Chapter 428: About What’s Changed (3)

Saiolus Garteanon, Dean of Rebatenon university.

He was the one who directly established the magic university in this relatively large city, a powerful wizard, and a tenacious seeker of knowledge.

Based on his officially recorded age alone, he was similar in age to Madrich Onnion, whom Lennok had faced.

After reaching the Archmage level, he followed the path of a researcher and never revealed specific accomplishments, but the world generally believed he had not yet crossed the barrier of the Peak of Extremes.

However, regardless of his personal achievements, his attempts and contributions to nurturing talents who sought to understand magic in this vast city were highly regarded.

Among the citizens, his evaluation and status were quite significant.

Some even said that if he were to retire from his dean position and enter politics, a city council seat would be as good as confirmed.

Inside the grand Gothic-style corridor leading to the Dean’s office.

Lennok nodded, scanning the information Davi had scampered around collecting from various parts of the network.

‘A flexible and communicative nature rather than stubbornness. Impressively insightful and adaptable, unlike most high-ranking wizards…’

It was an undeniable fact that high-ranking wizards, who delved deeply into their own magic, tended to be self-righteous and difficult to communicate with.

Saiolus, on the other hand, seemed to have a relatively amiable personality among such wizards, facilitating smoother communication.

‘His judgment tends to be skewed towards political rhetoric, but he’s not selfish. While interested in nurturing younger talents, he also actively leverages his position as dean…’

“Davi, this is more detailed than I thought. It’s so specific… it almost makes me suspicious.”

As Lennok looked perplexed by Davi’s suspiciously detailed report on Saiolus’s personality and tendencies, Davi yawned and replied.

[He got caught in an audit a few years ago as one of the city council candidates. And didn’t the master have an acquaintance working in the Audit Office?]

“…You borrowed Meyer’s network access and rummaged through the Audit Office’s database?”

[If I have a contact number, identity, call history, and voice recordings, it’s not difficult. I don’t know why, but other organisms besides Master seem to have a strange obsession with biological information. So I just waited for the right opportunity and collected it in the toad’s house.]

“…”

Although it was explained as nothing special, there was no need to explain how difficult it was to breach the security network of the City Council’s direct Audit Office and retrieve data.

Naturally, the power of the Cyber-Domain spirit, which had casually brought back data from the Audit Office, was continuously growing in a direction different from Lennok’s own.

It was inevitable that a spellcaster and their spirit shared a part of their Mind Imprint to some extent.

If so, did that mean a part of Lennok’s bottomless talent was also manifesting in a different way through Davi?

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since Davi transformed into a Three-Tailed Fox…’

Just as Lennok’s own growth was important, guiding the growth direction of the spirit accompanying him was also crucial.

Originally, he had been researching these spirit spells alongside Aris, but with her return to the magic tower, it had fizzled out and ended up here.

Lennok nodded, wondering if he should buy some good catnip for Davi, something beneficial for spirits.

“Alright. According to the data, the Dean isn’t exactly a good person either. Well, if you analyze anyone like this, would they ever look like a good person…?”

[The only good organisms are those who look up to me.]

Davi grumbled.

While Lennok was lost in thought, wondering if he should re-educate Davi on how she viewed humans other than himself, they had passed through the corridor and arrived in front of a large door.

[If you don’t want to knock, just come in.]

Lennok paused at the gruff voice from inside the door, then immediately pulled the doorknob.

A spacious office befitting the Dean of a university.

The messy sight of old, half-read books haphazardly strewn about was striking.

The white-haired old man, sitting askew between desks with his head bowed over a stack of documents, glanced up.

“Your steps are faster than I expected. Not a personality suited for a scholar.”

“…”

“It’s natural for one’s steps to slow down when deep in thought. And a researcher is a profession that always has to be pondering something. In that sense…”

The Dean, Saiolus, threw his pen down, leaned back in his chair, and smirked.

“Contrary to rumors, perhaps War Mage suits you.”

“I am Evan Vylun.”

Instead of replying, Lennok bowed slightly, and Saiolus laughed heartily.

“Hahahaha! It was a joke. As a wizard who handles the same lineage of spells, it’s not a profession I’d recommend. Why would I do something so terrible to a junior?”

“…Junior, you say?”

The same lineage of spells.

The moment Lennok realized how Evan was perceived as a spellcaster in this university, he looked up.

[Wooosh-]

A fluffy ball popped out from behind the Dean’s chair.

The furball rolled between the scattered books and glanced up at Lennok’s feet.

Its cloud-like appearance was a mix of a baby goat and cotton candy.

Closer to a beast than a human, yet the mana flowing from within was alien, belonging to no known category.

Lennok, belatedly realizing the furball’s identity, murmured.

“A spirit.”

“A friend I made in my later years. The research I pursued after reaching Archmage was about how much a complete wizard could embrace spells from different lineages.”

[Woo-]

With a small cry, the furball rolled around the office.

