Chapter 409

“What now…”

Left alone in the dark hospital room, I muttered to myself. I eyed the door suspiciously and started toward the wardrobe when a loud pounding erupted outside.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Are you dressed yet?!”

“Does it sound like I am?”

Shooting the door an annoyed look, I quickly stripped off my patient gown and changed into my uniform. Whatever this was, it sounded important enough that I couldn’t exactly show up in a turtleneck that violated regulations. I tightened my tie as much as I could, but the dressing hanging from my neck had already come loose.

‘…I can’t just rip this off. At the very least, I need to redo it before I go.’

I opened the door with a questioning look. Mecklenburg turned toward me, his face deathly pale. He was so completely devoid of color that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

“Who is it? Who am I meeting?”

“No time to explain. Hurry—”

“Yes, I’d love to. But let me redo the dressing first.”

“There’s no time!”

“Then am I supposed to show up looking like this? You can’t spare me even three minutes?”

Mecklenburg frowned and stepped right up to me. Pointing at the communication artifact by his ear, he fired off the words in rapid succession.

“They demanded to see you immediately. That one hour is all I managed to squeeze out by arguing with them. I don’t even know if I was really authorized to stall them that long…!”

“What? You didn’t even get permission?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to hurry!”

He shoved me forward and marched off in search of the medical staff. After making such a fuss about hurrying, I could only stare at him in disbelief. Since when did this guy become so flexible with the rules?

The moment the new dressing was secured, he practically dragged me and warped straight to the Bavarian border checkpoint. I grabbed Mecklenburg’s shoulder to steady myself, and he immediately barked, “Stand up straight!”

“You’ve been remarkably consistent from the beginning. Think you could start pretending to be nice to me now?”

“Even if I don’t want to, I’m about to.”

Because the dressing had knocked my tie slightly crooked, he yanked it back into place. Well, look at that. The bastard finally decided to commit strangulation. Then he smacked me squarely between the shoulders as if to tell me to walk properly, before rattling off another barrage of words.

“Prepare yourself. It’s been three days since the incident. Whatever you do, don’t mention Ismailov or Heike Einsiedel. The negotiations with Pleroma are still strictly confidential.”

“Why on earth won’t you tell me who we’re meeting?”

“Why, you ask?”

I frowned at his oddly detached response and looked at Mecklenburg. He swallowed hard before lowering his voice.

“What difference would it make if I did?”

With that, he clamped his mouth shut, his expression twisting as if he’d made up his mind about something, then suddenly bolted. I stared after him, dumbfounded for a moment before chasing after him. The Bavarian inspectors at the checkpoint gave us strange looks as we hurried back through the building. Mecklenburg disappeared into the restroom at the end of the corridor. I pushed the door open and found him standing before the sink, shaking his head.

“J-Just… give me a second…”

“You were the one rushing me!”

“Just a second…! Ugh…”

“…….”

He clamped a hand over his mouth, barely managing to stop himself from throwing up. I grimaced at the sight, then noticed the mirror and quickly smoothed my expression. Mecklenburg muttered under his breath, “When were you commissioned?”

“…So calling the inauguration ceremony a commissioning finally stuck, huh? I’ve never actually been commissioned. But if you mean the inauguration ceremony, it was February 12.”

“So it’s only been a little over a month.”

Without answering, I looked down at him as he stood bowed over the sink. He braced both arms against the marble countertop. I glanced at the mirror, but his lowered head let his bangs fall over his face, hiding his expression. Still receiving messages, he tapped the communication artifact hanging from his ear and said coldly, “In other words… it’s only been a month.”

“Call it a month and a half.”

“That isn’t the point. Back when we left Brandenburg… when I learned who you really were… I should’ve realized it then. No—I had to.”

I stared at the ceiling at his rambling. Using his fingertips, Mecklenburg managed to tap the sink and cast a soundproofing spell.

“His Majesty wishes to see you immediately. Without adding any of my own opinions, that’s all I can tell you—I’m only repeating what I was told.”

“…His Majesty? What for?”

“…….”

He fell silent, his bloodless lips barely moving.

