Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 572

Remnants of Memory (6)

For decades, District 25 had been designated as a restricted area, with access strictly controlled.

The news that the isolation of District 25, hidden behind the Kurbas Dam and whose existence was unknown, was being lifted, caused an uproar in the city.

There were even public suspicions that the area, designated as a green belt, was being released for development in line with the commercialization of anti-gravity technology.

It was natural for all sorts of conspiracy theories and speculations to run rampant across the media.

[Keegan Grimes, a Level 1 administrator known to be from District 25, has expressed his intention to resign. He was considered the most likely candidate to oversee the district when the restricted area was lifted…]

[In line with the commercialization of anti-gravity technology, many research institutions have expressed their willingness to actively participate in the city government’s plan to actively introduce aviation technology to District 25…]

[There are rumors in the public that Assistant Professor Evan Bailen may be invited to be in charge of this redevelopment project…]

“Evan, your name is coming up again over there.”

“……”

“Evan?”

“Ah, did you call me?”

At Dean Saiolus’s words, Lenox, who had been dozing off in the lab, raised his head.

His face was unfocused, as if he was still sleepy and exhausted.

His expression was beyond dazed, almost like he was half-souled.

The Dean stared at Lenox for a while without saying a word, then patted him on the shoulder.

“It seems you’ve been through a lot. I’m sorry I haven’t been more considerate.”

“……?”

“I’ll postpone the integrated doctoral dissertation review schedule, so focus on getting as much rest as possible.”

“Ah, yes……”

Was there a thesis that had to be submitted under the name of Evan Bailen?

No, he couldn’t have easily forgotten such an important schedule that would determine Evan’s position in the university.

The submission of the integrated thesis was a flexible schedule that could be decided depending on Lenox’s choice. It must be the Dean’s misunderstanding.

Rather, the problem was the fact that Lenox was so exhausted that he couldn’t even make a quick judgment after hearing that fact.

Lenox, who was scratching his messy hair with a dazed expression, smacked his lips as he looked at the object on the workbench.

“In the end, it seems there’s no gain here either……”

The old pocket watch was quietly emitting light on the lab workbench.

On the surface, it was just an ordinary possession, but this was the last legacy left by Kaiser Bajur the moment he disappeared.

The power of the reverse mana that Kaiser was born with.

An artifact that could be used to temporarily rewind the time of a specific object by linking that power with the concept of time.

Although it was subject to the user Lenox and special conditions, it goes without saying how valuable an object that could temporarily manipulate time itself was.

In terms of tangible value, it could only be compared to the highest-grade relics of the old world, and it was difficult to even measure its value in money.

‘I didn’t think I’d be able to bring something like this out of the operation in the restricted area……’

It was possible because Lenox lent his domain to Kaiser and received a fragment of that possibility.

Because Lenox, who held the power of [Taeyeokswaegeop Leaf] [A domain power that allows the user to manipulate the flow of time within a limited area], which was Kaiser’s domain, within the kaleidoscope’s image, he could use the materialized watch’s ability without any problems.

The problem was not the watch’s ability, but the artifact’s terrible fuel efficiency.

‘It was completely drained after only two uses in the restricted area.’

Lenox’s own mana was not enough to recharge the pocket watch.

Since it controlled the reverse technique that directly interfered with time, it might be necessary to satisfy special conditions.

The only thing that came to mind right now was to replace the battery inside the watch and revive the function of the pocket watch itself.

Thinking so, Lenox went to the university under the guise of Evan to secure an alibi, and while he was trying to charge it with various batteries from the university’s supply room, he failed and fell asleep in the lab.

“If I could just compare it with the same product as the pocket watch, it would be easier to find the problem……”

[There are no similar items on the deep web or auction sites. Maybe it would be better to consider the underground auction.]

If he had another working pocket watch next to him and compared the functions, it would be easy to find the problem, but the idea of having another one of these was absurd.

He tried to find out the watch’s manufacturing year or company, but there was nothing written on the back of the watch, perhaps because it was an object from the past time.

Was it greedy to try to figure out all the power and manipulation methods of the pocket watch with just one or two attempts?

