Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 72

‘Was I too obvious…?’

It’s a given, but the injuries from the fight with Beck Clinton are still all over my body. On days when I returned from work, the bloodstains in the bathroom wouldn’t wash away for three days. It was fortunate that the Friar Ice ring I received from Panoa stabilized my body to some extent even when I didn’t have a shield; otherwise, it would have been difficult to even walk.

Feeling their gazes on my back, Lennox walked down the stairs and exhaled a long plume of smoke. “Hoo….” The feel of the filter touching my lips is now very familiar. However, there was a faint hesitation in Lennox’s gaze as he looked down at the cigarette.

‘I can feel Cashburn’s effects are gradually dulling.’ It’s been well over a few months since I started buying these cigarettes from the orchard. I’ve been smoking them almost every day, so it’s no surprise that I’m starting to build a tolerance. The decrease in efficacy, which hasn’t been very noticeable until now, is now becoming quite apparent.

‘The sleeping pills too… I might have to visit the orchard again soon.’ Even if I can somehow endure the sleepless nights, replenishing the psychotropic drugs needed for work is not an option for Lennox. They are consumables that allow his already creaking body to move like a normal person, even for a short time. If there’s a problem with that, it will start to affect his combat abilities little by little. That was definitely an issue that Lennox couldn’t afford to tolerate right now.

#

A short night passed. As promised, Dyke sent a top-of-the-line sedan to Jenny’s bar to pick up Lennox. Lennox chuckled when he saw Panoa sitting inside the sleek, white car. Opening the back door of the car, Lennox asked, “Are you not even trying to hide it anymore?”

“It’s too late to keep it quiet. Rumors about us are already circulating in this industry.” Panoa added, “We’ve already made too many inquiries in too many places to hide it,” and continued, “You’ve done a great job this time.”

“……”

“The higher-ups are showing quite a reaction to the success of the operation and the elimination of Beck Clinton. They must think the plan is within reach, as we’ve not only successfully cut off the gang’s funding but also completely destroyed their trade relations with the military.” Panoa’s tone was slightly excited. It was understandable. Considering the operation she had planned at the time, the maximum expectation she could have had was to disrupt the trade between the gang and the military. She couldn’t have imagined that Lennox would go beyond that, annihilating those present and capturing Beck Clinton. The fact that the executive in charge of the gang’s arms deals was dead was of great significance to them. This meant that the gang’s boss would eventually have to step in to resolve the situation. If they could cleanly cut off the head here, Dyke could appropriately cut off the remaining limbs and take over the position.

Lennox, who had been listening to her quietly, retorted, “I’m not really interested in just talking.”

“……I was talking too much. I should have shown you that I would keep my promise first.” Panoa took out a case made of bright blue crystal from the storage space under the seat. A pleasant betrayal. Lennox’s senses sharply detected the magical energy emanating from within. At the same time, he was certain. What was contained there was a treasure of a level that Lennox had never seen since he came to this world. Seeing Lennox unable to take his eyes off the case, Panoa didn’t waste any time. The power dynamic between the two was unilaterally decided in such matters. Panoa immediately placed the case in his hand and said, “A lot of effort went into obtaining this item. Not only me, but also the VIPs of the board of directors used considerable power. I won’t bother mentioning how much pressure and attempts at theft there were, both directly and indirectly.”

Lennox chuckled at her words, which were full of boasting before she quickly changed the subject. Opening the case, he saw a shape that was no different from what he had seen on the screen. Five pencils bound by a fluorescent chain. Each pencil was densely engraved with unknown characters, and even the protruding graphite tips were surrounded by a faint gold band. Unlike what they appeared to be, just old pencils, they were meticulously and precisely crafted. It was a composition that made it understandable why dignitaries of various statuses, including high-ranking officials, were so eager to find this item. It was an artificially created artifact, yet it had an organized magical array that made it understandable why it was treated similarly to a relic.

Lennox, who had been quietly looking down at it, closed the case and slowly put it inside his coat. Panoa, not missing the look of satisfaction in his eyes, quickly continued, “Of course, this is just a gift to compensate for the disrespect we have shown to the Anti-Mage. If things go well in the future, we will provide additional compensation accordingly.” Panoa now clearly knew. A strong mentality and judgment that could overcome difficulties solely through one’s own abilities. A powerful aura that was revealed on the battlefield, and a terrifying talent to match it. Rather than confining himself to the limitations of a mage, he was a person who did what was necessary at the necessary moment without any hesitation. Even if he wasn’t in this industry, he was a talented individual who could have succeeded anywhere. Even if their first encounter was luck, whether they could continue that relationship depended solely on her own actions.

Lennox leaned back against the seat and turned his head to look out the window. “So, what’s the reason for today’s meeting? I don’t think you’re already planning the next operation.” It had been a few days since Beck Clinton’s death, but it wasn’t enough time to start another operation. Lennox had a rough idea of how Dyke was trying to take over the gang’s business, so he was even more certain. If they had started cutting off the gang’s limbs, wouldn’t there have to be follow-up measures to take over those positions? Most of the forces of the project team led by Panoa were probably being used to fill the void created by Lennox in the gang.

“That’s right. We’re putting a lot of effort into recruiting the small arms dealers who were working with the gang. We plan to proceed with additional operations only after we finish filtering out those who are willing to cooperate with us. The reason I called the Anti-Mage today is because there is another matter I want to discuss.”

