Chapter 22
ride a sedan
Entering the 10th district, the appearance of high-rise buildings scattered everywhere catches my eye.
Memories of the day the delegation arrived came to mind with the scenery that was starting to get familiar.
‘I met a thousand dogs around there.’
It was a short meeting, but the conversation with her left a deep impression on Lennok’s mind.
If that could be called the status of an ascendant, he must have been closer to ascending than anyone else.
Lennok didn’t easily forget Madrea’s warning, but he couldn’t find the answer just as easily.
alkyd. In order to find clues about the word, I searched for the source with the help of Jenny in the library as well as my cell phone, but I couldn’t find any results.
It wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary if the Ascendant himself told me to be careful, but I thought it would be so wrapped up in a veil.
In order to avoid danger, the secret must eventually be uncovered.
And that, too, was not possible as a mere freelancer.
It wasn’t long before we reached Dyke’s headquarters building through the wide, well-paved road.
An underground parking lot pierced under a dizzyingly tall skyscraper.
Killian, who opened the door and got out of the car, immediately took the lead and started walking.
“Do you know what our company does?”
“…roughly.”
As you can see by looking at the laser cutting machine Lenok uses, Dyke Corporation is a company that has developed its size from a factory that originally manufactured industrial tools.
Currently, it is well known that it has entered the arms business as well as industrial equipment based on its mighty capital.
Because of that, I heard that there was a war of nerves with Achilles, which previously produced security equipment and other military products, but it didn’t seem to be a big enough crisis to close the business.
Get out of the parking lot and immediately take the elevator to the upper floor.
The elevator soars upward in an instant with the feeling of sinking into the body.
Outside the transparent glass door, the forest of buildings in the 10th district was reflected at a glance.
“If you knew, it would be quicker. Our planning team leader wants to hire you. The woman will tell you the details, but if the story goes well, you will be hired temporarily as part of the support team.”
“I haven’t heard a word about what you’re going to do yet.”
“You’re taking the wizard like this to hear it from now on.”
Tring!
The elevator doors opened and a neatly decorated hallway unfolded.
The clean interior has a thick carpet on the floor and a soft warm breeze blows from somewhere.
Killian immediately walked all the way down the hallway, opened the unusually large glass door, and went inside.
“Panoa. I brought you It’s this guy.”
“……You must have asked me to contact you in advance when you came in.”
The woman wearing glasses who was looking into the monitor slowly turned her head and replied.
He has a decent impression, but the corners of his mouth are hardened, giving off a firm feeling somewhere.
She looked Lenok up and down with a calm gaze before offering him a seat.
“You worked hard to get here. Please sit down.”
As I pressed myself to the sofa across from the desk, Panoa briefly tapped the keyboard a few more times before getting up and approaching Lennok.
She skillfully brewed a cup of tea and handed it to him, then sat across from him and stared at him.
“Can I go now?”
At the words of Killian, who was watching him from behind, she replied without turning her head.
“I’ve emailed you about four other resumes, so check them all and prioritize them. I’ll call you later and check.”
It was only after Killline muttered and closed the office door that Panoa reached out to Lennok.
“nice to meet you. My name is Panoa Bellucci, the planning team leader at Dyke.”
“Half.”
After a brief handshake, Lennok asked.
“I have a question.”
“You say yes.”
“If you are the head of the planning team, how much does it occupy within the company?”
“I want to ask why you are curious about that.”
“I want to know exactly on what scale the Dykes want to hire me. To be honest, I haven’t heard a detailed explanation.”
Pointing at the glass door with his chin, he continued his conversation.
“It seems difficult to expect anything from that werewolf.”
Panoa’s answer was delayed for a moment, as if his words were quite unexpected.
“…You know that Kylian is a werewolf. Did he tell you?”
“no.”
Lennok replied.
“After killing one, I got a rough feeling.”
“……”
said the silent Panoa.
“Armed conflict between support teams is strictly prohibited.”
“That’s something I’ll decide after hearing your story.”
Panoa seemed to realize that there was some kind of nervous warfare between the two just by saying that.
“……It seems that Kilian has committed disrespect. I apologize on your behalf.”
He was a very quick-witted person. There seemed to be no useless pride.
“So the answer to my question?”
“I just want you to know that I can be directly involved in the business direction of the head office. And hiring a class mage is part of a project I personally suggested to the board.”
As if Panoa had been waiting for her, her eyes lit up.
Lennok did not miss her casually adjusting the watch on her left hand as she said that.
“Since entering the arms business, we continue to look for opportunities to expand our business base. The 40’s and 50’s districts…. Residents outside of them also have the potential to become our customers.”
be outside In ‘inside’, it seems that the place where Lennok works is called that.
“I don’t have confidence in sales.”
“I know. Because that’s not what we want. We are looking for very talented freelancers who can work outside. An outstanding but not yet well-known name… such a contradictory worker.”
You don’t even need to hear who it means.
Panoa’s intense gaze was already pointing to the correct answer.
“After the closed deep web was reopened by the Ascendant’s visit, many inquiries must have come in front of the wizard. But we were the most eager and the fastest.”
