Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 887

“Chairman, please reconsider.”

Thump!!

Vergil’s thick fist slammed heavily onto the office floor, causing the solid wood to splinter and cave in.

Ignoring the grimace on the chief secretary’s face, Vergil spoke while kneeling.

“If we withdraw the execution squad now, it would be worse than not starting at all. It would shatter the trust we’ve maintained with Kyun-ryeo-”

[Vergil.]

From behind the swaying transparent veil, Oliviera gestured languidly.

[I’ve already made my decision.]

A brilliant rainbow-colored light flashed, pressing down on the space of the office.

Kiiing……!!

“Huk……!!”

The chief secretary, his face pale, gasped, while Vergil rose without a change in expression.

The Three-Headed Cartel. The chairman’s office where Oliviera Ron Maze officially conducted business.

She, who usually stayed cooped up in her lab, had shown herself for the first time in months.

However, the directive she gave to Vergil was only to overturn all the matters that had already been agreed upon.

“Chairman, I don’t think I should side with him in everything related to Kyun-ryeo.”

Vergil said, after dismissing the chief secretary and being alone with Oliviera.

“The safety of the Cartel and the Chairman should be the top priority. If it’s for that, there are things we must do even if it means opposing Ban.”

[…….]

“But with the Mage Tower’s position so secure, if we start intervening half-heartedly like this, we’ll only draw their attention.”

Vergil continued, speaking to Oliviera who gave no response.

“Zenithia, who manages the Tower, is a very astute person. She may not show it outwardly, but she will definitely remember this.”

Vergil, having known Ban for a long time, knew that he wasn’t completely insane.

Compared to his unparalleled transcendent talent, Ban’s temperament was rather mild.

Therefore, Vergil personally held Ban in very high regard, but conversely, he didn’t blindly trust him either.

Vergil, who currently oversaw all of the Cartel’s operations, sided with Kyun-ryeo, largely due to the existence of the Mage Tower.

He didn’t think that their alliance would last forever, but there was nothing so urgent that he needed to change his mind right away.

If they hadn’t intervened in this matter from the start, it would have been one thing, but having sided with Ban, it was obvious how withdrawing their forces would look.

Ban might not care about the Cartel’s judgment, but Zenithia, who was with him, would never forget this.

However, Oliviera’s answer did not change.

[If Kaise’s granddaughter wants to make him pay, we should let her.]

“Chairman!”

[Vergil. You’re thinking about this issue too simplistically.]

Oliviera’s voice turned cold from behind the veil.

[Do you think this situation is just a minor squabble that will end with someone dying or living?]

“It’s certain that the matter will be settled when the victor is decided.”

Vergil replied.

“Evan Martinez is definitely a very powerful mage. The status I’ve indirectly heard about him from the Northern Continent, certainly confirms that he is more than what he appears to be.”

[…….]

“His amplification-based flame magic. His astonishing barrier techniques. Even his excellent martial arts. If you combine his abilities, he easily surpasses the level of an average board member, but….”

Vergil took a small breath and shook his head firmly.

“If you ask me who to bet on in this situation, I wouldn’t hesitate for even a moment.”

[…….]

Vergil was one of the people who knew best how Ban had reached such a level in this megacity.

How he had overcome his limits by sacrificing monsters and geniuses.

Unfavorable environments and conditions, deteriorating physical and mental states, unavoidable restrictions and handicaps meant nothing.

From the perspective of fighting and winning against someone, Ban was a monster with a more bizarre and unique intuition than anyone else.

[……Huhu, that’s not what I meant. But you’re not wrong.]

And, Oliviera did not greatly scold Vergil for his answer.

Perhaps it was because she had come to a similar conclusion as Vergil on that point.

However, Oliviera was trying to point out a different perspective.

[What’s important is the process. The fact that the arsonist, who is using the entire city as firewood to increase his power, has built up a record comparable to Kyun-ryeo.]

“That is….”

