Chapter 1119: Lingering Scent (7)

The Fairy Conjunction Master of the Order Alliance, who had put the train’s passengers to sleep, appeared. And the existence of a message the Leader had left regarding the Kundara matter.

“…” But Lennok stared intently at the Fairy Conjunction Master before replying.

Wide, blue ceremonial robes. Bare feet without shoes. A youthful face with a languid expression. Even if she had just stepped out of a mansion, she wouldn’t be this unguarded.

“My reaction is ambiguous even after talking about the Leader,” the Fairy Conjunction Master, noticing Lennok’s gaze, tilted her head.

“Ah, perhaps a more respectful approach was needed for such a conversation?”

“No, it doesn’t matter,” Lennok said with a chilling smile. “I wouldn’t expect politeness from a spellcaster who addresses the Alliance Leader that way. I was thinking of something else.”

The Fairy Conjunction Master’s demeanor showed no particular deference, even towards the Order Alliance Leader, presumed to be an Ascendant. Lennok remembered that the Conjunction Spell Master he met at the First Gate had also displayed a similar attitude when mentioning the Leader. True to its name as an ‘Alliance,’ perhaps some spell masters cooperate with the Leader but do not pledge loyalty.

However, Lennok did not respond to the Fairy Conjunction Master’s offer for a different reason. He faintly sensed that the Fairy Conjunction Master sitting before him was not her true self.

“It has form, yet no substance. It doesn’t truly exist in this reality in the first place.”

“…”

“Is she wielding a power similar to some kind of spirit entity? Where did she come from?”

“Your senses are incredibly sharp. I came from the Spirit World,” the Fairy Conjunction Master said, taking a drink from a beverage on the adjacent table and sipping it.

“Due to the nature of my spellcraft, I usually reside there. I rarely come out to the outside world in the first place.”

Since she called herself a Fairy Conjunction Master, the spellcraft she wields must surely be related to fairies. But Lennok knew almost nothing about the concept of fairies, distinct from spirits. Furthermore, there was no trace of any presence around the Fairy Conjunction Master right now. Could this be related to the unique property of her spellcraft that allows the caster to reside in the Spirit World themselves?

“So, putting the passengers in this cabin to sleep was also your spellcraft.”

“That’s right. But you…” The spell master tilted her head, looking at Lennok. “You’re much calmer than I expected. The rumors I heard didn’t give this impression.”

“…”

“I heard you fought and defeated Cheonbeon, so I expected you to be completely unhinged. I’m surprised you even take trains like a normal person.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing. I’m just genuinely curious,” the Fairy Conjunction Master shook her head.

“Many spellcasters obsessed with combat are too broken to even lead normal lives. There are quite a few similar cases in the Alliance.”

“…”

“You’re getting completely opposite evaluations from Cheonbeon, so I expected something similar to Chapman, but this is unexpected.”

Shrugging her shoulders, she put down her drink and said, “Thanks to that, I could only pinpoint your location after you boarded the train. That’s why I had to move myself.”

If she only deduced his movements after he boarded the train, then the Alliance wasn’t aware that Lennok had met Maleon? Indeed, if someone had been watching, neither Lennok nor Maleon would have failed to notice. Lennok leaned his chin on his hand and looked at the spell master.

“From what you’ve been saying, it seems you have a lot of interest in Cheonbeon.”

“That’s not wrong. Did you hear that Cheonbeon defeated Chapman at the First Gate?” The spell master agreed.

“I was observing that from a distance myself, you see.”

“…”

“Although I didn’t peer into Chapman’s Domain, I saw how Cheonbeon killed him,” the Fairy Conjunction Master said, leaning back against the train seat.

“I also learned what dangerous power that pyro-mage has acquired. Would it be a mistake to think he’s grown even stronger since his defeat by you?”

“Your introduction is long-winded,” Lennok retorted coldly. “I don’t have that much patience. Is that all you have to say?”

