Chapter 330

What is it that I am seeing now.

Along with Askanian’s chanting, sensation becomes dulled with drowsiness. At the same time, the optic nerves stung from the flash. A shock as if someone hit my head swept down my whole body like lightning. There was light. Light. Containing no color, such that makes all creation white and blinds the eyes with just luminosity….

“…!”

Mecklenburg gasped convulsively and stepped back.

THUD—

―Stretch out your hand.

At the rushing gale, Mecklenburg covered his face. Pure white light spread out in fragments piece by piece. As if time didn’t flow only here, that light crossed the air slowly. If there were a sun that settled on the ground, it would be like this. Lord God said I am the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty…. That admirable light, which flowed out accompanied by solemn recitations of ordinary clergymen, now began to blur in my mind. Along with that old light being forgotten, the pain permeating every corner of my body was washed away.

―Perform healing and signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant.

“…….”

I couldn’t believe it. The mind trying to maintain homeostasis momentarily suspected it as a trick, but the magical effect of the light was functioning intact, and by functioning, it revealed that what should have been with that signifier was reality. For those who treat magic as inertia, spells often contain nothing. They are mere empty echoes of the throat without what should have been contained. In the era after magic, Mages became agents of the Lord, and Mages using Divine Power became even closer to that essence. He can declare that the Lord’s influence remains in this turbulent age. All signifiers gain power from him. It is not the speech recited as learned without meaning that gives power to his magic. In an era where everything became futile, he was breathing power into words for God. That this magic is possible meant such a thing.

“You, right now….”

“…….”

How?

While not even a clergyman, while covered in the disgrace called Pleroma, how? It was an irony that he, who was at the bottom of the bottom just until last year, a human who looks furthest from anything holy than anyone, produces such power. No, if he could use such things in the first place, why didn’t he make it known? Is he actually using it for the first time here? No way. Why didn’t he reveal it? Why on earth? If he had just this, that rumor called Pleroma…!

Askanian’s head turned toward Mecklenburg. An incongruous lump of thoughts flashed like lightning through Mecklenburg’s mind looking at those insensitive, unhuman red eyes.

Overwhelming Divine Power, concealment, unknown, change, 1897.

Askanian hasn’t revealed it until now even while being able to use Divine Power. And perhaps due to heavenly luck for the Empire, an unidentified foreign hero using Divine Power no one can catch up to appeared. In the autumn of 1897. From the winter of 1897, Askanian slowly began to resemble his older brother. Askanian displayed boldness difficult to see normally and saved over a million lives at the terror scene.

“…….”

No sound came out as if someone put a stone in my throat. If it were Sir Nicolaus Ernst, who was nowhere to be found no matter how much we searched during Pentalon, he might come to save us, but right now it would be better to rely on the Pentalon hero here instead. That Askanian’s always nonchalant expression rarely containing fatigue at the sharply spat words, that his gaze returned to the floor with a sigh….

“…You, perhaps.”

My throat choked at the impossible possibility. Askanian didn’t speak. He just waited. Only Mecklenburg’s trembling voice echoed reflecting off the lime dome and glass.

“That you are that Divine Power Mage who was in Bavaria….”

No way. No way. It cannot be. I felt it would be better not to know even if knowing might not change anything now. Mecklenburg decided not to be hasty. Instead, he squeezed out a sound that wouldn’t come, stumbling over pronunciation twice with a tongue stiff as stone, and let out a question almost close to the sound of breathing.

“That you can use… Divine Power. Why did you not reveal it.”

“Senior finds Nicolaus Ernst unsatisfactory, so what more should I tell you. You will come to dislike me more.”

“…….”

A calm confession shifting the focus of the answer on purpose while knowing the intention echoed. Mecklenburg’s mouth opened. It was force majeure. Now there was no retreat path. The sound of shoe heels is heard. Askanian took a step closer. Pink eyes that couldn’t come from a human approached.

Meaning, meaning right now…!

