Chapter 272

Silence.

An enormous silence flowed.

‘Whoa~ suffocating.’

Elias giggled and clapped enthusiastically. He didn’t even look back, but he could feel the bewilderment from behind. Ah, of course. The first greeting upon revealing himself before hundreds of thousands for the first time was ‘Good evening’? Our country’s etiquette culture was among the stiffest and most rigid on this continent. This wasn’t America, and could such an attitude come from someone with zero political experience? Though his appearance suggested it, he looked stiffer than Adrian Askanian, so everyone must have thought that if Luka wasn’t trembling, he would treat the subjects like Georg Askanian did.

The small detail of knowing what he lacked and what to touch to make people feel the reversal was so theater club-like. Well, it might not matter much, but I thought it was thanks to his keen observation of people and acting skills.

Just in time, applause began to come from the politicians seated in the invited seats.

Luka smiled slightly and waited until the applause died down. Soon, his words continued.

“The memory of the terror is as vivid as if it were right before my eyes, yet to meet you subjects in such a peaceful evening is truly a meaningful moment. First, I know that the terror at the Pentalon opening ceremony perpetrated by Pleroma brought serious threats to the Empire’s security network and safety, shocking many subjects. Disasters inevitably remain as traumas shared by the state and subjects over long periods. Therefore, I have arranged this occasion today for the right to know of Anhalt and Empire subjects. I hope my statement can alleviate the yoke of the terror even a little.”

‘Oh, good.’

This wasn’t the speech of someone who had done it just a day or two.

I had felt it since Nicolaus’s time, but when had he ever stood before people to speak so fluently?

As Elias leaned in and kept grinning, Leo next to him kicked his shoe.

“Prior to the conference, as one of the victims of the terror, I convey my deepest condolences to the other 52 victims like myself. I wish you swift recoveries.”

Of the 53 moderately and severely injured, more than half—36—had been discharged before Luka regained consciousness. Excluding Luka, the remaining 16 were all severely injured who had suffered damage because the double-space magic in the heart of the explosion hadn’t even been fully dispelled, but even they had most of the curse that had spread through their bodies during the two days Luka had been unconscious removed and were preparing for discharge.

Though he had briefly regained consciousness, Luka, who had collapsed again and been on a ventilator for two days, had been in the most critical condition among them. Fortunately, thanks to Bavaria and Baden’s good defense against negative public opinion, the fact that Luka had had the highest probability of death among them—and that it was something no one would endure just for a bit of honor— was well known nationwide.

As Luka’s words ended, the prime minister gestured to the journalists and opened his mouth.

“We will now take questions.”

When Luka first gestured to a journalist, granting speaking rights, the journalist alternated between his notes and his face as he asked.

“I am Lea Frost from the political desk of Daily Anhalt. At that time, Your Excellency shouted ‘The Diocese of Osnabrück seeks you’ and went missing. The Catholic Diocese of Osnabrück in our world denied any connection to the terror, and according to authorities, it was highly likely to be the Pleroma Diocese. What is the reason the Pleroma Diocese of Osnabrück sought Your Excellency?”

Elias stroked his chin and looked at the New Human journalist seated in the press area.

The most important question had come right from the start. And it was a difficult one for Luka. Unless Luka was going to reveal right away that he was Nicolaus, he had to hide the connection to Pleroma Osnabrück until then. No, even if he revealed he was Nicolaus, he had to be cautious about the Osnabrück connection. Because the Catacombs were involved. The Empire government could be pushed to the edge of the cliff and only then move for the Catacombs. Revealing anything about the Catacombs before that was a bad move.

The journalists seated here weren’t particularly hostile to Luka. As they had been strictly selected by Askanian and the Anhalt government, they couldn’t make aggressive statements.

‘If they piss off too much from the start, they won’t be allowed into the press room next time.’

So, if they ignored reporting principles and only asked overly provocative questions, or asked questions laden with evident malice from personal feelings. This question was difficult for Luka, but it was one the public all wanted to know, and the intent was justified.

Now, Luka’s response was the key.

Luka nodded with a calm face, listening attentively to the journalist’s question, and as soon as his words ended, he replied.

“I know there is ample room to be certain that the ‘you’ in that incantation refers to me because I was the one who chanted it. But it is not the fact. There are numerous clues and ciphers obtained from the Emergency Committee organized for the Pentalon terror. According to information obtained by the Emergency Committee from 2:30 a.m. to around 3 a.m. that day, the incantation was delivered to over 100 people, and I was one of the many targets who received the cipher presumed to be the incantation.”

Luka spoke at a moderate pace, alternating his gaze between the journalist and the public.

“I state here that I judged the content of that incantation to be Pleroma’s ruse intended to delay the precise investigation. The Pleroma diocese I was moving to and captured in was not the Osnabrück diocese.”

At those words, the Anhalt subject seats behind stirred. The bewilderment that started as small voices now coalesced into the humming noise of hundreds of thousands.

The skill of turning public interest at once was good. Instead of giving a false answer to the journalist’s question, Luka was saying that the point the journalist’s question should target was wrong from the beginning.

