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Business Plan
The first word I wrote on the blank page was "Business Plan."
It was the perfect title to use if someone accidentally stumbled upon these future plans I was writing. I planned to burn it all once I had sorted out my thoughts, but there was a chance Carisia might suddenly walk into my room and ask what I was jotting down. This served as my excuse in case that happened.
Even if the business plan contained suspicious content, she'd likely dismiss it as another one of my eccentric ideas.
If Carisia were to peek over my shoulder and see this document right now, she'd just think it was a trivial daydream. She'd probably scold me, telling me to focus on immediate tasks rather than indulging in grandiose fantasies about ten-year or hundred-year plans.
The first thing that came to mind was the number 2077.
The main narrative of this world, or the "original work," revolved around the return of the Mage King in the year 2077. I wasn't sure if it was resurrection or return—two entirely different words.
My vague memory was frustrating.
"Damn. If I had known it was a world from a novel, I would've written everything down before I forgot."
The title wasn't important. Convincing myself, I began to jot down a few more words.
2077. Resurrection. The Ten Magical Commandments.
The one who first systematized magic in this world was the protagonist of the original work, the Mage King.
When the Mage King ascended, he left behind the Ten Commandments, the first artifacts divided according to his wisdom into ten attributes.
The disciples of the Mage King, inheriting these Commandments, each founded their own schools, becoming the progenitors of the magic towers. Modern magicians also strive arduously to become the chosen ones who can access the Commandments.
This was the known history of this world, but the truth written in the novel was somewhat different.
The disciples of the Mage King murdered their master, who was attempting ascension, and each took pieces of his power for themselves. The Ten Commandments were, in essence, the divided powers of the Mage King.
The Mage King, murdered, succeeded in resurrecting after a long period, thanks to a contingency plan he had prepared in case his ascension failed.
The novel began with him bewildered by the gap between the mythical age when he died and the cyberpunk era of 2077.
The storyline centered on the resurrected Mage King Simon recovering the Ten Commandments to regain the power to pierce the heavens and ascend.
"My employer is Simon's adversary."
Strictly speaking, Carisia wasn't Simon's enemy from the start. She emerged as a competitor in the process of him retrieving the Ten Commandments, eventually leading to a life-and-death struggle between them.
The reason was simple. The Mage King's goal was to reclaim his lost wisdom through the Ten Commandments.
Other magicians coveted the Commandments for the same reason—they sought to gain the accumulated wisdom of all the magicians who had accessed them through the ages and approach ascension.
However, Carisia was different.
Carisia wanted to destroy the Ten Commandments.
Specifically, the Commandment of Light.
At this point, I grabbed my head in frustration. I was berating myself for not recognizing the identity of the main competitor of the protagonist over the novel's most important artifact.
But it couldn't be helped.
In the original work, Carisia had no name.
'The middle head of Hydra,' 'the nameless witch,' or simply 'White No Name'.
Those were the names Carisia was known by in the novel.
Damn it. Seeing a visibly extraordinary little girl saying, 'I won't tell you my name,' made me think she didn't want to associate with someone as unworthy as me.
Calling her "miss" all the time was annoying, so I took a name from a nearby research lab and gave it to her.
"And it all comes full circle…"
My head hurt.
Seeing a white-haired lady who shot death beams should have reminded me of White No Name first. But the name Carisia clouded my judgment, and I never imagined encountering her true identity.
Only when I heard the name Hydra Corporation at the inauguration did I realize her true identity.
Even though we'd become quite close, she never told me her real name. It must have been a secret she couldn't share even with someone she was somewhat close to, or maybe she didn't have a name to begin with.
Staring at the word "Light" scrawled beneath the Ten Commandments on the business plan.
White No Name exits the story by sacrificing her life to destroy the Commandment of Light with a grand magic spell.
Disappearing nameless, her real name never got revealed, leaving only speculation that she might have been a test subject from the White Light Magic Tower.
White No Name's death was a turning point in the original story.
