novelraw Chapter 329
Chapter 329
Chapter 329
The sensation when lungs swell to their limit is always the worst. Even if I try to exhale, I cannot. I reflexively blocked my ears. It was useless. The rapid gasps I made sounded like someone else's screams.
When freedom of the body is taken away, humans seem to suffer from some kind of impulse. Having lost the ability to breathe autonomously, I cannot know if what I am feeling now is that impulse or fear. It might be the same thing; since I took away my freedom, the answer concludes with eliminating myself. Half the path to unconsciousness is drowsiness and half is pain. I slowly bent my body. There was no floor. I couldn't tell if I was falling or floating, and my five senses were being devoured by the rushing breath.
[This....]
SPLASH—
"...!"
Cold water hit my face. I reflexively exhaled sharply. My eyes opened wide. The cloth covering my face, the water hindering my breathing, the lamplight spreading below the cloth, the head thrown back, that moment rushed at me. Clack, the sound of the old man's cane scratched my auditory cells.
Emotions I didn't even know at the time suddenly popped up.
BANG—!
"Cough...! Ugh...."Mecklenburg, with his face completely crumpled, hit my arm. Only then did I realize what I was doing. My head went cold. A sensation of something surging up my throat occurred. As I hurriedly stepped back, he coughed and got up from his seat. I realized neither Marco Schreiber's face nor the Chairman's subordinates were here. Even though they were just here. As if time axes overlapped.... I realized an unfamiliar room was entering my vision. I stood blankly in that state and said.
"...I apologize, Senior."
"...I wonder if I should be glad you know."
Mecklenburg, touching his neck, was sarcastic in a chilly voice. I had neither the heart nor the leeway to explain. The world was still shaking without a center. It felt like my skull was broken. Thoughts that didn't make sense roamed in my head. Only after a long time did I barely squeeze out a sound and say again.
"I apologize. I have bad memories regarding water, so I made a mistake."
"......."
"I did not intend to harm Senior."
Even if it sounds like an excuse, it can't be helped. Because it is an excuse. There was no need for this person to know how I regard water pouring from above in a state where I cannot see, or how I regard darkness that makes one lose sense of direction, and he wouldn't want to know either, so it was better to end it at this. I was thankful that he waited for my mind to return without using his ability even though he had a unique ability that could kill me anytime, but apart from that, I had the thought that I wished the person would disappear from before my eyes. That was all. I tapped the floor with a trembling hand as I lost my balance. Sound Insulation Magic was cast. Now I didn't have to hold my breath. I calmed my breathing and closed my eyes.
"I know."
Mecklenburg responded briefly to my words and turned around to examine this place.
"Until just now, we were in the Middle World. Seeing that it took a bit of time, our movement was suspended in the Middle World state, but since there is no reason to do so, it seems there was resistance from the opposing side that took time."
By opponent, he must mean the 91st Class representative and Leo. I raised my head when my breathing started to calm down gradually.
"Seeing that they cast magic to move to the Middle World on the stadium where we were, Mimesis must have been turned off, and considering that was possible, it means there was a spy or we were raided...."
Mecklenburg snapped his fingers. All the water that fell on my clothes when he woke me up dried. He must have done so thinking he should save the stamina of his only colleague right now. When I looked up at him, he met my gaze and said.
"There is no need to say further who is a strong enough enemy to do that. It has become clear where this is and whose doing this is."
I nodded. Articles I read in the past week brushed past my head again. Although I already realized what happened, Mecklenburg spoke clearly as if to make me aware of reality.
"The event that happened before has happened again. Just that the target changed from Magic Studies scholars to us."
"......."
I shouldn't have been complacent.
Though I couldn't be anyway.
Distracted by dealing with ethical views that went crazy collectively, I forgot why I was called out from school to the Prussian Army. Just by leaving this official residence, training ground, and command headquarters, I knew that the world was still under a state of emergency, that no one was walking on the streets and only newspapers were flying around, but I couldn't feel it properly.
Pleroma became strong enough to infiltrate the Special Operations Command in the meantime. Would that be a splendid feat achieved by the kidnapped Mages, or was it their original ability? If the former....
Unfinished worries float in my head.
'If I turn back time completely to before the Mages' disappearance.'
Narce said there was nothing we could change. Is that true?
Retry Lv. 6
― Checkpoint
'Emanuel Wittelsbach's Mansion'
'Killing Grade 3 Berserker'
Emanuel Wittelsbach's mansion.
It means going back to when I intervened in Emanuel's Labyrinth. Having to do all this I've experienced so far again, yes. I can endure it.
