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Thanks to Carisia unexpectedly giving me a new title, a severe headache hit me.
Damn. I can happily loaf around even with an empty lunchbox.
The boss tells me to work!
I understand having to prepare the future plans within 5 minutes after bringing Kaicle here.
Though the false war using Geryon was Carisia's plan, the idea of using Kaicle and the artificial commandments was mine.
Setting aside that this method was taken from your original actions.
How to use the artificial commandments moving forward. I showed them where to direct their impulses while shaking the bait of ascension in front of the directors.
Despite all I've done, what I get in return is more work. How can you do this to me!
I vented all my complaints and grievances to Carisia.
Only in my imagination, of course.
In reality, telling Carisia such complaints would only result in more work. She'd flash that deadly smile she shows only to me and elegantly demand 'do as you're told.'
I should write a few proposals before going to bed.
Tomorrow is a holiday. I should finish everything today to avoid being called in on a holiday.
***
Around midnight, Carisia was reading a report sent directly from Orthes.
It was about how to utilize the space Kaicle had created under Mount Etna.
According to Orthes' analysis, the place where the artificial commandments were housed was a type of ether space.
Ether space is a semi-real space. It's an intermediary between the material world and the immaterial world. Usually, mages attempting to access ether space do so from the immaterial world.
Connecting to it through meditation as a spirit is the typical method. Accessing it from the material world is not preferred for two main reasons.
First, the risk.
Most spirit connections, even if they fail, only require a few days of rest, but physical connections always carry the risk of brain death.
The most common method of accessing from the material world, neural connector connection, is also like this. If you hit a firewall wrong, your brain gets fried directly.
Second, accessibility.
Spiritual connections can be made without any equipment, just through meditation.
On the other hand, physical connections require a modified body with neural connectors and various additional facilities.
Methods for connecting an entire body to ether space without neural connectors are extremely rare.
Generally, a full dive into ether space means accessing it in a way that allows all five senses to be felt. Neural connector connections usually fall into this category.
Taking this full dive a step further to connect with the whole body is called Eleusis.
To successfully perform Eleusis, the ether space being accessed must be extremely stable.
This is because a high degree of perfection is needed to overcome the instability between reality and unreality.
The structure of the ether space created by Kaicle wasn't perfect, but it had an overwhelming amount of magic to compensate for its structural deficiencies.
An ether space that used Mount Etna itself as a kind of backup power source. Orthes and Kaicle were able to enter it with their bodies thanks to this abundant magic.
Orthes' proposal suggested remodeling the space created by Kaicle into a sort of shelter.
A refuge in case of grand magic by White Light Magic Tower that could sweep through the city.
It was a suggestion very typical of Orthes, who always worried about Carisia first. Feeling a faint satisfaction, Carisia sent a brief reply.
『Rejected. Remodeling into a shelter might reduce the efficiency of the artificial commandments' explosion.』
She hadn't given up on the dream of creating the largest magic bomb ever.
***
The short message from Carisia was enough to give me a headache. I don't know why she loves explosions so much.
I've given all the advice I can as a subordinate. I'm done.
Tomorrow is a holiday. I've been busy running around lately, so I need to get some good sleep.
"Come see me."
Oh, boss.
Why are you in my room?
***
I woke up at dawn. On a holiday morning.
I sensed someone suspicious in my room and cautiously lifted my eyelids.
It's troublesome that this body sees too much when fully opening the eyes. I even have to be careful opening and closing my eyes.
In the cautiously secured field of view, a pair of radiant golden eyes shone even in the darkness.
It was Carisia.
"Isn't today a holiday?"
I held my throbbing head and looked at Carisia.
I've been rolling around in this magically hierarchical society for a while, but having the boss invade my room on a holiday morning is not something you see even in this world.
"So what? Do you have plans?"
What do you mean, 'so what?' Are you saying you came to bother me because you don't like me resting on a holiday? I haven't done anything to offend you lately.
"I don't. You should rest too, honoring the will of the great Mage King."
What I mentioned was one of this world's myths. The origin of the calendar created by the Mage King.
He is said to have meditated for ten days to understand the principles of magic, and when he opened his eyes, he had mastered the ten main attributes of current magic, represented by the commandments.
The first and last days of his meditation are specially designated as holidays.
Yes. In this world, a week is ten days. A month consists of three weeks, making it easy to calculate dates.
But there's a horror to it that can't be justified by the convenience of calculation.
There are two holidays in a week. A month has three weeks.
So you only get six days off in a month!
I didn't want to spend my precious holiday with my boss.
"I came to rest, didn't I?"
Carisia sat on the edge of the bed as if it was the most natural thing. Right next to me.
Stifling a sigh, I lay back down, wriggling to make room for one more person.
"What do you think of the directors?"
Carisia asked as she lay down beside me.
"…We founded Hydra Corporation last month. That was the first week of the month of light, wasn't it? It's only been a month. How can I know their minds completely?"
"It's been 30 days by date. Now, talk."
Do you see me as some kind of auditor? I began to mumble anything with my eyes closed.
I hope she doesn't scold me for being unprepared this late at night.
"Cretone's slave trading business might attract attention from other magic towers, so I've already dealt with it. His personal power source has been removed, weakening him. Use his strength and magic for construction during the city reorganization and put a leash on him."
***
Carisia was listening to Orthes' whispers while half asleep.
In fact, from her perspective, her will was Orthes' will, and Orthes' will was her will.
There was no need to reconfirm the future blueprint that Orthes had already outlined. If she wanted, he would prepare it.
"Arabella is smart, and Bertrand is straightforward. Neither is likely to cause major problems. While the contraction of the Miners' Guild is a concern, the risks were initially mitigated by recruiting Kaicle."
However, the reason she came to Orthes' room was.
"Beast Tamer Dimedes is somewhat dangerous. The beasts he raises crave blood. Give him the role of tracking wanted mages under the guise of the Divine Investigation Office to satisfy his desires."
It was literally to take a 'rest.'
"Taros from the Magic Waste Disposal Site isn't much of a threat. Though he commands a powerful force of mutants, his desires are merely for the survival of his kind, which isn't difficult to manage. Treating him fairly will gradually earn his favor."
In a long journey of vengeance, he was the one person who assured her she hadn't lost her way.
"Hunter Neuro and illegal body modification expert Divius both have their own schemes. However, they are currently captivated by your influence, and since I haven't fully assessed them yet, I plan to investigate further before making a judgment."
Listening to Orthes' vision for the future reassured Carisia that she was on the right path.
'…No.'
Perhaps it wasn't the right path. The White Light Magic Tower was like a giant nation, and its downfall would certainly drag innocent people into its aftermath.
Despite that, this journey of vengeance was the path she 'wanted.'
"Half-spirit Meconion is…."
Only Orthes could provide such assurance. The one who had stood by her without asking for anything since escaping the White Light Magic Tower's lab.
"Boss?"
"Employer?"
"Carisia?"
"…She's really asleep."
Hearing the voice of the one person she could completely relax around, Carisia fell into a peaceful sleep.
To read over 200 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02