Chapter 271

Georg Askanian slowly closed and opened his eyes. Even under the light, darkness shrouded his eyes.

I could see the others’ eyes widening in surprise. Since no soundproofing magic had been cast, my words had reached everyone. Silence continued as if time had stopped. Georg Askanian’s gaze, chilling enough to raise goosebumps just by looking at it, remained fixed on my eyes.

“Yes. It took a long time.”

A low mutter of a reply came.

It wasn’t a statement meant to elicit a response, yet it was unexpected. I hadn’t anticipated an answer from him. Expectations required value as well, and he was a person unworthy of receiving them.

He gestured toward the medal case held by the usher. My gaze followed there as well.

The prime minister, a distant relative of Askanian, watched us with a proud face. Of course he would, since I would soon become a national interest.

The many other collateral Askanians had different eyes. There were plenty who had no particular thoughts about the direct line, but among the collaterals, some hoped to advance by currying favor well with the direct line, and among those, some, fortunate in their luck, awaited the day we, born as the direct line, would fall, hoping we would become existences unable to threaten their survival. Normally a pipe dream, but unfortunately, I had become a fine tool to satisfy their sense of superiority.

“……”

In the faces of some collateral Askanians passing through my field of vision, I could sense shock and contempt that they couldn’t believe what they were seeing. People had a tendency to delude themselves that eliminating others’ shares would leave more for themselves. If illusory triumph and haughtiness that no one acknowledged with status increased one’s posterity, it would be a wondrous thing. If they could raise their noses by mistaking blame toward me and the perfunctory worry for the family that followed as the nobility of other Askanians, it was a pitiable matter with no path to salvation. Until just before entering the coffin, his happiness would be subordinated to the free will of others.

My concerns lay not in such trifles.

The one who had not yet handed over initiative to me, the one who could still influence me. This person before my eyes was currently the most important.

With an expressionless, restrained motion, Georg Askanian walked over and draped the sash with the Grand Cross medal over me. From below my left waist, the golden medal flashed.

Words that Luka had scarcely heard in his life reached him.

“See you later.”

*  *  *

“You called.”

Georg Askanian pointed to the seat before him with his wand without looking at me. My last memory of entering his office also dated back a very long time ago. I continued standing without sitting.

Georg Askanian, without lifting his gaze from the book he still held, said.

“That previous meal seat was the last.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve changed a lot. What’s the reason?”

There was little difference between then and now. He had felt that I had changed much since the meal in early this year, yet he was asking now.

“Is there a reason? I simply changed my mind.”

Georg Askanian perfunctorily twitched his fingers as if to say continue.

“I didn’t want to trouble Father and Brother. I wanted to glorify the Askanian name. Does that answer it?”

Georg Askanian’s eyes flicked toward me. In an indifferent voice, he said.

“You need etiquette education from the beginning again.”

“Sir Johann said I resembled Father greatly. Not just in appearance, but now I understand the reason.”

“……”

Thud—

Georg Askanian closed the book and turned his chair to face me.

I too faced him with hands behind my back. He didn’t seem particularly offended. He simply had ‘no emotion.’ The same phenomenon occurred even before Adrian Askanian.

And this was a good sign from him.

Rather, this person disliked even more the hesitant behavior like the real Luka, fumbling about. He didn’t want to believe that a weak person had emerged from his own blood. Though he hadn’t raised him that way, what had he expected from raising him so.

With a face as if speaking again was bothersome, Georg Askanian spat out curtly.

“Sit.”

“Alright.”

“In your evaluation, how far has your resolve been realized?”

As expected.

For him, bringing up such a sudden statement wasn’t strange.

He was speaking about the words of glorifying the Askanian name. With ‘Lukas Askanian”s actions now yielding the highest output in history, to ask my thoughts— the answer he wanted was obvious. Of course, I thought the same. I had words to say to him anyway, and to draw the desired result, I too needed to bring up this topic to him.

“It’s still early.”

“……”

“The reason Father knows as well. My temperament is already known to all of the Empire as still far from ordinary, so that’s secondary. There is currently the greatest risk of disgracing Askanian. That’s why Father called me.”

The greatest risk of disgracing Askanian.

It was Prussia pinning suspicion on me.

Georg Askanian observed me and replied dryly.

“Behave well.”

“Of course, that’s what I want too.”

I leaned comfortably against the chair and looked at the window behind Georg Askanian.

“Unlike Prussia subjects, the resentment of Anhalt subjects was quite noticeable. Of course, it’s more surprise than resentment.”

“As long as the facts don’t change, no one can go against the flow of the crowd.”

His experience as a noble put me at ease. There existed politicians who couldn’t even comprehend, who would pause or ask back, but he immediately understood my intent and gave a response one step ahead. Though it was a clear refusal to my words.

