A genius wizard who escaped from prison

219. Ark (3)

“one month. Exactly one month later.”

“You don’t have much time left.”

“In fact, all the preparations were finished a long time ago. It was simply my whim to be late. But I don’t think it was a waste of time because I found a talent like you.”

A brief explanation from the emperor followed.

The ark is already charged with all the mana required for operation, and the mana required for restoration magic has also been transferred from the tank to another place.

“Actually, there is not much mana left in the tank. By human standards, that alone is a huge amount.”

The emperor’s eyes gleamed with greed.

He said he would use a new conversion device to be developed soon to drain all the mana left in the tank before the project was launched.

Cain looked back at the emperor’s back and thought.

‘One month.’

Time was running out.

Much more than the worst I had imagined.

It meant that all the plans prepared for the ’emperor’s assassination’ had to be advanced.

At the same time, Cain felt that the execution of the project should be delayed as much as possible.

It was necessary to secure as much time as possible because we did not know what variables might occur in the middle.

The most certain number is the destruction of the ark.

However, it was impossible for an individual to destroy the ark whose entire hull was made of mithril.

Restoration magic was also completed and waiting for activation, it was impossible to completely turn it to nothing.

The best bet would be to have the Emperor postpone the ‘direct’ project.

“Anyway, by then, clean up all the businesses and get ready to board the ark.”

I had to find a way.

“On that day, you will be able to see an interesting view under the ark. There will be no minister.”

How the Emperor had no choice but to postpone the project.

“Oh, and if you can afford it, find out who killed Gerrat. It looks like you have an intelligence network outside the wall.”

Gerat Kalta.

The chief of the National Police Agency and the boss of the Blue Serpent.

It was the name of a person who no longer exists in the world.

“I am not a person who will disappear without leaving a single letter like that. It is also ahead of the construction of Shinsegae. It would be more convincing that someone killed him.”

In an instant, a quick calculation went through Cain’s head, and a plan came to mind.

If you receive a list of the ark’s occupants.

And a method that can be used if the emperor’s trust is premised.

‘The emperor’s trust is enough.’

It was thanks to the fact that he deliberately spent time and divulged false information to the emperor’s informant.

Because the fabricated past was leaked, giving the emperor an “illusion” of fully understanding his opponent.

Cain nodded and said in a dry voice.

“Yes. We will arrange everything in time. We will also investigate the death of the Chief of Police.”

***

Cain’s mansion.

The emperor’s messenger returned with a briefcase.

Cain returned to the office and sat down.

The seal of the imperial family that sealed the entrance.

‘Confidential’ stamp on the document.

spatula.

I cut off the top and took out the contents inside.

It was a black file, containing dozens of documents.

“Is that the list of occupants of the ark?”

Estelle asked as she closed the curtains.

The only light in the office was the scarlet light on the stand.

“They said there were 500 people.”

“… I can’t believe it. All the plans have been carried out without the general public noticing it. Only for the powerful.”

Estelle had a complex face mixed with anger and shock.

Exactly one month later.

All life on the continent will perish.

“No worries. I will stop it.”

Cain scans the list and answers.

Estelle felt a moment of relief at the unshakable voice that seemed to do so.

But the anxiety soon crept up again.

Cain said he planned to assassinate the emperor by absorbing the mana from the underground tank of the Imperial Palace.

‘It is different from previous enemies.’

When I was young, I had seen the emperor at a church event.

The large-scale magic that the emperor embroidered in the air to commemorate the event at that time was still etched in his mind.

I wondered if I could tie them all together with the word ‘magic’, and that thought has not changed even now.

Obviously, Cain has done miracles and turned the impossible into possible.

However, the story could be different if the emperor was the opponent.

“… … .”

Moreover, there was one more cause of anxiety.

There were times when Cain felt that he was not of this world.

There was always something I didn’t know.

I went the shortest distance to achieve my goal.

Like a god who contemplates the world from a high place.

‘… The plot of the imperial palace seems to have been known from the beginning.’

So, while believing in Cain, he could not hide his anxiety.

If I solve this problem, I have a feeling that Cain will disappear forever somewhere I don’t know.

Whether he was aware of Estelle’s anxiety or not, Cain focused on the ark’s occupant list.

As expected, most of the people who could be called the capital’s powerful class had their names on them.

or hold a high title, such as a duke or marquise.

They are known for their excellent skills in swords and magic.

Or donated huge wealth to the imperial family.

What was interesting was the fact that, with the exception of a few, all but a few were aboard the ark.

The corners of Cain’s lips twisted.

He continued to move through the list at a rapid pace.

The names of Aitar and Zerbia were not shown.

The emperor decided whether to enlist or not after completing a preliminary investigation of the person.

Since there is a high possibility that the project will be opposed, they would not have attempted to acquire the project itself.

‘… Those who would never agree to sacrificing others for their own gain.’

Conversely, it also meant that everyone on the ark didn’t mind sacrificing others.

Having stored the list of lists in his head, Cain set off a fire and incinerated the files.

“Estelle. wait for the car Return to Area 47.”

“I know.”

Estelle left the office, and Cain packed the things necessary for the plan in the subspace.

One of them was a new converter built in the form of a watch.

‘Access to the mana tank is fine. Absorbing a large amount of mana at once is not a problem in itself. However.’

