novelraw Chapter 226 (2)
Chapter 226 (2)
“Hm, really, even taking Old Human medicine, the effect is good. You dodge well even in this situation.”
Leo said in a fresh voice.
“Get up. It’s 5.”
“…….”
To confirm if the effect of the sympathetic nerve blocker drug was good, he relentlessly drove me for the past 4 hours without a moment’s rest.
The effect was tremendous.
I already knew from experiencing it a few times, but when a person is about to die, no thoughts come.
No, one does come. Just the thought that although life was full of regrets and lingering, I lived my best in every moment.
Was this really the effect of the sympathetic nerve blocker drug, or the effect of running non-stop for four hours? That couldn’t be known.
The vines crawled to my face and pulled off the cloth covering my eyes.Light entered my vision that had adapted to the darkness. Leo sat next to me and untied and organized the cloth over my eyes.
“Training with eyes covered reminds me of the 3rd exam. Doesn’t it?”
—“Why are you talking like it’s a very distant past when it’s only been a week.”
“Why are you using divine power instead of speaking?”
Boom—!
I swung my fist back and launched an attack. The sound of stones on the training ground floor being dented and bouncing by magic power was heard.
I needed energy to speak, this bastard….
This guy repeatedly said that my choice to cover my eyes during the third test was a crazy choice, but today he brought the blindfold himself. The reason it felt more like dying than usual was because of this.
While arguing that it wasn’t even an exam, why go this far—the words that came out were quite annoying, ‘What can I do…. If you don’t want to get hit, you have to run hard.’—, I felt like recording this personality well and tipping it to the Bavarian kingdom daily on the day of his ascension ceremony.
“Bring it during the times I can’t drink the antidote. It was a bit disconcerting during the exam, but now I see it’s really a good method to reduce distracting thoughts.”
“…….”
“Even if not training time, if thoughts interfering with the mission come up, tell me. I’ll properly eliminate them.”
Leo said that and nodded with a proud face.
I attacked him again and lay sprawled on the floor.
After that, I barely returned to the dormitory after emptying two more elixir bottles.
In the morning, we moved to the Imperial Mages' Association building.
Since Leo had completely removed today’s deployment schedule, there was only a team meeting on activity directions.
I listened to Leo’s words while watching the fountain pen ink leak on the note.
‘Tonight or tomorrow night, if I go over there, he’ll do the drug.’
It would be good to find out more information before that.
Knowing something and guiding is different from building from 0. That bastard might also be preparing something like me.
First, what I’m curious about.
Which diocese’s what clergy is he?
Which diocese is competing with him?
What threat will those dioceses pose to Pentalon?
These three are just basics.
‘One more to that.’
Why is he wearing a Wittelsbach face?
I raised my head and looked at Leo standing at the end of the long table.
I can never tell Leo, but the moment I saw Leo after returning, I felt ‘I just sent off the stalker, and there’s another similar guy in front.’ Not only the features are similar, but the atmosphere was completely his family.
But platinum hair can’t come from Wittelsbach Old Humans, and to begin with, there are no Wittelsbach Old Humans currently.
Since that stalker doesn’t transform using divine power, he can’t freely create desired appearances like Narce or me. It means that body is definitely an existing body.
‘I have to check once.’
Clap—
When I shifted focus, I saw Leo looking at me expressionlessly. The team members sitting on both sides turned to look at me.
“You’re not concentrating.”
“I was? The imperial family is in the mood to raise the berserker grade that Eszett handles, our profile shooting schedule is set, and on the day the French Empire Imperial Academy representative team comes to our country, we have to handle the protocol.”
“Accurate. You listened well.”
However, he smiled softly and pointed to the outdoor training ground outside the window.
“I’ll give you 3 minutes, so run five laps.”
“…….”
I smiled soullessly.
I thought before too, but I’ve definitely become too close with this bastard. I was looking at the speaker’s face without showing it, but he reads my thoughts this well?
I saw Ulrike looking alternately at me and Leo with surprised eyes.
“Huh….”
“Leo. Luca listened to everything.”
Elias said without laughter for once.
Not laughing was, with high probability, an intention to respect Leo’s hierarchy.
It’s a part I don’t feel since we luckily became same-team classmates, but in Mage groups belonging to ruling families like imperial or royal, the hierarchy is clear.
Between classes, and between leader-vice leader-members too.
So normally, I couldn’t be glaring at him with dead eyes here.
Since Leo’s leader position is the seat he received from me on the final announcement day of the school corps, and as the final 1st place, I receive leader-level treatment externally, Leo is intentionally ignoring his own hierarchy, so I don’t have to follow his orders.
But there’s no need to disrupt discipline. It’s also an order he gave thinking of me.
Since the effect of the sympathetic nerve blocker was tremendous, no need for help, but he’s not me, so he doesn’t know that far.
‘I’ll flick his forehead next time.’
Having finished the calculation—I should have dashed out before calculating—I clapped once hard and ran out. I saw Leo staggering while inhaling.
While running leisurely over 3 minutes to clear my head, someone came beside me and started running together.
It was Heike.
“What? You having distracting thoughts too?”
“No. We’re on break now.”
Heike said that indifferently, then cast soundproof magic and carefully asked.
“…Are you okay? Leo is bullying you.”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t know?”
I had nothing to say….
I had to hold back laughter.
But this false accusation is self-inflicted by him, so what can I do.
“I’m fine. Thanks for worrying.”
When I said that, Heike looked at me with rarely worried eyes.
