Chapter 105 – Resolving Misunderstandings (2)
Carisia had overlooked two crucial points.
First, her speech patterns had been greatly influenced by Orthes.
The reason Lampades sensed Orthes’ shadow the first time he met Carisia was due to her peculiar way of speaking. Although she was polite, there was an undeniable sense of pressure, one only those who had encountered Orthes could relate to.
“Nice to meet you. There’s no need for introductions with Lampades, but this is my first meeting with you, Kynemon. I’m Carisia, the CEO of Hydra Corporation.”
Kynemon glanced at Lampades in desperation, trying to send a signal with his eyes. It wasn’t an attempt at telepathy; they weren’t that close.
Lampades, however, could read the surface thoughts of those nearby using bioelectric detection magic. The eyes, being closely connected to the brain, were ideal for spying on one’s consciousness.
His expression said it all: “Who the hell is this woman, and what’s her connection to Orthes?”
As Lampades activated his magic, Kynemon’s confusion and anxiety washed over him vividly. Lampades hesitated, unsure how to respond, then just shook his head.
“I have no idea either…”
Watching the two, as tense as defendants awaiting a verdict, Carisia gently shook her head.
“Orthes mentioned he has three friends, right?”
*I hope at least one of them turns out to be a true friend,* she thought, hoping her loyal subordinate had some luck when it came to companions. She flicked her fingers, and two stacks of paper floated into the air, landing softly in front of Kynemon and Lampades.
“I hope you understand that I’m briefing you the old-fashioned way to avoid any Ether Space hacking.”
Slowly and with a somber tone, Carisia began her explanation.
***
“I trust you’re both aware that Etna City is effectively in a state of war.”
Hydra Corporation had pushed Geryon’s faction to the brink of collapse with remarkable power, only to face setbacks when Kaicle’s tower suddenly allied with Geryon. This alliance caused some delays in their operations.
…At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface. In reality, Hydra Corporation already controlled all the mage towers in Etna City. The ongoing “fighting” was nothing more than demolition work for rapid redevelopment.
Maintaining the illusion of conflict was a strategy to minimize the attention of the Ten Towers. A mage tower that couldn’t even secure control of a single city wouldn’t attract much attention in the broader magical society.
Carisia didn’t share these deeper truths. She deemed them unnecessary for this conversation.
“I understand your confusion. It’s reasonable to wonder why, with Orthes on our side, it’s taking so long to eliminate a mere mage tower leader.”
Lampades harbored that exact doubt. The Orthes he knew wouldn’t hesitate to appear one night, laughing as he carried the severed head of a tower master, saying, *”Keeping them alive was a waste of resources.”*
“And to some extent, you’re right.”
“To some extent?” Lampades asked.
“We could eliminate Geryon at any time, but the issue lies with Kaicle. While Geryon openly declared his support, Kaicle’s whereabouts remain unknown.”
Carisia attempted to dispel any suspicion regarding Kaicle by claiming he had vanished.
In reality, Lampades didn’t know that Kaicle had become a part of Hydra Corporation’s efforts, collecting relics for the creation of the Artificial Commandments. He often took relics for “research” or suddenly barged into the CEO’s office, demanding more budget. Lampades was unaware of these details, and thus, wouldn’t think too deeply about Kaicle’s involvement.
“So, our company has adopted a more aggressive expansion strategy.”
Kaicle had gathered relics as samples for the Artificial Commandments project. While his actions might have seemed like a peculiar hobby in the past, the Ten Towers’ current relic inspections changed everything.
“We plan to employ out-of-the-box tactics to draw out Kaicle. I’ve heard, Kynemon, that you have a knack for uncovering the weaknesses of mage towers.”
Neither Kynemon nor Lampades were politically naive. Kynemon, trained as a successor of a mage tower, and Lampades, who had navigated the power struggles within the towers, both grasped the implication.
Slowly, Kynemon spoke.
“Then, Carisia, are you suggesting we accuse Kaicle of hiding relics?”
Though Kynemon had stepped away from the frontline, he was well aware of the current political climate. Rumors about terrorist groups opposing the Ten Towers aligning with cultists had reached him. The Ten Towers’ heightened sensitivity to relics was no secret.
“Exactly. If Kaicle responds to the summons, we’ll locate him. If he refuses, his tower will be dismantled by the Ten Towers. But we didn’t call you just for Kaicle.”