The imperfect ascension of the Mage King and the subsequent ascension attempts by his successors caused rifts in the dimensional barrier, and her actions further broke it, leading to an influx of outer-dimensional magic.
In a world already suffering from a cyberpunk-esque magic disparity, she pushed it further into chaos.
The explanation in the novel mentioned that the world couldn't withstand the aftermath of her violent destruction of the Commandment of Light.
Though destruction is inherently violent, the problem was that she shattered it all at once rather than dismantling it gradually.
The accumulated desires of the magicians who aspired to ascend exploded at once, breaking the dimensional barrier.
The only means White No Name had to stop the pursuing Mage King was to shatter the Commandment with a spell that burned her soul.
So, what I need to do is…
***
"Boss, you shouldn't become the fool who plans for death."
"Suddenly, what are you talking about?"
Isn't it enough to make her cherish her life?
"If you have time for such nonsense, please focus on your work. I'll be away for a while."
***
Three days after the inauguration of Hydra Corporation.
Carisia announced she would be absent for a while to change the Mage Tower's master.
The eight newly appointed directors were taken aback. Despite her abilities, how could she leave during the organization's chaotic establishment period?
What if some of the directors conspired together and staged a coup?
Even though she dominated the organization with overwhelming power, Carisia was still human. She wasn't an unreachable being like a grand wizard attempting ascension. If they gathered people, prepared the means, and waited for the right moment, they could kill her.
Once she officially took control of the Mage Tower, there would be no more chances for rebellion, so an assassination attempt now would be their last opportunity.
At least a few of the eight directors believed that.
As they were contemplating this, Orthes, who stood behind Carisia, spoke up.
"Boss, you shouldn't become the fool who plans for death."
These words shook those who were considering the risks and returns of rebellion.
Carisia's eyebrows twitched, reacting as if the statement wasn't worth her attention.
She left the meeting room with a composed "focus on your work" as her final words.
Arabella, sensing the hidden meaning in the conversation, swallowed hard.
"Telling us to focus on our work while she's away… It's obvious she means she's appointing a deputy in her absence."
Even after Carisia left, Orthes stood there with a faint smile. Not sitting in the vacant seat was a silent indication that only Carisia could occupy the boss's chair.
"The Boss remains swift as ever. Well then, Directors, I believe you all have some free time. Shall we have a chat one by one?"
"Not here, in the interview room."
Arabella fervently hoped she wouldn't be the first interviewee. Being the third or fourth would be ideal.
Seeing the expressions of those who went before would give her clues about what awaited inside.
"Director Arabella, shall we start with you? Is that alright?"
How could she dare refuse? Forcing herself to maintain a composed expression, Arabella nodded.
***
In this world, the term "Mage Tower" has two main meanings.
The first is a school formed by magicians with similar ideologies.
The second is a facility that purifies external dimensional magic to supply magic throughout the city.
Usually, the first type of Mage Tower is established around the second type.
The Mage Tower master qualifications Carisia intended to update also related to the second type.
After the head of the Lernian Mage Tower, the original owner of Hydra Corporation's building, vanished, the magic distribution device of the tower had been operating automatically.
However, if Carisia were officially registered as the Mage Tower master and could freely manipulate the tower, then one-third of this city, Etna, would genuinely belong to her.
In this world, magic holds a position akin to electricity or water in the modern society I once knew.
Although one can survive without electricity and water, there are ways to live without magic too. A magician, for example, could supply their own magic.
But that's incredibly inconvenient and tedious.
Arabella seemed like the type of person who detested such inconveniences the most.
If Carisia were to die before officially registering, Arabella would likely be thrilled and scheme to take the Mage Tower master's position. But if Carisia completed the registration, she would undoubtedly submit to her without hesitation.
And for good reason.
"Director Arabella, what percentage of your body is cyberized?"
She was a human who had undergone magical-cybernetic surgery, making her unable to live without magical electricity.
To read over 200 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02