Chapter 675: Central Council Senate (3)

Evan Vylun, a think tank without Evan.

Lennok had to hide the chuckle that escaped him the moment he heard those words.

“An interesting conclusion. A think tank?”

“They say it’s slated to be formally integrated into research work after being reviewed by the Central Council Technology Advisory Committee and having its qualifications verified.”

Armand Martins nodded and said.

“Of course, it would be best to make direct contact with Evan himself, who presented at the expo, but securing the members of the think tank who worked with him on the research would be sufficient.”

“…”

“Given the Senate’s significant interest, we might even be able to meet them today, if we’re lucky.”

Come to think of it, there was a major commotion regarding Evan Vylun’s existence even before. Hadn’t Lennok himself embarked on an operation to track down the criminals who believed they had kidnapped Evan Vylun?

Though the situation was resolved with Antares’s help back then, it became clear that Evan’s value was not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, the news from Armand, an aide to the Senate, that they had secured a candidate presumed to be Evan Vylun, was nothing short of fascinating to Lennok.

So much so that now, Lennok was actually curious to see the face of the one claiming to be that think tank himself.

“I look forward to it. They ought to be someone who lives up to my expectations.”

“I believe this is an opportunity to uncover secrets about Assistant Professor Vylun that have not yet been revealed to the public.”

Had Armand grown interested in Evan Vylun while investigating his identity and abilities?

Despite his talkative nature, Lennok wasn’t surprised by Armand’s interest in Evan. Saiolus Garteanon was merely covering for him; if one knew what Lennok had accomplished under Evan’s identity, it was more than enough to pique curiosity.

‘I tried to hide it, but some aspects inadvertently stood out.’

Originally, when Lennok took on Evan’s identity as an assistant professor at the university, his plan was to continue his research discreetly, using Aris Richellen’s reputation as a shield. However, that plan lost its meaning after Aris returned to the magic tower, using her sabbatical as an excuse. Moreover, Aris’s stay at the magic tower became longer than expected, and that void still hadn’t been filled.

Therefore, Lennok also changed his approach, choosing to announce his research achievements and elevate Evan’s reputation into the public eye. Precisely because of this, as Armand pointed out, there were bound to be gaps in Evan’s identity.

‘I should also take care of the integrated master’s and doctoral program…’

Due to the Ghost God Palace terror incident, even the dean was implicated, causing administrative delays, and Lennok had prioritized Machina first, hadn’t he? Before handling other matters, it seemed necessary to return to the university as Evan soon and check on the recent developments.

As Lennok became lost in thought, Armand subtly stopped speaking and began to gauge his reaction. Had Armand realized he had been talking too much? But instead, he tilted his head slightly towards Lennok and murmured softly.

“You seem more interested in Professor Vylun than I thought. Perhaps an outstanding wizard like Van recognizes kindred geniuses?”

“…”

“Just like with Professor Vylun, if things go well between you, Van, and the Central Council, you could forge a truly good relationship—”

“S-sir, Aide…!!”

It was a remark that, in a way, suggested Lennok should naturally fall under the Central Council’s authority. For those who knew the rumors about Adamant Thunder, such words were almost unimaginable. Soldiers all around held their breath, their faces turning deathly pale, and the pilot secretly fidgeted with the emergency escape button.

But instead of answering Armand’s question, Lennok calmly surveyed him from head to toe. Lennok wasn’t so oblivious as to misunderstand the intent behind Armand’s question. A trivial skill he’d awakened while working as a craftsman in Machina. Through it, Lennok could see beyond what was visible.

“There’s a ring mark. The indentation where the ring was worn suggests he takes it off about once every two days.”

“…Pardon?”

Lennok’s words, completely unrelated to the current topic. Seeing Armand’s blank expression, Lennok tilted his head.

“Your tie is stiff, but your shirt is wrinkled. Someone used to take care of you, but they’ve been gone for quite a while now, haven’t they?”

“…”

“The calluses on your fingertips are faint, but a scar remains. Was it from a fight? No. It’s the mark of practicing a string instrument with your hands. It’s quite old.”

