Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 91

It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to hand over the legacy, but rather that he seemed to have something he wanted but couldn’t easily bring himself to mention. Instead, he suddenly changed the subject.

“Actually, the Practical Faction contacted me.”

“Yes?”

“They said they were planning to stage an official protest, mainly in the outer areas of Balkan, to stop the city government’s inspections. In a rather rough manner, I might add.”

“……”

It was called an official protest, but just hearing it, it sounded no different from a declaration of terrorism.

“They asked for cooperation, and we refused. I thought there would be a price to pay, but I never imagined that the friends at the research institute would be targeted first….”

Raul, who had briefly closed his eyes, opened them and looked directly at Lennox.

“I won’t beat around the bush. I’d like you to make sure they don’t harm any civilians.”

“…..Is that your condition?”

“Yes. If things proceed as they intend, our mages’ reputation will plummet. The Practical Faction is willing to push forward even if it means confronting the city government, but our position is different.”

The Necromancy Faction black mages could just leave the city if things got too bad, but for the Enchantment Faction, who mainly create artifacts and items, it was an issue they couldn’t ignore.

“I don’t want to make the already bad reputation of black magic irrecoverable. We still need this city.”

“………”

Still, still…

There was a strange resonance in Raul’s words, but he wouldn’t let Lennox delve too deeply into it.

However, whether to accept his conditions as they were was another matter.

With his reputation and value having skyrocketed, the compensation and amount Lennox could earn from freelance work would be incomparable to before.

Would it really be helpful to confront the combat-oriented black mages in order to receive the legacy Raul was talking about?

It was difficult to accept the deal blindly, swayed by Raul’s goodwill.

At the very least, there had to be conditions and restrictions that were commensurate with the price.

‘The most reliable way would be the method I used with Dyke.’

After pondering, Lennox slowly opened his mouth.

“Let’s set an upper limit.”

“An upper limit?”

“Exactly how far I should fulfill that condition. Not knowing the value of that legacy, it’s difficult for me to waste too much time.”

To put it bluntly, Lennox didn’t necessarily need them.

As long as they were within the same category of black magic, it wasn’t impossible to go to the Practical Faction and ask about the origin of the brooch. Of course, he would have to resolve the grudge of killing one of their black mages at the research institute… but that much effort was something he had to endure.

“…Twice. On the premise that they actually start moving, either stop two terrorist attacks, or until a mutually acceptable alternative is found.”

It was a proposal thrown out for further negotiation, but Raul nodded as if he didn’t need to think about it after hearing Lennox’s words.

“Let’s do that.”

Did he read the truth in Lennox’s attitude that he had nothing to lose?

It was a skillful choice.

“Then, about the specific schedule….”

“Hey, Elder…!!”

Just as they were about to discuss the deal further, a young man suddenly burst through the door, looking for Raul.

“…..Isaac. Can’t you see I’m talking with a guest?”

“This isn’t the time for that! Those crazy bastards are in the streets right now…!!”

“…!!”

Perhaps he felt something from those words.

Raul, as if possessed, picked up the remote control on the table and immediately turned on the TV in the corner of the room.

The scene of the city center turned into chaos was vividly displayed before the three of them.

Streets ablaze. People running away like mad. Buildings with holes and collapsed structures everywhere, and craters dotting the streets.

Beyond the thick smoke, at least a dozen people walked out in unison.

They wore black robes that covered their entire bodies, with hoods pulled down low, concealing their faces.

The only one who revealed his appearance was a tall, middle-aged man standing in the center.

With sharp eyes and a thick gray beard.

The tree root-like patterns tattooed under his eyes were striking. He looked around with a stern expression, and then, as if on cue, slowly approached the camera.

Lennox immediately recognized it and said,

“It’s staged.”

There was no way a broadcast camera would be set up at a terrorist site that had occurred spontaneously.

From the beginning, they had planned this with the intention of making it known everywhere.

“But the people who died there aren’t staged.”

Raul muttered in a heavy voice.

“………”

Perhaps because he represented the Enchantment Faction, he was too humane for a black mage that Lennox knew.

Whether this would be helpful in the future was unknown… but it didn’t sit well with Lennox right now.

Meanwhile, the man squatted in front of the camera and brought his face closer.

[Reisen and we made a promise.]

A deep, heavy voice flowed out.

A tone that was weighty enough to draw attention even in a crowded street.

[While we tried to blend into this city, we agreed not to interfere with each other.]

As he said that, he reached out and grabbed the collar of a person who had fallen nearby.

The man, with thick arms that were clearly visible even through the collar, grabbed the head of the young man who was being dragged along limply and muttered.

[But you broke the promise. Then, we no longer have any reason to respect the order here.]

Woo woo woo!!

Sticky black magic surged, and at the same time, it flowed into the young man’s nose and mouth.

It wasn’t hard to guess what would happen next.

“Oh, dear….”

Raul turned his head away with a weak sigh.

[And, this is……]

Boom!!

The head of the young man who had been unconscious swelled up like a balloon and then burst.

