Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 528

[No way!! This is a frame-up, I’ll speak with the other council members, this can’t be happening!!!]

Haider Barzel’s voice, screaming and struggling as he was dragged away from his chair, faded into the distance.

John Mayer watched the disgraceful scene with an expressionless face, then took the chair Haider had been sitting in.

He leaned back in the chair with a heavy sigh and spoke in a grave voice.

[He’ll be stuck in the Audit Office basement for about two weeks. That takes care of the nuisance.]

“Thank you for your cooperation, Councilman Mayer.”

Mayer waved his hand at Principal Saiolus’s polite greeting.

[I just played along with your scenario. It’s all thanks to you for setting up the board.]

“…….”

[So, where is the person who gave the Audit Office the source?]

No sooner had he finished speaking than the back door of the lab burst open.

“It seems the farce with that ridiculous old man is finally over.”

Baila and Cassia strode in, shaking their heads.

They were the director and chief researcher of the Carlisle Research Institute, but also served as temporary faculty members at Lavatenon University.

Lenox and the principal had asked them to report the internal corruption of the Technology Management Bureau to the Audit Office,

successfully isolating Haider Barzel and creating a space to talk with John Mayer.

“Baila. You shouldn’t speak like that.”

The principal stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

“Half of the people here are old, don’t make us old folks feel awkward. Hahaha!!!”

He spoke as if it were a pleasant joke, but no one laughed.

The principal, slightly embarrassed, cleared his throat and looked away.

He started petting a goat-like spirit that was rolling around at his feet, quickly changing the subject.

“Anyway, let’s get to the point. The fact that the Audit Office has pushed out the Technology Management Bureau means they are carefully considering the repercussions of this matter.”

[…….]

“Researcher Bailen’s thesis, the resulting technologies, and the full opening of their applications.”

The principal’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Can we assume that the Central Council has reached some kind of conclusion about it?”

It wasn’t for nothing that Lenox and the principal had refused all interviews and press coverage until now.

‘This is very different from the first thesis. The principal must have known that too.’

Lenox’s first thesis was closer to an achievement that greatly improved the efficiency of the energy business.

Therefore, the city government actively supported its commercialization, but the situation was completely different with the second thesis.

The skies above the megacity of Balkan. An environment where flight was impossible due to the influence of an unknown magnetic storm that flowed throughout the area.

The second thesis was a technology that was like opening a new path in the sky of that megacity.

Mayer, who had been silent with a thoughtful expression, opened his mouth.

[Even if it wasn’t Commander Carrasco’s mistake, Assistant Professor Bailen’s presentation would have been released to the public normally.]

“Why is that?”

[Presenters who were not deemed relevant to the Air Force theme were uniformly broadcast for the sake of the expo’s success. Even without his intervention, the situation wouldn’t have been different.]

“…….”

[The achievements of Assistant Professor Bailen and the resulting economic benefits are not something that can be solved by simply controlling or monopolizing them.]

“Does that mean…….”

[In this matter, there will be no assigning of blame to any specific group or individual for the publication of Researcher Bailen’s thesis. I can assure you of that.]

“That’s very fortunate.”

The principal’s attitude was as if he wasn’t surprised at all. Mayer’s eyes sharpened as he looked at the principal’s expression.

[Of course, you must have known that, Principal. You must have known that there are differing opinions within the council regarding the Air Force project?]

“…….”

[Although it hasn’t been officially announced to the public, Researcher Bailen’s thesis is already undergoing cross-verification in academia. It’s not all finished yet, but at least it seems that a conclusion has been reached that anti-gravity technology is sufficiently commercializable.]

Mayer glanced at Lenox and said.

[It has been proven that its effectiveness is incomparable to the technology applied to the Air Force fleet, and opinions have been unified.]

“It seems a conclusion has been reached.”

[At this point, with this much information released, it is impossible to monopolize anti-gravity technology. Soon, your thesis will be officially registered with the academic society, and companies for research and development projects will be recruited.]

Mayer said that, looking at Lenox with a hint of desire.

[At the same time, you will be honored as the top achiever at the expo.]

“……Is that so.”

In effect, this one statement confirmed Lenox’s goal at this expo.

