Drug-Eating Genius Mage - Chapter 16
Time passes, and another day goes by without incident.
The gang members and other people were no longer visible.
Excited people leave their seats one by one, thinking of receiving the promised money from the pharmaceutical company.
Because it was such a small amount, he asked for a job without knowing who the other party was, and it flowed all the way here.
Those who risked their lives for two days will get the price in their hands.
Lennok sent the others off first, and was the last one left to clear out the warehouse.
People politely greet each other and disappear one by one.
In particular, the psychic who thought he would really die went home with his head on the ground with tears in his eyes.
I thought it was wrong to be caught by a wizard, but it’s worth saying don’t be new because I made progress in my superpowers while fighting.
Lennok, who was reluctant to lay his hand on the person he had fought with, waved his hand away.
I called Seiji’s contact number that I had received in advance and finished a brief report.
He couldn’t easily believe the outcome of the night’s battle, but when Lennok asked if he could take some samples with him, he readily agreed.
“Two cans of sleeping pills. There are also tonics used to recover from fatigue. This is a vitamin I don’t have at home… I need to take this too.”
Lennok, who took some medicines piled up in the warehouse in the name of organizing, left the warehouse with a feeling of reassurance.
These are much better than the cheap nutritional supplements you get at home. For the time being, it seemed that his medication life would become even more prosperous.
Lennok, who was about to leave the warehouse with light steps, suddenly stopped when he saw Grime’s wand he had thrown away last night.
“………”
Still, he had no intention of using a wand that was more pretentious than this one, but Lennok picked up his wand again for some reason.
‘Still, wouldn’t it make money if I sold it?’
Even so, it was equipment used by level 3 wizards.
If I hand it over to Jenny, wouldn’t it be worth one or two cigarettes at the beginning of the year?
Lennok left the storage room with his wand planted behind his back with some hope.
After staying up almost two nights, my eyes are closed and my head is pounding from a headache, but the work is not over yet.
You can be relieved only after submitting the sample directly to the Patent Office.
I don’t like the fact that I have to do this kind of errand, but when I think of the 30 million cells that the pharmaceutical company promised to pay, that thought disappears.
After exiting District 54, catch a taxi and head to the district where the Korean Intellectual Property Office is located.
Single-digit subdivisions in which administrative agencies of the City are located. It is the first time to go inside.
As you head deeper into the city center, the roads become wider and cleaner, and the heights of the buildings built around them begin to rise.
The number of people increased as we went deeper into the 10th district, and the moment we entered the center, the population density dropped dramatically.
A quiet street that is not tidy. Numerous buildings that are colorful and beautifully sculpted.
A temple built in the depths of a forest of skyscrapers soaring high into the sky.
The offices of the rulers of the city are full of these streets.
It is the core engine that moves the megalopolis Balkan and the realm of the conductors who make all other districts move in harmony.
From here, it is an area that only public officials and administrative officials of the city government can enter.
The relatively minor Intellectual Property Office is located in District 8.
It was early in the morning, so there were few people on the streets around the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
I only occasionally see elderly people taking their dogs for a walk or people who are devoted to morning exercise.
Get out of the taxi and head straight to the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
It is not an ordinary building, but a building with an antique look like a temple of a myth.
It’s a peculiarity that doesn’t go well with this street, but it’s easy to find because of that.
Judging by the dim light through the window, the door had already been opened.
‘Should I submit it quickly and come out?’
The moment he inadvertently puts his hand in his arms and turns his steps down the alley toward the inside of the Korean Intellectual Property Office.
An old man who was sitting on a bench, breathing, spoke to him.
“What are young people going to do in a place like this early in the morning?”
Wear light sportswear. On one side of his lap, a large black dog, as if out for a walk, rests his head in his hand and sticks out its elongated tongue.
A towel was draped around his neck, as if he had already sweated a lot while exercising, but his eyes were shaped inappropriately for his age.
“……If it’s going to the Korean Intellectual Property Office, isn’t it decided?”
Lennok hesitated for a moment, but chose the right answer and responded.
“Oh, it seems that you have developed a rare technology. It’s pretty good at such a young age.”
‘What should I do…’
There are quite a few people in this city who talk to strangers, but it bothers me to just ignore them.
From the fact that he enjoys exercising in a place like this in the first place, there is a high possibility that the opponent is not an ordinary old man.
