Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 767

District 10. The top floor of the Baritz headquarters.

Ikabon stood by the skyscraper window, his face expressionless as he looked out.

The streets below stretched out like a small map, the people moving like tiny specks, so far below. But in his eyes, every detail of the street scene was as clear as if he were looking at it up close.

The wear on the tires of the cars driving on the road. The roots of the roadside trees that had been dug up. The cracks in the cracked asphalt.

And even the figure of a researcher in the distance, glancing back this way before disappearing.

In his arms, as he walked away, was a large, neatly wrapped box.

“Do you think he knows?” Ikabon asked, still looking out the window, and Dante, who was standing quietly behind him, replied.

“If you thought he didn’t, you wouldn’t have asked.”

“……”

“Even if he didn’t know, he’s smart enough to deduce it from our reaction.”

Baritz never neglects to gather information on the influential figures that affect the entire city.

The researcher, who had quickly made a name for himself with just two published papers, was an extremely dangerous variable to them.

They were wary and tried to keep their distance, but they also clearly recognized his abilities and genius.

“It seems that quite a few of the core development team at headquarters have been influenced by Professor Bylon,” Dante said.

“We are monitoring the progress, but if Professor Bylon intends to present his third paper at this seminar, it will be difficult to ignore the impact.”

“Haha.”

Ikabon chuckled lightly, turning his fiery eyes back.

“That Prescott guy. Don’t let him die easily. Understand?”

“Understood.”

“Once the handover to the new candidate for the advisory board is complete, I will put him into the experiment. Have everything ready by then.”

“There is something I would like to say about the experiment,” Dante said.

“It’s too early. The testbed has just been restored, and if we start the experiment without proper verification, the damage will be too great.”

“It hasn’t even been a few months since we investigated the traces in District 25 and restored the testbed’s records,” Ikabon scoffed at the man’s direct words.

“If we don’t hurry, the Council of Elders will intervene. You’re not saying that because you don’t know that, are you?”

“……”

“Those old hags’ authority is too old, and it’s hard to predict its limits. They know it’s their only lifeline, so they won’t let go until they die.”

Ikabon turned his cold gaze back to the window.

“It would be more constructive to negotiate with the Senate.”

“I will request mediation from the Central Council. If the conditions are right, we can reach a reasonable agreement-”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

Ikabon interrupted the man, his eyes gleaming.

“The Council of Elders thinks that this project is not about interests, but about life. They will not compromise under any circumstances.”

“……”

“But I’m the same. If we can restore the experiment that Kaise Bajur did in District 25, then these disputes will be trivial.”

“Certainly, I believe it is worth that much, but…”

“So, don’t worry about the Council of Elders’ checks and balances, and prepare. For my father’s sake, we have to force our fate.”

Ikabon’s smile, reflected in the glass, twisted ominously.

“I’m only curious about how many times we’ve stood before the project that Kaise left behind.”

* * *

After finishing his deal with Ikabon, Lenok returned to his personal lab with the helmet made by the cult leader.

No matter how he thought about it, this pure white helmet was too conspicuous to leave in Lavatenon’s lab.

It would be better to keep it here safely, even if it took a little longer.

“I wondered why he made something like this using the magic flow reproduction module…” Lenok muttered as he projected the inside of the helmet with an analyzer in the lab.

“It’s actually something that acts like a life support device. This is unexpected.”

Lenok thought that if the cult leader had tried to do what he was trying to do in his paper, the result would be unlikely to be a life support device.

However, after examining the internal structure of the helmet, he found that the information he had confirmed in the Baritz database was not entirely wrong.

“There are parts like respirators inside the helmet. It’s designed to ensure minimal breathing and vision while wearing it.”

Lenok was lost in thought.

“Rather, it’s not a very good piece of armor in terms of protecting the head. It might not have been made for combat.”

[I told you so.]

Dabi climbed onto Lenok’s shoulder as if he had been waiting for this, showing off.

[It’s obvious that it ended up like that because they failed to make a life support device.]

“……”

Dabi was the only being who had witnessed the secrets of the world, including the cult leader, up close with Lenok.

But if Dabi, who was born as a digital spirit, didn’t have any problems even after seeing such secrets and hidden stories right in front of him.

Could it be because Dabi was a creation born from Lenok?

But instead of worrying about Dabi’s existence, Lenok focused on inferring the function of the helmet first.

“Respirator… breathing. Why do you need to breathe using a helmet?”

If it was simply for assisting breathing, there were much simpler and more convenient designs available.

