Chapter 325

“…….”

Only now did Mecklenburg show a faint smile. His whole body revealed that he didn’t particularly want to get involved with me. I raised the corners of my mouth at him. I also don’t particularly want to converse, but I had to execute the plan right now.

“Ah. I am doing what Senior ordered properly. I just came back from playing with the dogs. They even have names, do you know them?”

Mecklenburg turned his head immediately. Even if he didn’t try to show it, he must be thinking it’s not even worth conversing.

“Actually, since I’ve never raised a dog, I worried a bit about whether I could take care of them well. But just as Senior said, it really wasn’t particularly difficult since I just had to make them recognize Magic Power. Today, I received Senior’s Magic Power palette and trained by smearing it on them….”

While I was speaking and pulling my collar to show him, Mecklenburg cut me off sharply.

“It is kind of you to tell me every single detail like that.”

“I also think so, but… I told you because I thought you might be curious why Senior’s Magic Power remained on my clothes.”

Mecklenburg exhaled loudly and looked straight at me with a smiling face.

“I was not curious.”

“…….”

I suppose so. I’m not curious about your answer either.

I stared at him and shrugged my shoulders.

“It seemed you were definitely kind to me at first.”

“I guess it does not feel that way now?”

“Because you look a little tired now.”

“It seems even speech patterns are unified in Askanian.”

“Well.”

I tilted my head and made a thoughtful expression.

“I do not know well, but the older brother Senior knows must be similar to me. I have rather been overlapping the image of my older brother on Senior, but hearing this from Senior….”

I swallowed once and said in a low voice.

“I am glad.”

“…….”

Silence continued. The corners of Mecklenburg’s mouth, who was watching my face, stiffened. He turned his head while maintaining an artificial smile.

“Let us start.”

“Yes.”

Light was already entering the white space. I closed my eyes, blocking the wind blowing against my face. Only after the wind cleared a bit did I look around. A city completely collapsed and burnt to ashes; is the time around noon? Sunlight occasionally slanting through the clouds illuminates the temporarily constructed observation deck where we stand. Miscellaneous papers and artifacts are placed on a rusty green table, and dust flying from somewhere hinders reading them. It is an appearance completely different from the fields we have experienced until now.

“The city is completely in ruins. Is this ash?”

“The clues given to us are only a map, various building blueprints, and… newspapers and artifacts.”

He tapped the radio artifact without answering my useless question. Even though he showed signs of disliking me all along, he is speaking normally during the test as expected. Amber eyes devoid of any emotion looked around and returned to me.

“Mr. Askanian.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“Please be quiet from now on.”

“…….”

Ah…. Was I too loud?

My strategy isn’t finished yet, so you shouldn’t tell me to fold here. And aside from that, those words include a problem beyond giving a hint that ‘you chatter too much’. No matter that we are on the same team, it is ultimately a game to pick the 1st place, so individuals must stand out. Our idle Chief of Staff of the Special Operations Command must be here somewhere, and since he came here, and to sit in the highest seat in the TF with an unknown purpose to be formed in the future, he must not give me a chance. It means don’t keep stepping forward, but what will this eventually lead to?

I hardened my expression slightly and asked.

“Do you intend to lead the strategy, Senior?”

“Is there a problem?”

Mecklenburg raised his eyebrows and said. It was a soft tone, but the speed was not soft at all. He wouldn’t like it since my tone must have sounded like I was defying him to steal his spot. I looked at him and shook my head slightly.

“…Please do as you wish, Senior.”

“…….”

Mecklenburg pointed at the map placed on the table with his hand. I leaned against the cement pillar behind, crossed my arms, and watched him place markers according to the radio’s voice. When he moved the third marker, I opened my mouth.

“Actually, you might be flustered if I say this now, but….”

“I believe I told you to be quiet.”

“I really wanted to coordinate with Senior as a colleague, and I am glad this opportunity arose.”

Mecklenburg’s hand stopped.

