Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 341

The wide doors of the conference room opened, and I stepped inside.

Clunk!

The spacious lobby, the largest area in the mansion.

Beneath the lights illuminating the hall, a large table capable of seating at least twenty people was placed.

Lenox, following behind Ivelyn, quickly scanned the faces of those seated at the table.

The seats were already more than half full. Various superhumans were gathered, chatting amongst themselves.

“Evan.”

Lapis, located in an inner seat, recognized Lenox and raised her hand.

“……”

Next to Lapis, at the innermost seat of the table, stood Grisha with his arms crossed.

And near Lapis, in the seats of honor, were five superhumans.

All of them were level 7 Ascended Ones who had completed their hierarchies [a system of power progression]. Moreover, they seemed to have already completed a significant degree of self-modification and pioneered their own realms.

Adding Lenox and Ivelyn, who had just arrived, the number was a staggering seven.

In terms of scale and power alone, they were comparable to the board of directors and high-ranking executives of a cartel belonging to the Three Heads [a powerful criminal organization].

If they were to lead these individuals into the shadows of a megacity right now, they could easily take over a vacant seat of the Three Heads and become a pillar of the underworld.

Even the fact that this force was not all of the Watchers who had been summoned impressed Lenox.

The descendants of the Heavenly Eye [a group with unique abilities], the counter to the Pandemonium [a chaotic force], the subjugation of the Drug King [a powerful criminal].

Is it possible to grow an organization so quickly by gathering talents from all over the place under these three banners?

He was only accepting it because it existed before his eyes as a result, but it was not difficult to imagine how much effort Lapis had put into building such a force.

Ivelyn naturally chose two empty seats near Lapis and sat down with Lenox.

“……”

The expressions of the other Watchers, who were watching this, changed in various ways.

Lenox did not miss these changes in expression, and turned his head towards Lapis.

“I’m a bit late. Sorry.”

“No, it’s alright. You arrived right on time.”

Lapis, who was sitting in the inner seat of honor, replied.

Grisha added to Lapis’s words.

“Lapis, Evangeline sent a final notice that she wouldn’t be able to make it on time. Jillian is out of contact, and that voodoo guy openly refused.”

“In the end, not a single Transcendent has gathered here.”

A muscular giant with his arms crossed muttered with a disgruntled face.

“We have to break through the Ascended’s territory with only the people gathered here, Lapis. Are you really confident?”

“The operation that our Azure Eye [the name of their organization] is carrying out is not limited to this place. From the beginning, I expected that it would be difficult to forcibly summon the major forces on external missions.”

Lapis nodded firmly.

“It took a month to draw the barrier map of the Ascended ‘Jindun’ Zygis Ethernore. Judging by the concentration of magic power scattering in the snowfield, the path to the canyon will open in a day. Now is the time to share all the information gathered from all over the snowfield and set a new direction.”

“A barrier…”

Lapis turned her gaze and nodded at Lenox’s murmur.

“Yes. With Evan’s arrival, all preparations are complete. We will now begin the strategy meeting.”

“Before that, there’s something I’d like to say.”

No sooner had Lapis finished speaking than one of the five Ascended Ones sitting in the seats of honor raised her hand.

A woman with messy brown hair and a languid expression.

She, who wore a long sword, checked the gazes focused on her and immediately gestured with her chin towards one side.

Towards Lenox, who was sitting diagonally across from her.

“Before we go into the meeting, don’t you think we need a further explanation about this friend?”

“Jiel, what do you mean?”

The woman called Jiel rested her chin on the table and tilted her head.

“I know he’s quite something, enough to kill the Drug King alone. But I don’t think that’s enough to say whether he’s trustworthy.”

“……”

A direct way of speaking that openly revealed her doubts.

The conference room instantly fell silent.

“I was on an external mission at that time, so I have nothing to say, but the situation is a bit different now.”

Jiel said that, looking directly at Lenox’s expressionless eyes.

“He’s not even an official Watcher yet, right? It’s been over two years since the Drug King rampaged in the Autonomous Territory, so how can I trust a friend who’s been acting like a gray area until now and entrust my back to him?”

Judging by what she was saying, she must be an Ascended One who was already active as a Watcher when Lenox visited the Autonomous Territory.

Unlike those who joined the Azure Eye after the Drug King subjugation incident, it was understandable that Jiel was in a position to raise such questions.

