Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 223

Iola’s appearance was as surprising as her arrival. She, who had been fiercely battling Wayan with the free use of both arms and legs, was now supporting herself with a crutch in one hand. Her somewhat gaunt face and the dull, sunken look in her eyes were striking. It seemed the aftereffects of that day’s battle were severe, as her magic pattern had changed considerably. It was no wonder Lenok hadn’t recognized her while she was coming all the way to the bar. Lenok’s companions, who had been laughing and chatting comfortably in the bar, all stood up at once. As she was a cartel executive they had directly clashed with, her personal information had long been shared among them. Even amidst the chaotic torrent of sharp killing intent, Iola stood calmly, accepting the gazes. Dray asked in a sharp voice, “How did you get through our security? We didn’t receive any contact from outside…” “I received help from Virgil. I am merely a messenger dispatched for this matter.” “……” What could they say when a director-level executive had intervened directly? The rumor that the founding members of the cartel each possessed unique abilities was well-known in this district, so there was no need for further explanation. “I came after receiving a message from Ban. May we get to the main point?” “That’s a very optimistic thing to say.” Kilian growled as he slowly approached Iola. “You don’t think you can visit enemy territory alone and return safely, do you?” Lenok, who had been watching from behind, shook his head. “Kilian. Stop it.” “Ban?” “That woman came to answer the message I sent. The fact that Virgil specifically chose her to send means he wants to settle this matter definitively here.” “……” Ignoring Kilian, who was grumbling and stepping back, Lenok asked, “The business card?” “Here it is.” Iola took out Virgil’s business card from her pocket and placed it on the bar. The business card that Virgil had given and Ban had returned. It was proof that she had received the intentions of both men and had come to this place. “Excuse me, but may I sit down to talk?” Iola asked Lenok with a calm expression. “As you can see, my body is not in good condition, so it’s hard for me to stand for long.” “As you wish.” Iola didn’t hesitate and immediately pulled out a chair from the bar and sat down. A position that showed her back to Lenok’s companions gathered in the bar. A completely defenseless attitude, but that was why they couldn’t touch her carelessly. If she was someone who had come to talk with Lenok, she couldn’t cause trouble in this place. While the group remained silent, Iola spoke first. “I have confirmed the message that Ban sent.” Her gaze turned to the business card she had placed down. A single word that Lenok had scribbled on the back of Virgil’s business card. ‘Traitor.’ It was the decisive trigger that made Virgil respond to Lenok’s call. “It seems you have noticed our cartel’s internal affairs.” Jenny poured a cup of coffee and placed it in front of Iola. She didn’t refuse. After lightly wetting her throat, she continued. “Frankly, I was surprised. Even though Girard is a frivolous man, he was also a colleague who had contributed to the organization for a long time. I never thought he would spill such a core secret so quickly… Indeed, mages are different.” If Lenok, who had captured Girard, had noticed the internal strife of the cartel, there was only one answer. Girard had talked, and if that was related to the traitors within the cartel, wouldn’t his direct superior also be closely related to him? “The current external conflicts are to hide the internal division. Virgil is prioritizing the exposure of traitors who have violated the organization’s rules above all else.” “Does that mean?” “On the premise that Ban hands over Girard Ozette, Virgil has said he will take responsibility and let bygones be bygones.” Those who were listening to the conversation were visibly shaken by Iola’s declaration. In other words, it was as if the cartel’s president had asked Lenok for leniency first. Considering the difference in status between the two organizations, it was a situation that could be considered a miracle. However, Lenok shook his head with a blank face. “That’s not enough.” “……” “What if I still keep Girard alive, and after handing him over to you, you find the traitor? It wouldn’t be strange if this happened again.” It wouldn’t be strange at all if Virgil wiped his mouth clean after everything was resolved. Lenok didn’t trust Virgil that much. “What exactly do you want?” “I need a promise that you will not only stop interfering with the business we are conducting, but also fully cooperate. It wouldn’t be bad if the cartel came in as an investor.” Iola closed her mouth. “If you want to clean up a messy situation, you need that kind of promise, don’t you?” In the end, unless he became strong enough to face the cartel’s chairman, it was impossible to guarantee victory against the Three Heads [referring to the top three leaders of the cartel]. What Lenok could do was to take advantage of the fact that the top executives, including the president, couldn’t move due to the checks