What use was it for Anhalt not to support me, telling me to win in political strife? To escape the slander from Prussia’s shirking of responsibility, I needed a support base. In other words, for the issue of Prussia trapping me in slander, Anhalt government and Askanian’s aid in the opinion war was also importantly at play. And now, he had not accepted my shifting of responsibility to Askanian.

“Quite right. But if I may dare present a differing view, no. The crowd’s reaction to facts depends on how those facts are expressed.”

“……”

“My core, both then and now, possesses the wicked temperament of seeking to take others’ magic power. Currently, the temperament is suppressed, but with danger always lurking, why do the subjects not rise demanding my dismissal? Father knows the reason they could hate and tear at the 18-year-old Prussia mage with killing intent more than the powerless 8-year-old child of 10 years ago, who alone couldn’t enact any political retaliation and posed no risk of harm across the Empire.”

Georg Askanian’s brow twitched.

Of course it would. It was tantamount to saying Anhalt had given the chance to trample me. He had understood accurately. That was my intent.

But Georg Askanian wouldn’t want to be devoured by his own child, so if he knew I harbored enmity toward Askanian, there was a possibility he would side with Adrian Askanian. Georg Askanian had wanted Luka’s personality to rather resemble his own, so showing a similar personality was no issue, but there was no need to antagonize him to that extent.

Rather than continuing the family blame, it was necessary to naturally pivot the topic so that it fused with the original intent.

“The difference between then and now is my political influence. Even if everything else remained unchanged, the mere fact that I grew and set foot in politics changed the world’s reaction, so I well know what Father is saying by calling me now.”

“……”

“As per Father’s will, I will first gain support in Prussia.”

Georg Askanian stared at me without reacting. Only after a long while did a stiff reply come.

“Speak.”

It was easy to converse. Since he understood well what I wanted to say.

He had understood that I had demands. From the moment I brought up Anhalt mid the talk of behaving well in imperial politics to avoid Prussia’s slander, it had been foreseen by him that I had intent.

Anhalt’s support wasn’t something to pile up immediately but a task to build gradually over time, but now that I had come here, it was necessary to lay the foundation.

I clasped my hands, interlocking my fingers, and said.

“Hand over authority for the press conference tonight to the Eschet Operations Committee.”

*  *  *

Eschet Operations Committee.

‘Wordplay.’

It meant hand it over to me. The Eschet Operations Committee was substantively divided between the Imperial Second Academy and the Imperial family. Leo, as the Eschet captain, could input opinions from that side, and I could convey my will through Leo.

I ignored Elias’s tantrum about drinking gose and waited until evening. And now, I was in the carriage. The sky visible outside the window was pitch black.

The conference was to be held indoors, so why was I in the carriage.

‘Because the conference venue was moved outdoors.’

We would move to the Anhalt Triumphal Arch. The Anhalt Triumphal Arch had been erected by Georg Askanian, and similarly, it stood before the square he had created. The press conference would not be held in the house’s reception room but there.

Though a small country with about 1 million residents, compared to large nations it was a quiet and boring country, so when important events occurred, more than half the people participated. So, could I miss this opportunity.

And….

Anhalt

2/28 Favorability +1301/?

‘Hm.’

A favorability window counting only Anhalt citizens had appeared.

Kind.

This system seemed to be watching my every moment.

Then, it should give points now too.

Knock knock—

Just then, the carriage stopped and the steward knocked on the door. He quickly opened the carriage door.

His tense face and beyond it the numerous crowds were visible. A breathless number of people filled this square and the roads. From midway to the end, all were Anhalt citizens.

Flashes from cameras already began bursting. The slow shutter sounds unique to this era’s cameras and lights poured out in bundles. Some of the guard corps I had seen during the day stuck close to my side. Before distancing himself from me for the last time, the steward quietly asked.

“Young master. Are you really alright?”

“Yes.”

The steward seemed to think a small-scale press conference with only 20 journalists gathered in the house would suit my temperament well.

‘Comfortable, it would be.’

Held in the Askanian castle, with no one watching, and a chance to correct mistaken statements. How safe.

But as safe as it was, it meant missing the opportunity. I would absolutely lay the foundation here.

As I arrived, the people seated in the very front row of the square stood up. Familiar people were visible.

Now, here was the reason I had told them to entrust authority to the Imperial Second Academy.

Adelbert and the 1st-year militia members watched me with tense faces. Not just the 1st years, but the remaining two teams of 2nd years were here as well, and I could see some classmates I hadn’t seen in a long time secretly gesturing greetings to me.

I nearly smiled at them, composed my expression, and approached Adelbert, who had come to the very front of the seats.

“Senior…!”

Adelbert said that and grabbed my hand, shaking it. His eyes sparkled with a strangely familiar light.