Lennok smiled, seeing Armand’s expression gradually change.

“You still grieve for your deceased fiancée. Her traces are visible everywhere. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I don’t quite understand what you’re….”

Lennok’s eyes, fixed on the aide, shone sharply.

“You babble on like some thoughtless idiot, but you’re anything but. On the contrary, you’re sensitive and meticulous enough to still practice the instrument your beloved enjoyed and even remove and store your ring while working.”

At his calm explanation, the soldiers sitting in the airship nodded blankly, as if entranced, and Armand bowed his head.

“I understand you’re risking your life to test my reaction and gauge the City Council’s intentions. This must be one of your duties as their Herald—”

“…”

Lennok sneered, looking down at the top of Armand’s head, whose face was hidden.

“You should know when to stop.”

“…Understood.”

Armand’s expression, as he looked up, was stiff and hardened, unlike before. His tone had changed significantly from before, his remarks sometimes reckless to the point of obliviousness, yet calculated. His chatter about anti-gravity technology and his diversion of the topic to Evan weren’t due to a lack of perception. On the contrary, they were calculated actions, feigning ignorance and asking impertinent questions to see where Lennok would react…

Did it mean that not only Armand himself, but also the lives of the soldiers on the airship, were not considerations? Armand’s attitude, trying so desperately to ascertain Lennok’s nature, interests, and reactions, was extremely intriguing. It was as if he were observing an incomprehensible monster, not a human, intent on re-recording its behavioral patterns. His initial remark, mentioning the unwritten rule about not adhering to customs when dealing with specialized combatants.

It was clear. The Vulcan City Government’s Central Council knew that Lennok had reached level 8.

Lennok turned his gaze to the window and murmured.

“I see. So, the Central Council already knew, did they…?”

At his murmuring words, the aide’s neck twitched. Armand’s expression couldn’t hide his dismay. He, too, had instinctively realized that their purpose and intentions had been exposed. But Armand said nothing more, simply gazing silently out the window.

With the suffocating silence filling the cockpit, the airship soon arrived at its destination.

A colossal, hemispherical building, its ceiling and walls entirely made of glass. Yet, despite its transparent appearance, not a single form inside was reflected outwards. Contrary to its outward appearance, where every wall seemed to be both a door and a window, there wasn’t a single visible entrance—a bizarre sight.

As Lennok stepped down before the dazzling, sun-reflecting glass chamber, Armand explained.

“It’s one of the meeting halls used by the Central Council Senate.”

“One of the meeting halls?”

“When it’s not a formal plenary session of the Council, they change meeting halls for gatherings.”

Armand replied as such, then drew a blade from within his clothes.

“To avoid the risk of terror attacks or assassinations, they have prepared several such meeting halls and announce the time and place on the day itself.”

He drew the blade across his finger, and drops of blood welled up from his fingertip. Armand smeared the blood onto the dazzling glass chamber wall of the meeting hall.

Woosh!!

At that moment, the entire wall of the glass chamber turned a vivid blood-red, then settled into absolute black. Armand quickly etched several characters onto the blackened wall.

Rumble…!!

Following his gesture, the blackened building twisted violently, then transformed into a spacious passageway. Only then did Armand step back, letting out a sigh of relief.

“This was the designated passageway for today. It’s a relief we’re not late. Please, go on in.”

Leaving the soldiers outside, Lennok and Armand walked together down the dark passageway. A dark passageway where not a single ray of light penetrated to the naked eye. It was hard to believe that this building had been a colossal glass structure just moments before. Armand merely walked silently ahead of Lennok, guiding him without a word.

But Lennok keenly felt the myriad gazes and presences watching this passageway.

“I’ll light up.”

Without asking for permission, Lennok put the tobacco roll to his lips and lit it. Armand faltered slightly and glanced back, but Lennok ignored him and continued walking with the tobacco roll in his mouth. Leaving Armand to subtly gauge his reaction before resuming his pace, Lennok calmly watched the rising smoke from his tobacco roll.

