I Became the Narrow-Eyed Henchman of the Evil Boss

The agents sent by Panoptes will probably just conduct a formal investigation and leave.

The Mage Tower assessment proclaimed by the Ten Towers is not something that can be completed in a day or two. There’s no need or reason to spend manpower and resources on a precise inspection for the Mage Towers bowing their heads this early on.

Their direct concern is the traitors allied with Argyrion, not the majority of ordinary Mage Towers.

But there might be a rare case that needs to be addressed.

‘The Artificial Ten Commandments have always been at the bottom of Mount Etna, you know.’

Even if Panoptes’s audit team thinks, “Shall we check Geryon and Kaicle’s Mage Towers while we’re at it?” there’s nothing that could catch them off guard.

Carisia understands this situation broadly, so this call holds no more meaning than to check in. I wrapped up the conversation appropriately and turned my gaze towards Lampades.

“I’m not really a sociable person myself.”

This friend is good at cracking jokes. Back when I was actively working, I didn’t see a troubleshooter who could connect with people like you.

“Haha, jokes aside. I haven’t seen a troubleshooter with as wide a network as you.”

There’s something called biological electricity. It’s the electrical signals generated during the activity of living organisms. Even neurons operate with this electricity when humans think.

Lampades is very skilled at detecting biological electricity. By using a magic spell to detect biological currents, one can sense a ‘uniqueness’ based on the magic power possessed by each individual.

Seeing a friend with such abilities being humble like this makes it seem like he didn’t receive enough training.

Currently, my authority to manage the company’s funds… no. Why is this private?

Searching for Knemon is clearly part of the company’s work. There’s no hesitation in budget execution.

“Do you need any artifacts other than the Thunder Orb?”

“No! No, I swear I don’t need any other artifacts. It’s just that, as the Tower Master, I have some matters to handle, and it might take a little longer.”

Lampades waved his hand. So, it is indeed a matter of time.

I mentally calculated the schedule. Thanks to this relic embezzlement, the progress of developing the Artificial Ten Commandments has significantly increased.

…And at the same time, a puzzle that must be solved arose.

What exactly did the ancient Divine Cult do? That’s the reason I’m trying to find Knemon.

Adjusting Lampades’s extra-dimensional radar will make the divine investigation work aimed at finding the relics much easier. However, locating the ancient relics of the Divine Cult, those special relics infused with the souls of priests, requires a slightly different approach.

The Pluton Great Temple is the last bastion of the cult. Even after searching that place thoroughly, only six relics came out.

If I add the Relic of Phoibos that I already possess, it makes seven known relics of the ancient Divine Cult. The remaining five seem to have likely gone missing during the war between the Divine Cult and the Mage King.

To be specific, they probably ended up as loot for the Mage Towers.

This is precisely where I need Knemon.

He knew quite well about the various secrets of the Mage Towers. When I was roaming in the troubleshooter industry, I was disinterested and let that slide…

I should have paid more attention when he said we could team up to flip this rotten Mage Tower world upside down. I regret just wandering about without caring for magical society reform.

Lost in thought, I was suddenly interrupted by Lampades’s question.

“Can I contact the people from the Mage Tower for a moment? I’m afraid I might cause inconvenience since it’s my first time coming to another Mage Tower.”

Lampades spoke very straightforwardly, which is rare. However, hidden within his direct words is a subtext.

The overt message is a request to protect Lampades’s Mage Tower from the oncoming auditors. Given he mentioned the crew of the Tower, that was obvious.

The subtext is revealed in the choice of the words “cause inconvenience.” If things don’t go well, it’s a firm expression of intent to use his abilities to escape.

This is a condition that can’t be compromised.

Orthes nodded lazily.

“Of course. Ah, Astrafe might be having a conversation with Kine since they are close in age, so she might not be able to take the call.”

Kine is also a mage raised by Orthes. Having Astrafe paired with a child like Kine could be interpreted in two ways.