of the other Three Heads, to accumulate as much damage as possible, and to obtain the authority to allow Jenny’s business to operate normally. The difference in size between the company that had just begun to take shape and the Three Heads, which were called a corporate alliance, was not something that could be overcome. Rather, it was only because Lenok had the ability to surpass most organizations that he was able to bring the situation this far. If it hadn’t been for him from the start, even this negotiation would have been impossible. Iola asked, “The material and human losses our organization has suffered from this incident easily exceed tens of billions of cells [a fictional currency]. Knowing that, do you still feel that this negotiation is unreasonable?” “It’s a matter of order and justification.” Lenok replied. “We are the ones who have suffered unilateral damage from you. Considering the difference in size between the organizations, it wouldn’t be strange if this happened again. Under the guarantee of the person in charge, I think I can make that kind of demand.” “……” “Or did you come here to represent Virgil’s intentions, but you haven’t even been granted that much authority?” Iola was silent for a long time at Lenok’s harsh words. In the completely silent bar, even the sound of someone swallowing could be heard clearly. “The conditions that Ban has put forward interfere with the cartel’s management policy.” She opened her mouth after a long time of deliberation. “Virgil, as the CEO of the Planning and Management Department, has the proper authority, but if the chairman intervenes in this matter, I cannot guarantee how it will go.” “Tell me the conclusion.” “I accept.” Iola nodded. “In exchange for receiving Girard Ozette’s custody at this moment, I, Iola Byun, who has been delegated the authority of Virgil O’Rayden, promise to take responsibility.” As she said that, she brought her hand to her left eye. At the same time as Wayan’s face turned pale as he realized the meaning of that gesture. Crack!! A pure white sphere appeared between Iola’s fingers. “C-crazy…” Someone let out a low groan as they realized that she had pulled out her entire eyeball, And with an indifferent expression, Iola placed the eyeball she was holding in her hand down. “This is the Stasis Eye that Ban saw and found meaning in. It’s something I received through the organization’s grace. Would this be enough to take responsibility for what I said?” “……” The bizarre act of pulling out an eyeball and offering it as collateral. However, it was something she could do because she knew that Lenok had knowledge of the Eye. The eyeball, which had begun to resonate with magic, had broken away from the basic category of biological organs and began to operate independently, so it was possible to preserve its ability and function through transplantation. In addition, it was common for it to remain connected to the original owner through a spell even after being separated from the body until it was transplanted to a new user. If it was Lenok, he could control Iola’s life simply by casting a simple curse on this Eye. She had put her life on the line to guarantee the credibility of this promise. “Ahahaha!!” Lenok shook his head and laughed. It was irrational. To risk her life to receive Girard Ozette’s custody right now. Did that mean that resolving the internal strife of the organization was that important to her and Virgil? But ironically, Lenok didn’t dislike that choice. Because it was an action that Lenok would never choose, it was natural to be interested in people who made such decisions. “Kilian.” “Uh, huh?” “Guide me to where Girard is.” Kilian made a reluctant face at Lenok’s words, but he got up without complaint and gestured to Iola. She, who was shedding tears of blood from her empty left eye socket, got up from her seat. After the two disappeared, Belita, who had been silent until then, asked, “Is it okay?” “What do you mean?” “The performance of pulling out her own eyeball was quite impressive, but it’s a bit much to guarantee trust with just that.” It was a cold judgment that she wasn’t overwhelmed by Iola’s spirit, but it seemed that Belita, a veteran mercenary, didn’t have specific knowledge about the Eye. As it was rare to meet Eye holders in this field, it was difficult to find out related knowledge without looking it up directly. Instead of explaining the meaning of Iola pulling out her Eye, Lenok nodded. “It’ll be fine. She’s a woman that Virgil O’Rayden cherishes enough to save her life himself. She’s likely a lover or a close relative. The fact that he sent that woman, who still seems to have difficulty moving, as a messenger here in the first place… is proof that Virgil is sincere about this deal.” He was a scary man. Even though he valued Iola’s life enough to move himself, he made her do this to make sure this matter was settled. Unlike his seemingly easygoing attitude, was he the type to strictly distinguish between public and private matters? He was the type that you had to make sure to cut off his breath if you turned him into an enemy. But that was why Lenok could be sure that the traitor within the cartel was not Virgil. If