But going back to square one, the problem is this. If I go find all those elder Mages who have immense pride in their magic skills and ask them to be careful because Pleroma will be active in the future and might even kidnap you all, I'd be lucky not to be sent to a mental hospital, and even if they believe it after twists and turns, I have to explain where I learned that information. If Pleroma postpones the immediate event but creates another large-scale disappearance event later, the number one interrogation target becomes me.
"......."
Dozens of possibilities popping up suddenly cover my head. It's not that there are no hopeful hypotheses, but they are weak compared to the possibility of negative hypotheses being realized. It is not much different from the conclusion I reached before. In front of the flow, individuals become powerless.
It's not that I don't understand Narce's assertion that it was something that had to happen. Should I go to Abraham and tell him to do politics properly because it will become like this? I cannot give clues about my ability to that guy. I must not give them. Then should I go find the Bavarian Royal Family? This side is much more hopeful and can put out the urgent fire. However, how long can Hohenzollern and the Imperial Government accept the advice of the Bavarian Royal Family? Can they stop it even if they accept it?
If I turn back time and the future changes so things I haven't experienced happen again. If that thing is an even worse case. The worry moves to something more and more fundamental. Are stopping Emanuel Wittelsbach's rampage and stopping the Pentalon terror unrelated to this event? It means it doesn't end just because I turned back time. Maybe this happened because I stopped the Pentalon terror. Did this world become like this because I intervened? Elias's 18 years that I read were not this eventful. Such a difficult situation was a matter of much later. I could never be free from this question and sense of debt.
No matter how much I struggle, I might not be able to change this flow where the first button was fastened wrong like Narce said, but what I had to do first was clear. Whatever happens, whether I turn back time to before the disappearance event in the worst case or turn back time to before the Middle World movement, I must keep using Retry in mind.
But now, there was a decisive problem above anything else.
If I turn back time now, I won't be with the Leo up to today, but with the Leo from the time saving Emanuel Wittelsbach. The Leo I go back to meet will understand my explanation and won't blame me, and might rather say it was good I did so. He was a friend with such character.
But I who promised him cannot do that. I didn't make the promise with a soft resolve that either way is fine.
"Do you think Leonard Wittelsbach was also captured here?"
"I wonder where you left that smart brain of yours to ask me."
Mecklenburg scolded without even looking at me. I wasn't free enough to be offended by his words now. I didn't have the leeway to argue either. As I answered with silence, he opened his mouth again.
"...We cannot be certain. The one who broke the Middle World of you and me is not Pleroma but me. Pleroma cast magic on the entire stadium, but movement to the Middle World happened individually. They must have worried we would join forces."
"But why is Senior here with me...."
"Because I broke your Middle World together. Since you confidently said you respect me, you might have studied, but I am adept at Space Magic."
Mecklenburg exhaled a long breath and walked slowly around the room.
"...That is why we are here together, but we do not know where the other two went. It is also uncertain where Pleroma originally intended to take us. However, this place must also be one of their bases."
"......."
"If you have rested enough, get up. Since there is nothing special in this room, we must go out and find a route to escape."
As I nodded and was lost in thought while sweeping my face with my hand, Mecklenburg sighed, approached in front of me, and said in a voice mixed with annoyance.
"I know it is hasty, but it is a situation with no other options. If anyone could come to save us, they would have arrived by now. If it were Sir Nicolaus Ernst, who was nowhere to be found no matter how much we searched during Pentalon, he might come to save us, but right now it would be better to rely on the Pentalon hero here instead."
"......."
Always sarcastic. Cynical bastard. Seeing his impression of Nicolaus Ernst isn't very good, as expected, this guy doesn't match with me.
This guy's words mean don't expect outside help and get a grip because we have to do it with our strength. I tried to sigh but held back and got up from the seat. Only a future of being discovered by Pleroma remains if we keep staying inside. Whether I turn back time or not, I have to find Leo and get out, so I must move right now.
Mecklenburg held his breath and stood in front of the door. I pulled out my Wand and concentrated Magic Power on my ears.
"......."
There was no presence outside. Mecklenburg exchanged glances with me and turned the doorknob.
CREAK—
There was no one in the hallway, and only dim Magic Power lights were illuminating this hallway laid with a red carpet. We held our breath and concentrated on the surrounding vibrations. This process of passing through each room and faintly sensing Magic Power, although clearly not taking much time, felt like dozens of minutes had passed when we reached the end of the hallway. I see strength going into Mecklenburg's jaw.
Mecklenburg, standing in front of the dark stairs, gestured to me with his eyes and circled his finger up and down. I nodded toward below. Checking if the retreat path is intact comes first. Mecklenburg nodded and stepped carefully. And, we witnessed the same thing simultaneously.
