Chapter 281

Andreas Friedman blinked his eyes crazily, as if he didn’t understand what he had just heard. I had no intention of kindly elaborating. I let go of his collar and aimed the staff at him.

“Wh-why this again… huh…!”

As I twisted the wrist holding the staff, he scrambled back to the other side of the bed. Magic power flew right up to his nose and then dissipated into the air as he squeezed his eyes shut. I wonder how someone with such a strong will to live could come up with the idea of pushing someone to the brink of death just because it seemed like they couldn’t secure their own interests. Is it okay for him not to get hurt, but for others to die?

“Why do you make me repeat myself?”

I even drank blood to test this hypothesis, how long do I have to wait? I’m not going to turn back time here, so the sooner the better.

Friedman, with trembling hands, cautiously picked up the machine and placed it on my left arm. All the while, his eyes were fixed on my staff. A needle-like artifact pierced my skin and went down. The skin that had just healed was pierced again, and the smell of blood returned. I looked down at the machine and asked.

“There shouldn’t be a machine like this originally. Did you make it?”

Andreas Friedman hesitated, then nodded.

“For what?”

“……”

“Why don’t you answer?”

“A tool to examine the temperament…”

“My temperament? Hahaha…. Then you already had a hypothesis that something would come out if you pushed me to the brink of death. Right? Seeing as you were angry when things didn’t go your way at first, it probably wasn’t your main hypothesis, but closer to a secondary one.”

“……”

Kwak—

I grabbed his shirt collar and forced his head up. I infused divine power and asked again.

“Am I wrong? Answer on your own without making me ask again.”

He finally shook his head vigorously, his face pale.

He wouldn’t be a careless person. A person who prepares methods even for low-probability hypotheses is a tricky type with a lot of suspicion, even though his way of thinking is unremarkable and not worth dealing with.

As I let go of his clothes, he watched me and then infused magic power into the machine and pressed the second button from the top.

“……”

My magic power was draining from the upper needle, and someone else’s magic power was rushing in from the lower one. Is it inducing the external release of magic power by giving a shock?

Anyway….

“Haha….”

I burst out laughing without realizing it.

Just a moment ago, my magic power was draining like crazy through this needle, but now, even though I feel something draining, my core’s magic power is not going outside. Since magic power is constantly surging and circulating in my body, there’s no reason to absorb the magic power flowing in from the outside.

The most surprising thing is that not all of my magic power is being sucked out, which can only be explained by the fact that my core is continuously emitting magic power. I wonder if drinking blood turns the core into a bottomless pit.

With this, the hypothesis verification ended with the hypothesis being proven correct. It seems that drinking blood raises the core’s condition to its peak, so my magic power is not being sucked out. It seems that blood doesn’t just act as a shock absorber but has more effects.

‘It’s pretty good.’

I still don’t want to drink blood, but it’s an ability that will be useful in combat situations. Thinking of it as an ability that will save me from the brink of death provides some, just a little, comfort.

Although I developed a dislike for it due to an unexpected event, in fact, the only things that changed before and after the mass were the growth rate of my core and its absorption ability. It’s still a guess, but it’s possible that the absorption ability wasn’t newly developed, but that its range was expanded. The crazy thing Leo said about ‘adapting to blood’ wasn’t because I would become a real corpse on the verge of death if I didn’t drink blood, but to prevent any possible accidents in advance because my core’s growth rate was fast for my age and its degree was unusually large. Just now, the ability was activated only when I felt like I was going to die because all my magic power was being sucked out, so as long as no one tries to dry me out to death like today, there’s no way for anyone to know about my ability.

Now I have obtained the most crucial information I wanted to know. This information was necessary for Andreas Friedman and my brother. I will drink blood properly before my next hospital visit.

And now….

I glanced at the other two doctors and pulled Andreas Friedman up.

It’s time for interrogation. Why did he suddenly do this, and what was he trying to gain from Adrian Askanian?

First, why did he suddenly do this? Even if I am a loss to him, why now and not sooner? Or why did he rush things like this?

“You said you offered my brother to look after my health while I’m in Berlin.”

“…Yes, yes.”

“The Deputy Director himself will look after my health. Haha…. Your original plan probably wasn’t to pull this stunt right away, so what advanced your plans?”

“……”

This time, instead of answering, he just moved his widened eyes frantically. Only after I grabbed his collar tighter and pulled did he snap out of it and answer.

“A l-letter…. I received a letter…”

“You’ll have to say who it was from.”