The moment Vergil’s expression subtly hardened, Oliviera asked with a smile.

[Didn’t Kyun-ryeo anticipate that things would turn out this way when he kidnapped the lighthouse keeper?]

Leaving Vergil speechless, she immediately answered herself.

[Of course, he did. He has already decided how to settle things and is waiting for the right time.]

“…….”

[He’s truly insane. You’ve been trying to convince me that he’s not crazy, but to my eyes, he seems to be getting more extreme.]

Oliviera’s words were endlessly gentle and slow, but Vergil couldn’t easily refute them.

It was clear that Oliviera, who had been secluded in her lab, understood him better than Vergil, who often talked with Ban.

Unlike Vergil, who was trying to observe and coordinate the situation from the outside, Oliviera was interpreting the situation entirely from Kyun-ryeo’s perspective.

Evan’s actions of burning the 40th district were clearly partly intended by Kyun-ryeo.

Oliviera wanted to step back and watch the entire process, even if it meant taking a slight loss.

[If he intended this entire process and outcome, wouldn’t it be right to play along?]

“……Play along, you say.”

[On the contrary, I’m very much looking forward to it.]

Looking down at the silent Vergil, Oliviera smiled.

[Since the project failed, it’s been a long time since such talent has crossed paths in this city… It wouldn’t be strange if people from all over the continent came to watch.]

“Do you really think Evan Martinez is a mage comparable to Ban?”

In the end, Oliviera’s judgment and speculation would never hold true without one premise.

That Kyun-ryeo judged Evan to be a monster on par with himself, and if that wasn’t actually the case, it was essentially a meaningless assumption.

Were Kyun-ryeo and Evan aware of what Oliviera wanted to see?

However, Oliviera’s answer was unusually vague, unlike before.

[Well, I think Kyun-ryeo would know the answer better than I do.]

“……Excuse me?”

[Perhaps Kyun-ryeo has become so broken that he can’t be fixed…….]

Her ambiguous attitude was completely different from how she had answered Vergil’s questions without hesitation earlier.

However, Oliviera’s answer seemed more joyful than any other time Vergil had seen her.

[I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding a much more dangerous secret than I thought.]

“Chairman…….”

Seeing Vergil’s face stiffen, Oliviera’s tone became even more cheerful.

[Regardless of who wins, it seems like it will be a very enjoyable spectacle. Don’t you think so?]

“……I still don’t understand.”

Vergil smiled bitterly and slowly rose from his seat.

“I don’t think I can understand why Kyun-ryeo wants the lighthouse keeper so much without hearing it directly.”

[…….]

“He enjoys blood and battle, but I thought he was more reasonable than anyone I know….”

In the end, it was impossible for an outsider like the Cartel to understand the exact truth.

But if Oliviera wanted it, if her judgment had its own criteria, Vergil had to follow it.

That was the only standard that existed for Vergil from the moment he decided to follow Oliviera.

Vergil sighed quietly and slowly nodded.

“I will withdraw all forces under the Cartel. I will notify Zenithia myself.”

* * *

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived.”

In a silent, endless dark room.

At the end of a lavish table that could seat dozens of people, someone sat and raised a hand.

The messenger from the Senate who had contacted Renok and offered a new meeting in exchange for withdrawing the wanted order.

Instead of taking Renok to the Central Council Senate, he introduced him to the person who claimed to be responsible for this matter.

The only information Renok had received beforehand was that the other party was one of the giants of the light who followed the Forbidden Laws.

However, what was waiting for Renok in front of him now was-

“I thought it took you so long that you rejected the offer. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“…….”

Even though he was leaning back in an antique chair, he was tall and thin enough to be recognized at a glance.

A thin suit that clung to his lean body and pure white gloves that completely covered his skin.

But the most striking thing about his appearance was that there was no human head above his shoulders.

Above his neck, which was empty as if it had been cut off, a bizarre mechanical sphere floated, replacing his head.

Clank, clank!!