"......."
Light leaking from the 1st floor flickers. Mecklenburg bit his lip. I tapped the floor with my foot.
"I cast Sound Insulation Magic up to 50m up, down, left, and right from this spot."
BOOOM—!!
Before the words ended, amber Magic Power exploded like lightning. Surprised screams were heard from the floor below.
"Aaaack!"
"W-Wait! Wait a moment!"
"...?!"
Mecklenburg and I frowned simultaneously. I grabbed the railing, jumped over one staircase, fell, and pushed Magic Power with my legs.
BANG— THUD—
"Uh, uh? Wait, wait!"
Two people who were stepping back hurriedly jumped and avoided my magic. However, they couldn't go far.
THUD—!
They were attacked by my Magic Power and fell to the floor. Whether they were New Humans instead of Old Humans, they raised their upper bodies quickly even after taking the attack and reached out to us.
"W-Wait a moment! Do you not know us?"
I don't. Instead of saying that, I narrowed my eyes and turned my head toward Mecklenburg who was following behind me. Immediately after that, I could realize something was strange. Mecklenburg had his mouth open with a shocked face.
"Why are the seniors here...."
"It seems you also became like us."
Two Mages brushed off their clothes and got up, saying. Only despair remained on their faces. Mecklenburg, who was frowning, glanced at me and introduced them.
"They are 81st Class seniors."
If 81st Class.... That's distant. One Mage laughed weakly and asked for a handshake.
"I am Peter. Next to me is Margarethe."
"...Nice to meet you."
I held their hands. The 98th Class ridiculed us for shaking hands, but the 81st Class is generous.
"What brings you here? Surely you did not come to save us."
"While training in Mimesis, we fell here through the Middle World."
"......."
The two Mages of the 81st Class exchanged glances with complicated faces.
"Let's go for now. Let's talk while walking."
Mecklenburg followed behind them for now while making a wary expression.
"Stories must have been conveyed there too, but Pleroma indiscriminately captured and brought us scholars. Probably I was also listed on the missing persons list there?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"This place is a prison Pleroma made to control us Mages. They gently called it a lodging."
"Are only the seniors here?"
"There are more, but they were called out now."
"......."
I stared piercingly at his back and listened silently to the conversation.
"When those guys brought us, they brought us in the same way as you. Suddenly, the Middle World unfolded without knowing what Magic Power was laid, and someone hit my head. Since then, it seems I have been here for almost a month."
A month. Now it has been a little over a week. Does it mean this is a place where time dilation phenomenon occurs? I took out a pocket watch from my clutch to check and memorized the time in the status window.
"Is there no way to get out?"
"If there were, we would have done it already. There is nothing we haven't tried."
At Mecklenburg's question, one Mage said in a sorrowful voice. Meanwhile, we arrived at the dining hall of this huge mansion.
"Are there other people who arrived besides us?"
"As far as we know until now, you are the only ones."
They simply brewed tea, placed it in front of us, and sat down. Candlelight burning in the middle of the table flickered. No one opened their mouth first. A little later, the Mage named Margarethe spoke with a face full of worry.
"Is the government still not coming to save us?"
"...We have not heard anything yet either."
"I heard stories that we went under the Special Operations Command. Do they not talk about how to solve this chaotic situation there?"
"We are in charge of handling berserkers, so we do not share stories related to emergency response."
"......."
Margarethe nodded.
"I see. First, please calm your mind while drinking some tea. Only then can we discuss countermeasures. At least things necessary for living continue to come in so...."
"That is fortunate."
As I interrupted abruptly and answered, Mecklenburg looked at me with an expression saying I was rude. Peter smiled bitterly and nodded. Then pushed refreshments in front of us as if meaning for us to eat quickly. Margarethe asked cautiously.
"So, do you perhaps have artifacts or... tools that could be used for escape right now?"
"Unfortunately, Wands are all."
"This has become troublesome. Though thinking about it, since you came this far, they wouldn't have let you bring in dangerous things."
"It seems you want to go out."
At my rude words, Mecklenburg made a fed-up expression. I don't know how this guy is so weak-spirited yet sat there being jealous of Adrian Askanian. Margarethe answered with an expression asking what I was saying now.
"Of course. Does it look like we do not want to go out now? I don't know how the government reported it, but right now we...."
"The mansion is very nice."
"......."
Now even Peter's expression was gradually hardening.
"I heard well."
I got up from the seat, smiled, and offered my right hand to Peter.
He held my hand with a rotten smile while being puzzled. I pulled his left arm sharply and tore off the sleeve. Peter's mouth opened.