“It’s not just Kaicle?”
As Kynemon spoke, he felt a strange mixture of fear and excitement bubbling within him. He had once shared the dream of overturning the magical society, but had fled from Orthes’ madness.
Still, deep down, he had longed for a chance to change everything.
“If there was ever a time to upend the world,” Kynemon thought, “now would be it.”
“Orthes intended to use you to deal with Kaicle. What I’m proposing goes beyond that.”
This was Carisia’s way of looking out for Orthes. Orthes had hesitated to discuss using other mage towers for leverage in front of Lampades.
Carisia framed it as her own plan, making it seem like she was the one using Kynemon to eliminate their rivals. This way, Orthes wouldn’t lose face in front of his friend.
*Not that there’s much face left to save,* Carisia thought, sighing internally.
As soon as Kynemon heard Orthes’ name, any trace of excitement drained away, replaced by sheer terror. His dream of destroying the magical society with the power of the extra dimension meant annihilating the Ten Towers and reshaping the ruins into a more equal world.
But Orthes’ vision? That left no room for even ruins.
If Orthes intended to wipe out not only the towers but everything else, then Carisia, too, was likely a threat on that scale.
“Yes. Other towers have relics they’d rather keep hidden from the Ten Towers. We aim to establish ‘mutually beneficial relationships’ with those towers, using their hidden relics.”
*Using the relics to blackmail other towers?* Kynemon thought.
For an Orthes-led plan, it sounded surprisingly mundane and unremarkable. But could this really be the extent of their scheme?
*Or are they planning to take control of the mana cores?*
If they could harness the immense power of multiple towers, concentrating that energy into a massive explosion, they could wipe out entire continents.
*But do they have a relic capable of controlling such a massive force?* Kynemon wondered.
Only the Ten Commandments could handle such power.
Orthes and Carisia were aiming for something far more ambitious. He realized they wouldn’t give up until they had secured the Ten Commandments.
Caught in a web of confusion and power struggles, Kynemon’s mind raced.
*Succession wars?*
In ancient traditions, a coalition of mage towers would challenge the Ten Towers for supremacy. Were Orthes and Carisia planning to take over the Ten Towers, seize the Ten Commandments, and then use them to trigger a series of catastrophic explosions?
The horrifying realization sent a chill down Kynemon’s spine.
A society-shattering plan where the final goal was to destroy everything—Orthes’ plan for absolute annihilation was becoming clearer.
In the tense silence that followed, Kynemon’s forehead beaded with cold sweat. The decision lay in his hands.
But he wanted no part in a future that left nothing but ashes.
“I’m sorry, but—”
Suddenly, the door swung open.
“Carisia, I have a favor to ask—”
Standing there was a figure nearly twice the size of an ordinary man, with an enchanted mechanical eye embedded where his right eye should have been.
It was the missing Kaicle.
“…Oh, my apologies. I didn’t realize you had guests. I’ll come back later.”
Kaicle bowed deeply before backing out of the room. His extreme deference toward Carisia left Kynemon dumbfounded.
Hadn’t they just said they needed Kynemon to deal with Kaicle?
As the door closed, a realization struck him.
Orthes was standing outside.
Kaicle had been sent in by Orthes at the exact moment Kynemon was about to refuse.
The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.
Everything was going exactly according to Orthes’ design.
“Even if you refuse, the plan is already in motion.”
Kynemon glanced at Lampades, who seemed utterly lost, unsure if he had recognized Kaicle or grasped the situation unfolding before them.
“…I’ll accept your offer,” Kynemon said at last.
If destruction was inevitable, he’d rather face it head-on than try to escape it. He resolved to watch the unfolding catastrophe from as close as possible.
Carisia considered how to handle this sudden twist, then decided to brazen it out.
*How can they be sure that was Kaicle?* She thought. *I could just claim it was a Hydra Corp employee who looked like him.*
Even if they suspected, they had no way to prove it.
“That was a wise decision. Just one last thing,” Carisia said, her tone smooth.
She thought herself less suspicious than Orthes, but then…
“Apologies for the mishap. It seems one of our employees wasn’t aware of your meeting.”
“Employee…?”
Kynemon muttered, incredulous.
“Yes, just an ordinary staff member.”
In truth, Carisia could sometimes seem even more suspicious than Orthes.
TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES