Chapter 834: Handover (2)

Everyone looked with serious expressions at Lennok’s reply, which was rife with strange terms of address.

“As soon as things get better, I’ll return. Don’t worry. Oh, and could I ask you to handle a purchase on my behalf?”

Mila spoke with an expression that bordered on fearful.

“Jenny, think about it. Has Van ever praised someone or asked for a favor like this?”

“……”

“This is definitely a distress signal to us.”

“He’s spouting nonsense about ‘organic entities’ and all that. Van sent this message so only we would understand it.”

Manson, Soo-ryun, and Felix, who had come with Dylan, seemed to be thinking along similar lines, looking ready to set off for Lennok’s mansion at any moment.

But Jenny merely stared blankly at the message, then sighed and shook her head.

“It’s not a code. I already finished analyzing it.”

“You finished analyzing it?”

“Yes. Even at the moment I received the reply, I couldn’t quite understand it… Especially what he meant by ‘organic entities,’ so I called in an expert…”

Jenny lifted her gaze with an unreadable expression.

“They said he’s just replacing every word for ‘person’ with ‘organic entity.’”

“……What in the world does that mean?”

“How should I know?” Jenny retorted nonchalantly.

“The only possibility that comes to mind right now is that Van asked someone else to reply because he couldn’t himself? And he must have asked someone who uses very strange language.”

“That is certainly odd…” Felix, who had been listening quietly, tilted his head, resting his chin on his hand.

“Why would Van even need someone else to reply in the first place? It’s not like him being out of contact for a day or two is unusual.”

“Maybe someone took his phone?”

“An 8th-level Archwizard had his phone stolen?”

At the absurd assumption, the others couldn’t help but let out bitter laughs.

Stella, the Vice-Commander of the Antares Mercenary Group, who was observing from the side, added, “A wizard of that caliber would immediately disable the phone’s functions even if it were somehow stolen. The fact that a reply came means it’s highly unlikely it wasn’t his own will.”

“Perhaps the very act of replying, rather than the content, is what’s important.” Tatiana murmured, sweeping back her red hair.

“If Van intends to resume his activities after his recuperation, now that a reply has come, it might be related to the recent incidents.”

“Tatiana, if you’re talking about recent incidents…”

“He must have been provoked by the situations in Yorta and Machina.”

The others fell silent, realizing what Tatiana was implying.

Jenny also nodded in agreement. “With the Cartel and the Guido Cult moving simultaneously, the City Council’s reaction is also unusual. There are rumors they’re calling in the giants of the surface world and making deals.”

“……Van is involved in this incident?”

“To be precise, I think he intends to intervene in the City Council’s plans going forward.”

Only after hearing her explanation did the group finally understand her conclusion, looking at Jenny anew.

“What? So you knew everything from the beginning and didn’t say a word to us?”

“I thought Van had gone mad like other wizards. It’s a relief it’s not the worst-case scenario.”

“Manson, you really shouldn’t say things like that in front of a wizard…”

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong, is it?” Tatiana calmly nodded.

“A wizard who has transcended realms is an object of reverence, but also an unstable existence. It’s not a strange thought. However…”

“However?”

Receiving all their gazes, Tatiana chuckled softly.

“If Van truly went mad, it wouldn’t end with sending cute messages like this.”

“……”

As if imagining what might happen next, the bar fell silent for a moment.

They knew well what kind of time and experience Lennok had gone through to become the wizard he was.

In the worst case, if Lennok went mad and became a lunatic who destroyed everything around him, who on earth could stop him?

“Perhaps we should worry about the disaster that will befall Vulcan, not Yorta and Machina…”

“There’s no need to worry. You’ll find out whether you like it or not if something happens to Van.” Tatiana shook her head, looking at her subtly stiffened colleagues.

“More than anything, the Guardian Spirit Beast is in the Magic Tower. If there’s a problem, that creature will notice before us.”

“I don’t know if we can expect anything from a creature that just eats and sleeps all day…”

“Well, I guess we should be relieved that he at least replied.”

“Are we just going to keep waiting for Van like this?”

“Dylan, I told you earlier. I consulted an expert.” Jenny, leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed, replied tiredly to Dylan’s words.

“I found someone trustworthy. That friend will help us.”

“No, who on earth did you consult about a problem involving Van that—”

Click.

At that moment, the space behind Jenny seemed to blur for an instant, then someone lightly descended into place.

