Chapter 435: Palace of Memory (5)

Lennok fell silent at Olivera Ron Maize’s question, which sounded half-confident.

In a way, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew more about his mystic eye than he did.

Her speculation about his purple mystic eye was not off the mark.

Ever since his battle with Madrich Onnion, new sights had begun to appear in his purple mystic eye, its output stable and its cracks gone.

New colors had emerged in his mystic eye, which had previously only shown red and blue realms of possibility.

Green and black realms were now encroaching on the edge of his vision.

“Yes. I’m seeing things a little differently than before.”

“What does it feel like?”

When he admitted it honestly, Olivera Ron Maize immediately asked.

Lennok roughly conveyed the feeling without fully disclosing his abilities.

“It’s like new categories have been added to my existing abilities… If I had to describe it, it’s like what I originally saw and perceived is now becoming more detailed.”

“Then it’s certain.”

She subtly leaned back from where she had approached and nodded.

“The fact that a single ability has begun to subdivide means that you favor that ability a great deal.”

“……”

He didn’t answer, but Lennok inwardly agreed. The mystic eye’s ability to visualize realms of possibility in red and blue had often been helpful in many ways.

If the colors Lennok could confirm and perceive increased in this way, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

The problem, however, was that it was difficult to understand what the green and black realms, which occasionally appeared in Olivera Ron Maize’s lab, actually meant.

Unlike the red and blue realms, which frequently changed positions, the newly appeared green and black realms did not easily shift from their spots.

He wasn’t entirely uninterested in the new landscape of his mystic eye, different from before, but asking Olivera Ron Maize about it would require fully revealing his mystic eye’s abilities.

Naturally, Lennok didn’t trust the Chairman of Cartel that much.

He knew that Olivera Ron Maize also hid far more from Lennok than appeared on the surface.

He had only shown a part of the power of The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye—the power of fixation through causality observation.

Lennok still knew nothing of what Olivera Ron Maize truly wanted or what authority she wielded.

As if she had read his thoughts, she let out a light snort.

“If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine. I don’t expect such things from a difficult man like you.”

“No, it’s not entirely like that…”

Lennok hesitated for a moment, then pointed a finger at a corner of the lab.

“What’s that?”

Among the constantly shifting realms of possibility within his mystic eye’s vision, one black realm clung stubbornly to the corner of the lab.

“That spot has been particularly bothering me for a while.”

The black realm was filled by a small door at the far end of the lab, structured like a giant book. It was so tightly sealed, with no keyhole visible, that it wouldn’t be strange to mistake it for a wall.

But Olivera Ron Maize glanced in the direction Lennok pointed and nodded.

“I see. So you can see that…”

“……”

“I asked something pointless. That kind of ‘seeing’ power is beyond my ability to help.”

It was an utterly chilling remark.

However, with that single statement, Olivera Ron Maize seemed to have completely given up on his left mystic eye.

“That ability will stabilize on its own without much intervention or adjustment. What you should be concerned about is your right eye, which has entered stabilization with my help.”

Perhaps she was hinting that, having gained immense power upon awakening, its future growth potential was limitless.

“You’ll have to carefully assess how much of that ability your vessel can handle and choose accordingly. Knowing your place and bowing your head is especially important in the realm of abilities. As the standard rests entirely with oneself, upholding it is not easy.”

“Are you telling me not to be overly attached to or reliant on my mystic eye’s ability? That’s surprisingly sound advice.”

When Lennok seemed to understand, Olivera Ron Maize waved her hand dismissively with an annoyed gesture.

“Enough. You too seem to have transcended Hierarchy, so it would be strange for me to lecture you. This concludes the conditions you requested, so don’t contact me for a while. I’ve just settled a long-standing connection, and I want to rest…”

“What are you going to do with Madrich Onnion’s spectral soldiers?”

His goal of resolving the burden on his mystic eye had been achieved, but what about the fate of the spectral soldiers he had handed over to Olivera Ron Maize as payment?