As Mayer’s words, which were close to a confirmation, fell, the faces of the others in the lab also brightened.

They knew how high Lavatenon University’s status would rise with this, how much the research achievements and the reserved funding would be.

And they also knew the new authority and privileges that would fall to them as faculty members of that university.

Of course, most of the credit would go solely to Evan Bailen, but Lenox didn’t care much about that right now.

“…….”

Instead, he just smiled wryly as he received the gaze of the old man who was staring at Evan as if he would devour him.

An emotion that was all too familiar to Lenox, who had met him several times in the name of the ‘Half’.

It was that of an ambitious man, mixed with a blatant greed and longing for talent.

“I am grateful for the Central Council’s difficult decision.”

The principal bowed his head slightly in a serious tone.

It was practically the same as the council saying they would give up their monopoly on anti-gravity technology.

Of course, even if it wasn’t the Central Council’s arbitrary decision, it was still a great move to quickly acknowledge the fact and change direction.

But Mayer laughed as if he didn’t care about the principal’s words at all.

[The council, the Technology Management Bureau, the advisory committee, and even government agencies like the Patent Office are all at odds. The meaning of anti-gravity technology is too heavy for any one specific agency or power to monopolize. You all must have already known that, right?]

Neither the principal nor Lenox answered his words.

[There will be an official contact to Lavatenon University soon, so please prepare the related administrative procedures in advance.]

Mayer said that, slowly leaning on his cane and rising from Haider’s seat.

Supported by his surrounding guards, he stood up straight and smiled at Lenox before turning off the hologram.

[Researcher Evan Bailen. I’ll see you again at the Central Council’s Technology Advisory Committee.]

Poof!!

With those words, the hologram disappeared.

Only then did Cassia, who had been standing behind them, let out a light sigh as if her tension had been released.

“Hoo… Council members from the Audit Office are definitely different in presence.”

“He’s a politician who is considered the most capable in the House of Representatives.”

Baila replied with a prickly tone, crossing her arms.

“His personal reputation and approval ratings are also quite high, and despite his old age, there are evaluations that he will soon enter the Senate.”

“…….”

“Perhaps the oldest member will hold the title of the politician who entered the Senate in the shortest period.”

“Even the fact that he accepted the position at the Audit Office is rumored to be to shorten the time to enter the Senate… he’s definitely a remarkable figure.”

If even Saiolus said that much, it meant that John Mayer’s contribution within the Central Council was truly significant.

It was amazing how he could continue to attract attention both inside and outside the council with his machinations.

Wasn’t his ambition to start in the back alleys of the city and reach the top of Balkan not a lie?

But Lenox had also succeeded in getting one step closer to the city council in a slightly different way.

All that was left was to strive and struggle to get what they wanted in their own ways.

“Anyway, welcome to the Technology Advisory Committee, Assistant Professor Evan.”

The principal smiled and patted Lenox on the shoulder.

“The qualification to enter the Technology Advisory Committee given to the top prize winner of the Balkan Magitech Expo. It seems you have finally achieved your goal.”

“It’s all thanks to the principal’s generous support.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean, hahaha!”

Contrary to his words, the principal burst into hearty laughter and stroked his beard contentedly, leaning back in his lab chair.

“It’s true that I greased the wheels a bit for this expo, but it’s all thanks to your abilities that all of this was possible.”

That wasn’t wrong.

In the end, all the principal did was set the stage and make a place for Lenox to participate in the expo.

It was all Lenox who presented the thesis, announced new theories and technologies, and changed the situation.

However, it would be difficult to say that the principal’s help wasn’t necessary in smoothly handling the tug-of-war between the city council and government agencies.

It was because the principal had connections in government agencies, various research institutes, magic towers, and academia that things were resolved smoothly.

But the principal didn’t want to emphasize his own contributions, but rather seemed to want to talk about what would happen in the future.

“With this, there won’t be anyone to complain about Lavatenon University’s research achievements for the time being, and all that’s left is to handle the remaining procedures cleanly.”

“The remaining procedures, you say?”

“Of course, I’m talking about the new degree that will be awarded to you.”

The principal answered as if asking what was there to ask.

“Based on what you’ve done so far, you more than meet the qualifications. If we limit it to the energy field, it wouldn’t be strange if you were awarded a doctorate right now.”