this matter was resolved by eliminating the internal traitor of the cartel, the intangible benefits that Lenok could gain would be enormous. It would be fortunate if things were resolved easily, but Lenok was not so optimistic. The capture of Girard and the exposure of the traitor. Even throwing a gamble to make a deal with the cartel. Could he have even had this opportunity if it hadn’t been for the show of force he had been doing against the cartel? Although a series of events seemed to have a rational judgment mixed in, in the end, it was just a conversation that could not be established without proving the basic qualifications. It was proof that only those who had proven themselves could discuss logic and justification. In order to bring the strongmen who ruled this city to the negotiating table, they had to pass the most basic preliminary round of force. ‘It would be fortunate if Virgil handles things well… but I have to consider the possibility that things won’t go smoothly.’ He had handed over Girard’s custody a little early, but he was a guy he couldn’t keep for long anyway. Using the Pure Land Mantra [a fictional magic technique] in succession was a burden, and it was too risky to hold him without such an artifact. Considering the value of the information he had squeezed out through continuous torture, it wasn’t a bad idea to eliminate the aftermath here. As Lenok thought that, he turned his gaze back to Manson. He had put it off for a while due to Iola’s appearance, but he had no intention of just passing over the unusual signs that Manson had shown. Even though Mad Manson seemed crazy, he was a veteran who had been working as a freelancer in this field for a very long time. Among the knowledge in his scrap metal head, there might be some memories that could help Lenok. Manson also noticed Lenok’s gaze, glanced at him, and then gestured towards the back of the bar. “……” The two, who had quietly come out to the back of the bar, walked naturally. “Do you have something to say?” “Hehe… Aren’t you too quick-witted?” The red light in Manson’s head flickered irregularly. “I thought I would forget it soon after talking to Janice, but surprisingly, I keep thinking about it…” “……” “The potion you made. It’s worth digging into more. You know that, right?” Manson seemed to be aware that Lenok hadn’t properly revealed the effects of the potion. “It doesn’t just end with connecting muscle cells and bones, but also the rapid regeneration ability at the ends of body parts… If you make adjustments, it’s definitely possible to have more power than this. If it doesn’t just stop at hair or nails growing, but also regeneration of amputated parts…” “Maybe that potion could play a decisive role in the deal with the cartel.” * * * Girard Ozette walked down a wide corridor. The sturdy handcuffs on his thin hands. The weights dragging on both ankles caught the eye. He looked like a prisoner who had just been released from prison. The eyeliner that had been thickly drawn around his eyes was melting and flowing down weakly, and his skin, which had been meticulously made up, was a noticeably dry face. He had never had a very lively face before, but the gauntness, which was almost devoid of vitality, made one realize the mage’s skill. Virgil was inwardly impressed as he looked at him. Girard Ozette had a unique appearance at first glance, but his inner self was more twisted than his appearance. Physical pain was just a simple stimulus to him. How on earth did he handle a man with a mindset that changed even his own wounds into strength, to make him talk while keeping his limbs intact? ‘No, I have some idea…’ He remembered Iola, who hadn’t been able to move properly for at least three days after being hit by [Lightning Strike]. Considering that she, who had a strong mind and body that could easily ignore any pain, had been in so much pain that she couldn’t control her senses for a while, It was probably proof that the depth of the magic that the mage possessed was beyond what he had thought. He was not someone who could be defined by simple words like level or realm. The direct force derived from practical combat sense and experience. He already knew from what had happened at the abandoned factory site how dangerous it was to have such sharpness in the hands of a mage, which was no less than that of warriors who fought directly on the front lines. That day, no one had not heard the tragic news that about 400 members of the subordinate division, including the blood mage Avid Lowell, who was a member of the board of directors, had not returned alive. That meant that even if the cartel attempted an all-out war, they had to be prepared for the corresponding losses. How ridiculous it was that they had to fear the losses they would suffer against a small company that had just been born. But the mage who made that absurd contradiction possible was there. And to be honest, Virgil didn’t want to turn the mage named Ban into an enemy. That was why he was even more pleased with this deal. Girard raised his head and met Virgil’s gaze. Girard, who had been staring up at him with a blank look, grinned. “Ah, CEO… It’s been a while since I’ve seen that face.”