Chapter 344
“Great. No changing your mind.”
I smirked and slapped cklenburg on the shoulder. cklenburg looked a bit displeased, but he forced a smile and spoke.
“Then what should we do now? You must have a plan in mind….”
“What are you asking? Pack your bags right now!”
“Now?”
cklenburg narrowed his eyes in confusion. Then, after thinking it over carefully, he nodded.
“…Right, it would be right to go now.”
***
It would be right to go now. Once we returned to the Imperial Second Academy, there would be no ti for him to be in contact with .
SLAP—
I smacked the train window with a rolled-up newspaper and spoke.
“A mosquito. It looks weak.”
“Ugh…. Could you just get rid of it quickly instead of talking?”
“Are you going to keep acting like a Hereditary Grand Duke? You are making such a fuss over a single mosquito.”
“What can I do if I hate them?”
cklenburg, who had moved far away to the end of the train seat, grumbled with a distorted smile. I felt that things were indeed a bit different when eting as classmates compared to eting as seniors and juniors. It might be because he had relaxed a little since I was acting so noisily.
I had enticed him to beco stronger, but naturally, this guy was not going for that reason. He was going to catch . In short, our goals were identical; we were all heading out with one heart and one mind to beat up those Pleroma mosquito bastards. Though this guy was planning to beat up the mosquito sitting in the seat in front of him, that was the gist of it. I looked out the window of the train bound for Munich, imagining the possibility of becoming a mosquito crushed to death by cklenburg.
“The school will be quite a sight tomorrow. The student council president and the one-week exchange student have both disappeared together.”
At the ntion of being a one-week exchange student, cklenburg’s expression beca subtle. It seed to be because I called him that despite his title as Hereditary Grand Duke. He shook his head.
“I left a good excuse with my family, and I also notified the school, so it is fine.”
“What did you tell them?”
“You do not need to know, Lukas.”
“How cold.”
I rolled up my sleeves to adjust my clothes and smirked. The skin where the thin tal band had been was slightly discolored. Yes, I had undone it. After warping to the Bavarian border, we passed through the inspection with the consideration of the Grand Duchy of cklenburg-Strelitz and were now taking a train to Munich. As for why I chose the train, it was to have at least thirty minutes to lower his guard and let him feel at ease.
And one more thing. Naturally, the fact that we received the Grand Duchy’s consideration was not sothing he openly announced to . cklenburg wore round glasses and pulled his hat down low, trying his best to hide his identity in his own way. This guy was doing his best not to reveal his true intention—to catch Lukas Müller—to .
‘You fool. Do you think they would let two high schoolers from the north pass through the southern border so easily just because they said they wanted to?’
Anyone could see that he had received help from his family. I wanted to tell him to stop the disguise acting now, but instead, I swallowed my words and burst into laughter.
“Why are you laughing?”
“The more I think about it, your eighteen-year-old self is just so… absurd.”
“I do not know what you an.”
Of course you wouldn't. This must be the best eighteen-year-old Albert cklenburg could do. The twenty-five-year-old Albert cklenburg likely wouldn't act this clumsily, so it was new. As he always did, he dismissed my words as nonsense and let them go in one ear and out the other. I whistled, shoved my hands into my pockets, and asked.
“Albert. What do you want to do once you beco strong?”
“…Once I beco strong.”
He stared out the window for a long while, his lips trembling, before speaking in a faint voice.
“I will go to school and take an exam.”
“…….”
I nodded and looked into his eyes. What a boring fellow. To beco strong and be recognized by everyone, to be loved more than Adrian Askanian…. It was to the point of being amazing and fascinating how much he wanted that. That desire did not disappear even by the ti he was twenty-five, causing him to beco quite twisted.
“What about you, Lukas?”
“I am going to beco the strongest in the world.”
“So I am asking what you will do once you beco strong….”
“Just becoming strong is aningful. It is cool.”
“…….”
cklenburg turned his head with a face that showed he was having a reality check about whom he was trying to have a conversation with. It was an expression of looking at soone truly beyond help, so I felt a bit embarrassed for a mont.