“Although I did not have many opportunities to converse with my older brother, I have always heard from people around me. That Your Excellency Mecklenburg is my older brother’s best friend, and also an excellent person like him. Even when I actually met you, I was really surprised because you were no different from the image I had drawn since childhood. Although there was a slight difference in opinion with me, couldn’t there always be differences in thought?”

“…….”

“So… although Senior might not like me, I still cannot believe the fact that I met the person I respected as a team like this.”

“Be quiet.”

Mecklenburg answered coolly with his gaze fixed on the map without lifting his head. The marker he just placed on the map failed to balance and wobbled. I, who was leaning against the pillar, took a step closer, pressed the marker firmly, and waited for his words. However, no words came no matter how long I waited, and Mecklenburg was bowing his head toward the map with his hands on the table.

“…….”

I lifted my hat slightly and looked at the sky. Sunlight is coming through the faint Vitriol smoke covering the sky.

This game consists of a total of 3 sets, with 5 minutes of strategy establishment time given, and we must find the portal heading to the Pleroma base and prisoners within the 7 minutes of the main game time given afterward. Since we have to deal with this entire city center, we cannot go around poking everywhere directly. We must use the given 5 minutes preciously, but 2 minutes have already passed. I turned my gaze back to Mecklenburg and opened my mouth quietly.

“Please speak. Whatever instructions Senior gives, I will do my best to follow.”

At those words, Mecklenburg raised his head unexpectedly, and I quickly showed an appropriate expression. It wasn’t difficult since I had already raised the heat from tension on my face. An emotion I saw for the first time flashed across Mecklenburg’s face.

“…….”

That emotion was different from the triumph or conceit I saw from the 98th Class Team A members. That was, so to speak… a collection of all sorts of emotions led by tension and anxiety. Occupational disease helps at times like this. I smiled while feeling the nape of my neck getting chilly.

I expected it, but the impression when seeing it directly evoked even more pleasure.

“You look at me now.”

“…….”

In many senses.

I said that with a smile and tapped my watch.

“2 minutes and 30 seconds have already passed. Soon we must go down to the field. Please give instructions quickly.”

Whether he became blank from too many thoughts or his mind went blank from taking a hit somewhere, Mecklenburg nodded silently and listened to the sound coming from the radio.

[…A large fire has occurred at the 3 o’clock direction from the City Hall, so subjects remaining in Berlin, please do not enter East Brandenburg and evacuate in another direction. A large fire at the 3 o’clock direction from the City Hall….]

He shut his mouth tight, clenched his fist, and placed a marker meaning entry prohibited on the map. It’s time to quickly search through the newspapers and have already placed all markers on the map, so it’s not the time to do this slowly. Though I’m not the one to say this after making him slow.

‘…Effect is good.’

No matter how much I had a plan, it is unreasonable to be certain that the opponent will move according to my will. If it weren’t for the advice Narce threw in passing, I wouldn’t have bothered attempting this kind of acting, but the effect is so good that I’m in a position where I should go thank Narce.

Even if he knew my sweet talk was a lie, he is already captive to the immediate expectation and the need for proof. I used a similar method on the 98th Class Team A, though less than this—the strategy was slightly different: I appealed to them that I have respected each team member and thus studied their respective strengths steadily—but the 98th Class Team A only judged that it would be better to show their skills well in front of a junior, and their thinking speed didn’t slow down due to tension like Mecklenburg. This reaction right now was surprising even to myself… and to the extent of becoming scary as it far exceeded what I expected. If Leo or someone else had said exactly what I said, Mecklenburg would have just smiled. However, this happened entirely because I said it.

‘…This is a madman in another direction.’

I couldn’t help but get goosebumps instinctively. Right, his desire for recognition and craving far exceeded the normal level enough to evoke such an immediate reaction. It must be that desire which wasn’t recognized during the past 15 years growing up with Adrian Askanian.

‘Whatever it is, this is not the time.’

