Chapter 1180: Opening (11)

The order and rules of magic largely depend on the wizard’s own will and capabilities.

Magic is readily altered not only by wishes, desires, and needs, but even by subtle perceptions like prejudice or misconception.

‘Perception’ and ‘understanding’ are the most crucial core concepts in magic, requiring a high degree of intuition.

Thus, a wizard is constantly required to analyze and reflect on their own magic, to correct their standards.

A profound path that demands continuous effort just to stand still, let alone advance, once magic is learned.

It was needless to say how important research was to a wizard walking the path of magic.

Even Lennok, when moving for the fourth time, first considered whether he could secure a laboratory nearby.

The laboratory, created by completely renovating a mid-sized, new-style building next to the mansion, was the product of such effort and investigation.

Whirrrr-

As the automatic door opened, a neatly organized corridor came into view.

The countless research labs, their interiors revealed through transparent reinforced glass.

Various mechanical devices moved ceaselessly, experimenting and measuring something.

Whoosh!! Boom…!!

Fwoosh!!

Clank, clank!!

Automated processes endlessly repeated experiments mixing elixir concentrates or testing the strength of firearms.

Beside them, a mechanical arm holding a mana-infused brush moved at a constant speed, drawing magic circles.

A metallic hand hanging from the ceiling formed hand seals alone, repeating spell optimization processes.

Lightning and flames, ice and darkness, swirled and floated within glass pillars, flickering brightly.

Grooooooan!!!

“Wow.”

A series of wondrous sights unfolded, enough to make Aris’s mouth drop slightly as she walked behind Lennok.

Young magical beasts frolicking on an artificially created grassland in the hollow opposite the research wing.

Power generation equipment that constantly produced energy by repeatedly experimenting with mana particle fission and fusion.

And dozens of artifacts undergoing real-time performance tests from all directions.

Feeling Aris’s intensified gaze from behind him, Lennok explained.

“I’m often away on personal matters, so I’ve explored various methods. Most of what you see now are the results of that.”

“So, you’ve completely automated all the research equipment, designing them to operate without you directly manipulating them?”

“I’ve tried various methods, but this proved to be the most efficient.”

Lennok nodded.

“I usually set the research direction myself, but the experimental and measurement processes are automated and simply recorded. If I get results different from what I expected, I review the recorded footage and adjust the processes.”

“That’s… easier said than done. It can’t be a method that wizards like us could easily attempt.”

Aris retorted with a surprised expression.

Her blue eyes turned toward the bustling machinery beyond the glass wall.

“Not only do you need to acquire experimental equipment suited for specific tasks, but you also have to designate the automation algorithms to match the research direction. Since no one else can do that for you, the researcher themselves would have to individually intervene in algorithm creation.”

“You’re quite knowledgeable.”

“It’s astonishing enough that you can handle such diverse research simultaneously, but your ability to create algorithms to run hundreds of automated processes is beyond words.”

Aris mumbled, unable to hide her admiration.

“It seems a truly remarkable programmer is assisting with your research, Lennok.”

[Ahem.]

It sounded as if the Cybernetic Spirit, huddled in his arms, had its nose raised to the sky.

Aris, as an excellent researcher herself, understood the importance of infrastructure, which is why she could notice such details.

However, Aris’s next question completely took Lennok by surprise.

“By any chance, is this programming the ability of the fox spirit accompanying you?”

“…Huh?”

[Gulp.]

Lennok momentarily retorted, and Davi promptly fell silent.

“Even when I was at Sinclair Magic Tower, I consistently gathered news about you.”

Aris said with a smile, as if she hadn’t noticed their reaction.

“I know Professor Vylun. So I could infer that there was a technician who could implement the techniques from the papers you published.”

“…”

“Knowing your personality, Lennok, you would never entrust such important work to someone you didn’t absolutely trust.”

Aris’s smiling gaze suddenly turned towards Lennok’s arms.

“Just as my master isn’t human, I thought perhaps your collaborator might also be… something else.”

