Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 331

The Remnants of Time (1)

The Defense Force Coup.

Two days after the ambition of the mobile fortress commander, Edmus Trepen, met its predetermined end.

Agent Deputy Director Pallard sat in his office, locked in a fierce battle with the incessant phone calls.

“…So, regarding that part, I told you in advance. This matter is only valid with the formal approval of the city council…”

“Reinforcements are impossible. With our current manpower, we’re barely managing to clean up the Defense Force’s mess.”

“What? Some city council members want a quick distribution of the spoils? Are you talking about the mobile fortress’s military supplies? Why on earth are they…?”

Bang!!

“FUCK!!”

As soon as he slammed down the phone, Pallard cursed. Next to him, Hina, with bandages wrapped around her head, placed another stack of documents on the desk.

Thump!!

“This is the last one. Roughly 200 civil complaints, status reports, and approval requests. Please read them all and sign.”

“I understand why the director ran away, leaving her perfectly good position.”

Pallard muttered, picking up a pen with a haggard look.

“They dump everything on us and expect us to handle it…”

As an intelligence agency directly under the city government, the Agents were a group of superhumans relatively free from the Law of Restriction [a law limiting the use of superhuman abilities], and one of the few special forces that could directly intervene in the shadows of the megacity.

Therefore, within the city government, the on-site work and administrative processing of incidents in the outer districts were naturally being handed over to the Agents.

Until now, whenever such incidents occurred, they had managed to gloss over and muddle through, but the coup that had occurred just two days ago was a major task that could not be handled in such a way.

With all the city council members’ attention focused on it, it was obvious that even missing a single document would lead to a severe reprimand at City Hall.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have turned a blind eye to the Lieutenant General firing a missile into the restricted area. Then the Law of Restriction would have been lifted much faster, and we wouldn’t have to suffer like this…”

“That’s a very useless and dangerous statement.”

“Is Team Leader Marcia still out of contact?”

Hina nodded obediently.

Pallard clicked his tongue with a displeased expression.

“Is she not even going to give an interim report just because she got a long vacation? I need to reconsider the team leader’s diligence.”

“You’re not saying that because you don’t know why the team leader went to the Northern Continent, are you?”

“I know. I roughly know what kind of problem has occurred. By now, most intelligence agencies should know… Oh, this.”

“What’s wrong?”

Hina turned her head and saw Pallard, holding a document, frozen in place.

“Senator Zekiel’s order has been issued.”

“Zekiel, you mean the…”

The city council, which held the highest power in the city. Among them, the Senate, which was nothing more than a playground for the powerful who had lived like nobles for hundreds of years.

Zekiel was the name of a senator who held one of the three most powerful factions in the Senate.

“He wants a thorough investigation of Ban’s personal information and to send it up.”

Pallard muttered, holding his forehead.

“It’s a direct line. It’s clear that Senator Zekiel has started to take a personal interest.”

“Did he hear about what Ban did?”

“There were a lot of eyes watching this time. It would have been harder not to be noticed. But I didn’t expect him to move this quickly…”

Lenok’s actions in the mobile fortress capture operation were not limited to simply capturing the fortress.

He infiltrated the fortress alone, induced the Defense Force’s friendly fire, and used it as bait to catch up with and subdue Lieutenant General Trepen.

In the process, he completely destroyed a fortress without anyone’s help, and even returned alive after facing the Demon Realm [a dangerous, otherworldly dimension].

Just listing the achievements of this operation felt unrealistic.

The fact that such an order was issued before a proper report was even submitted to the higher-ups proved how seriously the city council was taking this matter.

“Hmm…”

Pallard, who had been sweating profusely and pondering hard, made a difficult decision.

“The city council’s affairs should be left to the city council members.”

“Deputy Director?”

“Let’s pass it on to Senator Meyer.”

“…”

Pallard, ignoring Hina’s cold gaze, pretended not to notice and picked up the phone to find Meyer’s contact information.

“…He’s not answering.”

Pallard, sweating profusely, looked up at Hina.

“What should we do?”

“Shouldn’t we contact Ban in advance?”

“No, but the problem is… Ban isn’t answering the phone either.”

* * *

Balkan, the megacity.

Among them, the 8th district, where the city’s core administrative facilities were located.

