Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 90

It must have been Croken’s immense weight that caused that. However, the alligator giant, perched on the sofa, didn’t seem to care and looked down at Lennox.

“Indeed. I also have business with the black mages staying here. To be precise, I’m interested in their well-being.”

From his words, it seemed he was aware of the situation among the black mages.

However, it was strange that someone of his stature would be concerned about infighting among sorcerers….

A thought occurred to him.

“Is it because of your colleagues in the Demonic Cult?”

“What? Hahahaha!!”

“……..”

Lennox knew his guess was way off, but Croken’s hearty laughter was unexpected.

The power in his laughter was so great that the club floor shook for a moment. If Lennox hadn’t quickly cast a soundproofing spell around them, the people below might have fainted with blood pouring from their ears.

Someone who appeared to be a club employee was rushing over from afar.

“Hehehehe…. It’s been a while since I’ve heard such an amusing answer.”

Croken chuckled, not caring about Lennox’s reaction.

“You seem to have some strange fantasy about the Demonic Cult, but this organization is completely different from what you think.”

“…..Thanks for letting me know, even now.”

“Judging by your words, I think I know who you met. But do you think that slick black mage would listen to me if I asked him for a favor?”

The smile on the alligator giant’s face was unwavering and confident.

“I only move as I please.”

“……”

That one sentence was enough to understand that the two monsters didn’t get along very well.

Lennox considered asking about the black mage’s whereabouts, but after hearing Croken’s answer, he cleanly gave up on that idea. There was no need to invite unnecessary danger in front of this monster.

“Well, anyway, I understand that you have business with those friends. I’ll let you meet them, provided it’s not a harmful promise.”

Who could utter nonsense in that place after hearing Croken’s direct guarantee of their safety? In the end, only after giving him a satisfactory answer was Lennox able to go up to the upper floor of Club Rearta.

A simple carpeted hallway that looked like a hotel lobby. Countless rooms were divided to the left and right.

That space, originally prepared to accommodate guests at a high price, was filled with all sorts of indescribable junk. Unknown bone fragments, scrolls on the verge of falling apart, half-broken crystals, and all sorts of ornaments….

If an ignorant person saw it, they might easily mistake it for mere trash, but Lennox, with his improved insight, recognized that they were objects needed for magic. It seemed that the black mages, who had moved their business tools to avoid inspection, had simply unloaded their luggage here and were staying overnight.

There were a few numbers that had been puzzling him until the end in the address he received from Jenny, and it seemed that these were the room numbers written here.

He walked straight down the middle of the hallway and found an open space. Judging by the few chairs and tables, it seemed to be a resting area for the guests staying there.

More than a dozen people were sitting there, chatting, but as soon as they saw Lennox, they stopped talking as if they had made a pact.

“…..Hey.”

A man in his 30s, who had been crossing his arms, spoke with an uncomfortable expression.

“This is a space where outsiders are not allowed to enter without permission.”

Lennox ignored his words and quietly observed the people gathered there. He had imagined the group of black mages to be more gloomy and sinister, but surprisingly, the magic they exuded was quite refined. They were said to be from the enchantment school, and it seemed that most of their magic and personalities were of that type. Perhaps the kind of mages Lennox was thinking of could only be seen in the opposite faction.

When Lennox didn’t answer, a young woman, her face flushed with anger, stepped forward, grinding her teeth.

“There are always people who don’t listen when spoken to.”

“………”

“If you don’t want to walk out, I’ll make you crawl out.”

She said that and immediately raised her magic power, lifting something from under her feet. A black light disc floating in the air. The disc, which was fiercely rotating and pushing the surrounding air up and down, immediately rushed towards Lennox.

Whoooosh!!

The speed was considerable. In terms of simple power alone, it was at a level that Lennox could not disregard. They were said to be a faction of non-combatants, but it seemed that there were still people who could fight, as they were mages. However, magic alone cannot accomplish anything just by being fast and powerful.

Lennox’s combat sense, honed through countless battles, was already faintly glimpsing another realm. He raised his left hand and effortlessly stopped the disc.

Crack!

“…..!!”

Ignoring the woman who was staring at him with a blank expression, Lennox immediately raised his magic power.

Terror Live.

The moment the magic entered his eyes, he had already memorized all the magic composition and structure contained in the disc. It seemed that they had improved it by simplifying the structure and increasing the speed to increase the casting speed, but as a result, it became vulnerable to external interference. For those who had begun to develop the ability to see the structure of magic like Lennox, it was a modification that was worse than doing nothing. He tore off the joint and smashed it, turning it into a handful of dust.

Crackle!

There was no need to describe how the woman’s expression changed as she watched the magic she had cast disintegrate into pieces before her eyes.

“N-no way….”

“Amari’s magic, so easily…?”

Among the mages gathered there, there was no one foolish enough not to be able to guess the level of what Lennox had done. Their faces were filled with a chilling tension as they faced an opponent of unimaginable skill.