The magic power for power source subtly laid out in the Munich train station touched my skin. I brought this clumsy guy, who was looking around as if it were his first ti on a train, out of the station. The black sky at three in the morning was clear. Gas lights and magic power lights standing in various places brightly illuminated the downtown of Munich. cklenburg adjusted his glasses and looked at the city of Munich.
“To think I ca to Munich…. It is my first ti coming alone.”
“Am I not a person standing next to you?”
“Munich is indeed very prosperous. It is a big city, as expected. It would be nice if our Neustrelitz were this prosperous as well.”
Right, you are just going to keep saying whatever you want to say. I nodded beside him and spoke.
“You know what, Albert?”
“Yeah?”
“Actually, I do not know anyone here.”
“…….”
cklenburg’s mouth fell open as he considered the aning of my words. He unknowingly dropped the carrier he was holding. I flicked my wand and lifted the carrier he had dropped.
“That won't do. Soone might steal it if you are not careful.”
“That…! That is not what is important right now, is it?! You do not know anyone?! You clearly said there was soone who could take us to Munich-Freising or wherever!”
“I am happy to co on a trip with you.”
“You…!”
cklenburg, who had turned pale with a panicked face, grabbed by the collar. I realized the easiest way to unmask cklenburg. I just had to act so recklessly that he couldn't maintain the mask. Honestly, I was starting to feel a bit sorry now, but it couldn't be helped. cklenburg’s hands trembled.
“You, you…! Even you are teasing ?! What are you planning to do…!”
“Did your friends tease you?”
“Is that what matters?!”
cklenburg’s magic power flared from his hands, making my skin sting. He was so flustered that he couldn't control his magic power. And he was probably angry.
“It is a joke. Do not think about fighting, just wait. I give up.”
“We won't know until we clash.”
His voice was the most sinister I had ever heard. Just as he was about to let go of my collar, I quickly grabbed both of his wrists. If I let go of these, he would pull out his wand.
“No, hey, you said you attend the Imperial Second Academy. How could I fight soone like you? We are in the middle of Munich, you ruling house bastard. Do you want to be dragged ho? I do not want to see blood here. I am sorry. Okay?”
At the words I poured out frantically, cklenburg gritted his teeth with an even more annoyed expression. However, it was effective. Just how much does he like being flattered…. The mont I realized the strength in cklenburg’s hands had reached a stalemate, I hugged him and patted his back.
“You are the best. Yeah, the best, seriously. You won.”
“Ah, stop clinging to !”
I was pushed away by cklenburg. He looked at and spoke coldly.
“Tell it is a joke. You couldn't have co here without any thought.”
“Right, I did not co here completely without a plan.”
When I answered seriously, only then did cklenburg fall silent and catch his breath while glaring at . He probably ant to hear what I had to say.
“You have two choices, Albert. First, graveyard plus blood. Second, people.”
Even though he wouldn't know what it ant, or perhaps because he didn't, cklenburg held his forehead as soon as he heard those words. No expectation or hope could be found on his face anymore. He muttered in a pained voice.
“…It seems I was blinded by sothing strange for a mont. I must be crazy….”
Right, you know yourself well too. A guy who follows this far is no ordinary guy either. Since your inferiority complex is so severe…. I do not understand it, but since we have beco Pleroma comrades for now, I am trying to understand. When I patted his back, cklenburg irritably brushed off my arm.
“…People. I will go with people. I do not know what kind of plan you have, but whatever it is, it must be more moderate than blood.”
“A good choice.”
I imdiately dragged cklenburg back into the station. When I tried to enter the bathroom, even the last bit of composure cklenburg had left completely vanished. He seed to not want to even step foot in a station bathroom, as he was horrified and said he would wait in the station building. After quickly changing my clothes and coming out, cklenburg, who was waiting for , raised his eyebrows.
“…Oh.”
“How is it?”
“It suits you well.”
Pretending to be kind again. I laughed lightly and properly adjusted the black leather gloves that had beco awkward after three days. The suit I often wore while active as Nicolaus was in the carrier; at first, I wondered why they gave it to since it was a burdenso outfit for a lower-ranking noble high schooler to wear. I would make good use of it now. cklenburg looked over and asked.
“But why did you change your clothes all of a sudden?”
