Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1145

Showdown (15)

“Oh great one of the bloodline, please extend your hand.”

Click.

As he raised his arm, luxurious ornaments were fastened onto him from all directions.

A ring carved from a single gemstone. A bracelet that emitted a radiant light, warmly enveloping his body.

A teardrop-shaped gem necklace was placed around his neck, and a leather belt as soft as silk was wrapped around his waist.

Thin golden chains adorned his clothing, and ornate greaves completed the ensemble.

“…”

A respectful voice echoed beside Lennok as he looked down at the lavish ornaments adorning his body.

“These artifacts regulate body temperature and humidity, and reduce the weight of the ceremonial robes and protective gear you are wearing.”

“This necklace is imbued with preservation magic to maintain the neatness and cleanliness of your attire at all times, and it also has purification and absorption functions…”

“This belt is engraved with various royal insignia, so that the esteemed guest does not have to worry about the royal etiquette…”

“If there are any artifacts with designs or functions that you do not like, please let us know at any time.”

“…”

Various artifacts, including rings, bracelets, and necklaces similar to the ones he had just put on, were piled up like mountains around him.

Attendants stood with their hands respectfully clasped, amidst the heaps of luxurious jewels and ornaments.

Shwaa!

A dazzlingly colorful dressing room filled with silks that were almost painful to the eyes.

In the center of the vast room, where luxurious ceremonial robes, suits, various dresses, and decorations were hung.

Several tailors bustled about, glancing at Lennok as they hovered nearby.

“Esteemed guest, would you please turn your head for a moment?”

“We will measure your shoulder width. Please, your arm…”

“The ceremonial robes will be completed within half a day. It may be uncomfortable, but please wait just a little longer…”

People carefully measured Lennok’s figure as if handling fragile crafts.

They didn’t even make proper eye contact, and even the words they spoke to Lennok were extremely quiet and respectful.

“…”

How much time had passed since he encountered the rumored ruler of Kabahim?

After the current king, Aronbaiger Kabahim, referred to Lennok as a member of the Half-Sky bloodline and knelt in reverence.

Lennok had been enduring the gifts and hospitality pouring in from all over the royal palace for almost two hours.

Lavish gifts sent directly by the monarch himself. Splendid ceremonial robes tailored for Lennok by the palace staff.

Drinks and food prepared within easy reach at any time. Even the royal family’s wealth and treasures piled up everywhere.

However, even amidst the luxurious treatment where he didn’t have to lift a finger, Lennok’s expression was indifferent.

‘Things have gone awry from the start.’

The one direction shared by the members of Pandemonium just before they arrived in the royal capital was this.

To infiltrate the royal capital safely, avoiding the eyes of the monarch with the talent of duality.

The situation where Lennok is now being called a member of the Half-Sky bloodline and attracting attention was not something they had anticipated.

‘There’s no time to contact the other members at all. Are they deliberately adjusting their movements so that our paths don’t overlap?’

Even if not the other members, Freya Kalins is a guest of Kabahim who came to the royal capital for this performance.

She too would be receiving VIP treatment inside the royal palace, but he hadn’t encountered her since leaving the audience chamber.

He had planned to adjust the operation after contacting the other members if possible, but judging from the current situation, it seemed unlikely that he would meet them for the time being.

From here, it seemed that Lennok would have to investigate this situation himself.

“You’ve been calling me a great one of the bloodline since earlier.”

Lennok said as he moved, following the guidance of the tailors.

Lennok glanced down at the person kneeling and measuring his stride, then shook his head.

“Do you even know what the Half-Sky bloodline is, and is that why you’re treating me like this?”

“I am sorry to say, but it is not our place to judge that.”

Said the tailor, who was adjusting the fabric little by little, holding his shoulder line in front of Lennok.

She calmly combed her hair back and quietly opened her mouth, meeting Lennok’s gaze.

“All we know is that the great one of the bloodline is one of those who made the current royal capital possible.”

“…”

“If His Majesty has said so, then that is the truth for us. There can be no other judgment.”

“That’s an interesting answer.”

Lennok let out a dry laugh.

