Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 855

Takeover (24)

Lavatenon Magic University, Department of Elemental Studies lecture hall.

From early morning, undergraduates and reporters were engaged in a war of nerves, all trying to check the notices posted in the lecture hall.

They were likely trying to confirm whether Evan Bylon, who had returned to the university after several months, would officially participate in lectures starting today.

However, instead of paying attention to the commotion outside, Lenok was sitting in a corner of the lab, leisurely watching the news.

[The Bylon Research Institute, established directly under the Central Council, is scheduled for a major reorganization.]

[The research institute states that it is a planned schedule, not due to the explosion accident a few days ago, but…]

[Feeling the lack of infrastructure prepared for common magic research, to focus purely on research…]

[Dr. Mav Raphael, renowned in academia for his parallel theory, is the first to join the research institute-]

“I’m sorry to bring you unpleasant news first, after visiting the school after so long.”

Thump!!

While Cassia placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Lenok, the Dean, Saiolus, spoke.

The Dean, stroking his white beard, sat opposite him and turned his gaze to the screen.

A bitter smile appeared on the old man’s face as he looked at the sensational news headlines surrounding the research institute.

“I never thought they would use your name without permission. When I checked through a council member I knew, it was already too late. It’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, Dean.”

Lenok replied, picking up his coffee cup.

“I also don’t share all the agreements I made with the Magic Tower with the university. It wouldn’t be strange to assume that it was agreed upon.”

“You cut off contact and went into hiding as soon as you published your third paper, so who would know?”

Cassia grumbled, standing with her coffee cup in hand.

“It’s good to focus on research, but if you don’t keep in touch, you’ll be taken advantage of like this.”

“Cassia.”

“Did I say something wrong?”

Even with the Dean’s stern voice, Cassia only glanced at Lenok and didn’t stop.

“I know you want to open up the papers you’ve published so far for use across the industry, but you can’t control it at all just by receiving royalties. This is something that can never be resolved unless the person in question takes action.”

“……”

“In the first place, would the current research institute’s issue have become such a hot topic if it weren’t for the explosion a few days ago?”

Cassia pointed at the screen.

“After the explosion, the council’s handling of things became strangely fast, so it was resolved, but if we can’t contact Evan, there’s nothing we can do.”

“That’s right.”

Lenok smiled and nodded.

“It’s something I need to manage carefully. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

“……I didn’t say that to hear an apology, it’s just too bad that a good paper is losing its shine.”

Cassia, realizing she was agitated, looked away awkwardly, and the Dean shook his head.

“The good thing is that the city council’s attitude has changed very favorably. I suspect something happened during the explosion… The benefits you’ll receive will be the highest ever given to researchers in Balkan.”

“I heard that they will give me a list of the council members who proposed and implemented the agenda later.”

Lenok agreed with the Dean’s words.

“We can’t completely trust the Central Council, but this will be enough for now.”

“……”

Then, the Dean and Cassia exchanged glances with strange expressions.

Cassia, who was subtly watching Lenok and clearing her throat, asked, pretending not to notice.

“Ahem, so what are you going to do about that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The research institute. The Bylon Research Institute.”

A hint of anxiety appeared on Cassia’s face.

“Are you thinking of leaving the school and going to that research institute?”

“……”

“Well, it’s not like I’m going to stop you. It’s natural to move in a direction that helps your research, and the Carlyle Research Institute will be more motivated-”

“I was offered the position of director at the research institute.”

At Lenok’s words, the Dean and Cassia flinched.

They tried not to show it, but they couldn’t hide their agitation.

“They said they are willing to provide an improved research environment for the distribution and expansion of the common magic system.”

“W-well, that’s good.”

The Dean stammered and nodded.

He brought the coffee cup to his lips with a calm expression.

“Although there was an unfortunate incident, the facilities and personnel are among the best of the research institutions directly under the city council. I am willing to send you to a better place for your future, even if it means leaving Lavatenon.”

“For someone who says that, your hands are shaking quite a bit.”