“Applying Claris Richellen’s case to other situations might not be meaningful, but…”

After a moment’s thought, Lennok casually averted his gaze.

“Let’s just say I didn’t hear that question.”

“May I ask why?”

“I haven’t asked my collaborator yet if I’m allowed to answer arbitrarily.”

Lennok smiled, meeting Aris’s eyes.

“Though it can’t be helped sometimes, I try to respect their wishes as much as possible.”

[…]

Davi was extremely lively and chatty when with Lennok, but conversely, she was a spirit utterly indifferent to other humans.

She seemed to have almost no interest in humans other than Lennok, and only regarded them as objects of praise or worship.

But as time passed, Lennok no longer tried to forcibly correct Davi’s actions or thoughts.

Davi was a Cybernetic Spirit Lennok had personally created, raised, and shared many experiences with.

Sometimes, Lennok himself found comfort and strength to move forward from Davi, who spoke to him more actively than he did.

Though a subject to be taught and disciplined, she was a friend who accompanied Lennok on equal footing in every matter.

Even if Davi felt negative emotions towards humans, anything less than curiosity, Lennok…

“I’m sorry, Lennok.”

Aris bowed her head slightly, her expression a little calmer.

“I got a bit carried away and was rude. May I take this opportunity to apologize to your collaborator?”

“It’ll probably be fine.”

Lennok paused for a moment, then smiled gently.

“They’re a friend who much prefers praise to apologies.”

[…If you put it that way, it’s not fine at all.]

Davi grumbled in a small voice, but Lennok felt the spirit’s tail gently wagging.

After that, Lennok and Aris walked through the research lab corridor, conversing appropriately.

“If you’ve been receiving news from Sinclair Magic Tower, I suppose I don’t need to explain the other papers.”

“No. I’ve read all the papers you’ve written dozens of times. However, the news I heard about you at the Magic Tower wasn’t about that… Oh.”

Aris was about to reply but diverted her gaze, noticing the scene of another research lab visible through the corridor.

Aris approached the glass, placed her hand on it, and looked inside the lab with sparkling eyes.

“Is that…”

Lennok followed her gaze and tilted his head at the Night Crow undergoing repairs inside.

It was the item he used on his way back to Vulcan, but was there anything about it that would interest Aris?

But the moment Aris spoke, Lennok’s body stiffened slightly.

“Is that the item you made when you worked as a blacksmith in the Machine City, Lennok?”

“…Pardon?”

“I heard you disguised your identity and traveled around while working as an artisan in Machina.”

Aris asked, her expression slightly excited, responding to Lennok’s words.

“As I recall, you used the name Lyman in Machina…”

“No, that’s not incorrect, but…”

Lennok retorted with a dumbfounded expression.

“Surely, the news you saw while at Sinclair Magic Tower… wasn’t about that?”

“…Ahem. Well, I can guess what your university life was like.”

Aris finally regained her composure, cleared her throat, and looked away.

“Of course, I looked at the papers a lot, but the news that mainly circulated wasn’t about that…”

“…”

What kind of things did Lennok handle under the alias Adamant Thunder while Aris was at Sinclair Magic Tower?

Considering everything Lennok had done, it would be faster to count the things he did under other identities rather than as Adamant Thunder.

It wasn’t strange. As he already noticed, it would be natural for Aris to be interested in Adamant Thunder’s exploits.

However, most of what Lennok had done under the name Adamant Thunder were…

“I didn’t realize Professor would be interested in that.”

Lennok gave a wry smile and looked away.

“There wouldn’t have been much pleasant news to find if you looked into it yourself.”

“I remember when you first started learning magic, Lennok.”

Aris replied quietly.

“I know you didn’t have many choices. And that you needed a lot of resources to live as a wizard.”

“…”

“I’m not so shameless as to point fingers at the work you did as a freelancer. Nor am I so good a person as to lecture on morality.”

Aris looked at Lennok with calm eyes.