Askanian’s leisure didn’t even bother me anymore. The deep blue eyes of a New Human embedded in newspapers occasionally published in color, those indifferent and cold eyes zoomed in and broadcast from Dasrothe overlapped. Why didn’t I know, when the contained light is so same. As I only looked at him with a face devoid of soul without being able to say anything, Askanian, perhaps understanding it as meaning more explanation was needed, smiled faintly and tapped his staff with his finger.

“I came to save you, right?”

Mecklenburg shook his head and retreated step by step from Askanian. I couldn’t even know how I was standing.

Nicolaus is this Pleroma Askanian. No one on the continent would know. This was absurd. That Nicolaus Ernst, called the next Prime Minister of Bavaria and rumored to perhaps become the Prime Minister of the Empire, the person whose age couldn’t be known whether in his twenties or seventies, no, Nicolaus, I have been… to Nicolaus…. To the pillar of the Kingdom of Bavaria and a politician the continent watches, I advised, admonished, and had a peer give punishment to Nicolaus. After knowing the situation, my face became hot as if it would burst. What on earth did he consider me? Only now did I begin to understand the leisure and nonchalance on that indifferent expression. Askanian was going easy on Mecklenburg. Why would it be? Because he didn’t even feel the worth of dealing with such small fry with sincerity! Far from finding it annoying, he must have been enjoying watching all of Mecklenburg’s own speech and behavior. Now the puzzle fit. I knew the tiresomely repeated ‘Senior’, words of respect, all of that were fake, but this fact was even more shocking. Standing on top of my head, he thoroughly mocked Mecklenburg to win over the opponent beneath his feet. He knew how to handle minds. Feeling stripped bare down to the bottom that I didn’t want to show anyone and had never faced myself, I couldn’t stand in front of him anymore. Eventually caught by the hand of slumbering Pleroma, Mecklenburg sat down as if collapsing on the pile of Pleroma. He had no choice as strength left his legs. Askanian, who lamented briefly, narrowed his eyes and said something else.

“Please think of the person being crushed too.”

“Right now, right now is that…. You are Nicolaus but you have no thoughts…!”

“I said I came to save you but actually got trapped together. Still, I will let you go out alive.”

Askanian was trying to lighten the mood by shrugging his shoulders in this situation. There was no way it would lighten. Askanian’s hand came abruptly in front of my eyes.

“Even though I say I purify the air.”

Askanian wiggled his fingers as if telling me to hold his hand. Mecklenburg looked at him blankly. Perhaps understanding such confusion, Askanian exhaled lightly and knelt on one knee in front of Mecklenburg.

“It is not an infinitely possible task. There is also the issue of how much is purified depending on the chemical’s properties, but fundamentally, air continues to rush in from somewhere. Even if I clean and clean again, it repeats endlessly. It is correct to view it as useless in the long term. So….”

Askanian pressed Mecklenburg’s forehead with his hand.

“Use your stamina sparingly.”

“…….”

Divine Power permeated the forehead. Experiencing it again, Divine Power was indisputably perfect beyond measure. It was like another life. It was like air and also like fire purifying everything. The pain scratching the stomach and hitting the head was pushed out cleanly. Words that ‘if it should be used sparingly, you use it sparingly’ hovered in my throat, but such kind words did not go out to Askanian.

“Why do you go around hiding that you are Nicolaus?”

Askanian looked down at Mecklenburg with emotionless eyes. Mecklenburg shook his head in confusion and asked in a voice drained of strength.

“Why are you Nicolaus in the first place.”

“What is important now is not Nicolaus. Seeing that it is not a cathedral, somehow this is not their main base.”

Askanian looked around and said in a low voice.

“And there are no Bishop-level clergymen….”

Before I could say anything to stop him, Askanian touched one of the Pleroma wearing priest robes with his foot. He grabbed his collar, pulled him up, and blew in Divine Power. The Pleroma convulsed and jumped up.

“Hahhhh!”

―Enter through the narrow gate.

“Cough….”

“You are very sleepy, right. Probably sleep will pour down.”