“Because you chose people.”
cklenburg narrowed his eyes with a questioning smile.
From now on, I had to find those who were already Pleroma even in 1891. Now was a ti when negative perceptions of the Pleroma had already spread widely, unlike in 1886. However, even so, it was not at the level where everyone feared them like in 1898; they were regarded as a troubleso and dangerous heresy.
I ca out of the station holding a warp coordinate book and spoke cheerfully as I did at school.
“Since you like common-sense people, I will act with common sense too. The sight you will see from now on will be perfectly sensible. Do not worry.”
“…I am glad it seems I chose correctly. Then why did you ntion graveyard plus blood?”
“Except for the fact that it takes so ti and there is a high risk of being caught by the police, that is not bad either.”
I trailed off while opening the coordinate book. Then, cklenburg hastily snatched my coordinate book away.
“Wait! Tell where you are going before you go. Explain everything to .”
“We are going to the houses of factory owners from now on.”
I finished speaking and snatched the warp coordinate book back. cklenburg shook his head and waved his hand as if he had given up on understanding. It ant he was letting do as I pleased.
There are Pleroma mbers in the Bavarian governnt too. I knew who they were, but I would not look for them now. It would be nice if they were in the Pleroma even now, seven years ago, but honestly, based on various grounds, the possibility was low.
Instead, I would look for the owners of small factories who would beco owners of respectable businesses in the future. It was said that there were Pleroma mbers in the Bavarian business world as well. Naturally, Bavaria was monitoring them too, and I rembered the materials that tracked their pasts. Of course, among them, I had to find those who had continued Pleroma activities from before this point, not people who newly joined within the seven-year gap….
“There are six places. Let us visit them all.”
Speaking boldly, I grabbed cklenburg’s hand and morized the warp coordinates. When I opened my eyes again, a different floor from before spread out in my view, and cklenburg’s shoes were before my eyes. He pulled up one of my arms and asked in a flustered voice.
“…What kind of mage cannot even warp while standing? Co to think of it, it was strange when we warped to the border earlier too…. You were definitely first place in everything for the past three days.”
“What does being first place have to do with warping?”
I truly cannot understand your way of thinking. I grabbed cklenburg’s clothes and stood up. He supported my shoulder and crumpled his face. Seeing that expression, I snickered and asked.
“If you are going to hate it so much, why are you supporting ?”
“Say that after looking at your complexion.”
“Right, thanks.”
I searched my mind for their data—especially their past residence records—as I looked for the houses. I went in front of a shabby apartnt building, pulled the doorknob a couple of tis, let go, and called for soone. Then, a chubby middle-aged Old Human with brown hair ca out while rubbing his eyes and scanned us with an unpleasant look. He quickly adjusted his expression upon seeing my appearance, seemingly convinced we were nobles.
“Are you the landlord?”
“Yes, it is . What is the matter here…?”
“Mont, stay. You are so beautiful.”
“…….”
“You know, don't you.”
Silence flowed. For a mont, it seed his sense of absurdity had vanished and he was stunned, but cklenburg, who quickly regained his senses, cast sound insulation magic and spoke coldly.
“What are you doing? It is embarrassing.”
“Could you consistently pretend to be kind?”
As expected, the landlord tilted his head with an ambiguous smile.
“It is Faust. What do you want to say at this hour of the morning, sir?”
Yes, this was the first attempt.
“It is Faust? But why are you telling that….”
In the house I found five minutes later, an old man wearing glasses answered as if it were absurd. The second attempt was the sa, and I imdiately turned back and opened the coordinate book. And then, the third attempt. An Old Human with a thin and nervous impression examined us thoroughly and then turned around.
“Please co in.”
“…!”
cklenburg crumpled his eyebrows at those words. He then cast sound insulation magic and asked.
“What was that just now?”
“A Pleroma baptism incantation.”
“What?! How do you….”
I spread my hand and cut him off. Right on cue, the landlord, who was walking ahead in the dark, asked in a low voice.
“Where did you co from?”
“Berlin. If you are asking where I just ca from, I ca from Salzburg.”
“You have returned from Austria-Hungary. However, you both surely know that is not what I ant.”
