Published at 11th of January 2026 8:56 am

Chapter 323

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

"It is a success."

Ulrike muttered in the city center, where everything at the edge of her vision was scattering into white. 3 minutes and 31 seconds. Even though we were 14 seconds later than them, hopeful words came out of Ulrike's mouth. At the word success, I reflexively looked toward where Tsheringen was.

Tsheringen, who was standing with her arms crossed and a relieved expression, smiled brightly when our eyes met and only then reached out her hand. I realized belatedly that I had firmly believed she would naturally attempt a high-five first without me knowing. Feeling somewhat awkward, I quickly slapped her hand and signaled to my friends. We had to go back now.

When we returned to the seats in the small stadium, the representative Mage of the 91st Class stood up from his seat. The 98th Class Team B was not here just before we entered, but they had entered in no time. The report they were just making must have ended. Now, if another report came in, either the 98th Class Team B or Team C would go out again, but it was good timing that everyone was gathered.

"Good work. It is admirable to see the berserker handling processes of the two most efficient teams in person."

Even while saying that, the 91st Class representative Mage still had an impassive face. A face with no particular interest, passion, or deep thought. That point is not a problem. Rather, it should be seen as welcome.

"Since we now have to move using one of the two methods ourselves, let us discuss this in earnest. In my view, both teams did well, but the question is whether the 91st Class and the 98th Class Team B and Team C can keep up with the capabilities of the two teams. In that sense, what do the representatives of the 91st Class Team B and C think?"

The 91st Class representative said with a slight smile. At those words, the leader of the 91st Class Team B opened his mouth.

"First... Except for the 101st Class, the 91st and 98th Classes have gone out to various scenes as Imperial Mages and had numerous experiences, but in fact, the task of handling berserkers is something that has been less than three months for all of us. Especially regarding high-risk berserkers, since we have only experienced it for about a week now, it is fair to say that everyone does not have much experience. I was deeply impressed that the two teams established efficient strategies to respond to high-risk berserkers in just one week."

The 91st Class Team B leader was saying what the 91st Class representative should have said instead.

"It is not a week."

Elias cast Sound Insulation Magic from the side and said playfully. It is not a week. Because it was improvised....

"First, it stood out that the 98th Class Team A trained with firearms as their main focus. Next, the 2-5 formation of the 101st Class was noticeable. Two people taking the role of restricting the berserker's actions, that is... speaking in response to the 98th Class Team A's method, it can be seen that two people took the place of the firearms."

He grasped it decently. I waited quietly for his words to continue.

"Seeing that both teams finished in about 3 minutes, it is clear that both methods are effective. Especially since the 101st Class gathered people excellent enough to be selected early from high school, I speculated that they would have shortened the time with their respective capabilities, but it was surprising that there was a key point contrary to expectations. To state my personal impression... both methods became simple and clear guidelines on how we should act, but among them, the method easiest to follow was the 98th Class Team A."

"......."

At those words, the 98th Class Team A members smiled. My friends also smiled out of courtesy. The 91st Class Team B leader looked at us alternately and continued his words.

"To say it again, it seems there will be no big problem whichever of the two methods is used. It is true that both are simple and clear."

"Our Team C also fully agrees with this opinion. Self-defense cartridges have been used as auxiliary means until now, so we just need to form a formation in a way that actively utilizes them and train for a few days."

The 91st Class Team C leader nodded and responded.

'Even if we present a method anyone can follow... is it that one cannot beat the convenience that tools provide?'

That must be it. Rather than 1. making the berserker focus somewhere to actively utilize the mental distraction effect, 2. compressing Magic Power as much as possible, and 3. setting up a curtain several times stronger than a normal curtain, it would be easier to 1. surround and 2. pull the trigger. However, there is something they are missing. I do not intend to speak before this neutral environment definitely tips toward us.

Our goal was not to hear things like 'Yes, your method is the best so we must do like you' at this seat, but to balance the scales that were entirely tipped toward the 98th Class Team A to be somewhat similar. Now, work to place one more weight is needed.

At that moment, the 98th Class Team C leader raised his hand and looked at the 91st Class representative.

"I have something I am curious about regarding the 101st Class. May I ask a question?"

The 91st Class representative gestured as if to say go ahead. The 98th Class Team C leader stood up from his seat and smiled casually.

"Now... I have understood well that you disturbed the berserker's five senses with Magic Power aggregates. But what is the reason you achieved a similar effect with magic without using the 98th Class Team A's method? Can you not just shoot the legs?"

