Chapter 888: The Eye That Sees Fate (24)
“Chairman. Please, reconsider.”
CRACK!!
Virgil’s thick fist slammed heavily onto the office floor, shattering and splintering the solid wood.
Ignoring the grimace on the Chief of Staff’s face, Virgil remained on one knee and spoke.
“If you pull back the execution squad now, it will be worse than if we had never started. This will shatter the trust we’ve maintained with Adamant Thunder-”
[Virgil.]
From behind the wavering, transparent veil, Olivera gestured languidly.
[I have already made my decision.]
A brilliant rainbow light flashed from her eyes, pressing down on the space within the office.
Kiiiiing…!!
“Huk…!!”
The Chief of Staff, his face turning deathly pale, gasped for air as Virgil stood up, his expression unchanging.
This was the Chairman’s office, where Olivera Ron Maize, one of the three leaders of the Cartel, officially handled her duties.
Normally sequestered in her research lab, she had finally shown herself after several months.
But the order she gave Virgil was merely one to overturn everything that had already been agreed upon.
“Chairman. I do not believe we should side with him on every matter related to Adamant Thunder.”
Virgil said, having dismissed the Chief of Staff to speak with Olivera alone.
“The top priority must be the well-being of the Cartel and yourself. For that, there may be times when we must stand against Van.”
[…]
“But with the Magic Tower’s position so solid, interfering in such a half-hearted way will only draw unwanted attention.”
With Olivera not responding, Virgil continued.
“Jenisia, who manages the Tower, is an exceptionally rational person. She may not show it outwardly, but she will be sure to remember this.”
Having known Van for a long time, Virgil knew that he wasn’t completely insane.
Compared to his transcendent talent that defied all comparison, Van’s disposition could even be described as mild-mannered.
For that reason, Virgil held a very high personal opinion of Van, but conversely, he didn’t trust him unconditionally either.
The fact that Virgil, who currently oversaw all of the Cartel’s operations, was siding with Adamant Thunder was heavily influenced by the Magic Tower’s existence.
He didn’t think his partnership with Adamant Thunder would last forever, but there was no urgent matter that required him to think otherwise at this moment.
If they hadn’t intervened in this matter from the start, it would be one thing, but pulling their forces back after siding with Van would look painfully obvious.
Even if Van didn’t care about the Cartel’s decision, Jenny, who was with him, would never forget this.
But Olivera’s answer remained unchanged.
[If Kaiser’s granddaughter wishes for them to pay a price, then we must grant it.]
“Chairman!”
[Virgil. You are thinking about this problem far too one-dimensionally.]
From behind the veil, Olivera’s voice turned cold.
[Do you believe this situation is some light scuffle that will end with someone living or dying?]
“It is certain to be concluded the moment a winner and loser are decided.”
Virgil replied.
“Evan Martinez is undoubtedly a very powerful wizard. The reputation I’ve heard of him indirectly from near the Northern Continent assures me that he is certainly more than he appears.”
[…]
“His amplification-type flame magic. His phenomenal level of barrier arts. Even his excellent physical combat skills. If you sum up his capabilities, he’s at a level that easily surpasses most of our executives, but…”
Taking a shallow breath, Virgil shook his head firmly.
“If you were to ask me who to bet on in this matter, I would not hesitate for a single moment.”
[…]
Virgil was one of the few who knew best what kind of battles Van had fought in this metropolis to reach his current level.
He knew which monsters and geniuses were sacrificed for him to surpass his limits.
Disadvantageous environments and conditions, a deteriorating physical and mental state, unavoidable restrictions and handicaps—none of it meant anything.
From the perspective of fighting and winning against someone, Van was a monster with a bizarre and alien intuition unlike any other.
[…Hehe, that wasn’t what I meant. Though you are not wrong.]
And Olivera did not strongly rebuke Virgil’s answer.
Perhaps because she herself had reached a similar conclusion on that matter.
But what Olivera was trying to point out was from a different perspective.
[What’s important is the process. The fact that the arsonist, who uses the entire city as tinder to grow his own power, has built up a track record comparable to Adamant Thunder’s.]