A new degree ceremony. It was the first time Lenox had heard about it from the principal, but he wasn’t very surprised.

Until now, he had simply been quietly working as a researcher for Aris, so there was no need to record his specific personal details.

It was only natural that he would need various credentials to directly enter the Central Council’s Technology Advisory Committee.

“Even if you go through the integrated process, you’ll still need to submit a separate thesis, but with your achievements, it’ll be enough to just meet the formality, so you can prepare at your leisure.”

“I understand.”

The principal chuckled and muttered.

“Originally, it should be your supervisor, Professor Richelin, who should be doing this, but I can’t reach her right now…”

“……”

Baila also added with a somewhat worried look.

“We were still able to contact her occasionally at the beginning of her sabbatical, but now even communication is difficult. I wonder what kind of research she’s doing at the magic tower…”

“She’ll be back. She’s not the kind of person to abandon her responsibilities without a word.”

Lenox listened to their worried conversation and took out a small bookmark from his pocket.

A gift that Aris had given him when she had briefly visited the city, worried about his health.

The fact that this object, made with Aris’s magic, was intact meant that she still had things to do.

Lenox also had many things to do, so for now, it was enough just to know that.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about a lack of support or help in handling this matter.”

The principal said that and suddenly raised his phone.

Beep beep beep!!

The messages and call logs piling up in real time on the screen were scrolling by at a rapid pace.

The principal chuckled as he saw Cassia and Baila’s slightly stunned expressions.

“It seems like there are literally hundreds of friends who have been eager to help us since the day before yesterday.”

* * *

Leaving behind the few days he had spent as Evan Bailen, Lenox was back in his lab.

Since he had left the external affairs to the principal, he would take care of the requests for cooperation from the media and experts for the time being.

It would take some time for the anti-gravity technology introduced through the second thesis to be fully commercialized.

In the meantime, Lenox planned to take care of his unfinished personal research and work.

Click!!

The lab ceiling opened, and a mechanical shelf descended, displaying cases containing all sorts of drugs and catalysts.

A hologram window appeared, visually displaying the efficacy and combination methods of the drugs and catalysts.

By simply bringing his hand to the air, he could automatically convey his intentions through motion recognition.

In an instant, the catalysts and materials needed for alchemy popped out and lined up on all sides of the wide workbench.

Auxiliary equipment that had sprung up from various places delicately measured out the correct amounts like human hands and placed them in the center of the workbench.

Clatter!!

All sorts of paints and catalysts were being ground in real time, drawing a huge alchemic magic circle.

There was no need for Lenox to draw the magic circle; the patterns he had input into the equipment were being sequentially applied and realized like a 3D printer.

All that was needed was for Lenox to supply his magic to the equipment to ensure that the power didn’t cut out.

As the magic circle was completed on the workbench, Lenox immediately took out an artifact from his pocket.

“Let’s begin.”

Thump!

He placed a staff with a rainbow-colored jewel and a pair of wings on the magic circle.

[Overbarrel artifact insertion confirmed. Specification analysis through magic flow synchronization.]

[Holy system self-enhancement formula and special space transfer formula confirmed.]

[Unable to interpret specific operating principles. Identified as a high-level formula of at least Saint-rank.]

The research equipment Lenox had purchased was not something that could enable him to do what he couldn’t do.

The extraction of the formula was the result of the magic circle Lenox had created, his greatly enhanced understanding of spatial concepts, and his incredibly delicate magic manipulation ability.

The role of the equipment that had been newly installed in the lab was to closely observe and analyze the process, record it, and have Davi manage it directly.

The equipment that observed the changes and flow of the magic circle assisted in the process in real time, quantified it, and recorded the current status.

[Synchronization of the material and magic systems confirmed through the pattern of the magic circle. Code name ‘Archangel’s Compassion’. Starting the first attempt to extract the formula.]

Woo-oong!!

The magic circle surrounding Archangel’s Compassion writhed as if it were alive, then gently began to glow, enveloping the artifact.

The light emitted through the magic circle surrounded the artifact and disappeared as if melting, then dripped down in liquid form from the rainbow-colored jewel.

A bizarre phenomenon as if the artifact was being brewed like a medicine.

