Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 627

After resolving the incident at the Cybird Workshop, time in the Upper Workshop District flew by.

He continued his work as a craftsman in the workshop, and whenever he had free time, he gathered information about the Ascension Gate.

‘There are more clues about the Ascension Gate from Boyan’s memories than I thought.’

Renok’s eyes gleamed sharply as he quickly flipped through thick books and papers.

‘Even if I can’t find the most important secrets like the location of the Ascension Gate right away, I can certainly trace its history and its traces.’

If Renok had just arrived in the Machine City, he wouldn’t have been able to investigate so deeply into the Machina’s living area.

The library where he was currently researching was also a facility that could only be used by craftsmen residing in the Upper Workshop District or residents who had obtained a ticket of that level.

However, due to the various tasks he had completed while working as a craftsman, he had more opportunities to access the core areas of Machina than he had expected.

Renok was not overlooking this fact and was trying to make the most of what he could use.

‘I should gradually reduce my workshop work, but I need to maintain my craftsman status until I find a definite clue.’

After his short break in the library, he returned to the workshop. He began preparing to receive customers.

Cybird’s promise to introduce Renok’s workshop to other craftsmen was not an empty one, as many customers came, making it seem as if he hadn’t even moved the workshop’s location.

Bang!!

“My workshop’s customers have suddenly dried up since a month ago…!! Please help me!!”

As if they had all heard the story from Cybird, they even diligently brought printed photos of their workshops to Renok.

As soon as Renok saw the photo of the workshop that the craftsman had handed him, he asked,

“You recently changed your raw material supplier, didn’t you?”

“Y-yes!!”

Instead of being surprised or shocked, the craftsman nodded enthusiastically, as if it was what he had expected.

“The transport cart visible at the bottom of the photo is slightly broken. Since you wouldn’t use a broken cart for long in your workshop, it means that the weight and material of the metal you’ve been moving recently have changed significantly.”

“As expected of the rumors!!!”

Instead of responding to that, Renok pointed to a corner of the workshop photo the craftsman had brought.

“The wall next to the furnace is wet. Considering the heat, that shouldn’t be possible. The evaporated steam from inside is mixing with magic power and continuously discoloring the furnace.”

“B-but the supplier I contracted with said that if I use their refined alloy, magic power will never leak out…!!”

Renok continued to stare at the photo, then pointed to the tongs on the workbench.

“These tongs, one end is bent, so it looks like you’re using equipment made of a shape-memory alloy.”

“Huh? Y-yes… that’s right…”

“This type of shape-memory alloy is often made by synthesizing magic power with liquid metal.”

Renok shook his head at the craftsman who had replied hesitantly.

“It seems that the liquid metal and magic power are starting to separate and act independently after being exposed to heat for a long time.”

“T-then what should I do?!”

“You need to change your supplier immediately.”

“Ugh, I thought I had found a groundbreaking way to cut costs…”

Watching the craftsman return with slumped shoulders, Mauzer, who was hammering on the workbench, clicked his tongue.

“It seems he was scammed by the supplier. It’s understandable for inexperienced craftsmen, but for a craftsman of the Upper Workshop District to be like that…”

“Alloys using new materials are often difficult to grasp at a glance, so craftsmen are easily scammed, they say.”

Renok said, tapping the newspaper spread out on the table next to the workbench.

“The news says that the price of iron has gone up a lot these days, so I guess he wanted to cut costs if possible.”

At Renok’s words, Mauzer turned to look at Renok with a nonchalant gaze.

“You seem more familiar with the Machine City than I am now, don’t you think?”

“Master Mauzer, it would be good if you paid a little more attention to current events.”

“…”

They had a trivial conversation in the workshop near noon, and after a simple meal, they took a break.

Every day at this time, Renok would go to the library near the workshop district to look for materials on the Ascension Gate.

“Meldrance, Deborah, Clashk, Belmaga… wrong.”

Renok, who had been flipping through books about the final-level gates and barriers of the Machine City Machina, soon closed the thick book and got up from his seat.

“I’ve looked through hundreds of specialized books for days, and I can’t find a single name I want…”

He had been engrossed in research, spending almost all his time in the library except for his work hours in the workshop, but in the end, the information Renok needed most could not be found anywhere.

From Boyan’s memories, the words the man muttered just before he entered the gate.

The designer of the Ascension Gate, Artermeier.

Renok was convinced that this name would play a key role in tracking down the Ascension Gate, and he had been searching through books and papers,

But even after several days, he had not found the name anywhere.

