‘The drug was spread before that.’

Timing the ambush is critical.

Too early, the culprit spots us and picks another target. Too late, it’s the same as last time.

The Investigation Bureau said, “The berserk potion’s air concentration was high, targeted only at sealed rooms, so damage didn’t spread, delaying the report.”

What info can we extract? The key’s here.

‘Means the victims died in their sleep.’

Likely a mix of sedative and berserk potion in the air.

Intentional. If victims screamed and ran, they’d be subdued before more died, so they were put to sleep for a quiet death.

Berserking usually takes minutes to hours, but direct ingestion, prolonged exposure, or high-concentration air flooding skips that. Depending on conditions, it hits fast.

So, the perfect window for drug dispersal is 5 to 10 minutes before the incident…

‘Hmm…’

I chuckled. My hands felt sweaty from tension.

‘That’s too wide.’

Need to narrow it to one choice.

One minute too early or late, and it’s over.

Last time, say they entered at 3:23 a.m. to spread the drug. If I arrive 10 minutes prior at 3:20, they’ll bolt.

Isn’t that good?

It wastes the rewind.

They’ll stick to their obsession with getting me back on stadium duty and commit a crime elsewhere.

Better to report during dispersal, tightening imperial security to stop them from running rampant.

‘Five minutes or ten?’

High concentration means no need to consider times beyond 10 minutes from the estimated deaths.

I tapped my artifact to signal Leo.

[Lucas.]

“Got it. Five minutes before the deaths, or ten?”

Leo paused, then answered slowly, [Sudden… Tough call. If you don’t want to give the stalker a chance elsewhere, five’s safer. Some’ll need long hospital treatment, but it’s better than more deaths elsewhere.]

Good.

I asked out of the blue, but he got it. Always convenient.

Plus, he’s utilitarian, like a budding leader.

But there’s a flaw.

“Long hospital treatment” means leaving athletes with severe health issues. From my time as Nicolaus at scenes, most rescued mid-berserk die anyway.

He used polite noble-speak, but I can’t take it at face value.

‘Back to square one.’

Trying to save those few from dying too.

[Can I disconnect now?]

“Nope.”

[Why…]

Leo picked the next-best option since the best isn’t there, but he wants everyone to live.

If even Leo picks five minutes, maybe that’s right.

I rubbed my chin, then froze as a piece of info hit me.

‘Victim stats.’

I should’ve factored in the culprit’s behavior pattern.

I scribbled fast, reading aloud for Leo. “Fourteen Korean deaths, two Ottoman Empire, two Iran. Nine ICU transfers, all Ottoman and Iranian.”

[…Hmm.]

All Asian.

A crime targeting Asian nations?

‘Or targeting Korea because they know something about me?’

That’s for later.

It could be coincidence. There’s one comforting scenario that’d be better.

What matters here is…

[Clear victim group.]

Exactly.

They didn’t randomly aim for mass deaths.

The sedative mix proves it. They didn’t want berserkers running out, infecting unintended targets, or tainting their crime’s “meaning.”

That meaning’s something they’re sending me—shock or proof they know this much about me.

They act thoughtless but dodged the trap Yulia and I set once.

In short, they’re sloppy but meticulous about their work.

‘Meticulous. To prepare thoroughly…’

Even risking escape, my choice is 10 minutes prior.

“Gotta go 10 minutes before.”

[What?]

* * *

“Why ask if you’re gonna do that?”

3 a.m.

Leo, with Richthofen’s help, entered the estate’s space magic. I thanked Richthofen, heading back to school, and gave Leo a short answer. “Gotta hear all opinions.”

He gave a hollow laugh, shaking his head at my shamelessness.

Still, he didn’t stop me. Without explanation, he trusted I had reasons for picking 10 over 5 minutes.

Until 3:18, we strategized.

“So, we move at 3:20. The rest of the team gets the signal and warps to the hotel coordinates. Cool?”

“Yeah, good.”

I nodded, standing.

Elias and Narce stepped out first. Leo stopped me. “Lucas.”

“What?”

“The drug you used in early December—I checked. You serious?”

Knew he’d bring it up.

I shrugged. “Dead serious.”

“……”

Leo, silent, handed me a key. “Put it in an empty safe.”

“Thanks.”

I checked the clock and said, “Let’s go.”

We warped to the Grand Hotel.

Not the main entrance—using a covert Investigation Bureau warp coordinate.

We’re in the second-floor stairwell, lit only by indirect lights.

Leo, leaning against the wall, holding his breath, tapped his artifact.

Unlike him, I climbed the stairs immediately.

This fight hinges on whether 10 or 5 minutes is right, so no need to wait.

I scanned the area.

Two nameplates on doors for athletes. Excluding the injured, 18 deaths mean they hit nine rooms.

‘Lots of doors to open. Gotta be quick.’

I eyed the front door by the central staircase.

A Korean flag hung on it.

Felt strange. My heart started pounding harder.

*Knock, knock—*

I’ve never desperately wanted to return to my homeland. Just thought I might someday.

But the urgency of an imminent attack and meeting people from another world—my homeland, despite being a different world—stirred an unplaceable unease.

I didn’t want to pinpoint why.

‘If they don’t come out, should I break in?’

Refocusing, I stared at the door.

With sedatives in the air, they’re likely not coming out.

As I knocked firmly one last time, the door opened.

“Who’s this?”

“……”

Similar height and Magic Power, with brighter bleached eyes and hair, but clearly different features.

As I stood silent, the mage struggled to keep sleepy eyes open, likely affected by sedatives.

Not fluent in German, he mixed French and English, speaking slowly. “What’s the matter this late?”

“……”

“If you’ve no business, I’m already awake, so fine, but don’t do this to other teams. We’re still adjusting to jet lag and prioritizing sleep.”

I finally spoke, using English for clarity. “…I’m Lucas Askanian, Eszett deputy leader of the Imperial Mage Association, handling Brandenburg berserker cases.”

“I see.”

“Your name?”

“Kim Seong-hee.”

He gave his name, smiling tiredly. “Berserker case. That why you’re here?”

“Yes. I already smell it in the air.”

“What…?”

He frowned, offended.

I understood why. As someone from the same country, I felt bad.

But that’s not what I meant.

Gripping my staff horizontally with both hands, I thrust it toward the window. Red Magic Power sliced through the dark, flashing as it hit.

*Boom—! Crash—!*

“What, what’s that!”

Another sleeping person jolted awake at the noise.

My focus wasn’t their nationality anymore. Shattered glass, broken wooden frames, and metal joints flew outward. The Magic Power sealing the window shattered too.

‘Look at that.’

Sealing windows with Magic Power to prevent them from opening at night?

They put in effort.

Good thing I didn’t assume they’d rush in, spread berserk potion, and lock the door in 5 minutes. They coated the building’s exterior with their Magic Power, slowly injecting the drug to avoid rejection.

Securing clean air’s enough for now.

Other Eszett members warped in, following Leo’s orders via artifact. Narce’s purification magic from the hall’s end swirled at my feet.

I tapped my artifact, connecting to the Investigation Bureau.

*Beep—*

[Yes, Brandenburg Investigation Bureau. Speak.]

“Terror attempt detected at the Grand Hotel targeting Pentalon athletes. Deploy now.”

* * *

“……”

[Done. Never failed, huh?]

Across from the Grand Hotel, a mage crouched on a rooftop, mouth agape. He nearly forgot not to stand and almost jumped up.

Light flashed beyond the hotel’s curtains. Soon, Investigation Bureau mages started warping around the building.

‘How?’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep