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Reborn as the Doomed Heir of a Mage Dynasty (Web Novel) - Chapter 263
Chapter 263
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
[Your Excellency, please call when you're ready.]At the sound from outside, I put the notebook with things to discuss with Leo into my pocket and stood up from my seat.
I stood in front of the mirror in the hospital room and adjusted my attire one last time. Having escaped the patient clothes and putting on the Eschet uniform after a long time, it surprisingly didn't fit well. It still didn't feel real that I'd returned here. It probably wouldn't feel real until I saw other people.
And, also.
I touched my bare earlobe.
'Won't it get clogged if I don't wear it?'
Whatever, it felt good to have light ears after so long. Since removing the earring in the cathedral, I hadn't worn Leo's artifact again.
Since that artifact was used for safety, in practice, both were used as location trackers. Of course, times when such a function was needed weren't ideal situations. I liked that right now, I didn't need to rely on the artifact.
When I opened the door and went out, the person from the Bavaria National Medical Center who had been waiting outside saw me and said.
"Ah, you're ready. We'll move together now."
"Yes."
When I took the hand he extended, the scenery in front of me changed. Wind touched my face. It wasn't the Imperial Central Hospital, but the rooftop of a more familiar place.
As soon as we arrived, what I saw was the Bavarian royal family and government officials lined up on both sides of the rooftop. When they saw me, they saluted.
I hadn't heard there would be a ceremony?
For now, I didn't show it and greeted them in the same way.
Beyond the people, the familiar cityscape came into view. My gaze didn't linger there long. The reason for moving to the rooftop instead of the hospital lobby was clear.
I opened my mouth while looking at the person standing in the middle of the rooftop.
"Um...."
"Lukas."
Just as I was about to say 'you,' Leo cut in and called my name.
Up until now, meeting that guy here had only been in my Nicolaus state.
Stepping foot here in the name of Lukas Askanien was the first time, so the words didn't come out easily.
Silence continued.
The one who opened their mouth first was Leo.
"Congratulations on returning."
People can't help but be influenced by the place. The formal responses I'd uttered countless times in the Nicolaus state, like Vielen Dank, Eure Hoheit..., circled in my mouth.
I felt the cool wind directly on my face and confirmed that everyone's gazes were more rigid than when treating Nicolaus. Only then could I respond as his friend.
"Yeah, thanks."
Had he dropped the awkward act I'd requested because it's Bavarian soil?
Anyway, since it'd only be seen by the people here, this much was acceptable.
I approached Leo and lightly hugged his shoulder in greeting. Others might not know, but Leo would have felt it. In this greeting, the meaning of 'you worked hard' was greater than 'glad to see you.' If it had been in the Nicolaus state, he could've dragged me off for insulting royalty with no words to say, but from the position of equal rank, it wasn't particularly rude.
Taking the chance as I got close, Leo quietly said.
"We'll talk details later... but seeing you standing there puts my mind at ease."
"......"
There was bone in the expression again.
The last time he'd seen me, I was lying downright before becoming a corpseso I had nothing to say. I just thought I'd given mental shock to this hot-blooded guy in the head. It was more the archbishop's fault than mine, but anyway, it didn't sit well that Leo always seemed to see the worst scenes first.
Anyway, I glanced around and cast a soundproofing spell before opening my mouth.
"Yeah, thanks. But what's with you and the ceremony...? I've never seen you parading around like this."
"It's not attached to me; it's attached to you."
"That makes sense. That's why I'm askingdid I come here as an Anhalt state guest?"
"Yeah."
"I see."
I answered like that and looked at Leo's face. Leo was also blankly looking only at me. I held back a hollow laugh and grabbed his shoulder.
"No, you should've obviously told me something like that, you bastard.... If you'd said in advance, I'd have come wearing Anhalt formal wear."
"That's not great. I didn't like it."
What does that have to do with me?
At this royally curt answer, I nearly grabbed my neck but somehow held it in.
He's not the type to do this without reason, so it's either because he dislikes seeing Adrian Askanien's face or some other political reason.
Fortunately, Leo thought for a moment and then nodded.
"...Yeah, it's better if you decide. You can change into Anhalt formal wear and come."
"What now. Forget it. It's just an exam; I'll stay like this."
Anyway, my formal wear probably wouldn't fit my body well anymore. Luka had only bones, so now that I'd put on even a little flesh, I'd need new clothes tailored. If I requested from Anhalt, they'd hurriedly alter and lend a spare of my brother's formal wear, but rather than that, it was better to just wander around in this. I didn't want to borrow clothes from a future murderer.