"......."

He asked while wiggling his eyebrows with a relaxed expression. There seemed to be no seriousness in his actions, but anyway, he was speaking for me.

Nepomucena Wettin. This side is also from a ruling family. Usually, Team A to Team C of a class are not decided randomly but by order of skill; this person developed rapidly after selection rather than at the time of selection, so he is called a talent comparable to the Team A leader, Albert Mecklenburg. It was only a rumor I picked up after entering here.... Considering he gave me a chance to speak under the guise of a question just now, I know he is not a human particularly favorable to Albert Mecklenburg.

Elias, who was next to me, cast Sound Insulation Magic and smiled crookedly.

"Hey~ The time has come. You need to show off that Special Minister speech experience."

Seeing that Leo on my left is clenching his fist, it seems he cast Sound Insulation Magic bundling Leo as well. To have the mind to say such things in this situation, I really like it. As I stood up from my seat, a few of the 91st Class Mages smiled strangely. It must be because I stepped forward, not the leader Leo, contrary to expectations.

Why do we not shoot the legs? I met their eyes and opened my mouth.

"It is obvious, but defeating a berserker in that manner means making the victim we must rescue crippled."

Perhaps because I forced them to face reality from the start, only silence hovered in the audience. I can feel Mecklenburg's cool gaze reaching me.

"We wanted a method that yields the highest efficiency while not harming the safety of the subjects we must rescue. Therefore, we concluded not to inflict irreversible injury on the berserker unless our rescuers' safety is seriously threatened."

"I see. But anyway, the body of a high-risk berserker is not sound."

Nepomucena Wettin shrugged his shoulders with a smile.

Meaning, since they will have to live as cripples even if they survive anyway, what difference does it make to conveniently shoot a gun? The 91st Class representative Mage looked at me with a face that finally had a bit of interest. He was waiting for my answer, seemingly thinking this point was also correct.

"The fact that they could be physically defeated using firearms means their legs had not yet melted in Vitriol, and if taken to the hospital in that state, it means they could live with intact legs with a high probability. Since we have a method to reduce secondary damage in a short time without inflicting additional injury, there was no reason not to choose this method."

"......."

The 91st Class representative Mage nodded coolly. As Nepomucena Wettin wiggled his eyebrows and sat down, silence continued.

"...Whew."

Mecklenburg let out a short breath. It was certain that Nepomucena Wettin had made him annoyed. Mecklenburg raised his hand to ask for the 91st Class representative's understanding and opened his mouth.

"Melting in Vitriol is something that happens in an instant. It is possible that intact legs melt in one minute and Vitriol replaces that spot. If we did not use firearms when the legs remained and took them to the hospital according to the recommended time, the probability of losing not just one leg but their life altogether would have increased."

"Hmm."

"We, for whom one second is precious, are placed at a crossroads of choice and concentration. If we can significantly reduce damage in a short time by sacrificing the berserker's legs, and if we can prevent additional rampages by doing so, would that not be the correct answer?"

Mecklenburg finished speaking with a face devoid of laughter. Since he looked at me, I asked a question immediately.

"I would like to ask if there is a reason they must necessarily be sacrificed despite there being a method to suppress secondary damage in a short time without sacrificing the legs."

"Because that is also a method to reduce total costs. I also understand feeling sympathy for the berserker."

"The 101st Class knows that efficiency is a very important value and moves according to it. Actually, regarding this topic, there is something I would like to say to everyone here at this seat."

When I finished speaking while looking into the eyes of the 91st Class representative, he gestured with his chin to mean keep talking.

"We are a part of the State. The public sees the State in the Imperial Mages' Association. Because we are the first servants of His Majesty the Emperor, and the second servants of the State. As the 101st Class, I know well that saying such things is an act beyond my station, but from the position of a subject who has been able to enjoy peace under the toil of the Imperial Mages' Association, I dare to speak to my seniors. Please reconsider the judgment."

"......."

People who have done it before are good at lip service; as expected, those who haven't....

However, it seems it was not that bad of a choice. They could have expressed displeasure considering the 101st Class was acting too beyond their station, but the 91st Class stayed with expressions not much different from before. Rather, I saw a few exchanging short glances among themselves with subtly flustered expressions, as if they had forgotten how they were perceived by the public. The 91st Class representative Mage, who stayed without a change in expression, opened his mouth.

