Published at 5th of December 2025 3:25 pm

Chapter 167

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Now I understand ‘why’ it was me.

I reached a conclusion and felt my heart, which had barely been beating, start to accelerate.

The rumor my brother spread had spread in this form.

As I suspected, Nicolaus wasn’t the target.

Pleroma is trying to get their hands on Lucas Rene Askanian.

‘…They’re probably gathering tools to counter Nicolaus.’

And inter-diocese competition must be entangled in that.

There’s only one reason why they would turn the entire country into a suitable candidate testing ground and lure me in when they have abundant personnel.

[Wouldn’t the Brandenburg Archdiocese protest? This is still Berlin, and this student attends a Berlin school.]

[Why worry about the ones who got beaten like that because they couldn’t even properly support one establishment in their jurisdiction? And….]

The Bishop gestured.

Looking closely, the person next to him had purple trim on his robe. He wasn’t a bishop, but a Monsignor.

Even so, what does a Monsignor mean in a religious order that’s only about ten years old?

Unlike Roman Catholicism, which has no fundamental basis, it seemed there was a strict hierarchical relationship between the Bishop and the Monsignor among them. This is my conjecture based on their tone.

[They trust Lucas Rene Askanian’s word implicitly. Undersecretary Adrian Askanian coddled him so much that we haven’t been able to approach him until now, but it’s not like we didn’t try. But coming out so naively like that is foolish.]

“…….”

[Even if the rumor about drinking blood is false, his qualifications are excellent. If he had joined ten years ago, I think he might have risen to Archbishop by now.]

[And now…?]

A silence followed.

After a long pause, the Bishop laughed and opened his mouth.

[Are you going to let this Mage become like that?]

[…….]

[No matter how outstanding his ability, if he lacks timing and luck, he’s finished. We must raise him as a servant of Freiburg, not a master.]

Freiburg.

I repeated that name several times to not forget it.

It’s a Catholic diocese that includes the Grand Duchy of Baden. Pleroma seemed to be using the same name.

And Baden is the country that was first used as a testing ground for contaminated drugs. It’s also the place ruled by the Tsheringen family.

The Monsignor was silent for a long time, then opened his mouth.

[I understand. Will you give him a blessing here? He will resist, so you should give him baptism quickly.]

[Haha, a blessing in a place like this? Saying that makes me feel like one of the Magi before the manger, which is quite new.]

At those words, the Monsignor opened his mouth and looked around before speaking rapidly.

[Your Eminence, making such a comparison in a place where unsaveable souls like those at Primrose Path wander is a great blasphemy.]

[You are too serious. If you have time to quibble over such things, go downstairs and find out if there was anyone who helped this student escape. It will save time and be quite beneficial.]

[…I apologize. But I sent Father Hans to the first floor.]

“…….”

I had momentarily forgotten that those bastards also believed in that god.

I wonder if Narce would grab the back of her neck and collapse or just let out a sarcastic laugh if she heard this conversation. Since they are heretics recognized by the Papal State of this world, they probably wouldn’t listen carefully anyway.

And….

‘It was good that I erased the memories earlier.’

I’m talking about the Old Humans I met on the first floor. It was time that would disappear with Retry anyway, and only two or three hours had passed at most since then, but I didn’t want them to be reprimanded even for a moment in this place where justice turns into injustice.

Most people might think they don’t want to live in a place like this, but there’s a big difference between a simple wish and actively helping someone escape.

Most people regard the one or two individuals who put reform into practice as dangerous variables that could even shatter their current familiarity.

The Bishop stared with a look that said, 'Are you going to talk back?', and the Monsignor cleared his throat.

[Ahem…. Then I will quickly transfer him to Freiburg.]

[No. I will give him baptism here.]

[Excuse me? Didn’t you just say it couldn’t be done in a place like this?]

[Given the nature of our order, where and by whom one receives baptism and blessing is extremely important. Don’t you agree?]

The Monsignor hesitated before answering.

[That is correct.]

[You will be asked hundreds of times where you were baptized in the future. Shouldn’t we leave at least one flaw?]

[That refers to under whose diocese’s name the baptism was received, not where, in which building, it was received… isn’t that right?]

[You know nothing. Even if others know nothing, one must create parts of themselves that they are not proud of, that’s what I mean.]

He flicked his hand.

