Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 82

“……”

“Everyone knows how valuable a skilled mage without ties is.”

Dustin’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Of course.”

It was already widely rumored among the corporations how much profit the Dyke Corporation stood to gain from this, and the power of the mage at the center of it all.

To them, who were more sensitive to the word ‘profit’ than anything else, the market that Dyke had opened up looked like a perfect new continent ripe for exploitation.

“At the very least, we’ve received confirmation that other companies won’t be able to interfere until the city government’s direct inspection is over. During that time, we need to focus on solidifying and maintaining the sales network for the weapons we produce.”

And the name of the powerful mage who accomplished all of this would be a great asset to their plans.

The result of a grand lobbying effort spanning the political and business circles.

It was only a temporary advantage, but for large corporations like them, it was undoubtedly an opportunity worth sacrificing everything for.

“He also knows that one more favor remains.”

A collaboration built on a promise of five cooperations.

They had worked together on three operations, and Dustin had personally eliminated one, so only one remained.

This promise shouldn’t be used simply to tie him down, but as an opportunity to build a stronger relationship.

“Let’s take our time and put in the effort slowly. If we have the contact information of that broker… an opportunity will come eventually.”

#

“A closed world, you say?”

Aris replied.

The fifth meeting. Always the same spot in the same library.

The amount of sunlight that gradually soaked the edge of the glass table was now becoming familiar.

Of course, the relationship between the two had undergone considerable changes in the meantime.

“While studying alone, it’s something that’s occasionally mentioned. I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

Lennox no longer hesitated much when asking about curious magical theories, and he became even more proactive when faced with theories that didn’t match his own experiences.

Aris still didn’t give him specific teachings, but she continued to stay by his side, listening to Lennox’s words and confirming whether they were right or wrong.

And with just that, Lennox’s magical skills were rapidly improving.

Her help was significant in the process of making the enchantment magic on the artifact his own.

Ideally, he wanted to meet after reading Eden’s research journal, but… he had something he needed to ask her before that, so he couldn’t help it.

However, Aris’s expression after hearing Lennox’s words was a little sharper than usual.

“I don’t know who you heard that from, but it’s best not to take too much interest in it.”

“……Huh?”

This was the first time Aris had reacted this way to Lennox’s words.

Naturally, Lennox couldn’t help but pause.

Perhaps feeling that a simple warning was not enough, Aris hesitated before beginning to speak in earnest.

“It’s one of the very old hypotheses that is occasionally mentioned among high-ranking mages.”

With the development of magic, all the changes that could happen in this world were over.

This unconventional and bold idea that someone had proposed spread quickly among mages, and at one time, it was even accepted as if it were the truth.

“Multifaceted and concrete contemplation on order and chaos, the distinction and understanding of good and evil. The sense of skepticism that the end of the world was already determined was a very novel theory in that era.”

“……”

That was the same for Lennox.

Ever since he heard those words from Cheon-gyeon, he still couldn’t forget that term, and he was searching for clues like this.

However, Aris continued, as if there was no need to worry any further.

“And it was a hypothesis that was perfect for creating extremists.”

What could be done to confirm if the changes were truly over?

The conclusion reached by those who were obsessed with such compulsions was generally the same.

“It was only after an entire country was completely destroyed that the hypothesis was proven to be just a hypothesis, and now it remains as a secret history that people are reluctant to even mention, just floating around as rumors.”

Just like you asked me now, Aris finished her words and looked at his expression.

As if trying to gauge his thoughts.

“……”

A hypothesis. A hypothesis, huh….

But Lennox didn’t pick up that story from the mouth of some unknown person.

If it was the last words left by Cheon-gyeon Madrea Palsier before his death, it seemed unlikely that it was completely unfounded.

What would the scenery of the world look like in the eyes of the Ascended [a term for mages who have reached a higher level of power], who could see the furthest?

Aris might have wanted to warn Lennox not to chase after illusions, but conversely, Lennox had solidified a certain conviction after hearing those words.

‘…I need to investigate the black mages.’

He still hadn’t forgotten the words left by the black mage of Bokmajeon [a black magic organization] he had encountered at the power plant.

If he was a mage of that caliber, he must be a significant figure even within the black magic circles.

If so, there was a high possibility that someone would know about that strange desire for a closed world.

‘Besides, the factory where I first opened my eyes….’

If you think about it, wasn’t that a place where they traded items used by black mages?

The thought that the secret might be hidden there naturally made Lennox’s eyes narrow.

“Are you going to keep being so serious?”

“……..”

Aris’s voice, asking with a bewildered expression, echoed emptily in the 8th floor of the library where only the two of them remained.

#

After his appointment with Aris, on his way back home.

Lennox, lost in thought, arrived at his studio apartment and stopped abruptly as he was about to grab the doorknob.

“……”

There were traces of someone trying to break through the security magic.

The vigilance that had been loosely relaxed in his mind shot up to the maximum at once.

He slowly released his hand from the doorknob and quickly scanned his surroundings.

Upon closer inspection, there were faint drops of blood splattered on the doorknob as well. It seemed that someone had tried to break in and got a painful taste of the bolt magic he had set up.

It didn’t seem like they had even broken through the weakest part of the barrier Lennox had set up, but there were still people trying to rob his house.

Considering the rent, the security wasn’t great after all.