“It wasn’t Osnabrück, could you explain in more detail?”

The journalist asked with a flustered face. This had not been announced until now. Our side had not announced in advance information that Luka could use as a weapon. When we reported the current situation, we said ‘Successful entry into Pleroma’ rather than ‘Successful entry into Pleroma Freiburg diocese.’ Anyway, the concept of Pleroma dioceses wasn’t widely known to the public, and the public had vaguely lumped them all together as Pleroma without distinction until now.

The Empire government had also received real-time sharing that we had entered not Osnabrück but elsewhere, but they had not stepped forward to announce it specifically to frame Luka as the culprit.

If he had moved to somewhere other than Osnabrück, the ‘Luka culprit scenario’ became overly complicated. If Luka had staged a self-directed play, why drag in the unrelated Osnabrück? If Luka was really Pleroma and the Pleroma side had wanted to plant a spy safely in the Empire government by making Luka a hero, wouldn’t it have been more natural and reasonable to dramatically shout ‘Osnabrück’ and destroy ‘Osnabrück’? Shouting Osnabrück and then suddenly being captured in Freiburg, not destroying Freiburg but returning unconscious—what was that? Twisting it once more to avoid getting caught as the terrorist?

If announcing that Luka had moved to another diocese, the Empire government had far more to prove. Because they needed clear evidence of the twisting. This was the reason the Empire government had kept silent on the fact of moving to Freiburg.

‘Do well~’

Since we had spilled it like this.

In fact, the Empire had told us not to reveal that we had moved to Freiburg. But it wasn’t exactly violating that threat. Why?

Luka answered the journalist’s question with a serious face.

“Yes. The place I moved to and was captured was not located in Osnabrück, and not a single Pleroma belonging to the Osnabrück diocese was there. This is a fact that Eschet, the Bavaria-Baden forces, and the Papal State can testify to. Representing the Papal State, His Eminence Baldovino Cataneo is present here. Your Eminence, may I request your testimony from this very seat?”

“Yes. The place our support forces moved to rescue His Excellency Lukas Askanian had no relation whatsoever to Osnabrück and was not even an adjacent diocese.”

The elderly cardinal stood from his seat, cast amplification magic, and said.

Securing the subjects’ trust in the response—this was one of the reasons Luka had brought politicians and mages from across the nation.

A journalist from Prussia raised his hand and obtained a chance to speak to ask.

“I am Alexander Schultz from the political desk of Prussian Imperial Newspaper. Then, Your Excellency, exactly where did you move to?”

“I wish to speak in detail, but as it involved cooperation with secret departments of various nations, it is currently treated as classified by the Empire and respective authorities, and disclosure is prohibited. Our press-reported information can also be obtained by Pleroma. For preventing secondary harm from Pleroma, I request the cooperation of you subjects. I sincerely hope for the day when we can uproot Pleroma from the Empire and reveal all of this.”

Why we hadn’t violated the Empire’s threat.

Wasn’t it enough not to specify Freiburg?

“Hahahaha.”

Elias laughed softly and shut his mouth upon receiving Leo’s glare. Anyway, if you try to use a loophole, you get blocked by a loophole! Serves them right. Uncle must be watching this too.

For the Empire government, it was difficult to tell Luka ‘Say you were captured in Osnabrück’—or more euphemistically, ‘Even if asked, do not reveal that you moved to another diocese.’ The justification for why they had to do that was lacking, and it would amount to declaring they would use him as the culprit.

Thus, the Empire government had used the security reason of ‘Specifying Freiburg could make them a focused target’ as a shield to say ‘Do not reveal anywhere that you moved to Freiburg.’ In fact, even that was a flimsy basis, making it an absurd request on our part.

So now, I hoped they would give up on trying to sacrifice Luka.

‘Because the government is like that, we couldn’t drink gose.’

Before leaving this place at dawn, I had to drink some salted beer even for an hour, but Luka had kept rejecting our demands to play because he was preparing this.

As the previous journalist sat down with a thank you, the prime minister granted speaking rights to another journalist.

“I am Melanie Spuhl from the political desk of Imperial Newspaper. I understand that you returned here with the assistance of the 101st class of the Imperial Mages’ Association. Was this pre-arranged?”

“Our Empire government and Imperial family made every effort to prevent the terror and various risks targeting Pentalon, and in fact thwarted several terrors. In that process, my colleagues who are Imperial mages, the Eschet members, had in advance established mutual safety rules and countermeasures in preparation for the contingency of being caught in a terror. I can say it was the preparedness that always shone through. I feel deep gratitude toward the Imperial Second Academy and 101st class colleagues, and the assistance from Prussia and various royal families and governments.”

Good. From the first word to the last, this much praised Prussia’s face. Though I didn’t want to praise the Imperial family for even a second, in politics such processes were essential, so Luka’s choice was a wise one.

In that way, the 30 minutes originally scheduled for the conference only ended after becoming two hours.

Thanks to Luka handling it properly without a chance to worry, by the end I was almost sleepy, but thanks to the annoying cousin brother staring strangely from the side, I didn’t sleep.