Was she saying that whether Lennok was an esteemed guest in Kabahim or not was not something Lennok himself could decide?

For someone working in the royal court, she was quite honest, which was actually helpful.

“We are only serving the esteemed guest as His Majesty has commanded.”

The tailor bowed her head deeply.

“He has ordered that serving the esteemed guest takes precedence over all the rules of the royal capital. If there is anything you desire, please tell us.”

“…”

After the measuring was finished, he came out into the hallway wearing the splendid ceremonial robes of the royal palace that had been temporarily provided.

As Lennok, wearing a wide, blue ceremonial robe, walked out, the knights waiting in the royal palace hallway all knelt down at once.

Thump!

“Yujel, the Sixth Sword of the Ten Justices, greets the great one of the bloodline.”

The knight at the front spoke with his head bowed.

“I have been given the role of delivering His Majesty’s armaments to the esteemed guest in anticipation of the royal celebration today. I will guide you from now on.”

“…”

Gifts upon gifts. He had received so many presents for hours that he was no longer surprised.

Lennok, who was about to ignore the bowing knight and pass by, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

The Sixth Sword of the Ten Justices. The commander of the sixth knight order among the ten knight orders in Kabahim.

The face of the knight who introduced himself as Yujel was much younger than he had expected.

He was not even at the age of just reaching adulthood, but an obviously young knight who was close to being a boy.

“You look quite young, but you’re in charge of a knight order?”

“Age is not of great importance when it comes to pledging loyalty to the royal capital.”

The boy knight smiled brightly and raised his head.

“The Ten Justice Knight Orders prioritize individual martial prowess in all decision-making processes.”

“…”

He was smiling, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

Judging by the fact that the faces of the other knights were stiff with tension, this boy knight must be unusual.

Was he simply laid-back or relaxed, or was there some other reason?

As Lennok was lost in thought, feeling a faint sense of déjà vu from Yujel, the knight rose from his spot.

Clank!

The armor joints collided, making a metallic sound, and the knights all rose at once, following him.

Yujel smiled at Lennok.

“I will guide you to the royal palace’s first-class armory. Please follow me, esteemed guest.”

He boarded a splendid carriage led by six warhorses.

Yujel and Lennok sat facing each other, and knights lined up on both sides of the carriage outside.

Behind the knights, attendants and servants lined up as if waiting with the necessary items.

Everyone they encountered on the road stopped and bowed respectfully.

“…”

Lavish hospitality that felt more extravagant than luxurious.

This had been happening all day since Aron mentioned Lennok as a member of the Half-Sky bloodline in the royal palace audience chamber.

“Others call me a great one of the bloodline, but they don’t answer what that means.”

Lennok, who had been gazing blankly at the scenery of the royal capital reflected outside the carriage, turned his gaze.

“As the commander of the royal capital’s knight order, you must have more to say than the others.”

“…”

“What does the Half-Sky bloodline mean to your knights?”

“How could a swordsman like me discuss the great transcendents?”

Yujel replied with a smile.

“However, even with my limited knowledge, it seems certain that you are a great one of the bloodline.”

“What do you mean?”

“As you know, being a descendant of an ascendant is more of a curse than a blessing.”

Yujel’s eyes, which were smiling brightly, gleamed strangely.

“A precarious demonic nature that manifests from an unwanted birth and lineage… The other descendants of ascendants who have visited the royal capital have also had a similar aura.”

“…”

Not only Lennok, but other descendants of ascendants had also visited the Kabahim royal capital before?

Thinking about it, it was somewhat understandable why they were giving him such extreme treatment instead of being surprised by Lennok’s presence throughout the royal capital, but-

“This way.”

Yujel, who had gestured for the carriage to stop, stood in front of a splendid armory located on the outskirts of the royal palace.

They passed through a bridge guarded by fully armed guards and headed towards a firmly closed iron gate.

Clank!

He unlocked the barrier engraved on the firmly locked gate with biometric recognition and entered.

“This is the armory where the best artisans of the royal capital keep the armaments they have created with great care.”

Yujel, who had opened the door first and stepped aside, said.