City Council Lower House member, John Meyer, was sitting on a bench in a quiet street.

The intersection where the Patent Office was located. As it was a place where special administrative agencies, which had no connection with ordinary people, were gathered, it was relatively free from people’s attention.

It was the perfect place to meet without worrying about the eyes of others.

That was probably why he was able to meet the magician for the first time in this place.

Meyer thought so, recalling the days when he first met Ban.

Three years since he had embraced countless desires and climbed to this position.

Many things had happened, but Meyer had never once doubted the conviction he had when he saw Ban that day.

He believed that with such a magician, he could overcome any obstacle without difficulty, so he did not hesitate to contact him the moment the opportunity came.

The result was not wrong.

In the end, Lieutenant General Trepen fell without breaking through the undeveloped district, and in the process, he succeeded in exposing other council members who had been checking Meyer.

John Meyer himself had officially obtained the councilor position, which had been only temporary.

He was still in the Lower House, but it didn’t matter.

As the person in charge of this incident and the one who denounced other traitors in the Central Council, he had become a hot topic of discussion in the Senate as well.

Even in the midst of attention and checks that would have been overwhelming for others, Meyer remained calm.

To climb even higher, to reach beyond the Senate, this was not enough.

Today’s meeting was to reaffirm that thought.

“I’ve kept you waiting.”

Whoosh!!

A slight sound as if the wind was blowing.

A sharp-looking young man was sitting on a bench slightly away from where Meyer was sitting, resting his chin on his hand and looking at him.

A pitch-black coat that did not let a single ray of light through. The only light emanating from his body was the glow of the cigarette in his mouth.

The young man’s gaze, as he exhaled a long stream of smoke and looked at Meyer, felt deeper than anyone Meyer had ever seen.

Meyer swallowed hard and asked.

“How long have you been here?”

“Not long. I was a bit late checking for tails.”

Lenok chuckled and replied.

“It seems that it has become difficult for us to meet in a place like this.”

“…That’s right.”

Meyer nodded heavily.

“But there was a story I had to tell you, even if I had to make time separately. Please understand my position of not being able to go outside the central district.”

“Is it about the aftermath of the Defense Force’s coup?”

Lenok said, leaning comfortably on the bench.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been busy with my own affairs and haven’t heard properly.”

“I’ll explain it now.”

Meyer said so and briefly told Lenok how things were progressing after the coup failed.

All of the Defense Force’s military supplies and mobile fortress resources were distributed under Meyer’s responsibility. More than half of the shares belonged to Lenok, who had made tremendous achievements in this operation.

In addition, Meyer, who had ousted internal traitors from the Central Council, officially succeeded to the councilor position.

The Air Force fleet that had been dispatched to resolve the situation had encountered an uncontrollable variable, so it was more or less glossed over.

Many things were handled in a more or less appropriate manner, but there was no need to mention how much Meyer had to go around to make it happen.

Lenok listened to Meyer’s explanation and nodded quietly.

“I heard the general situation from Jenny. Congratulations on becoming a formal member of the City Council Lower House.”

“Thank you. I say this, but all of this is thanks to you.”

Meyer smiled.

“No matter how much I raved in the Central Council, it would have been meaningless if I hadn’t dealt with Lieutenant General Trepen in the undeveloped district.”

“…”

“That’s why I wanted to say it again today. The reason why I’m trying to reach the top of this city.”

Meyer’s eyes shone brightly.

“The secret of the Black Consumer Project that happened 50 years ago.”

* * *

The giant city-states built throughout the continent. The pinnacle of residential facilities where tens of millions of people lived.

But someone knew that their glory would not last forever.

The end that was approaching in a world where the chain of causality was closed.

When the sky opened and the monsters from the outer sea descended, all life and death would circulate, and the world would come to an end.

The only way to avoid this was to challenge ascension and reach a level that transcended the world.

However, there were also those who sought immortality in other ways.

The Balkan Central Council. The few powerful people who held the peak of power at the time were no exception to that desire.

“They tried to forcibly buy non-existent lifespans and immortality. It was the city council that started it, but many superhumans also supported the operation.”

Black Consumer Project. It was half self-deprecating.

“Other cities, like the Machine City Makina’s Ascension Gate and the Military City Yorta’s Night Parade of a Million Demons, also committed similar acts, but the project in Balkan was on a different level.”

