Chapter 66

Though I had confidently declared my intention to recruit Lampades, turning his mind would essentially require Carisia’s cooperation.

The originally intended gift had become contaminated with impurities, transforming it into a hazardous substance. Resolving such an issue required the capabilities of a grand magician.

Specifically, a grand magician like the Chairman.

I placed the Thunder Lord—an artifact created by blending the thunder giant’s essence with silver worms and adding a few spoons of my own effort—on the desk and slid it toward Carisia.

She gently caught it.

“An elemental compressed into tool form. I’ve seen many processed elements in forms like elemental intelligence or elemental poison, but this is quite unique among them.”

As Carisia slowly rotated the Thunder Lord in her hand, she tilted her head once.

“But isn’t this supposed to be a talisman? This looks more like an orb.”

“An impurity got mixed in during the manufacturing process. It was supposed to be completed as a pendant-type talisman… However, its unexpected form resulted from the fusion with the silver worm, the host of the silver essence.”

Upon hearing the word “silver essence,” Carisia slowly infused mana into the Thunder Lord. The Thunder Lord greedily absorbed the mana while simultaneously converting the surrounding mana into lightning attributes.

“The nature of the silver essence truly remains intact. Fine. Let me refine it so we can utilize its properties. All coordination and negotiations with Lampades Magic Tower will be entirely entrusted to you.”

I bowed and headed toward the Chairman’s office exit. Whatever remains, Carisia will surely handle it well.

***

Lampades Magic Tower was receiving an unexpected visitor. Many welcomed the stranger.

“Do you happen to know my mom?”

“Huh?”

To be precise, Astape, the youngest of the tower, pretended to welcome him.

“Our mom. She used to live in Etna City. She has blonde hair like me.”

Ortes broke out in cold sweat. What on earth is his intention? While children often say strange things, do they usually inquire about their parents’ well-being?

“Lampades! Lampades!”

He inwardly called for the name of the tower and his friend. But Lampades, who was conducting experiments, hadn’t come down yet.

Having no choice, Ortes decided to make up the most generic excuse possible.

“Hehe. I’ve only been in Etna City for a short while. I’m still new here, less than a year. I don’t really know the original residents.”

“I just moved here recently, so I’m not familiar with the area.” It was the perfect phrase for dismissing suspicious passersby who approached asking for directions.

Astape briefly tilted her head, nodded twice, and then left to practice magic. Ortes sighed in relief.

“Talking to kids really drains your energy.”

The magicians of Lampades Magic Tower could infer several facts from that conversation: despite Hydra Corp’s recent founding, Ortes had already visited other magic towers offering gifts and sponsorships, proving his remarkable skills.

The child’s innocent question. The practical implication hidden within the response.

Naturally, Astape wouldn’t understand those implications, so it must have been aimed at the other magicians of Lampades Magic Tower.

The magicians present were also those protected by Carisia in Elysion. With financial power and military strength revealed, interpreting the ultimate intention wasn’t difficult.

“Surrender.”

At least it was fortunate that they spoke indirectly to a child, showing some level of propriety. The magicians prayed that the Tower Master would return quickly to drive away that peculiar man.

***

Meanwhile, Lampades pressed his forehead, thinking about Ortes who had come to demand an answer.

“What exactly about my technology tempts them so much…”

Let’s consider it from an apocalypticist’s perspective. What methods exist for finding a safe alternate dimension?

Lampades, lost in thought, soon realized Ortes’s sinister plan.

Being able to explore safe alternate dimensions implies the ability to detect dangerous ones as well. Opening the doors to such terrifying alternate dimensions is surely the ultimate wish of any apocalypticist!

Lampades recalled the words of Ortes’s chairman: “I know he is not trustworthy.”

And then, “But he is my chosen one.”

It was confusing at first, but now he could roughly grasp the meaning.

Knowing the danger Ortes posed yet employing him, trusting in their ability to control him. So, would handing over this technology be safe?

Lampades had witnessed the personal abilities of Chairman Carisia in Elysion but did not underestimate Ortes’s cunning either.

Even when comparing Carisia and Ortes, it was hard to reach a conclusion easily. Considering the intimacy Ortes showed toward Carisia, perhaps Carisia’s depth surpassed Ortes’s by one step…

“Ultimately, should I meet him?”