Leo was silent for a moment, looked at the scenery behind me, and quietly said.
"You've come to Bavaria."
"Yeah. I dropped everything and came here first."
"It's an honor."
No one would say it like that, but that's royal speech. It's always hard to get used to. With nothing else to say, I just smiled in response.
If I did the Prussia and Anhalt interviews first, the time to meet friends would be pushed back a lot. I needed to check the outside situation too, but I wanted to come greet the friends who had moved with one mind to assist me first. Externally, since Bavaria had no reason to request a meeting with me, to meet friends, I had to choose the hospital trip first.
"What. Why did you say let's go to Bavaria after the opening ends? I need to hear it now."
At those words, Leo suppressed a smile and maintained a blank expression as he said.
"Hm, after the exam and the Prussia and Anhalt interviews, I'll tell you."
"After the interviews?"
"Yeah."
Some of the Bavarian kingdom government and Wittelsbach dignitaries lined up on both sides were now looking at us. We'd stood in one place too long. I nodded toward the door leading down from the rooftop and said.
"Then I'll go now... go. We need to have a quick meeting with you all before the interview, so don't kill time here; let's finish the exam fast."
"Yeah, but...."
Leo could no longer hold back his laugh and smiled as he said.
"Yeah. It's already been a few months; don't bring it up now."
"After seeing the end, everything feels new, right?"
"......"
How could I not know what he meant? I also clearly knew why he was unusually trying to talk with me at length.
I patted his shoulder and smiled appropriately.
"Yeah. Let's meet again after it ends."
***
The exam proceeded over 3 hours.
The results would come later, but since there were no issues with activity right now, I could meet my friends immediately.
"Luka!"
After moving to the royal-owned building next to the hospital, had it been about a minute of waiting? The door opened right away.
The first friend I saw was Elias. He ran over at an absurd speed and clung to me. It was quite surprising because he really hung like a sloth.
"Didn't you do this before too?"
"Yeah. I felt it back then too, but you've been working out hard."
While I was surprised at Elias's sloth-likeness, Elias seemed surprised that I didn't fall over and stayed standing. If the other person even seemed a little like they'd fall, he shouldn't charge in; doing it first and then admiringthis recklessness alone was praiseworthy.
And....
Since he didn't bring up topics about the terror or my health, my mind was at ease. Elias was probably deliberately avoiding topics that would burden me and speaking as if we'd met and talked just yesterday.
Tsheringen, who had come in together and watched Elias's antics, smiled and greeted me.
"It's a relief you woke up well, Lukas."
"Long time no see."
"Yeah. It must've been for you? I'm really glad you returned safely."
And since he'd entered Pleroma's world with Bavaria, he knew well about the time distortion. Of course, Elias and Narce would know too.
"Ulrike and Heike?"
"Hm, wouldn't it be better to see them after the strategy meeting ends?"
Tsheringen said that and sat down.
Narce and Leo came in late and greeted me. Narce stopped as soon as he saw me.
"Lukas."
He, who had only blinked, quietly continued.
"Knowing with ability and seeing directly are definitely different. Seeing you directly puts my mind at ease~ Are you okay?"
"I'm okay. See, I'm fine."
When I said that and smiled, Narce softly smiled. Leo next to him clearly treated my words like bullshit. I understood it might not be convincing depending on perspective, so I didn't argue.
Instead, I took out the notebook I'd brought earlier and held it out.
"Here, I have some things I need to ask you, so I organized them. First, it seems the space magic and the archbishop's core were connected, so we need to strictly distinguish between mana and core. Connecting the core and space magic is probably one of their new technologies. Right?"
"...You even had doubts about this in that situation?"
Leo said in disbelief and took the notebook.
"For now, later on this. I'll write my thoughts and send it."
In that situation, I'd lost consciousness, so I didn't have doubts at the time, but I did later.
From when I woke up and decided on Bavaria until actually coming here, there was a lot of time, so I just organized it then.
We needed to discuss their new technology sometime.
Anyway, since Leo took the notebook, I sat down and asked my friends what I needed to know.
"I don't know how the outside political situation is flowing right now... but the Pentalon terror was resolved well, right."
Meaning, casualties.
Even setting aside the political matters after that for now.
There was time, but the hospital prevented reading newspapers for rest reasons.
Leo nodded.
"Yeah. Some people got injured while dismantling the curse magic as time ran out, but no one died."
"......"
