Chapter 309

The face of the person I saw just a few days ago is before my eyes. At the same time, it is the face of someone I can no longer see.

What I must do this time is clear. I must step aside until Emanuel becomes ‘me’. Just as I assimilated with Marco Schreiber before, this time too.

[Damn out-of-body experience….]

‘…….’

Emanuel’s voice filled my head. It wasn’t difficult to resolve to withdraw my consciousness and observe Emanuel’s actions for now. The fact that Emanuel also had such thoughts inside made me silent.

Emanuel let out a deep sigh.

“Haaaaa….”

“I think the ground sank thousands of meters just now because of you.”

“You’re really no fun.”

“Then don’t play with me.”

“…….”

Emanuel looked at Maria silently and then turned his body. Whether he did so or not, Maria leaned against Emanuel’s side—his skull and ribs collided, causing Emanuel to shout in an annoyed voice without realizing it—and smoked a cigarette. Emanuel put the medicinal cigarette down in the ashtray and asked.

“Did you have a good time at the club today?”

“I shouldn’t have made it in Berlin. It’s too far. Of course, I can just communicate with that mirror I gave you, but….”

Maria grumbled and continued.

“Some peculiar people came to visit. Do you know Pleroma?”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know them? They dig up graves and revive people from hundreds of years ago.”

“Right. I heard there are many people in that cult who like the occult, just like me. They suggested merging organizations, saying they would introduce me to colleagues so I can do occult activities in earnest.”

“…….”

Emanuel examined Maria’s complexion and held both his cheeks. Then he stared intently into his eyes. An unknown anxiety rose in an instant. I, no, Emanuel frowned and answered.

“Just be satisfied with me. The feeling is bad.”

“Satisfied with what! You can’t even do astral projection. I can do it if I just have Divine Power.”

…Why do you have to do astral projection?! To speak of such a thing so naturally….

I had watched him for 20 years, but I never got used to it. Instead of that thought, Emanuel spoke other words.

“I shouldn’t have introduced you to the Divine Power Mage…. Anyway, that place is no good. Don’t go.”

Even as he said that, his mind was not at ease. Outwardly, he always smiled and spoke carefree words, but his inner thoughts were not quite like that. Perhaps because he used his Connoisseur’s Eye without a target, only a vague anxiety that he couldn’t pinpoint washed over him.

“I have no intention of going either. It’s obvious they have neither respect nor anything else for the occult. I can distinguish whether they are just saying things to drag me in or not.”

The breath he had been holding was released at once. Emanuel smiled in a relaxed manner as usual and leaned back against the backrest.

“Right. Good. That group is getting weirder as the years go by anyway. At this rate, they might even catch and kill living people.”

“Hmm….”

“When that time comes, we’ll have to execute all those people, so let’s not associate with them carelessly.”

“…True. We should.”

Maria was resting his chin on his hand and staring into the air. What was he thinking? Emanuel looked into his eyes and asked again to confirm.

“You’re not going, right?”

“Yeah.”

Maria had no intention of joining Pleroma. He wasn’t that kind of person. Emanuel, who had been using his ability while gazing into Maria’s light green eyes, concluded as such and laid his head back on the pillow.

“Why exactly do they say they want to take you?”

“They asked me to create a Magic Studies system. To be precise, based on what I know.”

“Hmm? A Magic Studies system with the occult…?”

“Because the occult is also Logos. They want to access the essence of the universe and the most Christ-like magics.”

Only you think that; no one thinks the occult is Logos. Perhaps the complete opposite. Those words hovered in his mouth, but he closed his eyes. The magic potion made his body drowsy. Emanuel mumbled whatever came to mind and fell asleep.

“I will… succeed in astral projection. Don’t talk about your techniques in strange places, talk to me.”

“Okay, I told you I’m not going.”

The words faded in and out.

When I opened my eyes again, I was on the balcony in everyday clothes, not the pajamas from earlier. Maria was huffing and puffing, walking over from over there.

Bang—!

Maria, whose face had turned red from anger, threw his bag onto the side table. The wood of either that suitcase or the desk must have broken. Emanuel looked at Maria silently, thinking such thoughts. It was the first time in his life he had seen him return this angry.

“Do you know what those people told me to do? They asked me to make a drug that can brainwash people! There is no such thing, and even if I could make it, I would absolutely never do so.”

