Chapter 41

“Nice to meet you. My name is Nicole Keller from Plato’s Office. This is Maoren.”

After introducing herself in just two sentences, she shook hands with Panoa and sat down.

Panoa also naturally ordered the secretary to bring something to drink.

After a moment of silence, Nicole spoke first.

“We know everything about each other, so let’s get to the point.”

“What are you talking about?”

Despite Panoa’s sly questions, Nicole continued on with what she was saying.

“Platonic Mercenary Office has decided to suspend all transactions with Cigar Bang at the end of this quarter. At the same time, we plan to withdraw from all arms distribution and stop collaborating with scavengers.”

“.........”

Despite Nicole’s unconventional words, Panoa’s expression is calm.

It’s probably because what she said wasn’t that surprising. Lennok understood.

If Plato’s office, which had worked with Siger Bang to distribute weapons, suddenly came to Dyke, the business would have been decided.

What is important is what follows.

“I don’t think you came to the head office just to say that.”

“you’re right.”

Nicole meekly agreed.

“We have a list of retailers who have worked with us in distribution. If Dyke Corporation really intends to start a new business in the 40th District, it will be of great help.”

“You want a deal.”

The decision was made in an instant.

From Panoa’s point of view, if they can do the work they’re currently doing more comfortably, it’s not a bad business, and as Plato’s office, they can clearly set their stance and at the same time hand over the list and make a small profit.

No one cared about how the personal information of hundreds of people passing through the process would be used.

After exchanging a small amount of cash and a few items, Panoa sneaked up from her seat.

“I will give the list to the employees participating in the project. It may be inconvenient, but please wait a moment.”

“.......”

She left the office without waiting for Lennok’s reply.

As soon as Panoa disappeared, Maoren leaned forward and opened her mouth.

“It’s been a while, Wizard. Do you remember who I am?”

“I never forget a face I’ve seen once.”

Lennok replied plaintively.

“Until I kill myself.”

“...I didn’t know that the mage-nim would be helping with this matter. It wasn’t until I heard that Beck Clinton died after being struck by lightning that the name of a recently famous lightning wizard came to mind.”

Despite the bloody answer, Maoren’s smile did not shake.

I can’t find the emotion of anger that filled my gaze when I first saw him.

Ironically, Lennok wondered if that was Maoren’s greatest strength.

Nicole, who was watching the conversation between the two, suddenly opened her mouth.

“Do you know why we bother to come and talk like this today?”

“What do you mean?”

“I will not speak back. I would like to invite the class mage to our office.”

It wasn’t until then that Lennok realized why they had bothered to come and talk to the Dyke Corporation.

“To be honest, weapons-related business is not a big concern for our office. According to the sponsor’s guidelines, I was forced to help with one hand, but now that I know there is no hope, it’s time to step out.”

“Buy a sponsor.”

“Dyke isn’t the only company interested in out-of-town interests. Wouldn’t that be natural?”

Nicole said that and calmly sipped her tea.

“.........”

Plato Mercenary Office.

I’ve heard that there are rumors that there are many rumors that he has a background while growing rapidly with abnormal financial power compared to the size of the business, but I never thought he would reveal his secret history to Lennok so blatantly.

Apparently, Nicole also made up her mind and came to this place.

“I don’t wonder what caused the mage to come to this floor. I want the magician’s talent. That’s all.”

“It’s not a topic worth talking about right now.”

“If Panoa isn’t an idiot, he’s probably guessing why we’ve come this far. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“........”

Direct and bold personality.

Are you a person who spits out whatever is inside? But rather, he is the type who can bring such a sensitive subject to the table of business casually.

Being polite with someone like this is a waste of time.

Lennok said sullenly as he crossed his legs and leaned back.

“Can I tell you my true feelings?”

“.......”

“What you just said has been painful in my ears ever since I started working on this floor. It’s kind of boring now.”

Nicole kept silent at Lennok’s sharp reply.

Although freelancers and mercenaries don’t seem to have much of a difference on the outside, there is actually a big difference between being affiliated with an office or not.

There is bound to be a difference between the relationship between an organized life with a boss as the head of an office and a freelancer who works alone with only an intermediary called a broker, from the way in which requests are received.

Of course, if you enter the mercenary office, it will be much easier for freelancers to receive group requests that are difficult to receive alone.

“I don’t know if it’s to the extent of doing one-off requests together, but going into that office doesn’t sound attractive at all. Or can they hand me something like this for every request?”

When I showed him the ring of Pryice on his hand, he felt Maoren next to him breathe lightly.