The tobacco roll Lennok had been smoking lately was the Quadruple Custom No. 58. It was an item he manufactured himself using alchemical knowledge, a product filled with four times the compressed filler. Among them, this was a new product, having undergone no less than 57 modifications to reach this state. It offered various analgesic and stimulant effects, pursuing maximum efficiency without harming the body. It was specialized in enhancing physical condition and sharpening the senses, maintaining a precarious balance with no side effects. As it was specifically designed to reflect Lennok’s own constitution and senses to the fullest, taking a puff felt as if all the senses in his body awakened simultaneously. Its compression was so potent that even concentrated magical energy faintly seeped out through the tobacco smoke.

“…”

And that, in turn, meant that the smoke, infused with Lennok’s magic, began to linger throughout the passageway, even without his intention. Confirming that the tobacco smoke lingered above, instead of drifting away, Lennok’s gaze deepened.

‘So, they’re directly intervening in spatial arrangement to construct the passageway. Does the Central Council Senate have individuals capable of similar feats…?’

Lennok’s magical energy never lingered in one place, scattering and leaving no trace, unless he specifically willed it. Yet, if the tobacco smoke was staying in one place instead of dispersing, it must be because the space where the passageway was constructed was bending and forming an isolated zone. It was proof that this building, used by the senators as a meeting hall, was created by someone capable of directly manipulating space.

‘Such a refined sub-spatial structure. And designed with parallel layouts, wasting absolutely no residual space. The structure must be incredibly sturdy as a result.’

Escaping from here would be impossible for Lennok unless he could directly leap through space. Without Flicker or Enakphil’s five fingers, he might very well be trapped in this chamber.

As Lennok was lost in thought, Armand, walking ahead, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“This is as far as I go.”

With a precise motion, he stepped aside from Lennok, then bowed his head slightly and extended his hand to the side.

“The esteemed senators are waiting.”

No door was visible, but did he mean Lennok simply had to walk forward? Just as Lennok, understanding well enough, nodded and prepared to walk past Armand, Armand, still bowing his head, spoke.

“Truth be told, I stopped practicing the instrument a while ago.”

“…”

“I suppose I should also stop taking off my ring. Lately, I’ve started ironing my clothes by myself again.”

Armand murmured, his face unreadable.

“Again… I should learn to do things on my own. Thank you for pointing that out.”

“I see.”

There was no need to add any further remarks to that. The moment he walked past Armand and took one more step directly out of the dark chamber, the surrounding darkness was instantly stripped away, revealing a pristine white and transparent chamber before his eyes. Dazzling sunlight streamed down from above. Its brilliance reflected off the glass walls all around, converging uniformly towards the spot where Lennok stood.

Surrounding Lennok’s position were the forms of colossal thrones, rising high. At the ends of those thrones, faceless individuals leaned back, silently looking down at Lennok.

“…”

Lennok silently furrowed his brow and surveyed the colossal thrones rising around him. Not every seat was occupied. In fact, if one were to count, there were more empty seats than filled ones. In this vast chamber, only about a dozen councilors had brought their aged bodies to appear in person.

However, someone was already seated in the chairman’s seat, which presided over the entire Senate and was the highest-rising chair. An elderly man with striking jet-black hair. Though his apparent age was considerable, his hair and eyes were a remarkably vivid black.

“Sit.”

As the black-haired elder opened his mouth, a profoundly deep voice resonated through the chamber.

“There isn’t much time. Since you are present, we shall begin immediately. However…”

The Chairman’s heavy, black eyes fixed on Lennok’s face.

“Smoking is officially prohibited within the meeting hall, Van.”

“…”

“Though it may seem trivial, there are countless rules and laws you are inherently bound to obey. These laws apply not just within this meeting hall, but throughout the entire city.”

The Chairman’s tone, calling him ‘Van’ as if they were old acquaintances. There was not a single hint of agitation or wavering in his firm voice and demeanor.

“However, there is only one way for you to gain complete immunity from all the city’s rules and restrictions.”

The Chairman asked in an impassive voice.

“Van, have you considered establishing a magic tower?”