No sound ca.
I looked down at the doorknob and spoke.
“Professor.”
Knock knock—
“I know you’re in there.”
[…….]
After a long pause, the door opened.
A middle-aged mage with a sharp, weary expression greeted .
Well, “greeted” isn’t quite right. Before I could even say hello, Traut glared at intensely.
“What’s this about? Did I schedule a eting with a student? Showing up at my faculty residence on a weekend morning, not even my office—what’s the deal?”
“My apologies. I would’ve inford you in advance if I could, but this couldn’t wait. I desperately need your help, so I ca despite knowing it’s rude.”
Only then did Traut narrow his eyes, still visibly displeased.
Can’t be helped.
There’s a limit to winning people over by running around myself.
What did the system want from ? With the “Conquerable” function updated at the sester’s start, it’s pushing toward sothing I’d rather not get close to. I don’t know what kind of ga I played in my life to deserve this ordeal.
So, I won’t move as the system intends.
The thought of going against its intentions already warms my heart.
“May I co in?”
“…….”
Traut scanned up and down, then shut the door and said.
“I’ll co out.”
***
Lucas Rene Askanian
Title: Sir Nicolaus
Health: 4.0 ( 0.4) [ 7.0]
ntal Strength: 4.3 ( 1.3)
Magic Power: ?
Skills: 5.1 ( 0.3) [ 8.1]
Impression: -5.8 ( 1.2) [ 3] [ 8.126]
Luck: 5.0 ( 0.8)
Traits: Dawn777, Divine Power, Charm (Lv.5), Retry (Lv.3)
The last ti I checked my status was two weeks ago during the arts festival.
Sitting in Traut’s stark white office, I reviewed the status window.
‘Everything’s gone up a lot.’
My Health and ntal Strength have reached the Imperial Second Academy’s average, and my Skills have surpassed it.
‘No wonder my magic felt sharper during the exam.’
What matters now is the Impression value.
It rose 1.2 points in two weeks, bringing the national Impression to -5.8.
It’s been about a month since I escaped -9.9, but that generous number still feels fresh.
The school Impression rose 2 points to 3. Nicolaus, who hasn’t focused much on public activities, also gained 0.1.
I’ll need to keep that in mind for comparison.
Then, from across the office, Traut asked in an annoyed tone.
“Coffee?”
“No, thanks.”
Traut nodded vaguely, dragging his shoes as he slumped into his seat, holding a pitch-black coffee.
“I didn’t expect you to agree to my request.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“You ca out, didn’t you?”
I replied with a mild smile.
It wasn’t a great response, so Traut looked at like I was a headache-inducing chore.
Of course, it’s a hassle, but he didn’t tell to leave or say he wouldn’t help.
Is it kindness, wanting to hear out a whining student’s troubles?
No.
‘It’s closer to not being able to kick out.’
Here’s why I had to find Traut.
The day after the warp magic was cast on my room, Stefan Traut barged into an ergency eting of the Magic Departnt faculty, urging them to declare my innocence.
‘Are they trying to pin all this on Askanian? No matter how flawed Lucas Askanian’s disposition is, whether he drinks blood or not, there’s no way to get that potion without approaching Pleroma. Isn’t that right?’
That’s what he said.
Why would soone so loyal to Adrian Askanian do that? Why would soone who disapproved of so much wish for my innocence instead of my downfall?
The answer’s simple when you think it through.
From my perspective, Traut is an enemy, but focusing on that misses the point.
Why did Traut assign a watcher to ? Why did he lock the lab door during the potion contest?
To see if I was using mana.
Using mana would an the potion my brother feeds has worn off, aning the core’s leash is loose.
What does it an if my core returns to normal?
It ans my disposition could manifest unknowingly, potentially draining people’s blood and mana to death.
That’s what Traut feared most.
If I killed soone, Adrian’s reputation—who tried to raise humanely—would plumt.
For Traut, aligned with my brother, that’s the worst-case scenario.
Now it’s clear.
Traut’s goal isn’t to attack but to monitor to “keep Adrian Askanian’s approval rating intact.”
So, with the dia frenzy branding as Pleroma, what does that make Adrian, who’s visibly worked to socialize ?
I now know the value Traut and I share.
If we had no common ground, I’d have only considered locking him up, but he’s shown potential to be a useful tool from the start.
All that’s left is to persuade him.
Traut gulped his steaming coffee and spoke.
“The inauguration rehearsal must’ve started.”
“Yes. That’s why I don’t have much ti.”
“What’s so urgent that you ca to on a Saturday morning?”
I pulled a newspaper from my file.
“You’ve seen this, I assu.”
Articles wary of Lucas Askanian were placed before him.
Thinking my tone wasn’t polite, Traut raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, I’ve seen them.”
“It seems the public wrongly fears I’ll harm society.”