“That is…”
Just as a subtle tension hardened Virgil’s face, Olivera asked with a laugh.
[Do you think that bastard Adamant Thunder didn’t foresee things turning out this way the moment he kidnapped the Lighthouse Keeper?]
As Virgil stood speechless, she immediately answered her own question.
[Of course not. That bastard has already decided how he’ll conclude this and is waiting for the opportune moment.]
“…”
[He is truly mad. You’ve been trying to persuade me that he isn’t mad, but to my eyes, it seems he’s only getting more so.]
Olivera’s words were endlessly gentle and slow, but Virgil couldn’t rashly refute them.
It was clear that Olivera, who had been secluded in her lab, understood him better than Virgil, who occasionally spoke with Van.
Unlike Virgil, who tried to observe and coordinate the situation from the outside, Olivera was interpreting this situation purely from Adamant Thunder’s perspective.
It was clear that Evan’s actions, burning down the 40s districts, were, in part, intended by Adamant Thunder.
That was why Olivera, even at the cost of some loss, wanted to step back and watch the entire process unfold.
[If he intended this process and its conclusion, wouldn’t it be proper to play along to his tune?]
“…Proper, you say.”
[In fact, I am quite looking forward to it.]
Looking down at the silent Virgil, Olivera smiled.
[Since the project failed, it’s been a very long time since talents of that caliber have crossed paths in this city… It wouldn’t be strange if people flocked from all over the continent to witness this.]
“Do you… truly believe Evan Martinez is a wizard on par with Van?”
In the end, Olivera’s judgment and speculation were based on a single premise that could not be established otherwise.
If Adamant Thunder judged Evan to be a monster of his own caliber, and that turned out not to be true, the assumption was effectively meaningless.
Did Adamant Thunder and Evan truly recognize what Olivera wanted to see?
But Olivera’s answer was, unlike before, exceedingly vague.
[Well, that bastard Adamant Thunder probably knows the answer to that better than I do.]
“…Pardon?”
[Perhaps that bastard Adamant Thunder is truly broken beyond repair….]
It was a completely different, ambiguous attitude from before when she had answered Virgil’s questions without hesitation.
But Olivera’s reply seemed more joyful than any Virgil had ever seen from her.
[I wouldn’t be surprised if that man harbors a far more dangerous secret than we think.]
“Chairman…”
Seeing Virgil’s expression harden, the hint of a smile in Olivera’s tone deepened.
[Regardless of who wins, it seems it will be a very enjoyable diversion. Don’t you think?]
“…I still don’t know.”
Virgil gave a bitter smile and slowly rose to his feet.
“Why Adamant Thunder would go to such lengths to get the Lighthouse Keeper. I don’t think I can accept it without hearing it from him directly.”
[…]
“He may delight in blood and battle, but I thought he was one of the most reasonable people I knew…”
In the end, it was impossible for the Cartel, as outsiders, to understand the exact truth.
But if Olivera wanted this, if her judgment had its own criteria, Virgil had to follow.
That was the one and only standard that had existed for Virgil since the moment he decided to follow Olivera.
Letting out a soft sigh, Virgil slowly nodded his head.
“I will withdraw all forces under the Cartel. I will notify Jenisia myself.”
“Ah, you’ve finally arrived.”
In a silent, endless dark room.
At the end of a magnificent table that could seat dozens, someone sat with a raised hand.
It was the messenger from the Senate who had contacted Lennok, offering a new meeting in exchange for withdrawing the wanted order.
Instead of taking Lennok to the Central Council’s Senate, he had introduced him to someone who called himself the one in charge of this matter.
The only information Lennok had been given beforehand was that the other party was one of the giants of the sunlit world who had abided by the Prohibition Edict.
But, what awaited Lennok now was-
“You took so long, I thought you’d rejected the offer. I figured it wouldn’t be surprising.”
“…”
A tall and lean frame, so obvious even as he leaned back in a classic chair.
A thin suit that clung to his gaunt body and pure white gloves that completely covered his skin.
But the most striking thing about his appearance was the absence of a human head on his shoulders.
Above the neck, which was empty as if severed, floated a bizarrely shaped mechanical sphere, serving as a head.
