Great Teacher in a Defense Game

#61 As It Happens, I Have the Skill

Orban spent most of his days outside of the company.

Not exactly working busily or anything.

After all, the company’s work was done by the working-level staff. As the CEO, he only needed to make important decisions.

However, today was different.

He received a peculiar call right before he was about to leave work.

He had no choice but to return to the company, and he questioned the secretary-like employee who was waiting for him, pressing for answers.

“Speak. What’s happened?”

“T-The Guild contacted us. The Tower Masters will be visiting soon…”

The employee trembled as he answered.

He was afraid of Orban. Especially when he was angry.

“…Visiting? Why suddenly?”

“I-I don’t know. It was suddenly notified without any official documents… They said they’d talk about the details when they arrived…?”

“That Rosita… What on earth is she scheming?”

Orban put a hand to his chin and pondered.

He couldn’t fathom what the Guild Master was thinking.

To be the owner of a massive corporation, one had to demonstrate ability in a wide variety of fields.

Navigating the intricate web of relationships, maintaining one’s network, was all part of the game.

In that regard, Orban had played his cards rather well, wouldn’t you say?

Ruthless to his enemies, benevolent to his allies.

The more lenient one became with adversaries, the harsher they were forced to be with their own. So, he took care of his people. That was Orban’s way of life, pure and simple.

And yet, this very principle seemed to offer little solace now.

Over the years, Orban had, knowingly or not, cultivated a favorable relationship with the Guild.

No significant troubles, rather, a mutually beneficial alliance he prided himself on.

But to arrive so abruptly, without warning?

No proper official notice, conducting an audit and notification like a back-alley shakedown simultaneously?

Were they trying to drag his reputation through the mud?

“Pisses me off, this does.”

“E-excuse me?”

“I said, I’m feeling utterly fucked. What, you didn’t understand? Shall I repeat myself?”

“Ah, no sir. My mistake, sir.”

The employee quickly bowed his head, groveling.

Orban didn’t even deign to acknowledge him, puffing languidly on his cigarette.

-Whooosh…

“Hey.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Get on the phone. Round up the directors.”

“T-the directors, sir?”

“Yes. Tell them to get their asses back to headquarters. And tell them, if they’re a second late, I’ll personally tear them limb from limb.”

Orban exhaled a plume of smoke, issuing his orders to the secretary.

The executive officers of Dimaira. Much like Orban, the owner of the company, a mage of the Essential Grade, they were no ordinary mortals.

Dominion Grade mages, former Commanders of the Knights. All sorts of talent were embedded in the board of directors.

Summoning them all meant only one thing.

War.

A dark and ominous word flashed through the secretary’s mind.

“A-alright, sir… I’ll contact them immediately.”

“Good. And… how much liquid cash do we have on hand, right now?”

“…Yes?”

“Are you deaf? Blast it, how much readily available cash does the company actually have on hand?!”

“I, I apologize. In terms of amount… roughly this much…”

The secretary swiftly scribbled down the figure.

Orban nodded, as if comprehending, then continued his commands.

“Good. Move it all to my office immediately. And any other sundry items that can be considered assets, as well.”

“Yes? Ah, yes! Understood!”

The secretary nodded, then darted off, eyebrows practically flapping in the wind.

Left alone, Orban silently smoked.

The cigarette he usually enjoyed tasted bitter today.

His fingers trembled even after just one drag.

Orban grimaced, gazing out the window and muttering under his breath.

“…Damn Guild b*stards, those treacherous Association toadies. Filthy Imperial brats. Seems they’ve caught wind of something… Do they really think I’ll fall apart so easily?”

Orban spat out a curse, grinding the cigarette into the ashtray.

Whatever it was, the Guild was sniffing around, having caught a whiff of something.

The fact they’d even mobilized the Archmages… it wasn’t a good omen.

What exactly had they sensed?

The clandestine distribution of narcotics, backed by some shadowy organization?

The subtle threats issued from behind the scenes during copyright acquisitions?

The artificial inflation of treatment prices using copyright protection, deliberately crippling medical insurance?

Or perhaps they simply didn’t approve of his plan to establish a third power bloc?

Enough to mobilize Archmages, just to crush him utterly?

“Rotten swine.”

The precise cause remained unclear.

Orban himself had engaged in far too many unsavory dealings, and he couldn’t possibly control every single action of his underlings.

Still, a general outline was beginning to form.

It seemed they were trying to slip a leash around his neck…

‘Not a chance in hell.’

