Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 573

Lenox’s underground laboratory in his detached house.

With only a small desk lamp lit, Lenox was moving his pen.

The complex blueprint spread out on the workbench meticulously analyzed and replicated the shape of a pocket watch down to the most precise units.

“The internal lubricant is from Taylor Workshop, the gears are from Jenkins Foundry, and the second hand and scale markings are made by Hollinger Mold Company…”

After scribbling for a while with a gaunt face, noting the origins of the parts, Lenox sighed and tilted his head back.

“Every single one of them is either a discontinued product or from a company that no longer exists.”

The old pocket watch that Kaiser had left as a final gift for Jenny.

Unlike Lenox’s, Jenny’s watch had no special abilities, but was it really a coincidence that another identical product remained?

“Considering this, Jenny might have more secrets she doesn’t know about.”

Was her unusually rapid mastery of the basics of the Uroboros magic system also due to such an influence?

If Kaiser’s lineage was born with similar inherent flaws, it wouldn’t be strange for his granddaughter, Jenny, to have a similar influence.

The only question is, how much did Kaiser know about this fact before he died?

“…”

It’s impossible to know what Kaiser was thinking when he left this watch for Jenny.

However, it was true that a new option had emerged for Lenox, who knew nothing about the origins of the pocket watch.

That’s why Lenox had asked Jenny for her understanding and disassembled the pocket watch on the spot, meticulously recording each part down to the most precise unit.

[I’ve run searches with about 500 different keywords, and most of the companies that manufactured these parts have ceased official activities within the last few decades.]

Davie, sprawled on the workbench, said while licking his front paw.

[Isn’t it possible that too much time has passed since the organic being Kaiser purchased the watch?]

“He didn’t buy the pocket watch. Rather, coming this far makes it even more certain.”

Lenox said, tapping the Bajur watch next to him.

“Kaiser bought the parts from different manufacturers from the start and made the watch himself.”

A pocket watch made by assembling parts from different manufacturers from the beginning.

However, the artifact Lenox obtained had the same appearance as the real pocket watch, but its origins were not recorded, making it impossible to guess its source.

Perhaps this was because it was materialized from Kaiser’s mental realm and left for Lenox at the last moment.

Although he had unexpectedly learned about the parts of the pocket watch through Jenny, the problem was that many parts, including the battery, were no longer being produced.

“The company that made the battery for this pocket watch was the Ultras Workshop in the Machine City, Machina…”

Lenox clicked his pen and shook his head.

“It’s a company that went bankrupt and closed down 28 years ago.”

[At that point, there probably isn’t anything left, is there?]

Lenox’s thoughts were not much different from Davie’s.

Lenox, holding the pocket watch, leaned back in his chair and nodded.

“Why did he make the watch in such a complicated way… Was it an effort to understand the concept of time in more detail?”

[Maybe it was just a personal hobby. Humans like to assemble things, don’t they?]

Davie said, snorting arrogantly.

[I can’t relate to the bizarre hobbies of organic beings at all.]

“…”

It wasn’t the kind of advice one would expect from a mischievous cyber spirit who stirs up trouble in the community.

Lenox grabbed the fox cub’s ears with both hands and squeezed them, then fell into thought again.

[Kueeng.]

Lenox mumbled, kneading Davie, who was struggling and wriggling in his hands.

“If he went to the trouble of customizing it by collecting parts from various manufacturers, it’s proof that he was attached to it. It must have been a special item for Kaiser himself.”

It was certain that the legacy of Kaiser’s mind, left behind as he disappeared, existed in the form of a pocket watch.

Perhaps, even at that time, it was an item that held special meaning for Kaiser himself.

And what does it mean that he left such an item as a gift during his meeting with Jenny?

“What happened in the restricted area was completely unexpected. Even if it was the real Kaiser, it’s unlikely that he could have foreseen and arranged things to that extent.”

[Do you think it was just Kaiser’s whim?]

“A whim? Rather than a whim… I think it was a decision.”

The fact that he left behind an item that contained his own feelings.

Isn’t it proof that there was such a huge change of heart in the future Kaiser?

Perhaps, as Kaiser himself said, the Kaiser who reached the point of death after the project failed was a completely different person from before.

That was all Lenox could guess at the moment.

“Hoo…”

[Where are you going?]

“Kaiser’s research logs and the parts of the pocket watch all point to the Machine City.”

Lenox rubbed his eyes and turned on a screen on one side of the lab, plugging a data chip into the computer.

“I received information about the current state of the Machine City from Jenny. I should check it before going to bed. Please give me a brief briefing.”

Originally, he had planned to hear the explanation about Machina directly from Jenny herself,

but he had ended up spending a considerable amount of time checking another pocket watch and disassembling and recording its parts on the spot.

[Hehehe, no problem!!]

Davie, looking somewhat excited, jumped onto the lab projector and wiggled his tail.

[That seaweed-head organic being is quite reasonable in organizing data. Well, it’s not as good as my logic circuits, but it’s acceptable.]

“…It’s best not to say that in front of Jenny.”

