Published at 5th of December 2025 11:07 pm

Chapter 244

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

For a moment, I thought he was asking if I knew the answer and almost couldn't hide my surprise.

For the remaining 20 minutes, the government would be frantically searching for the '100 people who saw the answer presented by the terrorist.' After all, their only remaining hope was those 100-plus people.

I couldn't help but be wary of his question, not knowing what kind of appeasement and hardline measures would be used in the process. In the first place, I had 'seen' the answer, but I didn't know exactly what to present as the answer. Due to time constraints, I had to find that answer in the next world.

But hadn't this person not been involved in the decryption? The only people who had been listening to the decryption process were the federal mages on guard duty and the Emergency Committee members, so this person must have come to ask me something else.

I corrected my expression, tilted my head, and asked.

"What. That I'm going to die in 18 minutes? That we still haven't found a way to dispel it? Or is it about the group that cast this curse?"

"18 minutes...?"

Richthofen's brow furrowed.

I took one of his hands, unfolded it, and after confirming the mark in the center of his palm, I looked at him.

"The mark is already half gone. You and I have 18 minutes left. So, since we're both in the same boat, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me quickly."

"."

Richthofen's eyes trembled slightly, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

But he quickly regained his composure. He let go of my collar, which he had been holding unknowingly, and took a step or two back.

"What kind of magic is cast in this curse. You would know, junior."

"I really don't know why everyone thinks I already know everything.... I'm just inferring as I go."

"So."

What kind of magic is cast in the curse?

A good topic. Isn't it the core of this whole incident?

I looked at his yellow eyes and answered.

"There seem to be quite a few spells cast, but I know at least two. You seem to know about those two as well, senior. Do you have a solution?"

"Yes. I do."

"...?!"

I just asked, you know?

It was an unexpected response.

He found a solution in this short time? Even if it's just a part....

As I couldn't close my mouth, Richthofen continued.

"It's a method I found by researching with the knowledge of the catacombs as soon as the terror broke out. When it comes to magic that can increase the chances of survival, aren't we stronger than the empire?...It's not very hopeful, though. It's still in the conceptual stage, and wide-area casting is difficult, so I have to grab people one by one to use it. Of course... I still have to tell you."

'...As expected.'

There was no way this person would come looking for me in this mess, in that form, for no reason.

Wide-area casting is impossible.

That's a bit disappointing, but it's okay even with restrictions. It's perfect for use as a supplementary measure. I have no intention of solving the problem 100% with the method he found anyway. With my current plan, even if I handle 95%, there's bound to be a remaining 5% that I can't solve. It seems I can solve that 5% with this method.

Until the very last moment, if I can save even one more life by hearing a solution, how can I not welcome it?

But this will make the story longer. 17 minutes won't be enough.

"That dispel method, is it possible to figure it out with existing theories alone, or were you able to grasp it by experimenting on people who were under the curse?"

"Why do you... I was able to grasp it because I experimented. I wouldn't have gotten a feel for it just by hearing about it."

"I see."

I expected as much, but just in case, this is going to be a headache. If I turn back time, the cursed person will disappear, so the Richthofen of the next world will find a solution at the same slow pace as now.

I can't just kick away this advantage.

'If I run out of time here and can't hear the solution, I'm willing to retry two or three more times. But....'

Still, I should try to succeed in one go.

Before that, just one question.

I was holding the back of my neck and asked in a low voice.

"Senior. What's your intention in telling me this when we have 17 minutes left? We're all going to die in 17 minutes anyway."

Even though I was going to turn back time, it was not a common-sense reaction to have when death was so imminent.

Richthofen stared at me and shook his head.

"Because you wouldn't let your life be left with only 17 minutes."

"."

"The you I know is not that kind of person. I might not, but at least you will survive. As long as you survive, that's enough. My concern at this moment is not my own life, but the future of the group that raised me."

I slowly nodded.

The clock now showed 16 minutes remaining.

"Senior. That countermeasure."

"Yes."

"Please summarize it for me in under 10 minutes, on a single page of paper. In a way that you can start research and development without knowing anything about the terror. I'm going to leave it to you, so you don't have to write down the background knowledge you already know, just write it so that yesterday's senior can also read and understand it."