Since I seized the opportunity, it is my turn to think. I looked around while watching the second hand moving. Leo and the 91st Class representative, who would be on the other side, must have already established a strategy.

‘One of the two might come to attack me.’

If so, Leo, who knows me excessively well, will come to subdue me, and the 91st Class representative Mage will move according to the strategy seizing that time. I should have hit Leo’s head and erased his memory, but it’s a pity. I thought while flicking my finger to give a shock to Leo’s core. If we receive permission, we can use artifacts here, but in Leo’s case, he would have left it out since he cannot explain the artifact’s use to others. In other words, Leo cannot beat my core.

I continued to give shocks to his core and turned the newspaper to read the densely packed text.

[Unter den Linden scorched earth… Vitriol contamination level exceeds 80%, entry impossible before purification work]

[Treptower Park temporarily closed]

[Spree River contaminated with Vitriol and berserk potions]

[Grunewald Forest-Havel-Pfaueninsel-West Düppeler Forest Pleroma executive sightings continuously reported… Pfaueninsel stationing suspected]

‘It’s like reality.’

They made a simulation of something that shouldn’t happen in reality. I checked the final update time stamped on the newspaper article. 10 AM.

Conversely, the Vitriol-berserk potion contamination status of major points in each region was being updated in real-time, and fortunately, there are past copies at 1-hour intervals here. I first checked the contamination status column stamped 10 AM.

‘Berlin Spree River ★★★, Berlin Havel River Southwest ★☆☆, Jungfernsee-Tiefersee ★★★, Langer See-Müggelsee ☆☆☆, Tegeler See ☆☆☆….’

There were numerous lists, but the place I noted for now is here.

And 12 PM.

‘Berlin Spree River ★★☆, Berlin Havel River Southwest ★★☆, Jungfernsee-Tiefersee ★★★, Langer See-Müggelsee ★★★, Tegeler See ★☆☆.’

I read the river contamination information written in the status column and drew a picture in my head instead of stealing Mecklenburg’s map.

Unter den Linden. Currently, the center of Berlin where we are located has high contamination levels, but we Mages must endure.

Treptower Park is a place with bad memories; if one goes southeast to Berlin from Treptower, there is Müggelsee, and if one goes further down, there is Brandenburg. Conversely, if one goes up northwest from Brandenburg, there is Müggelsee and Treptower Park. Around there were the Pentalon Main Stadium and the event venue.

Grunewald-Havel-Pfaueninsel-West Düppeler is located in southwest Berlin. It is very close to Brandenburg.

Now the rivers and lakes. To simplify the big flow very much, it flows from southeast to northwest in the order of Müggelsee (Lake)-Spree River-Havel River. Tegeler See is a place in northwest Berlin. Jungfernsee-Tiefersee are lakes continuing from the Havel River, and are located below the Grunewald-Pfaueninsel-West Düppeler Forest where those executive sightings came out.

Honestly, I’m not on the side very familiar with Berlin geography—I didn’t have much interest in Seoul geography even when I lived in 21st century Seoul—but with this much, a rough picture is drawn.

So, how did my work go?

“Senior.”

“Do not rush me.”

“1 minute left.”

The sound of Mecklenburg swallowing saliva is heard even here. I glanced at where the Mimesis camera was, exhaled a breath, and stood in front of the table. I see Mecklenburg’s fingertips pressing firmly on the table.

Earlier, you told me to be quiet.

Is there a need to say such things openly? When there is a good way to make you shut your mouth like this.

[30 seconds before dispatch permission.]

As soon as that notification was heard, he, who became a bit paler than before, barely opened his mouth as if almost pushed.

“First, let’s go to Pfaueninsel.”

I looked at his head, which was bowed deeply from looking at the map.

It’s over.

He already lost his pace. No matter that he is the perennial 2nd place pushed by his brother, he is not a talent to say such things.

“You mean you will examine if there are traces of Pleroma there.”

