On the last day of the year, the Imperial Palace remained as silent as ever.

The Chancellor, sipping tea with the Emperor, cautiously spoke.

“Your Majesty, I heard that you have tasked Sir Nicolaus with investigating the Catacombs.”

“That’s correct.”

The Chancellor glanced at the Emperor with unease.

The Emperor, however, merely gazed out the window, his face devoid of emotion.

Realizing the Emperor was waiting for him to continue, the Chancellor spoke again.

“We still have no clue where the Catacombs are, despite their long-standing presence in the Empire.”

“…So, did Your Majesty assign Nicolaus this mission to uncover an entry point?”

For the Chancellor, this matter wasn’t something he could ignore.

The Emperor wasn’t someone who would favor Nicolaus, but with his ties to Duke Elias, there was always the chance he might recruit him as an ally.

“It wasn’t a command, but a request for cooperation.

“If anyone could glean information about the Catacombs, it would be Sir Nicolaus.”

“Your Majesty, I mean no disrespect, but…”

Seeing the Emperor nod, the Chancellor continued.

“There is a real possibility that Sir Nicolaus and Prince Elias will use this mission as an opportunity to align themselves with the Catacombs.

“They still lack firm political footing, and their ideology differs drastically from the noble majority.

“So, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to find common ground with the Catacombs.”

“That is true. There are certain risks.

“For instance, Nicolaus may refuse to report anything about the Catacombs to us.”

The Chancellor nodded in agreement, his face grim.

Yet the Emperor’s expression remained completely unreadable.

“Sir Nicolaus will likely play this carefully—he has built his support by presenting himself as a noble who sides with the common people.

“Regardless of his personal beliefs, he won’t be able to recklessly act against the Catacombs.

“If that happens, we won’t be able to prove their ties to Pleroma.”

“Then, Your Majesty, what do you plan to do?

“Nicolaus may very well use this mission to expand his influence.”

“There is no need to be impatient.”

The Emperor smiled calmly, still looking out the window.

“The Catacombs are certainly within my interest.

“But so is Sir Nicolaus.”

“……”

“If Sir Nicolaus refuses to investigate the Catacombs, we will wait for the next opportunity.

“We have plenty of time.

“But if he does return with valuable information, then we simply thank him for his service.”

“…That makes sense, Your Majesty.”

If the Catacombs could be framed as Pleroma sympathizers, eliminating them would satisfy both nobles and commoners.

Not to mention, they could seize the commoners’ magic and all their research.

But the Chancellor suspected this was unlikely—which is why he had raised the question.

“All the while, we can revisit our legal stance.

“Nicolaus Ernst must be executed for treason.”

“……”

It was a chilling statement—yet the Chancellor suddenly felt his tension ease.

“If he brings back any information, he must also report every commoner mage he encountered.

“Commoner mages are illegal by nature.”

“…And if we’re lucky, we may also find a way to infiltrate the Catacombs.”

“Precisely.”

‘Hah. This is… perfect.

If Nicolaus submits a report, he will only be digging his own grave.’

From the beginning, the Emperor had intended to brand Nicolaus a traitor.

Even if Nicolaus cunningly erased certain details to protect himself,

The source of that information would still exist.

And Nicolaus, with his image as the “commoners’ noble,” would never betray Catacomb mages.

There was nothing to worry about.

The Chancellor now fully understood the Emperor’s plan.

No matter what Nicolaus chose, they would benefit.

With the future so clear, the Chancellor finally felt at ease.

Survival Probability.

The last time I checked, it was 25.3%.

Dawn 777

— Final Outcome: Chapter X. Death — Time Remaining: 651 days, 19 hours, 00 minutes, 15 seconds — Change Probability: 30.3% (+5%p)

A 5% jump in one go.

It felt like just yesterday that the percentage was crawling in the low tens…

Now, I had entered the 30s.

Ever since I removed my negative stat penalties, I had lost interest in small fluctuations.

After all—no matter what this number said, I had no intention of dying.

But this time, something felt different.

It wasn’t just the increase.

For the first time, I could feel—in actual numbers—that the Catacombs had shifted.

That was proof their minds had changed.

Still, there was one thing left unsettled.

I hadn’t yet met with Marianne Baum.

‘I wanted to apologize in person.’

I considered visiting him in Extremis,

But showing up uninvited felt… disrespectful.

Regardless of how he had helped us, the fact remained—we had deceived him.

Just then, the Imperial attendant beside me spoke.

“Please, go inside.”

I looked up.

‘…I’ll think about it later.’

Right now, I was here to report to the Emperor.

