Published at 5th of December 2025 7:17 am

Chapter 41

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

The journalists took note of the responses.

Another journalist directed a question at Leo.

The Papal State has conveyed their intention to support the Empire with Divine Power regarding the issues caused by heretics. A close friend of the Crown Prince, who helped purify Bavaria at dawn on the 7th, is currently receiving offers from various parts of the Empire. Is Bavaria planning to scout him first?

We have sent a request, but nothing has been decided yet.

They were referring to Narce.

Even though hes a foreigner, this is not the time to be picky, so he must have received numerous offers as well.

At that moment, a journalist raised their hand.

An impertinent question, but... Sir Nicholas doesnt remove his mask even in official settings. Can you tell us the reason?

I shook my head and replied.

Its difficult to answer that question.

Have you known the Crown Prince for a long time? You mentioned coming from the Papal State, what did Sir Nicholas do there...?

We will only answer questions related to the topic at hand.

Leos aide, who was sitting beside him, intercepted that question.

Several journalists looked at me with disappointed faces but, knowing it wouldnt work, they started asking questions relevant to the press conference.

...Hmmm.

This issue needs consideration soon.

As more people recognize Nicholas, curiosity about the person behind the mask is bound to grow.

Answering their questions directly and listening to Leos responses, time flew by.

The scheduled time is up, so we will conclude the press conference. We thank the representatives of the people and the journalists for their participation.

Leo and I left the conference hall behind the aides who were wrapping up the event.

Leo, who had been walking silently for a while, dismissed the security mages following him and entered a room used for warping.

Its over.

Leo muttered as he collapsed onto the sofa as if melting away.

Well done.

Whatever, lets go pick up Elias now.

Have you received word?

Theyve finished proving it was a male mosquito. Once you arrive, your magic restriction will be fully lifted.

Thats good to hear.

I extended my arm in front of Leo for the warp.

Just as the first time I saw it, Leo looked at the magic crime restraint with a rather uneasy gaze.

It really looks like a criminals.

Lets not put it into words.

Im sorry for that. I really shouldnt have sent you two together.

Its fine. I got what I wanted.

If you achieve what you want twice, youre done for...

Leo chuckled bitterly and infused it with magic. As soon as the guarantors magic touched it, the bracelets restriction on my magic was lifted.

I felt the blood that had been blocked surging forcefully to my fingertips.

Without hesitation, I snapped my fingers and activated the warp magic.

***

After resolving all issues with my magic restraint, we entered the isolation room for serious criminal mages.

We were there to meet Elias.

Although Eliass actions were not serious crimes, his magic couldnt be controlled by conventional means, so he was moved here.

Whoo~

Elias, who had become considerably haggard, waved from the bed as if it were his own home.

Looking at his face, it seemed he had been putting on a brave front, but it had taken a toll.

Elias quickly got up and gestured at Leos uniform.

Whats with the outfit? Thats totally royal.

Do clothes catch your eye right now?

Of course not. And... Nicholas is here too.

Eliass playful expression gradually disappeared as he looked at me.

Sorry. I didnt mean to cause trouble, I just didnt think it through.

No, its fine.

Thanks to you, I gained 3 points in nationwide favorability in a day.

...I cant say that.

I sat in the chair next to him and answered.

No need to apologize. Its not like I wasnt prepared.

What?

Im the one who judged you could handle it perfectly, and Im the one who recommended you for this job. I didnt ignore the teams objections and ask you to take this position without expecting something like this.

When I set Elias as the main petitioner, the team had objections.

Its only natural. Suggesting sending one of the schools biggest troublemakers to the court and parliament isnt something easily accepted.

Elias looked at me silently for a while and then burst into laughter.

Hahaha! This is the first time Ive heard such an answer. Youre saying you expected me to cause trouble and still gave me the job.

It would be trouble with a purpose. Your final choice amplified the reaction beyond our expectations. Look.

I handed Elias the newspapers I had bought near the conference hall.

Elias, who carefully read the heavily censored newspapers, laughed again.

This isnt a misreport, right? They really accepted the demands?

They had no choice. Despite media control, protests are breaking out everywhere.

Leo said.

Elias, with a flushed face, started flipping through the newspapers more quickly.