If such a person suddenly started talking to Lennok, wouldn’t it be because he simply needed a companion?
Apart from believing in his own talent and will, it is still too early for Lennok to associate himself with the powerful.
At least it shouldn’t be this way of having a face-to-face conversation.
What could be a way to sneak out of this conversation without leaving a strong impression?
‘I’m not very confident in my speech skills…’
thought Lennok, glancing down at the old man.
He was still looking at Lennok with his unwavering gaze, but Lennok’s sharp perception noticed that his gaze was only slightly deflecting from him.
To be more precise.
Toward Grime’s wand hanging behind his back.
“…….”
A very small suspicious ship. It infers the behavior derived from it and arrives at the cause at once.
Lennok found the correct answer in an instant just by looking at the direction of his gaze.
‘….aha.’
Lennok, whose complexion changed in an instant, smiled faintly.
“Did you enjoy the show I showed you yesterday?”
“What do you mean?”
“I sprinkled some firecrackers so that people watching from afar could see it well. You liked it, so you’ve been waiting for me like this, haven’t you?”
Lennok said, taking his gaze calmly.
“Guardian.”
“……”
This time it was the old man’s turn to be silent.
Seed
Lennok slowly took out Grime’s wand from behind and thrust it in front of him.
I will return this.”
Lennok said as he watched the wand gently burrow into the garden dirt.
“It must have been the magician you cherished. I’m sorry.
A person who recognizes Grime’s cane, knows in advance that Lennok will come to the Patent Office, and is not at all strange that he freely walks in and out of this street in the name of exercise.
Wasn’t he the only person standing on the opposite side of Lennok in this incident?
The old man looked up at him with burning eyes and said.
“…I knew that.”
“Is there anything else you would like to say?”
He intended to refrain from clashing with the powerful as much as possible, but if it came out like this from the other side, Lennok would have no choice.
I never thought I would reveal myself instead of ordering the lower ones.
‘I’ll have to extort more money from the pharmaceutical company when I go back.’
Didn’t I say that I couldn’t move directly because of the lobby against the upper line?
Of course, I didn’t believe the client’s words directly and received the request, but I didn’t know that the words were useless to anyone.
While Lennok was frowning at such annoyance, the district councilman opened his mouth.
His gaze was still on the staff stuck in the ground.
“Grim. He wasn’t very good at it, but he was a good friend. From the moment I decided to become a politician, he was the one who devoted himself to assisting me.”
“…….”
“A friend like that is dead, so do you know why I came all the way here to see you?”
“Revenge?”
Even as Lennok replied, he had a hunch that it was not the correct answer.
The old man’s eyes looking at him now were clearly different from hatred or disappointment and anger.
In a way, it was close to a very intense greed.
“I won’t talk too long. Come under me.”
“…….”
“For a talented and skilled mage like you to work alone is the same as the loss of the whole city. I was convinced when I saw lightning on a cloudless night.”
he kept talking.
“I will continue to rise higher and you can make it so too. In that tall forest of skyscrapers… I can make you a place.”
A very intense ambition that is blatantly revealed in every word.
Lennock acknowledged that this man, the county councilor, was an extraordinary person regardless of his current position.
Money that doesn’t belong to you. Unobtainable honor and power. And even talents who didn’t come into the arms.
Few people can be greedy for so many things.
Because he is such a person, he must have been greedy even for pharmaceutical companies in his district and coveted the patents they created.
However, I have no intention of putting myself on a leash in a place like this.
“What do you mean by that?”
said Lennok with a laugh.
“You may want me, but from my point of view, I have no reason to need you.”
“Are you going to decline my offer now?”
“Even if I’m really in a hurry, wouldn’t there be a reason to find the congressman?”
Rather, there are many who are closer to the core of this city.
If Lennok really intended to enlist the help of those in power, there were plenty of people higher up than him.
To be honest, it’s not worth it.
Now Lennok himself is a wizard whose skills have already been recognized, but the old man is not even the mayor, but just a member of a district.
Lennok thought as he looked at the silent old man, as if he understood what he meant.
‘This should be enough.’
There is no reason to give a lot of shame to those who came to covet his ability.
Apart from the greed this old man possessed, it was troublesome to turn such an ambitious man into an enemy.