There is no doubt about its value, as it protected Lennox’s body several times during the battle with Beck Clinton.

“All right.”

Nicole, who had been lost in thought, nodded as she listened to Lennok.

“We underestimated the value of the class mage too much. I didn’t know that you were already receiving such an artifact as a reward. I thought I could recruit a skilled magician at a cheap price...

No, sister. You don’t have to be so honest...

you don’t know when you see it? It’s better to be honest with someone like this. It’s more than just trying to cheat.

Maoren looked like he wanted to say something more, but kept his mouth shut at Nicole’s sharp gaze.

It seems that Maoren’s intentions were not a little involved in Plato’s office trying to recruit Lenoc.

Even when we met then, I thought he was acting perfectly on the outside, but did he actually have a crush on Lennok’s ability?

Before Lennok could finish his thoughts, he stood up without regret, holding the handbag Nicole had brought with him.

“I’m leaving for today. It’s not like this is the only opportunity.”

Anyway, the conversation with Panoa is all over. In many ways, he is an urgent person.

As if remembering the woman who was about to leave the office wearing a Maoren, who hesitated and stood up, she turned her head and added a comment.

“Oh, I must say one more thing.”

“what?”

“I don’t know what the Wizard thinks of what he’s doing, but the steps Dyke Enterprises is taking now aren’t that clever.”

“.........”

“I can’t say that the first choice to jump into the game right now is confusing due to the agreement with the autonomous territory, but the front runner always takes a lot of risk.”

Nicole gave an eerie smile as she said that.

“No one knows if it will be them themselves to step into the place Dyke has created.”

“You talk about the obvious.”

But Lennok replied indifferently, as if there was no need to worry.

“I know what you want to say, but aren’t you saying things that are too obvious?”

“......”

Nicole smiled meaningfully, then opened the door and quickly disappeared. Lennok sipped the remaining coffee, staring at the door of the office that was still closed.

I can guess what she meant by that.

He was probably trying to get a reaction by shaking him in some way or another.

But apart from being disappointed with the way the Dykes were doing, Lennok didn’t think they were that brainless or incompetent.

It is a giant corporation that has trampled other competitors and established itself in the inner district of the city in this city full of quarrels.

Although it was clumsy to reach out to the 40th district, the act of expanding the base of the business itself must be familiar to those who have continued to grow in size since its foundation.

At least until the end of this project, it was right to believe and move.

Watching Panoa come through the door, Lennok also stood up.

She probably wouldn’t have called Lennok just for a meeting with Plato’s mercenary office.

Right now, since I received Enakpil’s artifact, I knew at least that I had to deal with a somewhat annoying task.

Demonstration

“This is Mr. Ban, an external advisor newly recruited from the planning team at the head office. I hope everyone will be greeted with warm applause!”

Wow!!

As soon as the unknown moderator finishes speaking, fervent cheers resound.

“.........”

The end of an auditorium filled with hundreds of people.

Standing in front of the small podium, Lennok picked up the microphone and thought blankly.

Although he had received a definite answer from Panoa for this work, it was because his mind was twisted when he went up to the podium in an unprepared state.

The moderator’s speech follows.

“Ban’s external advisor proved his excellent magic skills and great work ability, and he came to have a deep relationship with the head office. I think it will be a good example for the students of Rabatenon University who participated in the field trip to the head office today, and I would like to finish today’s field trip after hearing a few words of encouragement. Welcome everyone with applause!”

It’s an obvious statement, but the response is very intense.

It was a word familiar to Lennox because it was Rabatenon University. Wasn’t it the school where a certain professor he knew worked?

It would be difficult to see a wizard working in a company, so this reaction was understandable to some extent.

After hearing the applause, Lennok let out a sigh and turned on the microphone.

The magician’s talent kept Lennok calm even in such an unexpected situation.

He appropriately adapts the lessons he learned about his studies on Earth and finishes his speech quickly with appropriate words of encouragement.

“...I want you to know that talented wizards like you are needed in every corner of society. thank you.”

Hearing the applause much louder than before, he came down to the back of the auditorium.

Perhaps because he came down with the wireless microphone intact, the other employees waiting next to him were startled and politely accepted the microphone from Lennok.

Other employees are now guessing how Lennok is being treated at this company.

Lennok thought as he slowly clenched and closed his fists.

It’s like he doesn’t want to let go of the feeling he once held in his hands.

Up until this point, he had fought other mages a few times, but the magic they used, to be honest, was not noticeable to Lennok.

