Published at 5th of December 2025 11:01 pm

Chapter 231 Part 1

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

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For now, this should be enough.

After murmuring the alphabet once more, I now checked the back of the regular matches.

Unlike the white phosphorus matches, nothing was written on the wooden part of the regular matches.

Heike. Can you tell who left this with your ability?

Heike was still silent, perhaps her heart pounding facing the white phosphorus matches.

They ignited with just a brush, but anyway, they had been fine without igniting inside until now, and since we soaked them in water, they were safe now. Moreover, hadnt people decades ago carried them in pockets or bags?

Of course, it was crazy.

How did people back then live like that? Of course, now was still back then, but.

Also, since it was clearly a situation where we had to decipher someones message, it was fully understandable that Heike was flustered.

Sorry. I dont know. This has never happened before.

Heike, who had been stroking the spot with the alphabet with her finger, murmured belatedly in response. Her face was pale.

You dont know?

It feels like something was erased. But I can tell this one thing. It has the post office stamp, but this wasnt delivered; someone directly placed it here nearby. So, using a trained bird like an eagle or hawk.

Hm.

Yeah. There was no way it went through the post office. If luck had been a bit bad, it could have ignited inside by bumping against other match heads, so there was no need to complicate things by going through the post office.

Heike stepped half a pace closer to me and said seriously.

How about calling Narce to find out who left this.

Well have to try, but Narces accuracy drops if he doesnt see the persons face.

Just as I needed to see a persons eyes to open the status window, he also needed to see a persons eyes to use his insight ability smoothly. It was better not to expect any meaningful information.

What I could simply know now was that, considering Heikes future, the one who sent this was highly likely Pleroma.

Also.

Matches, huh.

Coincidentally, it was something I used last week.

Not used routinely, but when I triggered the sprinkler against Pleromas nonsense.

And by me.

Then, this item that arrived so timely the very next day after my interaction with Heike, came in Heikes name but was a message applicable to me as well. From the moment a code was used, it was a situation where I couldnt take what was visible at face value.

The sender knew about yesterday and this mornings events.

That stalker.

Thinking again, if it was before we met, maybe, but now that we could meet anytime, the possibility of still sending messages via items was low. He had only sent notes to me so far because he had no plans to meet me directly. Now that we had met and even exchanged rings, there was no need to hold back more.

Still, Id keep it in consideration.

A more accurate conclusion could be drawn after knowing what this alphabet meant.

Just in case, I put all the matches I had soaked in water back into the matchbox and went out.

Narce and Elias seemed to be waiting for me, as they hadnt left yet and were in the dormitory room with the lights off. After knocking and entering, I said to Narce.

Narce. Can you look at me for a bit?

Huh?

Narce, who turned to me with a smiling face while talking to Elias, quickly read my thoughts.

Ah, asking if something will happen?

Youre quick.

We click, right~ I dont know about the distant future, but at least today, it seems nothing.

Really? Thanks as always.

What for~ Of course, thats assuming you dont make dangerous choices. You know it can change drastically depending on your choices, right?

I know.

Ah, but whats with the matches?

It was out of the blue. He had clearly read even my thoughts about the matches.

When I held out the matchbox I brought, Elias peeked between Narce and me and asked.

What is it?

Someone sent white phosphorus matches to Heike. Buried among regular matches.

What?! Is there a place that sells those?

Yeah, right. The important thing isnt that.

Its a code.

Narce said while looking at me without even opening the box yet.

Yeah. Only those matches had alphabets written on them.

There will be more pairs. They wouldnt have sent just this one.

Narce examined the wet box and handed it back to me.

Meaning there would be more items with such alphabets.

Yeah. With just this one letter, I cant figure anything out, so probably. How did you know?

It doesnt feel like the only prepared one. It feels like the other side expects more beyond this.

As expected, judging just from the item was vague. But the conclusion was worth remembering.

Hahaha, it is a bit ambiguous, right? Its purely in the realm of intuition after all.

No, thanks.

Thanks for what. Its our business too.

Narce smiled and took my hand.

Shall we go now? The protocol rehearsal will start soon.

***

It was almost 6 a.m., but the winter dawn was still dark.

Standing in front of the portal newly prepared by the imperial family for Pentalon, we looked at Leo, who clapped his hands at the front to draw attention.