“His Excellency the Vice Minister of Magic sent it.”

“You mean my brother.”

Friedman nodded vigorously.

“What did my brother say?”

“That…”

“No.”

I cut him off and pulled a letter from inside his gown.

“You would have had it to take me, so there’s no need to waste time asking.”

[I was moved by your thoughtful offer. … I just received news that my brother has woken up and is in Berlin. I am writing to you to ask you to prescribe a medicine that can improve his core condition for his future safe activities.]

As expected, Adrian Askanian sent a clean letter. There were no other topics besides this content.

The trigger here must have been the mention of the ‘core’. Friedman must have been worried that I might be enthroned as the monarch of Anhalt since January of this year, and through my brother’s letter, he must have guessed that something was wrong with my core.

There’s no need to look further.

I threw away the letter and checked the status windows of the doctor and nurses on my right. Then I thrust my staff at them.

—Unless Yahweh keeps the city, the watchman’s wakefulness is in vain!

Kwaang—!

I cast a sleep spell and a barrier. Andreas Friedman flinched in fear. I flicked my hand and pulled Andreas Friedman out.

“Warp to your house.”

Andreas Friedman’s eyes widened. Against his will, when he closed and opened his eyes again, we had already warped. A mansion that looked newly built came into view. Good. The divine power melted into his body is doing its job well.

“…Huh?!”

A servant who was cleaning in front of the mansion saw us and shouted with wide eyes.

Kwaang—

—Unless Yahweh keeps the city, the watchman’s wakefulness is in vain.

I slammed the staff on the ground and chanted. No one would see a person in a strange state as a guest, so it’s better to put them to sleep. On the way in, dragging Andreas Friedman, all the servants I saw had collapsed and fallen asleep.

“Where do you keep the letters you’ve exchanged with my brother? Go there.”

I said, grabbing the scruff of his neck. For a moment, I felt his shoulders stiffen. I pushed him forward to keep him walking and tried to talk to him.

“It seems you have a thing or two to get from my brother. Did Adrian Askanian promise you the position of Minister of Health of the Imperial Government?”

“…What?”

“He’s only a vice minister himself, so he’s not someone who would make such a rash promise. Then what’s possible? Did he promise to set up a deal where magic potion pharmaceutical companies give your hospital rebates? Or has he already done so? Is my brother covering up for medical malpractice or prescription drug trafficking? That’s ridiculous. He’s not someone who would get his hands dirty. Then did he promise to set up a tax exemption system for magic potions? No. You’re not the head of a rights group, so that’s not particularly beneficial to you. Then….”

I stared into his eyes and said.

“There’s one cleanest and most plausible way to win your favor without doing anything that would make you feel guilty towards the people of Anhalt. Did my brother promise to give you a stake in the Anhalt national medical business?”

“……”

“Am I close?”

I smiled and patted his shoulder. He blinked his eyes rapidly twice without realizing it.

“…No…!”

“Getting the title of Minister of Health of Anhalt or the royal physician of Askanian would be nice too. But why did you have to go so far as to do such a dirty thing to enthrone Adrian Askanian?”

The justification for why it has to be Adrian Askanian is a bit weak. The biggest problem is that the positions above are not positions that only Adrian Askanian can give, and the fact that Friedman, who has the title of Deputy Director of the Imperial Central Hospital, is already fully qualified for both positions is also a problem.

Friedman, who had stopped in front of a room, looked at the doorknob with a frozen face. Cold sweat was beaded on his face. I watched his profile and said.

“Open it.”

“……”

Click—

He found the key with a trembling hand and inserted it. As soon as the door opened, I pushed him inside. As he stepped in, the multi-layered defense magic broke all at once.

This place was a small archive attached to the room.

“Is this the room with the letters exchanged with my brother?”

“…Yes.”

I dragged him and sat him down in front of a small table. Friedman seemed unable to believe that he had brought the enemy into the heart of his own mansion with his own hands. He looked like he was about to faint, which showed how much he had staked his career and gains.

“Let’s have a slow chat.”

“…Chat?”

“You’re too slow at whatever I ask you to do, so I won’t order you to do anything anymore. I’d rather do it myself. Sit comfortably.”

He was looking at me with a face that said, “Why are you sitting down when you came to find the letters exchanged with my brother?” I ignored his question and continued with the topic I had mentioned earlier.