Clank, clank!!
Metals of black, silver, gold, and red mixed and rotated in complex patterns, repeatedly emitting a strange sound.
The man, with the mechanical sphere for a head, gestured lightly towards Lennok.
“I was hungry, so I started eating first. You’re welcome to have some if you’d like.”
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t know how a body without a mouth was having a meal, nor was he particularly curious.
Lennok sank into the chair prepared on the opposite side, leaned back, and rubbed his brow.
The man asked.
“You look tired. You’ve been fighting for days without sleep, haven’t you?”
“…”
“To be honest, I think it’s incredible. It’s not easy to strive and cling so tenaciously to a goal. Especially for a wizard of your caliber.”
The man, slowly tapping the table and rotating his mechanical sphere, spoke.
“It’s nice if you get what you want when you want it, and if not, so be it. You do things because they work, and give up if they don’t. Aren’t all wizards born with talent like you that way?”
“Do I look that way?”
“No.”
The man chuckled.
“If I thought you were that kind of person, I wouldn’t have called you here. I would have let you burn to death alone in Adamant Thunder’s lightning.”
“…”
Calmly straightening his collar, the man spoke.
“I am Olinic of Gisusingung. Those who know me call me Cheoknoe.”
“Gisusingung?”
“Demanding reorganization through the research of metal’s self-arrangement, and assimilating it with the body to achieve immortality… you wouldn’t know if I put it like that.”
Olinic, who had introduced himself as Cheoknoe, trailed off with a laugh.
“You can think of us as an old noble house that was powerful in the early days when Vulcan was being built. A has-been old man in a back room.”
“…”
Somehow, Lennok knew Olinic was by no means a weakling to be looked down upon.
The mechanical sphere that replaced a human head. A voice that was perfectly clear despite the lack of vocal cords.
If that mechanical sphere wasn’t simply a head, but a knot that was [sealing] something-
‘It might be the result of measures taken to maintain his sanity after transcending a certain level.’
“During the height of the wars, we rode the special demand and made quite a bit of money. Do you know what that means?”
Olinic laughed while Lennok was lost in thought.
“The position that the Magic Tower occupies now, it could have been ours, Gisusingung’s.”
“…”
“Ah, I hope there’s no misunderstanding. I have no desire to take the Magic Tower’s place now. That would be far too inefficient in many ways.”
As Lennok remained silent, Cheoknoe casually waved his hand.
“I simply think it’s a problem that the Magic Tower’s current standing stems from a single wizard.”
Bringing his clasped hands to his chin, Cheoknoe said.
“You’ve seen for yourself, so you know. Adamant Thunder is no ordinary human. He’s a madman who might possess the greatest talent in this city, perhaps even on this continent.”
“…”
“It’s a pity that such talent and aptitude were bestowed upon a wizard with such a disposition. Ah, you can spare me the argument that it should be interpreted the other way around. I’ve heard it enough from other mages.”
Answering a question that hadn’t been asked, Cheoknoe leaned back comfortably in his chair and spoke.
“What I want to say is, in short… a pacemaker is needed. Do you understand?”
“You want a point of comparison.”
“As you know, Adamant Thunder is revered for the very fact that his existence defies comparison with any case that has existed before.”
Cheoknoe tapped the underside of the sphere and nodded.
“I want to put a stop to that situation. Just the fact that there is another wizard with talent comparable to that mad mage can change many things…”
“An interesting thing to say.”
Lennok let out a cold laugh.
“You cooperated with the city government’s wanted order, and now you’re thinking of calculating the odds of victory?”
“I have no excuse if I seem shameless. But you have to understand. There have been too many idiots in this city who tried to kill that wizard.”
Cheoknoe said with a smile.
“Most of them couldn’t even keep half of their promises and became a handful of ash. All the while, that wizard grew stronger and even madder.”
“…”
“The Prohibition Edict may have been lifted, but we have too many old contracts left. Even if we could face Adamant Thunder, a situation where it would be profitable rarely arises.”
Olinic tapped the temple area of the mechanical sphere with one hand and muttered.