“On a different level?”

“I don’t know the details either. I’m just chasing the ghost of that project.”

“…”

“However, the project’s method was based on the combination of ideas and power that transcended providence, and it seems that there was an entity that played a key role in the process. In the deepest part of the council hall, which I was allowed to enter thanks to my contribution to stopping the coup, I found only one name.”

Only then did Lenok understand why Meyer had taken the time to call him.

Meyer’s biggest goal was to reach the top of this city and uncover the truth behind the Black Consumer Project.

He thought that if it was Lenok, who had made the biggest contribution to this incident, he would need to share the information he had obtained as a reward.

“Who was it?”

“Alkaid.”

“…”

The moment he heard that word, Lenok’s eyes turned cold.

The last message left by the Heavenly Eye [a powerful, mysterious entity]. He never thought he would hear that name, which he had been unable to find even a trace of, in this place.

“It’s not clear whether it was an individual or a group. The minutes I checked in the hall also had many names erased… However, it’s clear that the disappearance of that entity was a fatal blow to the project.”

Meyer continued, unaware of Lenok’s feelings.

“From that point on, internal strife occurred among the members. After that, it was as recorded in official history.”

Meyer said.

“The project was suspended indefinitely. All of its facilities and traces were buried and classified, and the city council began to divide and manage the districts to hide their mistakes.”

That’s how each district of the megacity was numbered and its purpose was determined.

“Those who supported the city council and those who opposed it were all banished to the outer districts. Only a very small number of the neutral military groups survived… Can you imagine how many compromises and deals there were to create the current order?”

“…I see.”

“I will definitely uncover the secret of this project that has deviated from the natural order. If I can get my hands on the secret hidden in the deepest part of the megacity, I’m sure…”

Lenok listened to Meyer’s words and was lost in thought.

Alkaid.

If that unknown entity, whose traces could not be found, existed in the city council’s project 50 years ago,

Then the fact that the Heavenly Eye had visited this city just before his death was not a mere coincidence.

The last message left by the transcendent who had seen through Lenok’s talent and shackles, and the truth of this world.

If it was an entity that even a transcendent who challenged ascension was wary of and cautious about, then its danger would not be strange even if it was comparable to the end of the outer sea.

‘Perhaps, Alkaid is not just a name, but…’

Numerous speculations and doubts flashed through his mind.

However, instead of dwelling on it for long, Lenok lightly shook his head and got up from his seat.

It was a problem that wouldn’t be solved right away even if he worried about it here. It was enough to confirm that Alkaid’s actions overlapped with the project 50 years ago.

That was enough of a motivation to reduce his hesitation in the process of uncovering the secrets of this city.

“What are you going to do now?”

Meyer said, looking at Lenok, who had slowly risen to his feet.

“The city council will accelerate discussions to lift the Law of Restriction. They will think that it is necessary to somewhat disrupt the balance of power to prevent such a situation. We have no justification to stop it.”

“…”

“Once the Law of Restriction is lifted, this city will become a complete mess. The outer districts and the shadows will be no exception.”

If the power of the Yang [referring to the active, visible forces], which had been bound under the control of the city council, began to be released, it was natural that the entire city would turn into a huge pandemonium.

The number of organizations operating within Balkan easily exceeded thousands, and the interests intertwined between them did not distinguish between the Yang and the Yin [referring to the hidden, shadowy forces].

The Balkan City Council was planning to filter out the power that existed in this city through that chaos and increase their control.

The number of lives sacrificed in the process would not be a major consideration.

“…Well, I’m going to think about it after some time has passed.”

Lenok, who had taken out his cell phone, checked the message that had appeared on the screen and sighed lightly.

“It seems like I have a new task to do.”

As if knowing what Lenok had just thought about the Heavenly Eye.

Beyond the lightly flickering screen, Lapis’s name was displayed…

The leader who leads the eyes of the Azure [a secret organization], and the watcher who bears the burden of the lighthouse keeper as the owner of the lighthouse.

If she, who had been growing the organization alone for at least two years without asking Lenok for help, had contacted him, there would be only one reason.

Three days after the end of the mobile fortress capture operation. About a month after Evelyn Marcia headed to the Northern Continent highlands.

Finally, the call to gather the eyes of the Azure had arrived for Lenok as well.