And after today—

The Emperor would be forced to withdraw his hand from the Catacombs.

To make that happen, I had to focus on this moment.

Stepping forward, I entered the chamber.

“It is an honor to see you again, Your Majesty.”

***

Nicolaus greeted the Emperor, who greeted him in turn with a gentle smile.

“It is a pleasure to see you on the first day of the new year.

“I was quite shocked when I heard of the incident.

“Are you well now?”

“Yes. The injuries were not serious.

“Thank you for your concern.”

Nicolaus answered lightly, as if it were nothing.

The Emperor chuckled.

“I must thank you instead.

“How could I possibly repay you for fulfilling this difficult request?”

“How could I ignore Your Majesty’s words?”

“Haha, I had hoped you wouldn’t feel pressured, but I suppose you did.”

“Not at all, Your Majesty.

“Viewing the situation through Your Majesty’s perspective allowed me to discover a new approach.

“It was a valuable experience.”

‘Valuable?’

The Emperor sipped his tea with an amused smile.

This man…

He had no idea what was coming.

If Nicolaus were smart, he would have simply reported that there was no way to enter the Catacombs.

Instead, he had personally come to deliver information.

‘And I even gave him an excuse to dodge this.’

The Empire had captured five commoner mages, but gained nothing from them.

Yet he didn’t use that as an out.

‘Is he loyal or just foolish…?’

The Emperor sighed, feeling a twinge of pity for his beloved nephew.

“Well, Sir Nicolaus, was your journey to the Catacombs difficult?”

“…To the Catacombs, Your Majesty?”

Nicolaus’ voice held a genuine question.

The Emperor paused.

Even through his mask, Nicolaus’ confusion was evident.

‘…Oh?’

Did he not go in himself?

Perhaps he had merely met a Catacomb mage.

The Emperor studied him.

Nicolaus subtly gestured before pushing a document across the table.

“Please, take a look, Your Majesty.

“These are the records I uncovered.”

“…Let’s see.”

The Emperor’s eyes scanned the title.

[Prussian & Saxon Governments – December Pleroma Security Measures]

His expression darkened.

“…This is….”

“There are Pleroma operatives in both governments.

“Their names are not listed, but…

“I believed this was something Your Majesty had to know.”

“……”

Pleroma infiltrated the Prussian government?

Here’s the English translation of Chapter 115 of How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family:

***

Previously, Werner Strauch had not belonged to the Prussian government, but rather to a foreign state.

And yet, despite these thoughts, the Emperor’s mind was rapidly analyzing Nicolaus.

Did he reveal this information purely out of concern?

‘There are very few mages in the Empire who can use mental magic.’

Since mages capable of freely wielding divine power were scarce, Nicolaus would inevitably become responsible for screening Prussian officials for ideological purity.

‘On the surface, my goal is to cooperate with Sir Nicolaus… and in that regard, I’ve already achieved it.’

But the biggest issue remained.

The Emperor himself was left with little room to intervene.

It wasn’t just any nation—this was Prussia.

If the Emperor were the one to reveal this problem, he would not be able to leverage it for his own gain.

‘I’d likely be criticized for not knowing about this sooner.’

Moreover, the situation now looked like a Bavarian mage had uncovered hidden information about the Prussian government—and was now being asked to clean up the mess.

The Emperor felt a slight headache as he carefully read through the documents.

Sure, Pleroma was a problem—but he needed to mitigate the damage.

‘At least Saxony is in a similar position.’

Since Saxony was also implicated, it could serve as leverage to pressure Prussia.

But…

A kingdom like Saxony could never be fully considered Prussia’s ally.

Due to historical tensions, the Saxons were more likely to praise a Bavarian mage like Nicolaus for uncovering this issue—not the Emperor.

So, in the end…

‘Nicolaus will gain even more political influence.’

No, that’s a certainty.

Fifty years of political experience told him so.

The Emperor studied Nicolaus’s cold blue eyes, deep in thought.

“Even when we dealt with Strauch, I thought as much—Pleroma is everywhere.

“We should take action, Your Majesty.”

“…Indeed. Had you not uncovered this, it could have led to a major crisis.”

This wasn’t a matter that could simply be ignored.

At this rate, every official who came to see him would have to be closely scrutinized.

He needed to identify and eliminate the infiltrators quickly.

‘What a headache this has become.’

Even so, there was still a way to seize control of the situation—he just needed to find it.

The Emperor slowly opened his eyes, lost in thought.

‘I’ll frame this as a nationwide security measure.’

If Pleroma specifically named these two nations, then it was likely that they weren’t the only ones.