Or that Lennok was at a level where he could imitate similarly with common magic.

However, the magic Aris uses is different.

Inherent magic of high degree that encompasses not only one attribute, but the series of elements itself.

There are things you can understand just by observing the flow of magical power.

It was close to the realm of naked practice that could never be realized by simply studying and learning theories.

‘I divide the flow of magical power into four branches and use them by weaving several branches whenever necessary. Is it a way to control multiple attributes at once by inducing a change in nature?’

It was not an efficient method for Lennok, who used various systems from the start, to follow, but the concept of using magic differently from the start and weaving it only when using magic was worth studying.

‘I think I can try it right now if it’s a conclusion, but...’

Aris wouldn’t let Lennok go if he did that here.

While Lennok was lost in his thoughts, Aris, who had trimmed his disheveled shirt, walked towards him.

“Hmmmm.”

Are you thinking that you are excited without even realizing it?

Aris cleared her throat with a puzzled expression and held out her hand.

“Thank you for cooperating with the demonstration for our students.”

“......It’s nothing special.”

“Surely, it is a skill that can be brought directly from Dyke. Especially at the end, I was a little surprised by the ability to control mana. That kind of control is a precision that can never come out without someone’s tutoring...”

Someone’s tutoring Recently, I’ve been getting something similar at the library.

“If you don’t mind, may I know which school you belong to?”

“Probably even if I tell you, you won’t know.”

Lennok replied skillfully without spitting on his lips.

“I wasn’t famous, and I didn’t have much interaction with the outside world, so I didn’t make my name known.”

“okay.”

Aris said that and didn’t say anything more, probably noticing Lennok’s intention of not answering.

Lennok was lost in thought as he looked down at Aris’ graceful figure.

It was for a moment, but it was more like an unconscious analysis of the opponent who had been competing for magic.

Precise magic control ability and calmness that does not flinch even in the face of wild magic right in front of you.

Yungtungseong, who pays attention to the terrain and copes with it at the same level as Lennok.

And even the unique magic of the element series that is stable and used in various ways.

‘It’s flawless.’

That was the conclusion that Lennok came to after a moment’s thought.

Of all the wizards Lennok had ever seen, Aris Richellen was clearly the strongest wizard except for the Ascendant.

It must have been the same for her as well, considering the surroundings and controlling the aftermath.

If you could express her skill level as a level, what would it be? It seemed that Lennok would be able to guess his skill to some degree only after he had personally competed with his magical powers.

‘No matter how low it is, it must be level 5 or higher. Being a university professor isn’t easy either.’

While Lennok was lost in thought, Aris seemed to have something to say.

she asked with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“May I know what kind of cigarettes you smoke?”

It was an odd question.

“Why is that...?”

“No, that...”

she said, struggling to answer.

“I feel like it’s like someone I know. It must be an illusion.”

“......”

Lennok was at a loss for words.

It was because she seemed to know who she was talking about, apart from the absurdity of the answer.

In the meantime, Marja, who was on top of the auditorium, quickly approached Lennok and whispered.

“Ban. I think you can do it here and come down. The rest of the schedule will be finished on our side. The boss is waiting for you.”

Lennok nodded as if he had waited.

“okay. go down.”

While sneakily evading the answer, he greeted Aris with his eyes.

As if she had no choice but to give up, she nodded and turned her back.

A short but intense encounter. However, what she asked at the end was a completely different question from Lennok’s expectations.

Could it be that the appointment at the library occupies a significant portion of her heart more than she thought?

It was unknown now.

Lennok cleared his mind and turned his head to the two men waiting for him down there.

I was barely keeping an eye on it. The fact that Dustin wouldn’t have let Lennok do this just because he lacked a good wizard.

In particular, considering the confrontation with a skilled mage like Aris Richellen, it would be correct to see that Dustin had a different purpose than simply for his own satisfaction.

For example, the in-house officials who are watching this place from somewhere right now... The skills that Lennok just showed will have a huge impact on them.

Expectations were not wrong.

Dustin, who had brought him to the vast office that occupied an entire floor and sat him down, bowed his head slightly as soon as he sat down.

“I’m sorry about that. It was difficult to ask for understanding easily because the seat was a seat.”

“Are they the board members?”

Dustin shrugged in surprise at Lennok’s answer.

“......Panoa is not wrong in saying that he is an outstanding person. Yes, the board of directors gathered together for the first time in a long time with a field trip to Rabatenon University. I needed to actually show them the cards I had.”

