Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 833

Everyone stared with serious expressions at Lenok’s reply, which was full of strange terms.

[I’ll be back when things get better. Don’t worry. Oh, and could you do some shopping for me?]

“Jenny, think carefully. Has Ban ever praised someone like this or asked for something like this?”

Milla spoke with an expression that seemed almost fearful.

“This is definitely a distress signal to us.”

“……”

“He’s using nonsense like ‘organism’ and stuff. Ban sent us a message that only we can understand.”

Manson, Suren, and Felix, who had come with Dillon, seemed to think similarly, as if they were about to head to Lenok’s mansion right away.

However, Jenny just stared blankly at the message, sighed, and shook her head.

“It’s not a code. I’ve already finished analyzing it.”

“You finished analyzing it?”

“Yeah. I didn’t understand it at all when I received the reply… especially, I called an expert to interpret what this ‘organism’ meant…”

Jenny looked up with an indescribable expression.

“They said it’s just replacing all the words that refer to people with ‘organism’.”

“…What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know.”

Jenny replied indifferently.

“The most likely possibility that comes to mind is that Ban couldn’t reply himself, so he asked someone else to reply for him? And that person uses very strange language.”

“That’s certainly strange…”

Felix, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head with his chin in his hand.

“Why would Ban need to ask someone else to reply in the first place? It’s not like Ban not being reachable is a new thing.”

“Didn’t someone steal his phone?”

“An 8th-level archmage had his phone stolen?”

At that absurd assumption, the others couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Stella, the vice-commander of the Antares Mercenary Group, who had been watching from the side, added.

“If he’s that powerful of a mage, he would have immediately disabled the phone even if it was stolen. The possibility that the reply wasn’t his intention is almost zero.”

“Isn’t the fact that he replied itself more important than the content?”

Tatyana muttered, brushing back her red hair.

“If Ban is thinking of moving after finishing his recovery, it might be related to the recent events.”

“Tatyana, if it’s about recent events…”

“He must have been stimulated by the incidents in Yorta and Machina.”

The group fell silent as they realized what Tatyana was talking about.

Jenny nodded in agreement.

“The City Council’s reaction is also unusual because the big shots of the Underworld and the Order moved at the same time. There are rumors that they are calling in the giants of the surface and offering deals.”

“…Is Ban involved in this incident?”

“To be precise, I think he’s planning to intervene in the City Council’s plans.”

Only after hearing the explanation did the group understand the conclusion she had reached, and they looked back at Jenny with new eyes.

“What, so you knew everything from the beginning and didn’t say a word to us?”

[I thought Ban had gone crazy like other mages. I’m glad it’s not the worst-case scenario.]

“Manson, even when you speak, you have to say it in front of a mage…”

“Well, it’s not wrong.”

Tatyana nodded calmly.

“Mages who have transcended the realm are objects of respect, but they are also unstable beings. It’s not a strange thought. However…”

“However?”

With everyone’s attention on her, Tatyana chuckled.

“If Ban really went crazy, it wouldn’t end with sending such a cute message.”

“……”

The bar fell silent for a moment, as if they were imagining what would happen next.

They knew well what kind of time and experience Lenok had gone through to become the mage he was.

If the worst-case scenario happened and Lenok went mad and became a maniac who destroyed everything around him, who could stop him?

“We might have to worry about the disaster that will happen in Vulcan, not Yorta and Machina…”

“There’s no need to worry. If something happens to Ban, we’ll know it even if we don’t want to.”

Tatyana shook her head, looking at her subtly stiffened colleagues.

“Above all, the guardian spirit is in the Magic Tower. If something happens, that guy will notice it before we do.”

“I don’t know if we can expect anything from a guy who does nothing but eat and sleep all day…”

“Well, then, should we be relieved that he sent a reply?”

“Are we just going to keep waiting for Ban like this?”

“Dillon, I told you earlier. I consulted an expert.”

Jenny, who had been leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, replied with a tired look at Dillon’s words.

“I found someone reliable. That friend will help us.”

“No, who did you consult that you’re dealing with Ban’s problems-”

Click.

At that moment, the space behind Jenny seemed to blur for a moment, and someone lightly landed in that spot.

Black hair that reached her shoulders and faintly glowing green eyes.

A gaze that looked at them calmly while chewing on a handful of celery.

But more impressive than anything else was the transparent presence that was not felt at all, even though she was standing there.