He rubbed his stiff eyes and got up from his seat, grabbing his coat.

By now, the analysis of the components in Aris’s lab might be roughly finished.

Since it was an object used decades ago, it was necessary to investigate its origin and store it carefully.

Lenox, who had manipulated the mana thread to reassemble Bajur’s watch back to its original state, took it and immediately left the lab.

He had only briefly contacted Jenny about this incident, and had not been to the bar.

He was planning to visit Jenny to get information about the blueprint of the unknown room written on the last page of the research log and the machine city of Machina.

* * *

As soon as he entered the bar, the sound of news was loudly flowing from the screen hanging over the wide bar.

[The city government says it will refrain from commenting on the lifting of the isolation of District 25…]

[As it is the first opening in decades, almost all government agencies will cooperate in environmental surveys and safety inspections.]

[The Kurbas Dam side is refuting the controversy over the radiation exposure and is waiting for the decision of the Central Council…]

“Ban!!”

Jenny, who was leaning on the bar table and watching TV, waved her hand wildly at Lenox.

In front of her, several empty liquor bottles were neatly arranged.

With a slightly flushed face, she looked at Lenox, who was sitting across from her, and pounded the table as if she was excited.

Lenox looked at Jenny’s appearance with a curious look, then turned his gaze to Jorden, who was sitting next to him.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you drunk.”

“Please understand.”

Jorden said with his usual smile.

“After hearing from you and checking some investment information, she’s been like this ever since.”

“Investment information, you say?”

Lenox thought about it, then nodded, remembering that he had given Jenny the information that the restricted area was being lifted from isolation.

“It seems things are going better than expected?”

“It’s not just better than expected……!!”

Jenny whispered, unable to hide her excitement.

She quickly lowered her head, as if afraid someone would hear, and looked around quickly.

“I managed to buy the bills on the land in District 25 at a cheap price, just by a hair’s breadth!”

“Oh.”

“The market was completely paralyzed right after the city government announced the lifting of the restricted area. The deep web is just a mess.”

Jenny said that and gulped down the liquor in her glass.

It seemed that she had emptied several bottles of alcohol quickly at that speed, so it was understandable that she was drunk.

“There are many things we can do just by holding the bills here.”

Jorden replied, handing a glass of alcohol to Lenox as well.

“Promissory notes and bills are sometimes more powerful proof than the city government’s official documents. In the past, we used to handle a lot of land in this city in that way……”

“……”

Come to think of it, Jorden was also someone who had been with Kaiser.

Even in those days when he had seized control of the underworld and taken over the city with Kaiser, he seemed to be well aware of the importance of these bills.

Now, he was just sitting at the bar, making drinks and occasionally treating injured people, but at one time, he must have been responsible for much more than that.

However, after Kaiser’s death, he chose to start a brokerage business with Jenny instead of joining Deadrise.

What was Jorden thinking when he stayed by her side and continued to help her?

They had been working together for quite a long time, but he was still someone whose inner thoughts were unknown.

“They were things that had been invalid for decades, so they were being sold as part of various funds. I bought as many products as possible without raising suspicion, and swept up all the bonds near District 25.”

Jenny said, sipping her drink.

“If we’re lucky, we might be able to take over the central area of District 25.”

“I see.”

“I’ll give you twice the share of the company. Even if there’s no money coming in right now, once District 25 is opened, hehehe……!!”

How much money was going through her head that she was so excited?

Lenox and Jorden looked at each other and laughed as they watched Jenny, who was pounding the table and letting out a sinister laugh.

“I’ll go and organize the luggage in the garage for a while. There’s still work to be done……”

After emptying their glasses for a while, Jorden left his seat, and only Lenox and Jenny were left between the wide hall tables.

They were silently pouring each other drinks in the quiet atmosphere.

Jenny had also calmed down from her drunkenness, and was looking at Lenox somewhat calmly.

“Ban.”

Jenny called Lenox with a slightly flushed face.

Her face had already returned to a serious expression.

“Let’s refrain from directly taking on work from the Vulcan City government in the future.”

“……”

“I don’t know what happened in the restricted area, but if you brought back this much information, it must have been dangerous. No……”

Jenny shook her head, her eyes shining sharply.