“Is that so? I don’t really think so,” the Fairy Conjunction Master met Lennok’s gaze.

“It’s the Leader’s message. He asked me to convey his gratitude regarding the Kundara matter.”

“…Gratitude?”

“He said you would understand what it means if I put it like this.”

“…”

The Order Alliance Leader expresses gratitude for the Kundara matter. Why would the Leader send such a message regarding what Lennok had done? What was the meaning of that message, which he claimed Lennok would understand without further explanation?

The moment Lennok’s face hardened, the Fairy Conjunction Master said, “Anyway, the Leader said he could offer one consideration in return. What I’m here to convey is his proposal.”

“Consideration,” Lennok sneered. “It doesn’t seem like the Alliance’s existence has ever been a ‘consideration’ to me for a single moment.”

“As you may know, Deadrise is planning to hold a large-scale Legion Parade soon,” the Fairy Conjunction Master said casually.

“Rumors are widespread that not only active generals stationed at the headquarters but also retired former legion commanders will gather.”

“…”

“And it’s almost a confirmed fact that the purpose of this Legion Parade is to announce the return of Deadrise’s Marshal, Ethan Bajour.”

Only then did Lennok realize that the Fairy Conjunction Master’s information-gathering abilities were far beyond what he had imagined.

Lennok had only heard about the Legion Parade when he spoke with Mirva, the 4th Legion Lieutenant General, after the events of the First Gate.

Yet, the Alliance already knew the schedule of the Legion Parade and even its true, still-undisclosed objective. This must surely be a result of the fairy spellcraft she employed.

“Soon, Deadrise will send out invitations. It will be a gathering of envoys from all sorts of factions. Our consideration pertains to that,” the spell master gazed intently at Lennok.

“If you wish, I can arrange for you to have a private audience with the Marshal of Deadrise.”

“…”

“According to the Leader’s message, he made a promise with the Marshal a long time ago. He says he can transfer that to your name.”

Only then did Lennok grasp the meaning of the ‘consideration’ the Leader was offering, and he fell silent.

The promise from the Alliance to arrange a private audience with the Marshal of Deadrise. What did it mean to present this to Lennok as a token of gratitude for the Kundara matter?

“You know well what kind of place Deadrise is, don’t you? Have you perhaps even killed one of their generals before?” Was she trying to probe, knowing what Adamant Thunder had done in Vulcan? The Fairy Conjunction Master smiled languidly, her expression unreadable.

“If you’re from Vulcan, you’d likely have a lot to discuss with the Marshal of Deadrise, in many ways. Wouldn’t this be a good opportunity?”

“Will you be accompanying me personally on this schedule?”

“I don’t know. That hasn’t been confirmed yet,” the Fairy Conjunction Master replied languidly, resting her chin in her hand, as Lennok fell into thought.

“I wasn’t born in this material realm, so if I leave the Spirit World, I get tired quickly. I’ll probably only know when the time comes.”

“…”

Although he had heard about Deadrise’s Legion Parade some time ago, he had never confirmed his participation. Likewise, attending the parade in his identity as Adamant Thunder was something he hadn’t considered until now.

But Lennok knew he had to attend the Legion Parade one way or another. The reason Deadrise’s entire legion was gathering to hold the parade was because the return of their Marshal, Ethan Bajour, who had been missing for a long time, had been confirmed.

A being who had died once and been resurrected. The author who traveled through the Military Spirit City, Yorta, and left behind a record of ghostly encounters. The Marshal leading Deadrise, and the leader to whom the legion commanders pledged loyalty. And Kaiser Bajour’s son, Jenny’s father. There was much he needed to confirm and ask him. As Mirva Neosoto had said, to confront Ethan Bajour, he would have to participate in the Legion Parade in some way.