“If it’s hard, tell me. I’m a bit scared of Leo too, but I’ll do my best to help as much as I can.”
“…Ahem… Thanks. But, Heike.”
“Yeah?”
“After today’s schedule, want to hang out with me?”
* * *
Getting agreement from Heike wasn’t hard.
Now, what remains is pondering how to properly play fitting a high schooler’s needs.
I can’t propose like this, so I have to do my best.
And….
As Nicolaus identity, I came to the Federal Assembly Building with Narce, with Richthofen’s help.
Precisely, to the very top floor end of the building, a dusty conference room.
Including the time I turned back and erased, this was the third visit.
Boom—!
Richthofen chanted a small Latin spell and unfolded space magic. A congressman I didn’t even know was there suddenly appeared in the chair.
“…! What is this now?!”
Congressman Alexander Kluger saw me and jumped up from his seat.
He was a Pleroma congressman in the assembly. Also the opponent I had put under subordination magic.
I had things to ask him, so when I visited the imperial family, I sent him a letter to meet today immediately.
“We meet again, Congressman.”
“J-just now, I definitely wasn’t here?”
He said while looking around quickly.
“That’s not important. Nice to see you again.”
I smiled, seated Narce and Richthofen, and sat down.
The congressman smiled awkwardly and licked his lips with his tongue.
“Ah, yes…. What is it today? The Abraham matter was resolved well….”
“Ah, about that. How do they react inside Pleroma?”
“…Lord Ernst thinks you did a good deed. He’s also curious how you managed it.”
“Hm, good.”
Other stories are enough.
I clasped both hands and said slowly.
“Actually, there are a few things you need to answer today, Congressman.”
“Me…?”
“Hm, it’s something I’m investigating personally. Just in case, I’ll tell you in advance, but even if it’s not you, I know many Pleromas. I’ll cross-verify, so don’t worry about information for spy detection and answer.”
Not many, about two.
Abraham is hard to call Pleroma, but good for getting information.
But if they know what I’m curious about, they’ll delay answers like that stalker. While saying they’ll answer if I fulfill what they want.
So, this person is optimal for getting Pleroma information.
“Or else….”
When I stroked the wand with my fingertip, his gaze fixed there.
The congressman shook his head and quickly said.
“O-of course I have to answer. What did you come to know?”
“Ah, good. That’s how it should be.”
When I smiled, Richthofen, waiting in the next seat, cast soundproof magic and whispered.
“Your Excellency is suited for threats.”
“No, I’m not.”
“To deny this….”
No time for nonsense.
I broke the soundproof magic and leaned toward the congressman.
“Which diocese are you affiliated with?”
“I’m with the Brandenburg Archdiocese.”
“Ah, I see. That’s why you’re active in the capital.”
“Yes.”
“Hm…. This question isn’t limited to Brandenburg. There’s a clergy in your church who can do transformation magic, which diocese’s person is it?”
“Transformation magic…?”
He frowned and fell into deep thought.
“There’s no such person… I might not know, though.”
When I raised the wand, he flinched and waved his hands.
“Ah! Really! Really! It’s true. Please believe me. I’m now in the same boat as Your Excellency….”
He slanted his eyebrows and shrugged. Narce nodded slightly.
Seeing my expression soften a bit, the congressman quickly continued.
“Is that person perhaps a bishop? Abilities of high-positioned people are often unknown. There could be transformation ability holders, but except for a few closest aides, no one knows. It’s really top secret.”
I nodded, cast soundproof magic, and asked Richthofen.
“Senior.”
“You’re calling me senior while in that form?”
“Listen. The transformation ability holder I met was using a defense artifact matching my ability. Assuming he prepared for sudden dangers, is the possibility higher that he put artifacts on all his bodies, or that he put it on because that body is frequently used?”
“Both can’t be ignored. But usually, on frequently used bodies.”
Right. If he thinks the same, it’s worth trying once.
I erased the soundproof magic and said to the congressman.
“Then let’s change the question. This time, answer including all laypeople you know.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Platinum hair with blue eyes. I remember the magic power was quite strong.”
“There are too many such people…. Any more clues?”
“It was an Old Human woman, and looked like a Wittelsbach person.”
“Wittelsbach Old Human?”
The congressman’s eyes changed.
With a face like he caught on, he said rapidly.
“I don’t know if exactly Wittelsbach, but wasn’t that Old Human extremely beautiful? To the point of hard to forget once seen.”
“Yes. Do you know?”
“…I do.”
The congressman wiped his face with his hand.
“Was that person a transformation ability holder? This is news to me, surprising. Even though I hear various information in congressman position, to hear Pleroma internal info from Lord Nicolaus Ernst….”
He shook his head with an incredulous surprised face. Then leaned toward us.
“It’s the Archbishop of Freiburg. Not someone easy to meet, did you meet directly?”
Freiburg.
No way I could forget that name.
In the already erased time, wasn’t it where the bishop and monsignor who warped me to Primrose Path and drugged me belonged? How could I forget the place that first gave me a taste of the drug.
I never thought, but it’s the archbishop there.
I smiled and tapped the table.
“…You seem to know well.”
“Of course. That diocese is like our ideal. If not for Freiburg Archdiocese, we now….”
Saying up to there, the congressman seemed to realize the opponent was Nicolaus, trailed off while glancing.
“Now?”
“Ah, no….”
“Speak.”
I held the wand and tapped divine power out to the tip. The terrified congressman’s gaze busily went between the divine power and my face.
I smiled and leaned closer.
“Didn’t you say we’re in the same boat.”