Even if they had no intention of cooperating, it would have been better to coax them into an ambiguous relationship.
Looking at the old man with his head bowed, Lennok continued his words in a soothing way.
“But if you help me, I might be able to repay you someday.”
“…What do you mean?”
“We’re not very close, but there’s no reason for us to remain on bad terms, is there?”
Lennok smiled faintly as he looked at the old man whose eyes only then began to shine again.
I’m tired.
Because on Earth, he wasn’t mature enough to exchange deals like this with anyone.
However, it was something that had to be firmly concluded at this spot.
One day, when other powers eventually took notice of Lennok’s strength and talent and tried to put him on a leash.
You might need someone to clear your throat by your side.
It would be important for him to be strong enough to break the leash on his own and survive alone… No one can predict the future.
Preparing for that day, I plant a small seed in this greedy old man here today.
No one knew how it would germinate and shade it.
Submit a sample to the Patent Office and finish the job.
Fortunately, Amnac Pharmaceuticals had prepared the relevant documents in advance, so Lennok was able to stop at just submitting samples and getting them checked.
After leaving the Intellectual Property Office while being greeted much more kindly than the ward office staff in the 49th district, Lenok led a tired body and headed straight to the orchard in the 31st district.
In my heart, I want to go to rest immediately after reporting the status of the request to Jenny, but making up for the lack of tobacco was far more important than that.
It is a very precious item that makes Lenok forget his fatigue and move his body like normal people.
Just being able to dilute the penalty, even for a moment, was worth a lot of the money Lennok was making.
“Who is this? You have a very special guest.”
After squatting on a chair, the old man with a stout expression looked at him and smiled.
He was holding a smoking pipe as before, and he patted his knee while looking at Lennok.
“I didn’t know you the other day and excused myself. Now I see that you are a very talented wizard.”
“Is there anything you don’t like, master?”
The old man giggled at Lennok’s question.
“No, to be honest, I was a bit surprised. If the rumors reach my ears, it means that I managed to adapt to this floor somehow… I couldn’t imagine it well.”
The eyes of the old man, who was emitting purple smoke, shone eeriely for a very short time.
“To think that the idiot who brought it without knowing what he was smoking was still alive.”
“…….”
Lennok laughed silently.
It seems that everyone here lives with a knife in their stomach.
what good
It’s better than hiding your true feelings until the end.
“So you’re not going to sell anything?”
“Oh, what do you mean by that? Our store is always wide open.”
Seeing the old man rubbing his palms together with his expression reversed in an instant, Lennok silently bought 100 Cashburn cigarettes at once.
“I was looking at the wrong person! Excuse me for not knowing a young man who is very healthy and has a bright future!”
After paying close to 8 million cells through simple calculation, the old man came out of the counter with a happy face and started recommending completely different items.
“If you’ve been making so much money, shouldn’t you have talked about it earlier? How about this other than cash buns? It’s a little addictive, but the effect is very good. There is no significant difference in side effects. It’s not that I’m not asking you to buy a lot, but it wouldn’t be bad to try and wash a few skins.”
“…unless the dependence is too heavy.”
Lennok wasn’t going to settle for liking the now-blooming tobacco.
If at any time there are fewer side effects or there is a drug that is better received by Lennox’s body, he is willing to switch.
In that sense, I thought that it would not be a bad attempt to buy a few additional cigarettes after receiving the recommendation of an elderly person.
The excited old man even suggested more expensive items, but from there, he cut them off and rejected them.
Other than a few expenses that I thought were really necessary, I had to save money and make a lump sum.
It was because Lennok was planning to use all the money he had saved up until now to bid for the magic elixir, Stemonia.
100 million bid. The additional amount required to be prudent is 20 million cells.
Of course, I can’t expect a big effect at that price, but at least I wonder if this weak body of Lennok can be improved.
As long as you can check it, that’s enough.
I always say I’m running out of time, but I’m not at a cliffhanger enough to drop all options just yet.
If you grow more than you do now, increase your power and reputation, and accelerate your earning, the time will come when you will be well worth the money.
Looking at the moment and gaining the confidence to run was very important to Lennok.
“8.95 million cells. Please live a long time and use this old man’s orchard.”
In the end, I picked the ones recommended by the elderly and bought a few more, and ended up paying close to 9 million cells.
