Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 626

As the man’s calm voice echoed, a massive amount of information flooded into Boyan’s memory. It was an overwhelming volume of information that Boyan’s own mind and heart couldn’t properly process or understand.

Clatter, crash!

Crackling, clanging!

Sounds forgotten from beyond the world, incomprehensible to human senses and intellect, pierced through his hearing and filled his mind.

Though unseen and untouchable, it was certainly opening slowly before Boyan’s eyes.

Screech…!!

[Ah, ahh…!!]

Even with his eyes covered, Boyan’s eyes rolled wildly as tears streamed down his face, as if they were about to go blind.

Forcibly limiting his visual input and accepting the aftermath of the door solely through his hearing, Boyan’s consciousness was already being worn away to the point of near obliteration.

The man grasped Boyan’s wrist, lightly pulling and pushing his bound hands forward.

The moment he sensed his hands were inside the door, the sensation in both hands completely vanished.

A hollow sense of loss, as if the bones, muscles, and flesh below his forearms had been left behind in a place not of this world.

Swishhhhhh…

A sensation like wind flowing through a cold abyss could be felt.

Like something crawling up his fingertips, remnants of oblivion seemed to wander, searching for direction.

[Wrong.]

Boyan, already completely unconscious, twitched as tears and saliva streamed down his face, but the man didn’t seem satisfied with that fact.

[Hh, uhhe?]

[He managed to grasp something, but he doesn’t possess the rationality to pull it out.]

[Haha, hahahaha!!]

Even as Boyan cried, screamed, and burst into loud laughter, the man muttered, unconcerned.

[The Iron Rule. Decades have passed since the Oath of Silence faded, yet its maintenance still remains here.]

[…Huh?]

[The architect of the Ascension Gate, Atermayer, is not here. This is the only consideration I can give you now.]

No further response came from Boyan.

Instead, with a gentle push from behind, Boyan’s body plunged through the door.

[Go. If you’re lucky, you might find something that can save your soul.]

At the same time, a chilling memory of his entire body being enveloped in an unknown, strange fog.

Renok regained consciousness from the depths of Boyan’s memory.

Whoosh!

“Ugh…!!”

Perhaps it was because he had forcefully delved into Boyan’s memories to confirm the truth.

Boyan, collapsed on the ground, was convulsing with his eyes rolled back and foam at his mouth.

However, Renok was too focused on recalling the memory he had just glimpsed to pay attention to Boyan’s reaction.

“…”

The ‘door’ mentioned in the mechanical city of Machina.

It was undoubtedly referring to the Ascension Gate project, which was treated as the ultimate plan in this city.

But what was even more surprising was that the maintenance of the Ascension Gate still remained in this city, and they were still experimenting with its failure.

In that memory he had just glimpsed, Renok was able to grasp to some extent what the Ascension Gate was.

And even why the knowledge and legacy of the old world were so frequently visible in this mechanical city.

‘A door to the next world… I think I know why the Ascension Gate failed.’

The mechanical city opened the Ascension Gate dreaming of a path to the next world, but what existed beyond the door was not the fourth world.

Rather, what existed within was closer to the traces of failure and destruction they never desired.

‘Did they become burdened with specific penalties and conditions as the price for opening the door? If so, it makes sense that they are conducting experiments like this…’

Then why hadn’t Boyan’s memories disappeared and were still in his mind?

Considering the power and status of the Ascension Gate, it was unrealistic that it couldn’t take away the memories of an ordinary craftsman.

If he had to choose a reason, it would be more accurate to think it was because of the achievement Boyan had obtained beyond the Ascension Gate.

“Was it because he was a spirit…?”

A spirit is a being that is both life and not life. It is made to reside in a space called the spirit realm before manifesting in the material world.

In the instant Boyan pulled out the salamander from inside the Ascension Gate, the information volume of the Ascension Gate connected to the spirit realm, causing a mix-up.

It wouldn’t be difficult to understand if some of Boyan’s memories, which should have been lost in the process, remained.

‘The memories before entering the door remained, and the memories after entering disappeared. In fact, nearly half of his memories remained intact…’

The fact that the memory loss didn’t work properly because he took out a spirit from the old world was proof that the legacy of the Ascension Gate remained in an unstable form.

That meant that if Renok could find the location of the Ascension Gate, he would definitely be able to intervene.

‘The architect Atermayer. The Ascension Gate that finds the legacy of the old world, and even the new statue that trades knowledge as a database…’

Perhaps the ability of the new statue created by the doctor was made by borrowing some of the power of the Ascension Gate.

Renok thought that far and then slowly gathered his magic power and stood up.

“…”

He lifted the unconscious Boyan with magic and carried him on his back, then turned around, staggering.

He was sure that he could get the clue he wanted by checking Boyan’s memories, but the possibilities and information that branched out from the series of images were more than he had expected.

Rather than sorting it out here, he had no choice but to deal with this matter first and then think about it.