“It’s just tremors. You’ll be like this when you get old.”

“Is that what a 7th-level Saint-rank mage says?”

The coffee in the Dean’s hand was shaking so much that it was about to spill out of the cup.

Lenok watched the scene and shook his head.

“Even if I accept the position of director, I won’t leave the school. I’ll have to discuss the contract terms so that it can be at least a concurrent position.”

The Dean’s face brightened.

“Is that so?”

“Dean, please……”

The Dean’s voice was so excited that Cassia was horrified and tried to stop him.

Lenok smiled and replied.

“The undergraduates I was teaching are still at the school, and lecturing is quite helpful. I’m sorry that I can’t pay much attention to them……”

“As long as you stay at the school, what does it matter? Even if you give a lecture once a year, everyone will welcome it.”

The Dean banged the table hard.

“If you want, I can even create a new department centered around you. No, considering the existence of the common magic system, it should be done. I’ll tell the administration right away!!”

“No, not that far……”

Lenok smiled awkwardly.

It was not impossible to understand the Dean’s attitude of actively trying to recruit Lenok.

Just as it is difficult to be both an excellent scholar and a teacher, it is rare to find a resource that consistently produces results while also being able to communicate smoothly.

As the person responsible for managing and operating this educational institution, the Dean would feel Lenok’s presence to be that much more valuable.

Nevertheless, since the Dean owed Lenok his life during the incident at the Strange God Palace, he couldn’t treat him too comfortably as the Dean.

However, Lenok’s reason for not wanting to leave the school was not just for that reason.

“Because there is someone who brought me, who had nothing, and made a place for me at this school.”

Lenok smiled.

“I plan to stay in the Department of Elemental Studies until that person returns.”

“……”

The moment they heard those words, Cassia and the Dean’s expressions clouded over at the same time.

“Evan. Professor Richelieu is now……”

“I need to make this clear.”

The Dean, with a serious expression, clasped his hands together, his eyes sinking deeply.

“We are constantly communicating with the Sinclair Magic Tower, but the only answer we get is that Aris’s sabbatical is extended at her own will.”

“……”

“I’m not doubting Aris’s character, but she might have changed her mind… Are you still okay with that?”

“I’m okay.”

Lenok said, reaching into his pocket without thinking.

Feeling the cold touch of the elixir with his fingertips, Lenok replied.

“Because I think I know why she doesn’t want to come back.”

“……”

“In fact, I still think it’s meaningless, but I think that the meaning gained by doing so is also likely to be futile……”

Nevertheless, Lenok had to respect Aris’s decision.

Regardless of what Lenok thought, Lenok’s answer alone would not be right.

Because he believed that there was some meaning in the results that Aris Richelieu was researching and trying to obtain.

If he didn’t acknowledge that, even the moment he understood her decision and let her go would become a lie.

The Dean looked at Lenok’s face with a somewhat sad expression, then forced himself to cheer up and jumped up from his seat.

“Okay. I have a gift for you, for being patient and waiting.”

“A gift?”

“It’s something that hasn’t been heard from for as long as the professor you’re eagerly waiting for.”

“That’s a strangely unpleasant explanation.”

“Hehe, did you notice?”

The Dean, letting out a sinister laugh, slowly approached Lenok, hiding something behind his back.

The Dean, walking with his toes pointed like an old beast hunting its prey, turned his arm and forcefully placed something in front of Lenok.

“Here, take a look at this!!”

Thump!!

A large frame that covered half of the Dean’s body.

A certificate with golden decorations and elegant handwriting was placed inside the frame.

Lenok smiled as he read the contents of the certificate.

“A certificate of completion for the integrated master’s and doctoral program. Has it finally been decided?”

“Actually, it should have been done a long time ago. The internal review was finished a long time ago, but it was delayed because the Central Council intervened and reviewed it.”

The Dean shouted, excitedly tapping the frame.

“I originally wanted to give it to you right after you published your paper… But it’s a good thing that you’ve been certified by the council, so you’ll receive the same treatment in other cities.”