“First, Pleroma diplomacy. Second, your ability. Third…”

Fsssh—

He murmured the last word almost to himself before trailing off and turning on the faucet. He splashed cold water over his hands and rubbed the back of his neck, looking like someone fighting off a wave of nausea. Just like the day he learned I was Nikolaus Ernst. But I didn’t have the patience to ask whether he was feeling alright.

“I want to hear your own opinion, Senior.”

“…….”

“…Fine. Then tell me this instead. What do you mean by my ability, Senior?”

“I never reported it. If anyone asks—no matter who it is—don’t answer.”

Could he answer in a way that actually made sense? He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he’d stopped considering the person standing in front of him. Still, I knew exactly what he meant. He was talking about the day I fell into the canal. The day Heike lost consciousness. The fact that, even after the river had been completely drained, I hadn’t been lying at the bottom. He had witnessed the moment I disappeared into the Extra Chapter.

“What has His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince been doing lately? Do you know?”

“He’s been tied up with diplomacy in Asia since last month.”

Colonial diplomacy, no doubt. I frowned for a moment before nodding. An emergency summons from the Emperor. If the Emperor was calling me in this suddenly, it couldn’t be over something trivial. France. Pleroma. Austria-Hungary. A-Class. My “commission.”

I should’ve been back, keeping an eye on the persimmon tree. No one else could do that for me. The strange rosary that had appeared at the Hermetische Gesellschaft. The wooden cross Ulrike had been carrying. It was finally time to sit back and watch what happened. And now the Emperor was calling for me all of a sudden.

‘…A short visit is fine.’

I could spare that much. But if it stopped being short…

Mecklenburg—who revered the Emperor almost like a deity—was in full panic now, making himself completely useless. He stared blankly at the running water before pressing his fingers hard against the corners of his eyes.

“Like it or not, we’re in the same boat now. Right?”

“…….”

“Sir Ernst.”

“That’s stating the obvious. I think we’ve spent more time waiting out your panic than it took for them to redo my dressing.”

“No. This is a strategy meeting. Is this your first time meeting His Majesty as Lukas Askanien? When you see him, the first thing you should do is greet—”

“I know how to conduct myself. I’ve probably met him more times than you have, Senior.”

“…….”

Mecklenburg fell silent. He neither glared at me nor scolded me. He simply stared ahead. Only when I glanced down at my wristwatch did he speak again.

“I wouldn’t dare presume to guess His Majesty’s intentions.”

“So? Sounds like you’re still not.”

I answered, wondering if this was how Mecklenburg had felt earlier when he’d been barking at me to hurry up and change. Turning to me, Mecklenburg spoke in a hollow voice. But despite the flat tone, there was unmistakable unease in his eyes.

“Not this time. You’re Nikolaus Ernst. You need to hear my guess.”

“I greet His Imperial Majesty.”

The moment I entered the audience chamber, I bowed to the Emperor. Mecklenburg stepped in beside me, removed his cap, bowed his head, and spoke.

“Your Majesty, as you commanded, I have brought the Young Lord of Anhalt.”

“Lord Lukas Askanien.”

Wearing his usual warm smile, the Emperor rose from his seat and held out a hand. He hadn’t abandoned his approachable persona in the slightest. I answered with a polite smile. Like greeting a distant nephew he hadn’t seen in years, the Emperor spoke with easy familiarity, though a hint of imperial authority still lingered beneath it.

“It has been quite some time. You have grown up so much. The Imperial Mage Association uniform suits you well.”

“I am honored, Your Majesty.”

“Do you remember me?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Haha! Since we met when you were very young, I figured you wouldn’t remember. I am glad to hear otherwise.”

Wasn’t that when they were debating whether Lukas Askanien should be executed? I had no memory of it myself, but I’d read about it in the records.

I simply answered with another smile and took my seat.

Of course, that wasn’t the only time he’d appeared in my daily life outside of my identity as Nikolaus. Everything from my appointment to the Imperial Mage Association to every medal and commendation had been awarded under his name. Das rote had even published an article linking the two of us, and if simply sharing a venue counted, we’d also been at the Pentathlon together.