[To prevent him from becoming a king, you must nip it in the bud. Bring it.]

[…….]

The Bishop pulled out a knife.

The moment I saw that, his face suddenly appeared right in front of me.

[You’ve finally woken up.]

Crash―!

The Bishop grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and slammed me onto the floor.

Before I could even think about how he noticed, I felt a needle being inserted into my arm.

The reason they were injecting me with more drugs even though they had already confirmed the drug’s effects were on me was obvious.

‘This one drug is great; I don’t even need to block Magic Power.’

These bastards don’t know it, but it’s only great for me. For me.

I bit my tongue, which was already tattered from having bitten it earlier. I had to stop my mind from completely turning white. If I lost consciousness, it would be the end.

Schhh―

Something drew a long line from the palm of my left hand up to my wrist. Then it began drawing lines horizontally across my palm.

My skin now felt cool, as if it had been numbed.

―This final goblet, I offer a blessed worship for the Dawn, dedicating my soul!

I couldn’t see because I was face down, but a liquid, probably Holy Water, poured onto the skin that had just been cut.

‘…It’s time to end this soon.’

I erased the pain from my head. This wasn’t the time to act weak.

Shall I try one last check?

I now registered the artifact’s alert sound that had been ringing in my ear incessantly for a long time.

I thought of the person I had last communicated with and pressed the artifact.

[…Did you get it? Lucas!]

“Leo.”

[It seems we made it quite strong, didn’t we?]

The Bishop sneered.

It seemed he thought I was hallucinating. It made sense, since I was suddenly calling out someone else’s name.

[Where are you?! You’re not in your room either…!]

Leo kept yelling, raising his voice, but I couldn’t hear anything after that, perhaps due to sensory overload.

But this is enough.

‘So, he checked my room, is what he means.’

Leo would draw suspicion if he openly went in and out of my room as the class representative, so he must have warped.

I see.

That warp spell was single-use. And it seems they cleaned up cleanly without leaving any residual Magic Power.

Someone with considerable skill must have installed it.

“See you later.”

I said goodbye to Leo and retrieved the Magic Power I had transferred to my ear.

I like it.

Yes, they will have to move cautiously.

That way, it’ll be satisfying to find them and blow them up.

Anyway….

Now, even my vision was starting to disappear. The front turned black, then white, repeatedly.

―I can now finally say this.

At the Bishop’s faint voice, I slowly closed and opened my eyes. I mouthed words, but no sound came out.

‘So, Son of Man.’

I rolled those words around in my mouth for a long time.

Though I couldn’t transmit the spell to their ears, strength began to flow into my fingertips.

Feeling the drug that had spread through my body gradually dissipate, I now muttered without closing my eyes.

―Though you dwell among thorns and briars and scorpions.

“What….”

It’s working. Strength is returning with every formula I complete. I immediately turned my body and slammed my foot onto the floor.

CRASH―!

“…?!”

“Your Eminence!”

My ears were muffled as if I had gone underwater. Vitriol came crashing through the light of Magic Power.

The Vitriol I couldn’t block choked me from behind. I knew from previous experience that it was difficult to cut through its viscosity without a sword, even if I tried.

‘Then I’ll do it differently.’

I flicked my finger, and the spot where the Monsignor stood turned red.

“…?!”

He tried to move away, but it was too late. Flames surged from the floor.

BOOM―!

“Kuheok…!”

―Do not fear them; they are a rebellious house; do not fear their words or be terrified by their faces!

I thrust out my hand and continued speaking.

Now my vision was completely back.

It’s a purification formula used not on the opponent, but on the caster themselves.

When my brother first sent the Chamberlain, I couldn’t purify myself because I hadn’t learned the purification formula for oneself yet.

I didn’t let that experience go to waste.

The fatal drawback is that it consumes more Health than using Retry. So I had to use it now.

‘Good.’

As the drug was completely washed away, proper etiquette towards elders and the ethics of not hitting people—even corpses—flashed through my mind.

But unfortunately, I am not as patient as the Son of Man, so I couldn’t help but hit him.

I grabbed the Bishop by the collar and threw him down.

Slam! Thwack―!

The Bishop’s face turned with each punch I threw. I simply blocked the Vitriol coming from the side with a barrier and looked down at his face.

He hadn’t done anything, but fear and suspicion flashed across his face.

―But finally God will sink with the twilight!

