Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 972

“So, you’ve made a decision.”

[You’ve decided to make the conditions clear. Don’t get the wrong idea.]

Cartel headquarters, top floor. First Chairman Virgil’s office.

Lenok, who had glanced back at Virgil with a tense expression, turned his gaze away.

On the chair behind the wide office desk sat a doll wearing a veil.

Each time the doll slowly shook its head, a familiar telepathic voice flowed from beyond the veil.

[There’s no need for unnecessary talk. I’ll get straight to the point.]

“I’m listening.”

In exchange for handing over a part of the Anathema’s body, Lenok had requested that Oliviera accompany him to the Outer City.

There might be several ways to get to the Outer City, but in the end, the most efficient way to make sure things went smoothly was to involve Oliviera herself.

Even the fact that he had challenged the deal and defeated the Anathema at the meeting was to make the path to Kundara clearer.

From the moment she called Lenok back, he could guess what decision she had made.

[Of course, just because you want to go to Kundara doesn’t mean I can take you there right away.]

“I don’t want to hear you ruin things from the start.”

[I thought you said you would listen quietly?]

The doll, as if not allowing any backtalk, raised its head firmly and spoke.

[As I’ve said several times, the Outer City is hidden beyond the barrier surrounding the Central Front, and its location cannot be found by ordinary means.]

“……”

[That’s because the reason Kundara created the barrier in the first place was directly related to their safety.]

“I’ve heard about the barrier and the orbital period countless times.”

Lenok tilted his head and replied.

“I understand that preparations are needed to solve that problem. What do you want to say?”

Lenok, who had been investigating Kundara for a long time, knew that considerable preparation was needed to get to the Outer City.

He had heard about the orbital period from Claris, Aris Richelieu’s teacher and a long-lived species, from the very beginning.

It was clear that he could not enter Kundara without solving that problem at the very least.

What Lenok wanted to know was whether Oliviera had thought of a way to bypass the orbital period.

If Oliviera had simply decided to accompany him at this meeting, Lenok would just find a way himself.

But if she had already thought of a solution to the orbital period, things could be a little easier.

[Before we discuss that, we need to make sure of the terms of the deal you requested.]

Oliviera, cutting off Lenok’s words with a sharp voice, spoke.

[Certainly, there are reasonable aspects to the adjustment of the deal you requested. At the time of the deal, the death of the Anathema itself was not discussed, and… watching that hypocrite die was a satisfying experience in its own way.]

“……”

[The remains of Armas von Anathema. I will take the right arm, liver, horn, and hamstring.]

A cold voice echoed quietly in the office.

[In return, I will accompany you directly until you arrive in Kundara and fully cooperate…]

At that moment, Oliviera, who had paused for a moment, whispered slowly.

As if she needed some time to prepare to say those words.

[…Swear it before my two eyes.]

“The Anathema’s body parts. Can I just take them out here in this office?”

If he were to make a promise before her magic eyes, there was no need to argue further at this point.

At Lenok’s immediate answer, the doll tilted its head with an annoyed look.

[As I have said repeatedly, you should be grateful that this is clearly a contract where I am taking a loss. Originally, such a deal would never-]

“Ah, it spilled.”

Thud!!

From the subspace that Lenok opened, a huge arm covered in scales fell straight down.

A muscular arm covered in blue blood. A chaotic mix of scales and goat hair on the skin.

“Wait, half…!!”

Virgil, who had been quietly watching the conversation, was shocked and supported the falling arm of the Anathema.

Thump!!

Virgil staggered, carrying the Anathema’s right arm, which was much larger than his own body.

Virgil’s eyes momentarily wavered as he looked at the blue blood flowing down the severed surface of the arm.

Lenok chuckled as he watched.

“You can take the blood that spilled in the office, Virgil. Consider it a down payment.”

A vampire is a demi-human who craves blood from birth.

It was not unusual for Virgil to feel a bloodlust for the blood of the Anathema, a fallen apostle of the Central City aristocracy.

If Madam were here, she would have offered all sorts of deals to get a bottle of blood from Lenok.

But even after hearing Lenok’s words, Virgil bit his lip and struggled to raise his gaze.

“This is blood that the Chairman obtained through a fair deal. I cannot touch a single drop.”

“That’s a perfect answer. Especially considering that Oliviera is still watching.”

Lenok raised his hand towards the doll.

“I could cover her eyes for a moment if you want.”

[What nonsense are you spouting in front of me?]

At the doll’s cold telepathic message, Lenok laughed and lowered his hand.

[I will designate where the Anathema’s remains should be stored. Come alone to the coordinates I will call out from now on.]

“Then shall I take this right arm back?”

[…No. Keep it in the headquarters’ underground vault.]

The doll, after a moment of hesitation, slowly sent a telepathic message.

[Virgil. Extract the blood remaining in the Anathema’s arm and hand it over to the research lab. Once the component analysis is complete, I will allow you to feed.]

“Chairman. I…”

“Helping your subordinates with their self-improvement is also a virtue of a superior.”

Lenok, cutting off Virgil’s words, laughed and nodded.

“I’ll move right away.”

