Felix was expected to dismiss the complint casually, but instead, he shook his head with a grave expression.
“Not only nobles or renowned warriors would react in the sa way. Such a sharp yet stable mana is a rarity. It would be wise to rember that it can easily earn you favor.”
Whether they are born into a blessed family with special mana or belong to an organization that systematically shares and passes down the knowledge of mana, both groups hold significant social status in this city.
“I’ll rember it, though it may not have much significance.”
Even without considering the nobles who are inherently of noble birth, becoming part of a warrior group without natural talent is an arduous task.
This level of rarity can be compared to encountering a wizard affiliated with the magic tower.
Of course, there are powerful individuals like Dylan and Mila who are not part of such groups, but no one underestimates the importance of systematic talent honing.
However, upon hearing Lennok’s words, Felix imdiately shook his head.
“You haven’t t them yet, but you will soon encounter quite a few. If you continue to progress as you are now, eventually…”
“……”
“I heard about a useful wizard from Dylan just yesterday, and already there isn’t a single person in our office who doesn’t know your na. If you possess such talent and discernnt, more opportunities will co looking for you.”
“Are you offering a scouting opportunity?”
When Lennok asked this, Felix laughed as if it were absurd.
“Hahaha…!! If I intended for you to join our office, you would have seen my face on the day you first t Dylan. Skilled wizards are always welco, but I’m not so shaless as to persistently recruit… at least, it’s impossible for .”
He said this, looking down at Lennok, and chuckled.
“But since you seem to get along well with Dylan, let give you so advice. If you like him, you should keep your distance from those with corrupt characters.”
“…Thank you for the advice.”
“Dylan or Mila may have already told you, but co visit our office soti. Antares is curious about you.”
He engages in extrely logical and coherent conversations, contrary to his initially intimidating impression.
Perhaps he possesses as much intelligence as he has physical training.
This is quite different from the typical image that cos to mind when you think of a “birdbrain.”
Considering that he unabashedly calls Antares by na, unlike other rcenaries from the office, it seed evident that he was not an easy opponent.
Observing Felix, who disappeared with Mila grumbling that he had been talking to himself too much, Lennok concluded his contemplation and turned around.
Was it a re coincidence that a rcenary from the rcenary office was in the botanical garden at the sa ti?
Unless the two were enjoying a date in the sunny place crowded with citizens, their purpose for visiting here would not be different from Lennok’s.
‘Does this an the Antares office is also a custor of the orchard…?’
Is it a sale or a purchase?
Lennok couldn’t imdiately gather the information, so he stored it in a corner of his mind and proceeded directly to the orchard.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
The violet fog still fills the basent below.
However, unlike before when he couldn’t see anything, Lennok’s eyes now begin to perceive more.
The composition of the mana, the structure of the barrier.
Beyond the essence of the purple fog obstructing his vision, the mont he becos curious about what lies within, fragnts of an answer start to unveil naturally.
There’s a faintly visible stall up ahead, and the silhouette of soone seated there.
And it was strikingly different from the old man he knew.
But as the fog dissipates and reveals its form, it becos apparent that it is the sa old man’s face as before, unchanged.
The old man, chewing on a pipe, looks up at Lennok’s face and exposes his yellow teeth with a grin.
“Oh, who do we have here?”
“It’s been a while.”
“A pleasant face has arrived. Please, take a seat.”
His reputation has certainly grown since his last visit, so he anticipated a different reception, but he didn’t expect it to be so overt.
The old man behind the counter, graciously pulling out a decent chair for Lennok to sit, displayed an excessive level of sycophancy.
Surprisingly, despite his overt flattery, it didn’t feel entirely unpleasant.
Lennok settled into the chair brought by the old man, chuckling.
“I’ve been hearing rumors about our wizard for quite so ti now.”
The old man rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitent.
“From the very first mont you set foot here, I knew you would beco an exceptionally talented individual who would amass wealth…!”
“Is that so?”
Lennok was quite certain that the old man used to nag him and wonder how he was still alive.
Yet, the old man’s deanor now seed polite, as if Lennok’s mory of that ti was rely a delusion.
“If you’re making money like that, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge in your own hobbies, right? I’ve specially selected so excellent products just for you. If you enjoy cigarettes, there are plenty of options that will astound you.”
As he spoke, the old man began rummaging through the packed shelf behind the stall.
“But enough with the talk. Take a look for yourself.”
With that, the old man started laying out over a dozen different items on the counter.
There were items of varying shades of brown, black, or dark green— cigarettes as long as pipes or thick and robust like cigars.
“Now, let explain the uses of these items.”
After arranging the items, the old man proceeded to provide a brief explanation for each one.
Strength enhancent, ntal focus, physical augntation…
All these items were temporary mind and body boosters, but they ca with a corresponding rebound.
The old man knew precisely the type of stimulant Lennok desired.
Among them, there was one item that caught Lennok’s interest in a unique way.
The old man, sensing Lennok’s gaze like a ghost, quickly picked up that particular item to continue his explanation.
It was a deep reddish-brown body with a jet-black filter. The middle was wrapped in gold—a truly extraordinary-looking cigarette.
“This is called Double Scarlet. Your throat will truly relish this. It’s a fascinating item, just like its na suggests.”