‘If my goal is to meet Ethan Bajour, either option might not matter. But…’ It’s highly likely that the information he could obtain as Cheonbeon would be vastly different from the information he could obtain as Adamant Thunder. Cheonbeon, whom Deadrise is currently trying to recruit, versus Adamant Thunder, who is ambiguously leaning towards the Alliance. If he wanted to approach through a friendly relationship with Deadrise, the identity of Cheonbeon might be more convenient. Conversely, if he intended to help the Leader hunt the Second Apostle, accepting the Alliance’s consideration might be better. If possible, using both identities to meet Ethan Bajour would be the best approach. However, even using an Incarnation Body, there was no guarantee that problems wouldn’t erupt in the heart of Deadrise’s headquarters. Cheonbeon and Adamant Thunder. Deadrise and the Alliance. And the very existence of Ethan Bajour and the Second Apostle. The risks associated with each identity were too great, making it difficult to weigh any single one. No, in the first place, even calculating the gains or dangers across these two situations felt impossible.

“It seems you don’t intend to decide immediately. That’s fine,” the Fairy Conjunction Master gazed at Lennok’s face for a moment, then stood up.

“Since you seem calmer than I expected, I don’t need a definitive answer now. Just let me know before the Legion Parade.”

“Where are you going?”

“To pick up the Corpse Ghost Spell Master,” the spell master replied with a languid yawn.

“He’s an eccentric fellow, but his spellcraft is certainly useful. Since I’m in Kundara anyway, I might as well retrieve him.”

“…”

So the Corpse Ghost Spell Master, whom they had abandoned just before entering Kundara, was still nearby? But why wasn’t the Fairy Conjunction Master mentioning the subordinate spell master who had accompanied him?

“Well then, see you next time. I hope we’re not enemies then,” the spell master said, stepping onto the cabin corridor barefoot, as Lennok remained lost in thought.

“It’s the same with Cheonbeon; turning powerful wizards into enemies is a headache in many ways. Even more so for the Alliance.”

“…”

Crackle, crackle…!! As the Fairy Conjunction Master walked down the corridor, pale green cracks began to form across her body. With each step, the cracks deepened. Before she had taken more than a few steps, her body shattered into countless shards of light and vanished. Fwush!!!

“…”

Was that the power of the fairy spellcraft she mentioned, traversing between the Spirit World and reality? What was the nature of fairies, and how could a human travel back and forth to the Spirit World through them? Lennok’s eyes sank deeply as he stared at the spot where the spell master had vanished.

‘It looks more like a blessing than magic or spellcraft… a kind of inherited talent?’ If it was a power Lennok couldn’t immediately grasp with his intuition, it was far removed from conventional magic. It seemed to be a power closer to primordial abilities or mysteries. The incongruity of her wielding unmanageable spellcraft using an inborn blessing. If he had to draw a parallel, perhaps it was similar to the Primitive Magic Maleon used.

‘I need to put more effort into spellcraft that can bypass surveillance. There’s still so much spellcraft I don’t understand…’ The Fairy Conjunction Master had said she observed Cheonbeon killing the Conjunction Spell Master, yet Lennok hadn’t felt any gaze during his fight with the Conjunction Spell Master. This was evidence that ‘observation’ using fairy spellcraft wasn’t conducted within conventional parameters. It meant that the spellcraft handled by the Order Alliance was managed in an exceptionally unique way.

Having thought that far, Lennok let out a low sigh and ran a hand over his face.

“…Is this the end?” Even after the Kundara affair concluded, the continent and the Central Front continued to bustle without a moment’s rest. Even at this moment of resolution and reflection, someone was already planning and preparing for what was next. Another journey ended, and he moved forward, harboring new uncertainties.

Clack, clack…!! The faint, vibrating sound of rails clattering. Lennok closed his eyes, listening to the rhythmic vibrations and gazing out the window.

Vulcan was approaching.

The train traveled for a full day and a half, arriving near Vulcan’s outer districts.

