I grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up.
"Ghk…"
"No, I suppose it's not exactly the same, since what you're about to experience won't be an illusion. You asked what I meant about you never returning to Mecklenburg?"
I pulled the artifact from where it was hooked over my other ear. As it left my skin, the stealth property enchanted upon it deactivated.
I smiled, holding the artifact in his line of sight.
"What do you think it means?"
Strauch's face, already pale and drained of blood, froze coldly. His eyes widened as his lips moved.
"...Don't tell me…"
"It's exactly what you're imagining."
I yanked him by the lapel and slammed his head against the railing.
*Thud—!*
"Ugh!"
The illusion Strauch had created was still perfectly intact, the countless people within it watching us with tense, nervous eyes, their nerves on edge.
Pressing against his cold neck, I muttered.
"I wonder how everyone will react when they learn the young councilman from Mecklenburg-Schwerin is a member of the Pleroma."
"N-no… That can't…"
"They'll all be more than willing to devote their time to you. Your story will be on every household's dinner table now. Letters asking after your health will inevitably mention the Pleroma politician. Schools, the Imperial family, and the Federal government will all use your case for decades to instill caution in their juniors."
Strauch shook his head rapidly, trying to pull back. It seemed he had no strength left to speak.
That was only natural, considering I'd attacked him with the maximum amount of mana I could draw in an instant to ensure he couldn't cast any magic.
Feeling his life force flickering out, I spoke.
"Look back. What achievements did you take pride in? Graduating top of your class from the Imperial First Academy's Magic Department? Getting a job in the Federal government right after graduation, being selected as a councilman for Schwerin before even ten years had passed… You had a lot of support for someone with such a short political career."
I tilted my head, looking into his unfocused eyes.
"Impressive. It was a brilliant life anyone would envy. Right?"
"...."
Even after all this, I wondered if he regretted stepping into the Pleroma. Of course, any regret now was meaningless.
Strauch's breathing became irregular, and I could feel it gradually slowing.
It was time to wrap things up. I took off my glove and pressed my hand to his forehead.
*—Enter through the narrow gate.*
I always stopped here before.
But not this time.
I recited the formula, putting force into my hand. If I didn't, my hand was trembling so badly I couldn't focus on the magic.
*—…wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it…*
Mid-sentence, I felt something break again. A drop of my blood fell onto his pale face.
*'…I can't stop here.'*
Just a little more.
I didn't know how the Pleroma's system worked. There was no telling by what means they could scrape out his memories.
*—…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.*
So, I could only feel at ease if I damaged the original.
As the incantation ended, Strauch's violently trembling pupils stopped moving. His arms and legs went limp.
He wasn't dead.
A strong shock to the mana pathways leading to the brain could cause this temporary reaction. It meant his tier was lower than mine, and that my memory manipulation magic had succeeded.
Even with proof he was Pleroma, it was better to let the Imperial family deal with him as a final measure than for me to cut his throat right here and now. It was best to leave no room for any potential negative imagery or unnecessary complications.
*'More importantly…'*
The price for using several times' worth of mana in one go was washing over me.
I had been desperately ignoring it, but now that I thought the matter was completely settled, the tension drained away and I could no longer hold on.
*Thump—*
My vision narrowed at a steady pace, as if lights were going out one by one. A chill spread from somewhere deep in my gut.
*Kwoooong—*
For some reason, the same roaring sound from before echoed again.
It must have been longer this time, but my ears, perhaps unable to accept it, immediately blocked out the sound. A dazed state, like being underwater, continued.
I raised a hand to touch my ear. A sticky liquid coated my fingers.
*'....'*
What was this? It was a name I definitely should know.
It felt like a circuit had been cut. My expression contorted involuntarily.
Now my eyes were closing on their own. If I just waited like this, backup would arrive soon. It wouldn't be bad to rest a little.
*'No, that's not right.'*
Right now, I needed to figure out what that roaring sound I hadn't made was. I didn't even have enough time to think about my next move, what was…
*Kwaaaang—*
Something fell, stirring up wind. I saw a figure within the dust rising in the distance.
"...Can you hear me? You're covered in blood. Are you okay?"
It was a familiar voice.
I clenched my fist and opened my mouth.
I felt, however faintly, the fog in my head clearing. Only then could I remember what was on my hand.
"I saw all your magic. You know you almost killed him, right?"
I squinted, trying to focus my blurred, filmy vision. Someone in a black robe over priestly vestments laughed aloud and swung a staff.
"As expected, your potential… my eye wasn't wrong. But let's not kill him. We need to see how he dies."
*—Stretch forth Your hand, and in Your holy name, grant healing, signs, and miracles.*
Pure white divine power unfolded before my eyes.