Yeah, it seems so. Seeing everything redacted, it looks like we succeeded big time. My and Nicholass supporters have also grown significantly. Hey, my uncle must be nervous~

Do you consider this a success in messing with the royal family?

Of course. Its far beyond my expectations.

Elias giggled at my words.

He returned the newspapers to me and said.

Thanks. If I hadnt followed your plan, I would have just grabbed a career in the Imperial Gazette and resorted to blackmail. I wouldnt have thought about broadcasting Now I see, you know how to raise the stakes. Nationwide, its thrilling to think about.

Were you really planning to blackmail?

Leo asked, his face a mix of curiosity and incredulity.

Of course.

Leo, with a complicated smile, spoke.

Elias.

Yeah, what.

Youre better at this than I thought.

.

.

I chuckled at Leos awkward expression.

It was the same expression he had the first day I made him a comrade.

Elias exchanged a bewildered look with me and asked Leo.

What... what happened to you?

Even when I compliment you, you complain?!

No, its just surprising that you recognize my skills now.

Leo replied with a faint smile.

Yeah, you did well. Although Bavaria might be okay, the rest could have been a lot more dangerous. Its understandable that people are reacting like this to you and Nicholas.

Right~? How about it, dont I seem more level-headed than my uncle or the Federation Committee?

Yeah.

Elias widened his eyes in disbelief.

What?

I said yes.

.

Eliass jaw dropped in shock.

Witnessing this situation firsthand...

It seems things are mving faster than I expected. I almost mirrored Eliass expression but managed to keep my face neutral.

You should be scolding me for disrespect or something right now.

Its the truth. Everyone in the nation probably thinks the same as I do.

Lu... Nicholas.

Elias called me with a serious face.

What.

Whats... whats wrong with him? Has he changed?

Hes the same.

Are you kidding...! Never mind.

Elias grabbed Leo firmly as he tried to turn away.

No, thank you. I was just surprised because its the first time youve said something like that.

Ugh

Good to know. It seems Leo is willing to join us without complaints from now on.

Elias grinned and turned his head sharply towards me.

We cant miss this opportunity. Whats next? Surely, youre not stopping here, right?

Of course not.

There are countless ways to increase my impression score.

Anyway, I cant stop at just 5 points; I have to keep moving until I reach 9 points.

Leo, sensing something ominous, asked.

You dont mean to cause another mess like this, do you?

Dont worry. This time, I dont intend to get involved in politics.

I looked at Elias and Leo in turn as I continued.

And, before that, I have something to tell you. Ive found Pleroma.

What?

Leo and Eliass faces grew serious.

More precisely, Ive identified the most likely candidates. There are two. One in the Neutral faction and the other in the Anti-Barrier faction.

Surprisingly, there was no significant change among the Pro-Barrier faction. This means no one there harbored strong resentment towards me.

Two? There are two possible Pleromas?

Both could be Pleroma, or only one might be.

So, who exactly are these candidates?

Werner Strauch, a Mecklenburg-Schwerin congressman, and Hermann Liebentrop, a Prussian congressman. One from the Neutral faction and one from the Anti-Barrier faction.

Werner Strauchs favorability score is -5.

Although its not the worst score on a scale that goes to -10, its the lowest among the Neutral faction.

Even lower than the Anti-Barrier faction, who generally fluctuated between -3 and -4.

Based on past interviews where he said he would follow the peoples will, he was the most Pro-Barrier among the Neutral faction.

If he really held such a stance, he wouldnt have a reason to dislike me.

And, he quietly left the meeting midway.

I couldnt determine his final favorability, but its suspicious enough to consider him. Its possible he left because he couldnt contain his frustration when things didnt go his way.

If hes really Pleroma, he wouldnt want to do anything to leave a trail.

Theres no reason for him to suddenly oppose me and Elias after maintaining his stance all this time.

Second, Hermann Liebentrop had the lowest favorability among those present.

His initial score was -6, and even after applying traits, it remained at -5.

Without the traits, it would have been -8.

He might have just genuinely disliked our stance, but its still uncertain.

So, the question is, who is Pleroma? Thats the problem.

Right. Do you have a method? Maybe we can just go and hit them and see what happens.

Leo looked at Elias with disdain for his joking suggestion.

