Published at 19th of December 2025 8:51 am

Chapter 316

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"They intended to kill it. If Lukas hadn't kicked his hand, they would have fired more."

Heike's dry voice shattered the silence.

The gaze of the friends gathered here, excluding Lukas and Leo, turned to him. The 101st class, having returned after being admonished, was quiet. Hearing bitter words wasn't particularly a problem, but the 98th class's attempted murder wasn't something easily forgotten.

"I clearly understood the danger of snatching a firearm and have no objection to receiving punishment."

Ulrike, who was listening quietly, was a bit flustered by Heike's impassive expression. She rolled her eyes and answered.

"...Yeah, we got off lightly considering that. But that's not the problem...."

"But we were taught to rescue people, so why did they try to kill it?"

Heike was neither indignant nor dumbfounded. Nor was she upset because he was admonished. He simply questioned the seniors acting differently from what they were instructed. Yulia, who was drinking tea with an expressionless face, spoke calmly.

"The state must be overlooking it. They probably thought there was no need to waste manpower given how the situation has spread. Even if we spend the same 15 minutes, killing with firearms reduces the fatigue of our Mages so they can be mobilized for other missions, and the cost of treatment also decreases."

"Then they could have just ordered us to kill from the start."

Heike asked calmly as if she could definitely kill if ordered to. Yulia, who was silent, smiled brightly and answered.

"They want to catch two birds with one stone."

"......."

Ulrike, understanding what she meant, covered his face and said.

"This is wrong. Don't tell me those seniors have been killing people like that all this time? Really? If this is what being an Imperial Mage is, I'd rather leave this group."

At those words, everyone seated turned their gaze to him. Ulrike thought more by himself and added.

"...But I can't just yield and quit....Earlier, Elias suggested training. I was thinking too complacently. Let's go borrow the Mimesis right now."

"We agree."

Elias answered expressionlessly and stood up.

Rescue activities are inefficient so we have to kill people; then there is no other way but to increase efficiency. Although Elias harbored different thoughts inwardly, he couldn't immediately speak of unrealistic plans like overturning the class system in front of them. The other friends also packed their training clothes and went out of the dormitory.

However, two of them had to be dragged out by Leo's call without finishing the training, and eventually, all five had to do so.

"He was an outstanding student. He graduated with excellent grades."

4 AM.

I am at the Second Academy Record Archives with Narce. Of course, we had just finished the meeting with the Eschet friends.

"Ah, and you should know this. Normally this isn't allowed, but since you are students, I'm making an exception to let you in."

My homeroom professor suddenly turned around toward Narce and me and cautioned. He carefully rummaged through the drawer and thrust forward a rank list from the Imperial Second Academy a few years ago.

'Hmm.'

1st place.

Adrian Askanian. Not surprising. If this person isn't 1st place, who would be?

And, 2nd place.

Albert Mecklenburg.

"......."

Why was a revolver placed in my hand? Unable to wash away that question, I came to the Record Archives to obtain information on how to design the game board before starting the work in earnest.

As I smiled silently with Narce, the professor also smiled and said.

"Albert Mecklenburg got along well with the student's elder brother. Both students were of such high standards that they were the only ones who could communicate with each other."

The professor brought out a group activity photo album. I see a picture of Adrian Askanian and Albert Mecklenburg with their arms around each other's shoulders.

'They must have gotten along well because they were the only ones who could communicate with each other....'

A good interpretation. Actually, Adrian Askanian wouldn't have been able to communicate with his peers. An outlier of any kind must learn the perspective of peers to communicate without buying resentment from classmates, and in such cases, a friend who doesn't harbor antipathy even when speaking and acting as they are is invaluable. However, it is an important issue how far each deviated from the average at this time. Because how they regarded each other depends on that. Flipping through the report card, I asked indirectly.

"It seems His Excellency Mecklenburg has a good character."

"He was a very polite and compassionate student. If there was a friend alienated in class, he would always go and take care of them, and if a fight was about to break out, he would mediate. I heard he still keeps in touch with friends he became close to that way."

That's plausible. Even if he shoots and kills people he should rescue without any guilt, that and this are issues of different dimensions. The professor, seemingly very fond of that disciple, smiled and continued.

"Good leadership, polite to everyone, courteous.... If I were to have a child, I would want to raise them to be just like this friend. Ah, of course, the student's elder brother is also a wonderful student."

"I know. I can fully empathize with why you say that."