"Please say what judgment you are talking about."

"Use of firearms will bring about the worst results in the long term. I am speaking from a position that values efficiency and performance, not sympathy for the berserker."

I have also been saying efficiency, efficiency since earlier, but it is partially different from the truth. For me, who has a job where I must save people, efficiency is definitely an important value, and I am actually developing the argument now considering efficiency, but that does not mean I am making this argument because my heart is moved only by efficiency. If one intends to deal with all affairs of the world only with efficiency, one must forget even minimal humanity.

Nevertheless, the reason I keep mentioning efficiency is that for those crazy about efficiency, there is no method other than dealing with them with that. Therefore, I will explain from now on how uneconomical their choice is in the long term.

Before I could continue, the 91st Class representative asked immediately.

"On what basis?"

"Shooting the berserker's legs or killing them is clearly an extremely efficient method in terms of resources. However, why has the State not demanded this method from the Imperial Mages' Association earlier despite knowing this efficient method? If this is truly the method that produces the best results, why not use this method and inform the citizens? Now that the people's anxiety has reached its peak, expanding transparency of information becomes a strategic choice to calm the crowd's anxiety. But why do they not do so?"

"......."

"It is simple. Because this is precisely the method Pleroma wants."

Breathing sounds are heard. Then silence flowed. I see the 91st Class Mages raising their eyebrows, and Mecklenburg's eyes narrowing. The expressions of the 98th Class Team A hardened more than theirs.

"The State murders the citizens. Even if we, the Imperial Mages, had absolutely no intention to harm the citizens, the fact that we inflict irreversible injury on all the targets we must rescue is clear. The safe fence called the State collapses, and all people within it join a new powerful community toward a new world. It seems clear which side would want this. As any pseudo-religion does, Pleroma wishes and wishes again for the collapse of the social system. I dare say that their kidnapping of Mages at once, displaying it for all to see after confirming their influence following Pentalon, was a choice desiring the chaos of the State along with the desire to seize technology."

"......."

Why is Abraham adhering to high-cost berserker treatment while knowing the efficient method of shooting all berserkers to death? Why did I evaluate Albert Mecklenburg as shortsighted?

Shooting berserkers to death goes beyond the fact of simply handling the immediate report quickly and connects to the issue of trust in the State system. In this era of turbulence, the loss created by losing the people's trust in the State is thousands of times greater than the benefit of shooting the immediate berserker to death. The general public may not know, but rulers and politicians must think up to here, and the majority sitting here are those who were called to the berserker disposal squad while holding both political life and Imperial Mage duties.

The 91st Class representative Mage said in a soft voice after a long time.

"The subjects consider high-risk berserkers as monsters."

"That is correct. And the awareness that they themselves could become like that berserker at any time is also clear."

"In this tribulation, the subjects will also accept that we have no choice but to force leg amputation inevitably during the rescue process."

"......."

I contemplated whether I had to answer seriously to nonsense, but as I answered with silence instead, he smiled faintly and opened his hand. It was a voice containing an explanation as if he had asked a question that could come from the audience on their behalf.

"Right. The core is that it is not an unavoidable situation. Since there is the 101st Class's method."

"...Thank you. To prevent misunderstanding, I am not arguing to stick to the 101st Class's method, nor am I saying to simply block the use of firearms unconditionally. I just hope you reconsider the method of inflicting injury indiscriminately in situations where the rescuer's safety is not threatened."

The 91st Class representative Mage pulled up the corners of his mouth with a face saying this had become difficult. He snapped his fingers to cast Sound Insulation Magic and conversed with other 91st Class Mages. When the sound of the 91st Class, who were in a neutral position, was completely removed, a chilly silence flowed. The faces of the 98th Class Team A and Mecklenburg were hardened as stiff as could be. Only the vice-captain, Erich Reichenau, was rolling his eyes with an ambiguous expression.

Only after a long while did the Sound Insulation Magic break. The 91st Class representative Mage looked straight at me and spoke.

"It is a correct statement."

"......."

"I heard Sir Askanian's proposal well. If the subjects defined berserkers entirely as things of evil, it would be a different story, but at the same time, the subjects know that they themselves can rampage. It is unacceptable to cause any potential loss to His Majesty the Emperor with our arbitrary decision."

I see the faces of my friends sitting around me brightening. The 91st Class representative continued immediately.

