Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 904

Thwack!!!

A flash of blue magical energy burst forth like a waterfall.

Lenok, who was recording data while watching the scene through the glass window, said,

“Good work. I think we’ve extracted all the standard data needed for customization.”

No sooner had Lenok finished speaking than Evelyn put down the shotgun she was holding.

Thud!!

“My shoulder hurts so much…”

Evelyn, looking tearful, grumbled as she walked out of the mock firing range.

“How can you make me fire hundreds of rounds with this ridiculous gun just because I teased you a little? Is this some kind of punishment?”

As soon as Lenok confirmed that Evelyn had come to the mansion, he summoned her to the mock firing range below the lab to conduct tests on the shotgun’s durability and center of gravity.

A modified, rechargeable double-barreled magic shotgun with an external magic core.

Now, rather than increasing its power, he needed to focus on reinforcing the barrel and magazine to withstand rapid firing and to balance the gun.

Lenok, having uploaded all the recorded data values to the lab computer and completed the scan, nodded and got up from his seat.

“That’s about it, so let’s head back for now. I think I can handle the rest on my own.”

“I wasn’t planning on helping with the shotgun construction anyway.”

Evelyn bickered with Lenok as they naturally headed back to the mansion.

Slam!!

Lenok, who had opened the door and entered the spacious, ventilated living room, said,

“I forgot to mention, giving you the address didn’t mean you could just come over whenever you wanted.”

“It wasn’t you who gave it to me.”

Thump!

Evelyn tossed the bundle of vegetables she was holding next to the kitchen counter and retorted,

“I found it out on my own.”

“You know that’s not what I meant…”

Lenok, looking troubled, rubbed his temples and said,

“If you come over like this again without permission, I’ll move again without saying a word.”

“Oh, are you threatening me?”

Evelyn chuckled and jumped onto the sofa.

“I heard you decided to distance yourself from the Eye of the Azure for a while?”

“…”

Evelyn giggled at Lenok’s loss for words.

“Lapis announced it on the channel where the Watchers gather.”

“Channel?”

“A new ability emerged among the Watchers when the tenth lighthouse was built.”

Evelyn said, taking out a container of natural seasoning from the bag she brought and tearing open the packaging.

“It’s a kind of intermediary point where those who have accepted the Watcher’s karma receive Lapis’s will. I heard they’re using the world’s boundaries as intermediary points, so they can cover about half the continent… It’s my first time seeing it actually work.”

Evelyn tilted her head.

“You can’t use it since you didn’t accept the Watcher’s karma at all.”

“…”

“Everyone’s more shocked than I thought. They were aware that there was a problem in Vulcan.”

Evelyn, heading to the kitchen with the seasoning, naturally turned on the induction stove and placed a frying pan on it.

Crack, crack!!

Whoosh!!

Unbelievably loud, eerie cracking sounds echoed one after another, and Evelyn, having finished cooking as if she were roasting beans in lightning, returned to the living room.

A bizarre sight of grilled vegetables piled high on the frying pan.

Evelyn, sitting down across from him as if nothing was amiss, placed the frying pan in front of Lenok and tossed a fork.

With the fork naturally stuck in the edge of the frying pan, Evelyn said,

“But no one knew it would end with a fallout between you and Lapis.”

“It’s not a fallout. It was an agreement for each other’s future.”

Lenok gave a wry smile and picked up the fork.

Stab!!

Lenok, picking up a piece of grilled broccoli with a suspicious look, said,

“At least, that’s what Lapis will be thinking.”

“You mean you’re not?”

“I don’t know…”

Lenok slowly put the broccoli in his mouth and began to chew.

It didn’t take long for his uncomfortable expression to change to one of surprise.

“…It’s not bad. The texture is much better than I expected.”

“Right?”

Evelyn puffed out her chest proudly.

“Don’t underestimate vegans. Knowing how to preserve the texture of vegetables when eating them is important.”

“I didn’t exactly underestimate them.”

“It’s a dish I developed when I was busy with agent work.”

Evelyn explained, holding up a seasoning bottle.