“I’m relieved you’ve returned healthy. We Hohenzo are waiting only for the day Senior comes to Prussia.”

Can you say that so arbitrarily?

The other Hohenzo, excluding you, would scheme to frame me as Pleroma at any chance. That side could gloss over the Empire’s wrongdoing and induce continental unity against the common enemy called Pleroma.

Of course, Adelbert wasn’t one to act rashly, so that must be the current official stance of Hohenzo.

“Thank you. Let’s talk more after this ends.”

“Yes, good.”

As I released Adelbert’s hand, I checked the favorability window.

Anhalt

2/28 Favorability +2781/?

‘…Two… what? Blatant.’

The number continued to soar. Of course, it was blatantly felt because it quantified people’s hearts, but it made me laugh.

This didn’t mean over 1,000 people had suddenly declared support; it meant this many people felt unexpected toward me. Our conversation wasn’t heard by them anyway. They just saw the sight.

In the minds of Anhalt citizens, Askanian’s second son wasn’t someone to converse normally with imperial folk. So, the mere sight of shaking hands and greeting without issue was deemed sufficiently shocking. Of course, since I had aimed for that effect, no problem. Successful.

I shortly shook hands with the other Prussia nobles who had followed Adelbert—the politicians—and moved to the side. Bavaria and Baden’s security and magic vice ministers were visible. Papal State clergy who had come to the Empire for emergency aid during the Pentalon incident and were still staying were here too.

A common point was visible here: as known, all personnel connected to Eschet. It felt like overusing connections to this extent, but if to survive, it must be done. Not using what could be done, when it wasn’t a shortcut or illegal, and didn’t harm others through such activities, was foolish.

“Your Excellency Askanian.”

At the greeting from another politician just then, I smiled and went toward him.

*  *  *

[Grand Duchy of Baden’s Maria Bergheim, Magic Vice Minister Excellency. I’m touched that you came upon such a sudden request.]

Luka’s voice greeting the Baden official at the left end of the seats could be heard. Sitting at the right end, Elias stretched out his legs and leaned his body, watching his friend.

Right now, all of Eschet had been dragged out from the castle and gathered before the Anhalt Triumphal Arch. His annoying cousin brother was right beside him, but now that didn’t particularly bother him. Since he knew well what Luka intended, there was no reason for it to bother.

Rather, something else was curious. Elias cast soundproofing magic and said to Leo sitting on the left.

“Luka just… had a proper conversation with Georg Askanian Duke after about 10 years, right?”

“Probably.”

The press conference venue said to be at home had changed, and numerous people from foreign countries had been invited—all done by Luka.

Anhalt, having long been in the position of Prussia’s vassal state, sought not to do anything politically eye-catching. If it fell out of Prussia’s favor even slightly, it would mean losing its ally. So, the possibility that Georg Askanian would accept such a demand was extremely low.

Thus, this point was clear to anyone who saw.

It wasn’t that Georg Askanian had suddenly become generous; Luka had led the negotiation to success.

‘…Feels new.’

It was especially so because he was in the same situation as him.

[For the one who worked for the Empire’s subjects to invite, this is nothing. It’s an honor to meet you first like this.]

The Baden Magic Vice Minister snapped his fingers, mimicking a warp, and replied. Luka made an ambiguous expression, then grinned and replied something.

‘He definitely thought it was embarrassing just now.’

He must have pondered whether the vice minister’s reply was influenced by crowd psychology or a result of the Cheringen family’s political decision.

Luka lightly greeted the Papal State clergy as well and ascended the podium. To his left was the Anhalt prime minister, and to his right the Anhalt Magic Minister. They were people to assist with the conference responses.

Beside him, Leo, with arms crossed, could be seen clenching and unclenching his fist. Why he showed such a tense appearance, even Elias himself knew well.

The reason Anhalt citizens showed more extreme wariness and shock compared to people from other regions was because they knew the previous Lukas Askanian well. They had seen the child from the ruling family with his head bowed low, unable to even speak properly in front of people. The ‘patheticness’ they had seen and heard directly made them distrust the imperial newspapers. Until now, he had thought Luka had worked hard in his own way for image improvement through various things like the magic potion contest or launch ceremony, but the shared victim consciousness of the special group called Anhalt and the image toward Lukas Askanian seemed hardened and didn’t change easily.

In the end, what method remained?

Only showing it directly before their eyes remained.

Now, Luka would open his mouth for the first time before his citizens. With the aide’s help, Luka sat in his seat, cast amplification magic, and tapped the table with his finger to check the sound. Soon, he lifted his head.

The surroundings felt to quiet down rapidly. In the heavy silence that had fallen without anyone inducing it, a leisurely voice came.

[It is an honor to be able to formally greet the Anhalt subjects like this. Good evening, everyone.]

—————–

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