Maria started using the tone he used to use when he was at the Austrian Imperial Palace. It must be the tone he used when talking to those ‘strange’ people earlier. Since there was no word that Maria would come to Bavaria, there was only one cup of tea prepared. Emanuel pushed the teacup in front of him and asked.

“Was today the day you talked to the Pleroma leadership? Did they openly demand that?”

“Of course not. They spoke in a roundabout way, but could I possibly fail to understand that!”

Maria drank the tea in two gulps, as if it wasn’t hot. He wiped his mouth with his hand and continued speaking in an angry voice.

“It hurts my pride… but I did tell them what they expect from the occult for now. No matter what, no means no. I have to do something to detach these leech-like bastards.”

“…I don’t know what happened, but you did well. So what is this suitcase?”

“It’s the documents I had at my house and the ones I moved to the Berlin base. You keep them, and if anything happens, please burn them well. I should organize the Hermetische Gesellschaft or something, this won’t do….”

Emanuel held out his cigarette to Maria and said.

“You said ten people gathered; are you going to organize that? It’s a gathering you wanted to keep doing.”

“The safety of ten people is more important. Those Pleroma people or whatever are a group that will chase even the people in that gathering just because they are involved with me. They are guys who would resurrect someone even if they died and were buried, just to extract what’s in their head.”

“To that extent? Even so, you are a member of the Imperial Family….”

“They are the type to do so. They would chase to the ends of the earth if necessary.”

“Hmm… Are there that many people who would go that far? Why do you think so?”

“Because I saw it myself. He proudly introduced someone, saying this person rebelled against his organization…. I might have to create a Magic Formula that blows away the astral body to prevent resurrection altogether and hang it on every grave. Ah, then would they try to take the bone ash?”

I didn’t know who he introduced, but it must have been quite disgusting. Maria shrugged with a sarcastic tone. He sighed looking at the sky, then took out the artifacts in his pocket and gave them to Emanuel. Lumps of metal I had never seen before fell onto the desk.

“You shouldn’t be with me anymore either. I won’t come here. You be careful for the time being too….”

“Then can we only communicate by letter?”

“I gave you that artifact mirror. We can just check each other’s faces with that.”

“…….”

A vague anxiety soared.

It didn’t matter whether he went or not. The age where I wished to play with a friend all day had passed long ago, to the point I couldn’t even remember, and since he was Austrian, it was inevitable that we would be apart often.

I knew. I knew, but for some reason, I couldn’t erase the instinctive ominousness. My hands and feet went numb. My neck stiffened and wouldn’t move.

[No. What are you doing, you idiot….]

It must be me doing it, but a strange thought flashed through my mind as if a ‘me’ different from myself was doing it. My heart beat fast.

“I’m going. If anyone contacts you regarding blood or Magic Formulas, kick them out!”

Unlike when he came, Maria left the hall empty-handed. No, he shouldn’t go yet. I had something I wanted to ask….

[I should say that….]

The brief moment of closing my eyes felt like an eternity. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a different place.

Rustle—

[1888. 02. 26.]

[To His Highness Emanuel Wittelsbach]

[…I heard you are a close friend of my brother. My brother has been absent for two days. I am contacting you to ask if my brother happens to be in Bavaria. There is a family event coming up, so he must return by tomorrow; if he happens to be with you, I would appreciate it if you could convey the news.]

[Leopold Maria von Österreich-Este]

Emanuel, who folded the letter and put it down, took out the mirror artifact from his pocket. He tapped the surface of the mirror, but there was no response from the other side.

“Maria~”

[…….]

“Maria. Can’t you see me?”

Anyway, no matter how much I spoke here, unless Maria held the mirror, I couldn’t express my intent to Maria. It was just that we each had two artifacts that transmitted one way.

Besides, it wasn’t just a day or two that we lost contact. Even so, it was a bit surprising that he wasn’t even at home, but since Maria’s family didn’t know at all that he was researching the occult, it was understandable that he wouldn’t be at home often during times like these when he had a lot to think about. There was nothing else I could do. Emanuel drank tea and opened the suitcase Maria had brought.

Maria’s research materials were quite amazing. Whenever I looked at them, I could only marvel that not just anyone could produce such results.

‘It’s a bit disconcerting that the means is the occult, though….’

It was fine since he enjoyed it. Emanuel drew the formulas written in the material that looked the easiest among those spread out so far in his head and waved his Wand.

No reaction occurred.

‘Maria did it just fine.’