“……”

Before answering, Lenox quietly observed the reactions of the other Watchers.

Most of them wanted to watch the situation. Lapis turned her gaze to Lenox before answering.

She was thinking that it was more important to confirm Lenox’s intentions regarding this matter first.

And after confirming her reaction, Lenox thought he could guess what Lens was worried about.

If Lenox tried to intervene in Lapis’s decision-making here, she would listen to Lenox without much hesitation.

If such intangible interventions accumulated little by little, even Lapis, who had been wisely leading the organization, might become blinded.

To be honest, Lenox had no intention of interfering or paying much attention to how the Azure Eye organization itself would change.

However, he was aware that this was an opportunity to distinguish the tendencies and thoughts of the Watchers gathered here at once.

It would be more helpful if she didn’t step in now.

With that judgment, Lenox smiled and slowly shook his head.

“……”

Lapis, who immediately understood the gesture, frowned slightly, but closed her mouth without saying anything.

Instead, she just began to stare at the other Watchers sitting in the conference room with a slightly colder gaze.

The other Watchers, who had not noticed the intentions of their leader, who had begun to evaluate them coldly, belatedly began to exchange opinions.

“I think Jiel’s words are reasonable.”

“We need even one more capable person. Isn’t it better to discuss trust and all that after the job is done?”

“It’s an issue that could cause problems with the job.”

“I didn’t expect that there would be any talk about Evan participating in this operation itself.”

It was not Lapis who answered that, but a young boy sitting opposite Jiel.

The boy, whose mature voice was impressive despite his outward appearance, smiled and said.

“If Lapis trusts and follows him that much, he must have shown that much skill or action.”

Jiel, who had been throwing out the topic and not saying anything, reacted for the first time to the boy’s answer.

“……Creon.”

“Or are those who dislike Evan saying that they don’t trust our lighthouse keeper’s eyes?”

“Don’t push it. You know that’s not what I meant, right?”

The atmosphere of the conference room was instantly divided.

Rather than excluding Lenox, there were also a considerable number of people who wanted to follow Lapis’s will.

As Lapis refrained from controlling the situation and respected Lenox’s intentions, different opinions began to sharply conflict.

The number of level 7 Ascended Ones gathered here was a staggering seven. Even excluding Grisha, who could not move to maintain the floating island, this was the extent of their power.

In terms of the number of level 7 superhumans alone, they had a power comparable to the Three Heads, who ruled the underworld of the megacity.

No matter how excellent Lapis’s leadership and character were, it was nearly impossible to control such big shots without saying a word.

Even that cartel was divided into different factions, with each board member moving the organization in their own way.

Nevertheless, the reason why it was possible to gather such a large force was because of the special situation of the Ascended’s rampage and the fact that many people were attracted to the goals of the Azure Eye.

They only had the same destination in mind, but if the things they pursued in the process were different, it was inevitable that this would happen.

The first to take action was Ivelyn, who was sitting next to Lenox with her arms crossed.

At the same time as she lightly pressed the table with her palm, the magic power that spread out from between her fingers brushed past the necks of the other Watchers and disappeared.

In that moment when everyone unconsciously turned their gaze at the chilling sensation.

She looked around with an expressionless face and said.

“I want Evan to participate in this operation. Considering his skills and past contributions, I think it’s only natural.”

“……”

“Rather, from my point of view, I don’t understand the position of those who are now opposing it. Are you perhaps mistaken that the operation has already succeeded?”

The conference room became quiet again at her chilling words.

No matter what, she was the one who had been carrying out various operations with other Watchers in the snowfield for the past month.

Everyone in this place was aware of Ivelyn’s skills and nature.

The meaning of the megacity’s Hyungung [a powerful organization] actively supporting Evan. From here, those who opposed it would have to be prepared for actions beyond conversation.

Other reactions immediately began to emerge.

“Are you going to use force? Then I’d like to join in too.”

Woo-oong!

The man sitting opposite Ivelyn raised his magic power at the same time as Ivelyn.

A heavy build and broad shoulders. But more than that, what caught the eye first was that his entire head was shaped like a dog.

He grinned as he looked at Ivelyn, dripping black light.

“I’ve always wanted to fight you once… Shall we have a match without blades?”

“Come at me. I’ll make your whole body a target for arrows.”

Ivelyn, with a cold smile, and the black-eyed dog-headed giant stood up from their seats, and the conference room instantly became noisy.