When I snatched the words, Mecklenburg spoke as if chewing.

“Anyway, it does not take even 1 minute to warp. It is the priority to go there and find clues before them. Am I wrong?”

“Senior, you must be nervous. Aren’t we in a situation where we must save even 1 minute?”

BEEP—

The dispatch signal sounded, but I continued speaking calmly.

“First, the presentation method is too explicit. Of course, they might have wanted to give a clue by doing so, so setting that aside and speaking, an article came out suspecting that a Pleroma base is located in Pfaueninsel. You must know that Pfaueninsel is an island floating on the Havel River and an island with Jungfernsee and Tiefersee lakes right below it. Pleroma probably took their hands off there and left a long time ago.”

Why.

Berlin Spree River ★★★, Berlin Havel River Southwest ★☆☆, Jungfernsee-Tiefersee ★★★, Langer See-Müggelsee ☆☆☆, Tegeler See ☆☆☆.

10 AM.

I connected the information fragmented in the newspaper with the baton.

“There is information we can find out here. If it is Senior, you would have gotten a sense around here.”

“…….”

If there was a base in Pfaueninsel and they made a portal or something there, the lakes Jungfernsee and Tiefersee located right below it currently should not be contaminated. What does the contamination of Jungfernsee-Tiefersee imply? It doesn’t mean a Pleroma Bishop tried to make a base and stay there, but that the Pleroma Bishop scattered poison there and came out at the time, and that poison went downstream and contaminated the lakes in two hours. Seeing that our reporters misunderstood that the Bishop was stationed at Pfaueninsel, Pleroma probably used a few deceptions at the time.

This is not a game. It means it’s not a simple system where allies never take damage even if rivers are contaminated. If I contaminate the river and land, I must be prepared that allies also cannot use the river and land. It is the same for Pleroma. They might not react to Vitriol, but they can be poisoned by their berserk potions even for a moment. Didn’t we already know from the experience during Abraham’s time?

Moreover, only Vitriol aptitudes can regain their senses quickly after taking a hit for a moment. At this time, we must check what the examiner required of us.

Even though I didn’t explain it out loud, Mecklenburg seemed to realize exactly in what part he made a mistake, and opened his mouth slightly. Strength went into his fingertips.

Thank you for getting swept up. I will gratefully take the initiative you handed over.

I looked at his shoulders, which had no movement as if he were holding his breath in tension, and opened my mouth.

“Let’s organize from the number of cases. The opposing side must have moved already, but rather than getting indigestion from eating hurriedly, let’s go properly.”

“Wait.”

Mecklenburg closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stopped me.

“Where do you think the answer is?”

“…….”

As expected, even if swayed by emotions, he doesn’t completely ruin it. Since I also just needed to break his spirit and take the initiative of the flow, he also needed to use his brain now. This question right now was a decent question in that sense.

Contemplating what answer I should give, I pointed to a more fundamental place.

“Treptower Park. For now.”

***

2 minutes ago.

Leo stood at the table with the 91st Class representative Mage and looked down at the map. The 91st Class representative Mage tapped the map with the baton and said.

“Sir Mecklenburg of the opposing side is an ability user who can handle water delicately, so he will aim for the vicinity of the river. Since Pleroma has a characteristic of mainly using rivers anyway, we should also aim for the river among this contamination status list. So.”

The 91st Class representative Mage put down the baton and looked at Leo.

“Now that organization is finished, let’s exchange opinions first. Since the allowed time is only 7 minutes, we must move strategically. Where are you suspicious of, Sir Wittelsbach?”

Leo looked at the map for a long time, then lifted his eyes and answered.

“I am suspicious of Treptower Park. What do you think, Senior?”

“I think so too.”

At the 91st Class representative Mage’s words, Leo smiled and stroked his chin.

It is fortunate that opinions match, but I couldn’t avoid having this skeptical thought.

Is this indeed… a problem to give 7 minutes for?

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