* * *

The fire that swept through the Cybird Workshop was extinguished, and Boyan, a former apprentice of the workshop, was identified as the culprit of the recent events.

Cybird watched silently for a long time as Boyan was taken away by the police.

Boyan’s figure, head bowed, unable to even look back at the workshop, grew distant.

Cybird sighed deeply, then slowly turned his head and met Renok’s gaze.

“I don’t know how to thank you for what happened today.”

Cybird mumbled, avoiding Renok’s gaze.

“I’m sorry for suspecting you and making all sorts of false statements. I really didn’t think one of my own apprentices would be the culprit…”

“If I hadn’t had some knowledge of spirits, it would have been difficult to imagine,” Renok replied without batting an eye.

“I was lucky.”

“What was that powder you threw into the furnace earlier?”

An older apprentice standing next to Cybird asked.

“If it hadn’t been for that, Boyan wouldn’t have stepped forward. I don’t know what kind of powder it was that made him overreact like that.”

“Ah, it’s a snack set that spirits like.”

“…A snack set?”

The craftsmen’s expressions turned strange at Renok’s nonchalant answer.

“Is there a reason to carry such a thing around in a mechanical city?”

“I happened to get my hands on it by chance.”

In fact, it was one of the spirit snacks that the undergraduates had bought for Davi as a thank you after solving the case of the strange shrine at the Lavatenon Magic University.

Davi was very proud of the fact that the undergraduates were offering him food, but there were hardly any snacks that satisfied Davi’s picky taste, so most of them were kept intact by Renok.

Renok sprinkled those spirit snacks to lure out the spirit hiding in the furnace, and Boyan pretended to pick a fight with Renok while trying to hide the spirit that was crawling out of the furnace.

“I, I see… So Nasisa’s eyes weren’t wrong after all.”

Cybird, who had been muttering with a sullen expression, soon composed himself and cleared his throat.

“Anyway, it’s clear that your diagnosis was the most effective. It hasn’t even been half a day, and the workshop temperature is already returning to normal.”

“That’s a relief.”

“As promised, I will introduce you to other craftsmen I know, and I will do my best to help your consulting business get established.”

Cybird nodded with a determined look on his face.

“If you have your workshop contact information or flyers, bring them all and leave them at our workshop. Within three days, I’ll make sure that everyone in this workshop district knows that your workshop has opened!”

“I don’t think you need to go that far…”

Renok said, making preparations to leave after making an appointment to meet with Cybird separately later.

While the other apprentices were preparing to reopen the workshop and get back to work, Cybird alone came out to see Renok off.

Renok, who was about to return to his own workshop, turned back to Cybird as if he had remembered something and opened his mouth.

“Ah, and may I offer you one piece of advice regarding the operation of your workshop in the future?”

“Of course.”

At Cybird’s answer, filled with firm trust, Renok lowered his voice slightly and whispered.

“It’s best not to show too much in front of your apprentices which one you value more.”

“…What do you mean?”

“All of your apprentices’ shoes are blackened.”

Renok said.

“Normally, that wouldn’t happen if you were working in one place by the furnace. The direction of the workbench and the furnace is usually fixed as a habit.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

“Didn’t you change the furnace where they worked frequently depending on the apprentices’ performance?”

Cybird closed his mouth.

“Since the direction of each furnace is different, if you frequently change places with the fire, all of your shoes would be blackened regardless of the direction of the furnace.”

“…”

“It seems that you deliberately encouraged competition by having the best craftsmen change places at the five furnaces depending on their performance.”

Renok continued, leaving Cybird speechless.

“Boyan probably noticed this fact and was convinced that he had fallen behind in the workshop hierarchy. That’s why he didn’t hesitate to use the workshop’s furnace as food for the spirit for his own safety without much guilt.”

“Lyman, I…”

Cybird, who opened his mouth as if to make an excuse, soon gave up and slumped his shoulders helplessly.

“…Your intuition is truly amazing. It’s sharper than any craftsman or superhuman I’ve ever seen. No, it’s almost eerie.”

“…”

“That’s right. I decided that the apprentice who achieved the best results would sit at the furnace in good condition, and I’ve been changing the seats every quarter so that the apprentices would sit there. It was intended to encourage their ambition…”

Perhaps Cybird’s thoughts had become even more intense after the workshop’s internal temperature began to fluctuate.

Since the condition of the furnace varied slightly depending on the workshop temperature, he must have thought that the apprentice who achieved even slightly better results should be given the good furnace.

Renok quietly said, looking at Cybird.

“It’s not just Boyan. Perhaps the other apprentices are also vaguely aware of their position in the workshop.”

“…”

“I’m not trying to interfere with Cybird’s educational philosophy. Do you understand?”

Renok nodded.

“It shouldn’t be completely hidden, but showing it too openly will inevitably create resentment.”

That’s why moderation is difficult.