Traut narrowed his eyes, staring at .
He must think it’s out of the blue.
Of course. Are we close enough for this? We’ve barely exchanged greetings—practically strangers.
I continued without smiling.
“My brother traveled the country for over a decade, seeking a cure for my disposition that neither religion nor magical dicine could heal. Thanks to his efforts, I live with a healthy core. But the public underestimates his work.”
“What, you ca to talk about this on a Saturday morning…?”
I cut off Traut’s puzzled protest.
“As soone indebted to my brother my whole life, I can’t stand by while these articles belittle his efforts.”
Traut shook his head, looking confused.
“…Fine. It’s certainly disrespectful to His Excellency Adrian Askanian. And to you. But what’s this about? Why tell this?”
“Don’t you know what I’m asking?”
Traut narrowed his eyes, leaning closer as I did.
“You have wide connections, Professor. I believe you can clear the false accusations against our family.”
“…….”
Traut’s face twisted.
Realizing my intent, he glared daggers and stood.
“Go back. Even if I’m sponsored by Askanian, I’m not obligated to fulfill unreasonable demands.”
I expected this.
Soone tied to my brother wouldn’t be friendly to .
But it’s too early to give up.
“You should hear out. I was surprised to learn you’d curse soone’s arteries.”
“…?”
Traut’s expression changed as he stood. He stared down at , eyes wide, as if asking what I’d just said.
“Just to avoid being a suspect. You know who locked in the lab during the potion contest, don’t you?”
“…….”
“No matter how I think about it, I couldn’t understand why Jürgen Beck frad , so I requested a more detailed investigation record. The Bureau said your na ca up in Beck’s statent.”
I leaned back in the chair, hands clasped.
His face was now pale, composure gone. I continued impassively.
“A mage who gained a professorship through Askanian’s sponsorship obstructing Askanian? My brother would be shocked.”
“It was for Askanian’s safety…”
“Safety? My brother didn’t order you to lock his brother in a lab.”
It’s true.
I thought it back then.
Adrian Askanian isn’t the type to take such risky actions. He might send a letter implying fear of my disposition resurfacing, like he did initially, but he wouldn’t openly command more.
With his paranoia and perfectionism, delegating tasks to others is impossible.
“I know you’re aligned with my brother. But do you think my brother, who sees as a father figure, would worry about losing his dukedom over a high school potion contest? Or that he’d see his seven-years-younger brother as a threat? Haha, I wonder how he’d react if he knew…”
Of course, I know that’s not why he locked in.
But from his limited perspective of , it’s plausible, and Traut has no convincing excuse.
Traut stepped back unconsciously.
His legs seed to give out under the unexpected situation.
I watched and continued.
“It’s insulting. To and my brother.”
“…That’s not what I ant…”
“Not trusting is one thing, but at least trust the lord you serve. Oh, no. Maybe that’s too much for soone who doesn’t even trust the potion my brother gives .”
No response ca.
I stood and approached him.
“Now you’re ready to talk.”
“…….”
“As you know, I don’t want my issues to tarnish my brother’s na. He’s my benefactor, guiding this far despite my flaws. It’s ti I repay his care. You respect him too, don’t you? Then you know how threatening these articles are to Askanian and how they insult his love.”
Traut didn’t answer. Didn’t nod.
It showed how prideful he was.
But his eyes were wavering.
Saying he was ready to talk wasn’t a lie. He was prepared to follow my words.
Only if I didn’t wound his pride—or crushed it entirely.
Ti to pull back the whip.
“I trust you, Professor. When I entered this school with no friends, living like a ghost, knowing a hotown elder was here was such a comfort.”
Traut’s shoulders twitched.
‘Oh.’
This is the point?
The first aningful reaction.
Suppressing a smile, I continued.
“Hearing the investigation results from the contest day, I felt betrayed by soone I trusted. Still do.”
I locked eyes with him.
He’s soone who lives and dies by trust. When I ntioned betrayal, his eyes began to wander slightly, searching for a place to settle.
“I understand your concerns. I deeply respect my brother and swear in Christ’s na I’d never harm him. So, Professor, give and my brother your confidence again.”
“…….”
After a long silence, Traut nodded.
Still prideful, he stared at .
“Fine. Sit.”
I smiled, pulling the file from the desk with magic.
I opened it to the right page and handed it to him.
I’d told Jürgen Beck to list people who helped gather information, besides Traut.
This was that list. People in my brother’s sphere, sharing Traut’s goals.
I’d said I’d investigate everyone and not to lie, but I assud he wouldn’t comply, so I background-checked them all. They were all like Traut, with active connections.
“Turns out there’s quite a network between Jürgen Beck and you. Two each in the Imperial Newspaper’s political and social sections. Plus the Berlin Daily’s editor-in-chief, and… even Dasrothe’s Berlin branch.”