If there was a reason why they designed a life support device to be worn heavily on the head like this.

Should he have brought the corpse that was wearing the helmet as well?

But he had already confirmed that there were no special characteristics on the corpse itself at the scene.

The only thing the cult leader left behind was this helmet. And that was just a byproduct of a failed attempt.

The moment Lenok thought that and was lost in thought.

Dabi picked up the helmet with his front paws and put it over his head.

[It’s heavy.]

“……”

[If I wiggle in a little bit, I think I can get in here and sleep?]

“Don’t wear it for too long. Something might happen.”

He didn’t think that something would happen to Dabi, who was fine even after seeing the cult leader’s traces, but wearing the helmet directly was a different matter.

Lenok thought that as he watched the fox cub struggling with the helmet on.

The way he was hopping around inside the helmet with only his head covered looked quite comical.

The way his head looked strangely enlarged, it was like looking at an astronaut’s helmet-

“…Could it be.”

Lenok’s face hardened as he picked up the helmet and put it on.

Lenok, who had been standing still with the helmet on in front of the fallen Dabi, muttered.

“Right. It wasn’t a device to maintain the cult leader’s own life. That’s why I didn’t know.”

[Master?]

“If it’s something that maximizes the circulation of magic power to survive outside, then… I see… what the cult leader was trying to do was…”

Lenok put down the helmet and immediately removed the respirator part that was built inside.

Lenok, who confirmed that the magic flow reproduction module he wanted was being used as a filter inside, immediately left his personal lab.

“Let’s go back to Lavatenon. I need to finish the prototype and finalize the seminar schedule today.”

Beep beep!!

When he opened his phone, there were dozens of missed calls from the dean.

He must have been summarizing the situation at Baritz and asking for confirmation.

He thought that it would be helpful for the aftermath if he didn’t hide the commotion with Prescott at the studio from the dean.

When he returned to Lavatenon, people were already gathered in Aris’s lab, waiting for Lenok.

Lenok, who entered the lab with his gown, bowed his head to the old man standing at the front.

“Dean.”

“You really can’t stay still for a moment,” the dean said with a sigh as he faced Lenok who had returned to the lab.

“How do you manage to cause such a commotion while wandering around?”

“It wasn’t my intention…”

His face was dark and lifeless, showing how much he had suffered in that short time.

“It’s a good thing it was resolved in the end.”

“…So, what’s the truth?”

Byla, who was with the dean in the lab, asked Lenok bluntly.

The head of the Carlisle Research Institute, and the magician who was temporarily taking over the professorship in place of Aris.

It had already been quite some time since she had been working as both the head and a professor.

Byla looked at Lenok’s face carefully, her eyes sharp.

“I’m curious what kind of deal you made with Baritz to get a sponsorship contract.”

“Not all processes go smoothly,” Lenok said with a wry smile, slightly averting his gaze.

“It’s normal for voices to get louder when negotiating conditions.”

“It seems that these days, young people call it ‘raising their voices’ when they fight until they’re exhausted and pass out.”

[That’s why quick-witted organisms…]

While Dabi was grumbling in his arms, Lenok changed the subject without a care.

“Still, with Baritz’s sponsorship, I think my paper will be completed smoothly. I think I can really focus on the seminar now.”

“Ah, there’s one piece of news I need to tell you about that.”

The dean cleared his throat, looking slightly troubled, and then opened his mouth.

“I gave a heads-up about your seminar presentation and sent an invitation to the Magic Tower, and I received a reply yesterday.”

“…Is that so?”

Lenok had no memory of being involved in the related decision-making, so had Tatiana handled things on her own?

Well, considering the agreement with the Magic Tower, they had to sort out their position on the paper presentation at some point.

“The Magic Tower is concerned about your safety, regardless of the agreement. They say that it’s difficult to guarantee your safety considering the content of your presentation.”

The dean, who was delivering the message, and Byla, who was listening, seemed to agree.

Since there had been a commotion during the short time they were preparing for the seminar, it was not strange that the Magic Tower thought so.

Lenok asked, pretending not to know.

“I don’t know what the purpose of your words is. Do you mean you’re going to send a security detail?”

“No, what they’re proposing is…”

The dean shook his head as if he had a headache.

“They’re asking if it would be okay to hold your seminar presentation at the Magic Tower.”

“……”

Only then did Lenok understand why Jenny and Tatiana had delivered this reply to Lavatenon without his confirmation.