I suppose so. Your question must an which Pleroma diocese we ca from. I answered calmly.
“We are not believers.”
WHOOSH—
In the darkness, the reflected light of tal moved, leaving a lingering image. A muzzle was thrust before my eyes, and along with it, cklenburg’s wand was pointed toward the landlord. Seeing the reaction speed, his skill was indeed worth admiring. I continued speaking while looking at the small scratches left on the muzzle as if it had been used for a long ti.
“However, you can make us believers.”
“Nonsense.”
“I thought you people would be active in missionary work.”
“Of course we are active. However, is there a reason to be active toward soone who cos seeking in this way at this hour of the morning? Where did you find out that I am Pleroma?”
“I did not know. However, I heard in Salzburg that one of the Christian sects in Munich called Pleroma could lead us to the world of eternal life, and I only heard that one could enter there through soone among the businessn in Munich.”
“…….”
“The information I heard about that person is more specific than what I just said, but since it was not clear, we have already visited several factory owners previously. If you cannot believe my words, go to a newspaper office as soon as it gets light and take out a personal ad. Ask if anyone has seen two mages who recited passages from Faust in the middle of the night. You will surely be contacted.”
Silence followed. The gun gradually lowered. The landlord spoke after putting the gun into his holster.
“I do not know where you heard such news.”
“So, are you not the one? We ca all the way from Salzburg to receive the blessing of eternal life.”
Seeing the words flow smoothly, I saw cklenburg’s expression gradually stiffen. As expected, no matter how I look at it, this guy has a weak spirit. The landlord gave no interest to cklenburg and spoke while staring only at .
“I am not in charge of missionary work. Moreover, I cannot understand how such a rumor spread across the border. Even if it is right next door.”
“You are not in charge of missionary work, aning you are indeed part of the Pleroma.”
“I beca a deacon not long ago.”
Even as he spoke, he examined us with a face that could not let go of suspicion. The gun was still in his hand, and I could see tension in his arm. Since his evaluation of us was still ambiguous, he planned to shoot at any mont. I knew the hostility contained in his glistening pupils. I looked around and then at the ledger placed on the desk.
“Congratulations. More than that, you run a business, don't you? Since you are a factory owner.”
“…….”
“I can give you a little help.”
***
Money is right. This was what Elias had taught before. I properly rember his crazy act of spending 50 million won in Korean currency value to recruit Eric Assmann. Since it was allowance he had collected by squeezing it out of his father—the money of the Hohenzollern Imperial Family—he was able to spend it lavishly without regret, but hadn't the system given a terrifyingly large amount of money in the carrier this ti? It is not my money, it is the system's money. Then what should I do? I must use it.
“Was it common sense?”
cklenburg muttered that beside , looking as if his soul had been drained throughout this morning. In short, we succeeded, and we were now in the world of the Pleroma. I patted cklenburg’s shoulder. This guy turned pale even though he had caught the opportunity to throw into a iron cage as a Pleroma.
“It is smooth, isn't it? That is why I told you to just trust . We made it this far in half a day.”
“Sigh….”
cklenburg bit his lip. It was too late to regret now. I snickered and looked ahead. Right on cue, the priest who was leading us to the education center turned around.
“We have arrived.”
We passed through a dark passage and stood before a black wooden door. The priest continued speaking while looking at us.
“You seem to be very nervous. Preliminary believer education is held at any ti. Especially if it is soone Deacon Paul knows, that is even more so.”
“I am a little worried since we are both from Berlin.”
I acted slyly instead of the stiff cklenburg. The priest shook his head firmly.
“Of course, it would be easier to adapt if you were from Bavaria, but there is no problem. We have soone from Prussia in our Munich-Freising as well. He is even a Junker.”
CREAK—
“There he is.”
The priest pointed to soone seated. Among the nurous people in the dark room, there was soone with snow-white hair reaching their waist tied up high. That mage, who had empty blue eyes, turned their head toward . That face that was not like a human, and hard to forget once seen, beca fixed on .
“…….”
Could I fail to recognize them? I felt as if all the sounds of the world were being extinguished. He stared at intently without even blinking once, then spoke in his characteristic languid and soulless voice.
“You look familiar.”
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