Black hair falling to her shoulders, and gently glowing green eyes.

A gaze that looked their way nonchalantly while she munched on a large bunch of celery.

But what was most impressive was the transparent presence that made it seem as if she wasn’t there at all, despite standing right in front of them.

“Agent…”

“I haven’t seen that face before. Who is it?”

“Why is she here?”

As those who didn’t know her tilted their heads and the mercenaries who recognized her grumbled warily, Jenny spoke.

“Evelyn Marcia. A Superhuman from the Agents’ Executive Unit, probably the best archer in this city.”

“……”

“She’s a top-tier agent and veteran in solo operations, and almost no one can compare to her in search capabilities.”

She didn’t say anything, but Evelyn’s shoulders seemed to subtly rise.

A peculiar atmosphere, as if her gaze and the bridge of her nose were slowly rising on her impassive face.

Jenny continued mercilessly. “And right now, she’s an unemployed person with too much free time.”

“……I told you not to mention that.”

He had regained consciousness but couldn’t open his eyes.

A strong sense of fatigue, as if something heavy was covering and pressing down on his face.

Only the soft sensation of the bed was faintly felt against his sweat-soaked back.

He wanted to fall asleep again, but Lennok knew that once he regained consciousness, he had to get up and tidy things up.

He had slept so deeply that he had lost all sense of time, so if he didn’t get up and replenish his nutrients, he might starve to death.

Even if he were to fall asleep again, he needed to replenish fluids and medicine and rest.

Drawing upon his many experiences of being utterly exhausted and then waking up again, the moment Lennok brought his hand to his face—

Thump.

Lennok realized a damp, wet towel was covering his face.

“Oh, Master. Are you awake?”

“……”

He wondered why something felt strangely heavy pressing down on his face; it was because a thick towel had been covering it. It was ridiculous that he had mistaken this sensation for fatigue and couldn’t open his eyes.

Lennok removed the towel with a bewildered feeling, and before his eyes, Davi floated around the bedroom. She was simultaneously manipulating various electronic devices with her tail, and lounging around playing with a mobile phone.

Lennok instinctively raised his hand as he watched her, then winced at a stinging sensation.

He discovered an IV drip inserted into his arm. Lennok stared blankly at it and asked, “……You did this?”

“It was in the emergency kit I ordered from the auction. I thought it might help, so I just attached it.”

“……”

Indeed, his condition seemed a bit better than when he had returned to Vulcan. Whether it was from long sleep and reduced fatigue or because of the IV, he couldn’t tell.

“Whew…”

He struggled to get up, pouring water into the bottle next to him. He drank several glasses of water, then leaned against the bed, staring blankly out the window.

It had been dawn when he fell asleep, but sunlight was pouring in through the window even after he woke up. He couldn’t have woken up in just half a day, so he must have slept for over a full day.

Lennok watched the daytime street outside the window for a long time, then stood up. He took the medicines placed in the kitchen in order, and pulled out the stock solution of elixir stored in the refrigerator, gulping it down.

Feeling his mind clear somewhat, he immediately put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. Lennok sat down on the sofa, smoked, closed his eyes, and nodded contentedly.

“Ah… This is much better now. I’ve been holding back for too long.”

If there was one thing he was dissatisfied with while operating under the identity of Victor, it was that it was difficult to smoke cigarettes because he was wearing a mask.

“Shouldn’t you rest a bit more?” Davi, who had floated gently over, asked as she sat on Lennok’s lap. “Before, it would take more than a month of rest for your condition to even show signs of improvement.”

“That’s right.” Lennok calmly agreed.

Having engaged in more close-quarters combat in Yorta than ever before, he truly wasn’t unscathed anywhere. Most of the layered shields, internal protective gear, and one-time barrier spellcraft were damaged or consumed, leaving nothing left.

His bones were broken, muscles torn, and the bruises on his skin hadn’t faded yet.

However, there was a reason Lennok could still get up and move, albeit with difficulty.

“The power of the sanctuary Kashuin manifested was far stronger than I expected. Thanks to that, my physical recovery is strangely fast…”

The fierce battle against Dorye, imitating the Warrior’s Faculty, and the struggle to survive against Croken.

Despite being battered relentlessly and having his entire body broken, the power of the sanctuary left by the Archangel had considerably healed Lennok’s body.

The power that Seina had brought forth by stimulating Kashuin with the High Priestess’s authority suited Lennok’s body better than expected.