“Now I understand why you brought up Georg Askanian’s name earlier. A letter clearly came from my brother, so I was curious why you said you came because Georg Askanian sent you. Of course, the real seal of approval for the important matter of becoming the temporary physician of a ruling family’s child is held by Georg Askanian. Even so, in reality, you got the physician case through Adrian Askanian, and you would have known that I received a letter from Adrian Askanian containing your story, so why did you do that? Even though you also brought the letters you exchanged with Adrian Askanian.”

“There was no particular meaning…”

“Right, there would be no particular meaning. It’s just that the desire within you manifested without you even realizing it.”

The more anyone talks, the more information they give out. It was a minor point, so I quickly continued.

“You ultimately wanted the recognition of the monarch of Anhalt, not Adrian or anyone else, and you subconsciously wanted to present the real legitimacy of Georg Askanian rather than Adrian Askanian.”

“……”

“Unlike your ambition to be deeply involved in Anhalt’s medical business, Georg Askanian probably doesn’t think much of you. Georg Askanian is not old enough to retire yet, and he wants to control Anhalt’s political and business circles with his own associates in the future, so there’s no place for you to enter. Instead, you must have figured out that Georg Askanian easily listens to what Adrian Askanian says. Am I wrong?”

“…No.”

“Then why Anhalt? In the first place, there’s no one in the Imperial Government who is as close to the imperial family as Adrian Askanian and is also the next monarch of a country, and since Anhalt has been exerting great influence on the Duchy of Saxony since Georg’s generation, if you get your hands on Anhalt’s medical world, the probability of taking Saxony’s place also increases. It’s the best condition, killing two birds with one stone. So, based on your management experience in a small pro-Prussian state like Anhalt, you were planning to return to Prussia later and get a more glamorous position, right?”

“……”

“Adrian Askanian, who is making rapid progress in the Imperial Government, will one day become the Minister of Magic and the Imperial Chancellor, so it would be no problem for him to place you in the position you want. On the other hand, I still lack a political base, and there’s no guarantee that I’ll form a friendly relationship with you like Adrian Askanian. If I am enthroned, you’ll have to give up the grand dream you’ve been cultivating. The thought of that must have been horrifying.”

He either saw no possibility of rising above the Deputy Director of the Imperial Central Hospital, or it seemed like it would take too long. That’s understandable.

He’s probably in his 50s now, so he’s actually risen to Deputy Director early. Considering the average lifespan of New Humans, 50 is still young. Now that I see, his ambition is also great. Right… if he’s the type of person to do something like this, it’s natural that he’s already blind in one eye.

Now I have to decide what to do with this guy. Of course, as it is, he’ll go to jail, but I have to think about the next step. In the world where he doesn’t harm me and lets me go peacefully, what should I do with him?

Should I make him my ally, or….

“……”

The problem here is that the incentive to make him my ally has hit rock bottom. He is certainly in a high position. But if you ask if he is in a good position to exert political influence, that’s not the case. Above all, if I infer the crucial reason why Adrian Askanian had built a friendly relationship with this guy, there is very little reason for me to keep someone who pushes others to the brink of death for his own benefit by my side.

My answer is out. Now it’s time to find out whether he can offer a benefit that would make me reverse my pre-decided answer.

I looked at the bookshelf next to me and asked.

“Do you have a hoarding disorder?”

“…Why that…”

“People don’t usually create a place just to store documents in their house like this.”

Considering he’s a doctor, it’s a bit of a strange sight. Usually, at best, they only have a drawer that can be locked with a key or a safe.

Friedman answered in a crawling voice.

“It’s not to the extent of being a disorder.”

“We’ll have to see about that.”

The other person made a subtle expression at my words.

“I like loyal people, so there’s one person I haven’t sent away yet. Do you know why?”

“It would be beneficial if you could just turn their loyalty, I suppose.”

“You know well. We’ve talked about what you want so far, right? I can grant you everything you want.”

“……”

“This is your last chance. Prove your usefulness to me.”

His eyes wavered. Even if he doesn’t know that I can turn back time, he would know well that this is truly his last chance. After a long time, he opened his mouth with a glint in his eyes.

“What do you want?”

“……”

I smiled once and raised my eyebrows.

“I hope your hoarding disorder gets better a little earlier.”

Kwaang—!

As I slammed the staff down, I saw the eyes of Friedman sitting in front of me widen. With an explosion, divine power quickly spread inside the archive.

I watched the white wave fill the space and said.

—Seek, and you will find.

“Confirm and burn.”

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