And I would memorize it and pass it on to the Richthofen of the next world.

If I gave him the core keywords and asked him to come up with a countermeasure again, it would be a different story.

Richthofen's eyes widened at my rapid-fire speech.

He had brazenly said that he didn't know about himself, but that I would somehow survive, yet he seemed to have a hard time accepting it when I actually said something strange.

I checked the clock and tapped his shoulder.

"Please, senior."

***

15 minutes.

It was a good thing I followed him.

After finishing the conversation, I ran like crazy and opened the status window.

Let's check the retry again. I need to see for sure where I'm going back to in 15 minutes.

[Retry Lv. 3]

<Chapter 7> Previous checkpoint: 'Alexander Kluger (5)'

Manual setting of one-time checkpoint within 6 hours (1/3)

2.0 points per use

6.0 points to next level

Points held: 40.0 points

Luck 0.5 points until next point acquisition

Good.

'Alexander Kluger (5)' must be referring to the time I suddenly came out of the hospital 56 hours ago, met the Pleroma congressman, and turned back time.

If I turn back time, I have 56 hours to spare.

Of course, even with about two and a half days to spare, I can't cancel the Pentalon or stop the live broadcast of the Imperial newspaper. As I thought before, i I insisted on such things, I would really end up in a mental hospital. If I said I had foresight and saw a future where we were terrorized, I would be immediately taken to a government laboratory.

It just means I have the leeway to have a strategy meeting with my friends and calm my mind and body. That's enough.

'More importantly.'

Since 'Alexander Kluger (5)' is the previous checkpoint, it seems that Chapter 7 didn't start after the terror, but right after I received the special reward. In other words, the new chapter window was just shown to me separately later.

I thought something was fishy when it used a Bible verse as the chapter title instead of a German proverb. This chapter title might have been a hint from the system.

'The chapter 7 title was... 'Truly, truly, I say to you', right?'

What comes after that? What am I supposed to find out at such a pressing time? Besides, as far as I know, there are at least three or four verses that start with exactly that phrase. Not to mention verses with slight variations like 'I truly, truly say to you'.

'...No, forget it.'

Since I know what the terrorist is demanding anyway, I don't need the system's help at this point.

I opened the door to the observatory.

I don't know why I came here out of all places. It's just that the place Richthofen had dragged me to earlier by running like crazy was close to here.

Looking at this place reminds me of being here with my friends two hours ago.

Come to think of it, some of the Eszett must have been cursed like me, and I wonder if they're all in their right minds. I don't know if it's okay for them to experience something like this at such a young age. I trust Leo has contacted them well.

I put magic into my legs and quickly climbed to the top floor, leaving 13 minutes. There was no one guarding. The ground was already covered in all sorts of cries, and the security system had completely collapsed. Mages were wailing along with the citizens, and the magic fields everywhere were breaking down without management. A rain of magic power fell from the sky. The length of the cross engraved on my hand shortened.

Although they didn't announce the decryption results to the public, people already knew what would happen when the cross completely disappeared.

Now, it's time to think again.

'He said he showed them the answer.'

He 'showed' them. He didn't tell them, he showed them. And over 100 people saw it. I don't need to say how good a clue this is.

The problem is....

'Why is this bastard telling me so much.'

I need to prepare for this. When the enemy gives me a lot of information, I need to be on guard first.

Because there is surely an intention behind giving that information.

Just as the saying goes, look before you leap, in a situation like this, I need to verify the information I've obtained.

I calmly traced the flow of the subjugation magic. The location of my magic power was divided into several places.

Of course. I've subjugated four people so far.

The target I'm looking for now is the congressman who said, 'The Pleroma leadership has decided to pull out of the Pentalon.'

I will extract as much information as possible until the very last moment and then turn back time.

'Alright.'

I placed the Imperial newspaper I had brought with me on a small table on one side of the observatory and stood in front of the railing.

I took out a piece of paper and a pen from my clutch, scribbled down the location, put my hand to my mouth, and whistled sharply, and a white pigeon flew to me.

Even though I tied the paper to its leg, the bird just looked at me and didn't fly away.