Its movements, mostly around Lennok’s feet, seemed to demand that he reveal what he was hiding.

Lennok chuckled, encountering the wild spirit, and pulled Davi out from his coat.

[…?!]

Davi crawled out, led by Lennok’s hand, then seeing the furball rolling at their feet, leaped up on the spot.

Whoosh!!

In an instant, Davi climbed up Lennok’s arm and shoulder to his head, her tail stiff, glaring at the furball.

[Wooosh.]

The furball, seeing this, rolled its body back and forth as if disappointed.

The Dean’s eyes glinted slightly at Davi’s movements.

“It clearly possesses high intelligence. I’d only heard rumors, but I knew it.”

“Why?”

“Spirits with low intelligence tend to react in some way when they receive a lot of human attention.”

The Dean chuckled, turned his chair, and hugged the furball.

“In contrast, your spirit has received so much attention that it became the elemental magic department’s mascot almost instantly, yet it has never caused any trouble. That’s proof it fully recognizes its master’s situation and knows how to be considerate.”

[…!]

Davi tapped the back of Lennok’s head with her tail, as if to say, “See?”

She didn’t want to speak in front of others, but it seemed she liked what the Dean was saying.

Lennok gazed at Saiolus’s face for a moment, then let out a small sigh and sat down in the chair opposite him.

The Dean chuckled at Lennok’s demeanor.

“When you meet a spirit user, complimenting their spirit works better than complimenting the user. Keep that in mind if you ever meet a wizard of the same lineage later.”

“I’ll remember that.”

“Since we seem to have broken the ice sufficiently, shall we get to the point?”

The Dean spun his chair around, slid out from behind his desk, and picked up a thick file, showing it to Lennok.

“This is a situational report on the related incident. Let’s discuss it as you read.”

Lennok sat on the sofa opposite the thick desk and flipped through the file.

As soon as he turned a page, he was greeted by gruesome photos, stained crimson.

A horrifying sight of a workshop hidden in a small back room, completely drenched in blood.

“Estimated blood volume is 20L. Considering the number of staff dispatched, it means all the blood from their bodies was scraped from the floor and smeared everywhere.”

The Dean spoke, watching Lennok’s unchanging expression with interest.

“The owner of the workshop was Hylo Thomson. A Commander Wizard from a research institute directly under the City Council. After reaching level 6, he refused government support and continued his independent research.”

The Dean sighed softly and glanced at Lennok.

“He was conducting dangerous research, commensurate with his skill, and it seems he used the results of your thesis in the process.”

“…”

“A nearby business, which was developing an engine and paying royalties for the thesis, became aware of this and protested to us. We sent management staff to investigate the specific circumstances, but…”

So, that’s how things turned out.

Lennok pondered for a moment, then asked.

“Are you still keeping this entire incident a secret from the outside world?”

“We reported it to the police, and the crime scene has all been cleaned up. We simply haven’t reported the specific circumstances to the City Government Technology Management Bureau.”

The Dean replied.

“Your thesis on the conversion of electricity and mana doesn’t just end at academic significance; it thoroughly penetrates the field of energy, which has much potential for application in various ways.”

“I see.”

“That’s why if we report this to the Technology Management Bureau, they’ll thoroughly protect your person, as well as the copyright to your thesis.”

“…”

“But judging by your disposition and attitude so far, you seem to find such attention bothersome.”

So, he knew that Lennok had been hiding behind Aris’s lab, writing theses, and only maintaining his assistant professor status?

Though he had heard the Dean was a busy man, he seemed to be precisely aware of what was happening within the university.

“It was you who handled the initial response when the Guido Cult missionary went wild, wasn’t it? I don’t know how much Aris dotes on you to hide all those circumstances, but I certainly understand that you don’t want to be in the spotlight.”

The Dean chuckled, looking at Lennok.

“And I, too, wouldn’t want to hand over such a talented individual to the Technology Management Bureau in this manner.”

Lennok couldn’t help but chuckle at the Dean’s unpretentious attitude, unlike an old high-ranking wizard.

He had heard that he was a contemporary of Madrich Onnion, but his personality and the depth of his conversation were completely different from the Military Spirit Sorcerer he had faced.

At his age, he must have some idea of where this world was headed, yet he seemed intent on focusing on what he could do as Dean.

This was enough to gauge the distance.

“Let’s make a deal. I will handle this matter.”

“…You?”

“If I find the culprit who killed the staff and hand them over to the faculty, there’ll be no need for a separate report to the Technology Management Bureau.”

Lennok said, slowly raising his mana.

At the same time, the mana flowing from Davi’s body resonated, slowly boosting its energy.

Slowly, steadily. But never sluggishly. Not enough to reveal Lennok’s true identity.

Wooong…!!

The mana, unleashed by Davi and Lennok resonating, swirled in the center of the office.

[Wooosh…!]

The furball spirit rolling on the floor let out an anxious cry.