Seeing that, these formulas were not all illusions. However, as if magic couldn’t be used unless it was him, all the formulas Maria made could only be used by Maria. At least Emanuel himself had never succeeded in using his formulas alone. Emanuel glanced at the occult ingredients in the box. Three bottles containing Maria’s blood and bottles of magic potions used for incantations were visible. Even the chalk used to draw pentagrams was here.

‘There are just unnecessarily many preparations.’

Maybe it would work if I mobilized all that. I didn’t really want to mobilize them, though.

Emanuel rummaged through the materials after that and found a slightly strange notebook.

[Method to inject new thoughts into a soul that has entered the Astral Plane: New knowledge arises just by sleeping and waking up without studying!]

“…….”

Well…. Why specifically this magic when there’s no need to study?

More than that, why did he say there was nothing when a brainwashing-type Magic Formula was right here? Emanuel smirked and laid the notebook neatly at the very bottom of the box.

At that moment, a strange sound was heard.

Rattle—

“Hmm?”

Emanuel unfolded the mirror artifact he had put away earlier. Another New Human’s clothes were visible in the mirror. Maria was with other people.

[I told you I have no business with you all.]

[There is something we haven’t told you yet. You seem to have a misunderstanding….]

“Maria.”

I tried calling him, but it seemed he still couldn’t hear me. Seeing that he activated the artifact to show me the situation, he must have something he wanted to say….

Emanuel kept the mirror open with an expressionless face and continued to watch the screen.

[We came to save the world, not to propagate evil as Your Highness Maria thinks.]

[So what I mean is, you guys can just go around saving people yourselves, why bring that to me….]

Salvation…. People who say things like that were all crazy. These people must be the Pleroma Maria mentioned a few days ago. As soon as I thought that, a sound that shouldn’t be heard was heard.

[Crash— Thud—]

“…!”

Emanuel shot up from his seat. The world on the screen tilted sharply. Soon, another impact sound was heard, and the screen of the artifact went half out.

‘Just now….’

What just happened?

My brain didn’t work. Was what I just heard real?

Don’t tell me, they hit Maria’s head and….

[Take him to Gregorio.]

[Bishop. If we don’t grant the negotiation proposal Gregorio mentioned, he won’t use his ability.]

[Then grant it.]

[You’re going to do a favor for Gregorio for research that we don’t even know is real magic or not?!]

[At least this person has the ability to use it like magic. Besides, we can’t do without Gregorio’s brainwashing ability anyway! We’ll grant it someday anyway….]

[No! Didn’t we approach Beatrix von Österreich-Este to avoid borrowing Gregorio’s ability? Gregorio is an ambitious man. He’s only not showing his true colors because he hasn’t been in long, but he will betray our organization at any time.]

[Once we obtain the brainwashing Magic Formula from this Österreich-Este, kill Gregorio. Wouldn’t that solve it?]

“…….”

My head was cooling down coldly.

They did this just to find Maria’s technology. The story he told when he visited without notice a few days ago flashed through my mind.

The reason Maria showed me the artifact was because he hoped I would come to find him. I put the documents I had spread out into the suitcase and ran to the room. I had to go out right now. Go out and….

The hand taking out the jacket stopped.

Where should I go after going out? Where is that place right now? Austria? Berlin? Only the sound of rustling clothes, not voices, could be heard from the artifact now. The place the mirror reflected soon changed to a dark room. They had warped somewhere. With this, Maria’s location fell further into a labyrinth.

When I opened and closed my eyes again, I was at the Investigation Bureau.

“They say Warp Magic Power was detected around the building Your Highness mentioned. Let’s move to Prussia together with us now. People from Österreich-Este will also come here soon; will you move together then?”

“You said it was detected.”

Perhaps noticing I wasn’t in my right mind, the employee examined my complexion and answered.

“Yes. It was possible thanks to your quick report. The Prussian Investigation Bureau has opened a portal, so let’s cross over immediately.”

I saw hope. I didn’t know who this person named Gregorio was, but I had to find him before Maria was brainwashed by him. No, even if it was after, since there was the formula Maria developed, maybe it could be reversed….

I took a deep breath and checked the artifact. There was still no change. Like that, I moved to Prussia following the investigator.

However, the hope didn’t last long.

The newly moved location was an empty building. Truly, there was nothing but the building. The Prussian investigator looked around with a deeply flustered face.

“That’s strange. This is the right place….”

“If this is the right place, why is there nothing?”

“No, well…. It definitely led here. If not here, there would be no way….”