Many journalists were given chances to speak, and it was time for the conference to wrap up.

“I am truly honored to meet Anhalt subjects for the first time in this seat and speak directly. This terror was not something I could resolve alone. I convey deep thanks to the many who made it possible for me to stand here today. As I said in early this year, I will do my utmost to now fulfill the duties I could not during the 10 years of treatment.”

Luka continued with a composed face.

“With this, today’s conference concludes. I hope this conference has been helpful to you subjects. It is very late. Please return home carefully.”

It was 10 p.m. Elias checked the time and looked around. Now, the Imperial mages supported by Prussia would handle security until this crowd dispersed.

Whether they used Luka as a scapegoat or not, it was self-evident that this was a beneficial choice for them without need for further words.

Luka came down, shook hands one by one with those mages, and greeted the Anhalt subjects approaching hesitantly.

In that way, when we returned to the mansion, it was 11 p.m.

*  *  *

In the returning carriage, I glared at my status window.

Anhalt

2/28 Favorability +153,905/?

‘This is insane.’

Earlier, thanks to this, even the Chapter 7 special reward had appeared.

Chapter 7 Special Reward

Points +20

Somehow, it was strange that it appeared from Chapter 7, surpassing Chapter 6’s special reward. Anyway, I cleared the points window and looked back at the favorability window while thinking.

I knew about 500,000 people had gathered here. Giving about 3 points per person? In Anhalt?

Bringing in the many politicians trusted by Anhalt citizens nationwide and deploying them for my image promotion had been a successful strategy. With so many gathered, it was even more successful. It advertised that I was a ‘normal’ politician who could mingle properly with them. What wouldn’t I be able to mingle with, but the fixed notions embedded in Anhalt people were far deeper than in other regions.

Of course, that alone didn’t solve everything. Seeing this score, it seemed my subsequent responses hadn’t come off unsatisfying to them either.

They might have compared me to Adrian Askanian. Whatever, it was gain for me. Now that I had taken the first step in Anhalt, it was time to find ways to gradually increase this favorability and secure a position in Empire politics where I wouldn’t be trampled.

“Where you going. We have to have a party for your Anhalt political debut commemoration.”

Upon arriving at the mansion and trying to enter my room, Elias grabbed my nape and pushed me into his room.

‘It’s because of the gose.’

What a good excuse for a commemorative party.

Yes. For Elias, he had endured a long time.

He had dragged in all the other Eschet team members too. Now I saw there were seven glasses placed on his room table.

Leo asked in bewilderment.

“What? With seven people crammed in here, the room suddenly feels small.”

“To drink? Wouldn’t it be better to go to the brewery building? There was a restaurant attached.”

I had heard that Narce was curious about gose, though not as much as Elias. Even Narce tried to dissuade him, but Elias firmly shook his head.

“No. Listen well. If we go to the brewery side to drink, we’d have no choice but to keep up appearances, kids.”

“Since when did you…”

“Conscience-wise, you’re out.”

Despite Leo’s and my words, Elias didn’t yield. He persuaded us with enthusiastic gestures.

“So, we have to be in a space where no one sees us. Otherwise, this crown prince here would sip daintily while keeping up appearances.”

“It’s not about appearances, don’t you think you drink like a madman?!”

“Hm. I think that’s right.”

Then, an unexpected person spoke up. It was Cheringen’s words, who had been leaning against the wall watching Leo and Elias’s argument.

“We can’t drink properly at a restaurant. The waiters would watch us the whole time we’re seated. Anyway, we have to leave the country soon, so let’s rest properly when resting.”

Cheringen replied with a smile. Even the reliable Cheringen was saying they had to drink properly, so Leo grabbed his nape. Ulrike hadn’t said anything, but she seemed to have waited for gose just like Elias, and Narce nodded as if he had no disagreement with Cheringen’s words. Emboldened, Elias pointed out the window and said.

“So, we’re going to set up a barrier out back and drink. There’s a garden in front of the river. Luka, have you seen it?!”

“No. But you’re going to deploy a barrier just to drink?”

“Yeah. While we’re at it, go out and learn the lay of the house. This will soon be your house…!”

Leo clamped his mouth shut.

“You… when did you drink gose alone.”

“Wuh muhthnnd?”

“You must be drunk already. Right?”

“Right.”

Ulrike glanced at me and nodded vigorously. With just seven, it wasn’t particularly dangerous talk, but Leo had made it a habit.

‘Well, but drinking outside doesn’t seem particularly bad?’

Once we actually drank, Elias didn’t particularly urge heavy drinking, but matching his pace could lead to overdrinking, and since we couldn’t drag a keg, we’d have no choice but to drink moderately.

“Fine. But where are the bottles to take out?”

At my question, Elias snapped his fingers as if to say well said and slammed down on the set glasses on the table. Beer that hadn’t been there moments ago filled the glasses to the brim.

“See this. Heike taught me an amazing spell.”

“……”

Whether everyone agreed with my thought or not, Narce and Cheringen’s smiles froze as well. No need to mention Leo.

—————–

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