Since Lennok himself had defeated Madrich Onnion and brought down the spirit tower, he needed to know what she intended to use those spectral soldiers for.

Olivera Ron Maize paused for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

“There will be another opportunity to discuss that issue soon. I will give you prior notice.”

Whoosh!

As she spoke, dozens of pages of the giant book beneath his feet flipped open, and Lennok’s body was ejected directly out of the lab.

It was the spatial ability to arbitrarily control the entry and expulsion of outsiders within her Domain.

He could have resisted, but since Olivera Ron Maize herself said she had nothing more to tell him about his eyes, there was no point in forcing her to stay.

Lennok briefly gazed down the long underground corridor where her lab was located, then began walking towards the surface.

“The problem with the mystic eye is more or less resolved, next is…”

He wasn’t greatly surprised, as he had already felt the stabilization of his output after having different abilities in both eyes.

His visit to Olivera Ron Maize today was merely to confirm the facts and settle the remaining transaction.

However, since she had postponed mentioning the conditions, Lennok also had to find his next task.

“Davi, please open my schedule.”

“I’m Master’s spirit, not an AI assistant.”

Davi grumbled but obediently displayed his phone’s calendar and list of scheduled appointments.

Sitting on a quiet street where people passed by, he roughly checked his remaining schedule, comparing forgotten messages with his calendar.

“Most necessary appointments are made or finished… I guess it’s equipment inspection, vacation time check, and creating an alibi. Van’s schedule is mostly handled by Jenny, so I don’t need to think too much about it… Hmm?”

Due to Lennok’s work environment, where he couldn’t frequently check his phone, things naturally ran smoothly without him needing to check messages multiple times.

And among the various filters, Lennok noticed one message that stood out, asserting its presence, and nodded.

“…Come to think of it, I did get a contact number from here.”

“Okay, open wide. Ah~”

“Bwaaa.”

“Not bwaaa, it’s ah~”

“……”

Davi, who had been opening his mouth obediently, stopped and sharply turned his head, realizing the nurse’s teasing words were directed at him. Lennok, realizing Davi’s gaze was aimed squarely at him, subtly averted his eyes.

Next to them, Cassia, who had been watching the two, burst into a bright laugh.

“I’ve always thought it, but you two really get along well.”

“…It’s not much different for most sorcerers who work with spirits.”

Lennok said, laughing as he watched the little fox struggling to escape the nurse’s hand.

“Opportunities to visit such excellent treatment facilities are rare. We shouldn’t miss the chance.”

Amila Bainjer of the Guido Cult.

Lennok, who had confirmed the specific situation in cooperation with the Antares Mercenary Group, naturally reported this fact to the Dean, and the faculty department was in an uproar.

They had never imagined that the incident, which they thought was a power struggle entangled with Lennok’s thesis, would involve a cult.

Ironically, the very fact that they tried to kidnap Lennok proved how valuable Lennok and his thesis were.

Naturally, Rebatenon university was wary of him.

Lennok didn’t miss this opportunity, not only getting confirmation of the terms he had previously demanded from the Dean but also receiving other compensation.

The right to use the spirit welfare center, care facilities, and clinics used by the Dean, a spirit user, was not granted to just anyone.

These were membership-based facilities, not only requiring one to possess a spirit but also needing a recommendation from someone.

Lennok had successfully twisted the Dean’s arm to get a recommendation for such spirit facilities specifically for Davi.

‘Because the number of talents who can access the spirit field is so small, there weren’t many ways to pay attention to them, even if their existence was known. It worked out better this way…’

The birth of the cyber spirit was entirely under Lennok’s calculation, but its growth and their relationship were something Lennok hadn’t anticipated.

Davi built intellect and selfhood at a speed Lennok couldn’t have predicted, and now, he was becoming a complete, distinct being.

They had spent a considerable amount of time together during this process, but it was also true that he hadn’t had an objective opportunity to check Davi’s condition.

Lennok’s gaze deepened as he watched Davi squirming on the examination table.