[……]

Instead of answering Lenok’s words, Oliviera cut off her consciousness as it was, with a cold sneer.

Leaving the doll slumped on the office chair, Lenok turned to leave.

“Can you tell me later what effects there are from feeding on the Anathema’s blood? I know a few vampires, you see.”

“……”

“If it can be used as a bargaining chip with vampires, it might be useful in its own way.”

“You… never mind. It’s strange for me to give advice about your deal with the Chairman now.”

Virgil, with a bewildered expression, tried to say something, but then sighed.

“Just be careful about one thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Chairman never agrees to anything she doesn’t want.”

Virgil’s eyes glowed strangely as he looked at Lenok.

“In the first place, your request might not have been such a loss or an unpleasant request for her.”

“……”

“I don’t know why you want to go to the Outer City, but the Chairman might also have personal reasons for going to Kundara.”

“That’s a very… interesting answer.”

Lenok, with a cigarette in his mouth, turned his gaze towards Virgil.

“That might be quite important information for Oliviera, so why are you telling me?”

“I just hope that the Chairman and you maintain a good relationship.”

Virgil, who had called the secretary’s office to order the transportation of the Anathema’s arm, sighed softly.

Virgil muttered as he watched the secretaries, with pale faces, put the right arm into a bag with magic symbols.

“Whether we like it or not, the Cartel will be moving in the same direction as the Magic Tower for the time being. I just hope that the two of you don’t end up opposing each other in the process.”

“……”

“Even if the Chairman doesn’t say it directly, if you know this fact in advance, at least a major conflict won’t happen, right?”

“That’s a tearfully wonderful loyalty.”

Lenok said with a laugh.

“Okay. But that will depend on Oliviera herself, not me. I haven’t met many sorcerers as proud as she is.”

“That’s something I can’t do anything about. I’m just doing my best in my position…”

Virgil said with a wry smile.

“The Chairman already has too many enemies. It wouldn’t be strange if something happened in the Outer City.”

“It seems that Oliviera Ron Maze has many enemies, purely due to her own fault.”

Lenok exhaled smoke and turned to leave.

“I’ll judge that for myself depending on the situation.”

“Well, I think that’s how it should be, but…”

Virgil smiled wryly.

“When has it ever not been like that?”

“……”

* * *

Balkan, the giant city. An undeveloped area outside of District 50.

The area of the cool northern highlands where arid mountain ranges stood tall.

It was well past midnight, so only pitch-black darkness surrounded the area.

With a scattering of dust, thick tires rotated violently.

A monster bike, gleaming in the darkness, sped across the highlands, then stopped, tilting its body to the side.

Screech!!

Lenok, who had stopped the bike, sat on the body of the bike, put a cigarette in his mouth, and opened his mouth.

“I know that beyond this point is not part of Balkan’s administrative district.”

[……]

“You’re not thinking of leaving Balkan right away when we haven’t even solved the barrier issue yet, are you?”

[The Sea of Understanding is particularly visible on this plateau.]

Oliviera, who was standing on the hill, her fancy robe fluttering, answered without turning her head.

[Conquering the Sea of Understanding, including the Philemon Autonomous Territory, was once one of Balkan’s long-cherished projects.]

“I know that the intervention of the Heavenly Eye messed things up. I saw her too.”

Lenok replied, exhaling smoke.

“I thought that was over after the Azure Eye was launched.”

[No. I’m talking about the story before that.]

Oliviera, slowly turning her back, muttered.

[That was one of the scenarios that Kaise had designed, and it was the idea that became the origin of the project.]

“……What?”

[Taking over the floating island clusters of the Autonomous Territory and investigating the secrets sleeping beneath the Sea of Understanding…]

Oliviera’s indifferent telepathic voice echoed quietly from beyond the veil.

[It was one of the few conclusions we reached in the process of uncovering all the failures of the world.]

“……”

The Philemon Autonomous Territory where the Azure Eye headquarters is located, and the floating island clusters that exist on the Sea of Understanding.

He knew that the sea, where updrafts blew, had a particularly special location and status.

Beneath that Sea of Understanding, there was a secret equivalent to the failure of the project?

While Lenok was silent at Oliviera’s unexpected words, she casually brushed past Lenok and walked down the hill.

[Well, it’s a meaningless story for now. You don’t have to pay attention to it.]

“……Did you call me all the way here to tell me that meaningless story?”

[It is very meaningful to have obtained the causality of the Anathema.]

Oliviera said that and looked down at the distant cliff behind the rocky hill.

Whoosh!!

A cliff where even using Lenok’s magic detection, the end of the cliff and the scenery on the other side could not be seen.

Below the steep cliff, a chilling, even brutal, cold wind was constantly blowing.

Was it an illusion that the sound of the wind crashing against the cliff and splitting sounded like the screams of a living human?

[Even if it’s a one-time trick, if you can bypass the restrictions, you can do more than you think.]

“……”

[The Anathema’s horn.]

When Lenok threw the Anathema’s right horn from the subspace, Oliviera grabbed it with one hand.

Crack!!

When she broke off the tip of the horn, it turned into a finely ground powder in her hand.