"We didn't even need to exert that much effort from the start. At that time, the people who didn't hear your voice were only about 25,000 out of 600,000."
"Meaning, out of the 600,000 under the curse, 575,000 were focused on your match. Whether the Magic Department knew something and placed you there...."
Elias pouted and shrugged.
The Magic Department asking me to stand in the match was coincidentally a good choice. They probably just thought it'd be sleight of hand.
Leo silently looked down at the materials he held, then quietly said while looking at me.
"It's your achievement."
"It was something I couldn't solve alone. Thanks for doing it together."
"Haha."
At my words, Tsheringen laughed and tilted his head. With a gentle face, but seriously, he said to me.
"Lukas. We just handled the aftermath of the incident you solved from start to finish."
Elias vigorously nodded from the side.
Only after Leo glared at him did Elias quiet down.
Tsheringen smiled at them and continued.
"The political situation isn't great right now. In such an extremely unstable situation, this is the time you should instead criticize the rest and demand recognition of your merits. That way, you won't get caught up in the groups trying to avoid responsibility by sacrificing you."
How could I not know.
Suddenly giving advice like that was a bit abrupt, but since he said it for my sake, I was just grateful. He wouldn't say something like this if he didn't truly worry about me.
I nodded and smiled.
"Yeah, I already know plenty. Of course, it's because it's in front of you all."
"I see. Thanks. My words might've sounded a bit startling; are you okay?"
"......"
It was so textbook; it really was royal standard. I felt the same bewilderment as with Leo here too.
Of course, the Grand Duchy of Baden ruled by the Tsheringen family wasn't a kingdom, but anyway.
"Of course. Your advice was exactly what was needed in this situation."
I answered like that and, looking around at my friends, asked.
"Now, I need to grasp the situation properly. Does anyone have the Imperial Newspaper?"
No one answered.
The way they oddly avoided my eyes or stared fixedly only at my eyes felt off.
Now I saw Tsheringen alone alternately looking at his held Imperial Newspaper and me. I saw Elias shaking his head at him.
I laughed and stood up from my seat.
"No one? Guess I need to buy one."
"Aaaaah! No!"
Elias grabbed my arm and clung.
"Why not. There's something, right? If you're going to stop me, say the reason properly."
"I can't say."
Elias, unusually seriously, shook his head and continued.
"For now, tht's not urgent. There's no important story in the newspaper right now."
"No way. What is it."
As I half-seriously asked, Leo calmly interjected.
"At least for the current you, it's not important, Lukas. What's important now is that Prussia is trying to use you to somehow evade responsibility."
"......"
"Even now, they could frame you as an accomplice in the terror."
That's true. It was something I'd anticipated since being in the archbishop's mansion.
More than that....
'This is driving me crazy.'
Did I have a grudge against the newspaper or something? It felt like similar situations kept happening from before.
Anyway, there must be a reason for stopping me, so I should just drop it. Even if I threw a fit, I had no confidence in shaking off these four here.
"...Yeah. Then tell me about Freiburg first. There are a few things I need to know from the newspaper now...."
"If it's to prepare for the interview, they won't ask deeply about that in the Prussia government interview. What's important is this."
Leo continued.
"Where you got the code '<Osnabruck Diocese is looking for you>.' How you're connected to the Osnabruck Diocese and the Catacombs."
***
"As I said earlier, you must absolutely maintain the superior attitude. You have the qualification for that now. Got it?"
"What are you worrying about. I'll do that."
I laughed, said final goodbyes to Yulia, and entered the reception room.
The reason Yulia came with the friends earlier was because Bavaria and Baden were handling media play. Of course, not directly intervening but responding to negative public opinion that way, but not showing the newspaper and just saying this to mewhat was I supposed to do....
Anyway, it wasn't a big problem for me. Even without Yulia worrying, I had no intention of going in low posture.
Moreover, since I'd already done preliminary cleanup in preparation for political maneuvering, there wasn't much to worry about greatly.
In fact, the questions proceeded smoothly. After some useless questions ended, the attendant of the Minister of Public Security who came to interview me asked if I had anything to convey to the subjects regarding the terror.
Up to here, it was extremely smooth too.
"Solving this terror was something I rightfully had to do. As a mage of the Hohenzollerns and of Askanien blood, I have the duty to do my utmost so that the imperial subjects do not fall into danger. It is an honor to serve for His Majesty the Emperor and for all you subjects."
As the other staffer who was taking down my words finished noting, the attendant softly said while looking at me.
"Now, shall we move into more in-depth questions? Is that alright?"