Now, we practiced once yesterday, so we can do well today, right?

Yeah.

With the Pentalon opening three days away, that is, there was a state visit schedule from France tomorrow morning.

The state visit didnt mean only the French imperial family members or the prime minister came; the mage group representing the French Empires Imperial Academy came together.

Among them, the targets Eszett was in charge of protocol for were limited to the Imperial Academy representative team. Similarly, in two days, similar mage groups from Britain, the Papal State, and other neighboring countries would come, and it would be the same then.

As I was lost in thought, Leo nodded at me and asked.

Did you take the medicine?

Yeah.

If it seems interfering, step out on your own.

I roughly nodded to match Leos cold tone acting.

I heard Ulrike swallowing behind me. He patted my shoulder and whispered.

Medicine? Are you sick somewhere, Lucas?

The medicine Leo mentioned was a sympathetic nerve blocker, but I couldnt tell Ulrike that.

I smiled and shook my head.

No. I just drank some elixir in case I get tired standing.

Ah, I see. We have to do this for two days, thinking about it already makes me tired. Why not just do it all in one day.

Ulrike whispered from behind.

It was understandable to say that. Actually, all countries were scheduled to come on Thursday, two days before the opening, but France alone announced they would come on Wednesday.

Thanks to that, two events.

Because France came a day early alone, the protocol event and welcome banquet were split over two days.

There was an opinion to hold the welcome banquet after all stat guests arrived, but since Pleroma was rampaging madly, the majority opinion was not to create unnecessary international disputes, so it was settled to hold them separately over two days as per principle.

Historically, relations with the French Empire werent that good, so holding two events was the right thing rather than neglecting guests invited by the imperial family, leading to diplomatic issues.

Theres also the fact that we couldnt ignore it more because they announced visiting a day early for the prestige of Pentalon.

Tsheringen, standing behind with Ulrike, smiled and answered.

At least its fortunate that what were in charge of in this event is easy. Right?

Thats true.

Yes.

Although we were their protocol officers, as could be seen from being assigned late, we just needed to stand beside when the academy representative team entered. Moreover, since they werent state guests, the protocol event was held in a different place from the state guest welcome ceremony.

Thanks to that, once we finished the rehearsal held by the imperial family until noon today, we could go out for rampage handling without further preparation.

Thus, 30 minutes past noon.

After finishing both our teams rehearsal and the one prepared by the imperial family, we returned to the team meeting room and sat around the table like yesterday.

Ugh.

The friends took off their robes, hung them on chairs, and plopped down. It was quite hot even in winter because we kept rehearsing outside.

Elias, who buried his face in the cold desk, murmured.

Ah, at times like this, it would be perfect if Adelbert was here.

Was it because Adelberts unique ability was to produce wind?

Seeing him say perfect while usually not liking him much, it seemed he had used his cousin as a fan when hot.

Normally, Leo would have scolded what nonsense that was or urged to prepare for dispatch immediately, but even he was hot and didnt say much, just sitting at the table, when Elias immediately spoke up.

Guys, today, once dispatch reports come in, we can keep going out, right?

Yeah.

To my answer, Elias jumped up, clapped his hands, and said.

Shall we challenge 20 cases for our teams resolution count today?! Break the record once more?

Wow. 20 cases?

Hahaha, we broke the record a few days ago, and break it again? Tempting.

Even Ulrike sighed realistically at Eliass reckless words, but Tsheringen just laughed as if it was fun.

Unexpectedly, the more I saw, the more this one seemed unreliable too.

If we receive reports even from Brandenburg, 20 cases might be possible, but its physically too much.

Yeah. Our standard seems off because we handled 10 on the first day, but other teams are handling three or four reports a day.

Leo and Ulrike gave realistic answers. Elias ignored Ulrike and looked at me and Leo, saying.

Listen. There are signs the imperial family will raise the rampager grades we handle.

Thats right.

Before we cant touch grade 9 anymore, shouldnt we break the record so other teams cant approach it?

.

Seriously, 20 today? Well, it would be good if we do all.

Ulrike asked with a hollow laugh.

I thought it was strange competitive spirit, but the corner of Leos mouth, who had been propping his chin expressionlessly, slowly rose.

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