Instead of acting on the information provided, he could conduct a national inspection first and then “discover” Pleroma’s influence.

This way, Nicolaus wouldn’t be seen as the hero—it would be framed as the Emperor’s own vigilance.

Of course, he’d have to ensure that Nicolaus didn’t disclose the information too soon—but that could be handled internally.

With that plan in mind, the Emperor finally felt a sense of relief.

But Nicolaus’s voice cut through his thoughts.

“Your Majesty, do you plan to conduct inspections in Prussia and Saxony?”

“There are still some considerations, but yes—those two will certainly require investigation.”

The Emperor answered calmly, maintaining his smile.

Nicolaus nodded and continued.

“I see. While I do not presume to know Your Majesty’s will, I believe it would be wise to extend these inspections to other governments as well.

“If you permit, I would like to assist in conducting a nationwide investigation.”

“……”

There’s an old saying—a servant should never outshine his master.

Some people, without realizing it, end up stealing all the credit for themselves.

‘I heard he wasn’t that old, but he clearly lacks political instinct.’

Fortunately, this was a private conversation—so there was no harm done.

The Emperor maintained his smile and nodded.

“Of course.

“It’s unlikely that Pleroma is only in Saxony and Prussia.

“I’m glad to hear that you wish to help.”

“I cannot stand idly by after learning Pleroma’s influence.

“Now then…”

Nicolaus pushed another document forward.

The Emperor, skimming it with a calm expression, suddenly felt his smile vanish.

[Proposal to King of Bavaria – Nationwide Inspections for Pleroma Influence]

At the bottom, the King of Bavaria’s signature was already there.

“If Your Majesty signs, we can begin immediately.”

“……”

“As you know, I am under the Bavarian military, so I required His Majesty’s approval.

“I apologize for not seeking Your Majesty’s guidance first, but I wished to act swiftly.

“Of course, if Your Majesty does not wish for a nationwide inspection, I will destroy this document immediately.”

The Emperor nearly laughed.

Not out of mockery, but out of pure disbelief.

This was calculated.

It had to be.

The request to authorize magic use across the Empire was a mere formality.

‘That’s not what he’s really after.’

Nicolaus wanted to leave behind evidence.

Right now, it might seem insignificant,

But in the future, this document would serve as proof that the Emperor’s actions were actually a joint effort—not his sole accomplishment.

‘Not that it matters—without control over the press, this is useless.’

Still, this wasn’t a problem.

Nicolaus may have secured his own credit, but that didn’t diminish the Emperor’s gain.

They would simply share the benefits—“in good faith.”

“Of course, it must be done.”

The Emperor, smiling, signed both copies of the document.

One was handed off to a waiting attendant.

‘Nothing is going as planned today…’

With that distraction dealt with, it was time to return to the real issue.

“Now then, Sir Nicolaus.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

The Emperor, hands folded, spoke gently.

“You reached out, saying you had important information regarding the Catacombs.”

“That’s correct.”

“I see. Then let’s discuss what you have learned.”

“Understood. I should have begun with this.”

Nicolaus placed another document in front of him.

The Emperor’s lips curled into a smooth smile.

It didn’t matter what was in it.

All he needed was proof that Nicolaus had interacted with the Catacombs.

That alone was more valuable than knowing the entrance, or even Pleroma’s infiltration.

Feigning seriousness, the Emperor slowly began to read.

[Pleroma Strategic Proposal – Utilization of Catacombs]

Stabilization via Catacomb Spatial Magic

Absorption of 200,000 Catacomb citizens → Expected Pleroma population in 5 years: 400,000

All 200,000 are mages → Projected annual mana revenue: 3x current levels

At current growth rates, the Empire will be fully converted into Pleroma territory within 5 years.

“……”

The Emperor’s face hardened.

Because this meant three things.

First—Pleroma was preparing for war.

But that wasn’t the immediate problem.

The real issue was…

“Your Majesty, as you can see—Pleroma intends to use the Catacombs as a tool.

“If not for Your Majesty’s wisdom, who knows what could have happened….”

The Emperor raised a hand.

Nicolaus paused, feigning curiosity.

The Emperor, pressing his aching temples, finally spoke.

“…This is a Pleroma official document.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

There was a hint of amusement in Nicolaus’s voice.

“Weren’t you supposed to be investigating the Catacombs?”

“Of course.

“But as Your Majesty wisely pointed out—if the Catacombs and Pleroma were connected, it would be a grave threat.

“So instead of chasing ghosts, I went straight to the source.

“I infiltrated Pleroma, Your Majesty.”

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