After leaving the orchard, Lennok went straight into a deserted alley, picked up some newly bought tobacco, and bit into his mouth.
Up until now, I had to refrain from smoking because I had to save tobacco, but now that I have supplemented the amount, it is important to soothe the immediate fatigue.
I leaned my back against the cold concrete wall and let the smoke drift away in a daze, lost in thought.
‘Dependency….. can you get away with it even if you’re careful?’
The magician’s strong reason and mental strength always warns him of the smoke he inhales, but he also understands that it is a necessary evil in order to survive.
No matter how carefully and thoroughly Lenok manages the dosage of the medicine, it is inevitable that he will become addicted little by little.
Still, I think I’ve managed to do quite well without relying on strong medicine, but can I continue to do so in the future?
On this cold and ferocious street, they walk a tightrope that never ends.
I walked well without being shaken, but I will stumble at least once.
At that time, Lennok did not have the confidence that he could endure without collapsing on his own.
“……..”
It is useless to worry about things that have not yet happened.
I headed to Jenny’s bar while forcing myself to swallow the bitter water that pierced my heart.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been up all night, so I’m going to rest for a while after completing this quest.
It was better to organize the necessary procedures before going.
“Our wizard has arrived. I heard the news.”
She grinned and raised her glass.
“You said you completely harpooned your gang? I heard that the residents there complained about having fireworks in the middle of the night.”
“……”
Lennok smiled bitterly, realizing what she was saying.
It was certainly a rare sight to see a car jump up and down as it exploded.
“I submitted a sample to the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Please contact the pharmaceutical company.”
While Jenny picked up the receiver right away, Lennok gathered his thoughts.
Wasn’t there something I should have said to her on the way and asked for her advice?
“Aren’t you crazy?”
When I told the story of my encounter with the district councilor, Jenny said with an absurd expression.
“I heard that there are many obsessive people out of the nobility who jumped into the political arena, but this is beyond my imagination.”
“Do you think you’ll use your hand more over there?”
“Well… from what you said, I don’t think so. It was a very neat handling for being soggy over there. If you approach from that side again, maybe…”
Jenny grinned.
“It will be after wearing a much better nameplate than now. If he really cares about your abilities.”
“They desperately want a wizard.”
“It’s not such a bad thing to know a couple of people in politics. Instead of listening to annoying complaints, I can usually provide various conveniences. I don’t like it when I don’t know anything, but when I actually work together, there are more convenient things than I thought.”
“……..”
A vivid answer as if he had experienced it himself.
Clearly, there was a concrete conviction that was far from mere speculation or delusion.
Reunion: Free until here.
Lennok watched her profile as he drank for a moment, then looked away.
She must have a story of her own.
In the first place, among those who roam these filthy streets, where would there be those who had no circumstances?
Establishing a decent human resources office at a young age and working as a broker while going back and forth between various companies and organizations, Jenny would not have lived an ordinary life.
It would be a lie if you weren’t curious about the inside story, but Lennok refrained from opening his mouth hastily.
Just as Jenny never asked Lennok about anything, Lennok needed to be considerate of her in the same way.
At least if you want to make this relationship last longer.
The time to wait for the successful compensation from the pharmaceutical company was not long.
You should have already confirmed that the new drug sample was registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office in the name of Amnak Pharmaceuticals.
It is enough to start sales in earnest after the tests conducted by the Korean Intellectual Property Office are completed and the new drug is officially registered.
“It has been deposited. Shall I send it directly to your account?”
“I will.”
In an instant, the remuneration minus the commission was deposited and Lennok rose from his seat.
He said to Lennok, who was about to leave after saying goodbye, as if he remembered her.
“Ban, you haven’t found another source of income besides this, have you?”
“Is that what you said last time?”
“okay. It’s good to avoid suspicion by creating multiple sources of income in advance. Commercial banks will recommend a lot of things that are good if a large amount is added to the account, but the city government’s Financial Supervisory Service will be different.”
Certainly, the purpose of creating an identity was to secure a plausible position in the sun, wasn’t it?
Since I have a cheap status, it is difficult to devote myself to more than a part-time job, and since I have to keep making money, I still have to rely on this as my main source of income.
Jenny was saying that creating such a source of income itself was important.
