Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 169

They thought that by emphasizing their affiliation with the Magic Tower and adding some friendly words, he would easily fall for it, but the other party’s attitude was unexpected. Moreover, the man flew into the sky with a skill that was hard to believe for someone supposedly touching a Wing Boat for the first time, and flew away to the floating island archipelago. Weizen’s efforts to monitor his movements from the side and look for an opportunity were also in vain. “I was a little too hasty. I made a mistake.” Just before, he had revealed his true intentions too hastily because the other party seemed to be giving in too easily. The Nick’s insignia. A top-quality artifact produced by Duris Workshop. It is now out of production, and it is an item that cannot be obtained unless it is transferred from another owner. If he could have obtained it, it would have been of considerable help to Weizen in some way, but he ruined things with his greed that surpassed reason. If the man realized that the insignia was a considerable treasure because of Weizen’s words, what could be more annoying than that? Without realizing that the whole series of conversations was completely manipulated by Lenok, Weizen bit his lip. “If things have gone wrong, wouldn’t it be better to take action right now?” The words of a somewhat indistinct mage are reasonable at first glance. Once Lenok, who has the insignia, starts to suspect Weizen, it will not be easy to look for another opportunity. However, Weizen shook his head firmly with a cold expression. “Let’s watch for a while. The land in the autonomous territory is limited, so there will be another opportunity.” “Hmm……” He was too eager at the thought of discovering a rare treasure, but Weizen calmly assessed the situation. They were still at the entrance of the autonomous territory. They had not even properly entered the floating island archipelago. If he caused a commotion here, he would risk not getting the insignia and being expelled from the autonomous territory. He should not make the mistake of losing both goals by acting rashly. Although he had been played by Lenok just now, Weizen was not so emotional that he could not grasp the situation. “Let’s focus on finding the Flame Grass for now. He must have come here for his own personal business, so we will surely run into him while wandering around the autonomous territory.” “……I understand. Thank you for your hard work.” It was just as annoying that this mage was patting his shoulder as if they were close, but Weizen forced himself to suppress his emotions and raised the corners of his mouth. It was this guy who told him that the artifact Lenok had was Nick’s insignia. It seems that he has a considerable eye for recognizing artifacts, so if they travel together, there might be a use for him. Weizen thought so and threw 1 million Cell [currency] into the young man’s hand as if throwing it away and grabbed the steering wheel of the Wing Boat. Soon, two airships flew towards the floating islands, and then a thick fog made the cliffs invisible. * * * Woo-oong!! He grabs the steering wheel of the Wing Boat and looks down. The darkness of dawn is gone, and the sun is just beginning to rise. The boundary between fog and clouds becomes blurred, and the entire sky shines brightly with warm light. The long shadows cast along the dozens of floating islands descend on the Wing Boat. “Hoo……” As he is exposed to the cold air, he wants to smoke a cigarette. The feeling of cutting through the clouds and flying high into the sky is a novel experience for Lenok as well. Since the size of the airship is different, it was definitely a different feeling from flying on an airplane on Earth. [Where are you planning to go first?] Davi, who had peeked out from his arms and was watching the scenery together, asked. “I’m planning to explore the autonomous territory and learn about the terrain first.” Lenok does not know where the drug lord’s vault is, nor where the next lighthouse keeper is waiting for him. The fact that there is a ‘lighthouse’ in the Pilenom autonomous territory is well known, but the location itself is hidden in a secret place that ordinary people do not know. The floating islands belonging to the autonomous territory range from large ones that correspond to an area of the Balkans to small ones that barely have enough land to set foot on, and there are more than hundreds of them, so it was almost impossible to look around all of them one by one. He had obtained information about the autonomous territory through the data that Jenny had given him, but the difference between experiencing it in a document and actually experiencing it would be extreme. First of all, it is a priority to look around the large floating islands that form a living area and understand the atmosphere and environment here. “If it seems like there’s any reaction from that side, let me know right away.” [Understood.] The reason why he has been summoning Davi up until now is that Davi can sense the messenger sent by the lighthouse keeper, just like he did at the academy. There is no reason why they would not contact him first if he wanders around the autonomous territory. Lenok thought so and turned the steering wheel towards the nearest floating island. First of all, it is