“His Majesty has personally ordered that you be given any armament you desire.”

“…”

Lennok ignored Yujel’s words and slowly walked into the armory.

He remembered Soryu, a member of the Underworld, using various royal family relics.

If he, an exiled prince, had that many relics, then the relics and wealth stored in the Kabahim royal capital must be even greater.

Whoosh!

As he went inside, artifacts emitting brilliant light were hung everywhere.

Spearheads of amber light as beautiful as jewels. A tachi [a type of Japanese sword] with a blade as red as blood.

Rechargeable armor equipped with a magic core. A double-edged axe with a blade as black as pitch.

There were also unique weapons with beautiful and mysterious appearances.

Even to Lennok, who had handled various artifacts, they were weapons that had been forged with very high levels of perfection.

“The Divine Sword of Righteousness. It is a type of sword that is controlled using the power of will.”

Yujel naturally continued the explanation wherever Lennok’s gaze landed.

“Blood Thousand Miles. It is a magic sword that increases the length of the blade using blood as a material.”

“…”

“The Armor of Loyal Spirits. It was made by a superhuman called the Loyal Spirit of the Mechanical City, and it imitates the exoskeleton of an insect-”

“No, there’s no need to explain.”

He had no intention of refusing a gift after coming this far.

After looking around the armory, Lennok raised his hand and pointed to one wall.

“What is that?”

“…Are you referring to the Gate of Heaven?”

“Gate of Heaven? That’s quite a grand name.”

Lennok chuckled.

“I like it. I’ll take that.”

“Oh great one of the bloodline. But that is…”

Yujel, who rarely hesitated, said.

“…It’s not a weapon, but a shield.”

What Lennok had chosen was not one of the blades displayed all over the armory.

It was one of the few pieces of defensive gear in the armory. Among them, he had chosen a twisted triangular shield.

Three circles were stacked inside the inverted triangle. Geometric straight lines crossed between them.

It was a bizarre-looking piece of defensive gear that seemed to make one’s focus go out of alignment just by looking at it.

“Why, is it not okay to choose a shield?”

“No. It’s not that…”

Yujel asked.

“Most of those who have visited the royal capital tend to choose weapons from here. Are you really sure?”

“Regardless of whether it’s okay or not, there doesn’t seem to be anything else here that I can use.”

Lennok, a mage, hardly handled cold weapons, so most of the armaments in the armory were unnecessary.

In the first place, wasn’t he giving away the armaments he currently possessed to his colleagues in the tower, including Dylan?

None of the various armors displayed in the armory seemed to be much better than the Black Chain Dragon Scale Armor he had obtained in Kundara.

So, if he were to choose something he needed for use, it would be the shield.

He had been using the carapace fragments of the apostle Martinez, whom he had killed in Palgwang Fortress, as a shield, but.

As it was an item he had obtained under the identity of a steadfast, he had been using it depending on the situation under other identities.

If he could acquire another means of defense that he could use under Victor’s identity on this occasion, it wouldn’t be bad.

“I understand. If that is what the esteemed guest desires, then there is nothing I can do…”

Although he didn’t show it, perhaps he had wanted Lennok to choose a weapon from here if possible.

Lennok, ignoring Yujel’s wry smile, took the shield hanging on the wall.

A dusty, old triangular shield. The shape of a geometric pattern covered it.

Lennok ran his bare hand over the shield and slowly nodded.

‘As expected, it’s closer to an independent defense technique than a shield. Why is something like this here?’

As a result of examining it using his sensitivity, this shield was the most heterogeneous item among all the weapons stored here.

It was not an artifact or relic imbued with abilities or techniques, but rather something closer to a technique in itself.

It was as if a technique that had been realized in reality had not been able to disappear and remained in a clumsy form.

‘If I reverse-engineer the structure and dismantle it, it might be possible to learn the technique, but… not now.’

This shield was a gift from the monarch of Kabahim. He shouldn’t use it to dismantle it and learn the technique right now.

Above all, there was something he had to do before this.

Lennok had been waiting while receiving all sorts of extreme hospitality throughout the royal palace-

“If you have made your decision, may I guide you back to the royal palace, esteemed guest?”