I said with a playful smile. The professor also nodded with a smile, perhaps not thinking my intention was bad. Then, discovering a new document, he showed it to me.

"This student also had the best volunteer activity record in the school. Right... I remember he led the class students to volunteer at the almshouse every vacation."

"I like that such a good person is my direct senior."

"Haha. Right. Since the student resembles student Adrian a lot in many ways...."

The professor, who observed my face by slightly lifting my bangs, grinned and patted my shoulder.

"Student Albert will also have new feelings working with a student like his one and only friend."

The professor's words were like a declaration.

You are just marked, marked, and marked again. Every time Albert Mecklenburg sees your face, he will think of Adrian Askanian and do to you what he wanted to do to your brother.

'Funny....'

I'm not mocking; I'm genuinely laughing. Wouldn't anyone in my situation do the same? I expect most would react like me.

It was no coincidence that he handed me the revolver before turning back time.

There were many people to make do it besides me, and if he had to make someone do it, I expected he would make Leo, a leader like himself, do it. Usually, if one intends to suppress the spirit, isn't breaking the head of an organization first the answer? Besides, Leo openly made him uncomfortable, so the possibility was even greater.

Despite that, why me specifically? If the reason was picking someone who looked like they couldn't shoot, there was no reason for me to be caught particularly in terms of impression, and choosing Ulrike or Heike, who are easy to bully, would be best for him.

Ultimately, this hypothesis gained strength after returning from the dawn investigation.

He perceives me not as Lukas Askanian, but as Adrian Askanian's younger brother. He would have been wary of feeling the wall he experienced with Adrian Askanian from me, and the instinct of school days accumulated for over 10 years since the Third Academy days would have told him to suppress this another Askanian early. The second Askanian who started showing signs of following the first's life path after resolving the Pentalon terror.

"What are your thoughts. Are they still the same?"

After moving our luggage to the official residence guided this morning, we gathered in front of the 98th class residence immediately as expected. Mecklenburg approached me and asked.

"Yes."

Mecklenburg nodded with an expression that said he knew it would be so, unlike yesterday, and gestured to the vice-leader to handle it. I opened my mouth before he turned around.

"However, I know well with what intention Your Excellency intends to give teachings to the 101st class."

Mecklenburg slowly turned his head to me. With a gentle face, yet laughing as if dumbfounded, he answered.

"It doesn't seem to resonate much from my view, so what do you think about this?"

"I will prove it to Your Excellency."

"......."

Even though I haven't talked about the main point yet, his eyes narrowed slightly and the corners of his mouth twisted. Since it was momentary, no one seemed to place great significance on it, but the meaning that change in facial muscles brought to me was clear.

'Hmm, right....It must have been satisfying words.'

It would have been more helpful for self-efficacy if the person saying they would definitely prove it to you was Adrian Askanian, not Lukas Askanian, but anyway, the person he inwardly intends to suppress right here is me.

"I want to prove it. Please allow the 101st class to handle all Berserker reports assigned to the 98th class A team today."

"......."

A transparent request.

The will to prevent the 98th class from using firearms is clearly revealed, and the will thinking 'if we do well today, they will allow us not to use firearms' is also revealed.

It's correct that I spoke knowing clearly how it would be read. Now that I know what his reverse scale is, and until the foundation of foundational work is completed, he must be winning.

In other words, there is no way they will grant the 'proof'.

Instead, being conceited, they might think it's okay to instill hope in us. How naive would a junior asking to let them prove his choice is right look? They will naturally refuse even if they see our proof.

Despite my bombshell request, my friends were looking only forward without any reaction. It was natural since it was a matter discussed with all six at dawn.

"Do as you please."

Mecklenburg's answer, heard after a long time, was simple. He left the place leaving his colleagues behind.

I don't know how much time has passed. Judging by the shortened shadows, it was already noon. For now, Mecklenburg was excluded from disciplining today as well, and the 98th class vice-leader took charge of everything.

"Stand up."

The 98th class vice-leader, who had taken and worn the artifact hanging on my ear, handed me the communication artifact. He probably told me to stand up because the 101st class dispatch signal was heard through my artifact.

Thud

I stomped my foot, greeted them, turned around, and ran.

"Luka!"

Friends waiting at the residence main gate grabbed me. I roughly wiped sweat with the towel they handed me and shook off the dirt on my clothes.

"...Are you okay?"

Ulrike has been asking this question since the meeting at dawn.