“And that’s even more so now, with a faction of the Senate, led by Meyer, subtly siding with Adamant Thunder.”
So, it wasn’t the entire Senate’s will to contact Evan Martinez after all.
If some of the giants of the sunlit world, led by Gisusingung, had stepped forward to balance the fiercely divided factions within the Senate, this situation would make sense.
“Everyone was just standing by and watching this unpleasant situation where no one wants to suffer a loss… and then you appeared.”
Pointing at Lennok with an open hand, Cheoknoe said.
“The Watcher of the Eyes of Blue. The guardian of the Lighthouse Keeper. A very powerful high-ranking flame mage. A challenger who can seriously discuss the odds of victory against Adamant Thunder.”
“…”
“At first, of course, no one believed it. But your dramatic growth and brilliant achievements in this city. And, the secret report I picked up from the Northern Continent… it made me picture a possibility I had never considered.”
Hwooo!!
In that moment, Cheoknoe’s presence as he looked at Lennok became endlessly heavy.
The air sank, heavy and oppressive, as if blowing away the somewhat light atmosphere that had prevailed until now.
Effortlessly demonstrating the art of changing the atmospheric pressure of the area with just a variation of his will-thought, Cheoknoe spoke.
“That you were the one… who subjugated the 10th Apostle of the Cult, Amrita Fraubel.”
“…”
“I was only able to hear that fact after sacrificing dozens of informants infiltrated into the core branch of the Eyes of Blue. Can you imagine how surprised I was when I learned this?”
An undeniable heat mixed into Cheoknoe’s gaze as he looked at Lennok.
“An Apostle-Slayer, something not seen since the Holy War ended. And a pure spell-based wizard at that…!!!”
His voice was not just excited and rising, but seemed to tremble.
Did the record of Amrita’s subjugation hold that profound a meaning for Cheoknoe?
“The Eyes of Blue are truly terrifyingly tight-lipped. To hold a power like you and keep it a complete secret from the outside!!”
“…”
“Yes, that explains everything. Why the Lighthouse Keeper would set foot in this metropolis trusting only a single bodyguard. It was simple. With an Apostle-Slayer by his side, why on earth would he fear refusing negotiations with the Central Council…!!!”
As if unable to contain his excitement even after saying it himself, Cheoknoe shot up from his seat.
Pacing around the table for a while, muttering as if chewing over the facts he had understood, Cheoknoe whipped his head around.
“There’s no doubt. Among the countless pieces of trash and mud that have challenged Adamant Thunder, you are the one and only pearl.”
“Too much useless flattery.”
“Useless?!!! Who on this continent could speak of the great deed of subjugating an Apostle in such a way!!”
“Isn’t that all your words so far have amounted to?”
Lennok retorted, taking a cigar from his coat and lighting it.
“You sound like nothing more than a gambler who eavesdropped on my achievements and is now belatedly calculating the odds and checking the payout.”
“A gambler…”
“If you want to place a bet, say it clearly. Why so much nonsense after calling me all the way here?”
At Lennok’s cold glare, Cheoknoe’s brow twitched slightly.
“Explain what you can do. What you can do for me. Otherwise, go hide in a safe place and watch.”
Lennok said, puffing out clouds of cigar smoke.
“Because even without such schemes, I’ll do what I have to do.”
“…I clearly saw the divine might you displayed against the Cartel’s executive board.”
Cheoknoe said.
“Amplifying your own power to its limit through the externalization of your mana core… Incredible. There was not a shred of falsehood in your words about using this city as kindling.”
“So?”
“I can help you reconstruct your mana core.”
Only then did Cheoknoe get to the main point.
“Since we of Gisusingung have worked with metal for a very long time, we have also long researched the ‘fire’ needed to handle it.”
“…”
“The [Ember of Monstrous Flame] and the [Harmonious Hue of the Fount of Thought], which are considered relic-class artifacts… wouldn’t these be suitable to become your new power?”
As Lennok remained silent, Cheoknoe smiled meaningfully.
“You’ll need a lot of preparation to match forces with that mad wizard. Using the treasures of Gisusingung, I will provide you with a new [ember].”