Tatiana, who had directly participated in the agreement, must have recognized that Evan Bylon’s research achievements would be exclusively revealed at the Magic Tower.

Considering that, she must have thought that moving the seminar presentation venue to the Magic Tower was something that didn’t require Ban’s permission.

Looking at Lenok, who was lost in thought, the dean said.

“Didn’t you skip the demonstration of the Department of Elemental Studies’ project during the last agreement? It seems that the Magic Tower wants to deal with what happened then this time.”

“……”

“They also mentioned that Kyeonroe had resolved the rampage of the Department of Necromancy. It seems that they want to take charge of your presentation at the Magic Tower, whether it’s to collect a debt or keep a promise.”

“I see.”

The dean, who didn’t notice Lenok’s perfunctory agreement, muttered as if he was worried.

“It seems that there is a very meticulous staff member among those who assist Kyeonroe. They know the details of what happened back then even better than I do.”

Jenny’s way of calculating profits and losses was flawless even to Lenok, so it was natural that the dean felt that way.

But instead of showing it, Lenok asked the dean.

“What do you think, Dean?”

“Of course, I would like you to present it inside Lavatenon, but…”

The dean groaned and answered with difficulty.

“Considering the situation, I think it’s okay to accept the Magic Tower’s proposal.”

“……”

“Didn’t you present your second paper at the expo? It wouldn’t diminish the meaning if you presented it outside the university.”

It seemed that the dean had already made a decision when he received the Magic Tower’s reply.

“We owe Kyeonroe in many ways during the agreement. If they can be satisfied with this, I want to leave it up to your decision.”

“I see.”

“Ah, of course, if you want to present it at the school, I will respect that decision. I don’t want to go through all the preparations and then have it canceled!”

While the dean was grumbling, Byla, who had been listening to the story quietly next to him, nodded.

“It would be better to present it at the Magic Tower. Don’t listen to Saiolus.”

“Byla! I’m just trying not to force Evan…!!”

“I’ve read the outline of the paper you submitted.”

Byla raised her cold gaze and stared at Lenok.

“It’s full of insane content. You don’t think the reaction around you will be normal after presenting such results, do you?”

“……”

“No one can guarantee what will happen. It would be safer to present your results under Kyeonroe’s protection.”

It might be better to hope that Aris would come back soon… Lenok turned his gaze away, leaving Byla muttering.

The sight of Cassia, who had been quietly listening to the conversation behind Lenok, and the other professors who were lost in thought with a serious look.

The other professors, who had become much closer since the agreement incident, also seemed unable to strongly object to the dean’s decision.

Lenok was lost in thought as he looked at them.

‘I thought it didn’t matter where I presented it…’

Considering the time of the expo, it was unlikely that Lenok’s presentation would not be broadcasted.

Of course, it wasn’t a bad proposal from the perspective of benefiting the Magic Tower, but the location wasn’t necessarily important.

But Lenok changed his mind and nodded.

“Okay. Let’s have the seminar presentation at the Magic Tower.”

Come to think of it, he had never visited the Magic Tower as Evan before.

Under the pretext of preparing for the paper presentation, there was one thing he wanted to take care of inside the Magic Tower.

While Cassia left the lab to send a reply, the dean asked as if he had suddenly remembered something.

“Wouldn’t it be better to postpone the schedule? Considering what you’ve been through, the Magic Tower wouldn’t refuse to postpone the schedule either.”

“Ah, I don’t think there will be any problems with that.”

Lenok said, slowly rummaging through the bag he had brought.

The dean’s eyes gradually widened as he looked at the small tablet he had placed down.

“Wait a minute, could it be…”

“The prototype to be used for the presentation of the third paper. I have finished procuring all the necessary parts for its completion.”

Now that he had confirmed that the module was working properly, all he had to do was copy and mass-produce the parts.

All that was left was to install the system that Lenok had prepared in advance and check if it was working properly.

In the meantime, the necessary procedures would be completed according to the agreement between the Magic Tower and the university, and the time and place would be set.

“All I have to do is make several prototypes before the seminar presentation.”

Lenok smiled.

“Once the presentation is over, I think I’ll want to take a good rest for a while.”

“I’m sorry for putting such a burden on you…”

The dean sighed and gently patted Lenok’s shoulder.

“Go on a trip somewhere after this presentation. I’ll take care of all the remaining procedures here.”

* * *

Time passed quickly, and two more days passed, and it was the last day of Lenok’s set schedule.

Early morning. Kyeonroe’s Magic Tower.

The day of the third paper presentation had arrived.