Unlike my smile, Traut’s face darkened again.
As I flipped through, showing their details, he swallowed, trying to relax his expression.
‘Of course. I reminded him of his cris.’
I didn’t directly crush his pride with harsh words, but I needed to keep him in check so he wouldn’t get cocky or plot revenge.
I closed the file and said.
“48 hours.”
“…?”
Traut’s eyes, filled with fear and discomfort, t mine.
Sensing wariness, I clasped my hands and spoke.
“By Monday morning, turn Berlin’s atmosphere completely around.”
***
I saved his skin, so I deserve this much.
Just this once?
I’ll milk him like a bone for broth.
“Let’s move to the right!”
Soone shouted from afar.
At the Imperial Court, practicing aningless position changes dozens of tis, I half-tuned out, lost in thought.
Those articles from 6 a.m.—don’t they feel familiar?
They’re the sa as the reactions after the January militia exam.
[‘Pleroma’—can it be cured?]
[Anhalt Protestant Church Union: “An era of Pleroma handling Pleroma” strongly criticized]
[Lucas Askanian, the Askanian family’s only path forward]
[“We can’t entrust citizens to Pleroma” — resolute opposition to Imperial Second Academy’s decision]
These were last month’s articles post-first exam.
Back then, I thought:
‘This is natural. If the public’s negative perception flipped overnight, *that* would be stranger. It’d an soone high up is controlling the dia with intent.’
That hasn’t changed.
So, how do I gather 10,000 favorability points in this ss?
It’s actually perfect timing.
The dia’s been dragging the sa topic for a month, and public interest has waned. “Lucas Askanian joined the Imperial Second Academy Militia exam” remains unresolved—what more can they do?
In early January, the public wanted expelled or my safety confird.
The school didn’t expel , and I proved my core’s stability at Bavaria’s Magic dical Center.
People quickly adapt to stimuli. They soon crave sothing more shocking.
The dia likely thought my top ranking and Imperial entry would be that “more shocking stimulus.”
Good call.
But I can’t wait for the public’s negative perception to flip overnight to earn points. So, what to do?
The answer’s clear.
It’s ti to control the dia.
“That’s it!”
The Imperial protocol team leader, using amplification magic, shouted.
It was already 6 p.m.
“Ugh… so tiring.”
Elias shuffled over, draping his arms over my shoulders, slumping.
“This is so boring. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go eat. Their food’s rotten, but my family’s cooking is top-notch. Been a while since I was ho, so I’m craving it.”
My family… fair enough.
I’m not used to him casually calling the Imperial Court his ho, but it’s typical.
With a wry smile, I glanced around.
Not just Elias—everyone looked drained.
No wonder.
While my friends arrived at the Imperial annex at 7 a.m., I got here at 2 p.m. I’m still fresh, but they aren’t.
Elias rambled about playing poker with Heike during breaks, then leaned close to my face, shouting.
“By the way, why’d you show up so late~? It was boring without you!”
“Had sothing to assign to a professor.”
“Assign?”
“Yup.”
I nodded, spotting Narce running toward .
“Lucas!”
“Hm?”
He was holding a stack of newspapers.
Before I could tell him not to run, the papers dropped at my feet. Narce must’ve warped them first.
Elias quickly grabbed the Imperial Newspaper, skipping the First Academy militia story on the front page.
“Whoa.”
Flipping to the next page, articles filled the spread.
[Lucas Askanian, Imperial Second Academy Militia final selection top ranker]
[Imperial Mage Union: No disqualifying factors for Lucas Askanian… “Fully qualified”]
[Lucas Askanian following Adrian Askanian’s path?]
[Karl Reitzberg, Imperial First Academy honorary professor: “Lucas Askanian has the greatest potential as a mage”]
“…….”
Quite different from this morning’s 6 a.m. headlines.
My eyes t Elias’s. He cast a soundproofing spell and slapped my back.
“Hey~ Wasn’t Nicolaus in a tough spot? You even managed the dia as Lucas?”
“It worked out.”
“Nice!”
Narce, who’d reached us, laughed and answered simultaneously. Though outside the soundproofing spell, he probably read it with Insight.
Elias included Narce in the spell and said.
“But that professor couldn’t snag the front page.”
True.
If he had that much pull, he’d have gotten out of detention without my help. Though, how many have the influence to free soone the Emperor locked up?
I shook my head, laughing.
“Getting my criticism off the front page is profit enough.”
With high newspaper reliance, it didn’t need to be the front page.
And…
That’s not all I prepared.
***
At the sa ti, in Berlin.
In a pub frequented by commoners, soone quietly listened to their group.
“I just don’t get why they’d put soone like that in first place. Even if he had the scores, how do you pass soone with those rumors?”
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