a priority to find accommodation and establish a new communication network. Communication between cities, especially between the Balkans and Pilenom, is difficult in the current situation, but it is not completely impossible. There was no reason to hesitate to inform Jenny of the current situation and ask for help. Even though he had arrived alone in a new land with no familiar faces, Lenok’s face still looked calm. The first morning in the autonomous territory was dawning. Floating Island Archipelago (2) “Come on, we have many amulets that are essential for sorcerers here!” “We have Clarity Wine that clears your head when you drink it!” “You will never regret it if you take a look!” On a floating island crowded with people. Lenok was walking through the middle of the market with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. It was once a region that was caught up in a fierce confrontation with the giant city of the Balkans, but the streets of the autonomous territory are full of vitality, so much so that you cannot feel the tension of war. Is it because it is a region that is welcomed by sorcerers due to its special environment? The density of magic users seen in the autonomous territory was incomparably higher than in the streets of the Balkans. If you only count the absolute population, the numbers would not be comparable, but if you are fighting over a few islands that are only about the size of one district, you will inevitably bump into each other. Naturally, the commercial districts and markets of the autonomous territory were also developed for businesses targeting outsiders, especially sorcerers. Even in the market that Lenok visited now, the main focus was on soliciting customers targeting sorcerers rather than ordinary civilians. Of course, there were very few high-quality items that caught Lenok’s eye, but there were quite a few ingenious items that Lenok found interesting. For example, there were clothes made of wool with spirituality that could be worn by spirits, or snacks that summoned creatures liked. Items such as corpse preservatives for necromancers and artificial hair or eyeballs for curse casters were so bizarre that Lenok was speechless. “This is a cube that helps you practice magic manipulation! Come and take a look!” “……” Lenok, who had stopped walking for a moment, was holding a cube decorated with cheap crystals in his hand. When magic power is injected, it floats, and the cube rotates and changes color according to the strength and weakness of the injected magic power. It is a toy that can only be used here, where magic power and buoyancy have a great relationship. Click, click. After turning it a few times, he immediately gets the hang of it. The cube that was twitching on Lenok’s hand soon rotated so fast that the faces could not be seen properly, and then matched the colors in an instant. He continued to walk the streets, spinning the cube as a pastime while floating it above his shoulder. It has been three days since he arrived in the autonomous territory. He was now used to this chaotic scenery, but surprisingly, Lenok’s gains were not great. As the name autonomous territory suggests, this floating island archipelago gives considerable autonomy to its residents, except for the minimum rules, and that is why people living here live in various places according to their tastes. Naturally, there was no systematic system for obtaining information, so there were many parts that had to be done on foot. The number of floating islands in this Pilenom autonomous territory is at least several hundred if you do not care about the size, and it is not easy to estimate the location of the islands due to the thick fog rising from the Sea of Understanding. Rich people with a lot of money even buy a small floating island and hide its location by using all kinds of security and concealment techniques. The reason why the drug lord hid his vault here was not just because it was an environment that was easy to store drugs. ‘But it’s not like there’s no way at all.’ There are a few things he learned by deliberately going to crowded places for the past few days to hear various information. First, the floating islands that can be purchased are limited to islands that are too small for people to live on. Second, in order to make a floating island private property, you must obtain permission from the autonomous territory government. Third, in order to store drugs in the autonomous territory, a specially made vault is required, and there is only one craftsman in the autonomous territory who makes that vault. It was almost impossible to find the drug lord’s vault with just this, but Lenok had come to his own conclusion. ‘If he is a craftsman who makes vaults, he must have kept a record book of the vaults he has made so far. Considering that vault craftsmen generally put serial numbers on their products, we can narrow down the scope of the investigation.’ By comparing the date of the vault production request through the serial number in the record book and the date the autonomous territory government approved the purchase of the floating island, you can get a rough idea of how many hidden islands exist. Of course, it would be impossible to pinpoint the location of the island with that alone, but at least it would be possible to identify the number of islands that are used as private property and have a drug storage vault. ‘If we measure the range of the updrafts rising from the Sea of Understanding and calculate the spaces between the islands, we can narrow down the search area.’ Of course, there is a possibility that the drug lord ignored the rules of the autonomous territory and chose any island to hide his vault, but Lenok thought that the possibility was low. The perfect disguise comes from being ordinary, no different from others. There was no reason to break the rules when it was possible to do it by using a pseudonym or a fake identity. ‘To be honest, this is not a very effective method either……’ It is just one of the ways to narrow down the search range, but it is the same in that it requires a lot of time. Even if it is covered with concealment techniques, Lenok’s magic power sensitivity would be able to notice the abnormality, but that would only happen after a certain distance. In the end, it is impossible without riding the Wing Boat and wandering around the autonomous territory. If there is no time or method, he will have to find candidates through this kind of repetitive work, but he does not have that much time yet. That is why Lenok continued to travel around the autonomous territory, trying to find a better alternative. [Master.] “Still?” [Yes. They are still looking this way.] Except for the gaze that had been following him since he arrived in the autonomous territory. “Hmm……” Lenok leaned his back against the wall of a nearby fruit store and raised his magic power. Still, nothing was caught in his magic power detection. Even so, if Davi is clearly feeling that gaze, there can only be one opponent. The next lighthouse keeper. She had recognized Lenok’s presence the moment he arrived in the autonomous territory, but she did not approach him and continued to watch him. “I don’t know what she wants. Does she want me to find her first?” [Maybe she is not sure who Master is yet?] “That can’t be. Considering the ability of the lighthouse keeper’s Heavenly Eye, that is absolutely…… No, that’s not necessarily true.” Considering the gap between Madrea Palsier and the next lighthouse keeper, it is not impossible that she cannot see through Lenok’s disguise. If she does not know that he has changed his face, body shape, and even the magic pattern he was born with, it is not strange that she is confused about Lenok. [If I reveal myself first……] “No, leave it alone for now. I have things to do today.” The eagle-shaped messenger that the lighthouse keeper sent last time has seen Davi, so she will recognize him if he removes his disguise and reveals himself in the form of a fox cub, but there is no reason to do so right now. Leaving behind the empty sensation that was not caught in his detection range, Lenok immediately moved his steps. * * * A vast prairie stretching to the horizon. A herb field located on an area so vast that it is hard to believe that it is part of an island. A huge plant facility that manages some unique herbs that grow using the special environment of the autonomous territory at the government level. This is possible because large floating islands boast a size equivalent to one area of the Balkans. The crimson sunset slowly sinks, illuminating the bottom of the sea, but from the perspective of an island floating in the sky, the sunset is illuminating its face from below. In a landscape that is not easily seen, Lenok stood in front of the herb field plant facility with others. An old woman with a grumpy impression came out, looked around at the people, and then smiled contentedly. “So many people have come to see this old woman today, so there will be no shortage of manpower.” “……” There was no answer. On the contrary, some people were frowning and unable to hide their displeasure. However, the old woman did not care and tapped her waist while pointing her cane at the field. “I know you all already know this, but I will give a brief explanation.” “The Night Bloom Tree, which is managed at the northeast plant, is a very unique plant that only blooms at this time when the boundary between day and night disappears. This flower is famous for not only helping to stimulate the human sensory system, but also for being effective in developing innate magic sensitivity.” “However, the moment you pluck the flower of the Night Bloom Tree, it will wither immediately unless you hold on to its life force through precise magic manipulation, so we need the help of sorcerers who are excellent at this work.” “I will give the sorcerers who help this old woman collect a certain amount of Night Bloom Tree flowers the opportunity to purchase the samples they want from the herbs managed by the plant, as promised, so please do your best.” Although the words were long, what Lenok is doing now is simple. He is lending his strength to a place where there is a shortage of manpower and receiving compensation in return. It was a simplified labor method like solving a quest in a game, but there was a reason why this kind of work processing was established in the autonomous territory. As it became impossible to cope with the size of the capital concentrated compared to the relatively insufficient manpower, the trend of actively borrowing the power of outsiders, especially sorcerers, became stronger. In addition, there were things