‘Rest assured because my aide is with Astrafe,’ or ‘Astrafe’s life depends on you.’

‘It’s reasonable to see both sides here.’

If Lampades faithfully performs Orthes’s ‘request,’ Kine will serve as a wall protecting Astrafe, but if he falls short of Orthes’s expectations, she might turn into a dagger that strikes at Astrafe.

Either way, it means there’s no intention of harming the people of Lampades’s Mage Tower at this moment. Lampades shook his head helplessly and asked,

“How much time is left?”

“Ah. It’s not a pressing matter. I hoped you could visit when you have some spare time.”

“‘Spare time,’ huh. Does that mean I should find you during Hydra Corporation’s stay?”

The duration of Hydra Corporation’s stay in the Mage Tower was just over ten days. It’s a fairly tight timeline.

In order to find Knemon and bring him back within this timeframe, it would inevitably require Lampades to take action himself, and if that’s the case, the only person who could protect the members of the Tower during his absence is Orthes.

Since Orthes expressed that he would protect them himself, he would stick to his promise, but finding the fugitive who escaped Orthes’s sight within ten days would clearly be a tall order.

“But I’m curious. Why do you want to find Knemon?”

This was the honest curiosity of Lampades. Orthes had made a promise that he would visit Lampades someday, but he never once used that promise to pressure him.

‘That’s why I believe Orthes may have died and is now pursuing a formal inquiry…’

A bitter feeling welled up. It felt as if a fish was caught in a net. Yet, despite the stinging emotions I felt, a rational question arose.

If I were to compare Orthes to a fisherman, he would be a very patient one. He wouldn’t rush after a fish even after waiting for several years.

He must have hoped to show up right when I was at my most careless, especially since not even a shadow was cast during the time the Tower was fostered.

For Orthes, who is rarely direct, to exceptionally order to “find Knemon” raises questions about what in the past Knemon did that was so significant?

‘No. Perhaps I should think differently.’

Knemon might possess something that Orthes covets…

After a brief moment of pondering, Orthes nodded. Did he think it was okay to reveal it to Lampades, who is performing duties directly?

‘But he wouldn’t reveal every detail. There’s always a corner that’s suspicious about that guy.’

“I have something I’d like to receive from Knemon; just leave it at that. Please convey that I’ll prepare an appropriate reward. Also, I’d like to express my regrets about the previous matter.”

“The previous matter?”

Orthes had always thrown himself into the frontlines of the extra-dimensional world. He dived into the most dangerous requests without hesitation, coming back nonchalantly while accepting more jobs endlessly.

Rumors circulated that he was behind all those deaths of other troubleshooters who took on high-risk requests, given his extraordinary record of survival…

However, Orthes also completed those high-risk requests even when he had no one else accompanying him. It could only be said that this attitude, this almost madness from being enchanted by the extra-dimensional world, made him a well-known doomsday cultist.

If there were ever a time when Orthes and Knemon were together, it likely would have been during an exploration of an extra-dimensional contaminated zone, but did Orthes make some kind of mistake?

The Orthes we knew?

Reading the suspicion on Lampades’s face, Orthes awkwardly laughed and replied.

“Haha. I did find an artifact during an exploration of a contaminated site in the extra-dimensional world and performed some performance tests. But it turned out to be consumable. I gave everything left to that friend, but from Knemon’s perspective, it probably didn’t seem like a fair distribution. After that, he seems to have been avoiding me.”

That makes sense. But…

‘Isn’t the reason for the rift between the doomsday cultists too trivial?’

“Oh dear. I’ve been keeping you too long from contacting the Mage Tower folks. I’ll step away so you can make the call comfortably.”

“…Alright.”

Orthes stood up and stepped away.

‘I know both I and Orthes understand that this call is an excuse. What should I ask for in order to avoid the auditors’ attention…’

Lampades fell deep into thought.

Meanwhile, Orthes received another call from the boss.

“Yes. Have the auditors already left? So soon?”

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