“The hero of the Pentathlon.”

“…….”

The words came out of nowhere, and the atmosphere instantly turned cold.

That topic. Hearing anyone bring up the Pentathlon was one thing. Hearing it from the Emperor was another entirely. It was the Emperor who had hosted the Pentathlon. The Emperor who had been left to clean up the diplomatic disaster after the terrorist attack, all while watching the Empire’s reputation take a blow. Naturally… that made the subject a dangerous one.

As his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a chill crept down the back of my neck. Mecklenburg swallowed hard and answered in my place.

“No one would dispute Lord Askanien’s extraordinary ability. Even so, the true hero is Your Majesty. None of this would have been possible without Your Majesty’s remarkable judgment in choosing the right people.”

The Emperor merely curled the corner of his lips at Mecklenburg’s strained reply before turning back to me.

“I have also heard that both the Archdiocese of Brandenburg and the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising were brought to a successful conclusion under Lord Askanien’s leadership.”

“None of it would have been possible without my seniors and fellow members of the Association. Above all, Lord Albertina Hohenzollern and Lord Albert Mecklenburg made excellent decisions at exactly the right moments. We owe these results to them.”

“It seems our Empire has gained an exceptional mage. And I also hear from your father that Anhalt’s charitable medical initiative is progressing smoothly. Lord Askanien, you truly do keep yourself occupied with all manner of affairs.”

“…….”

I caught the slightest twitch of Mecklenburg’s fingers from the corner of my eye, but I kept my attention on the Emperor.

“With all the Rampager suppression work in the Special Operations Command, along with everything else on your plate, I worry you may be pushing yourself too hard. What do you think?”

“Not at all. Being able to devote myself to Your Majesty and the people of the Empire is an honor in itself.”

“I am glad to hear it. Even so, do take care not to overwork yourself.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

The Emperor smiled faintly before his expression turned serious.

“The reason I summoned you today concerns the recent incident. I was told Prophet Ismailov bit your neck. Even now, the discoloration is quite noticeable.”

“Yes. However, with a little more time to recover, I should be able to return to duty without issue.”

“One of your comrades suffered harm in this incident as well. I am aware he has yet to regain consciousness.”

Before I had the chance to respond, the Emperor continued.

“What puzzles us, however, is this. Pleroma claimed that Prophet Ismailov had never undergone baptism, and even proved it. We cannot take everything they say at face value, of course, but according to the Ministry of Magic’s follow-up examination, Prophet Ismailov truly had never been baptized.”

“…….”

The examination itself had ultimately been nothing more than an ‘induction’—not something conclusive. But… why bring this up now?

The Emperor looked out the window before turning back to me. Then he posed a question that carried an unmistakable weight.

“Lord Askanien. What do you suppose that means?”

“That he could survive without feeding on blood.”

The Emperor simply watched me. A silence stretched on, long enough to feel like eternity. Sitting beside us with a pale face, Mecklenburg frowned slightly. Then, realizing what the Emperor was getting at, he added, “…It would also mean he felt no craving for blood.”

“Precisely. Yet our Empire still does not know why Prophet Ismailov drank your blood, Lord Askanien. I dislike asking the victim such a question, but… do you know why Prophet Ismailov bit into your neck?”

“…….”

I did. Ismailov had absorbed my ability. As a result, he gained the ability to replenish mana through blood consumption. When his core was destroyed and he found himself on the brink of death, he developed a craving for blood to replenish his depleted mana. It was that simple.

But no one in this room could know that.

Tick.

The second hand scraped at my ears—whether it came from my wristwatch or someone else’s pocket watch, I couldn’t tell. Each steady click of the gears seemed louder than the last.

Mecklenburg never looked at me. It was obvious he was doing it on purpose. The rumors that Luka possessed Pleroma’s traits had followed him his entire life. Mecklenburg knew that I had to project the rumors clinging to Lukas Askanien all his life onto Ismailov—a ‘real Pleroma.’ The tangled web of interests was enough to make my head ache. His consideration did not feel considerate. I didn’t look at him either, nor did I avert my eyes elsewhere. My only answer was to face the Emperor head-on, eyes burning with the resolve to oppose injustice and remain loyal to the throne, and speak.