He knew that she was subtly conscious of her curly hair, even though she didn’t show it.

If there was someone who could point out both Jenny’s hair and her work ability, even a seasoned broker would have difficulty managing their expression.

[But if we borrow the power of the community… Abubu!!]

While he was squishing the cheeks of the chattering spirit, the data loading finished, and information about the Machine City Machina began to appear.

Woong!!

The shape of a giant gear floating in the cloudy sky.

And below it, a city of gleaming machines and metal.

[Machine City, Machina.]

Davie said, jumping onto Lenox’s head.

[A leader in mechanization. A pioneer in magical engineering. The birthplace of the automation industry. It’s called a paradise for artisans and a mecca for workshops.]

The first city to integrate almost all parts of the city into a network system, yet each district of the city has not lost its autonomy, making it a unique city.

Contrary to the inorganic image associated with the term “Machine City,” it is also the place that has reached the pinnacle of bioengineering for humans.

[Like a megacity, each area of the city is divided into districts and barriers, but the unique thing is that the purpose, width, and location of the districts and barriers are reset entirely at regular intervals.]

“So the districts themselves change dynamically.”

[Because they pursue efficiency whenever new industries or companies are created or disappear, the size of the city often fluctuates, so it’s easy to get lost without an AI guide.]

Davie continued.

[The problem is that even the residents of the Machine City cannot freely move around the city without a biometric code called a ticket.]

Not only do the districts of the city change dynamically, but each district is also surrounded by barriers, so even if you manage to sneak into the outskirts of the city, you won’t be able to go anywhere without a ticket.

Moreover, elite forces called enforcers are weeding out such unauthorized intruders.

[After the failure of the Ascension Gate project, the city itself has become incredibly closed off, so most outsiders cannot easily enter the Machine City.]

That was probably because the aftereffects of the failure of the Ascension Gate were so severe in the Machine City.

Even Maiya Lenslit, who was called the best enforcer of the Machine City, continued to keep the incident in her mind while working with Pandemonium.

It was clear that the failure that originated from that city was a great pain for them.

Lenox, who had quickly skimmed through the files that Jenny had handed over with Davie’s help, quietly stroked his chin.

“Looking at it like this, there are quite a few similarities with the administrative system of Balkan… Did they take a motif when designing the city?”

[Actually, if you look at some related papers, there are quite a few speculations that they took the order from a large framework and gave up complete control to increase the size of Balkan.]

Davie replied.

[Whoever designed the megacity, they probably had similar experiences multiple times, don’t you think?]

“…”

Similar experiences.

Lenox knew that the concept of experience was not necessarily limited to this world.

“Anyway, it means that a biometric code called a ticket is needed to move legally in Machina.”

Should he go out and search for it after taking a rest?

Lenox thought so and turned to put the other systems in the lab into automation mode.

“The Ironclad Wings seem like they can be repaired faster than I thought if I just replace the necessary parts and internal circuits…”

Since the wings themselves have a function as an artifact to assist with the concept of space, they might be more useful than he thought.

Lenox, who was looking at Gilleon’s wings being restored through automated equipment in one of the labs, turned off the lights and went up to his bedroom on the second floor of the mansion to lie down.

There had been too many difficult things, and there had been almost no time to rest.

A brief moment of leisure after finishing all the things that needed to be dealt with as soon as the situation was over.

Lenox had no intention of wasting this time.

“I’m only going to sleep for the next three days, so take care of external contacts on your own.”

[Master, even healthy humans will get bedsores if they sleep that long.]

There was no answer to Davie’s grumbling.

Lenox’s breathing gradually faded as if his consciousness was cut off, and then he became quiet in an instant.

A habit from the days when he had to learn how to sleep without making a sound in the factory.

Davie was about to say something more to Lenox, but when he saw the dark circles under his eyes, he quietly closed his mouth.

Instead, he curled up next to Lenox’s pillow and carefully leaned his head against it.

The dark night passes, and dawn breaks, bringing the morning.

In the bedroom where the magician and the spirit were sleeping, only a quiet silence filled the air for a long time.

* * *

“That’s really pathetic.”

Murphy said, pushing up his glasses.

The cold gaze of the vampire doctor did not hide his contempt for Lenox.

“Your health management skills are really pathetic.”

“…Is there a reason to emphasize it twice?”

“It seems I need to completely revise the preconceived notions I had about high-ranking magicians.”

Murphy said, tapping the keyboard keys incessantly with somewhat rough movements.

“Among the magicians I’ve met, you’re the first one who’s so indifferent to their own health. How can your condition get worse than when you first came to see me?”

“…”

Well, wasn’t that time the peak of his condition, boosted by taking the Tears of the Archangel?

The battles with monsters that took place one after another in the past spacetime. The arrangements of Alcaid that he faced with Kaiser.

From deploying the magnetic field to unfolding his mental image and rewinding the spacetime distortion phenomenon in the restricted area to eliminate it.

None of it was easy, and he had not done anything without overexerting himself with the help of medicine.