*Wooong!*

Slowly drawing up his magic power, he spread it out in all directions at once, centering on his studio apartment.

The search radius was 2km. If the thief was still in this area, it was possible to identify the culprit at once by comparing it with the bloodstains left here.

[Bloody Chase]

He used the magic he would only use when tracking down a wanted criminal, with his senses covering all directions. The bloodstains on the doorknob turned into a small thread and raised its head.

It immediately pointed in a direction. Where is it?

Lennox slowly turned his head, following the direction indicated by the red thread.

3rd floor. The thread was wriggling towards his neighbor’s house, located right next to his.

It even rubbed its head against the door gap before slipping inside.

Beyond the solid iron door, boisterous laughter leaked out, echoing through the empty hallway.

“……”

There was nothing more to see.

The only way to respond to noise between floors was with even louder noise.

*Kwaaaang!!*

“Uwaaaak!!”

The reaction came immediately after he politely knocked on the door a few times with simple impact magic.

The door burst open, and Lennox frowned at the thick cigarette smoke flowing out of the room.

Even though he was fine with the smell of his own tobacco, he couldn’t help but frown at the smell of other people’s.

Lennox, who had completely mastered the irony of a smoker, created a gust of wind with his magic power and pushed all the smoke back into the room.

There were boisterous shouts, and then someone appeared from inside the room.

A huge figure that seemed to be at least two heads taller than Lennox.

His face was full of rough scars and a beard, and his eyes were overflowing with murderous intent.

“You little punk… where did you learn to knock on someone else’s door like that in the middle of the night?”

Lennox ignored the man’s words and immediately looked down at his hand.

As expected. Seeing that he had bandages wrapped around his thumb and index finger, it must not have been a minor injury.

It seemed that the man was quite sturdy among the thugs, considering that he only suffered a slight hand injury even after being hit by bolt magic, but it didn’t make much of a difference to Lennox.

The man also seemed to have realized that Lennox was the owner of the neighboring house, and quickly scanned his appearance up and down.

A skinny body in a white shirt. A small sneer appeared on the man’s face as he checked the bag slung over his back and the revolver hanging from his waist.

“Heh heh… there’s always one of them everywhere. Those stupid bastards who don’t know their place and get beaten to death.”

“That doesn’t make much sense.”

Lennox replied calmly.

“Wouldn’t that be more fitting for a moron who tried to break into someone else’s house and got bloodied?”

“What?”

“I guess you don’t understand.”

*Fzzzt…!!*

Lennox smiled, raising a blue current between his five fingers.

“That’s not what I want to hear from a thief.”

The giant’s face turned pale as he confirmed the existence of obvious magic in front of him.

“Ughghghghgh!!!”

A bizarre scream, as his tongue was paralyzed, filled the hallway lined with studio apartments.

“Jason!!”

“Sh, shit, what is it!!”

“Who the hell is making this ruckus!”

Lennox sighed deeply as he saw the giants with similar builds to the man, rushing out of the studio apartment.

It seemed that he had something to do tonight for the peaceful sleep of his neighbors.

#

Sometimes, one action is more effective than a hundred words.

It took less than three minutes to lay out the man’s friends who had rushed out, next to the stairs, and to punish this thief who had knocked on his door last.

Since he had cast soundproofing magic beforehand, there was no need to worry about the commotion in the middle of the day leaking out to other places.

Lennox asked, clicking the switch of the cutter he was holding.

“What did I just say?”

“You said you would cut off my wrist if I tried to steal again!”

The man’s appearance, with his limbs pressed tightly to the ground and shouting at the top of his lungs, was quite impressive.

The murderous intent he had shown towards Lennox just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen, and large beads of sweat were streaming down his wrinkled forehead.

As expected of a guy who rolls around in the back alleys, he was desperate to follow orders.

The thug had given up on everything from the moment Lennox emitted electricity between his fingers and was just waiting for this time to pass.

Lennox brought his fist to the lower side of the man’s head and slowly spread his two fingers, saying,

“Okay, I’ll cut off your wrist and then I’ll even stop the bleeding myself, so don’t worry. Got it?”

*Fzzzt…!!*

The man’s eyes were instantly filled with fear as he brought the current rising between his two fingers right up to his chin.

It wouldn’t be bad to thoroughly engrave the pain here, but… Lennox cut off his magic power and got up from his seat.

He had taken too much time unnecessarily.

Since he had gone outside with his already aching body, he needed to lie down and rest for a while.

After giving the man one last warning, Lennox glared at the coldly sprawled-out bodies of the man’s friends and went straight into his studio apartment.

When he spread his magic power to check the outside situation, he could see the man moving his friends into the studio apartment while trembling.

He caught the sound of him muttering blankly beyond the door.

[Sh, shit… a psychic… I messed up, I’m screwed….]

He seemed to have completely misunderstood just by seeing him use electricity, but it wasn’t bad that he was mistaken like that.

Only then did Lennox relax his vigilance to some extent and head to the bathroom.

‘…Should I have been more thorough?’

Was he too lenient with the thief who tried to rob his house?

Lennox pondered for a moment while showering, but then shook his head.

Unless it was a situation where he had to fight for his life, he didn’t want to see blood even on his way back home.

Responding decisively to the challenges he faced was different from being simply cruel.