that could only be done at specific times and places, and only with the help of a sorcerer, such as the Night Bloom Tree that the old woman had just mentioned. The Night Bloom Tree that grows in this plant is not a very rare herb compared to its high price, but the important thing is the right to purchase samples of rare herbs that can be obtained by helping out at this plant. What Lenok wants is the Basilisk Mushroom, which is relatively highly valued even in this herb plant. It is an item that boasts an enormous price of one million Cell per mushroom, even though it has no special effects on health or magic, but the reason why Lenok is looking for this mushroom is not simply because it is a rare herb. It is because Basilisk, like the Malabesse that Lenok is looking for, is an item that only grew on ‘collapsed islands’ and has been discontinued. He had obtained information that there were only a few left in this plant, which is easy to store herbs, so he came all the way here to get his hands on it. ‘If the drug lord is storing herbs that grew on collapsed islands like Malabesse in his vault, he is likely to have already obtained Basilisk. If I start tracking based on that……’ Among the unique magic of the color detection system, there is a magic that recognizes the flow of magic power of the same quality and finds the location of similar magic power. Of course, it would be impossible to break through the concealment and security techniques and peek inside with mediocre magic…… What about the ability of the Heavenly Eye? “I didn’t expect to see you again in a place like this.” Just as he was about to move his steps, a voice was heard from the side. Weizen was smiling politely as he looked at Lenok. “I knew you would come here soon. There are only about three places where you can get rare herbs, including this plant.” “Is that so?” “Yes. You must know that, right? But, wait a minute……” The smile disappeared from Weizen’s face as he scanned Lenok’s coat with sharp eyes. The Nick’s insignia that was attached to the collar of his coat was nowhere to be seen. Lenok pretended to notice the gaze belatedly and said leisurely. “Ah, I’ve stored that accessory somewhere else. After hearing what the magician said, I was afraid to carry it around. Haha.” “I, I see……” Weizen tried to compose himself, but his neat mouth was revealing his emotions without filtering them. He must be thinking that he made Lenok hide it by saying unnecessary things. Of course, Lenok openly stirred Weizen’s insides, pretending not to know such feelings at all. “Yes. I think the things my parents left me are still valuable, so I need to handle them safely. I am grateful to you, Weizen.” “……I’m glad I was able to help you. Excuse me first.” Weizen turned his head away, aware that he could not control his expression. Lenok chuckled as he watched Weizen’s stiff back walking through the herb field. He said he was looking for an herb called Flame Grass, but it seems that he also came all the way to this plant. Lenok turned his attention away from Weizen and immediately moved his steps in the other direction of the field. Small dark brown saplings that reach up to the knees are densely planted along the outskirts of the island. The sun, which had begun to sink below the surface of the water, turned into a crimson sunset, and as the sunset light rising from below began to illuminate the plant, the saplings wriggled and began to bloom. The sorcerers who had already taken their places quickly raised their magic power to collect the flowers of the Night Bloom Tree. Soon, more than dozens of flowers were collected, but less than three of them survived intact. Complaints began to be heard here and there at the poor results. “Damn it…… It’s harder than I thought?” “There was a reason why that old man was smiling slyly earlier.” Without paying attention to the reactions around him, Lenok quietly began to examine the flowers that had been successfully collected nearby. It seems that other sorcerers cannot see it, but Lenok’s magic power sensitivity was able to detect the subtle twisted flow of magic power near the roots of the flower. ‘The moment the stem of the flower is cut, the magic power is subtly twisted to prevent the outflow of life force.’ It is a subtle knot that is difficult to actually implement properly, even if you are consciously aware of it. This is probably because you have to maintain a subtle boundary that binds the magic power enough to prevent the outflow of life force, but also does not completely compress the flower. “It’s not easy, is it?” “……” Weizen approached Lenok slyly and asked. He was starting to get annoyed. In his hand, there were two flowers that had bloomed beautifully. “Even if you know the trick, it’s not often that things go as planned. In my case, I only succeed twice out of ten attempts.” He squatted next to Lenok and shook the flowers of the Night Bloom Tree as if to show off. “If you want, I can teach you the trick……” He no longer hides his greed. It seemed as if he had decided to put on a thick face. Lenok ignored Weizen’s words and reached out towards the Night Bloom Tree. Whoosh……!! With a light rotation of magic power, a flower landed on Lenok’s hand too easily. The flower, which was bathed in the sunset, was shining brightly on his palm without losing any of its vitality.