―Enter through the narrow gate.

The spells I murmured softly with a smile covered his struggles.

The Bishop’s pupils unfocused, then quickly returned to their original size. A look of astonishment crossed his face.

He must have been astonished that it worked even for a moment.

‘Ainsidel lasted until the end too, even after I finished reciting it. Still, this guy is much weaker than Ainsidel… but a Bishop doesn’t fall with just one spell after all.’

Crash! Clang―!

The barrier shattered due to the Vitriol cast by another Bishop.

The moment I wiped the blood flowing on my cheek with my hand and restored the barrier, the Bishop beneath me yelled.

“Andreas! Back to the diocese!”

“What?! Returning just because you can’t handle one student…!”

“Fool! ―In the beginning was the deed!”

Hmm. A wise choice.

I quickly met their eyes one by one to open their status windows. When I twisted his collar again, they disappeared from before my eyes.

‘That Monsignor title should be scrapped.’

The Bishop’s judgment was accurate.

It wasn’t that they fled because of their lack of skill.

But having seen me use Divine Power, they couldn’t remain here.

They were about to reveal precious information about their diocese with their own mouths.

‘What to do.’

Even so, I’ll be more advantageous in the next timeline.

When I meet them next, they will be seeing me for the first time, but I will know them.

In this situation where it’s confirmed that Pleroma is involved with the school, I cannot help but seek them out again.

“Hmm.”

I slowly put strength into my legs.

It was time to return. I also didn’t have any strength left to stay here longer.

I had scraped up everything I could find out.

I stood up unsteadily and opened my mouth with satisfaction.

“Retry.”

* * *

Rattle―

“…!”

I woke up with a start at the shaking of the carriage.

A pitch-black mask made of Magic Power was on my face.

I was back.

I had just left the Police Bureau and was returning to the dormitory.

A hollow laugh escaped me. The hand and arm that had just been cut were healed as if nothing had happened.

Everything I experienced here had vanished without a trace. The memories of Primrose Path and those Pleroma bastards were probably the same.

This isn’t the end.

This is the beginning. Nothing has ended.

I wiped away the blood caused by the aftereffects of Retry and warped to Leo’s room as soon as I entered the inn.

Having finished his training, Leo was sitting in his pajamas and studying.

Looking at the clock, it was already midnight.

“…?”

Leo saw me suddenly appear and started to smile, then coughed awkwardly.

He looked completely unaware of what would happen tomorrow afternoon. It was obvious, but it felt strange to me, having just been in that time.

“…Ahem…. What’s up? You haven’t visited recently.”

“…….”

The urgent voice from earlier was gone now.

Seeing his familiar face made me feel that I had truly returned.

Thinking that, I threw my bag down and sat on the edge of his desk. I considered lying on the bed like Elias, but conscientiously, I couldn’t lie down on someone else’s bed wearing my going-out clothes.

As expected, Leo was staring at me with a look that seemed to say, ‘What the hell is this bastard doing?’ just because I sat on his desk.

“There’s no chair. And do I need a reason to come?”

“No.”

As soon as I heard his reply, I shook my head.

“Yes, I came for a reason. Leo, go up to the floor above right now, check my room, and call a professor.”

Leo just tilted his head, so I continued.

“It’s a long story. Not Elias or Narce this time. You have to step up.”

Leo frowned without answering, then took off my mask.

“Ah, you’re not listening. What are you doing?”

“What’s with the nosebleed?”

“…….”

Did he notice because I didn’t take off the mask?

Anyway, his intuition is just too sharp.

“You know what I was doing too. I’ve been using Divine Power all day at the Police Bureau.”

However, the fact that this guy would take off someone else’s mask without permission just because of a nosebleed is a bit suspicious.

Of course, I’m not Leo’s parent and don’t fully understand his reaction patterns, but guessing, if he was the type to be so particular about such things, he wouldn’t work people to death under the guise of training.

Just then, Leo nodded.

“Okay, I get it. Since you came from the Police Bureau, let’s replenish your Health first.”

Saying that, Leo injected Magic Power into my wrist.

[Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.]

It works well whenever I receive it.

Although I didn’t really have the mental leeway for healing right now.

I gave a brief greeting and turned around.

“Thanks. Let’s go up now.”

“But, Lucas.”

Leo’s voice followed from behind.

“Where did you go?”

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