Black, silver, gold, and red metals mixed and rotated intricately, repeatedly emitting strange sounds.

The man, who was sitting at the table with the mechanical sphere as his head, gestured lightly to Renok.

“I was hungry, so I was having a meal first. You can join me if you want.”

“No, thanks.”

He didn’t know what kind of meal he was having with a body that had no mouth, but he wasn’t particularly curious.

Renok leaned back in the chair prepared opposite him, resting his back and rubbing his temples.

The man asked Renok.

“You look tired? You’ve been fighting for days without sleeping.”

“…….”

“To be honest, I think it’s amazing. It’s not easy to work hard and cling to a goal. Especially for a mage like you.”

The man, who was slowly tapping the table and rotating the mechanical sphere, said.

“It’s good if you get it when you want it, and if not, it’s okay. You do it because it works, and if it doesn’t, you give up. Isn’t that how all mages with talent like you are?”

“Do I look like that?”

“No.”

The man laughed.

“If I thought you were that kind of person, I wouldn’t have called you here. I would have left you to burn to death alone in Kyun-ryeo’s thunder.”

“…….”

The man, who calmly adjusted his collar, said.

“I am Ollinik of the Machine Marrow Palace. Those who know me call me the One-Brain.”

“Machine Marrow Palace?”

“It’s about demanding reorganization through the study of metal self-arrangement, and making it immortal by assimilating it with the body… You wouldn’t understand if I said it like this.”

Ollinik, who introduced himself as the One-Brain, trailed off and laughed.

“You can think of it as an old clan that was powerful in the early days when Vulcan was created. An old man in the back room.”

“…….”

Well, Renok knew that Ollinik was by no means a weakling who could be belittled like that.

A mechanical sphere replacing a human head. A clear voice without vocal cords.

If that mechanical sphere was not just a head, but a knot [sealing] something-

‘It might be the result of taking measures to maintain sanity after transcending the hierarchy.’

“During the war, we made quite a lot of money by taking advantage of the special circumstances. Do you know what I mean?”

Ollinik laughed while Renok was lost in thought.

“I’m saying that the position the Mage Tower occupies now might have been ours, the Machine Marrow Palace.”

“…….”

“Ah, I hope there’s no misunderstanding. I don’t want to take the Mage Tower’s place now. That’s too inefficient in many ways.”

The One-Brain waved his hand casually, leaving the silent Renok.

“I just think it’s a problem that the position the Mage Tower occupies now stems from a single mage.”

The One-Brain, who brought his hands together to his chin, said.

“You’ve seen it for yourself, but Kyun-ryeo is not an ordinary human. He’s a madman who may have the greatest talent in this city, maybe even on this continent.”

“…….”

“It’s a pity that such talent and aptitude were given to a mage with such a temperament. Ah, you don’t have to say that it’s the opposite. I’ve already heard it enough from other mages.”

The One-Brain, who answered a question that wasn’t asked, leaned back comfortably in his chair and said.

“What I want to say is, in short… we need a pacemaker. Do you understand?”

“You want a comparison.”

“As you know, Kyun-ryeo’s existence is revered in that it is incomparable to any case that has existed before.”

The One-Brain nodded, tapping the bottom of the sphere.

“I want to put a stop to that situation. Just the fact that there is a mage with talent comparable to that mad mage can change a lot….”

“That’s an interesting thing to say.”

Renok sneered.

“When did you cooperate with the city government’s wanted order, and now you’re thinking of calculating the odds?”

“I have no excuse even if I seem shameless. But you have to understand. There were too many fools in this city who tried to kill that mage.”

The One-Brain said with a smile.

“Most of them didn’t even keep half of their promises and turned into ashes. Meanwhile, that mage was getting stronger and crazier.”

“…….”

“The Forbidden Laws have been lifted, but we still have too many old contracts left. Even if we could face Kyun-ryeo, it’s unlikely that it would be a profitable situation.”

Ollinik muttered, tapping the temple area of the mechanical sphere with one hand.