Askanian was commanding shamelessly with a smile. Mind Control Magic. It wasn’t magic to use after telling me to save strength just now. I don’t know if he can use Mind Control Magic very freely, but for now, it was clear that less energy was consumed compared to other Divine Power Mages.

Whether Pleroma still had sanity left even though his eyes were already glazed over, he tilted his head meaning absolutely not. It seemed Askanian left his sanity on purpose.

“S-Such….”

“It seems you couldn’t sleep for almost 72 hours. Isn’t it chaos with your heart beating slowly then fast? I know well that you want to sleep right now.”

Then that Pleroma turned pale and nodded with blank eyes. The speed of his eyes opening slowed down. At that moment, Askanian grabbed the nape of his neck tightly.

“…Ack!”

“But you shouldn’t sleep. If you answer, I will let you sleep. Where is this? It is a wonderful place.”

“Br….”

Askanian nodded patiently.

“Brandenburg Archdiocese… Peace’s….”

“Peace?”

“Hall of Peace.”

“Truly shameless. What is this place for?”

“It is a place where people like us gather and discuss but…. Why that?”

“By people like us, I assume you mean priests. Or even believers?”

“Only priests.”

“Oh, thank you. But whether someone raided, you guys drank the air here and collapsed;
shouldn’t you control the air here again immediately? In my opinion, the chemical changed.”

“What did you say?!”

Pleroma stiffened his body and opened his eyes wide. Pleroma made a face like he would cry soon and started rambling. Mecklenburg was slightly flustered because it was a rapid change.

“No, no…. What does that mean? Surely everyone here is dead? Am I, am I dying too?”

“No…. Instead of crying, you can go and touch the air again. Does anything change if you cry?”

“What are you saying! I don’t know that. Such things are not something I can do at my level.”

There is no way they would allow many things to a priest. Bishop-level clergymen would know such important things, and depending on how they divided labor, there might be Bishops who don’t know. Perhaps Askanian also didn’t expect it, as he nodded and continued.

“That’s a pity. And there is something else I want to ask….”

Askanian adjusted his grip on the nape of his neck. A terminal scream burst from Pleroma’s mouth. He writhed in pain.

“Why did you capture us?”

“I, I don’t know either….”

“Do you know who I am?”

“…Eye color… Askanian? The young side.”

“You know well. I will ask once again. Why were we captured here.”

“I don’t know, don’t know. You guys, came to raid us. Right. Taking advantage of high spirits during Pentalon, you… us!”

Askanian touched his forehead with two fingers. Pleroma closed his eyes and fell to the floor. Since Mecklenburg only had his mouth open, Askanian glanced at him and spoke as if making an excuse.

“As expected, it is not omnipotent. There is a limit to obtaining information here.”

“It is omnipotent.”

At least to you.

I know Divine Power is not omnipotent to others. It is a phrase Divine Power Mages, who are prone to be misunderstood by others, always say. Usually, they have to rest for about a few hours even after one or two Mind Control Magics, so it can never be omnipotent. Moreover, casting is often hindered by defensive psychology. But at least Askanian, unless he meets a Bishop-level clergyman, will be able to unfold his will to his heart’s content.

‘…Ah, wait.’

Mecklenburg looked at the light remaining in the air, realized belatedly that he spat out that answer with his own voice, and snapped out of it. Askanian opened his eyes wide and burst into laughter. Mecklenburg touched the corners of his mouth belatedly and crumpled his expression. Askanian lost interest in him quickly and looked around.

“Let’s try going out. If news spreads that a Divine Power Mage entered here, Sleep Magic won’t work well anymore, so use Divine Power minimally. Before that….”

Mecklenburg grabbed the arm of Askanian, who was about to turn around, and opened and closed his mouth.

“…….”

“What.”

“We must kill these Pleroma and go. All of them.”

Askanian nodded slowly with an expression saying he knew you would do that.

“Good. If you have the strength left to do so, do it.”