Yujel knelt down respectfully and bowed his head.

“His Majesty is waiting.”

* * *

Boom! Boom!

Wow!

Fireworks exploding in the darkened evening sky. Cheers coming from all directions.

A grand banquet held for Freya, who had come for the performance, and the concert staff.

Soft music could be heard, and food that had been prepared was being busily transported from all directions.

The figures of Freya, surrounded by countless people, and Soryu, disguised as a concert staff member.

Even Chebien’s doll, naturally wandering around the castle, mixed in with the bustling atmosphere.

Lennok stood on the outdoor balcony on the top floor of the royal palace, overlooking the banquet hall.

“…”

He had not yet exchanged a single word with the other members since the incident in the audience chamber.

However, it was impossible to contact the members who had infiltrated the royal palace in this situation where attention was focused on him.

He would have to wait until today was over and then look for a suitable opportunity to contact them.

Of course, just thinking about how the clown, of all people, would react was exhausting, but-

That was not what Lennok had to do now.

He moved, gazing at the night view of the Kabahim royal capital shrouded in darkness.

Inside the balcony, a man who had been waiting, sitting at a table set with a lavish dinner, slowly turned his gaze.

“Oh, my, has it already gotten this late?”

The monarch of Kabahim, Aronbaiger Kabahim.

The very person who had called Lennok a member of the Half-Sky bloodline and had him receive all sorts of hospitality for half a day.

The man, who had combed his hair back and turned his head, looked at Lennok with a smiling face and opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry. I was so engrossed in a conversation with my old friend that I didn’t realize how much time had passed.”

“…”

However, instead of taking a seat opposite him, Lennok looked at the other man who was already there.

The seer, Antares, who had joined at the clown’s request, was having a private meeting with Aron.

“When I was wandering the continent as a mercenary, we got along well and worked together.”

Aron, noticing Lennok’s gaze, smiled and gestured to Antares.

“So, before meeting you, I called him here for a moment to reminisce about the old days.”

“…”

“Let’s sit down first. There are so many things I want to talk to you about.”

Aron, leaning back in his chair, pointed to an empty chair.

“Just as I have been waiting for this moment today, you must also have things you are curious about.”

“…”

Aronbaiger did not particularly revere or worship Lennok, even though he called him a member of the Half-Sky bloodline.

The fact that he had knelt down in the audience chamber and ordered everyone to worship Lennok meant that it was a deliberate act to elicit a reaction from those around him.

If Aron himself had such a tendency, then there was no need to adhere to the royal etiquette of the royal capital now.

“It’s not just you who has something to say.”

Having thought that far, Lennok slowly opened his mouth.

“But I need to hear about the reason for worshiping the Half-Sky bloodline in this royal capital before we begin.”

“…”

There were several possible reasons why Aronbaiger had called Lennok a member of the Half-Sky bloodline.

The most likely possibility was that he had recognized the existence of the Forbidden Armament that Lennok possessed and had looked into him through the talent of duality.

Since it was an armament made using the Half-Sky bloodline as a material, if Aronbaiger had mistaken its presence as Lennok’s, it would not be strange for him to think of Lennok as a member of the Half-Sky bloodline.

However, he was not yet certain about the exact extent of what Aronbaiger Kabahim’s talent of duality had seen and recognized.

In order to attack the [Gate] under the royal capital, it was necessary to investigate Aronbaiger Kabahim, the most likely obstacle.

Here, it was necessary to carefully observe Aron’s reaction and extract and obtain information.

That was why Lennok had not refused the hospitality pouring in from all directions and had been waiting for this moment to have a private meeting with Aron.

“The reason why your existence is worshiped throughout the royal capital.”

However, even at Lennok’s words, Aron tilted his head, looking puzzled.

Two pupils rotating within his sea-blue eyes.

“I wonder if you are asking that on purpose.”

Aron tilted his head, looking at Lennok through the dual, overlapping focus.

“Since the ‘blessing’ bestowed upon this entire royal capital is yours. Do you believe it is possible not to revere you?”

“…What?”