‘He had been slightly sensitive after contacting the Dean’s spirit. If there’s a problem with Davi’s condition, I need to check it as soon as possible.’

Having met an inadequate master, Davi had never received proper care until now.

If an abnormality occurred that Lennok couldn’t detect with his senses, it would be as if he had been neglecting him all along.

A faint sense of self-reproach made Lennok’s expression darken slightly.

Cassia gently patted Lennok’s shoulder from beside him.

“Don’t worry too much, Evan. Even if it’s a cult, they wouldn’t have been able to do anything to Davi in such a short time.”

“……”

It wasn’t strange for Cassia, who didn’t know the full details, to think that way.

She, too, had seen Lennok bringing Davi to show off to undergraduates whenever he had free lecture time, so she was quite fond of the cyber spirit.

“Alright~ it’s done. It took longer than I expected.”

After a little more waiting, the veterinarian carefully cradled Davi in both hands and walked out of the examination room.

Davi, who had been somewhat sulky and limp, leaped from the veterinarian’s arms and landed on Lennok’s head.

Tap, tap, tap!

Davi immediately began thumping Lennok’s head with the tip of his tail.

The veterinarian, wiping away sweat, chuckled at the sight.

“Usually, highly intelligent spirits don’t have strong bonds with their sorcerers, but this one is a remarkable child.”

“Are the results out?”

“Of course. Since you came with the Dean’s recommendation, I tried my best to be thorough. Shall we take a look together?”

The veterinarian said, sitting down at the computer and turning the screen towards Lennok and Cassia.

“Although we brand ourselves as a clinic, we try to apply flexible standards as the areas we can focus on differ for each spirit. In that sense…”

The veterinarian paused intentionally, then grinned and nodded.

“Your spirit is in a very stable condition. It’s proof that the sorcerer has consistently managed him and paid attention to magical energy stabilization.”

“Haa… That’s a relief.”

Cassia sighed in relief, and Davi tilted his head as if to say, ‘See?’

“He appears to be a lightning-elemental spirit, and despite being a relatively conceptual system, the fact that his materialization is so well-realized is a positive sign. His basic reaction speed, metabolism, muscle quality, and skeletal structure are already complete. This implies a close bond with the sorcerer.”

The veterinarian continued, as if fascinated.

“Highly intelligent spirits, as excellent as they are, don’t easily open their hearts, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a spirit so well-assimilated.”

Davi’s tail stiffened, realizing he was being praised, even if he didn’t fully understand it, and Cassia continuously exclaimed in admiration.

Lennok, ignoring the fuss, asked what he was curious about.

“Recently, there have been significant fluctuations in his condition. Is there a clear underlying cause for such symptoms…”

“Ah, I was about to tell you about that. This is a spiritual resonance imaging photo, using spiritual magnetic resonance imaging. Please take a look.”

It was a photo, as if an X-ray had been taken of the little fox.

The veterinarian pointed to the very end of the photo, the area where Davi’s tail was located, and said,

“On the outside, there are three tails, but as you can see, there are four tailbones overlapping. Perhaps there was a slight error during the spirit’s physical materialization process…”

“……”

“There’s no significant health issue, but if your spirit’s condition has been fluctuating, it’s probably due to a problem in this area. If you want to find more specific symptoms, I can connect you with an orthopedic acquaintance.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Lennok flatly refused the veterinarian’s offer and pulled Davi down from his head.

“……”

Even with his body held in Lennok’s hands, Davi subtly averted his gaze.

Lennok looked down at Davi, who was desperately pretending not to know, and said,

“I’m going to count to four. You understand, right?”

“……”

“Starting now. One.”

Pop. One of Davi’s tails popped out.

“Two.”

Two tails.

“Three.”

Three tails.

“…Four.”

Pop.

Four tails.

Lennok was speechless as he watched Davi wagging his four tails.

“You, just when did you…”

Without his master’s knowledge, this cheeky cyber spirit had become a four-tailed fox.