“I cannot say for certain. However, I did wonder whether he possessed the qualities Pleroma values enough to proclaim someone their Messiah. As Your Majesty knows, those who bear Pleroma’s traits have an instinct to restore their mana through blood.”

“…….”

At least in this moment, Mecklenburg kept the sympathy that would only become poison later to himself. The Emperor listened without a trace of a smile. Somewhere in the silence, a gear clicked as it turned another notch.

“As I said earlier, when we conducted aptitude tests on Prophet Ismailov, he showed no such craving for blood.”

“…….”

I remained silent for a moment before meeting the Emperor’s gaze with steady eyes.

“May I offer my thoughts, Your Majesty?”

“Go ahead.”

“I believe Pleroma sent Prophet Ismailov to serve as the herald of the end. They were likely waiting for the day his core would run dry and trigger a rampage—one hundreds, perhaps thousands of times greater than the one I experienced that day. Until that moment came, they would have needed to ensure no one discovered his true nature. Wouldn’t it make sense if the method they used was a technique known only to Pleroma?”

The Emperor slowly nodded, then smiled faintly.

“An excellent perspective. It seems calling for Lord Askanien was the right decision after all. Then tell me—do you know whether Sir Ismailov possesses any other Special Abilities?”

Tick.

The steady ticking of the clock kept scraping at my ears. I answered without hesitation.

“I am ashamed to say I do not.”

The Emperor nodded with a slight smile.

“Naturally. If Pleroma intended to use him as a weapon, they would never have allowed others to uncover everything so easily. Now then, Lord Askanien.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“If there is anything you require regarding this incident, speak freely. Someone as vital to our Empire as you will surely make decisions that serve its future.”

“…….”

Only then did Mecklenburg cast me a sidelong glance, clearly taken aback. It was understandable. Why ask me? There were investigators assigned to the case. I quietly met the Emperor’s gaze before offering a faint smile.

“That is a heavier responsibility than I deserve, Your Majesty. I am only a mage. At present, I possess neither the information nor the means to solve this incident.”

It was the right answer. Mecklenburg let out a brief, relieved sigh. Wearing a stern expression, the Emperor rebuked me.

“Not at all. To both the German Empire and Prussia, Lord Askanien is nothing less than our future. Surely you know that.”

I simply smiled at the Emperor’s words. It wouldn’t be wise to withdraw completely here. Politically, that would only weaken my position. The safest course was to take a step back without outright refusing.

“In that case, Your Majesty, if I may… would you allow me some time to consider the matter and present my thoughts in writing?”

If I came up with an idea worth involving the Emperor in, I’d send him a letter outlining my proposal. Otherwise, I’d spend my time visiting the Investigation Bureau, the Ministry of Magic, and every magical research institution I could find, then report my findings instead. The Emperor nodded.

“Of cou—”

Knock. Knock.

A knock interrupted him. The Emperor raised a hand toward me before calling out, “Pardon us for a moment. Come in.”

A chamberlain opened the door and bowed.

“Your Majesty, they have arrived.”

“Already? Earlier than expected.”

Glancing at his watch, the Emperor murmured to himself before rising from his seat. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Mecklenburg’s jaw stiffening. A figure was already visible beyond the open doorway.

“I greet His Imperial Majesty.”

The voice was gentle, yet somehow unsteady. Mecklenburg stood up from his seat following the Emperor, and I followed suit. Turning halfway toward the door, I looked at the newcomer. My heartbeat quickened. Slightly tousled blond hair. Blue eyes. A formal attire I wasn’t used to seeing. Removing his hat, the visitor addressed the Emperor.

“I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s consideration.”

“How could I refuse such a request when your family is facing a crisis?”

The Emperor smiled warmly. Time seemed to stretch on. The visitor returned the smile before turning toward me. I lifted the corners of my lips into a polite smile and held out my hand. But before I could shake his, an all-too-familiar arm pulled me into an embrace. A faintly trembling voice whispered right beside my ear.

“Luka.”