Anyway, the method to find out is simple.

I spoke slowly, lost in thought.

If I hadnt reported this issue, Pleroma would have greatly benefited, so theyll likely discipline whoever failed. And the one in charge will harbor immense anger towards me.

Right.

Leo nodded.

What would they do to regain their honor or position?

They would have to achieve a success equivalent to this failure.

Exactly. So, they will have no choice but to come after me or Elias.

Elias mentioned knowing how to raise the stakes.

Therefore, our value has also increased. The same goes for Pleroma.

If they eliminate us, who have gained nationwide support through this, they can prevent further damage from us and show that Pleroma wont just sit back. Its the fastest way to achieve a result and deliver a massive impact to the public.

Our deaths would become their propaganda tool?

Exactly.

Elias laughed as if he found it amusing.

I continued speaking.

No matter the timing, theyll contact us to offset their losses. And the one who contacts us will be the Pleroma who was hurt by this incident.

***

The next morning, it was Monday, and I returned to school.

The intense events at the council made it feel like a long time, even though I only rested for two days over the weekend.

I wouldnt get an immediate contact from the spy, so I had a few days to investigate.

I placed my bag at my seat in the special class and opened a Divine Power book.

The second class students arent here.

Only the four first class students were present.

I can understand why the second class students are absent.

I exchanged a glance with a first class student I had spoken with before and took my seat.

As soon as I sat down, the students resumed their conversation.

I thought it was a lie that he filed a lawsuit, but it turned out to be true. I saw it just before the Imperial Gazette closed yesterday. Did you see it?

Who didnt see it? They ran out of papers within five minutes of starting and had to refill.

I thought I was hallucinating. I was like, Is something wrong with my head? But everyone was saying the same thing.

Right. Its shocking that he could say something like that. Ah, if only I had stayed in the first class... Who were the ones who pushed him to the second class?

The first class students in the special class whispered and laughed among themselves.

Be quiet and study!

The supervising professor shouted through an open window from the hallway, silencing the conversations.

Even after leaving the special class and entering the classroom, the situation was the same.

Elias was mentioned everywhere in the school.

Well, he was already a topic of conversation.

But now, instead of being famous for causing trouble, he was praised for his bold actions, and his image in the school changed accordingly.

They might grow up to be like those congressmen, but for now, they seemed to support Eliass sense of justice.

Eliass seat was already crowded with students, and the same went for Leo and Narce.

Leo had his own reasons, and Narce was drawing attention due to the mage selection issue.

Its quite noisy.

As I listened, I occasionally heard my name come up.

Previously, they said I was as much a co-conspirator with Elias.

So, the attention on Elias naturally spilled over to Nicholas as well.

But whether inside or outside school, the interest in Nicholas had a different focus compared to Elias.

Why doesnt Sir Nicholas take off his mask? Leo, have you seen his face?

Leo just smiled and skillfully evaded the question.

While Elias drw interest for his actions, Nicholas drew attention for what might be behind his mask.

The questions I faced during the Bavarian press conference reflected a common curiosity among the people.

As long as Im moving around suspiciously, its unavoidable.

I would react the same way.

If someone wore a mask while hunting, I might think its a quirk, but wearing it to the council meeting was bound to attract attention.

Elias, how did you meet Sir Nicholas?

Leo introduced me. Im sleepy now, so let me sleep properly~

Wait a minute. Elias, is this true?

A student handed Elias a magazine with an obviously indecent cover.

Elias, who had been ignoring their chatter while napping, chuckled and read the cover text.

Whats this, a special issue on Nicholas Ernst?

It came out from Dasrote this morning. Is whats written here true?

Dasrote is one of the Empires leading yellow journalism outlets.

.

What do they know to publish a special issue about me?

I have no expectations for accurate content. Im just curious about what nonsense theyve written.

Elias glanced at me briefly and then opened the magazine with a smile.

Lets see... Information obtained from Bavaria and eyewitness testimonies. Hey, Leo! You need to manage the information better.

What does it say?

Leo asked.

Its probably just nonsense.

Even so, I couldnt easily shift my attention away.

Naturally. Who wouldnt be curious if someone published a book about them?

I dont know. Lets read it now. So, 77 years old... huh?

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