Centered around the two Ascended Ones glaring at each other, the Watchers were divided into two opinions.

Lenox didn’t say anything, and just rested his chin on the table, quietly watching the situation unfold.

In the corner of his vision, he could see Lapis glancing around and reaching out to one side of the table.

The bundle of vegetables that Ivelyn had put down when she stood up. She picked up a piece of the root that she had collected in the snowfield and fed to Lenox.

Was she curious about the taste? With a slightly expectant face, Lapis put the root in her mouth and chewed,

“……”

Lapis’s calm face changed into an expression that was hard to tell whether she was smiling or crying.

Lenox barely managed to hold back his laughter and turned his gaze back to the Watchers.

For and against. And the bystanders who did not get involved and were watching the situation.

While roughly classifying and distinguishing the Watchers who were exchanging opinions into three tendencies.

Suddenly, a leisurely voice echoed from the opposite table.

“You seem very relaxed for the person involved in this matter.”

A subtle volume that could barely be heard by Lenox alone. He naturally turned his head in that direction.

A young man with cold expression, looking at this side with red eyes. There was a sense of languor in his relaxed posture on the chair.

One of the level 7 Ascended Ones gathered here. Lenox chuckled at the young man’s words, who had not said a word until now.

“It seems you have something to say.”

“You deliberately stopped Lapis from mediating the situation just now. What’s your intention?”

“……”

To think that there would be someone who could catch the intention of that glance in that short time. Contrary to his very annoyed expression, his perception was considerable.

He thought that Ivelyn might be able to notice it, but he never expected that this man would ask about it first.

Lenox, who quickly organized his thoughts, asked back as if nothing was wrong.

“Is that why you’re not getting involved in that situation because you noticed it?”

“No. That’s not it.”

The young man replied with a nonchalant expression and slumped down on the chair.

“If I get involved, the balance will be tilted.”

“Oh.”

“Then it wouldn’t be fun for you or me, would it?”

Considerable confidence. But Lenox thought that this lazy-looking young man was qualified to say such things.

Even though he was just letting his unrefined magic power flow out carelessly, the pressure was considerable.

Moreover, if he could read Lenox and Lapis’s intentions and ask back, it was proof that he was not just a person with superior power.

‘How should I answer…’

Saying that he had allowed the chaos to understand the tendencies of the Watchers would not be very helpful.

Since he didn’t know which side the other party was on yet, he should give an answer that seemed appropriate for the organization here.

“In order to become an organization that can stand against Pandemonium, we will eventually have to follow a similar path to them.”

“……”

“Even if we set a big direction, there’s no need to kill individual opinions or personalities. Rather, it would be more desirable to turn a blind eye to internal conflicts and checks like this.”

“Hmm…”

The young man’s head, which had been slumped on the chair, tilted to one side.

“More… much more interesting answer than I thought.”

The pupils of his eyes, looking at Lenox, instantly turned into the color of bright red blood.

At the same time, a fishy scent flowed out. He had roughly expected it, but he was definitely a vampire.

“Don’t you think so?”

“No, rather… it’s you who says that you’re going to catch up to those monsters as if it’s nothing.”

At the same time, sharp magic power emanated from his body.

“The more people who know about Pandemonium, the less likely they are to say such things carelessly. Do you know that the Underworld King destroyed a city just a few days ago?”

“The Underworld King…”

“The traces of distortion, as if a meteor shower had fallen, were all over the ground. Even after fighting and killing a monster of the same level 8, there is no proper information about what kind of spell he used.”

The young man continued, carefully observing Lenox’s expression.

“Usually, people don’t expect to overcome or win against such monsters… unless they have a very strong motivation. For example, feelings like resentment or revenge…”

“Revenge.”

Lenox smiled.

“Is that your experience?”

“…It’s not a good story to talk about in a place like this. Okay, then let’s do this.”

The young man, who had risen from his chair, smiled and began to loosen his body.

“I’ll take your side and roughly wrap up the situation now. Instead, you tell me the reason for that twisted idea, how about it?”

“Not bad.”

He didn’t know the details, but it was clear that he was quite interested in Lenox’s words about confronting Pandemonium.

If the young man took Lenox’s side at this point, the division of opinions among the Watchers would be easily resolved.

But Lenox, knowing this fact clearly, smiled and shook his head.

“But it’s not necessary. I was thinking of wrapping up the situation soon anyway.”

“…What?”