A grip so strong that it was hard to believe she did it with her bare hands. Oliviera scattered the horn powder down the cliff.

A delicate and reverent gesture, as if scattering ashes down the cliff.

But the moment Oliviera stepped back from the cliff, after removing her hand.

Kugugugu…!!

With a strong vibration, the wind blowing from below the cliff began to stop.

The canyon became quiet in an instant, as if the wind itself was an artificial phenomenon.

Oliviera looked at the scene and nodded towards Lenok.

[Let’s go down.]

Whoosh!!

Without even hearing a proper answer, she took a step forward and fell down the cliff.

Lenok also sighed and immediately jumped down the cliff.

Whoosh!!

Even though the wind had stopped, the depth of the cliff was so deep that his clothes fluttered.

Lenok, who was looking at the emptiness below the endless cliff, suddenly looked at the cliff wall and smiled wryly.

Because countless bones and skulls, presumed to be human remains, were densely hung all over the cliff.

Balkan, the giant city, undeveloped area.

No one would have imagined that such a gruesome scene was hidden deep in the secluded highlands where no one existed.

Lenok thought so and pulled up his magic power, wrapping it around his body, at that moment.

The darkness that had been overflowing from under his feet engulfed Lenok and Oliviera and opened its mouth wide.

Faaaat!!

The moment they realized it, the two of them had already fallen into the middle of a huge cave with no end in sight.

“……”

Black burning lamps lit up the dark corridor, and a carpet made of processed black beast fur was laid out.

Even the furniture made of ebony wood and the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling seemed to be made of processed obsidian.

A strange illusion where the surrounding scenery was distorted as if it was all stained black.

“It’s a dungeon.”

Lenok, who had grasped the identity of this space, said with interest.

“Did you build a workshop, add barriers and spells to make it a lair that repels intruders?”

A long time ago. When Lenok had just started working as a freelancer in Balkan.

He had heard rumors that a similar lair was hidden near the undeveloped area, but this was practically the first time he had seen it directly.

A secret place built in an environment that was not completely separated from the city, but also not close to its living area.

[After the civil war ended, there were rats who hid to avoid the interference of the city government. It wasn’t uncommon.]

“It sounds like there are more dungeons like this in the undeveloped area.”

[There are a few in the northern highlands, as well as near lakes, deserts, and swamps. I haven’t looked for the specific locations because I’m not interested, but…]

Her telepathic message, which seemed indifferent, seemed to be mixed with a faint sneer.

[The districts of this city are frustratingly vast. You know it better than I do.]

“……”

Oliviera replied and strode into the cave without hesitation.

As they went deeper into the cave, the decorations on the walls increased, and several forks appeared.

The shape of the dark corridor, shimmering with shadows as if to confuse intruders.

Lenok, who had been looking around the dungeon behind Oliviera, said.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re welcoming us. But on the other hand, I don’t see any traps or guardian spirits.”

[With me and you together, what dungeon master would dare to put their soldiers here?]

Oliviera scoffed as if she was dumbfounded at Lenok’s words.

[It’s something that wouldn’t happen unless they were a fool who knowingly chose to take a loss. It’s a question that doesn’t need to be asked.]

“Who was it that made a big deal about the fact that they were taking a loss in this deal?”

[……]

A rare and precious sight of Oliviera being speechless.

But Lenok calmly changed the subject before her thoughts turned cold.

“I’d like to see what kind of defensive measures they use in this kind of dungeon. If we smash the dungeon, won’t they come out on their own?”

[……That’s enough. There’s no need to go that far.]

Oliviera, who had stopped speaking for a moment at Lenok’s calm answer, shook her head with a dumbfounded look.

[The owner of this dungeon owes us a debt. If we push them down appropriately, they will give in to our request.]

“Us?”

Even if it was Oliviera, did the owner of this dungeon owe Lenok a debt?

While Lenok was tilting his head at the incomprehensible words, Oliviera let out a cold laugh.

[From the beginning, the fact that he let us in here himself means that the result is already decided.]

Srrr…!!

She walks without worrying about the direction of the fork.

Just by doing that, the darkness and confusion were cleared away, the surrounding scenery was revealed, and the surrounding space opened up, revealing a huge cradle.

A huge obsidian coffin that shone brightly.

Around the coffin, withered branches were densely connected, as if constantly supplying something to the coffin like an IV drip.

As if using the coffin as her cradle, a huge baby was leaning against the crystal coffin, glaring at them.

“……Ah. I see.”

Lenok, who remembered the baby’s appearance, shook his head with a bitter smile.

A sorcerer in the form of a giant baby, a superhuman presumed to be an 8th-level black magician.

Thillian, the black magician he had encountered at the meeting before, was the owner of this dungeon.

[It’s been a while, Shandorei Thillian.]

Oliviera, who had stepped forward with a low telepathic message, slowly raised her head.

[I will access the Nox Biblio. You have the key to the archive, so open the door.]

“……What?”

[Has your hearing become dull even with that younger body?]

Oliviera’s telepathic message turned cold.

[The forbidden arts that are not of this world. An archive that has collected all the information about it. I’m telling you to bring the access rights to that space.]