Orban gritted his teeth with a sharp *click*.

He wouldn’t go down like this.

“I will never live like that.”

I’d rather die than bow and scrape to others.

Orban thought, hardening his resolve.

Whether it be a Boundary-class mage, the Guild Master, or anyone else.

Whoever it may be, come and get me.

He himself was a High-level mage, in truth, considered to be just below Boundary-class.

Being called the Gatekeeper ends today.

I will show those b*stards clearly that the name ‘Golden Mage’ is not undeserved.

@

A few hours later.

Enoch’s airship landed in the city.

The name of the city they arrived at was Novaris.

It was where the headquarters of Orban’s company, Dimaira, was located.

Furthermore, this was a kind of scientific city, densely populated by numerous mages and researchers.

Clarena’s main laboratory was also built here, one could almost consider it the Silicon Valley of this world.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to Novaris.”

“Jane, have you ever been here?”

“This is a story from my student days. I used to live here then. I wonder if my regular shops are still around.”

Jane looked around the streets, savoring the memories.

Coming back after so long, many things came to mind.

“We can reminisce later at our leisure. For now, let’s move.”

“Is there such a rush? No matter what they’ve prepared, it’ll be the same old thing.”

“That’s not the important thing. Meeting Orban, that’s what matters most.”

Vergo, who had belatedly gotten off the airship, ground his teeth as he spoke.

He walked ahead immediately, as if he wouldn’t listen to any objections.

“So he says. Let’s hurry too.”

“Honestly. What’s the big deal about some electric car…”

“Such words are not good, Jane. Understand Vergo’s feelings.”

Nordila, who had gotten off late, quietly retorted.

Jane wore a dissatisfied expression and poutted for no reason.

“And yet, Gramps Nordilla. Why ever did you come along, Gramps? Weren’t you rather… negative about this whole affair?”

“What could I do? Rosita requested it. Someone has to keep watch from a neutral position, doesn’t there?”

Nordilla sighed, a rasping sound.

Truth be told, he’d had no desire to follow this far. He’d honestly wanted to foist it off on Racelin or Sebek.

But the other two had been even quicker to the draw. The moment they sensed trouble brewing, they’d promptly made themselves scarce.

-Orban? Don’t particularly care. I’d rather be adjusting the monster population on the continental border in that time.

-Me neither… Orban this, Orban that, I’ve no interest…

-Ah, if you need an earthquake, call me. I’ll plant one right into Dimaira headquarters.

-Tornado, you need one, contact me… through the chatroom, not a phone call.

‘Even now, a mad conversation.’

Enoch grimaced, recalling the archmages’ pronouncements.

To flee out of sheer annoyance was one thing. But to so casually mention natural disasters like earthquakes and tornadoes…

Indeed, it was inevitable that a boundary-class mage would be compared to an act of God.

“What are you doing? Let’s be on our way!”

“Coming, coming.”

“Honestly. You’d think you were the one who first proposed pasting Orban all over the place.”

“Quit your grumbling. All it does is sour your own mood.”

Bergo urged them onwards, relentless.

The remaining three shuffled forward, muttering under their breath.

The atmosphere was almost… tranquil, as if they were out for a stroll.

@

The group soon arrived before the headquarters.

Before even setting out, they had anticipated that Orban would have implemented a degree of fortification.

Sure enough, that expectation proved entirely accurate.

Currently, the entrance to Dimaira’s headquarters was secured with an ironclad defense of various contraptions and protective magics.

Furthermore, a considerable number of mages were lined up in a row, each preparing magic or aiming firearms.

They appeared to be employees of Dimaira, or perhaps hired mages.

*Absolutely* no entry. That resolute determination radiated outward, palpable in the air.

“Quite the scale, isn’t it? Orban was rather serious about this side of things, it seems. How much coin did he sink into this?”

“That defensive magic… it feels familiar. The Shield Mage, perhaps? Seems they’ve recruited someone from the Knights.”

“Jane and Nordilla are just savoring the spectacle,” Jane and Nordilla remarked, each in their own way. They were purely enjoying the current situation as spectators.

After all, it was none of their concern, a matter for others.

Drugs or whatever. Not something worth fretting over. Thus, Orban’s counterattack was more amusing and delightful to them than bothersome.

*This house certainly has a lot of content!* Just that level of appreciation.

“You scoundrels!”

“? Vergo?”

“You are obstructing the guild’s work! How dare you block the messenger attempting to deliver official documents! Is this truly Orban’s will!”