“The important thing is to pretend. Since it is impossible to investigate each and every one of the tens of millions of people living in this city, the number of people involved in tax audits in the city government is often limited to those who handle large sums of money, even though they are unemployed.”
“I see what you mean. We’ll find out when we get back.”
Of course, Lennok hadn’t completely forgotten what Jenny had said.
If what she said was really important to Lennok as his top priority, Lennok would have been knocking on the door of the hamburger joint, breaking all his schedule.
It was only because there was a judgment that it was important to raise reserve power even at the risk of such a risk.
In the meantime, while I was doing the quests, I was overflowing with things to do, so I didn’t have time.
“I am not necessarily urging you to find a job right away. It’s okay to do job search activities for now, so give it a try.”
Leaving behind Jenny, who was waving her goodbye, she left the bar.
I headed home with a tired body. After finishing the work and hearing the confirmation about the compensation, only the thought of rest was desperate in my head.
for a week.
Lennok took a good rest without coming out of the studio, feeling that he was overdoing it.
Except for meals that I make myself, I spend time without getting up from my seat.
I tried to normalize my biorhythm by calculating my sleeping hours without moving except for simple stretching to prevent stiffening of my body.
It’s the first time since I escaped from the factory that I’ve worked through the night.
I was accustomed to not being able to fall asleep due to insomnia, but considering that the rhythm of my body was disturbed as my life pattern was out of sync, I needed to carefully balance myself.
It is a body that is needlessly delicate and fragile like glass.
It was disgusting, but on the other hand, Lennok was getting used to this low-quality body to some extent.
During the break, as Jenny said, he tried to find a part-time job that Lennok could do, but there was no great result.
Basically, there are many places that require about 3 days a week, and especially for adult men like Lennok, the time zone where they can work often spans the night or dawn.
Otherwise, there are many cases where you use your body or the work itself is difficult, but either way is very difficult for Lennok.
“To think I had to put so much effort into choosing a part-time job…”
Lennok muttered and nervously turned off his phone screen.
Although he had registered his personal information on a job search site under the name of Evan Bylon, it seemed that it would take some time to find a job that matched Lennok’s circumstances.
As soon as I started to feel the vitality returning to my body little by little, I went out for the first time in a while.
The huge city of Vulcan moves slowly but surely, not caring about whether or not there is a single person at all.
People busily moving between the pouring sunlight. The loud commercial music coming from between the buildings harmonized with each other, exuding a sultry energy.
Lennok walked slowly down the street so as not to blend in with the heat.
After a while, I got a call from Jenny, but after sending an answer that I should take a little more rest, I arrived at the library.
In fact, while taking a break, the place where Lennok goes is somewhat fixed.
Despite opening his cell phone, Lennok was accustomed to obtaining information through the library’s vast collection of books and data.
In particular, it is more so because knowledge about magic is arranged in an analog way in a specific place rather than scattered randomly on the Internet.
Arriving at the floor where books related to magic were located today, Lennok began to flip through the catalog with his familiar hands.
In the meantime, I’ve been moving to a place where I wanted to know if there was knowledge that could be a clue to my magic research that I was conducting alone, but today I have a more definite purpose.
“Summoning magic spirit magic type homunculus… Do I need to add necromantic magic as well?”
While muttering to himself, he takes out the books according to the book numbers he has memorized, piles them up, and starts examining them one by one.
Commissioned by Amnac Pharmaceuticals. It was because Lennok also realized something in the battle against the Werewolf and the Wizard at the same time.
‘What if I could create a avant-garde and use it in battle?’
Although Lennok lost every fight and the match was quickly decided, the tactic the two tried against him was simple.
Werewolves stand in front, and wizards support firepower from the rear.
Guile draws attention with strength and speed that cannot be compared to ordinary warriors, and the wizard controls the space with firepower that cannot be compared to firearms.
A tactic so simple that it’s almost impossible to figure it out, but it’s incredibly effective.
There are only three ways to deal with it from the standpoint of dealing with it.
Just like Lennok, with out-of-standard abilities and talents, crushing them in a frontal power struggle, or coming out with the same tactics and gradually gaining an advantage. Or start by subduing the power that pours long-range firepower first.
Although Lennok has never felt lacking in his abilities and talents, he was feeling a bit dissatisfied with the fact that the options he could choose for himself were limited.