Only then did Mecklenburg bite his lip slightly. ‘Even if I clean and clean again, it repeats endlessly. It is correct to view it as useless in the long term. So use your stamina sparingly’. He forgot what Askanian said just a few minutes ago. We are currently in a situation where it is difficult even to get out alive. To have an opportunity to unfold unique ability to one’s heart’s content, we shouldn’t manipulate the blood of people here right now.

‘Damn it….’

Mecklenburg looked at his waist. Only six revolver cartridges used for one dispatch. I want to shoot them all to death if I could, but I can’t. The Vitriol coming out after death is also troublesome to handle under this air. Askanian looked at such Mecklenburg and said.

“After finishing, if possible, let’s return here.”

“…….”

Mecklenburg nodded. He clearly understood what Askanian was saying.

Unexpectedly, Askanian didn’t go out immediately but bowed his head. Askanian gauged the height of the priest he was holding and interrogating earlier, then abruptly took off the robe he was wearing and unbuttoned the cassock.

“…?! What are you….”

“I have heard such sounds before, it seems people’s reactions are mostly similar.”

Askanian started extorting someone else’s clothes confidently. Out of courtesy, he covered Pleroma with his robe and made the sign of the cross. Psalm recitation that sounds holy now was heard.

“…Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.”

It is a verse one must memorize when putting on priestly vestments. Following procedures even while stealing and wearing someone else’s priestly vestments, should I call this devout…. The skill of wearing the cassock was excessively skillful, so Mecklenburg seriously pondered if he was perhaps a clergyman amidst losing words at Nicolaus’s reckless behavior.

‘…No way.’

Probably not. Wouldn’t be. Meanwhile, Askanian adjusted his clothes, turned around, and said.

“The length fits, but the clothes of a common priest are not stylish. Though not important.”

“…!”

In that instant, Askanian’s hair had changed to blonde close to ash gray. The eyes also changed to a color reminding of someone. Although the hair color was a bit darker, seeing the blue eyes without a mask, it felt like Adrian Askanian was standing in front of my eyes, choking my breath. Perhaps reading that expression, a scoff brushed past Askanian’s face.

“Seems you have a lot of time? Senior, change quickly too.”

“…….”

Telling me to steal too, Mecklenburg felt his vision go dark regardless of Adrian or whatever. However, there were no options. Honestly, I don’t know why we have to go this far, but since Nicolaus tells me to do it, I just do it.

When he stood with a rotten expression after changing completely, Askanian struck the staff once more to cast Mind Control Magic on the Pleroma on the floor here and strode out. Mecklenburg pulled out his Wand for a defensive stance and asked.

“What did you just do?”

“I changed memories. Ah.”

Askanian clapped his hands as if something came to mind now and turned around. Then pushed Mecklenburg’s chest. No, not pushed but…. Mecklenburg felt absurdity as the hand pressed down on his heart abruptly, wondering where he threw away personal space. The moment he was about to get angry, severe pain struck.

“Ugh!”

―I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

Mecklenburg frowned deeply and bowed his body low. Pain as if a foreign object was embedded in the heart was felt. Askanian’s Divine Power, no, maybe Magic Power, that wasn’t important. Askanian’s magic poked around the core and lay lightly on top of it. Not anywhere else but the core. It didn’t even think of falling off no matter how much I pushed. Mecklenburg desperately denied that what he felt might be an illusion and trembled his hand.

“T-T-This, what….”

“Just in case we get attacked and separated. I wanted to cast it since the test, and now that I cast it, I feel comfortable.”

“No, no! What magic is this to be in the core…!”

“Subordination Magic.”

Mecklenburg opened his mouth wide. Askanian said it as if it were nothing, then perhaps realizing belatedly that this word could sound bad in terms of human rights, opened his eyes wide and raised his eyebrows. Then nonchalantly showed a smile more proper than anyone else.

“…….”

Even if he smiled, spilled water couldn’t be put back.

Mecklenburg felt his mind going faint and dropped the Wand he held in his hand unknowingly. Getting shocked how many times in this short time, he couldn’t stay sober anymore.

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