And the reason Kashuin’s sanctuary was far more effective for Lennok than expected was, perhaps, because of the fallen god he served.

Lennok knew this fact, so he couldn’t be entirely happy about his rapid recovery rate.

The more the power and will-thought left by the Pontiff suited Lennok’s body, the more evidence it was that Lennok was drawing closer to the Pontiff.

That wasn’t what Lennok wanted.

Squeeze…!!

Lennok lightly twisted his wrist and gripped his forearm, muttering, “……I should buy some food.”

He had been away from the mansion for so long that there was hardly any edible food left in the refrigerator. He had stockpiled mountains of elixirs and various medicines and nutrients, but most food items didn’t have a long shelf life.

He stopped by a nearby supermarket and bought vegetables and other ingredients that would be easy on his digestion. The weather was so warm that he was sweating even just wearing a shirt.

“Whew…”

Just a short walk made his body heat up, and he became dizzy to the point of difficulty walking. He had gone out thinking he could move without issue, but his condition had suddenly worsened.

Without magic to assist his body, Lennok’s body was this vulnerable and defenseless.

Realizing the weight of the penalty anew, he sat down on a bench shaded by a nearby tree. He quietly caught his breath, looking up at the street where people came and went.

All sorts of airships floated between the buildings, and dazzling electronic billboards flickered between them. Lennok unconsciously mumbled at the sight of even the airships adorned with billboards displaying various advertisements.

“Did I make the anti-gravity engine for nothing?”

“Master. What are you talking about now?”

Technological advancement always came with side effects. If the billboards were properly paying royalties for the anti-gravity engine, there was no reason to touch them.

However, it was an undeniable fact that they made this already bustling city seem even more chaotic.

Somehow, when he declared the creation of the Skyway above Vulcan, he felt like he had dreamed of a grander future than this…

Thud!

The moment Lennok thought that and was about to get up from the bench, someone settled down on the bench next to him.

A young woman who looked to be about his age. She paid no attention to Lennok sitting beside her, engrossed in operating the terminal in her hand.

Lennok, who had instinctively looked her way, realized that the terminal in the woman’s hand looked very familiar.

The universal magic, which he had made the subject of his third thesis, and the learning device that chanted universal magic on one’s behalf.

The learning device that Lennok had announced and distributed at the Magic Tower was now held in the hand of a passing citizen.

“……”

He tried not to show it, but he felt his gaze continuously drawn to it. Come to think of it, he had left for Yorta immediately after presenting his third thesis, so he hadn’t properly checked how universal magic was being received.

Lennok himself was quite curious about what kind of repercussions his theses and research results would bring.

Of course, he tried not to show it much when working under the identity of Evan Vylun, but there was no reason to act reserved now.

With his not-so-good eyesight, he squinted, trying to make out the contents of the terminal.

“……?”

However, the woman sitting next to Lennok seemed to have taken his reaction a little differently. She glanced at him with an annoyed expression, then subtly shielded her terminal.

Sensing that this might lead to a misunderstanding, Lennok quickly spoke. “It seems that terminal is quite popular these days.”

“……”

He cleared his throat at the chilly silence, then subtly averted his gaze and said, “Do many other people use that device?”

“……I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The woman replied, her guard not lowered. “Everyone in Vulcan knows about the Universal Magic Learning Device now.”

“……”

Realizing he had chosen the wrong answer, Lennok immediately pulled out another method.

“Actually, I recently acquired one myself.”

He casually pulled out the same learning device as the woman from his pocket. It was a good thing he still had one of the samples he had kept when he presented the thesis.

“I can’t quite get the hang of how to use it…”

“Oh, so that’s it?” The woman’s expression brightened slightly at the sight of Lennok awkwardly tapping the learning device on his lap.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you show me how to use the learning device?”

“Well, if it’s just that…” The woman nodded, finally understanding. “Since the Vylun Research Institute was established, a lot of research has been done on how to use the learning device. So you might not know.”

“Exactly. It’s so helpful that the Vylun Research Institute is providing all sorts of support—”

Lennok’s words, as he hollowly agreed, suddenly stopped.

“……Which research institute are you talking about?”

“Huh? Of course, I’m talking about the research institute where Professor Vylun took office as director.”

“……”

“The City Council even directly commended it and publicly announced it… Haven’t you heard?”

It seemed that a very important research institute had been completed while Lennok was away, and he had missed it.