If you can research summoning-type magic or spirit-type magic and use it as a vanguard, even for a very short time, the sense of stability in battle will greatly increase.
Of course, it would be much faster to find a team member to stand in the vanguard than to study this kind of magic, but Lennok was thinking of doing it alone to the limit of his ability.
‘…No, in the end I have no choice but to do it alone.’
It doesn’t end with simply earning a fortune, escaping from this floor, eating well and living well.
You need to understand the existence of this penalty that is deeply engraved in your body and find a way to erase it from the root.
Anything that slows down the shortening lifespan and alleviates symptoms is just a stepping stone for that.
“……”
Let’s not overcomplicate things.
When you start to cling only to distant goals, your mind becomes distracted and distracted.
For now, it was enough to simply focus on the immediate personal purpose.
I immediately opened the book and quickly began to pay attention to the contents.
Even though his physical strength and strength are infinitely lagging, he turns the page faster than anyone else.
Lennok’s eyes relentlessly moved through the letters, absorbing everything written in them in an instant.
The first is from summoning magic.
‘It was the same in World, but the conditions for summoning classes are too strict. Not just talent, but the process of specifying and summoning the summons you want is too complicated. Even if you want the same summoned beast, depending on the time or place, there are many cases where the conditions change quickly…’ The more you
find out, the more you feel that you get lucky.
To be honest, summoning magic or spells felt more like drawing rather than talent.
Even the draw is not something anyone can do.
According to the book, there were a lot of materials needed to draw and prepare a magic circle to sign a contract with a summoned beast.
Lennok rummaged through the computer for a while to get a rough estimate of the cost of the materials.
It would be nice if you could pull out a good summon after the ritual, but if not, it’s just wasting time and money.
It’s definitely not a method that Lennok would use now, not knowing if others supported by the funds would know.
“The other way is….. whoa…”
Lennok, who put down the introduction to summoning magic, sighed deeply as he looked through the book that said it was an elemental technique.
If summoning magic is like a lottery that relies heavily on luck, spirit magic cannot even be called magic.
It uses a power called spiritual power, which is completely different from magical power, and the principle is close to that of a shaman or necromancer.
It was quite a distance from the most popular and well-known technique called magic.
Lennok had a very strong conviction about his magic talent, but he was not sure if it would be applicable to magic using spiritual power.
Elementalists are quite passive, so they weren’t very popular even among players who played WORLD, so Lennok hadn’t really looked at them except for a few related NPCs while playing the game alone.
I did it anyway, but it’s still the same. Among the principles of using elemental magic, there were several methods that could be applied to the magic he was using, but… it was not something that would help him right now.
‘If you naturally develop that route while studying common magic, it’s too risky to forcefully study this way.’
Researching magic and increasing the amount of mana alone is daunting. There was no time to even touch the unfamiliar power of spiritual power.
After that, Lennok devoured books on magic and magic that seemed to be related to the avant-garde he could create himself.
Homunculus-made golem assembly book… Even the necromancer books were touched, and he was reluctant to touch the corpse, so he threw it away, but it was still difficult to let go of the lingering attachment.
It was because he was gradually realizing how important it is to have a sense of stability during battle through several requests.
Of course, Lennok’s shield magic had never betrayed his expectations, and he had never stiffened his head or made a mistake in judgment just because he was forced into an extreme situation.
In a way, the fact that Lennok’s magic stood out on the battlefield was more of a disadvantage than an advantage.
If Lennok could control an existence that could distract the enemy even for a moment… It was close to a vague imagination, but it’s not a story without possibility.
It is a talent that embraced all kinds of penalties and reached the limit.
If it doesn’t work, it can be made possible by tearing apart the common magic.
There was no reason to hastily cut the limits while discussing the possible and the impossible.
Pick up the introduction to the summon series again and start looking carefully from the beginning.
He glared at the book with the momentum to memorize and interpret the principles used in the summoning ceremony in their entirety and apply them to common magic.
I was going to rest until today anyway, so I have a lot of time.
Lennok intended to spend the day sitting here until just before closing time.
Until I heard a harsh voice behind my back.
“I am.”
“……?”
“I stopped by the library for the first time in a while and just in case, I’m really excited.”
Lennok slowly turned his head at the calm tone that felt somehow chilly.