It took time to fully settle the absorbed mana into the circuit.

The more mana absorbed, the longer the time.

One of the emperor’s daily routines was to go down to the basement of the imperial palace and absorb a certain amount of mana from the tank.

If the tank’s mana is drastically reduced at once, the Emperor will notice.

The boundaries of the tank would become stricter, and in the worst case, there was a possibility that the emperor would doubt this side.

‘If you haven’t fully settled your mana, you have no choice but to lose when a battle takes place.’

Because of that, I was thinking of absorbing the mana of the tank several times.

The amount of good enough that the emperor would not notice, and enough to settle them all on the circuit on the same day.

─The vehicle is ready.

Estelle’s voice came out through the speaker on the desk.

After getting ready, Cain went out of the mansion and got into a car pulled by Estelle.

Boo-!

The vehicle drove on the road without hesitation.

After passing through several areas, we arrived at the checkpoint.

“Baron Johan Kirif. Identification has been confirmed. You may pass.”

Due to tight plans, I had to go in and out of the wall more often than before.

All entries and exits would be reported to the emperor, but it didn’t matter.

There was no doubt about it because it was called ‘Searching for the Missing Commissioner’.

After leaving the checkpoint, a vast wilderness appeared.

Estelle stepped on the accelerator towards Area 47.

“I have a question.”

Estelle looked in the rearview mirror.

Cain, in the backseat, was speeding through a packet of reports faxed from Area 47.

“Listen.”

gracious. gracious.

Cain’s fingers did not stop flipping through the report.

Estelle, who received permission, asked in a cautious voice.

“You said that with the restoration magic, all living things on this earth would perish. After that, all the vitality of the soil will be restored.”

Her lips twitched nervously.

“But I’ve never heard of that kind of magic. Even in the classes I took at the church. Even during the period of wandering the continent while performing missions. As long as I stay with you.”

“There will be no choice but to do so. Because it is the forgotten magic of the ancient magic kingdom.”

“Is all ancient magic like that? The power or effect is unbelievable… .”

“It’s just the same magic. It’s just that the method or principle is not known in modern times. Restoring the devastated lands of the entire continent is equally difficult even with ancient magic.”

“… … .”

“No matter how much mana you have accumulated in the tank. No matter how many lives have been secured.”

Estelle’s voice brightened a little.

“Then you mean that the restoration magic prepared by the emperor might fail?”

“no. Restoration magic never fails.”

“… … .”

“Do you know how to amplify the power of magic and increase the success rate?”

“uh… using catalysts. There is a way to draw a magic circle.”

“The Emperor used both methods.”

Estelle was silent for a moment.

Then, understanding Cain’s words, he cried out.

“The reason I received the boarding pass for the ark only in precious metals, not money… !”

“Precious metals are catalysts. Minerals mined across the continent were used as a source of mana.”

“What about the magic circle? Then, is the magic circle drawn in the Imperial Palace?”

“In a sense, I guess.”

“yes?”

“Because magic circles exist everywhere on the continent.”

For a moment, Estelle felt goosebumps all over her body.

“no way.”

“What you are thinking is correct. A single giant magic circle is drawn across the continent.”

My head was dizzy.

It was a fact that was difficult to accept immediately.

“Ha, but I’ve never seen a magic circle or anything like that before. It’s like there’s no place I haven’t been to on the continent.”

“You have already seen the magic circle.”

Cain slowly raised his finger, and the image was reflected in the rearview mirror, reflected in Estelle’s eyes.

“Hundreds of times. No, I’ve seen it a thousand times.”

Cain’s finger pointed to the statue of the goddess erected in the wilderness.

A two-meter-tall statue of a goddess with a benevolent smile, erected all over the continent.

“There must be a certain gap between the statue of the goddess and the statue of the goddess. It doesn’t matter where people live or where they don’t. Have you ever thought it was strange?”

Estelle gasped.

It was hard to breathe and it felt like it was hard to breathe.

“If you connect the goddess statues arranged at regular intervals with a line, a specific pattern appears. It’s magic. You can only see it from high in the sky.”

There were times when I thought it was strange to see a statue of a goddess erected in a desert where there were no people.

And when it was discovered that the goddess statue was a device that absorbed the essence of the soil, the question was resolved.

However, he could not even imagine that the statue of the goddess was acting as a magic circle at the same time as the elemental absorption.

‘Nonsense.’

Estelle’s guilt increased.

Among the missions carried out for many years, there was also the installation of a statue of a goddess, so he unwittingly contributed to the plot of the emperor and the denomination.

He bit his lips tightly.

The hand that was holding the steering wheel tightened.

She said in a voice full of weeping.

“Give me a role. so that the sins I have committed can be washed away. Otherwise, I don’t think I can survive.”

“Do that.”

“I will ask you one last question.”

Estelle’s gaze turned to the rearview mirror.

A ‘wall’ could be seen in the far back.

“The Bible explains that the reason the wall was built was to prevent the invasion of the devil. Are those all lies? Is there any other reason the wall was built?”

“The devil.”

Cain’s gaze also reached the rearview mirror.

He said looking at the wall.

“The devil does not exist. There have been only foolish humans with devilish desires.”

***

D-28.

Rumors spread throughout the capital.

Cain is said to have re-appeared on the border with the Resistance.