At those words, another Prussian investigator spoke with a serious face.

“Did they refract the Magic Power? Since almost nothing is known about Pleroma, they might possess new technology of their own.”

“If that’s the case….”

While I was silently listening to their conversation, someone grabbed my back, perhaps because I showed an abnormal reaction. Due to rage, my vision turned white without my realizing it. Hearing the words to rest while they found the route again, I sat down with the investigator’s help. Unable to trust them anymore, I snatched back the artifact I had submitted.

It was a little while later that clear voices began to be heard from the artifact I was holding.

[Who are you?]

“…!”

Maria woke up. I hurriedly unfolded the mirror. An old man with a benevolent impression sat in front of Maria and smiled.

[I am Gregorio.]

[Aren’t you the person who worked for the German government in the past?]

[You have an excellent memory. As expected of an Austrian.]

Gregorio laughed. There was still an edge in Maria’s tone.

[You were the Vice Minister of Magic. I didn’t know you would be in this Gnostic group.]

[You never know how human affairs will turn out.]

A good-natured laugh. The sound of a chair dragging was heard.

[Now, Your Highness Archduke Beatrix Maria. Let’s have a calm conversation for a moment.]

[…….]

[I think you must be very flustered. You didn’t know you would be dragged to a place you’ve never seen like this. I was the same at first. It’s quite closed off and the organization’s goal is strange, so I am also waiting for the day I can leave.]

[Were you dragged here too?]

[Of course. Having been the Vice Minister of Magic, what reason would I have to come here? After losing my children in Alsace-Lorraine, I didn’t even have the will to live long.]

[…….]

[You want to go back, don’t you?]

Gregorio lowered his voice and asked cautiously. It was a voice mixed with concern, as if trying to help Maria.

For a moment, I stopped breathing. I felt a shred of hope, but it was extinguished quickly. As long as he was in this organization anyway, he was not someone who would help Maria. Besides, didn’t those Pleroma members say earlier that there was a ‘negotiation proposal’? Maria didn’t hear that conversation, but I, who heard their conversation, knew. Either way, this person was also trying to lure Maria.

‘No.’

[I shouldn’t answer here.]

[Hmm?]

I looked at the artifact dumbfounded. Maria definitely wouldn’t have heard that conversation?

Even in this situation, Maria answered calmly.

[You are also my type of person.]

[Your type. If it’s a type like Your Highness Beatrix Maria?]

[I mean a person who possesses technology others don’t know. Isn’t your goal to hear the answer that I want to go back from me? If I do, you’ll make the next move. Furthermore….]

[…….]

[Was it you who drew my blood? If so, it’s even more suspicious.]

The old man looked surprised, then quickly smiled gently.

[You are someone who knows the importance of blood. Good.]

[Good. What is?]

[I never have any intention of harming Your Highness Maria. Using violence carelessly is unjust and wrong. Therefore, I will not use unnecessary moves on Your Highness, but I am not in a position where I can forsake what they ordered me.]

[…….]

[You don’t agree. Even though it was the truth.]

[What answer do you want from this place?]

[Could you tell me what Your Highness Maria knows?]

I shot up from my seat. The investigators looked at me with surprised eyes, but I didn’t care.

“Your Highness Emanuel!”

Someone grabbed me. I shook him off, went back the way I came, took the portal to the Bavarian Investigation Bureau, and headed to my mansion.

Bang—!

‘In the conversation.’

There was a clue in the conversation. Earlier, the two were placing emphasis on ‘ability using blood’. It was worth a try. I opened the suitcase with trembling hands and rummaged through the numerous documents Maria had organized. Not a single letter that was read so well earlier could be read now. I picked up a letter knife and stabbed the back of my hand.

Crunch—

After the illusion that the bones in the back of my hand were severed, my vision cleared up, albeit faintly. Blood flowing down the blade of my hand dripped onto the paper. I continued to search through the materials, hoping the letters on the paper wouldn’t be erased by the blood. The notebook with the title I was searching for so desperately appeared.

[Astral Projection]

“Ha….”

A habitual laugh burst out. Astral projection. It must be madness. It is madness. It couldn’t not be madness…. I had said I would try it once, but what I hadn’t believed in the slightest until now felt like a savior now.

They won’t kill him. They aren’t trying to kill Maria, but just want to know Maria’s technology. I opened the bottle containing Maria’s blood and took out the Divine Power artifact he had made. So if I just know the location, if I just find out the location….