“It’s made by grinding paprika, and you sprinkle it on lightly blanched and grilled vegetables. Seasonings made from ground mushrooms or garlic aren’t bad either.”

“That alone wouldn’t create this taste…”

Lenok, who also cooks to supplement his nutrition, knows a thing or two about vegetable management and cooking.

However, considering the heat sensitivity of vegetables, simply throwing them in a frying pan and grilling them wouldn’t produce this result.

“Ah, there’s a minor trick I use.”

She said, bringing the back of her hand to her mouth as if revealing a cooking secret.

“When grilling vegetables, I lightly coat the surface with magic to slow down heat transfer.”

“…”

“If you control it well, you can maintain the grilled flavor while preserving the texture. It’s nothing special.”

“I see.”

Why bother pointing out how difficult it is to cook while coating vegetables with magic now?

Instead of arguing pointlessly, Lenok picked up a grilled vegetable, while Evelyn, sitting across from him, began to give unnecessary advice.

“No, you should eat the mushrooms first. You need to alternate between the soft parts to properly experience the texture.”

“…”

“There’s more paprika powder, so add more if you need it. No, not like that. You really don’t know how to eat!”

“I think I can live without ever knowing.”

Lenok, annoyed by Evelyn’s nagging throughout the meal, still finished all the grilled vegetables.

Evelyn laughed as she watched Lenok put down his bowl with a scowl.

“Delicious, right?”

“…Yeah. I ate well.”

Lenok, having tried various diets for his health, doesn’t have a problem with Evelyn’s cooking.

It’s just that he doesn’t insist on a vegetarian diet now for the sake of nutrition.

“So, what do you want to say after feeding me?”

“Huh? I didn’t really mean anything by it.”

Evelyn shook her head, looking puzzled.

“If I had to say something, it’s that I was a little worried you might be down because of Lapis?”

“I told you it’s not like that.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Evelyn patted Lenok’s shoulder and filled his glass with carrot juice.

“Let’s do our best as people who dream of getting reinstated together. Fighting!”

“…”

He was getting back the price for teasing him about being dismissed from his agent position.

Now that he thought about it, it seemed like she wanted to tease Lenok about what happened at the Eye of the Azure rather than being worried about him.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

While Lenok cleared the dishes and cleaned up, Evelyn, sitting on the sofa, asked.

“Lapis figured it out in the end, right?”

“…I don’t know.”

Lenok, having finished washing the dishes by manipulating the water in the sink with public magic, turned around, wiping his hands.

“Lapis knows that I’m Evan Bailen. At this point, she must have noticed something was off.”

“…”

“Even knowing that, instead of pointing it out, she made this choice…”

Lenok muttered, sitting on the edge of the chair across from her.

“It must be because she was trying to be considerate of me.”

“Hearing that makes me wonder what Lapis is thinking too.”

Evelyn shrugged.

“Her actions and tendencies aren’t something that makes sense logically. Isn’t she misunderstanding you as having multiple personalities?”

“It can’t be helped if she thinks that way. It’s not like I started this expecting understanding.”

“…”

“Even if I explain, she won’t be able to fully understand. My world and hers are different.”

Could he explain in words the moment when he was struggling to figure out how to live?

The things he did when he was desperate to survive have now grown uncontrollably and taken their place in Lenok’s time.

He doesn’t expect others to understand or accept it. It was enough for Lenok alone to cherish the process leading to the conclusion and leave it as meaningful.

However, because there are those who want to understand Lenok, he is just pondering about that unfamiliar distance.

Evelyn shook her head.

“A guy who can live perfectly well on his own is strangely serious about these things.”

“That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

“Because it’s not a compliment.”

Evelyn, having said that, got up from her seat.

“Anyway, it seems like you’re still in your right mind, so I’ll be going. Contact Jenny when you have time.”

“Jenny?”

“You know there’s been all sorts of commotion all over Vulcan because of this incident. It seems like there are things you need to discuss with her about that.”

Evelyn said, picking up a bag of vegetables that seemed to be hers.

“Especially regarding your attendance at the hearing being held by the city government, it’s quite noisy. Wouldn’t the administrative work go more smoothly if you at least expressed your refusal?”