“I didn’t know they gave out certificates like this.”

“I made it specially at your request.”

The Dean, with a proud smile, patted Lenok on the shoulder.

“Now you are a graduate with a doctoral degree certified by the city council, and a full-time professor at our Lavatenon Magic University.”

“……”

A doctoral degree and a full-time professor.

Only then did Lenok look at the certificate the Dean had placed with a new perspective.

Since the announcement of the common magic, he had been called a professor in a half-hearted way, but strictly speaking, it was not an official position.

The fact that he was now receiving it in a complete way was quite moving.

The 8th-level rank. The realm of the Archmage. The kaleidoscope of the mind and the blood-stained path of fortitude.

Compared to the fame and power Lenok had gained so far, it might pale in comparison,

But this was proof that Lenok had done his best to live in a different direction than killing and fighting.

Just as much as the time he had spent fighting with his life on the line, the time he had spent sitting in the lab researching magic also had meaning.

Thinking about that, Lenok picked up the certificate with a soft smile.

“Thank you.”

“That’s what I should be saying. Thank you for your dedication to the school so far.”

The Dean said, wiping his eyes as if he was slightly choked up.

“As I get older, why does seeing my students climb the ladder move me so much……”

Lenok became serious.

“I didn’t climb the ladder. Your metaphor is wrong.”

“Was that something you had to correct so firmly……?”

Cassia retorted, looking dumbfounded, but smiled at the happy Dean.

“I’ll go get Director Vaila. She said she’d prepare some drinks to celebrate Evan’s appointment as a professor.”

“Ah, I have a precious liquor that I only bring out on days like this. It’s a poison liquor made by soaking basilisk fangs in it, and it’s rumored that even if three people drink it, four might die—”

“Why haven’t you thrown that away yet?!”

[Boo, boooo~]

Cassia shrieked in horror, and the fluffy spirit, who had been sleeping soundly, woke up and rubbed against Lenok’s leg.

[……Hmm. Hmmm~]

Lenok smiled and stroked Davi as the brain spirit wriggled uncomfortably in his arms.

“It’s been months since we’ve seen each other, can’t you at least say hello?”

[……It’s not like I’m ignoring him. We’re on different starting lines to begin with.]

Davi scoffed.

Even in Lenok’s cramped arms, he proudly puffed out his chest and shouted.

[While that guy was lazing around at school, making snot bubbles and sleeping, I’ve already grown six tails and am growing day by day—]

“Okay, I get it.”

Lenok, who had gotten up while patting Davi’s snout, immediately put on his coat and grabbed the doorknob.

The Dean and Cassia, who had been having a heated debate about how many times to dilute the basilisk’s venom with alcohol to make it less than lethal, immediately turned their heads.

“Evan? Where are you going?”

“Weren’t we supposed to have a drink together?”

“I’m sorry, but since I’m out for the first time in a while, I’m planning to take care of some things beforehand.”

Lenok, wearing his coat, smiled and slightly bowed his head.

“Now that I’ve obtained my doctorate, it would be easier to also sort out the city council’s proposal.”

“……The city council’s proposal, you mean.”

“Yes.”

Lenok, who had grabbed the doorknob, immediately turned his back on the lab and answered.

“The position of director of the Vileon Research Institute. There’s no need to refuse what they’re offering.”

Thud!

Behind the firmly closed door, the Dean and Cassia stared blankly at each other.

“Huh?”

“……Wasn’t the atmosphere quite warm just a moment ago?”

* * *

Flash! Flash! Flash!

The camera flashes burst out loudly.

The overlapping shutter sounds, like a machine gun, were deafening.

White Stone National Park, located between districts 35 and 36.

In the middle of a quiet mountain path where there were usually few people, hundreds of reporters were camped out, capturing a single person’s hike on camera.

“Professor Vileon!!”

“Professor, please turn this way just once!”

“Congratulations on officially obtaining your doctorate!!”

“If you have anything to say about this incident, we can put it on the front page with an exclusive interview—”

“…….”