I’m sure you heard it somewhere.
“Could it be that you’ve been stuck here for a whole month, thinking you’re going to die?”
Her rich blonde hair flutters in line with the wind, and her blue eyes coldly look down at Lennok.
second encounter.
Still, for some reason, a familiar gaze was there.
Aris: It’s paid from here on out.
The outfit still looks more like a student than a professor wearing a white shirt and blue skirt like when we first met.
Aris Richellen. Chair Professor at Rabatenon University.
It’s the first time we’ve met again since we met once before at the library.
“I told you to come find me, so you don’t even come. Does anything change if you just bring in books and dig in here?”
She had looked Lennok up and down openly, and now began to examine the contents of the book he was holding.
“Summoning Contract Elemental Spell… Homunculus? Haa…..”
She checked the titles of the books piled up around him and made a strange expression, then let out a deep sigh.
He is a very interesting person to imagine and react to various things by himself.
Lennok watched without saying a word, wanting to see how far she was mistaken now.
Aris carefully chose her thoughts, as if she were teaching a kindergartener one by one, and began to speak softly.
“It’s a bad choice to turn your gaze in this way because you don’t have any talent for magic. In particular, summoning classes and spirit skills tend to be more demanding than simple talent, and if you have to say it, they tend to ride the bandwagon, so they really cover people.”
“I know very well.”
In response to Lennok’s calm reply, Aris’ eyebrows drew a line.
“Is anyone in the know holding onto a book like that? If you want to trust your luck, I recommend buying a lottery ticket sold by the city government. Even someone like me who works at a university has only met three elemental magicians. It is better to give up useless hope.”
“……”
Actually, she wasn’t wrong.
If Lennok was really an ordinary person with no talent for magic, her advice would hardly have gone astray.
In fact, even Lennok still has no idea how to deal with these magics.
The only difference is that Lennok knew that his talent wasn’t just blocked by this wall, and Aris didn’t know anything about him.
Of course, if I revealed this situation to her, I might not be able to listen to her, but… is there a need to do that?
Lennox’s talent is far beyond what he himself thinks he can comprehend.
His magical talent, which was even calibrated at the cost of his lifespan, went beyond outstanding and sometimes even felt dangerous.
Even Lennok himself sometimes feels that way, but how would other wizards react if they realized this?
Lennok was not yet used to the world enough to anticipate and deal with such a reaction.
However, Aris seemed to understand Lennok’s silence completely differently.
Lennok didn’t miss the faint emotion that passed her eyes for a second.
It was something closer to… pity than sympathy.
“Whoa…. Give me the book.”
When Lennok didn’t respond, Aris picked up the stack of books beside him and began to quickly examine the contents.
The speed of turning the pages is almost as fast as Lennok.
As expected of her as a wizard with excellent skills, it was clear that her intellect was also at a formidable level.
Aris, who had read three books in the blink of an eye, nodded and sat down across from Lennok as if she had gained some insight.
“…..What are you doing now?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know? I’m trying to summarize and explain it so that you can understand it well.”
After arguing a while ago that you shouldn’t touch this kind of magic, you’re trying to teach me first.
When Lennok, who was dumbfounded, pointed out that part, Aris replied with a calm expression.
“If you explain how difficult summoning magic is and how it rides people, you will understand. People like you, who are eager to learn, are always obstinate and won’t move unless you’re convinced. I know.”
After she said that, she immediately started reciting the pros and cons of summoning magic, starting with an overview.
“Basically, unlike magic that begins through the concrete concentration of one’s intentions and magical powers, summoning magic—” I
listened to her words quietly.
I heard that he is holding a professorship at a university, but his tone is very familiar and calm.
What he said was concise and to the point, so it was clear enough that even Lennox, who had already read all of it, nodded his head.
“………”
At this level, it was impossible to just ignore it. In fact, Lennok knew it from the beginning.
A good person. It would be a waste to spend time on someone like Lennok.
Even when you think that you are reaching out in the wrong direction with your hopes in useless places, you can see the attitude of trying to convince people instead of forcibly correcting your thoughts.
After confirming that Lennok’s passion is real, he respects his will and approaches cautiously so as not to dampen his passion.
He was a kind person and a good teacher.
Hearing her sonorous voice through one ear, he silently looked out the window where the sunlight was shining.
