The Low-key Evil Wizard BOSS-Chapter 51 - 47: The [Border Region] of Darkness and Reality

Chapter 51: Chapter 47: The [Border Region] of Darkness and Reality

Zorn arrived at Adolf Monastery once again.

He wasn’t sure if his donation had made a difference.

Many parts of the monastery had been repaired.

He could even see some masons at work.

The old buildings were radiating with new life.

Zorn had a meal at the monastery and performed his midday prayers.

Originally, Zorn had only planned to donate 500 gold pounds and then leave.

However, Bishop Teresa requested a meeting with him, once again expressing her gratitude for his "benevolence."

Since Bishop Teresa had taken the initiative to meet him, Zorn brought up the matter of the Steam Factory and the "Holy Healing - Micro-Light Fluorescent Agent."

He was preparing to establish his sales channels in advance.

Zorn knew that the Witches had ways of selling resources on the underground market.

The "Spirit Witch Lady," who was a part of Bishop Teresa, was still active in the areas frequented by Transcendents.

Many Transcendents would go to the Spirit Witch Lady to purchase resources.

When she heard Zorn describe the astonishing effects and considerable production volume of the "Holy Healing - Micro-Light Fluorescent Agent," Bishop Teresa clearly realized something.

With the ever-intensifying tide of steam, those colossal steel factories with their roaring Steam Furnaces were, step by step, devouring the very Skill the Witches relied on for survival—Witch Potions!

Through the analysis of Alchemists,

the fundamental nature of potions and Magic Potions was being relentlessly uncovered.

And the production efficiency of a single Steam Factory was something that countless Witches could never hope to match.

It took many years to train a batch of qualified Witches proficient in Alchemy Potions.

But building a Steam Factory and training qualified workers took very little time.

The era was leaving them, the Witches, behind.

Fortunately, they still had a chance to change.

Living in Ogrande City, Bishop Teresa seemed to have long felt the oppressive weight of the industrial steam wave.

After listening to Zorn’s explanation, Bishop Teresa asked slowly,

"Your Excellency Zorn, would it be possible for me to dispatch some Witches to work in your Steam Factory?"

Her request made Zorn pause and think for a moment.

’Letting Witches work in the Steam Factory...’

’That in itself isn’t a problem.’

Zorn wasn’t worried about the Witches stealing his potion formulas or anything of the sort.

He had a virtually endless supply of potion formulas.

After all, he had once been a "Saint Level Alchemist" and possessed many top-tier potion and Magic Potion formulas.

’The Witches will be influenced by my Authority to some extent, but that will just fall under the category of ’corporate culture’—a devotion and seriousness toward their work.’

’It won’t affect the Witches’ Faith, nor will it turn them against me.’

’But exposing them to the advanced production processes of industrial steam potions and letting them learn brand new knowledge of Pharmacy...’

’The roar of steam and the gradually surging power of steam industrialization will slowly seep into the Witches’ Sequence, and then, using the Witches as a medium, be transmitted to some deeper place.’

’This will cause the entity they have Faith in to awaken ahead of schedule.’

However, considering the current tumultuous wave of steam industrialization and his need for the Witches’ sales channels, Zorn gave a slight nod.

’Besides,’ he thought, ’using my Authority and the Steam Factory to exploit Transcendents is more effective than doing so with ordinary people. Having the Witches participate will be even better for me.’

After the Rat Plague incident, Transcendents would gradually take the stage on the continent.

Witches working in factories was also an irreversible trend.

Regarding the issues of Witches joining the factory and the sale of the potions,

the two of them discussed the matters until the time for afternoon prayers, at which point their conversation concluded.

Without a doubt, it was a collaboration that satisfied both parties immensely.

After being seen off by Bishop Teresa, Zorn boarded his carriage.

Soon, a fog rolled in, submerging the carriage in its dense depths.

Before, when Zorn was merely a [Fighting Master], he hadn’t feared the [Confused] who wandered in the fog.

Now, Zorn was already a Level Two [Evil Spirit Wizard], and the resources and methods at his disposal were gradually increasing.

If he were to encounter a [Confused] now, the unfortunate creature would only suffer a doubled tragedy.

After carefully sorting through his thoughts, Zorn directed the coachman to the Steam Potion Factory on the south side of Ogrande City—or more precisely, the [Korik Steam Potion Factory].