[Master, when I randomly entered the word into the search bar and ran a search, I confirmed that the Machina internal security module is moving this way.]

Dabi, from inside Renok’s pocket, had also found some results and quietly delivered them.

[In some sites or networks, it’s even set as a forbidden word, and it seems almost certain that when you search for that name, location tracking is activated.]

“So, if you search for the name Artermeier, the security system is designed to trace the search location.”

Not only could he not find the name Artermeier in any of the nearby libraries, materials, papers, or databases,

But even just searching for the name on the network would allow them to track his location.

It was clear that the Machine City was managing the name so that it would never be known to the outside world.

“They’re deliberately hiding and concealing the designer of the Ascension Gate. What’s the reason?”

Information about the Ascension Gate, which was considered the Machine City’s largest project, was not properly disclosed to the public, but its traces remained clear.

Even if there were no books directly stating the name or progress, it was recorded everywhere that there was a huge project decades ago that ended without success.

Among them, there were also detailed records of the names of politicians who were executed for taking responsibility for the failure of the project, and executives who were exiled.

“…”

Renok’s finger, which had been absentmindedly flipping through a wanted list, stopped.

[Project Exile Leader. Maiya Renslit]

Because it contained quite detailed personal information about the Pandemonium executive that Renok knew well.

She was once the best executive in the Machine City, but she was an ultra-level superhuman who was exiled for taking responsibility for the failure of the Ascension Gate.

Perhaps because she had worked as an executive in Machina for so long, the wanted list contained quite a detailed story about her.

[The executive who has made the most contributions and achievements in Machina’s history. She has served as the head of the executive agency twice, and after three resignations, she was removed from the register as an exile.]

[Graduated at the top of the 239th executive curriculum. Officially recorded to have completed self-modification at the age of 34, reaching level 7. Current estimated level is 8 or higher.]

[She was famous for memorizing the geography and locations of all districts and areas of Machina, and therefore excelled in pursuit and escape operations.]

[Skilled in hand-to-hand combat, weaponry, and marksmanship, holding more than three special-grade weapon licenses. All records were deleted upon her removal from the register.]

“Maiya Renslit…”

Come to think of it, when he first encountered Maiya in the Hanghasa Labyrinth, she was moving around with the Doctor’s avatar.

Considering that she also appeared in the interim settlement, it would be right to think that she is in some kind of cooperative relationship with the Doctor.

Not only has the Doctor’s identity been discovered in Machina, but his abilities also seem to be somewhat related to the Ascension Gate, so Maiya’s whereabouts are something to consider.

“…I might have to contact Pandemonium.”

As a former executive, Maiya would probably know about Artermeier’s existence.

The problem is that the failure of the Ascension Gate is a matter close to Maiya’s sore spot, so it’s not clear if there’s a way to ask about the name Artermeier without provoking her.

In the end, if he wants to find the designer of the Ascension Gate smoothly in this matter, it means that he needs a more secretive and sharp method than this…

Renok thought that far and then got up from his seat.

* * *

While focusing on finding information, he couldn’t spend much time on consulting, but Renok’s speed in handling work was only getting faster.

That was proof that he was becoming more accustomed to seeing the other side of things while dealing with various cases and requests in the workshop.

At first, Renok could only find the cause after listening to the customer’s words, but now his speed was getting faster and faster, to the point where he could start giving estimates just by looking at the customer’s attire.

“I can’t handle large-scale industrial equipment, so please visit another workshop.”

“I don’t accept requests for military supplies. I believe there’s a workshop that specializes in military equipment, so you should go there.”

“Are you the police here? A criminal suddenly came to me asking to leave his equipment with me…”

“Uwaaak!!”

He identifies the problems of the craftsmen and customers who come without saying a word, and quickly filters out what he can and cannot do.

In the process, he reports suspicious people to the police, sends requests from different fields to specialized workshops, and offers answers first to matters that require consultation.

“You should increase the interval for oiling your equipment to about 2 weeks.”

“Huh? But I haven’t said anything yet…”

Later, Renok would start telling the solutions first before the customers who came to the workshop even got to the point.

The customers who visited the workshop got the answers they wanted and went home, but they all left with a haunted look on their faces.

“Are you the Lyman who’s been telling fortunes to customers in this workshop district?”

“…”

“Tell me my fate. Am I destined to be a king?”

As more time passed, strange rumors began to spread, and all sorts of customers came to Renok.