“Agent…”

“I’ve never seen her before. Who is she?”

“Why is this person here?”

“It’s been a while, Hyungung.”

While those who didn’t know her tilted their heads and the mercenaries who recognized her grumbled with wary expressions, Jenny opened her mouth.

“Ivelyn Marcia. A superhuman from the Agent’s Executive Unit, and probably the best archer in this city.”

“……”

“She’s a top-tier agent and a veteran in the field of solo operations, and there’s almost no one who can match her search abilities.”

Although she didn’t say anything, Ivelyn’s shoulders seemed to be subtly raised.

A strange atmosphere where her expressionless face and the bridge of her nose seemed to be slightly raised.

Jenny said mercilessly.

“And now she’s an unemployed person with a lot of free time.”

“…I told you not to say that.”

* * *

Even after regaining consciousness, he couldn’t open his eyes.

A strong sense of fatigue, as if something heavy was covering his face and pressing down on him.

Only the soft touch of the bed was faintly felt on his sweat-soaked back.

He wanted to fall asleep again, but Lenok knew that he had to get up and tidy up his surroundings once he regained consciousness.

He had slept so deeply that he had lost his sense of time, so if he didn’t get up and replenish his nutrients, he might starve to death.

Even if he fell asleep again, he had to replenish his fluids and medicine and rest.

Making the most of his experience of being exhausted and waking up again several times, Lenok brought his hand to his face.

Thud.

Lenok realized that a damp washcloth was covering his face.

[Ah, Master. You’re awake?]

“……”

No wonder something felt strangely heavy on his face; it was because he had a thick towel covering it.

It was absurd that he had mistaken this sensation for fatigue and couldn’t open his eyes.

Lenok, feeling dumbfounded, removed the towel, and saw Davi floating around the bedroom.

He was moving his tail to operate several electronic devices at the same time, and rolling around while touching his phone.

Lenok unconsciously raised his hand while looking at him, but frowned at the stinging sensation.

Lenok stared blankly at the IV drip inserted into his arm and asked.

“…Did you do this?”

[It was in the emergency kit I ordered from the auction. I thought it would help, so I put it on.]

“……”

Certainly, his condition seemed a little better than when he returned to Vulcan.

Whether it was because he had relieved some of his fatigue by sleeping for a long time, or because of the IV drip, he didn’t know.

“Hoo…”

He struggled to get out of bed and poured water into a water bottle next to him.

He drank several glasses of water and leaned against the bed, staring blankly out the window.

It was dawn when he fell asleep, but the sun was still shining outside when he woke up.

He couldn’t have woken up in half a day, so he must have slept for more than a full day.

Lenok stared at the daytime street outside the window for a long time before getting up.

He took the medicine he had left in the kitchen in order, and took out the undiluted elixir he had stored in the refrigerator and drank it.

Feeling his head clear up to some extent, he immediately put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

Lenok sat on the sofa, smoking a cigarette, and nodded with satisfaction.

“Ah… I feel a little better now. I’ve been holding back for too long.”

If there was one thing that was unsatisfactory when he was working under the identity of Victor, it was that it was difficult to smoke a cigarette because he was wearing a mask.

[Don’t you think you should rest a little more?]

Davi, who had floated over his head, landed on Lenok’s lap and asked.

[You usually need to rest for more than a month to show any signs of improvement.]

“That’s right.”

Lenok calmly agreed.

Having returned from Yorta after engaging in more hand-to-hand combat than ever before, there was actually not a single part of his body that was unscathed.

Most of the shields, built-in protective gear, and disposable barrier spells that he had layered in advance were broken or consumed and were no longer there.

His bones were broken, his muscles were torn, and bruises were still visible on his skin.

However, there was a reason why Lenok was able to get up and move, even with difficulty.

“The power of the sanctuary that Kashuin unfolded was much stronger than I thought. Thanks to that, my physical recovery is strangely fast…”

The fierce battle he had with Dora while imitating the warrior’s power, and the desperate fight he had to survive against the Kraken.

He had been beaten relentlessly and his whole body was broken, but the power of the sanctuary left by the archangel had considerably restored Lenok’s body.

The power he had drawn out by stimulating Kashuin with the authority of the priestess that Seina had given him suited Lenok’s body better than expected.

And the fact that Kashuin’s sanctuary was much more effective for Lenok than he had thought was probably because of the failed god he served.