“………”
“A very rare, skilled wizard who works alone. Even the quests I’ve already succeeded in were all big and bold. If you survived against the old soldier of pandemonium, there is no need to doubt your skills. Perhaps the other clients are also excited.”
“What do you want to say?”
The talk is long, whether it’s from excitement or to convince Lennok.
Up until this point, I had tried to spare my answers in consideration of the position of a large company called Dyke, but if I didn’t cut it off here, it seemed that pointless praise would continue.
Through the glasses, Panoa’s eyes could be seen shining slightly.
Perhaps, through these questions and answers, he will instantly grasp Lennok’s personality and adjust his response accordingly.
Lennox obviously guessed that, but gave her time to think.
In a company as large as Dyke’s, if he’s as strong as he is, the compensation he’s going to offer to Lennok won’t be easy.
Especially considering that their contact was presented shortly after the opening of the deep web.
If, through them, he could get even one of the things Lennok wanted…
After a moment of silence, Panoa opened his mouth again.
“I’m thinking of remaking the plate a bit to broaden the business base of the 40th district.”
“……….”
“To be honest, there are a few hurdles that need to be cleared to sell our products in that area. I hope the wizard will help with that work.”
Decision
Panoa threw a bomb-like remark with a calm face and waited for Lennok’s answer.
Lennok, who was deep in thought, opened his mouth slowly.
“I don’t understand.”
“What are you talking about?”
“A company of the size of Dyke wouldn’t lack military resources, but I don’t know why I put in such a request because it was regrettable. And that is in person with the planning team leader.”
The plan itself to push out those who are currently holding onto the arms market in the 40th District is understandable.
However, it was a completely different matter to dare to borrow Lennok’s hand in the process.
“There are two reasons.”
Panoa answered right away.
“One is that the class mage is a talented freelancer who built a career so quickly that it is hard to find an example outside of it… Among them, he is a mage.”
I won’t bother explaining how difficult it is to find a skilled wizard.
“The second thing is that you can make a cause to some extent by promoting a freelancer working there. In fact, this is the biggest reason.”
“It’s a cause.”
“If we staking our name and deploying troops into the outer zone, there is a high possibility that we will suffer from all sorts of checks and not even make ends meet. However, if you indirectly control the direction through the anti-mage, competitors will not be able to protest, at least outwardly.”
The 40th district is close to a lawless zone running under the permission of the city government, but it strictly adheres to the unwritten rule that it moves according to the physiology of the mayor.
If this is violated and dinosaur companies start to touch their hands one by one, the outside order will collapse and the profit structure will be destroyed.
And that was certainly not the outcome that the high-ranking officials of the city government wanted.
“…….”
Lennok nodded, seeing the cold smile on Panoa’s lips.
In short, isn’t it that he’s using Lennok as his agent to clear out business rivals in the 40th District?
Illegal arms dealers, gangs, and gangs that are active there…. It is the intention to clean up the complex business structure in the back alley and take the remaining pie in its place.
It is a plan that is quite bold and impossible without taking risks.
It’s probably not the first time Dyke Corporation has had this idea.
But those circumstances were not something Lennok had to worry about.
The most important question remains.
“What can you give me for doing all that?”
Panoa turned on the screen next to the office without saying anything.
“I know that the wizard is looking for many very rare items. He has a very demanding eye, befitting his outstanding skills.”
“……….”
Lennok, who did not know that such words would come out of the mouth of a planning team leader working for a giant corporation like Dyke, kept silent.
“However, our desire to work with you is sincere. If you see this thing, Ban-sama will understand.”
The screen turns on quickly and a picture emerges.
Five old, worn-out pencils that have been preserved until they are worn out.
Stored in a very thick glass case, it was kept tightly bound at the seams with pale fluorescent chains.
Even so, he couldn’t overcome the power that radiated from it and emitted a blurry wave in all directions.
As soon as Lennok saw it, he immediately recognized that it was an unusual object.
Panoa’s explanation follows.
“This is the ‘Five Fingers of Enakpil’ that was put up for sale at a VIP auction sponsored by the Central Council. It is endowed with five evasive maneuver magics granted by the School of Maladis, and is known as a safety product given only to distinguished guests who deal directly with the School.”
she said, glancing at Lennok.
“It is by no means something that can be obtained simply for money, much less something that can be easily found at auction.”
“………”
“Five times. If you do exactly what we want five times, we promise to get this product and hand it over to you. In addition, for every successful request, additional compensation based on the deep web ransom will be paid.”
As the screen moves along with him, a contract comes to mind. The remuneration listed there was an amount that even today’s Lennok could not ignore.
She seemed to have prepared meticulously for this moment.
“How is it?”
A confident laugh. Confidence that Lennok had exactly what he wanted.
Were all the lengthy explanations and unwavering confident attitudes previously based here?
However, it cannot be denied.
An enchanted artifact. It is also a consumable item that can supplement Lennok’s lack of mobility.
I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not, but isn’t it the most useful equipment for him right now and a clue to research enchantments?
After confirming the reality, Lennok couldn’t possibly deny it.
All I could do was ask for time to think about it.