“On the contrary, I always feel apologetic. If only I had suggested you work at the university a little earlier, perhaps–”

“No. That wouldn’t be the case.”

Lennok shook his head and turned his steps.

“I don’t want to rationalize my choices that way. In the end, no matter what, I would have been here.”

“…”

“Fighting to get what I want, or risking my life to protect myself… Both suited my aptitude well. Sometimes, I even enjoyed it.”

Lennok spoke slowly, leaving Aris in silence.

“Perhaps the rumors circulating about me weren’t entirely wrong. I even thought it wasn’t bad if I could leverage my infamy.”

“Lennok. I’m not so foolish as to think someone who talks like that is crazy or blood-soaked.”

Aris shook her head and matched Lennok’s pace.

“I made a decision before returning to Vulcan. I’m here not to interrogate what you’ve done, but to help you.”

“…”

“I didn’t come back seeking your answers, to talk about things I have no right to speak of. I wanted to make that clear.”

“…I see.”

She was always like this, always thoughtful and considerate of others.

Aris said she wasn’t that good a person, but Lennok still disagreed.

But perhaps because of that, Lennok still remembered and thought of Aris even after a long time.

They walked down the endlessly stretching research lab corridor.

The strange silence between them ended in a rather absurd way.

“Oh, aren’t those parts from the mobile fortress Lennok destroyed during the Defense Force Rebellion?”

“I believe so…”

“Surely, that’s not the remains of Anathema, whom Lennok supposedly subjugated to earn the title of Apostle-Slayer, is it?”

“How do you even know that?”

“A Long-lived Being’s egg…! Did you personally bring that back from Kundara this time?”

“…”

Now that he thought about it, it seemed less like she’d merely heard rumors about Adamant Thunder’s exploits and more like she’d actively investigated them.

Could it be that her going to Sinclair Magic Tower to do research wasn’t about Lennok’s secrets, but simply researching Lennok himself?

As Lennok stared at Aris, who had become intimately familiar with his past actions, Aris cleared her throat, sensing his gaze, and stepped back.

“Ahem, I only vaguely heard about these things through rumors. Seeing the evidence of those events now is quite nostalgic.”

“Many of these items have little connection to being evidence of my past deeds.”

“Come on, let’s move quickly. I need to work hard to help with your paper, Lennok!”

“…”

He thought he hadn’t changed much from before, but was this aspect of her also the same?

Aris took Lennok, who was tilting his head in confusion, by the arm and took a step, only to stop five steps later.

“By the way, did you acquire those metal wings separately for research?”

“Ah, those…”

Lennok trailed off, seeing the imposing Iron-Plated Wings being oiled in the maintenance room.

The mana particle collapse incident that occurred in Restricted Zone 25. The past Kaiser Bajour he encountered in the restricted zone.

Those Iron-Plated Wings were the equipment of Miloze, a member of Deadrise who followed the past Kaiser. It was natural that Aris wouldn’t recognize the wings, given that he had arbitrarily picked up and used the abandoned wings from the restricted zone.

Thinking that, Lennok subtly evaded the question.

“I can’t quite remember where I got them. I have so many items stored in the lab…”

“The movement of the metal feathers making up the wings is incredibly organic. They appear to be designed for actual flight, not just decoration.”

Aris’s gaze, fixed on the movements of the Iron-Plated Wings, subtly changed.

“They look like very difficult equipment to maintain. Is that why you have them oiled so frequently?”

“Yes. As you said, Aris, they’re very sensitive to their surroundings and condition.”

Lennok nodded.

“I’ve tried to create similar equipment, but they don’t function properly without being the original. So I maintain and use them regularly like this.”

“I see. Since they were flight-related equipment, I wondered if they might be related to your new paper…”

“The laboratory for the fourth paper’s research is this way.”

Lennok opened the door to the adjacent lab and stepped inside.

Creak!

A massive hollow, easily five times larger than the other labs.

Inside, a laboratory and various research equipment were already prepared.

