by slicing carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers into a hand-sized portion.

Lenox put it in his mouth without batting an eye.

[Ew.]

Davi made a disgusted sound, but Lenox didn’t care.

Only a superhuman magician’s patience could allow such a resolute vegetarianism.

Ivelin, who had been watching him, held out more of the sticks she had brought.

“Eat more.”

“Okay, okay.”

He had asked Ivelin to help him with the duel after a long time, so he could accept this much of a sulky request.

He could eat cucumbers and bell peppers anytime for his health.

Only after pushing five more bell pepper sticks into his mouth did Ivelin make a satisfied expression.

“You eat well.”

“……”

“If you knew how to do this, why did you do that in Kundara?”

“What does that have to do with what’s happening now?”

“You said you picked up something like poison and got a stomachache.”

Ivelin said languidly, leaning back on the sofa.

“Is your body okay?”

“……”

At the core-piercing question, Lenox momentarily shut his mouth.

Lenox, who had been silent, finished off all the remaining vegetable sticks and said,

“The Eyes of Azure.”

“Lapis. I’ve been keeping an eye on you since you arrived at the central front.”

Ivelin nodded.

“I got information about Kundara relatively quickly. I’ve heard roughly what happened there.”

“……”

Even if the information about Maleon was understandable, had she even obtained information that Lenox had ingested some kind of poison?

If she borrowed the power of the lighthouse, it would be possible to spy on the inside of Kundara, which was still unstable, but-

“Are you planning to fully switch to the Watchers’ side now?”

“……Well. I don’t know.”

Ivelin shook her head with a blurry expression.

“I agree with the Eyes of Azure’s postponement of the ending. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have lent them my power.”

“……”

“But the place I want to protect in my life is this city. Not the center where greedy monsters run wild.”

“Are you not interested in Ars Nova at all?”

“Ban. Why do you keep doing that when you know everything?”

Ivelin scoffed.

“I’m from a race that came from outside the continent. It doesn’t matter to me how the central city was destroyed.”

“……”

“The people living in this city are more important than the power struggles in the center. That’s why I started working as an agent.”

Ivelin said quietly, looking at the news on the TV screen.

“It doesn’t matter if I don’t work in a special agency. But the reason I haven’t returned to work yet is…”

“It must be because of the Magic Tower.”

“……”

“I think we’ve had a similar conversation before. I’ll make it clear this time.”

Lenox said, meeting Ivelin’s gaze.

“If you want to join the Tower, you’re welcome anytime. You can tell me, Jenny, or Felix.”

“That’s…”

“If you want to take care of the security of the outer districts beyond the 49th district, I’ll help you with that too.”

Lenox’s face turned serious.

Ivelin, who was looking at him, was speechless.

“You can use the available power and resources in the Tower as you please. Jenny won’t mind either.”

“……Why are you going so far for me?”

“Why, you ask?”

Lenox tilted his head, looking at Ivelin, who was quietly questioning him.

“Because you’re someone I can entrust my life to. Do you need a reason beyond that?”

“……”

Ivelin Marcia was an associate Lenox had met in the early days of his freelance work.

They had known each other for much longer than they had not known each other, so it was a long-standing relationship.

They had crossed all sorts of dangerous lines while working together as freelancers and Watchers, so it would be strange to say that he couldn’t trust her now.

But Lenox had never forgotten how rare Ivelin Marcia’s goodness and talent were.

She was a rare person who had barely lost her inherent humanity even after reaching level 8.

Her talent, her unique goodness, and her sense of duty were rare qualities and values on this continent.

Until now, he had never recommended it, respecting her desire to return to being an agent, but if Ivelin’s mind had changed over time, there was no reason to hesitate.

A scout that Lenox himself was directly recommending, something he had rarely done since establishing the Magic Tower.

“Ha, that’s right.”

Ivelin leaned her head back and let out a low sigh.

She smiled wryly, leaning against the leather sofa.