The Dean’s wrinkled face, which had initially looked at Lennok with a slightly bewildered expression, slowly began to fill with surprise.

“No, wait… You, surely, a War…!!”

Before his surprise faded, Lennok spoke again.

“In return, Dean, please connect me to the Central Council.”

“…What did you say?”

Before answering, Lennok smiled.

He had already generally known what title Saiolus held, having stolen a glance at the Audit Office database through Davi.

“You’re not a council member yet, but you’ve served as a technical advisor to the Central Council, haven’t you?”

“…”

“You just need to arrange a suitable position for me in that advisory committee. Something like an executive secretary or clerk would be appropriate.”

Aris had temporarily left the university, and Lennok’s achievements were growing beyond human comprehension day by day.

But even at this point, Lennok had no intention of discarding the Evan identity he had painstakingly created.

Evan Vylun’s identity, which had been flimsy when first created, was now firmly established thanks to Aris’s endorsement and years of consistent actions.

In that case, shouldn’t he find a way to utilize this identity in other ways?

The more secrets Lennok uncovered, the more his approach had to change.

Lennok intended to directly infiltrate the deepest part of the City Council, using Evan Vylun’s identity and abilities.

Lennok’s statement was bold, almost impudent.

But the story changed when combined with the fact that Lennok had hidden his achievements until now and had shaken the entire academic world with a single thesis.

Instead of getting angry outright, the Dean began to seriously consider the terms of the deal.

Why Lennok would suddenly reveal his accomplishments at this point and try to impress the Dean.

And what mutual benefits could arise from such a deal.

“…You’re a more ambitious fellow than I thought. Have you been hiding your achievements all this time for this…? Your patience is very impressive. I admit it.”

“…”

“But the exchange isn’t fair. You know that, don’t you?”

The Dean’s eyes had now turned into those of a shrewd negotiator.

“The reason I called you here was solely to prevent us from getting into troublesome situations. To trust you and push you into the advisory committee based on just that… it’s far from enough.”

Lennok’s recent statement openly implied he wanted to piggyback on the Dean’s connections to access key positions within the City Council.

As such a highly suspicious remark, the responsibility for any mischief Lennok might cause would fall upon the Dean.

The situation was ridiculously imbalanced to give up such a position just for handling this incident.

But Lennok smiled at the roundabout refusal.

After all, the very fact that he was discussing the topic meant that the Dean was willing to accept if the conditions were right.

It likely meant that the Dean, whose council seat was already halfway confirmed, didn’t have strong attachment to the Central Council’s technical advisor position.

Lennok took a sheet of paper from his coat and placed it before the Dean’s eyes.

Thud.

“What is this?”

“It’s a brief summary plan of the theme and content for my second thesis.”

“…!!!!”

The Dean’s eyes widened as he picked it up and began to examine it.

Lennok watched him, slowly adding to his words.

“The Vulcan Magic Engineering Expo, approximately two months from now. I propose to present this thesis there, representing Rebatenon university. How does that sound?”

A large-scale event and festival where all researchers and certified wizards active in Vulcan gather in one place.

A venue where vast capital and personnel converge, attended by important figures from magic towers, spellcasters from the Spell Alliance, and even research institutes directly under the City Council.

There, the author of the thesis on the conversion of mana and electricity would present his second thesis, bringing all the glory under the name of Rebatenon university.

From the Dean’s perspective, it was proof of raising the university’s name and producing excellent talent, and a golden opportunity to solidify his own position.

But the Dean’s hands, gripping the thesis research plan, were trembling faintly.

“This is impossible… Realistically, there’s no way you could prove this subject and write it as a theory, is there…?”

“If it were impossible, I wouldn’t have even shown it to you like this.”

Lennok rose slowly from his seat, his face expressionless.

[Wooosh…]

The furball rolled to Lennok’s feet, making a disappointed sound.

Lennok bent down and stroked the furball for a moment, and the spirit let out a contented cry.

[Wooosh.]

[…]

Swish, swish!!

Davi, perched on his shoulder, angrily waved her tail in front of Lennok’s eyes.

Lennok chuckled, brushed her tail away, and bid farewell to the frozen Dean before turning his back.

“Let’s discuss this again after I’ve handled this matter. Since I brought it up first, I think it’ll be faster to show you directly.”

“…I’ll provide the necessary personnel from this side. Just let me know the time and place before you depart.”

“Understood.”

Lennok opened the Dean’s office door and stepped out, immediately fumbling in his coat for his phone.

“Long time no see. Care for a job?”

Even if he relied on Davi’s power as before, she could bring in reasonably good information, but for crime scenes and similar incident records, offline rumors were also important clues.

There was no need to go far when there was an expert in this field.

Lennok continued his busy phone call as he left the main building of the university.

Davi, who had been stealthily watching from inside his coat, secretly pouted.

[W-Wooosh…?]

Genius Wizard’s Medicine 429