Actually, for times like this when using trained carrier pigeons, everyone carries a mailing palette containing the magic power of people they frequently contact. By making the bird recognize the opponent's magic power, it flies towards them. These pigeons are a kind of demonic beast modified to do so.

But there was no way I had Congressman Alexander Kluger's magic power. I didn't even carry Elias's or Narce's magic power.

I sent my magic power to the pigeon. The pigeon, confused, just turned its head from side to side and then fluttered onto my shoulder, so I pushed the pigeon far away. Then the bird, finally understanding my intention, flew off somewhere on the grounds.

Now that I've spun the 1/4 probability roulette, I have to hope my target gets caught.

I stood up and touched the fingers of my left hand one by one with my right. I focused on one direction among the magic power I had placed in others' bodies.

And, with a clenched fist, I slammed the table in the passage.

Thwack!

A small piece of wood flew into my face. Perhaps mixed with magic, the tabletop broke more easily than intended.

I had never broken things in my life, except when I had to play the role of a delinquent in middle school.

First of all, this wasn't my property, and second, I hated nothing more in the world than losing control of my emotions and taking it out on something else. It wasn't that I was losing control of my emotions and doing this, but I didn't feel good even while hitting it. But I had to give my fist the biggest impact I could, so I had no choice.

I took a deep breath and looked up. Leo, who had followed me at some point and burst through the door leading to the stairs, asked with a completely uncomprehending expression.

"...What are you doing? Did you break this?"

It's good to see you again here.

Perhaps because he had 11 minutes left to live, Leo had an expression that was hard for me to describe in words.

I just shrugged. And, with force again, I hit the side of the broken tabletop once more.

The table tilted to one side and fell over with a loud crash.

Bang! Thud

Leo grabbed my arm with a horrified expression and cast a healing spell.

"No...! What are you doing?! Are you really crazy to be dying soon?"

"No."

I'm thinking clearly.

If I were crazy, I'd be lying down and doing nothing right now.

"Then why are you doing this crap? Lukas. Get a grip. I'm not trying to put a burden on you by asking you to save our lives, but at least you shouldn't do this. If it's that hard... I, I'm not in a position to say this, but as a friend, I'm advising you."

"It's a misunderstanding. I'll explain later, so wait."

"Later?"

Leo said quietly.

"What later do we have."

"The people here don't. But at least you and I do."

Leo looked at me silently and shook his head.

"You must be misunderstanding something, Lukas. 'I' don't have one."

"What?"

"The me of the next time...."

Leo's lips moved, but he closed his mouth. He wiped his face with his hand and muttered.

"...I guess I've become sensitive. Can you pretend you didn't hear that?"

"."

He certainly looked confused. Who would't be sensitive 10 minutes before death? I nodded.

At that moment, a voice came through both my and Leo's artifacts at the same time.

[Your Excellency Askanian! Where are you? The minister is looking for you!]

It was a Ministry of Magic official. I didn't want to hear about work 10 minutes before my life was over, so I tapped the artifact to cut the connection. But a new call came in immediately.

[Did you see the Imperial newspaper? You have to see it! In the Imperial newspaper right now...!]

As the frantic voice continued, Leo, with a slight frown, unfolded the Imperial newspaper that had fallen to the floor.

As soon as he read the headline, a look of shock spread across Leo's face. It was a rare reaction to see from Leo.

"What is it...."

[Pleroma has just sent its first official statement to the government! This has never happened in the past 13 years!]

"...?!"

Before the words were even finished, Leo handed me the newspaper.

As the use of audio was prohibited, only text was moving in the Imperial newspaper. The large headline, written in blackletter, reported a fact that was one of the most shocking things I had seen in this terror incident.

[[Breaking News] Pleroma Announces First Official Stance in 13 Years]

"What...."

I started reading the article from the part that caught my eye.

[...Pleroma has now expressed its stance through its first official spokesperson. The spokesperson for the Pleroma leadership, who introduced herself as 'Therese Gebauer', stated that "this entire situation is unrelated to the decisions of the Pleroma leadership," and that "the Pleroma leadership has always wished for the well-being of the empire and the success of the Pentalon, and has already issued an order to all dioceses to suspend Pentalon-related activities a week ago." She also reported that 53 Pleroma clergy and laity have been harmed by the terrorist's attacks. The Pleroma leadership will stand firm against the terrorists who threaten the precious lives of the Imperial subjects and the continent, and expressed its willingness to readily assist the Imperial government if it so desires.]