"...!"
"......."
Two long cut scars.
I looked at the long cross remaining on that wrist and looked into Peter's eyes. Mecklenburg stood up from his seat.
"You received baptism."
"......."
"Probably you use Vitriol too."
"...That is...."
Peter answered while pulling his arm out with eyes looking at such a rude guy.
"It was done by threat. If we could use Vitriol proudly, why wouldn't we have used it when you attacked us in the first place? We are the ones in pain."
Peter looked straight at me and bluffed.
"I am saying this because you will have to continue living here from now on, but Pleroma does not choose means and methods. How much could we have resisted? You also soon...."
"Stop."
The gazes of the three all turned to Margarethe. Annoyance was melted in Margarethe's eyes. He exhaled a deep breath, got up from the seat, and stomped his foot.
ROAAAAR—
"...!"
The world before my eyes collapsed, so I blocked the front with my arm. The brown wooden floor now turned into a pure white marble floor. Along with that, tears welled up reflexively.
'What on earth...!'
Immense panic rushed in for a moment, but I could understand the situation quickly. The air that went down into my mouth and throat is spreading as if exploding inside the body and attacking Magic Power. It feels like my airway and lungs are burning.
'These bastards....'
They developed something new. Magic Power goes out, but I cannot endure long in this state. The smell of blood began to rise from the already dry airway.
BANG— BO-BO-BO-BOOM—
Pitch-black Vitriol exploded in front of my eyes. Peter and Margarethe pulled out Wands that weren't there until just now and fired attacks at us.
I know why the Pleroma bastards changed the chemical sprayed in the air. If they explode chemicals that block Magic Power recklessly, magic research on the Mages they captured with great effort becomes impossible. While making that possible, they must have made it so only those who received baptism can endure inside this. And the 81st Class, whether turned traitor or brainwashed, is not on our side. They are the ones who reported us, who crash-landed here due to Mecklenburg's coordinate system interference, to the headquarters. I called Mecklenburg who would be somewhere outside my vision.
"Senior!"
BANG—!
I changed the Wand to a sword and cut off the Vitriol. The red light blocking and splashing against the opponent's defense and attack hinders judgment.
"We will die at this rate. What will you do?!"
"You chattered so well during the test, and now you are pushing it onto me?"
Mecklenburg shouted while blocking the Vitriol flying towards him. Siren sounds began to ring in this hall. Sounds of Pleroma rushing in are heard.
WHOOSH— BANG—!
Vitriol brushed past the side of my face. My ears became hot as if burning, and something flowed down my neck following my face. I continued to strike away the Vitriol flying at me and stomped the staff.
[If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish!]
BOOOOM— CLANG—!
Vitriol flew exactly towards my heart. I struck away that hardened Vitriol and lowered my body.
'Damn it.'
It doesn't work. There are too many people. Although I used amplification magic, the collapse was momentary, and the sounds of Pleroma chanting spells shook my ears loudly. Mecklenburg's breathing sound behind me became faster and faster.
"Senior! You do it to blood but can't do it to Vitriol?!"
"Look here. Isn't the viscosity itself different! Besides...."
Mecklenburg gritted his teeth and concentrated on defense. It must mean casting his unique ability takes a lot of strength. Even more so since he came after using his ability in the 2nd round test earlier. No need to hear more. The speed of other Pleroma rushing here was faster than the speed of Mecklenburg defeating Pleroma with his unique ability.
"...Gasp."
BANG— CLANG—
"Ugh!"
The sound of Mecklenburg losing balance and stomping the staff was heard. Then followed the sound of attacks striking him. Even though he was defending, it was insufficient.
Something hot flows from my nose. My head spun. There is no chance of winning against this number of Pleroma without handling this air. At least this place should have been a riverside.
'Whew.'
I have the illusion that even right in front of my eyes is turning red. Because the state inside my body was completely messed up, I had the thought that it might not be an illusion.
It is unclear whether we can get out alive or not.
Now it couldn't be helped.
"Senior. Defend properly."
"What?!"
"Quickly!"
I shouted loudly, changed the sword to a staff, and struck it down.
ROAAAAAAR—....
―Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
I opened my closed eyes. Nothing was visible because of the pure white light, but the sound of people collapsing was heard clearly.
Mecklenburg, who stood behind, stepped back.
I took a long deep breath and continued chanting the spell.
―Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant.
I understand. I will ensure that for this and all future chapters, the "New Terms List" contains only significant proper nouns (characters, specific organizations, key locations) and crucial lore-specific terminology (spells, artifacts, unique concepts), excluding common nouns or trivial items.