Lenox looked at the scene and asked Davi.

“How long do you think it will take?”

[It will take more than 90 hours until it can be quantified visually. Since we are copying the formula and extracting it into a liquid form without touching the overall function of the artifact, the circuits will burn out if we don’t proceed slowly.]

The process of extracting the formula was not about taking away the functions built into Archangel’s Compassion.

To be precise, it was a replica that copied the mechanism of magic operating inside Archangel’s Compassion and made it possible to realize it in a different material form.

It was inevitable that it would take a lot of time since the work had to be done without damaging the artifact itself.

After isolating the workbench with a solid glass plate, he made a timer appear on a hologram to show the remaining time.

Lenox nodded as he watched the liquid slowly dripping into the glass bottle.

“Even after making these adjustments and putting in so much effort, you’re saying that we’ll have to repeat trial and error to know if we’ll succeed.”

[It’s something that could be done by just using the artifact, but since Master said he would try to extract the formula, there’s nothing I can do.]

“I just don’t want to rely on the existence of artifacts. And if this research on the artifacts of the old world succeeds, we can link it to formula imprinting later-”

Beep!

Lenox stopped moving at the sound of the alarm coming from behind him.

“…It’s time.”

The experiment on extracting the space transfer formula would take time, so there was no need to touch it for the time being.

Lenox, who had put up a barrier to protect the extraction process, immediately put on his coat, picked up his staff, and left the mansion.

Lenox’s face, as he walked through the center of the downtown area, had naturally changed in half.

He quietly walked among the people who were walking in a specific direction like a huge procession, and soon arrived at his destination.

[Balkan Aerospace Defense Industry Exhibition]

An exhibition created to introduce various aircraft, floating devices, and air transportation.

Recently, the number of exhibitions with this theme, which had never been dealt with in the megacity, had been rapidly increasing.

All the citizens living in Balkan knew the reason for this.

The new anti-gravity technology that would come in the future through the presentation at the Magitech Expo.

That expectation was being reflected in advance through the powerful capital of the megacity.

Not the aircraft that were used in the megacity before, but countless aircraft that actually flew in the sky from all over the continent were on display in a huge stadium.

Wing boats from the floating island clusters, snowmobiles from the Northern Continent, and single-seater aircraft such as hover bikes used in the Central Front, as well as multi-seater tactical bombers and reverse-flow control shuttles that could transport multiple objects and people at once.

Still, not all the skies of the continent were open to humans.

Like the magnetic storm that circled over Balkan, there were many areas where flight was impossible due to specific environmental conditions.

But even so, there were machines used in areas where flight was possible, and the megacity was importing all of those machines and displaying them to the citizens through its unique and powerful capital.

That meant that the existence of air transportation strongly attracted the attention of the people living in this city.

“Before the world comes to an end once…”

A low voice echoed from behind Lenox as he looked at a huge rocket that resembled a space shuttle.

“There were also countries that did not have land.”

“…….”

“It is said that there was a wandering nation that used flying vehicles that flew forever as their territory, wandering the skies of the world.”

A long-haired young man stepped out and stood next to Lenox.

“It’s a story about records and memories that no longer exist.”

“Are you well aware of the three cycles?”

“Of course not.”

Antares replied.

“I’m just obsessed with the future that hasn’t even come, let alone looking back at the past.”

Lenox chuckled at those words.

“You’re saying things you don’t mean.”

The foresight he had gained in exchange for observing his own end.

Antares himself knew best how powerful, useful, and fatal that power was.

But despite Lenox’s cold response, Antares quietly shook his head.

“No, it’s just a trivial skill. Compared to everything you’ve done so far.”

“…….”

Silence fell.

Both of them knew that it wasn’t just about the work he had done as a ‘Half’.

Antares turned his back on the vast exhibition hall where thousands of citizens were bustling and stared at Lenox.

“I want to continue the story we couldn’t finish at Jenny’s bar, is that okay?”

Antares said that and tilted his head slightly.

“It’s about Evan Bailen.”

The name he was bringing up for the first time in front of the ‘Half’.

But instead of being flustered by those words, Lenox just smiled and raised his head.

He knew that all the actions and advice Antares had shown so far were pointing to a single truth.

“…So you knew.”