“…”

“Oh, and I forgot to mention this.”

Click.

She grabbed the doorknob and glanced back at Lenok.

Lenok also listened attentively to Evelyn’s slightly serious expression.

“Don’t worry too much about the Eye of the Azure.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lapis was able to complete her awakening entirely thanks to your help. I don’t know what she thinks of you now, but if it’s Lapis, she would never ignore that fact.”

“…”

“Maybe distancing herself from you is her way of repaying you. Is that too far-fetched?”

Evelyn said, laughing awkwardly.

“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll ask Lapis directly to reinstate you. So don’t be too depressed.”

“I’m not exactly depressed.”

“About the meeting we talked about last time. I’ll contact you when it’s confirmed in a few days. I’m off!”

Bang!

Evelyn, pretending not to hear the topic of the meeting, slipped away after making the next appointment.

Evelyn, who had walked out the door, suddenly poked her head back into Lenok’s mansion.

She narrowed her eyes and stared at Lenok.

“Just in case, don’t move.”

“…I’ll do as I see fit.”

At the same time, her presence vanished from the nearby streets as if it had been washed away.

Lenok silently stared at the spot where she had left, then gave a wry smile and began to tidy up the living room.

She said she came without thinking, but perhaps that was what Evelyn really wanted to say.

Regardless of Lenok’s thoughts, she might have wanted to comfort him by saying that this incident was nothing.

Come to think of it, Evelyn has always maintained a similar attitude in dealing with everything.

Flowing like water, freely as the wind blows, adapting to the situation.

Rather than dwelling on things she doesn’t understand, she tries to let go without hesitation once she has made a decision.

Even regarding Lenok’s identity, she was respecting his decision, contrary to how she reacted when she first found out.

That might be part of her effort to understand the current situation.

In a way, Evelyn’s method might be closer to the essence of understanding others.

While thinking that, he finished cleaning up the living room, and a fox cub wriggled out from behind the sofa.

Looking drowsy and staggering, with its six fluffy tails draped haphazardly over the sofa.

Davy, with his chin resting on the armrest of the sofa, mumbled.

[Such noisy organisms…]

“Were you awake?”

[Because it’s an organism that adheres to a strange diet, it has a peculiar smell every time it appears.]

“Smell?”

[There is such a thing, Master.]

Davy yawned, opening his mouth wide.

Rubbing his eyes with his front paws, Davy lifted his head.

[I can’t understand a cold-blooded person who carelessly throws spirits into dangerous ritual spaces!]

“…”

Davy’s behavior, which had recently begun to boast about his hard work, after this incident.

Normally, he would have pulled his tails or ears to promote growth, but instead, Lenok silently stroked Davy.

It was true that he had entrusted Davy with a very difficult task in this incident.

Considering that he had received meaningful information about the subjugation battle, he should be considered to have done better than expected.

[Ughh…]

Davy’s tails flapped wildly at Lenok’s touch, stroking his head and back.

[The tails too, the tails too.]

“Okay, okay.”

As Lenok grabbed each tail and massaged them, the fox cub’s body slumped onto Lenok’s lap like a wet towel.

[Uweeeeeee…]

“You’re not a spirit, you’re like jelly.”

Lenok chuckled at Davy’s melting form, and Davy mumbled with a satisfied look.

[If I get this kind of treatment from Master, maybe it’s not so bad to suffer sometimes…]

“Really?”

Lenok asked back as if he had been waiting for it.

“Then I’ll be counting on you in the future. You can go to the mock ritual space instead of me from now on.”

[Ah, no!! Cancel!]

Davy perked up his ears as if he had just come to his senses.

[Cancel, cancel!! I won’t do it anymore!!]

“It’s too late. A spirit shouldn’t go back on its word.”

[There’s no such idiom in the spirit world?]

Lenok laughed out loud, leaving Davy desperately resisting.

“I’m just kidding. There’s no reason for me to make you suffer when I have the time.”

“…Really?”

“This time, the situation was just right, but I don’t know what will happen in the future.”

