When Cnemon and Lampades left the room, Ortes still greeted them with a suspicious expression.
“How about it, are your questions resolved?”
Of course, their curiosity had been satisfied. But in place of that curiosity, unease began to grow.
There was no energy left to respond to Ortes’ sly smile. They simply nodded and trudged toward the assigned quarters.
It was Cnemon who spoke first.
“Did you find out?”
“Find out what?”
“About that priest who joined midway.”
“…You mean Caike?”
‘Aren’t you surprised?’ Cnemon was puzzled by Lampades’ calm reaction. Lampades wasn’t the type to panic easily—someone like that couldn’t survive at the front lines—but there was no way he could have foreseen this situation.
Lampades thought to himself: ‘I really don’t understand anymore.’
Clearly, from his perspective, Carisia hadn’t seemed like the same kind of person as Ortes.
‘Was what I saw back then just an act?’
What had happened today? Ortes had bowed his head to her, and the subtle schemes she revealed were deep enough to swallow the world whole.
The power that could call an enigmatic recluse—a Tower Master of many decades—as merely a “clerk.”
The title “clerk” carried multiple implications: confidence that even someone like Caike was nothing more than an ordinary mage before her.
An announcement that if they mentioned seeing Caike, it wouldn’t become public knowledge.
Whether this assurance came from Hydra Corp’s information warfare capabilities that had hidden them from the Ten Towers or whether it was a direct threat that such talk would be silenced—was unclear.
‘Probably both.’
While Lampades struggled to comprehend the true nature of Carisia, Cnemon noticed a strange sense of relief within himself.
He had lived his life as though constantly chased.
No one was actually chasing him, but the fear lingered that Ortes might suddenly reveal his claws from the shadows.
Even when he mustered the courage to return home, that anxiety didn’t fade.
Beyond every window, in the darkness of every alley, perhaps even within the walls—he feared Ortes might demand payment for the artifact at any moment.
That long-standing fear finally broke when he was dragged here by Ortes and faced the great evil Ortes served.
With the realization of his worst fears, there was now nothing left to dread. It was a peculiar sense of reassurance born from resignation.
‘Thinking about it, this feels like some sort of pyramid scheme.’
Meeting Ortes through Lampades, then meeting Carisia through Ortes—it felt like climbing the pyramid toward its peak.
“Are you really going to tell me?”
“Will you continue following Ortes’ orders?”
The two former troubleshooters walked together, sharing an odd bond forged on the battlefield. Even if the road led to hell, at least they weren’t alone.
As Lampades and Caike commiserated elsewhere, Ortes was summoned before Carisia.
“Ortes.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“What were you doing?”
“Pardon?”
Carisia began twirling a strand of her hair—a habit when she had much to say but couldn’t organize her thoughts.
“So, you claimed you were guarding outside my office but never entered, right? Then suddenly Caike showed up. If you’d been there all along, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Ortes sighed. During the brief time he’d stepped away after receiving an unexpected call!
“It was quite difficult to cover up.”
“How did you explain it?”
“I just said he was our employee.”
“Excuse me, Chairman. Neither Lampades nor Cnemon has poor eyesight.”
Carisia shrugged.
“What can they do if I say otherwise?”
“Chairman…”
Carisia hadn’t lied carelessly. She knew well that if she declared someone a mere employee, neither Cnemon nor Lampades could refute her. Sometimes sheer power itself is persuasive. Isn’t persuasion also a form of force?
Ortes rubbed his forehead.
Though it was partly his fault for stepping away, couldn’t Carisia’s intellect have devised a better solution?
“Saying that makes us sound like some secretive organization plotting world domination. Essentially the same as saying ‘he was our weakest member.’”
“And what’s wrong with that? We are* a secretive organization plotting world domination.”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, that was true. The founding purpose of Hydra Corp was the destruction of Baegwang. Ortes quickly shifted the topic.
“We should consider revealing the company’s true purpose to the board members soon.”
“It would be appropriate to announce it together with the completion of the Artificial Tenth Rank.”
“Given the current state, we can’t predict exactly when it will be completed.”
Carisia, who had been nodding in agreement, suddenly looked up.
“So, why did you leave your post?”
“It was a message from the Theistic Order. Beyond expressing gratitude for the last event, they were probing how I managed to defeat an elder.”
Carisia stroked her chin. Indeed, aside from herself, the Theistic Order was the only group aware that Ortes had defeated a Ten Towers elder.
“Does their frequent contact mean they need something from you again? Still, isn’t relying too much on outsiders risky?”
Carisia didn’t pry further into the Theistic Order’s message. If support was needed, Ortes would report accordingly.
Otherwise, as usual, he’d perform his duties magically and complain later about how hard he worked.
A premonition from the Daro incident flashed through Carisia’s mind: the group of Ten Towers elders sent to capture Ortes.
Even Ortes would find it nearly impossible to win a battle against multiple elders without injury. Carisia pulled out a crystal she kept in her pocket and tossed it to Ortes.
“Chairman?”
“Take it with you if you go anywhere. You shouldn’t get involved in dangerous situations like last time.”
Ortes shook his head and returned the crystal to Carisia’s palm.
“There’s no concrete date set yet for meeting the Theistic Order.”
Seeing Carisia reluctantly put the crystal back, Ortes gave her a light shrug.
“So, what did you tell them?”
“The truth, mostly. Though I took credit for most of the ideas. You’re just a poor salesman forced to rely on your friend network due to your boss’s whimsical commands.”
Ortes inwardly marveled. He hadn’t expected Carisia to take the blame so generously for his sake.
“Oh, by the way, I forgot to discuss what gift to give Mr. Cnemon. Please ask him once things start.”
Ortes nodded.
This explained why Cnemon had opened his door to see Ortes early in the morning.
“Huh?! Wh-what’s gotten into you?!”
“Ha ha, why so startled?”
Ortes smiled warmly, trying to lighten the mood.
“Well, you keep regular hours, don’t you? Rising at the same time as during your troubleshooter days.”
“What brings you here?”
“Ha ha, it seems we only meet when there’s business between us.”
Cnemon fell silent. What was the intention behind bringing up old ties now? Was it reproach for running away?
“But anyway, I’m here because there is indeed business. Could you spare me a few moments?”
After glancing at Ortes’ face, Cnemon nodded. He realized refusing would be meaningless.
They arrived at the staff cafeteria after walking down Hydra Corp’s corridor. This was Ortes’ setup for their first proper conversation since reuniting.
Confused but compliant, Cnemon fetched a tray.
“Listen while you eat.”
Just as doubts about Ortes’ real intentions grew, he began speaking.
“Our chairman is a very fair person.”
“Fair?”
“Yes. While I brought you here out of old friendship, this is still work, isn’t it? So, the chairman said she’d try to accommodate whatever compensation you desire.”
“Compensation…”
‘If your plan succeeds, money and everything else will be meaningless anyway.’ Cnemon swallowed his inner thoughts.
“I don’t particularly want anything…”
“Nonsense. Have you ever seen me lie?”
Suddenly, a memory surfaced in Cnemon’s mind: the Proper Tower gang destroying his own tower.
‘If the world is going to turn upside down anyway, maybe it’s fine to indulge a personal desire or two.’
In a near fatalistic mindset, Cnemon finally spoke.
“There’s one magic tower I want to settle scores with.”