[This is our answer.]

The man didn’t avoid the blood and brain matter flowing out of it, and slowly closed his eyes.

A cruel and disgusting execution. But what made that moment not look pathetic was entirely the power of the man’s presence.

A deathly silence filled the room.

And probably the same for others who were watching this moment elsewhere.

[I don’t think we can take everything in Balkan.]

The man’s calm voice continued to resonate.

[But we can break something you hold dear.]

[Reisen.]

The man, who began to look like he was crying tears of blood, brought his face closer to the camera and said.

[Be waiting.]

Crack!!

Ivelyn Marcia

A bar in the middle of the day.

A quiet time when there weren’t many customers.

Following Jenny’s taste, the bar was filled with the rich aroma of coffee.

Lennox hadn’t explicitly told her, but he was somewhat fond of this idle time.

“Hoo….”

Jenny, who had briefly touched her lips to the carefully brewed Americano, let out a satisfied sigh.

Feeling the gazes of the two men watching her, Jenny spoke slowly.

“There won’t be any official response from the city government.”

Dylan retorted sullenly.

“That’s not surprising.”

As Dylan said, had the city government ever actively dealt with any of the incidents that had occurred so far?

Unless it was something they had initiated themselves, like this inspection, the city government never reacted according to the intentions of others.

Lennox, who now roughly knew what kind of stance the Balkan city government maintained, was able to calmly tilt his mug.

“And to be honest, it’s not ineffective either.”

A huge city where all sorts of crimes occurred almost every day.

Although the inner districts were relatively less so, the outer districts where Lennox worked as a freelancer were nothing short of a hotbed of power struggles.

In such a place, what should the city government do to stabilize the citizens?

Comfort people with empty words, hand out relief supplies, deploy police forces to strengthen security… there were many ways, but the city government chose one.

To refrain from active statements and responses in any situation, and to hide any outward agitation.

The citizens, who had already given up on security and stability to some extent, were reassured and suppressed their agitation just by the fact that the city was not shaken.

It was fair to say that they were just standing by, but in fact, they were stabilizing public sentiment with the minimum cost.

Moreover, the area where the black mages carried out the terrorist attack this time was District 43.

Although it was near District 40, where the clubs were located, it was an area where ordinary citizens rarely went.

An outer district that had been half-abandoned in the city government’s urban development plan.

Since the incident occurred in such a place, it was natural that it didn’t resonate with people as much, regardless of the anxiety the citizens felt.

“Do those guys even have the will to solve this? I don’t know.”

Dylan asked, resting his chin on his hand and leaning his upper body against the bar.

After the power plant operation, Dylan increased the frequency of his visits to Jenny’s bar.

Even in the midst of that, he didn’t stop trying to seduce Lennox, so he was beaten by Jenny more than once or twice, but he didn’t seem to care.

Or rather, was he using a method of reassuring the other party by openly doing things that were obvious?

If it was intentional, it could be said that he was quite deep in thought… but Lennox didn’t believe for a moment that this man, who was honest about his desires, would have such a plan.

However, Jenny’s answer was quite different from before.

“They’ll probably try to solve it no matter what.”

“What?”

“You saw that black mage calling out Reisen, right? Then it’s obvious.”

“Reisen… isn’t he a senator in the city council? I think I’ve heard of him.”

As Dylan said, the name Reisen was quite famous in Balkan.

Among the city government’s councilors, he was someone who often appeared in the media and made efforts to communicate with citizens.

Unlike the lower house members who appeared relatively frequently, the upper house members rarely even showed their faces once a year, so he stood out even more.

Nobles who were born with the end of this huge city’s power in their hands.

Amidst the bizarre rumors that they didn’t think of citizens as the same people, he was someone who continuously made efforts to communicate, so he couldn’t help but stand out.

Lennox also had memories of hearing that name often while browsing news sites.

Instead of answering right away, Jenny looked around.

Lennox understood the gesture and immediately cast a soundproofing spell around them.

Still not feeling at ease, she lowered her head slightly and whispered to the two of them in a small voice.

“There’s a high possibility that the black mages know where Reisen’s money source is hidden.”

“Money source?”

“If you’re a city councilor, you’ll have at least one loophole where you can get some kickbacks, so I think they might have started this to target that.”

“Stealing the slush fund that a senator has stashed away….”

Dylan, who had muttered seriously, grinned.

“Just imagining it is an attractive proposition.”

“……..”

“Putting aside your foolish fantasies, the problem is how the city government will react.”

“Didn’t they already declare that there would be no official response?”

If Jenny was so sure, they should have at least sent out an official notice.

“That’s right. However, unofficially, it’ll be completely different. I wanted to tell you that in advance.”

“Hmm….”

In the end, it wasn’t just observation, but rather that they would intervene in some way in this matter to protect the senator’s money source.

The visit of the Autonomous Territory and the death of the Ascendant. Followed by the city government’s inspection and the black mages’ terrorism.

Events that were too clearly connected to be considered mere coincidences.