The reason why Davy was able to imitate Victor without being discovered was because the meeting of the Demon Realm was focused on the fight between Evan and Gyonrye.

If Victor had been in a situation where he had to express his opinion or answer questions repeatedly, it might have been difficult for Davy to handle it alone.

“It will be an option to consider if I don’t have time like last time. Don’t worry about that.”

[If it’s just that much, it’s okay…]

Davy nodded as if he had finally agreed, then inadvertently revealed his true feelings.

[Well, it was fun teasing those nasty organisms.]

“You’ve revealed your true nature.”

[Eububububu.]

Lenok, having punished the spirit who didn’t realize who was nastier, leaned back on the sofa and turned his gaze.

Bright sunlight poured down in the middle of the day.

Even now, many people are moving busily outside the streets.

“…”

Sitting in the quiet living room and looking out the window like this, it felt as if only Lenok’s time had stopped here.

But even at this moment, the city government and the central council are fiercely debating the incident that happened a few days ago,

and experts and officials from all over are scrambling to distribute the responsibility and benefits of this incident.

He knows. It’s not that Lenok’s time has stopped, but that others are moving ahead.

He is not used to the feeling of falling behind.

But even knowing that, he is taking a few days to relieve his fatigue in order to move again as he did in the beginning.

The meeting that had been scheduled for several weeks, the subjugation battle of Pandemonium, and the orbital adjustment to match Kundara’s visit schedule.

And the first thing Lenok had to do was already decided.

On the lab screen, there was a program that was not yet finished.

The host and the professor were still discussing the redevelopment of District 49.

Unlike before, this time they were analyzing the arguments and evidence of the opposition.

[In conclusion, the redevelopment of the outer districts is highly likely to strengthen Gyonrye’s influence and position even more, is that what you’re saying?]

[That’s because a significant portion of the capital flowing from the outer districts passes through the Magic Tower.]

The professor said, pushing up his glasses.

[Even if it’s an area not included in the tower’s jurisdiction, the very act of building infrastructure through redevelopment is likely to become the power of the Magic Tower.]

[Hearing you say that, I can understand the opposition’s position a little.]

[Yes. Because of the commotion caused by Gyonrye, Gyonrye himself is the one who benefits the most.]

The professor answered.

[If he doesn’t provide a plausible explanation or take responsibility for this incident, it will be difficult to persuade the opposition.]

[A plausible explanation and responsibility… Do you think that magician will actually do such a thing?]

[Well, I’m someone who values my life more than anything…]

[Ahahaha!]

The host burst into laughter, then sweated slightly when he saw that no one else was laughing.

[…Can we edit that out?]

Beep.

Lenok, having turned off the screen, leaned back in his chair and tilted his head back.

“Responsibility…”

As a result, the situation was resolved without a clash between the Eye of the Azure and Vulcan,

but it is only natural that the blame for all of this falls on Gyonrye, who kidnapped the lighthouse keepers.

It is also natural that there are issues that cannot be resolved without considering Gyonrye’s existence in the process of sharing and clarifying responsibility.

He heard that there were various talks about Lenok’s position in that process.

He has no intention of dwelling on the past, but it’s a different story if it’s related to the new plans of the megacity.

“Davy. Phone mode.”

Lenok said, picking up Davy, who had collapsed with his tongue out after a grueling punishment.

“Contact Jenny. There’s something to review at the bar.”

[…Master. I’m not a phone?]

* * *

The next morning.

A short reply sent from the Magic Tower was officially delivered to the administrative department of the Central Council.

The city government and the Central Council were turned upside down upon confirming the contents of the reply, and related departments and the media began to report this fact on the front page.

The battle between Gyonrye and Chunbeongan that annihilated the entire downtown area near the Six-Pointed Fortress in the megacity of Vulcan.

The cause of the disaster that temporarily considered all martial law and evacuation orders within the Vulcan city government.

The clarification of responsibility for the mad magician who provoked both the Eye of the Azure and the Watchers by kidnapping the lighthouse keepers.

Gyonrye, Ban, has sent a notice that he will attend the hearing.