“…Our flesh remains in the material world, but.”

When I opened my eyes again after that, I was in a familiar place.

‘…This is….’

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment and opened my mouth. Wasn’t this the building I was in earlier? I didn’t take a portal, but for it to be like this, did I really succeed in astral projection? Or did I just move to a place remaining in my subconscious? Even so, I couldn’t stay still.

The sunlight coming into the corridor was bright. Like the place I was just at. The light was this bright, but Maria’s vision was dark like a basement. I placed my hand on the door leading to the building’s basement. Even though it was locked, I could just enter. It was an insane sight, but I couldn’t think that far.

When I opened the door to the basement floor, a vast space appeared. I tried counting how many rooms were here, but it looked to be well over ten. Whether it was because I wasn’t in my right mind or because he was really around here, Maria’s voice was heard increasingly vividly. I opened the doors on the basement floor one by one and listened to the words piercing my ears.

[I say again, there is nothing I can tell you.]

[…….]

[I know you capture those poor people and drain their blood. Do you think you are qualified to pursue eternal life after doing that? Do you think I wouldn’t know that you revive corpses dug up from graves, use them as laborers, and discard them? The dignity of the deceased isn’t even a consideration. You should be grateful I haven’t told anyone yet.]

‘…….’

This is a Maria I had never imagined. Is this a friend I made up? No. I knew well that he sincerely cared for the lowly, but we had never had a serious conversation about it. Even regarding catching the poor to drink their blood and treating corpses as they pleased, it was a story that could be guessed from the fragmentary words about reviving corpses, but was never actually known in detail.

[Do you think I wouldn’t know that you are trying to summon more blood with my technology? Can you dare speak of salvation after doing this?]

[I thought it would have succeeded long ago, but it is beyond my ability. Now I will summon another person. Before that.]

It was Gregorio’s voice. He continued speaking.

[If you cooperate for just a moment, I will send you back to where you lived. You can even forget the fact that you said this. Since today’s memory will be cleanly covered, it means you can live without a guilty conscience.]

[…….]

[Do you really not want it?]

The moment I reached out to enter the third room on the right, their figures appeared in front of me. Even though my form couldn’t be visible to their eyes, the old man looked at the doorway where I was and said.

“…If that’s the case, first, being reborn isn’t bad either.”

Bang—!

I immediately escaped from the Astral Plane. I didn’t know if I had really been to the Astral Plane or how I got out, but it didn’t matter. I took the portal again and crossed over to Prussia.

“Your Highness Emanuel!”

“What is the matter? Your hand….”

I shook off the hands of the investigators and looked around. Still nothing. Even though it was definitely the same space.

[…If you are reborn, you will….]

A faint spell of another Pleroma was heard from the artifact. As if intending to change strategies in earnest, the old man had finally summoned another person. I shook off the investigator and struck the floor with my Staff.

I must be crazy.

I might be having a delusion just wishing Maria was here. Pouring Magic Power wouldn’t solve anything, but….

Boom—!

I made eye contact with the investigators. For a moment, the flow of Magic Power changed. I didn’t know what had happened. Was there Space Magic installed that duplicated the building? Since no one knew Pleroma’s methods, there was no meaning in trying to figure that out now. I aimed my Staff at the door going down to the basement floor. The investigators, realizing the situation, tore the door off.

[Grief is….]

Maria’s voice.

I knew instinctively. It was a Magic Formula. I didn’t even know what Magic Formula it was since it was something Maria had never told me, but at that moment, my mind went blank as if I forgot everything. The third room on the right. I don’t even know what state of mind I was in.

[Grief pursues the heels of grief and approaches swiftly!]

Bang—!

“Maria!”

I just shouted at the top of my lungs. The dilated light green eyes turned toward me.

After that, there was nothing. Magic Power collided from all sides. I could see the people who followed me dragging out the Mages belonging to Pleroma. I stepped in a puddle of blood. Even though I moved step by step, those eyes did not follow my face. Those eyes were now directed at the empty air.

“Get up.”

“…….”

“Let’s go.”

A heavy silence touched my skin. The noon sunlight coming down from the ground shone on him. The silence was cruelly peaceful.

“We have to go. Don’t be like this….”

I know.

I knelt on one knee where Maria had fallen and carefully lifted his neck.

I know.

I took a deep breath. The cheek that retained warmth as if he were alive touched my face.

I know, but what can I do?

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