My mind cleared. I could tell I had a little more leeway now.
Only then did I notice something odd about the other person's appearance.
The fuchsia fascia tied at the waist of the robe over the vestments caught my eye. To my knowledge, there were only a few clergy who could use a color that vivid.
The staff also deviated from my common sense; it was the staff given to clergy of the Papacy, held in his hand. His hair color wasn't the usual dark brown either, but closer to the white the Papacy had standardized for divine power users. His irises were also a pale aqua color, the boundary of the pupil visible with unsettling clarity.
His appearance raised many questions, but I didn't have the mental energy for them.
Leaning back against the railing, I muttered.
"Now you show up…"
"Yeah, sorry. Strauch messed with the coordinate system twice."
Narque lifted his mask slightly to show his face. He sat down in front of me, checked my condition, and smiled with a微妙 expression.
"Your internal injuries are severe. Since it's not poison, purification won't work… it's a problematic situation. When we get back, we should squeeze something out of Wittelsbach."
"You'll squeeze it out for me?"
"Haha, so humble. I'll bring you a newspaper or something after you get treated and wake up."
I frowned at the incomprehensible words, and Narque burst out laughing.
"The entire Empire is currently stepping forward as if they'd squeeze out anything for you. There's no way your own affiliation wouldn't do it. Now, answer my questions. Here…"
Narque turned my head and pointed below.
"Do you still know where this is?"
"The capital plaza… the top floor of the clock tower."
"Good. Then, you know those people are your illusion?"
"I know."
"You also know we're about 100 meters above ground right now?"
"I didn't know that part."
I held my ringing head and answered.
"Roughly, yeah. Anyway, I should tell you that in our coordinate system too, there's a crowd of people down there just like that."
"What…!"
"Don't get worked up in that state. I didn't have time to bring a mask, what should we do? Should I lengthen your hair? No, let's cover it with the robe for now."
"Can't we just warp? Ah, damn it… the coordinate system…"
"Yeah, there's no way to move the coordinate system. This is a first for me too. Do you remember where I came from just now?"
I silently shook my head.
"From your perspective, I fell from the sky. I had to create an impact to make a crack. There were a couple of replicated parts, but luckily, the first try landed on the world you were in."
"...What are you trying to say…"
I clutched my head.
A series of utterly incomprehensible statements.
Under normal circumstances, I would have understood from context, but I wasn't in a state for that.
Then my vision tilted. Narque picked me up and adjusted his stance.
"It means we leave the same way we came. We have to jump now, Lucas."
"What?!"
"Haha, no other way. Sorry. But since this is the best option, it's not really something to be sorry about."
Narque leaped onto the railing in one swift motion. Standing there, the wind assaulted us even more fiercely.
*Kwaaaaa—*
"I'll cast a perception disruption spell. Don't worry about your face being seen."
"No, is that what you're saying right now…!"
"You can trust my skills. If we delay any longer, you'll die right here, brother or not. Ready, three, two… one."
Narque lightly pushed off.
The sound of the wind ceased, and a feeling of pressure closed in on my eardrums. Immediately after, a wind sound of a magnitude I had never heard before filled my hearing completely.
*KWAAAAAAANG—!*
"Waaaaaaaaaah!"
"Wow, it's my first time seeing you react so violently."
Narque laughed, shooting magic downward toward the ground with his staff.
In my opinion, it'd be hard to find someone who wouldn't scream while falling naked from 100 meters in the air. I strung together a series of curses in my mind.
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. At some point, Narque turned my head inward.
"Hey! Over there!"
"They're coming!"
Around the time voices could be heard, my memory cut off.
* * *
I don't know how much time passed.
My vision was blurry. I frowned, trying to focus as I scanned my surroundings.
"Are you coming to your senses?"
I turned my head toward the source of the voice.
Someone was holding my hand, channeling mana into it.
Perhaps due to the treatment, my body now had enough stamina to move somewhat.
More importantly… the person treating me right now was the foremost authority on magical medicine in Wittelsbach.
"...."
The King of Bavaria, in other words.
Why was he here?
Shocked, I tried to sit up, but his firm gesture made me lie back down.
"...It's an honor to meet you for the first time, Your Majesty."
"As Sir Nikolaus? Or as Lucas Ascania?"
"...."
The question, wrapped in a gentle smile, had a sharp edge.
Right… from the moment this person was by my side, my identity was already exposed.
As I hesitated to answer easily, he smiled exactly like Leo. Their faces weren't very similar, but the atmosphere made it clear to anyone they were family.
"If it's the latter, then I've seen you since you were a child, no? You probably don't remember, Sir, but it's still vivid in my mind."
"Is that so."