Hiss!! Honk, honk, hooooonk!! Thick exhaust fumes and blaring horns. The lights of traffic signals changing in unison everywhere, and countless people moving on the roads. Loud advertising airships flying overhead, and traffic jams stretching to the horizon. Even the noise and crowds that seemed to fill his mind now felt comforting.

[“It’s certainly reassuring to have electronic devices and systems that can hack the entire city, you know?”] Davi also felt particularly emotional about returning to Vulcan, wriggling even more vigorously in Lennok’s arms.

[“But Master, it seems the organic beings in my city have increased a lot since I last saw them?”]

“…The Thorben War-Mage Tower and the Vulcan City Government officially signed a business agreement, didn’t they?” Davi seemed to have said something strange, but Lennok ignored it and fell into thought. He had to briefly retrace his memories of what had happened before heading to Kundara. There had been so many events, both during his journey to Kundara and within the city, that his memories of Vulcan felt incredibly distant. He recalled killing the Conjunction Spell Master at the First Gate, returning to Vulcan to meet the Thorben Magic Tower Lord, and then leaving for Kundara again.

“The Thorben Magic Tower built a port in the satellite city and then left. Because of that, the floating population coming and going from Vulcan must have increased several times over.”

[“Just by building a transit point in the satellite city, the floating population increased several times?”]

“Because the City Government directly intervened. From the outside, it wouldn’t be strange for it to look like the Vulcan City Government is seriously trying to rebuild the satellite city,” Lennok said, leaning on his staff and walking across a crosswalk. “It makes sense that the floating population would increase, even in the outer districts, as people gather to seize business opportunities or positions in the satellite city.”

[“Let’s see… Wow, Master, you’re right.”] Davi said, bringing up several hologram windows in front of Lennok. It was the Cybernetic Spirit, hacking into the nearby network and downloading all surrounding information as soon as they returned to Vulcan.

[“Nearly 1.88% of the city’s liquid assets are moving to the satellite city. Even within Vulcan, this level of enthusiasm is incredible.”]

“The Thorben Magic Tower is one of the continent’s top three war-business enterprises,” Lennok said, watching a video news report projected onto the hologram. “Since they directly invested and built facilities, it’s not strange for people to flock there, smelling money. But…”

[“But?”]

“These figures are certainly strange. This isn’t the kind of capital that would normally flow into a satellite city that isn’t even completed yet.”

Since these figures only account for internal capital flow within Vulcan, they could be several times higher if external investments are considered. Isn’t this an excessively large investment for a city where only a port has been built so far?

“Suspicious… Councilman Meyer handled the matter, so there shouldn’t be a problem with the process itself.”

[“Should I poke around other networks to dig up more information?”]

“No. Let’s do it later,” Lennok said, continuing to walk.

“There’s something I need to take care of first, by borrowing your computational power.”

[“What is it?”]

“Drinking the Elixir of Ascension in Kundara was a significant branching point for my magic system in many ways,” Lennok said, his gaze deepening as he looked at the familiar streetscape. He had thought he might not return to Vulcan for some time, but his plans had changed for a different reason. The corrupted branching point he gained after drinking the Elixir of Ascension. The power of a failed outcome that had twisted even Lennok’s magic system and Root Mindscape.

“A Forbidden Armament, possibly related to that power, is now in my possession.”

[“Ah, that’s the one…”] The Forbidden Armament acquired from the temple of Armas von Anathema, a Central Noble and the Guido Cult’s 6th Apostle. A glass-colored gauntlet said to be crafted from the bloodline of an Ascendant, obtained after a clash with Pandemonium. If Lennok could imbue his current power into that Forbidden Armament and seize new possibilities…

“First, I need to confirm what I gained and what I lost by opening The Gate.”

This was something that could only be attempted in the facilities he had established in Vulcan over several years. Seeing the traffic light turn green, Lennok walked forward without hesitation.

“Let’s go straight to the lab.”