Vergo alone was incensed by the present circumstances.

He raised his voice, sharply rebuking the headquarters’ employees.

He was so furious that even Enoch, standing beside him, was momentarily taken aback.

“Inform Orban immediately! We will no longer tolerate your tyranny!”

“Are electric cars *that* important?”

“Shhh, be quiet.”

“I have come this day to right the fallen justice! Make haste! Before I personally bring down divine punishment upon this place!”

Orban cried out forcefully.

The employees did not budge despite the warning.

Instead of rushing to Orban and grabbing at his trouser legs, they raised their voices in response.

-Great Master of the Lightning Spire! Forgive us, but we cannot comply with that proposition!

“What?!”

-We have received orders to defend this place! We can never retreat!

-And remember this! We, too, have our own measures prepared!

“Such insolence! It seems you lot must receive divine punishment to come to your senses! It will be too late for regrets!

Vergo contorted his face and raised his hand.

If he simply dropped it downward, thunder and lightning would strike immediately.

At that moment, the mages standing in a row cried out in terror all at once.

-Waaait a moment!!! Please look at this first!!!

“? What is this!”

-The city’s electricity bill!

“What?!”

Vergo was stunned.

Enoch, too, watched the unfolding scene with wide eyes.

“Electricity bill, you say? What nonsense is this, out of the blue?”

“Well…? I’m not sure myself.”

“The story takes an amusing turn, doesn’t it?”

Jane cocked her head, puzzled.

Nordilla stroked his beard, chuckling heartily.

Beyond the aghast Vergo, the employees at the entrance shouted once more.

-We have heard tales of the Master Mage’s magic, of course! We know full well that you draw power from the surrounding grid!

“You scoundrels!”

-If you dare unleash your magic, the cost shall fall squarely upon the city! Do you desire to see the city’s residents crushed beneath a progressive tax bomb?!

-Cease your hand, I say!

-Cease your hand!

“These, these damned fools…!”

Vergo trembled with rage.

To his chagrin, their words held truth.

Vergo’s magic *was* electricity itself. If he were to use it now, the cost would be passed directly to the city’s inhabitants.

Perhaps a million crowns per household, or more, would be the light estimate.

An unbearable sum for ordinary families.

“They take after their master, cowardly to the core! Is this how your mothers raised you! To resort to such insidious trickery…!!!”

“…Enough. I shall handle this.”

“Enoch?”

Enoch, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward belatedly.

He’d found the situation rather interesting and had been observing, but it was time to resolve it.

-That fellow…

-Is that not the boundary-class mage who recently emerged?

-Little is known about him, though…

As the man stepped forward, a variety of reactions arose.

Enoch, ignoring them, focused on dissecting the structure of the magic.

‘The barrier is unremarkable. Eight layers in total, counting the upper levels. As Nordilla said, it seems the Shield Mage is behind this.’

Surprisingly, the craftsmanship of the barrier was rather decent.

Even possessing minor resistance to all manner of afflictions.

It was simply Vergo who had stepped forward. Perhaps Orban had foreseen his antagonism with the Master of the Magic Tower, and prepared accordingly.

‘Even so, it would all have been in vain.’

Whatever the truth, it was a pointless conjecture now.

Enoch thought this, and drew a hand across his chest.

The routine to unlock it.

A colossal mechanical serpent manifested behind him.

-Wooo!!

-Th-that!

-Everyone, prepare! Something’s coming!

“My good Enoch, I’m afraid that won’t suffice?”

Vergo interjected, offering his unsolicited opinion.

“The barrier must be undone, but do you have a suitable method?”

“It’s quite alright. I happen to possess the skill to unlock any lock.”

Smashing a lock to pieces was, strictly speaking, a skill, wasn’t it?

Enoch replied simply, and twirled a finger.

Golden Fusion.

Enoch’s inventory opened, and a kaleidoscope of treasures fused into one.

They simultaneously adhered to the mechanical serpent’s entire body, melting into it with a golden light.

And then, from within the dazzling radiance, a new monstrosity emerged.

A massive torso and long tail, surmounted by eight heads.

Resembling the mythical beast Hydra, it was Enoch’s new summon.

-Kyaaah!!!

‘A name… never mind. It would be foolish to change it now.’

Too bothersome. Let’s just call it Over Dragon.

Enoch sighed and gestured with his finger, issuing the command.

The eight heads moved independently, then simultaneously opened their maws toward the headquarters’ entrance.

-Ziiiiiiiiing