"How is your body?"
"Yes, thanks to you, I've recovered a lot. Thank you."
He nodded silently as if he understood.
*'…Hmm.'*
Until now, I hadn't had the capacity to take unnecessary risks, so I'd used Leo as a proxy to resolve my identity issues.
However, strictly speaking, the proper course would have been to go directly to the King, explain the situation, and request a new identity. Of course, success couldn't have been guaranteed.
Even knowing it was discourteous, I hadn't done so because even Leo's family was a significant risk factor to me.
*'So, I need to check first if this person is trustworthy.'*
I immediately called up the window showing the variable possibility.
Dawn 777 — 696 days, 21 hours, 41 minutes, 18 seconds until final outcome 'Chapter X. Death' — Variable Possibility: 17.4% (+2.0%p)
It had risen by 2%p.
That meant it was no problem even if the King knew.
The thought briefly crossed my mind that this could be the result of a 3%p rise and a 1%p fall…
But the issue of Nikolaus's identity only had two paths.
Maintaining the status quo, and irrecoverable failure.
Touching the identity issue didn't cause favorability points to fluctuate within a certain range like Dasrote's pranks; it immediately prompted my brother to act, leading directly to my death.
If he were someone acting against my interests, the variable possibility wouldn't have fallen slightly by 0.1%p or 1%p; it would have plummeted to the bottom instantly.
Therefore, only the increase gained from eliminating Strauch remained in that figure.
A heavy silence continued for a long while.
During that time, I could feel the clean mana he was channeling circulating through my body.
"To think Sir Nikolaus Ernst was the second son of Ascania… it's astonishing even upon reconsideration."
Anything I said would be wrong.
*Is it astonishing? Are you mocking me…?*
*I had no intention of telling you?* That would be admitting I tried to deceive the King outright.
*I was planning to visit and tell you later?* Frankly, at this point, it didn't matter.
*I'm sorry…* Yeah, that was probably the best. Regardless of my circumstances, I should apologize for what needs apologizing.
As I pondered briefly and was about to open my mouth, the King shook his head.
"Let's talk about this later. You have to return to school the day after tomorrow, so let's have a brief conversation tomorrow."
"...."
I'd rather you just do it now….
But I couldn't say that when I was already lacking in areas where I needed to beg for forgiveness.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The King nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied, and rose from his seat.
"Then, see you tomorrow."
I bowed my head as he left. When the door closed, I tried to sit up but realized it was still too much and lay back down.
I didn't know how things had progressed; I should at least read a newspaper.
There were definitely things I needed to clarify.
*'What exactly happened at the end there.'*
It seemed my body had recovered a lot, but my brain function hadn't fully returned yet.
Let's recall slowly, one thing at a time.
I turned back time, Strauch tried to make me Pleroma again, so I drove him to the brink of death.
And then, due to internal injuries, my mind grew hazy. Luckily, backup arrived…
*'We fell.'*
Narque and I fell from the top of the clock tower in the capital plaza. Luckily, I was alive, but…
*'…!'*
Narque definitely said, *'There's a crowd of people down there in the real plaza too.'*
Did no one recognize me?
He said he used a perception disruption spell, but that spell shouldn't work on mages stronger than Narque.
*'…Quickly. Status window.'*
Lucas René Ascania
Title: Sir Nikolaus
Physique: +1.3 (+0.2) [+4.3]
Mental Power: -1.6 (+1.0)
Mana: ?
Skill: +2.7 (+0.25) [+5.7]
Favorability: -9.9 [+6.50098951]
Luck: +0.95 (+0.9)
Traits: Dawn 777, Divine Power, Charisma (Lv.2), Retry (Lv.1)
-9.9.
This was the first time I felt relief seeing this number.
Narque's words were true. No one had recognized me.
Let me think for a moment.
There must have been mages among the public, yet Narque was able to use a perception disruption spell of that level?
Of course, if Narque warped directly into the air of our world while covering my face, and used a disruption spell as an auxiliary measure… it's not an entirely impossible situation.
Thinking this far, Narque's odd appearance from earlier came to mind.
That was definitely a Papacy mage's staff, and the color of the vestments was also completely atypical. To my knowledge, that fascia color was one only a bishop or higher could use.
For a high-ranking clergy of that level, even the Imperial Second Academy would seem like a trivial school, so why come as an exchange student?
"...."
He definitely said he was attending seminary. Are student status and bishopric compatible? Or is one of them false?
Once doubt arose, other memories surfaced.
Before, in Bavaria's restricted zone, he easily used divine power over ten thousand square meters.
Regarding Narque, the survival possibility had never dropped even once, but…
*'I need to clarify this too.'*
—-----------
T/N:
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