Chapter 755: One-Man Show (7)

Jenny’s bar.

Ever since the agreement between the magic tower and the university was signed, Van’s bar has been incredibly crowded.

I heard that even those not interested in commissions were visiting the bar, causing sales to explode.

However, today, members of the Antares Mercenary Group had personally blocked the path leading to the bar.

Seeing the mercenaries silently blocking the crowd with their personal gear, most people quietly turned back.

Occasionally, those who caught a whiff of something would cautiously loiter around the bar, but upon encountering the bird-headed giant guarding the main entrance, they quickly vanished.

Regardless of what was happening inside, everyone understood that there was a high chance of only incurring losses.

And then, a wizard, walking with a staff, appeared among those mercenaries.

As Lennok entered the bar’s lobby, guided by the mercenaries, Jenny approached him quickly.

“Van, over here.”

“Jenny.”

Jenny immediately led Lennok toward the company building next to the bar.

“It seems important, so I drew attention to the bar first and moved the meeting place elsewhere.”

“…There was no need for a bluff.”

So, she moved the mercenaries to draw attention to the bar, while actually guiding the Sinclair Magic Tower wizard to a different location.

Her attitude of prioritizing safety against any unforeseen circumstances was quite impressive.

However, it didn’t seem to be just because of a vague guess that it might be Lennok’s acquaintance.

“She’s a very powerful wizard. I only spoke with her briefly…”

Jenny’s expression, as she led them to the top floor of the building in the elevator, was subtly hardened.

“Her aura was very different from Tatiana or Felix. You might need to be careful.”

“…”

If she introduced herself as Aris Richellen’s master, she must be a high-ranking wizard who has achieved a Hierarchy of at least Saint-grade.

Yet, Jenny felt something different about her compared to other superhumans of similar rank like Felix or Tatiana?

It was a rather vague piece of advice, but Lennok did not take Jenny’s words lightly.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jenny’s discernment and intuition, honed over long years as a broker, could never be ignored.

What’s more, for Jenny, who had mastered the basics of the Ouroboros magic system, it wouldn’t be strange for her to feel an odd sensation when observing another wizard.

Indeed, the possibility that the Sinclair Magic Tower wizard who had come here was no ordinary individual was very high.

Beep!

The elevator door opened, revealing a vast corridor with floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

Jenny, after passing through the corridor, took hold of the door to the office at the end and nodded to Lennok.

She immediately opened the door and subtly stepped back.

Creak!

Stepping through the open door, someone could be seen tilting a teacup in the sun-drenched office.

A woman with faded platinum blonde hair neatly tied up. A pure white shawl draped over her shoulders.

“…”

A calm, unreadable face. An enigmatic aura that made it hard to guess her age.

Sitting sideways in her chair, quietly caressing her cup, her appearance somewhat resembled a wizard Lennok knew.

The woman, glancing at Lennok who appeared in the doorway, quietly set down her teacup and asked,

“Adamant Thunder? Seeing that ominous magical power, it must be you.”

“…”

“My name is Claris Richellen.”

Even seeing Lennok’s expressionless face, she didn’t lose her composure, instead smiling gently.

“It’s an honor to meet a Grandmaster who transcends Hierarchy. Shall we sit and talk first?”

However, Lennok did not respond to Claris’s words.

He simply stood, leaning on his staff, staring intently into her eyes.

After a moment’s thought, Lennok slowly nodded and murmured,

“I see why Jenny said what she did about you.”

“I haven’t even introduced myse—”

“You, are you not human?”

“…”

Leaving the silent Claris, Lennok stroked his chin and spoke.

“Your mana flow and pattern are different from any lifeform I know. It’s less that your physical structure is different from a human’s, and more that you don’t even seem to be a demi-human…”

Demi-humans similar to humans, like beast-kin or giants, usually possess a somewhat unified mana flow and pattern.

This is possible because their essence, in the broader sense, is bound by the same meaning as humans.

However, the mana of Claris Richellen, sitting before Lennok now, was completely different even from the category of demi-humans.

It felt less like a slight deviation from the human species, and more like she constantly wore a mana flow impossible for a human body.

And Lennok knew what kind of lifeforms possessed mana in this manner.