Lampades resolved firmly.

They said they brought a gift.

Though uncouth, if the situation becomes urgent, one could find fault with the gift and send it back.

Isn’t Astrape’s future, the entire future of the magic tower, more important than Lampades’s personal dignity?

“This is the prepared artifact. It drastically increases the efficiency of mana-magic conversion, reducing loss to zero.”

“Huh?”

It was too precious to refuse.

***

I could clearly read the bewilderment rising in Lampades’s eyes. Of course, it was natural.

Isn’t this an artifact that defies common magical knowledge? Typically, while the losses in the mana-magic conversion process can be reduced, making them completely zero is impossible.

“If the wisdom of the Ten Sages is involved, it is indeed reasonable.”

I recalled the Mad King submerged by the Ten Towers. How did they manage it?

If ten Tower Masters synchronized with the Ten Sages for ritual assistance, then considering the Ten Sages’ buffs, it wasn’t unreasonable to think that ten Tower Masters ambushed and defeated the Mad King.

“Exactly what is this…?”

Lampades’s voice filled with doubt rang out. Naturally, a performance like this couldn’t be believed merely through words.

“Of course, to bring out its true potential, the wearer’s capabilities must support it. Try infusing your magic power into it.”

Carefully grasping the bead in his right hand, Lampades channeled his magic power. First, the silver threads encircling the bead unraveled and wrapped around his arm, forming a skeletal framework resembling wires.

Then the golden bead melted. The gold filled the gaps between the silver structures. Finally, a splendid gauntlet of gold and silver enveloped Lampades’s forearm.

In his grip, the thunder roared. Lampades must be feeling an unprecedented mastery of mana, a result of Carisia refining the mana-accumulating property inherent in the silver essence.

As Lampades raised his arm, a vortex of magic power began swirling around it. As befitting a Tower Master’s chamber, the abundant magic power in the room was instantly absorbed by Lampades.

“Truly… a literal capability.”

When the gauntlet recovered the magic power, it reverted to its bead form.

“It’s called the Thunder Lord.”

“How did you… No, how did you acquire this?”

Quite a difficult matter to explain. I habitually stroked my jawline.

“Hehe. I obtained it through rather secretive channels, but I can tell you, Mr. Lampades.”

“If that’s the case─”

“Hehe. What’s friendship without secrets? Just keep it confidential.”

***

Lampades regretted his rashness and greed. Even if the Thunder Lord was valuable, something with the same performance…

“There’s no way to obtain another one, is there?”

The rationality of a magician blocked irrational speculation. Lampades forcibly turned his gaze away from the Thunder Lord.

“This is a relic unearthed on Crete Island. Though technically, it should be called a processed item.”

“Crete?”

Where had he heard that name recently?

“From Torres Tower?!”

“Shh. Shhh. Didn’t I ask you to keep it secret?”

Lampades trembled with fear. The final legacy of the tower condemned for alleged collusion with Argaiyiron and targeted for extermination—how had it ended up in Ortes’s hands?

The hypothesis conceived during the Elysion terror attack resurfaced. Perhaps even Argaiyiron was bait to conceal Hydra Corp.

“Why are you giving us something like this…?”

“Haha. Don’t worry. Though it’s a precious relic, isn’t it less valuable than the friendship with a friend and the future of a talented magician?”

“No. No. Our tower has nothing worthy enough to offer in return.”

Desperately trying to avoid accepting the relic, Lampades knew its power was extraordinary, but the risks it carried were equally lethal.

The moment he accepted the Thunder Lord, Lampades could be accused at any time of having ties with Torres Tower and Argaiyiron.

Given that Lampades himself hadn’t guessed the origin of the relic, others would likely fail to realize that the Thunder Lord came from the excavation site of Torres Tower.

The exception was Ortes, the person presenting the gift.

By offering this “gift,” Ortes held the detonator of a bomb capable of dismantling Lampades Magic Tower.

“This is just a gift. It suits Miss Astrape perfectly, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps something else…”

It must be stopped. It must be rejected. Before Lampades could speak, Ortes was quicker.

“Hehe. There’s no need for any reciprocation or negotiation. They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but this is truly a gift without conditions.”

“Just accept it.”

Lampades slowly lifted his head.

The faceless Ortes continued to smile.