Lenox’s face was slightly shiny because he had rested for three days, but apart from that, it was natural that he was suffering from the aftereffects of injuries and mana overload.

Murphy stopped looking at Lenox and typed on the keyboard, printing out a diagnosis and handing it to Lenox.

“Take the medicines written there three times a day, within 30 minutes after meals. If you skip even once, the effect will drop to less than half, so do as you see fit.”

“What if I don’t eat three meals a day?”

“…”

Lenox, who received the vampire doctor’s indescribable gaze instead of an answer, got up quietly without asking any more questions.

He had visited for a regular check-up of the life support device he used as a staff, but instead, he had only received a few diagnosis papers.

Lenox, who had paid a premium at a nearby unlicensed pharmacy and bought the medicine listed on the diagnosis, moved his steps with the medicine bag.

“You’ve finally arrived, Ban. I’ve been waiting.”

Virgil, the head of the underworld, greeted him warmly in the president’s office on the top floor of the Cartel headquarters.

After having someone bring coffee and sitting on the sofa opposite Lenox in the office, Virgil looked puzzled at the bag Lenox had put down and asked.

“Why did you buy so much medicine?”

“The doctor told me to take it.”

“…”

Virgil’s face changed slightly seriously as he understood the meaning of those words.

He subtly pointed to the male and female secretaries who were busily moving around, setting up snacks and chairs for the meeting.

“You must have heard, are you okay?”

“Hmm.”

“If necessary, I can shut their mouths.”

There was no need to say how the president of the Cartel would shut the secretaries’ mouths.

The secretaries’ faces turned pale at those words, but no one dared to show it or run away screaming.

Only the tips of their hands, which were putting down the coffee cups, were trembling faintly.

Lenox looked at them and then shook his head with a blank face.

“No, it doesn’t matter.”

Virgil stared at Lenox’s face, then chuckled and leaned back on the sofa.

“Okay. So it doesn’t matter if the rumors spread now?”

At the same time, the atmosphere in the coldly frozen president’s office felt like it was thawing.

“Hoo, hoo…”

A sigh of relief leaked out from among the secretaries in the meantime.

“I don’t care, so let’s get to the point. Did you receive information about the restricted area from Jenny?”

“Yes. I’ve confirmed it for sure.”

Virgil said with a grin.

“It was a bit of a close call, but we also managed to get some of the necessary bonds before the isolation was lifted.”

Jenny had assumed that if her company bought all the information alone, they could be solely responsible.

She had allowed the Cartel to get involved in the restricted area, sharing information and profits to some extent.

Since the 25th district was relatively vast, it was unlikely that Jenny and the Cartel would monopolize the entire area.

Nevertheless, it meant that the Cartel had also succeeded in making some profit.

“I know the intention is to share the responsibility, but since we also benefited from it, we will repay you handsomely later. Is there any other compensation you want?”

“Where is Olivia right now?”

“She’s been in the lab since she returned from the dam. She told me not to look for her until the anti-gravity technology-based ships are mass-produced.”

“…”

“She seems quite interested in the anti-gravity technology that was recently presented at the conference. The headquarters will also be producing airships using commercialized anti-gravity engines soon. You know about Evan Bailon, right?”

“To some extent.”

“If you know anything about Assistant Professor Bailon… No, never mind. I was talking nonsense.”

Virgil waved his hand with a wry smile.

“Even though he has a genius-like talent in the field of magic, his specialty is too different. I was just wondering if it was because I couldn’t get in touch with Evan Bailon himself.”

Olivia also recognized the value of anti-gravity technology and became interested in it?

Well, there is no one in this city who is not interested in the news that the skyway is opening.

While he was thinking that and drinking coffee, Virgil placed a small data chip on the table.

“This is a sample of the internal redevelopment plan for the 25th district, which was designated as a restricted area. It contains all the information about the city area and resource deposits of the 25th district from 50 years ago.”

If they share information and profits with the Cartel, they can borrow their manpower and information for free regarding the lifting of the restricted area isolation and the redevelopment project.

Virgil must have naturally guessed that far and was providing Lenox with this information on his own.

“The planning department is discussing the ticket for the Machine City. If you wait a little, you can even check if there are any ticket holders within the headquarters.”

“Thank you, but that’s not why I came all the way to headquarters.”

Lenox said, picking up the data chip and shaking his head.

“There’s something I want to ask. I want to see your chairman in person.”

“…About Kaiser and the chairman?”

“Tell her I know how she got the Seven-Colored Treasure Eye.”

There were a few things Lenox had learned about Olivia while passing through the past spacetime in the 25th district.

The Seven-Colored Treasure Eye that Olivia had obtained was a magic eye created through the failure of the project.

In other words, the failure of the project is deeply related to the origin of how the magic eye was opened.

If the reason why the real Olivia cannot tell Lenox the truth about the project is because of a restriction placed on her,

focusing on the Seven-Colored Treasure Eye might allow her to talk about the failure of the project while avoiding the restriction.

Lenox’s eyes quietly shone.

“I have a story I want to hear about Kaiser. Then you’ll understand what I mean.”