Various catalysts and samples were arranged on shelves, and automated transport devices moved back and forth, repeating their delivery tasks.

Aris, immediately noticing the flow of things, asked.

“Is it a catalyst experiment?”

“If you’re aware of what I’ve been doing, the explanation will be simpler.”

Lennok said, walking further into the lab.

“While traveling through Kundara, I happened to have an opportunity to acquire a Long-lived Being’s True Blood. They say it’s an extremely rare, top-grade catalyst.”

“…At the very least, it’s certainly not something you could ‘easily acquire’ as you just said.”

Aris gave a wry smile.

“Even Sinclair Magic Tower doesn’t possess a single drop of True Blood. Even that isn’t enough for research or experiments; they’re reduced to scraping dried bloodstains from bottles and dedicating themselves solely to component analysis.”

“Then, I should probably show you this first.”

Clank!!

The moment Lennok pulled a lever next to the lab shelf, dozens of test tubes emerged from all sides.

Each test tube contained a single drop of blue-glowing blood, preserved and emitting a faint light.

Aris’s mouth dropped slightly.

“Wait. Surely, all of those are…?”

“They are True Blood directly collected from the living bodies of supreme Long-lived Beings.”

Lennok said, looking around at the test tubes.

“Indeed, experimenting with True Blood as a catalyst showed an abnormally high mana yield. Throughout the experiment, mana wasn’t consumed; rather, it was supplied. This means that using True Blood as a catalyst boosts mana efficiency beyond 100%.”

“Even Long-lived Beings cannot recover True Blood once lost. These are ‘consumables’ that cannot be replenished by any means in this world.”

Aris, unable to hide her surprise, hesitated and stepped back.

“I never thought it would be this extensive… What kind of experiment are you preparing for in this paper?”

“You don’t need to feel burdened. Even if the research fails, we won’t be able to use all the True Blood stored here anyway.”

“Catalyst consumption is unavoidable in catalyst experiments. If you can’t achieve results…”

“We’re not trying to research with True Blood.”

Lennok smiled, seeing Aris hesitate, which was unlike her.

“If the research for the fourth paper’s subject succeeds, we will instead ‘create’ True Blood.”

“…What?”

“In the third paper, we worked on giving form to the formless knowledge that is the Common Magic System.”

Lennok said, approaching the shelves lined with catalysts.

“So this time, I intend to do the opposite.”

“The opposite…?”

In the first paper, he substituted and combined different concepts.

The second paper involved reversing existing concepts to make them cancel each other out.

The third paper sought to instill order and system into formless concepts and establish rules.

Chance, necessity, and fate.

Then, the fourth paper–

“The fourth paper will be an experiment to defy the laws of the universe.”

Lennok mumbled, gazing at the True Blood stored on the shelf.

“That process will require a great many trials and errors, and failures.”

“…”

“We don’t need to complete the paper or yield results immediately. Perhaps significant progress will only come after the war ends. But…”

If he can do it, he will eventually reach it. If he knows he will eventually reach it, he can do it now.

But was it truly right to involve Aris in something Lennok had never once succeeded at?

The answer was unknown. Lennok had never been certain of success from the moment he began writing a paper.

Nevertheless, the reason Lennok was attempting to complete this paper with Aris at this point was–

“There really isn’t much time left now.”

Lennok mumbled, pulling out his phone.

“I need to firmly set my own direction before the Legion Parade begins.”

“…Lennok.”

“And, it seems they’re finally ready, too.”

Beep.

A message notification popped up with a light vibration.

Lennok’s gaze lowered as he checked the message via Davi.

[Van. Peshia Grisbern says he has something to discuss about the deal you mentioned.]

A message from Felix, who had been engrossed in training with Peshia.

If at this point he mentioned the deal Lennok conveyed to Peshia, its meaning was clear.

The previous offer, made to bring Peshia Grisbern to the Legion Parade–

The next sentence pinpointed Lennok’s task more precisely.

[He says he’ll arrange a meeting with Ethan Bajour. What will you do?]