“I’m sorry, Master Lyman. We’ve received a group report that your workshop is a pseudo-religious group, so we just need a quick confirmation signature…”

“…Huh?”

He even had to attend a brief summons following the apologetic police, and hear the absurd news that he had been reported as a cult several times.

While searching for traces of the Ascension Gate and Kaise, and focusing on his work in the workshop, one day.

“It’s been a while, Lyman.”

Ibert, the manager in charge of the Upper Workshop District, came to visit him, replacing Nasisa.

A disciple who learned metallurgy from the Furnace Lord’s workshop like Mauzer and Nasisa, and also an excellent craftsman who was a Meister himself.

Renok shook hands with him without hesitation and immediately asked,

“The summons from Ex Machina. Is it time?”

When Ibert moved Renok’s workshop to the Upper Workshop District, he had said that Ex Machina would summon Renok to the Simseong Hall.

He had only remembered the story at the time and had not heard about the schedule, but he had never shown his face since then, and this was the first time he had visited the workshop.

However, Ibert smiled wryly at the words and shook his head slightly.

“It is related to the summons, but it is also not.”

“Huh?”

“Elaba. Let’s go inside and talk.”

No sooner had Ibert’s words been heard than a woman followed him into the workshop.

A light outfit with work clothes and sturdy work boots. Her thick, bold eyebrows were impressive.

At a glance, she had the appearance of a craftsman, and a confident expression to match.

She immediately approached Mauzer, politely put her hands together, and bowed her head.

“Master Lyman, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“…?”

“If it’s okay with you, could I talk to you for a moment about a problem I’m having?”

Only then did Mauzer realize that the woman had mistaken her target and chuckled.

“Ibert. Didn’t you explain it properly? You’re playing a bad joke.”

“Huh?”

The woman tilted her head, not understanding Mauzer’s words for a moment.

Ibert looked at the woman and smiled, then pointed to Renok.

“Master Lyman is that person. You’ve found the wrong person.”

“Huh? No, then the craftsman who consulted for Master Cybird’s workshop is… ?”

The woman hesitated, looking confused, and walked back in front of Renok and bowed her head.

“I-I’m sorry for the first time. My name is Elaba.”

“…”

Renok stared at the woman who introduced herself as Elaba and said,

“It’s not a problem with the workshop.”

“Huh? Ah…”

Elaba scratched her cheek, looking embarrassed.

“That’s right. I don’t have my own workshop yet.”

“It seems you’re working as an apprentice under another craftsman. Are you planning to quit soon?”

“H-huh? Yes… no, how did you know?”

Elaba, who had answered that question without thinking, asked back as if she was amazed.

Renok turned his head, picked up a hammer, and answered,

“Regardless of gender, craftsmen with long hair tend to have a lot of traces of their work left in their hair.”

“Huh?”

“The overall hair texture is not uniform, but the bottom of the bun is hardly scorched. Even though you’ve been working as a craftsman for quite a while, it’s proof that you haven’t been near a furnace for at least a week.”

“…”

“The fact that a craftsman working as an apprentice hasn’t been sitting in front of the furnace means that their heart has already left that place, doesn’t it?”

Elaba, who had been listening to Renok’s words blankly, finally came to her senses with a gasp.

“A-as expected of the rumors. No, how did you know just from that…”

“Of course, it’s not something you can know just by looking at hair.”

Renok smiled as he hammered and bent the wire on the workbench.

“The light attire that doesn’t suit a craftsman, the difference in muscle mass between both arms, the fact that the shoes you’re wearing are different in weight and have fire-resistant fabric added… because you’re a craftsman working in front of a high-temperature furnace, you can tell whether you’re working by looking at the scorch marks.”

“That makes even less sense…”

Elaba muttered in a hesitant tone, then belatedly seemed to realize why she had come here and took out a heavy paper bag from her pocket.

“F-first of all, this is my severance pay!!”

“…Huh?”

Ignoring Renok, who was looking down at it with a bewildered expression, Elaba bowed her head on the spot.

“I’ll do anything I can, so please correct what’s wrong with me as a craftsman!!”

“…”

When Renok looked at Ibert without saying anything, he smiled and explained,

“It’s exactly as she says. Could you please look at what Elaba is lacking as a craftsman?”

“Is this related to being summoned to the Simseong Hall?”

Ibert nodded.

“I can’t give you a detailed explanation, but her help is absolutely necessary.”