‘How did it come to this?’
Pfffft!
Orthes, sneaking into the Information Guild’s no-entry zone without a sound, had made it such a regular occurrence that it no longer felt uncomfortable.
Hissss!
It sent chills down one’s spine to see him waltz in saying, “Would you like some tea?” But hey, adaptation is the name of the game.
However, it was the sight of the Tower Master, who had vanished decades ago, following him that was a first even for Arabella.
“Hello, Director Arabella. This is Kaicle from Pythos Tower.”
In Arabella’s mind, two questions were reigning supreme.
‘Was Kaicle really inside Mount Etna?’ That was the first.
‘Did they bring Kaicle back alive?’ That was the second.
The latter question weighed heavier.
According to Orthes’s plan, Kaicle was meant to stir up rivalry against Hydra Corporation alongside Geryon.
But that was just ‘in theory.’ Just like the old saying goes, “The first casualty in war is always the plan,” paper plans vanish faster than you can say ‘disappearing ink.’
Arabella suspected Kaicle would likely be dead.
Mages have a tendency to be mentally twisted. If they’ve spent decades meditating under a volcano, they’re even more likely to be… well, twisty.
At the same time, mages absolutely hate losing their magic more than they hate death.
Is a mage, who’s dedicated decades to crafting the Artificial Ten Commandments, going to calmly hand over their masterpiece?
They’d probably prefer to go out with a bang alongside the Commandments rather than bow to Hydra Corporation.
“Is the tea to your liking?”
And there was Kaicle, sipping the tea that Orthes had brought.
“What’s going on here?”
Arabella managed to squeeze out her first words, hiding the chaos within.
Orthes shrugged.
“I need to escort him to Hydra Corporation, but causing a scene if I just take him seems likely. I trust you to escort him politely and discreetly, Director Arabella.”
The word ‘trust’ sent ripples of anxiety through her. Arabella now knew that Orthes’s true nature was less about imposing pressure on others and more about shamelessly offloading work when bored.
“Well then, Director. See you tonight.”
Arabella’s ominous premonition was spot on. Orthes didn’t even give her a chance to stop him; he just stood up and left.
With her left hand covering her eyes, Arabella recalled Orthes’s instructions—a discreet retrieval.
‘He probably wants to hide the fact that Kaicle is affiliated with Hydra Corporation as much as possible, right?’
In Orthes’s grand scheme, the three towers were supposed to act out a play, preparing for war. A puppet show that wouldn’t escalate into a real war anytime soon.
Kaicle would break Geryon out of his imprisonment, disrupting decades of silence. After Geryon’s defeat, Hydra Corporation would naturally target Pythos Tower.
The two towers would form a temporary alliance to counter the emerging powerhouse, Hydra Corporation.
Hydra Corporation would also reorganize itself to deal with considerable rivals.
Under such tension, military build-up would be a given, especially for the Apex Towers.
However, the truth was, all towers in Etna City lay under Hydra Corporation’s control. The competition among the three towers ultimately resulted in Hydra Corporation’s ascent.
Through this reorganized system, the completion of the Artificial Ten Commandments would be expedited. That was Orthes’s first-phase plan.
‘I thought the starting point—the Artificial Ten Commandments—wouldn’t exist…’
Wrong guess. Arabella truly envisioned the completion of the 11th Commandment.
A new king.
Shaking her head to dispel such absurd notions, Arabella turned to Kaicle.
Now was her chance! Orthes had entrusted Kaicle to her—not someone else. It was the perfect time to gauge whether Hydra Corporation’s plans were genuinely feasible.
Carefully, Arabella selected her questions for Kaicle.
*
It’s over. I’ve truly wrapped up all my tasks.
Concrete realizations for improving the company using Geryon or Kaicle?
The big picture was sketched; the rest would be taken care of by the operational staff. Sure, some directors might be a bit reckless and unserious, but none could be called completely incompetent.
After all, each of them had enough skills to stay alive playing the big boss role in the Underworld. Just summoning their advisors for a brainstorming session could yield some positive outcomes.
I basked in the freedom from all responsibilities for the first time in ages. Should I just lounge in bed and doze off?
By the time I was tidying my bed and thinking things through until the next afternoon…
“Orthes.”
Damn it.