Lennox shook his head at Dustin’s words, not apologizing for not being able to tell you beforehand because it was a hastily arranged schedule.

“It’s enough if you keep the promise that this will reduce the number of requests.”

“I can’t vouch for that part. I will pay the success fee as much as you have done so far and deposit it into your account.”

Dustin glanced at Panoa, and she immediately nodded.

“So was it helpful? Dealing with the professor who has been leading the students at that university was a bit difficult, but I hope it will be worth it.”

When Lennok showed a slight condescension, Dustin nodded in anticipation.

“of course. Do you not know who Aris Richellen is?”

“...Except for being a skilled wizard.”

“As a representative of the Sinclair Tower, he is one of the geniuses who rose to the position of a 6th-level military guard mage at a young age. His will is so obstinate that he is concentrating on nurturing younger students, but originally, it wouldn’t be strange if he was called to the Mage’s Tower a long time ago and occupies a seat.”

He thought he was an excellent mage, but he must have reached level 6.

“It may not be very famous to those who don’t know magic, but it’s a famous figure that everyone knows, including his appearance. In any case, it is very meaningful to show a demonstration that seems to be equal at first glance against such a mage.”

Dustin smiled proudly.

“Not only does it have a significant impact on the shareholders, but if done well, it can even induce infighting in the board of directors. You did a good job, so the rest is ours.”

“Rather than that, I want you to focus on future projects. All of this would be useless if it didn’t come to an end in the 40th District.”

The face of Panoa, who was standing next to him, stiffened for a moment at the sharp words, but Dustin laughed and let it go.

“A sharp point. But it’s not wrong. I’ll be honest, I’ll admit I started out with a bit of an understatement of the outer quarters at first.”

“.........”

“However, it was definitely my fault for not preparing the right manpower for the plan, not Panoa’s. I would like you to know that much. I don’t want my personnel mistakes to undermine your trust with her in this matter.”

Dustin said that and gave Panoa a glance, and she quietly lowered her head.

“She really takes care of all the work required for this project. Removing part of the weapons business already in place in the 40th District and entering it means we have to placate some of the political figures who were funding it. At the same time, I was concerned about the collaboration with other companies that I am currently maintaining, so I lost sight of what was really important.”

‘That’s a long story.’

Where in the world is there a person without mercy?

To put it bluntly, Lennok had no interest in how hard Dustin and Panoa were going through.

Or was Dustin thinking that an unsophisticated wizard would sympathize with their plight?

It wasn’t Dustin who was chattering, but Panoa, who was watching his expression, was the first to notice that Lennok’s gaze was getting colder.

She unconsciously pretended to look at the watch she was holding on to, then immediately whispered to Dustin.

“President, it seems that the time for the meeting with the board of directors has come. Just getting up here...”

“.....Ah, has it already been that time? I was talking too much.”

With that said, Dustin cut off and jumped up from his seat.

He picked up the clothes he had draped over the arm of his chair and gave Lennok a very casual look.

“Anyway, I’ll definitely make amends for what happened today. Thank you for your time. But everything I said was true. I just want you to know that.”

Lennok stared at Dustin’s back as he left the office and left Panoa alone.

“.........”

Panoa, who saw Lennok like that, said as if making excuses.

“The boss didn’t say that to make an excuse about the first operation. However, if you know that this happens because the gaze of the person who focuses on in-house work and the gaze of the practitioner are different...” ”

It’s tearful.”

“.......yes?”

“Just go back.”

Interesting.

Rather than the nonsensical excuses Dustin and Panoa make, it was the strangely strong relationship of trust between the two.

Apparently, Dustin didn’t even notice where Lennok was getting irritated until the moment he stood up.

However, as soon as he heard Panoa’s words, he realized that the conversation had been misplaced and immediately left the place.

Although he is the president of a group, he can fully accept the opinion of the planning team leader in an instant, rather than because Dustin lacks in ability, it is probably because he believes in Panoa more than anything else.

And it probably has something to do with that wristwatch she fiddles with whenever she’s under pressure.

Even as Lennok stood up, he did not forget that fact and remembered it well.

There is a high possibility that the personal relationship of trust between these two will come in handy when one day you have to part ways with Dyke.

Panoa looked suspiciously at Lennok, who was strangely backing away, but he lowered his head quietly, probably thinking that good was good.

“.....We will finish our schedule within three days and go into the third operation. When the cigar banger is not awake, we will definitely cut off his limbs.”

“Since Plato has turned, there is only one place left.”

“yes.”

Panoa nodded.