Bodyguards quickly blocked the reporters who were holding out recorders to capture even a single word from Lenok.

Lenok walked through the bodyguards without a word, his face expressionless.

His walk up the path to the research institute was so calm and still that it didn’t feel like he had any vitality.

The reporters whispered, observing Lenok’s reaction.

“His eyes are unfocused. He looks exhausted.”

“They said he was crazy about research, and it seems like he’s not in his right mind.”

“There’s a reason why the city council was looking for that professor. Isn’t he the workaholic that the council members like the most?”

“Was he working on public magic research? If we knew if new magic was added to the learning device, the views would explode.”

At the newly renovated and splendid main gate of the research institute, more than a dozen researchers were already out to greet Lenok.

A middle-aged man standing at the front strode forward and grabbed Lenok’s hand.

“P-Professor Vileon.”

Rafael said, unable to hide his excitement, puffing out his breath.

“I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for Professor Vileon. I really welcome you.”

“…….”

Evan, who had been looking at him with an expressionless face, suddenly put on a soft smile.

“It’s nice to meet you, Professor Rafael.”

“Y-you know me?!”

In response to Rafael’s expectant reply, Evan gently shook the hand he was holding as if shaking hands.

“I was deeply impressed by your theory of parallel arrangement of magical particles. It was impressive how you considered versatility so that it could be considered in various fields, even though it contradicts existing magic theories.”

“H-huh……!! H-how did you know that!”

“I thought that what I felt when I wrote my thesis was probably what you felt as well.”

Evan smiled as he watched Rafael nod his head as if he was about to pass out.

“I’m glad you took over the research institute on my behalf. I think there’s a lot we can learn from each other.”

“I-I wanted to say that myself. How do you know my feelings so well……!!”

Hayward watched in shock as Rafael’s favor for Evan reached its peak after just a few words.

However, Rafael didn’t care about the reactions around him at all, and after grabbing Evan’s shoulder tightly, he immediately began to guide him into the research institute.

“I’ve already become completely immersed in this project while familiarizing myself with the research achievements of the Vileon Research Institute for you. I’ll introduce it to you right now!!”

“I’m honored.”

“The public magic system is a really great achievement. If I could, I’d like to stay here for years and work on our research together—!!”

Scores of researchers, hundreds of reporters, and a similar number of onlookers poured into the research institute like a tide.

In the center of it all, Rafael, who was talking to his heart’s content with joy, and Evan Vileon, who was constantly smiling softly while listening to him.

“That’s good.”

And Lenok was sitting on the edge of a rock dozens of meters away from the research institute, watching the scene of the research institute.

A quiet figure wearing a black cardigan, with a cigarette in his mouth, sitting with his cane.

However, the eyes that flashed between his hair were deeply focused, as if watching from a distance.

“The operation of the doppelganger using the avatar is much more stable than I thought.”

Lenok muttered, watching Evan, who was starting to tour the research institute with Rafael from afar.

“It’s not difficult to make him imitate Evan Vileon, and if I practice a little more, maybe even Victor will be possible.”

[If you imitate the masked man, other organisms will be very surprised.]

“That’s your favorite thing to do.”

Davi, who had been thinking deeply, agreed.

[Come to think of it, it sounds fun!]

“……Anyway, it’s important to distribute magic power and divide the pattern to project it simultaneously. This will require constant practice.”

With that, Lenok closed one eye and began to concentrate on manipulating the avatar.

“For now, the most urgent thing is to stabilize the avatar and see how far away I can operate it smoothly.”

The stabilization research log of the natural formula that he had obtained from Rafael during the research institute attack.

Lenok, who had learned the trick of stabilizing the formula by observing both its inside and outside simultaneously, immediately understood that it was a trick that could be easily applied to the avatar.

After all, in most cases when Lenok manipulates the avatar, he is directly observing the avatar from the outside.

What was needed was to insert a new clairvoyance formula for observation inside the avatar and to fix the shape by observing both the outside and the inside at the same time.