The scenery of the Balkans seen through the window is infinitely quiet.
When I first received the business card, it wasn’t that Lennok didn’t think about going to see Aris.
On this lonely street with no place to lean on, just having someone to talk to is a great comfort.
If only we could talk about magic and receive even a little instruction.
I would be lying if I said I never recalled the existence of the business card she handed me on very occasional occasions.
But the reason why I thought about it sometimes but didn’t find out the way to Rabatenon University–
“Hey, are you listening?”
“…..Sure. I am listening very well.”
“…….”
Seeing Aris cross her arms with a disapproving look on her face, Lennok smiled embarrassingly.
Aris, who glared at Lennok for a moment, said as if she remembered.
“Come to think of it, I handed over my business card, but I didn’t hear your name.”
“…….”
“What is your name? I take the time to give a lecture like this, but I have to speak up.”
—because she was one of the very few who knew Lennok’s real face.
While working as a member of the Lightning Wizard class, he accepts gaining prestige and making his abilities known.
There were times when Lennok’s reality was that he couldn’t get even the minimum amount of money if he was afraid of that.
However, it was a completely different story to exchange achievements for magic with the same wizard.
His talent is far beyond the level of being outstanding, and it’s not strange at all that someone feels dangerous
.
And Lennok didn’t know Aris Richellen well enough to know how she would react the moment she made that mistake.
Be careful.
Even though I know that I am tired enough to be shaken by such a small favor and kindness.
Lennok smiled, skillfully fooling himself.
“Do I even need to name it?”
“What did you say?”
“You don’t necessarily need a name to have a conversation.”
“……”
Sensing Aris’ gaze at him with a dumbfounded expression, Lennok quickly picked up the sophistry.
“In this library, we are just students studying magic together. Wouldn’t it be enough just to share knowledge about magic with each other and have conversations?”
After all, there aren’t many things to do with her except today.
Lennok stopped by the library every holiday, but this was the second time he’d run into her, so she must be quite busy with her day job, too.
Roughly, just passing this moment in moderation is enough.
However, Aris accepted Lennok’s muttered words as if he had been waiting for them.
“great. Does that mean you are ready to learn magic from me?”
“…..yes?”
“Recently, I haven’t been to the library to finish my thesis, but I tend to stop by the school library once every two weeks to find out-of-date materials.”
She closed the book and rose from her seat.
Lennok just looked up at her with a slightly dazed expression.
“I’ll give you a brief lesson here once every two weeks. At that time, I will teach you the basics of magic, not this kind of summoning magic, so prepare well.”
“No, I’m running out of time…”
Lennok let out a small sigh as he finished his words as if he would not listen to the answer and looked at the rich blonde hair that disappeared in a flash.
It’s only the second meeting, but he’s a pretty selfish person.
Lennok calmly sorted out the books piled on the desk, put them in the return box, and left the library.
The sun that had been hanging in the middle of the sky was setting, and the scarlet sunset was coloring the edge of the sky.
I blankly looked up at the sky and was lost in thought.
“………”
Aris Richelen’s kindness to Lennox is not entirely unconvincing.
She seemed to have a strange attachment to those who had no talent but couldn’t abandon her passion for magic, and Lennok, who was sitting in the library looking at books, was enough to be seen as an aspiring wizard.
It wasn’t strange that a young wizard who had risen to a university professorship had circumstances comparable to his talent.
But it was an entirely different matter for Lennok to conform to that stubbornness.
‘……once every two weeks. As long as you thoroughly listen to her words.’
The least risk that Lennok could psychologically tolerate.
And the advantage of being able to make friends with the chair professor at the magic university.
It was quite difficult to weigh the two, but Lennok couldn’t help but ponder.
If you make friends with her, you might be able to solve the problem of finding a job in the sun without too much difficulty.
Hearing about the work of the wizards of the sun and their society would be of great help to Lennok today.
If that’s enough, if that’s all.
In this city where there is no place to lean on, wouldn’t it be possible to make at least one scheduled itinerary?
Lennok smiled at the thought.
While making an appointment with only one person, he laughed at the fact that he had to think and act carefully.
And sad.
Another day sets in with the fading lights of the beginning of the year.
It’s time to make up for the amount of tobacco he blew into the air.
Slowly, he had to find the next request.