“It’s not the answer I expected… but it’s nice to hear in its own way.”

“……”

“At least all the time we worked together wasn’t meaningless, right?”

“It was from the moment you saved my life from Kroken Asilus.”

Lenox replied calmly.

“I think I owe you. I don’t want to forget that fact.”

“No, that’s…”

Ivelin shook her head with a bewildered expression.

“It wasn’t even a proper fight. I don’t think I put you in debt.”

“Is that what you think?”

“In the first place, Asilus was…”

Ivelin, who was about to say something, shook her head and stood up.

“That’s enough. It was information that wasn’t even certain. There’s no need to say it.”

“……”

Ivelin, who had faced Kroken at the scene, knew something about him at the time.

But Ivelin didn’t seem to want to explain that fact.

Come to think of it, since they had met then, Ivelin had rarely mentioned the situation directly.

“Anyway, I understand what you think. I also understand how you’re trying to be considerate.”

While Lenox was lost in thought, Ivelin turned towards the door of the office.

“Thank you. I’ll think about it calmly after this is over.”

“What do you mean by this?”

“The agency contacted me to work together on something.”

Ivelin said, shaking the phone she was holding in her hand.

“I’m going to help them one last time before deciding where to work. Actually, I’ve already half decided.”

“……Is there something so important that the agency needs your help?”

The agency was a special agency directly under the city government that directly managed the security of the Balkan underworld.

Since Director Greta Witherhill had returned, its size had grown even larger, and it was paying attention to trends even in the underworld.

Regardless of Greta’s bizarre nature, Lenox acknowledged her abilities to some extent.

Recently, there had been news that they had been fighting a criminal organization called Ten Counts over the nuclear fusion power plant in the 53rd district.

An agency that had not asked for outside help even in such cases was asking for Ivelin’s help.

“It’s an escort. It’s a pretty simple task.”

Ivelin said casually.

“It seems like the person they’re escorting knows me, so they contacted me.”

“……If it’s someone you know.”

“The highest-ranking magician of the Sinclair Magic Tower is preparing to return to Balkan.”

While Lenox was speechless, Ivelin shrugged.

“They’re also bringing a large amount of elixirs produced in the Tower. It will be a very special operation among the operations the agency has participated in recently.”

* * *

Warm, almost hot sunlight. The sound of birds chirping outside the window.

A strangely refreshing feeling, as if time had slowed down.

But instead of getting up hastily like someone who had overslept, Lenox buried his face in the bed.

Afternoon, past noon. A late hour close to midday.

“……”

Lenox, reaching out and groping the side table, grabbed a water bottle.

Only after taking a few sips of lukewarm water did he let out a languid sigh.

“Hoo…”

Beep- Beep-

An alarm rang from the metallic bracelet he was wearing on his wrist.

[Magic power synchronization 55%. Blood circulation normalized. Metabolic recovery rate increased by 11%.]

Davi, who was crouching at the head of Lenox’s bed and rubbing his head, said,

[System all green. At this rate, recovery is going smoothly.]

“That’s a relief.”

[If you rest like this for about 30 years, you’ll be a little better!]

“……”

Ten days since the Kundara incident ended and he returned to Balkan.

Two days after returning to the Magic Tower, finishing the duel with Torben, and handling the Tower’s work.

Since then, Lenox had spent more than a week solely at home, focusing on rest.

The poison in the potion had been suppressed to a minimum through the Mookrin and the Life Vessel, but even that small aftereffect was a fatal risk factor for Lenox.

As the Blood Pouch, who had treated his body, had warned, he needed time to rest and recover his condition.

He had spent most of his time resting and checking his spells, going back and forth between the bed and the laboratory.

But he couldn’t just keep resting like this.

“Even if it was 3 days instead of 30 years, there wouldn’t be enough time.”

[Actually, considering Master’s health, 30 years is not enough…]

“Do you want to say something unlucky?”