“Especially at this point when some of the Senate factions, led by Meyer, are subtly siding with Kyun-ryeo.”

Indeed, trying to contact Evan Martinez was not the will of the entire Senate.

If some of the giants of the light, led by the Machine Marrow Palace, had stepped in to balance the severely divided factions within the Senate, then this situation could be understood.

“Everyone was watching this unpleasant situation where no one wanted to lose… and then you appeared.”

The One-Brain, pointing at Renok, said.

“The Watcher of the Azure Eye. The protector of the lighthouse keeper. A very powerful high-level flame mage. A challenger who seriously discusses the odds of winning against Kyun-ryeo.”

“…….”

“Of course, no one believed it at first. But your dramatic growth and brilliant achievements in this city. And the secret news I heard from the Northern Continent… made me consider a possibility I hadn’t thought of at all.”

Whoosh!!

At that moment, the One-Brain’s presence, looking at Renok, sank heavily.

As if blowing away all the somewhat light atmosphere, the air sank heavily.

The One-Brain, who effortlessly used the technique of changing the atmospheric pressure with just a variation of thought, said.

“You are the one who… defeated Amrita Praubel, the 10th Apostle of the Order.”

“…….”

“I was only able to hear about that fact after sacrificing dozens of informants who were deployed to the core branch of the Azure Eye. Can you imagine how surprised I was when I found out?”

There was an undisguised heat in the One-Brain’s gaze as he looked at Renok.

“An Apostle slayer who hasn’t been seen since the end of the Holy War. And a pure spell-type mage at that…!!!”

His voice seemed to be trembling, not just excited and high-pitched.

Perhaps the record of Amrita’s subjugation was of profound significance to the One-Brain.

“The Azure Eye are truly shockingly tight-lipped people. To have such a force and keep it a complete secret from the outside!!”

“…….”

“Yes, that explains why the lighthouse keeper dared to step into this megacity with only one bodyguard. It was simple. With the 10th Apostle slayer by his side, why would he be afraid and refuse to negotiate with the Central Council…!!!”

As if he couldn’t hide his excitement even after saying it himself, the One-Brain jumped up from his seat.

He paced around near the table for a while, muttering as if chewing over the facts he had understood, then turned his head sharply.

“It’s certain. You are the only pearl among the countless trash and mud that have challenged Kyun-ryeo.”

“There’s too much unnecessary flattery.”

“Unnecessary!!! How can anyone on this continent say that about the feat of defeating an Apostle!!”

“Isn’t the meaning of what you’ve said so far just that?”

Renok asked back, taking out a cigar from his pocket and putting it in his mouth.

“You just seem like a gambler who eavesdropped on my achievements, belatedly calculated the odds, and is checking the payouts.”

“A gambler…….”

“If you want to bet, say it clearly. Why are you talking so much nonsense after calling me all the way here?”

The One-Brain’s brow twitched slightly at Renok’s cold glare.

“Explain what you can do. What you can do for me. If not, just stay in a safe place and watch.”

Renok said, puffing out cigar smoke.

“Either way, I’m just going to do what I have to do, even without such tricks.”

“……I clearly saw the divine power you displayed against the Cartel’s board members.”

The One-Brain said.

“Amplifying your own power to the limit through the externalization of the magic core… Amazing. There was no lie in your words about using this city as firewood.”

“So?”

“I can help you rebuild your magic core.”

Only then did the One-Brain get to the point.

“Our Machine Marrow Palace has been dealing with metal for a very long time, so we have also been studying the ‘fire’ for dealing with metal for a long time.”

“…….”

“[The Ember of Strange Flames] and [The Color of the Upper Spring] which are considered relic-level artifacts… Wouldn’t these be suitable to become your new power?”

The One-Brain gave a meaningful smile, leaving Renok without an answer.

“You’ll need a lot of preparation to match the power of that mad mage. Using the treasures of the Machine Marrow Palace, I will provide you with a new [Ember].”