“Monsters who possess a separate main body and operate a distinct mental projection for communication occasionally use this method.”

Transcendent beings like Jindun or Pyeonram. Or monsters with extraordinary talents, like the masterminds of the Machine City.

How many lifeforms on this continent, not of the human species, could naturally use such a method?

“If you are a lifeform that is not human and possesses a separate main body—”

Lennok asked.

“Are you one of the long-lived beings residing in Kundara?”

“…”

Claris, who had been staring at Lennok with a surprised look, slowly nodded.

“So there was a reason Aris praised you so highly. Even among Arch-wizards, there are only a handful of mages with such extensive insight.”

“…”

“I’ve lived quite a bit longer than ordinary humans. If you’re curious, shall we start our conversation from there?”

“No. Tell me your business first.”

Lennok shook his head and replied.

“I am very busy right now. I need to confirm whether it’s worth my time to dedicate it to Sinclair.”

The appearance of Claris, sharing the same surname as Aris Richellen.

The visit from a Sinclair Magic Tower official, who had never said a word until now.

However, Lennok had no intention of being swayed by their visit and conducting a disadvantageous deal.

Lennok’s personal sense of debt extended only to Aris Richellen.

It was solely for her, who took in Evan—whose identity was unclear—into her lab and supported him both materially and spiritually.

Unless Aris herself was directly involved, even if she was her master, there was no reason to go out of his way to help.

Especially if she came here because of the magic tower Lennok established.

“I understand. I heard Vulcan has been quite bustling lately. It’s all because of the magic tower you newly established, isn’t it?”

But Claris, looking at Lennok, nodded as if she had expected as much.

“You can rest assured, I have no intention of demanding any alliances or collaborative projects with your magic tower. After all, what I heard from Aris was—”

Claris’s smile seemed to deepen for a moment.

“—that you’re not someone who can be swayed like that.”

“…”

Lennok shook his head at her words and slowly closed the door.

As he leaned back in the chair opposite Claris, she picked up her teacup and said, with an amused expression,

“Ah, this tea is truly delicious. Would you mind telling your business partner later that they have excellent skills?”

“Is this about Aris Richellen?”

Lennok asked, looking at the silent Claris.

“How much do you know? No, that’s the wrong question.”

Lennok lightly stroked his chin, pondering, then spoke.

“How much do I need to know?”

“…”

At that moment, Claris’s perpetually smiling expression seemed to subtly darken.

With just the slight drop of her faintly arced lips, her demeanor changed instantly.

The imposing presence of a wizard who had preserved her power for a long time, exuding a dignified and strict aura.

“Wizards of Sinclair have a long-standing custom of passing down their family name to their taught disciples.”

Claris, who had been silently gazing at the half-empty teacup, spoke.

“It’s a magical precept that has maintained its lineage for the longest time on this continent. It’s a means for wizards, who are easily selfish, to prove that there is one person they cannot help but consider their own.”

“…”

“I don’t know everything Aris is trying to do either.”

Claris raised her gaze.

“All I can do is offer support and advice for her aspirations. If even indifference is a form of consideration, then as a poor master, I must endure it.”

“So, you’re saying you came all this way without knowing the full circumstances?”

“I don’t know what kind of being you are.”

Claris replied.

“I haven’t heard anything from Aris besides that you’re someone whose identity and purpose are unfathomable.”

“…”

“However, I do know that Aris gave up her professorship and secluded herself in the magic tower to devote herself to research, all because of you.”

Claris’s eyes, staring at Lennok, glowed intensely.

“Adamant Thunder. Are you a person worth exchanging for the remaining time of the disciple I love?”

Silence fell.

Because Lennok immediately understood the meaning of Claris’s words.

He knew that Aris Richellen’s reason for declaring a sabbatical and returning to the magic tower was not for her own sake.

He even knew that her actions might be deeply connected to him.

But Aris, surely she didn’t know Lennok’s secret from back then—

“You’re mistaken about something.”

Lennok’s expression turned utterly cold as he realized this.

“Do you think I need the time of a mere Saint-grade wizard?”

“…”

“It seems you’re hatching some strange plan. It would be best to tell them clearly when you return.”