But since it’s ultimately dealing with the same people, it’s impossible to go to either extreme.

Although there are no right answers in life, at least that’s what Renok felt about the events that were happening in Cybird’s workshop.

“Yes, that’s right…”

As if he had realized something, Cybird’s eyes regained focus.

He looked at Renok and bowed his head slightly.

“I’m learning something today. Thank you. I’ll try to remember those words for a long time.”

* * *

On the other side of the workshop district street, where the sunset was setting.

There was a person watching the two shadows returning from inside the workshop, where smoke was rising thickly.

If there was anything unusual, it would be that the distance was located at the edge of the mechanical barrier, thousands of meters away.

A man sitting leisurely and gazing with the naked eye at a distance where an ordinary person would have trouble focusing even with a telescope.

From within the man’s arms, an inorganic voice echoed.

[Is that man Lyman?]

“At first, he gave his name as Ban,” the man replied.

“Lyman is an identity arbitrarily fabricated by Isabella to get him to participate in the selection ceremony. He has continued to use that name for convenience even after the selection ceremony.”

[Ban, huh…]

The voice, with a strange resonance, repeated the name and laughed.

[Neither of them are their real names, are they?]

“Judging by their actions so far, we should assume not.”

As the man said that, the focus of his right eye rapidly expanded, then began to roll around in a strange curve.

He looked at the young man who was busy cleaning inside the workshop with his right eye, which was rotating strangely as if focusing a camera lens.

“Considering his known tenacious nature, he’s a cruel, rash, and arrogant mage. It’s completely different from the actions Lyman has shown so far.”

[…]

“I’ve been observing him steadily for several days, and I agree with Isabella, Hermes. He’s from somewhere else. Somewhere closely connected to the old world.”

[Hmm…]

The voice seemed to ponder for a long time, then let out a light sigh.

[I understand. If two vanguards of the enforcement agency have made the same judgment, I shouldn’t dwell on it any further.]

As Renok had thought, it was too late to avoid attention under the name of Lyman, and the leaders of the mechanical city were also aware of it.

The fact that Renok’s workshop was moved to the upper workshop district was not just Nasisa Solmer’s decision.

“More than that, it’s been a while since we’ve been in contact. How are things on your end these days?”

The man, who had returned his focus to normal, smiled and joked.

“Hasn’t Ex Machina been quite noisy for a while because of the story about the governor’s son?”

[The machine heads are holding onto the evidence and not releasing it at all,] the council member called Hermes replied flatly.

[Since the governor is from that side, the machine heads think it’s more advantageous for the governor to keep his position.]

“Well, that’s only natural, but…”

Each district of the mechanical city has a manager in charge, but the governor is not a title that refers to a position in charge of the administrative work of a certain area or district.

He is the one who manages the most central part of Machina, the deep zone where the undersea barrier is located, and leads the other managers.

As such, it is only natural that Ex Machina is fiercely fighting over which faction the governor will be selected from.

And as the man feared, the governor of this generation was not a clean person, regardless of public or private matters.

[One more thing. It seems that Council Member Brahms was causing unnecessary trouble at the Meister Selection Ceremony. He was desperate for results because his term was running out, they say?]

“Ah, is that so? Since Isabella isn’t saying anything, there’s no need to worry about it…”

[By now, he’s probably reflecting on his mistakes in the flames of the incinerator.]

“…”

The man closed his mouth at Hermes’ casual remark.

[There is a possibility that the governor is involved in the assassination of Nasisa Solmer. Sooner or later, he won’t be able to hold that position for long.]

“…So you’re planning to shake the machine heads and watch their reaction?”

[The preparations are already complete. I’ve inflicted damage on what he loves and cherishes the most, and I’ve obtained that flaw.]

Hermes said in a cheerful voice.

[All that’s left is to wait for the failure of the Ascension Gate to overflow onto this city.]

“…”

The man didn’t respond to that, but instead silently looked at the cloudy sky of the mechanical city before getting up from his seat.

Since the mechanical city of Machina closed its barriers tightly and minimized its interaction with the outside world decades ago.

Rather, the number of those who secretly entered Machina to find out the secrets they were hiding has increased even more.

In the process, not only did powerful individuals that even the enforcers couldn’t let their guard down against infiltrate Machina, but they were also captured and detained.

Even at this moment, other enforcers are running around the four sides of the massive mechanical barrier, striving to endure the Iron Rule.

The man shouldn’t slack off for too long either.

The moment the man thought that and glanced away.

“…Huh?”

[What is it?]

“I don’t know if I’m seeing things wrong…”

The man tilted his head slightly and muttered quietly.

“Just now, it looked like he was looking this way.”

There was no movement of turning his gaze, nor any sign of sensing this side, but the man’s intuition felt a faint sense of deja vu.

Was it just a lingering thought that occurred in the process of recalling what he had to do in the future?

After carefully watching Renok again for a while, the man eventually disappeared without finding anything unusual.

“…”