“The fact that the isolation has been lifted means that you have solved the problem in that area.”

“That’s not wrong.”

“To be honest…… I don’t know how you can do such things. I wonder if it’s possible to solve problems that we thought were impossible, all by yourself……”

Jenny fiddled with her glass and spoke with difficulty.

“But if you insist on such a dangerous method, the risks will eventually outweigh the benefits.”

“……”

“Do you think I’m saying something unlucky?”

“No.”

Lenox smiled and shook his head.

“If you were that kind of person, you wouldn’t have brought this up in the first place. I know.”

“……”

Jenny, who seemed to be speechless for a moment, opened her mouth again.

“You were badly hurt, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“You haven’t rested properly, have you? And yet you keep working……”

Jenny frowned and shook her head.

“That’s strange. I’m a broker who makes a profit by working with freelancers, but now I’m your partner. I have a reason to care about your health and future.”

Silence fell.

Jenny quietly grabbed her glass with both hands, stared at the liquor inside, and said.

“What the hell happened in the restricted area?”

“That’s……”

Lenox was about to make an appropriate excuse for that, but he stopped.

About Kaiser Bajur, whom he had met in the restricted area.

He thought that Jenny deserved to know the whole story of what had happened there.

Jenny, who had lived with the name of Kaiser Bajur’s granddaughter, deserved to know how Kaiser had lived.

That was why Lenox had informed Jenny of the information about District 25 in advance, and had led her to profit from it.

And that was why they were sitting alone now, sharing a drink like this.

“……”

But now, what would be the point of telling her about Kaiser?

Jenny herself had not been obsessed with the fact that she was Kaiser’s granddaughter, and had not cared about the fact that she recognized Deadrise as a bad relationship.

Nevertheless, was the reason for reminding her of Kaiser’s existence and memories at this point not for Jenny, but for Lenox to get more information?

In the end, there was no right answer. Lenox already knew that.

There was only his judgment and the responsibility that came with it.

Lenox put down his glass and his mouth opened naturally.

“There was a message left by Kaiser Bajur inside the restricted area.”

Jenny’s breath seemed to stop for a moment.

“I confirmed that fact while investigating the inside of the area and finding and eliminating the cause of the anomaly.”

“……Is that so?”

“In the process, I learned that he had been conducting various studies separate from the project.”

Lenox answered slowly.

“He was anticipating his death and thinking about various possibilities. Kaiser already knew from that time that the project would fail.”

“……”

Was this enough?

However, Lenox believed that this was the best he could do, as long as he couldn’t specifically talk about the research log and the space-time fixation research.

The research log contained the story of Alcaide, and there was a possibility that Jenny would be in danger just by knowing that name.

Why Lenox handled the work in the restricted area and came back to tell Jenny.

And why he tried to convey that fact while doing so. Just mentioning Kaiser’s name would be enough reason.

Jenny was silent for a long time, then brought another bottle of liquor and poured it into her glass.

She tilted the glass of pale liquor and said quietly.

“I started a brokerage business under that name, but I don’t have many memories of my grandfather.”

“……”

“I was raised by my mother, and that time wasn’t that long either…… I never even saw my father’s face.”

Kaiser’s son had died young due to his unique curse.

Considering that fact, it was understandable that Jenny did not know her father’s face.

“But I met my grandfather once when he was alive.”

“He came to see you?”

Clearly, the past Kaiser who had been with Lenox did not know that he had a granddaughter until then.

Then, had Kaiser, who had realized the existence of his granddaughter after that time, come to find her?

“He said he was curious if there was any trace of his son’s face left. He asked me to go out with him. After meeting Yakseon [A character or place name], and returning……”

Jenny said that and took out an old box from under the bar table.

A faded notebook and writing utensils, an old hairpin and gloves…… various items that seemed to have passed a considerable amount of time.

Jenny took out a small, dusty object from the bottom and said.

“He left this behind.”

“……”

Lenox couldn’t say anything when he saw the object that Jenny had put down.

A pocket watch that was covered in dust and had become very old.

Its appearance was almost identical to the artifact that the past Kaiser had left for Lenox.