"."

They'll help?

The government?

In the space for a photo, there was a picture of a person made entirely of black smoke from head to toe. It was truly black. The face, neck, and hands were all blurred as if made of living vitriol.

There was a possibility that this was their own fabrication, but if it was true, it made me realize just how big of an incident this was, to the point where even the Pleroma leadership would say they would 'join hands with the empire to keep the terrorists in check'.

I was about to reconfirm whether Congressman Alexander Kluger's previous statement was correct, but I'm grateful that it came out like this.

I ignored the frantic voice saying I needed to grasp the intention of this report, took off the artifact hanging from my ear, and dropped it on the floor. And this time, I clasped my hands tightly and twisted them. Whatever the Imperial newspaper was doing, I had already called the congressman, so I had to finish the confirmation.

Leo flinched, perhaps because I had a history of attacking his core in this way.

"I'm not attacking your core."

"I know.... Wait, core? You've been punching all this time, don't tell me...."

Yes. He seems to have figured it out now.

I heard the sound of someone panting and running up the stairs.

Through the open door, I saw the familiar face of the congressman.

I had been punching this person's core all this time. The congressman, with a pale face, stumbled and grabbed the doorframe, looking around. His face was completely wrecked from having his core attacked and the terror, but his eyes strangely held a glimmer of hope.

I thought Leo would frown at this situation, but even Leo looked a little surprised, as if he had felt the incongruous hope in the congressman's eyes.

I knew why there was a glimmer of hope in the congressman's eyes. He must have interpreted the fact that Ernst had called him not as a grudge for being punched in the core three times, but as an 'intention to solve this terror problem'.

I looked at him and greeted him briefly.

"It's good to see you, Congressman."

The congressman, holding his core with one hand, looked around with a bewildered expression.

He pointed at me with his other hand and tilted his head.

"By any chance, is His Excellency Ernst in this vicinity? The location I was contacted at was this way...."

"No. Please take off your gloves."

"We must resolve this curse as soon as possible! Have you really not seen His Excellency Ernst...!"

I looked at him without expression. The congressman, who had been looking at me suspiciously, stopped in his tracks.

Soon, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"...W-w-wait. N-no way. No way...?!"

He shook his head and stepped back.

Leo flicked his finger. A plant stem flew from somewhere, snatched the congressman's arm, and pulled off his glove.

Due to the shock of realizing that I was Ernst, the congressman didn't care how far the plant grew and just stared at me with wide eyes.

"Gasp...! N-no, His Excellency Ernst...!"

"Hmm."

A mark like mine was drawn on his palm.

Pleroma's announcement was not a lie, and the statement the congressman had made to me in a time that had already disappeared was also not a lie.

As the congressman just pointed at me with a face that looked like he was about to faint, unable to speak, Leo pulled the congressman towards him and, with a practiced hand, struck the back of his neck, knocking him out. I knew it from when he was swinging a bat in the catacombs, but he seemed to have learned too much to improve his combat magic skills.

Leo laid the unconscious congressman on the floor and asked.

"Did you get everything now?"

"No, not yet."

It seemed Leo knew I was gathering information.

Just in time, it was coming. I approached the railing and extended my hand, seeing a carrier pigeon flying towards me, clutching something. The moment the bird dropped the paper, I snatched it with my magic.

A combination of unknown words and formulas scribbled with a fountain pen came into view.

Good.

The countermeasure sent by Richthofen was also prepared.

Now, all I have to do is memorize this and take it to the next world, and it's over.

I read it to myself and asked Leo.

"We have 5 minutes left. Why didn't you bring Elias and Narce? Yulia and Heike and Uli... Luise too."

I wanted to see them one last time. Though I would see them when I went back.

"Where would I have the mind for that. Besides, I came here to hear your reasoning and plan. I can't listen if the other friends are here."

Leo looked around and sighed.

"...In the end, time ran out before I could even ask. And you don't seem to have any intention of telling me this time either."

"Don't worry. This time, when I turn back time, I'll tll you everything. I can't do it without your help."