Lennok, drawing up a bit of mana, tapped the table with his index finger and spoke.

What did it mean to exchange Aris Richellen’s remaining time for Lennok?

At the very least, Lennok had absolutely no intention of increasing his own allocated remaining time in such a way.

That wasn’t the answer Lennok sought.

It wasn’t what Lennok considered the right method for his continued existence.

Regardless of right or wrong, if the time of two people had to be twisted for the sake of one, it would be better to push it away.

Just as Lennok thought so and conjured mana to press down on Claris.

“You don’t need to mislead with harsh words. I also have no intention of letting Aris break down.”

Claris smiled and reached into her pocket.

“If the conclusion reached after a long lecture about the relationship between master and disciple was just that, I wouldn’t have come to meet you.”

“…That’s an utterly ridiculous answer.”

Lennok replied with an expressionless face.

“So, are you going to ramble on about how you were testing my reaction?”

Rumble…!!

This time, Lennok’s irritated Will powerfully pressed down on Claris’s shoulders.

Claris’s complexion subtly changed under that unusual oppressive force.

Her reaction suggested she hadn’t expected the intensity of his Will to be so materialized.

“It seems you’ve misunderstood the meaning of my words. What I said about ‘remaining time’ was…”

But Claris calmly endured the pressure, slowly placing an item she took from her pocket onto the table.

“—it was about the time Aris dedicated to creating this very item.”

Thud!

Two small vials, the size of a finger.

Transparent golden liquid filled them, glowing.

The concentration of mana swirling within them was so intense that even Lennok couldn’t immediately guess its purpose or identity.

Only then could Lennok grasp the true intention behind Claris’s previous words.

The relationship between Lennok and Aris. Her subtly indirect way of asking about two people who seemed to have no connection.

An elixir personally created by Aris Richellen. Claris had come to seek out Lennok directly from the start, solely to deliver this.

“The power Aris obtained at the end of her research holds unparalleled value.”

Claris slowly pushed the vials towards the silent Lennok and said,

“Though it hasn’t been publicly revealed yet, I intend to prepare for its repercussions as much as possible from now on.”

“…”

“This elixir is the result of Aris’s repeated trials and errors to embody her insights and inspirations in a material form.”

“Trials and errors, you say…”

Lennok slowly picked up a vial, gazing at the swirling golden liquid inside.

A beautiful spiral vortex that, by merely facing it, seemed to clear one’s mind and open up one’s mana pathways.

Had she imbued it with the essence of her unique Hydro-flow magic?

Even its familiar form now brought back memories of an old library.

Claris, watching Lennok, spoke softly.

“She said to use one for yourself, and the other for others.”

“…”

Upon hearing that, Lennok gave a bitter smile.

That message perfectly reminded him of the Aris he remembered.

He was drawn to her inherent goodness, her thoughtfulness towards others over herself, and precisely because of that, he tried to keep his distance.

He should have left her lab before the things he couldn’t do there outnumbered the things he could.

Lingering regrets he couldn’t cut off still revolved around Lennok.

How much time and effort Aris, who had no expertise in concoctions, must have invested to create and deliver such an item.

Even though she wasn’t in front of him, her image seemed so vivid that it was difficult to truly recall.

“She should know that such things aren’t important.”

Lennok murmured.

“I…”

As Lennok silently tightened his grip on the vial, Claris slowly stood up.

“It seems this is all I was asked to do.”

Claris, looking down at Lennok with a calm gaze, said,

“I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, but I wish you success.”

“…”

“Aris knows that too, which is why she’s so desperately trying to help you.”

Claris, her hand on the doorknob as if remembering something, said,

“I plan to meet some old acquaintances near Vulcan for a few days. If there’s anything you wish to convey—”

“I’ll send someone.”

Lennok replied, his head bowed.

“If you need help with anything, come and tell me directly.”

“It’s not strictly necessa—”

Claris said that, then sighed in a troubled manner and nodded.

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

“One more thing.”

Lennok placed the vial in his pocket and raised his gaze.

“What did Aris Richellen call this item?”

“She said she named it after ancient texts. While it holds a somewhat ambiguous meaning, she calls it this:”

Claris said.

“An Elixir.”