There is a reason for asking like this. I am being called out between reports to receive mental education. The only fortunate thing is that only I am being concentratedly attacked, but since I naturally cannot disobey orders immediately until finishing the first foundational work anywayif I disobey already, I'll ruin everythingit's much better for me to go through it alone than for other friends to be harassed now.

"Of course I'm okay. Rather, since you guys also ended up being dispatched multiple times, that's what I should be asking."

"What on earth are you saying, this is."

Leo answered coldly before I could finish speaking. Since it was true that I said it out of politeness, I had no intention of refuting particularly.

When we warped to the Berserker Control Center at the Command Headquarters main office with friends' help, the Mage receiving a telegram from the Police Bureau asked with a reluctant expression.

"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

"No."

It was worth asking. Even at a glance, my appearance wasn't ordinary. Unlike me who stopped caring thinking it would naturally be bad since there was no time to shower, Ulrike, thinking my feelings were hurt by this question, cast a sound-proofing Spell and criticized the 98th class.

"...Why do they do this immediately after returning from dispatch. We're already drained of strength, and more...."

"They're telling us to handle the next report like shit."

Elias, standing with a cold face, cut him off.

"Because if we become unable to endure due to exhaustion, we will use firearms as they wish."

Correct words. This is a strategy to make me use weapons by wearing myself out. Whether it's the antipathy Albert Mecklenburg has toward me or whatever, they intended to force us to use firearms from the beginning. It was like that before turning back time too.

At least, the reason they only harass me and don't conduct mental education for the remaining six is that they need a loophole to escape in case a serious problem arises with safety at the scene because they drained all strength disciplining us.

Elias, who was stiff despite having a meeting at dawn, corrected his expression and patted my back when I kept staring at him.

"Luka, get on my back!"

"Kind of you...."

Kind in a direction I don't really want. I argued for a long time with Elias trying to pull me, dispatched to the last report location, and after that, stopped by the hospital with friends exhausted from handling Berserkers three times already.

And now it was time to leave the seat for a while to do work. I scheduled it according to the time when berserk reports frequently come in, and it happened to match the pre-set time perfectly.

"Let's go."

Leo moved to Bavaria dragging even Narce to avoid suspicion. I passed the Bavaria checkpoint, disguised as Nicolaus, and quickly warped to the conference hall. Several vice-ministers and Emergency Committee officials whom I asked to attend through Leo were sitting in the conference hall. I shook hands with them one by one.

"It's been a long time."

"Long time no see. It's hard to see you."

The Bavarian Vice Minister of Finance said shaking hands with me. Still, if I had time, I visited in person briefly a couple of times a week to check, but since there wasn't much time to face them directly unless it was the Ministry of Magic or the Emergency Committee, it was worth saying so. Since it wasn't particularly an accusatory tone, I answered with a smile, found a seat, sat down, made eye contact with them, and said.

"I express my deep gratitude to everyone who took the time to attend. From now on, I will make additional suggestions regarding the temporary plan for Bavaria's countermeasures for the public."

The time given to me is 5 minutes.

Since it's a meeting urgently scheduled this morning, not a scheduled meeting, I don't have time to hold these high-ranking politicians for long. Also, I don't have the leisure to drag this out further here because I also have to visit the Prussian government's advisory committee afterward.

"First, everyone must know that many statistics on the current status of berserk and Pleroma terror have remained private until now. It was a decision made because the concern that stimulating public anxiety could intensify the berserk phenomenon was dominant."

At my words, the politicians sitting in their seats nodded lightly.

"At a time when the situation in neighboring countries is unusual, a large-scale disappearance incident targeting Mages occurred, a state of national emergency was declared, and the people of Bavaria can no longer avoid confusion and fear due to terror acts occurring daily without signs of improvement. Accordingly, I judged that existing responses cannot calm public anxiety, and rather, partial restriction measures on information cannot suppress the berserk phenomenon. I would appreciate it if you could check the analysis report sent earlier for details."

This is not simply an excuse to achieve my goal, but a statistical fact. Statistically speaking, in Prussia, where trust in the government is lower than in Bavaria due to hiding information and controlling the media.

On the other hand, Bavaria is in a situation with a strong advantage in information disclosure, and currently, it is safe to say there are no elements to stimulate anxiety regardless of what statistics are disclosed. I looked around everyone and continued.

"Here, I propose expanding the scope of public disclosure regarding public medical institutions including the Bavaria National Medical Center, public institutions, and the current status of berserk handling and terror preparedness."

This will be the first stepping stone for insubordination.

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