Leo's face contorted slightly before returning to normal.

He was trying to stay calm, but it seemed he felt once again how unusual this incident was, to the point where I needed my friends' help.

I read the paper sent by Richthofen three times from beginning to end, put the paper in my pocket, and looked at Leo.

"We have 3 minutes left. Do you have any last words?"

"."

Leo couldn't open his mouth for a long time, then said without expression.

"Next time, let's definitely go to Bavaria."

Is Leo obsessed with this? I didn't expect to hear this again.

To go to Bavaria, we can't die at the opening, and even if we survive the curse, in a situation where 1.37 million people have died, the suggestion of going to Bavaria wouldn't come up....

In the end, this was also a way of saying let's successfully resolve this terror. What I want.

"We have to make it happen."

The atmosphere seemed to be getting too heavy, so I smiled and asked.

"But why do you want to go? You've been persistent since earlier."

"Hmm... it's nothing special, so it's a bit awkward to say it in advance."

"You're not going to tell me even in this situation?"

He's really stubborn.

The second hand of the clock now indicated that there were less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds left. The cross on my palm had also become almost a dot.

I can't delay any longer. It's time to go back and set everything right.

I looked at him and said.

"See you later, Leo."

"."

Leo just moved his lips, then finally nodded.

I turned on the retry window, cast a soundproofing spell so Leo couldn't hear, and muttered quietly.

"To the previous checkpoint, retry."

***

I opened my eyes.

Sunlight was pouring in from the window on the left side of the bed.

I could hear the sound of the fireplace burning from across the room. On the bedside table, the letter Elias had written was folded in its intact state before it turned to ash, and in my hand were some unknown grasses that Pai must have brought.

[...To you, the crown of victory, long live the leader of our homelandHis Majesty the Emperor!]

Cheerful music was heard from outside the window. Just a moment ago, I had been hearing screams and cries pouring out from the ground, but now what I heard was the music of a band on a tour, singing the national anthem before the Pentalon opening.

And....

There was no mark on my palm.

'...I'm back.'

Only then did the tension in my whole body release, and my strength drained away.

I just stretched out my arm, unfolded the last page of Elias's letter on the bedside table, and pressed Pai's summon button. Pai, with a mouthful of grass, fell in front of me.

"Pip?!"

I sometimes think that every time he's surprised, he doesn't speak like a person but cries like his kind. This must be a sound he makes with his voice, not something he shoots directly into my head.

I held Pai in one hand and lay down. Pai shook the grass off on the bed and settled in my hand. I heard the sound of dirt falling on the bedding, but that wasn't important right now.

I looked at the clock and blinked for a long time.

10 minutes had passed, but I hadn't died. No matter how much time passed, my heart function remained the same. The sun was still high above, piercing my eyes, and the flags of all nations, shot with magic as Elias had said, were transparently reflected in the sky. This peace didn't feel real at all, but my senses were definitely real.

As reality gradually returned, there was no need to delay any longer.

About two and a half days left until the opening. Within that time, I had to find the answer the terrorist wanted and make a final plan.

I threw off the blanket again, shot up, and stood in front of the window. Pai, in my hand, looked at me with a bewildered expression.

"Pai. Can you go to Leo and tell him to bring our friends here right away? It seems we'll have to lift the visitation restriction for three of them to come."

"Visitation restriction?"

"Ah."

I briefly forgot that Pai's mental age was at the level of a kindergartener.

I scribbled a message for Leo on a note and placed it in front of Pai.

"I mean, coming here to see me. Leo and some other guy have blocked anyone from coming here."

"Ah~ I get it now~"

"You get it? That's a relief."

I let out a hollow laugh at Pai, who seemed somewhat proud for some reason.

I couldn't stop here. Just like in the previous Grand Hotel incident, Leo's memories would come in a beat later than mine.

Since he doesn't have the retry ability, it's normal for him not to have the memories, but it's more like the memories come in when he encounters something related to me. So there needs to be a medium.

I grabbed Pai, who was about to warp, and continued.

"Pai. Leo might ignore my words because of the visitation restriction. If so...."

"If so?"

"Tell him that after the opening ceremony, let's go to Bavaria."

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