By doing this, the avatar, whose existence had become infinitely unstable due to the apostleization of Gwangramuhaegung [a powerful magical entity or phenomenon], could be manipulated and shaped in a relatively stable state.

Lenok had disguised the stabilized avatar as Evan and immediately sent it out to the research institute visit schedule in his place.

“50, 75, 63, 82. Stop.”

The expression of Evan, who had been moving naturally, slightly stiffened the moment he crossed a certain distance.

Lenok, who had immediately stopped Evan’s avatar, pulled up his magic power, and only then did the doppelganger begin to move smoothly again.

“The manipulation of the avatar starts to become stiff at the point of exceeding approximately 81m.”

Davi diligently wrote down Lenok’s muttering on the electronic screen in his arms.

“Magic consumption increases exponentially every 7.334m, and the shaking of the avatar stabilized by the natural formula becomes stronger. It gets better if I project that much magic power, but the loss during the transmission process is also severe.”

If it were magic that Lenok himself chanted and used, it would be impossible for magic consumption to occur in this way.

However, the avatar is not Lenok himself, but a formula life form created by forcibly awakening another ego.

Moreover, Lenok’s avatar is not Lenok’s own ego, but an existence created based on the martial artist of the old world.

No matter how precisely and delicately Lenok transmits magic power to the avatar, it is meaningless if the avatar cannot receive it.

“102. 121. 156. Wrong. Once it exceeds 150m, it’s practically uncontrollable.”

Lenok clicked his tongue in annoyance and muttered, tapping his cane.

“It seems that the martial artist of the 1st world was not that good at magic recognition itself. The yield is lower than I thought.”

[Shall we move?]

“No, if we go any further from here, we might be detected by the research institute’s security system. It’s better to be careful for now.”

Since it was the first time he was manipulating the avatar among so many people, Lenok also needed to be cautious.

In the worst case, he had to prevent the fact that Lenok was manipulating Evan Vileon from being exposed.

At that moment, as Lenok was thinking that and paying close attention to the surrounding signs and changes in magic power.

Whoosh!!

He felt a hot wind blowing in his ear.

A strange movement that was like a hot wind that had raised its temperature, yet seemed to be trying to take shape and will.

The moment Lenok recognized it and sharply lowered his gaze.

Crack!

The pile of dirt under his feet stirred, and a corpse popped out and threw its head back.

“Ah, ah…….”

The corpse, with only its upper body out of the pile of dirt, made a strange moan as if it was adjusting its vocal cords.

“Aaaaaa- ah, can you hear me?”

The corpse, which had instantly adjusted its pitch and spat out words, looked at Lenok from below the rock.

A face so rotten that it was difficult to read its expression. A corpse that had died so long ago that its eyeballs were not properly attached.

Before Lenok could say anything, the corpse first uttered a brief impression.

“Impressive.”

“…….”

A low chuckle flowed from the throat of the corpse, which had tilted its head with one hand on its chin.

“It’s quite different from the rumors I’ve heard that the great mage who rules the shadows of Vulcan [a reference to Lenok’s power or title] is putting so much effort into the actions of just one human.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who has to borrow someone else’s mouth to even introduce themselves.”

Lenok’s eyes flashed coldly.

“Necromancer. Do you have business with me?”

A high-level formula to move a corpse as a messenger.

Moreover, if it was a system that could be cast from a distance so far that even Lenok had difficulty locating it, there was only one.

Necromancy, where the entire formula system works on dead bodies. And it would be a practitioner of Saint-level or higher who has completed the hierarchy and handles corpse manipulation without being bound by distance.

“Don’t glare at me like that. I’m just a messenger. Especially in this case.”

The corpse laughed in a sticky, clinging tone.

“Many people are very interested in your involvement in the city council’s affairs this time. To be precise, they are impressed by your way of handling things.”

“Make it short.”

As Lenok turned his gaze to the research institute landscape in the distance, the corpse shrugged.

“Okay. There’s going to be a meeting between level 8 extreme ability users, are you interested?”

“…….”

Lenok’s gaze turned back to the corpse.