[Ebebebebe.]

Lenox, pulling Davi’s cheeks, got up from his seat.

He staggered from the dizziness that came as soon as he got up, but he went to the kitchen and grabbed the remote control.

“The delivery… I think it should have arrived by now.”

Whirr-

At the same time as he pressed the remote control, the refrigerator on the wall opened, and fresh vegetables appeared.

The vegetables he had ordered at dawn had entered the kitchen refrigerator from outside the mansion on their own.

It had been a long time since he had used the automatic transport system installed in the mansion he had purchased for a considerable amount of money.

Swoosh!!

Lenox, who had washed and eaten celery in the running water, nodded.

“Not bad.”

[Ew…]

Davi shook his head in disgust.

[Master has been infected with strange water by that vegetarian organism.]

“I used to eat like this often, what are you talking about?”

Lenox said, taking out salad dressing from the shelf and starting to cut the vegetables.

“In Kundara, I could only eat local food or preserved food. I have to replenish my nutrients like this.”

[Isn’t it enough if you have the concentrated nutrient set that Master takes periodically?]

Lenox ignored Davi’s words and sat down on the sofa in the living room and turned on the TV.

The latest news flowed out as soon as the screen turned on.

[We bring you the news that Professor Evan Bailon of Lavatenon Magic University is about to publish his fourth paper.]

[Professor Bailon, who was appointed to the Department of Elemental Studies at the youngest age, is the most notable in academia for his power conversion and the development of anti-gravity engines-]

[The public magic learning device is a groundbreaking device that allows all citizens of Balkan to use simple magic…]

[Due to the existence of new magic announced quarterly by the Bailon Research Institute, it has not fallen out of the search rankings for a single day…]

Evan Bailon’s fourth paper.

But even while watching the news, Lenox changed the channel with a blank face.

Davi, who was crouching on Lenox’s lap, wagged his tail.

[Is it okay to give a hint like this already?]

“The fourth paper is also to create an alibi for Evan Bailon.”

Lenox replied.

“The theme has already been decided. If we get the timing right, there won’t be any problems.”

He had to create an alibi before heading to Tokerphuz, but there was no need to force himself to act as Evan Bailon right away.

It was relatively common for researchers to immerse themselves in a specific study and disappear for several years, so it was enough to update their status occasionally like this.

The remaining work would be fine after the Pandemonium operation was over, after Ivelin returned to Balkan with the Sinclair Magic Tower.

If he had to move again as Evan Bailon, he wanted it to be after Aris Richelene returned to Lavatenon University.

“Since leaving the Eyes of Azure, Cheonbeon has become more comfortable. I don’t have to worry about Balkan for the time being…”

Lenox thought about the next step, organizing the traces he had left in this city in various ways, one by one.

The remaining schedule was set.

“It’s time to go to the 21st district. Has a reply arrived from Hairea?”

[A reply came a few days after Master sent a message last time.]

Davi scratched his head with his tail.

[She sent an encrypted link. Shall we check it now?]

“An encrypted link?”

[I’ve confirmed that it’s not a virus or ransomware, but I haven’t opened the content yet.]

“Send me the link. Let’s check it right now.”

If it was a plan or schedule sent in advance, it would be good to check it before heading to the 21st district.

Davi immediately sent the encrypted link to the hologram window.

Beep.

A strange connection sound and a familiar design of a website appeared in front of his eyes.

Lenox, who immediately recognized the identity of the site, frowned.

“……Deep web?”

[Ah, here.]

Davi tilted his head.

[It was one of the posts I was going to show Master last time.]

“……”

A link that Davi had mentioned as interesting and that Hairea had sent to Lenox instead of a reply.

Lenox, who immediately scrolled down and checked the title of the post, was speechless.

[Title: Rules of Engagement. How to fight the Adamantine shown by Pandemonium. (Analysis of the Adamantine’s behavior patterns based on the Kundara incident attached)] + 35017