“…”
“Depending on how you inhale it, it provides two completely different effects. When you roll the smoke in your mouth, it simply heightens your senses, but if you light it up and take a deep drag into your lungs…”
The old man grinned mischievously.
“You’ll feel like your blood is surging in reverse.”
In other words, it was a type of cigarette that offered distinct effects based on the difference between external and internal inhalation. It was a novel concept, even to Lennok.
It appeared that such stimulant agents were produced in a civilization with a developed culture of doping.
“Interestingly, this item is often favored by those with psychic powers rather than ordinary drinkers or warriors. As the relationship between mana and psychic abilities isn’t clear, many individuals with psychic gifts struggle to find ways to enhance their own senses or physical capabilities.”
“…”
“This item can be a great ally for them,” the old man remarked as he handed a cigarette to Lennok.
“Would you like to try one before making a decision?”
“I’d like to see the other items first.”
For this visit, Lennok brought 20 million cells.
Considering that he usually purchased dozens of items per visit, Lennok was willing to try items that cost hundreds of thousands of cells each.
‘Even if I can’t gain an advantage through natural physical abilities, I must minimize any hindrances in future battles.’
The more he desired, the stronger the opposition he encountered. It was only natural.
As Lennok’s reputation and price increased, so did the difficulty and complexity of the assignnts he received.
Cash Burn had greatly aided Lennok by allowing him to blend in seamlessly with ordinary people, but that was no longer enough.
At the very least, he should be able to acquire physical capabilities comparable to those of a mana user with superhuman abilities, even if it ant resorting to doping.
He didn’t ask for much.
Engaging in close combat with Lennok’s dreadfully poor motor skills would only prove detrintal anyway.
During combat, Lennok understood the value of suppressing pain while slightly improving mobility.
‘I also need to consider the side effects… This is challenging.’
If the effects were potent, the side effects would be severe. Conversely, if the side effects were mild, the effects would be unsatisfactory.
Items that strike a balance between the two are either rare or exorbitantly expensive.
Rather than seeking various functions, it was best for Lennok to choose one desired effect and find an item with fewer side effects within that scope.
After much deliberation, Lennok ultimately selected two ypes of cigarettes, Double Scarlet and Feather Fall, as initially recomnded by the old man.
These cigarettes made the body feel lighter upon inhalation and had a significant doping effect, similar to the prohibited substances commonly used among track and field athletes.
Whether such increased agility would be useful in actual combat was questionable, but it was preferable to relying on potent pain relievers like Defiler-2.
There were valuable lessons learned from his battle with Beck Clinton.
No, in fact, what Lennok was currently doing was preparing to face superhumans specializing in physical abilities.
In that decisive mont that determined victory or defeat, he wanted to avoid being hindered by his frail body.
Of course, he painfully realized that this alone couldn’t solve the underlying problem.
Wasn’t it necessary to secure victory in the present to hope for a better tomorrow?
For Lennok, there was no victory worse than defeat.
This precarious tightrope walk could only be sustained on the assumption that Lennok would erge victorious from every battle he faced.
Just as the world didn’t always align with their wishes, there had been several instances where he nearly faltered, but he managed to persevere so far.
“You have a complex expression on your face,” remarked the old man, packing cigarettes into a case while glancing up at Lennok.
“A talented wizard like you must have your own reasons for seeking out such things. I understand.”
“…”
“But you know, don’t you? These are not items you can simply categorize as dicine and ignore. They’re more like balloons inflated by selecting only one positive effect of a dication. If misused…”
With a ‘pop,’ the old man spread his arms wide and emitted a chilling laugh.
“Be cautious. I hope to see you return in good health next ti.”
His initial pitiable appearance had vanished. He swiftly changed his deanor as soon as his business seed concluded.
It appeared to be nothing more than a form of amusent for the old man.
Rather than retorting, Lennok rely smirked once and promptly left the orchard.
There was nothing more pointless than wasting ti contemplating the old man’s words. Lennok had co to understand this by now.
The warning given might not have been entirely empty, but it wasn’t genuinely driven by concern for Lennok either.
It was rely a change in attitude designed to observe his reaction, for a fleeting mont of pleasure.
Perhaps this very approach was the best way to survive in this city.
Rummaging through a handful of cigarette cases in his bag, Lennok swiftly pulled out one and lit it.
Double Scarlet.
Unlike the Feather Fall he had purchased for intensive use during battles, this product served as a substitute for Cash Burn.
He had contemplated switching due to developing a tolerance to the drug, but the thought of completely transitioning to a new product after leaving Cash Burn made him uneasy.
Would his body deteriorate further? Would it interfere with his daily life?
These minor yet oddly significant concerns were worries he didn’t have to entertain or fret over when escaping the factory.
But with the acquisition of more things, Lennok found himself naturally pondering these matters.
Was he afraid of change? No, that wasn’t it.
Ever since opening his eyes in this world, the only emotions Lennok had experienced were a sense of strangeness and fear.
Therefore, he shouldn’t hesitate.
The more he observed the joyous faces of families in the botanical garden, the colder Lennok’s expression beca.
He had grown accustod to assuaging himself alone.
Lennok’s figure swiftly dissolved among the crowd.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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