Lenok was well aware of this fact, so he couldn’t be happy with the rapid recovery speed.

The more the power and will of the cult leader suited Lenok’s body, the more evidence there was that Lenok was getting closer to the cult leader.

That was not what Lenok wanted.

Squeeze…!!

Lenok lightly twisted his wrist and grabbed his forearm, muttering.

“…I need to buy some food.”

He had been away from the mansion for a long time, so there was almost nothing edible in the refrigerator.

He had stockpiled mountains of elixirs and various medicines and nutritional supplements, but most of the food did not have a long shelf life.

He went to a nearby mart and bought vegetables and other ingredients that would not be hard on his digestion.

The weather was so warm that even though he was only wearing a shirt, sweat was dripping down his face.

“Hoo…”

Just walking for a moment made his body heat up, and he became so dizzy that it was hard to walk.

He had gone out because he thought he was fine to move, but his condition seemed to have worsened in the meantime.

If he didn’t support his body with magic, Lenok’s body was so vulnerable and defenseless.

Realizing the weight of the penalty again, he sat on a bench hidden in the shade of a nearby tree.

He quietly caught his breath and looked up at the street where people were coming and going.

All sorts of airships floating between buildings and the flashing billboards that shone brightly between them.

Even the billboards attached to the sides of the airships, showing all sorts of advertisements, made Lenok unconsciously mutter.

“Did I make the anti-gravity engine for nothing?”

[Master. What are you talking about now?]

If there is technological advancement, there are also side effects.

If it was a billboard that properly paid the royalties for the anti-gravity engine, there was no reason to touch it.

However, it was undeniable that it made this already chaotic city look even more bustling.

Somehow, when he declared that he would create a skyway in the sky of Vulcan, he seemed to have dreamed of a future that was a little more grand than this…

Thud!!

At that moment, as Lenok was about to get up from the bench.

Someone leaned against the bench next to him.

A young woman who looked to be about his age. She didn’t even pay attention to Lenok sitting next to her, and was busy operating the device she had taken out.

Lenok, who had been looking at her unconsciously, realized that the device in the woman’s hand was very familiar.

The public magic that was the subject of his third thesis, and the learning device that chanted public magic instead.

The learning device that Lenok had announced and distributed at the Magic Tower was now in the hands of a passing citizen.

“……”

He tried not to show it, but he could feel his gaze constantly drawn to it.

Come to think of it, he had left for Yorta right after announcing his third thesis, so he hadn’t properly checked how public magic would be received.

Lenok was also very interested in what kind of repercussions his thesis or research results would cause.

Of course, when he was working under the identity of Evan Bailon, he tried not to show it, but now there was no reason to pretend.

He squinted and glared, trying to check the contents of the device with his not-so-good eyesight.

“…?”

However, the woman sitting next to Lenok seemed to have taken that reaction a little differently.

She glared at him with a displeased look and subtly covered the device.

Lenok had a hunch that he was about to be misunderstood, so he hurriedly opened his mouth.

“That device seems to be popular these days.”

“……”

Lenok, who had cleared his throat at the cold silence that returned, subtly turned his gaze and said.

“Do other people use that device a lot?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The woman replied with a wary look.

“There’s no one in Vulcan who doesn’t know about the public magic learning device.”

“……”

Lenok, realizing that he had chosen the wrong answer, immediately took out another method.

“Actually, I recently got one of these myself.”

He had taken out the same learning device as the woman from his pocket as if it was nothing.

It was fortunate that one of the samples he had kept when he announced his thesis was still left.

“I’m not sure how to use it…”

“Ah, is that so?”

The woman’s expression brightened slightly at the sight of Lenok clumsily tapping the learning device on his lap.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you show me how to use the learning device?”

“Well, if it’s just that…”

The woman nodded as if she finally understood.

“Since the Bailon Research Institute was established, a lot of research has been done on how to use the learning device. You might not know it well.”

“That’s right. The Bailon Research Institute is giving us all sorts of help, so…”

Lenok’s words, which had been agreeing without any soul, stopped abruptly.

“…Which research institute are you talking about?”

“Huh? Of course, I’m talking about the research institute where Professor Bailon is the director.”

“……”

“The City Council gave a commendation and even made a public announcement… haven’t you heard of it?”

It seemed that while Lenok was away, a research institute had been completed, and he had missed something very important.