Back at the Witch’s Monastery, Zorn had sensed that there seemed to be many more young Witches than before.

It wouldn’t be long before some of those Witches would be heading to the Steam Potion Factory for interviews.

Zorn needed to give the [Alchemist] Vladimir a heads-up.

As he crossed the entirety of Ogrande City, Zorn could clearly feel the [Rat Plague] carving a Sacred Mark of pain and Calamity into the city.

Many public hospitals, private hospitals, and even small clinics were overflowing with patients.

The contamination from the sewers was ravaging all of Ogrande City.

A "plague" was taking shape.

Several effective and inexpensive formulas for a "Plague-Clearing Potion" involuntarily surfaced in Zorn’s mind.

’Although the "Plague-Clearing Potion" will be quickly imitated by competitors after it appears, the time it takes them to copy it will be enough for the potion factory to make a killing.’

’At the same time, I can keep the [Rat Plague] contained within the sewers instead of letting it ravage Ogrande City.’

’A prosperous and developing Ogrande City is the perfect place for me to grow.’

’An Ogrande City full of rats will only fall into decay.’

...

By the time he returned from the Steam Potion Factory, the sky had completely darkened.

At the manor gate, under the bright light of two gas lamps, Vanessa, dressed in a black and white maid’s uniform, periodically stood on her tiptoes, craning her neck to scan the wide road.

Whenever a carriage approached, she would prepare to greet it.

But when the carriage sped past, a hint of disappointment would appear on her increasingly delicate face. It wasn’t Young Master Zorn’s carriage.

"You’ve been waiting here for a long time, haven’t you?"

A familiar voice called out from the darkness beyond the lamplight.

"Ah! Young Master Zorn, you’re back!"

Vanessa exclaimed, hurrying over with her bright eyes full of joy.

Carrying the monstrous suitcase, Zorn emerged from the darkness.

He had been observing Vanessa from the darkness for some time.

Unaffected by his Authority, Vanessa was following her usual trajectory, sliding into the vortex of Zorn’s influence.

And Zorn, for his part, was currently selecting a corresponding extraordinary gift for her.

"Why didn’t you arrive by carriage?"

Vanessa asked curiously, glancing at the street behind Zorn.

"I got out at the end of the street. I was thinking about some things on the way."

Zorn said slowly.

Then, he glanced at the brightly lit manor hall.

"Do we have guests?"

"The Rat Catchers are here. They arrived around sunset and have been waiting for you for a long time."

"Mm," Zorn nodded slightly and walked toward the hall.

Zorn had already guessed that Bevis would come.

They must have run into trouble in the sewers.

...

After inviting the two Rat Catchers, Bevis and the young Isaac, to join him for dinner, the three of them began to discuss business in the living room.

Bevis, who had advanced to Level Two about a month ago, had now stabilized his Sequence and was improving at a rapid pace.

The young Rat Catcher, Isaac, was also progressing with incredible speed. Zorn estimated that the kid would be able to advance to Level Two in another month.

The future [Legendary God Hunter]’s Talent was extraordinarily high.

But compared to Zorn, he was still a notch below.

Regardless, the outbreak of the Rat Plague would be a period of explosive growth for the Rat Catchers’ strength.

Clearing his throat, the Rat Catcher Bevis began to speak slowly.

"Your Excellency Zorn, you must have seen the Rat Plague that has broken out recently."

"The Rat Plague is ravaging Ogrande City, and to eliminate it, the key is to destroy the Rat King."

"Today, a few of my Rat Catcher friends and I entered the sewers to search for traces of the Rat King."

"However, the sewers now seem to have undergone some kind of incredible, bizarre change."

"The torches that used to be able to illuminate the sewers can now only light up an area two or three meters around us." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Even when we intensified the light from the torches, it made no difference."

"The darkness... it’s as if it cannot be driven away."

As he said this, Bevis’s expression darkened, as if he had touched upon a bad memory.

"And... the darkness seems to have the Ability to devour sound."

"Once we’re a certain distance apart, we can no longer communicate by voice."

"This led to us losing a young Rat Catcher today."

"Your Excellency Zorn, do you know the reason for this series of changes in the sewers?"

Sitting on the sofa, Zorn listened to Bevis’s account, mulled it over for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"The Border Region between the [Dark Realm] and reality has already taken form in the sewers!"