The call echoed from the communicator embedded in my gauntlet. And of course, the caller was none other than…
“Yes, boss.”
It was Carisia.
*
Bertrand could not believe his eyes. Kaicle had been missing from Etna City for decades.
He remembered Kaicle perfectly—a towering figure almost 4 meters tall with three eyes on his right prosthetic.
Geryon, dragged in with his arms bound, chuckled dryly.
“I thought you’d finally kicked the bucket somewhere….”
Orthes and Carisia, the ones who had set this up, still hadn’t arrived. It was odd for Carisia, who usually showed up first and stayed late for meetings, to be delayed.
Clunk! The door swung open. Orthes walked in, followed by Carisia.
All eight directors recalled this exact scene from somewhere.
‘Right. It was when Hydra Corporation was founded…’
Arabella froze, remembering the day when Carisia gathered the directors and bound them in her grip.
“Greetings, everyone.”
The opening of the conversation was identical. Arabella realized that their current situation was an intentional repeat.
“With this, all the executives recruited for our company’s first goal are gathered in one place.”
Their boss was smiling—grinning as if he couldn’t be happier.
“Today, we’re here to listen to Mr. Kaicle’s presentation on the accomplishments of the Artificial Ten Commandments. Please rise.”
Kaicle stood up with a look of bewilderment on his face. In his right eye, something strange reflected Carisia, distinct from that of Orthes.
“You… you all…!”
Behind Carisia, Orthes raised his index finger. He held it to his lips, with a mocking grin. Kaicle scanned the room in fear and awe.
He recognized many figures directly from his past and some he had only seen from data collected beneath the mountain of Etna.
Powerful people of Etna City—it was a gathering of those who held sway over the city. Under the name of Hydra Corporation.
Kaicle slowly revealed the truth behind what he had created—the ‘Artificial Ten Commandments.’
Beginning with the question that arose from his studies at both the Silver Iron and Apex Towers—‘What does Ascension ultimately mean?’
“The process of Ascension is becoming a deity, and if the Commandments are that milestone, I thought I could gather the traces left by ancient gods to create another milestone…”
As the directors paid close attention to his explanation, Bertrand’s expression grew increasingly solemn. The decline of the fossil mining industry stemmed directly from Kaicle’s ambitions.
And Carisia, who had ensnared Kaicle, had placed the Artificial Ten Commandments at the center of her plans; the future of the mining guild looked bleak.
“There’s no longer a reason to accumulate magic power beneath Mount Etna.”
Orthes’s declaration severed their worries.
“The Artificial Ten Commandments created by Mr. Kaicle won’t enhance their performance just by increasing the amount of magic power. We need to focus on something much more fundamental.”
“Fundamental?”
A woman with green hair and flowers cascading down spoke up. Meconion—half-Alraune, half-spirit, and one of the eight directors.
The most powerful drug dealer in Etna City.
“Yes. Didn’t Mr. Kaicle just say so? He wanted to gather traces of the gods to create the Artificial Ten Commandments. There are no longer traces of the gods left in this city.”
Meconion felt Orthes’s scrutinizing gaze upon her. It was different from the lascivious looks her customers often aimed at her. This was strict, almost machine-like.
“Godly artifacts likely belong to the gods themselves. We might uncover divine clues from those who believe in the departed gods.”
Meconion sensed the forthcoming conclusion that would follow Orthes’s words.
‘Is that why you called me here…’
“Among the customers for the drugs sold by Director Meconion, aren’t there worshippers of the ancient gods?”
“Yeah, there are. Poor souls trying to trace the footsteps of the gods while in ecstasy.”
“Let’s start with those people.”
After making that statement, Orthes stepped back behind Carisia.
“You all should see that our company’s plans hold substantial realism.”
At some point, Carisia had wiped the smile off her face and calmly declared.
“If there are any objections, please speak up. I am all ears.”
No one raised their hands. Hearing the silence as an answer, Carisia nodded.
“Then, before we pursue an extensive reorganization, I will establish a new department. The Divine Investigation Office. A department under the boss, with Orthes as the head…”
*
Oh my god.
I had been stumbling through unofficial duties without a proper position, and now they were going to place me under actual authority?
Was the one being pressed not Kaicle, but me instead?
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