“You’re a face I haven’t seen before, who are you?”

An elderly man, who had been sitting in the innermost part, slowly opened his mouth.

“Elder…!”

“This is a living space that we have temporarily occupied with permission. If you don’t have any other business, I’d like you to leave.”

“I came with the permission of Croken Acillas.”

The moment he mentioned that name, the people’s faces changed drastically. It was certain. These were the black mages belonging to the enchantment school.

“I have business with you.”

“……What business do you have?”

“I’d like to talk about what happened at the Palmer Research Institute.”

“………”

The moment he said that, a cold silence flowed through the room. Some young men were glaring at Lennox with murderous intent. He knew it was a sensitive topic, but if it was something he had to do, he couldn’t avoid it. This was the best topic to grab their attention.

The elderly man, who had been staring intently at Lennox’s face, let out a deep sigh as if he had no choice.

“This is not a topic to discuss in a place like this. Let’s move to another place.”

#

Inside a small room. The elderly man, who had led Lennox into a room with only simple artifacts and clothes, first offered a handshake.

“I am Raul.”

“I’m Ban. I work as a freelancer.”

As Lennox calmly revealed his name, Raul quietly shone his eyes.

“…..I’ve heard that name before. I heard that you are a mage who has recently become rapidly famous.”

“I was lucky.”

He uttered a modest remark that was not in his heart, but Raul did not fall for it.

“No, a mage’s skill is only proportional to their own enlightenment and vessel. If it’s not a false reputation, it’s definitely proof that your talent is extraordinary.”

Raul seemed to have become considerably less wary when he realized that Ban was someone who was known to some extent. It was probably because he had gained the trust that if he was a person known to the world, he would not openly harm them. Certainly, fame due to reputation was not always a bad thing.

“So, you said you had something to say about the Palmer Research Institute.”

“Yes. Do you know what happened?”

“No. I haven’t heard. But seeing that you came directly…. It must not be good news.”

Raul said that, rested his chin on his hand, and slowly closed his eyes.

“I’ll listen.”

“……”

To be able to maintain composure even while guessing what happened there, what great mental strength. How can he endure like this even knowing that he could be the target of the massacre? Lennox was slightly impressed by that fact and clearly explained what he had experienced. It didn’t take long. It was enough to tell the story of the massacre at the research institute, the black mage he encountered there, and the outcome of the battle.

“I see….”

No matter how much he had expected it, he could not overcome the shock of hearing it directly. Raul, unable to hide his complicated feelings, twitched his shoulders and slowly opened his eyes. After a long silence, he suddenly opened his mouth.

“Although we are grouped together as black mages, we are quite different beings from them.”

“……..”

“To put it extremely, except for the fact that we use negative magic power, there is not a single common point. The only thing that allowed us to communicate with each other was the fact that we were helpful to each other in the business in District 44….”

At this point, when the business was on the verge of collapse due to the city government’s inspection, such a relationship no longer had any meaning. Raul’s powerless words were implicitly saying that.

“Anyway, thank you for letting me know that fact. Now that we have confirmed that they are acting this aggressively, we must prepare ourselves.”

Raul, who had forcibly shaken off his sadness, looked at Lennox and asked.

“So, what do you want? Don’t tell me the absurd story that you came all the way to tell me this fact. I know very well what kind of people freelancers are.”

“……..”

“Even if it’s done out of good will, everything requires a price. I’m old, but I understand the rules of this street.”

“Then I won’t refuse.”

Lennox, realizing that it was Raul’s consideration to make it easy for him to speak, took out an object he had brought from his pocket. The obsidian brooch he had received from the black mage of the Demonic Cult. He had mentioned the words ‘stopped world’ and said that it would be necessary when he wanted to know the truth. Wouldn’t the same black mages know the origin of this object? From the beginning, that was the only clue Lennox had in mind.

“I don’t know if you recognize this brooch. I want to know the secret hidden in this object.”

“……Where did you get this…?”

“I received it from an unknown black mage. Along with words that I could never ignore.”

Raul stared at it for a long time before opening his mouth with difficulty.

“It’s not that I don’t have a guess. But it’s difficult to give you a proper answer right now.”

“……”

“The inscription on this brooch belongs to a very old mage family. They have already been destroyed, and only their legacy is occasionally passed down through the lineage.”

Raul didn’t say it explicitly, but that mage family was probably one that focused on black magic. Then, was the man from the Demonic Cult also related to the family Raul mentioned?

“Is there a way to obtain those legacies?”

“Hmm, I do have one of them, but….”

It would be difficult to hand it over to Lennox right away. Lennox understood. It seemed difficult to get such a precious object just by telling him what happened at the research institute.

“If there is an object or condition you want, I would like to hear it.”

“Hmm….”

Raul hesitated to speak and pondered for a long time.