“……”

“We’ve had an unexpected guest offer us cooperation.” After parking the sedan in the underground parking lot, they headed straight to the first-floor lobby. The company’s lobby was bustling with employees on the phone and handling documents. Although not many people still recognized Lennox’s face, the attention focused on Panoa whenever she passed by clearly showed her position within the company. Everyone now knew to some extent how important she was in determining the direction of the giant corporation, Dyke. They took the elevator straight to her office. Her personal secretary, who was standing at the entrance of the wide hallway, immediately informed her that a guest had arrived. As Lennox headed into the office, he immediately understood the meaning of Panoa’s words when he saw the faces of the two people waiting inside. More precisely, after seeing Mao-ren’s face smiling next to the woman with short-cut hair. The Plato Mercenary Office. They, who had been working with Seager Bank to contribute to the arms business in the 40th district, had come directly to Dyke’s headquarters.

#

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nicole Keller from the Plato Office. This is Mao-ren.” After introducing herself in just two sentences, she shook hands with Panoa and sat down. Panoa also naturally had her secretary bring in drinks. A brief silence fell, and Nicole spoke first. “Since we all know each other, let’s get straight to the point.”

“What do you mean?” Despite Panoa’s nonchalant question, Nicole continued what she was saying. “The Plato Mercenary Office has decided to terminate all transactions with Seager Bank at the end of this quarter. At the same time, we will withdraw from all arms distribution activities and cease cooperation with the Scavengers.”

“……”

Despite Nicole’s shocking words, Panoa’s expression remained calm. Perhaps it was because what she was saying wasn’t that surprising. Lennox understood as well. If the Plato Office, which had been working with Seager Bank to distribute weapons, suddenly came to Dyke, the purpose was obvious. The important thing was what came next.

“I don’t think you came all the way to headquarters just to say that.”

“That’s right.” Nicole readily agreed. “We have a list of the retailers who cooperated with us in the distribution process. If Dyke is really planning to start a new business in the 40th district, it would be of considerable help.”

“You want a deal.” The decision was made in an instant. From Panoa’s perspective, it wasn’t a bad deal if it could make the current work easier, and for the Plato Office, it would be a way to clearly define their stance while handing over the list and gaining a small profit. No one cared how the personal information of hundreds of people would be used in the process. After exchanging some cash and goods, Panoa subtly got up from her seat. “I’ll go give the list to the employees participating in the project. Please wait here for a moment.”

“……”

She left the office without waiting for Lennox’s reply. As soon as Panoa disappeared, Mao-ren leaned forward slightly and opened her mouth. “It’s been a while, Mage. Do you remember who I am?”

“I don’t forget a face I’ve seen once.” Lennox replied indifferently. “Not until I kill them myself.”

“……I never imagined that the Mage would be involved in this. After hearing that Beck Clinton was struck by lightning, the name of the electro-mage who has been making a name for himself recently came to mind.” Even with the harsh reply, the smile on Mao-ren’s lips didn’t waver. The anger that had filled her gaze when she first saw him was nowhere to be found. Ironically, Lennox thought that was Mao-ren’s greatest strength.

Nicole, who had been watching the two’s conversation, suddenly spoke up. “Do you know why we came all the way here to have this conversation?”

“What do you mean?”

“I won’t beat around the bush. We want to bring the Anti-Mage to our office.” Only then did Lennox realize why they had gone out of their way to talk to Dyke. “To be honest, the arms business isn’t a big concern for our office. We were just helping out because of our sponsor’s instructions, but now that we know there’s no hope, it’s time to pull out.”

“Sponsor, huh.”

“Dyke isn’t the only company interested in the outer districts’ interests. Isn’t that obvious?” Nicole said that and calmly sipped her tea.

“……”

The Plato Mercenary Office. It was rumored that they had a backer due to their rapid growth with an abnormal amount of funding compared to their startup size, but he never thought they would so blatantly reveal that secret to Lennox. It seemed that Nicole had also come to this meeting with a plan.

“I’m not curious about the circumstances that led the Mage to this industry. I want your talent. That’s all.”

“This isn’t a topic to discuss here.”

“If Panoa isn’t an idiot, she’ll have a rough idea of why we came all this way. It’s not a problem to worry about.”

“……”

A direct and bold personality. She was the type of person who didn’t hide what she had to say. But rather, she was the type who could put such sensitive topics on the table for a deal without any hesitation. Being polite to such a person was close to a waste of time. Lennox crossed his legs, leaned back, and said nonchalantly, “Shall I tell you my honest feelings?”

“……”

“What you just said, I’ve heard it so many times since I started working in this industry that I’m tired of it.” Nicole fell silent at Lennox’s harsh reply. Freelancers and mercenaries may not seem very different on the surface, but whether they belong to an office or not makes a huge difference. The relationship between an organization where you work under a boss called the office manager and a freelancer who works alone with only a broker is bound to be different from the way they receive requests. Of course, if you join a mercenary office, it would be much easier to receive group requests that a freelancer would have difficulty receiving on their own… but frankly, that wasn’t a big problem for Lennox.

“Unless it’s just for a one-off request, joining your office doesn’t sound appealing at all. Or can you give me something like this for every request?” When he showed the Friar Ice ring on his hand, Mao-ren next to him was heard to gasp slightly. It had protected Lennox’s body several times in the fight with Beck Clinton, so there was no doubt about its value.

“I understand.”