"So, can you prove it right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can a team other than the 101st Class execute your method?"

"......."

Why couldn't they? Those here are all experts of high caliber. Even if their Magic Power amount is lacking, isn't there a way to offset that? It wouldn't be that he doesn't know 'exactly' what I claimed until now....

"Try commanding another team right now for 5 minutes. Outside Mimesis, using the 101st Class's method. What do the 98th Class Team A, the five Mages excluding Albert Mecklenburg, think?"

"...!"

Shock appeared on the faces of the 101st Class friends and the 98th Class Team A. I held back a scoff and said.

"For me, to command seniors is...."

"The field is the field, and outside the field is outside the field."

Even if using the same method as before, this is an unreasonable demand no matter who hears it. I produced the result of 3 minutes and 31 seconds with friends I have coordinated with all this time, but now he is saying to produce results using people I have never coordinated with once. And using the people who would be most hostile to me right now at that.

"If you can handle a Grade 3 berserker according to the 101st Class's method within the time limit of 5 minutes, I will accept Sir Askanian's proposal. However, if you cannot command properly within 5 minutes, I will leave future berserker handling to the autonomy of all teams."

"This is really driving me crazy."

Elias's chilly muttering is heard.

However, I started to think that it might not be the absolute worst, as Elias expressed.

Is this a policy of impartiality? Normally, there is no reason to refuse my words. Him saying such things right now probably involves not just the legitimacy of my proposal. In other words....

'Umm.'

There is a possibility he tried to set the stage for the 101st Class's position. Like this, the relationship between the 98th Class Team A and the 101st Class turns irreversibly to the worst. Of course, antagonism with the 98th Class is fundamentally unavoidable no matter what we do, but he can give legitimacy to the junior class, the 101st.

"I cannot accept it."

Albert Mecklenburg's answer was heard. His calm expression rarely broke properly. One could tell from his voice as well that he was suppressing his emotions no matter who heard it.

"Then is it alright to accept Sir Askanian's proposal?"

"......."

Mecklenburg did not answer. The 91st Class representative Mage, who interpreted that meaning on his own, continued.

"Our 91st Class already knows well that the 98th Class's competence is very excellent. We trust you will not do things to intentionally hinder the progress. Exclude personal feelings and views and proceed like professionals."

***

"You are doing something very good."

While going to the Mimesis training ground, sarcasm was heard from the 98th Class Team A following behind me.

"...I did not have ill feelings toward the seniors. I only have an apologetic heart for commanding seniors beyond my station. Whatever punishment you give later, I will accept without objection."

Perhaps they did not expect me to bow and enter immediately, silence flowed for a moment, but it did not last long. Soon, the sound of breathing as if dumbfounded was heard. My acting regrettably only worked halfway. Someone was sarcastic.

"You hear that you are all talk often, right?"

"Yes."

"......."

This side was a bit more effective. I can feel from my back that this bastard is flustered wondering what this is. At that moment when someone was about to grab my shoulder tightly, I just happened to arrive at the training ground, and I turned my body toward them immediately.

"I swear I did not propose it because I wanted to cause trouble for the seniors. I know that whatever I say will not truly resonate... but I definitely want to apologize for the matter of commanding seniors."

"Oh my, you would indeed."

Someone glared and spoke. However, a few standing behind did not reveal that much malice. They just had eyes that seemed tired from being swept up in the fight between two teams together with the 91st Class. The vice-captain, Erich Reichenau, also just stood blankly with an expression wondering how it turned out like this, not looking like he had malice.

The person who picked a fight earlier stepped closer and spoke threateningly.

"The 101st Class must know it well since you handled it countless times, but we will not be able to do like that. Do not be disappointed when that time comes and just prepare your mind now. Your Excellency Reichenau, say something too."

"......."

The vice-captain, who was looking at us with drooping shoulders and an expression aged by 10 years, sighed and said.

"Let's finish quickly...."

"What are you?"

As expected, perhaps they were also friends since school days like us, the Mage who picked a fight used Duzen in embarrassment. A Mage who was glaring at me with annoyed eyes from behind touched his forehead.

"...Enough. It starts in 1 minute. Is there anything you know? Even if we use that method you guys showed earlier, surely you are not expecting that we can handle it within 5 minutes in a state without prior knowledge about the Mages?"

"......."

"It would be better not to think we will tell you even if you ask about our abilities now."

"He will only be able to say shit like 'Run over there~'. What are you expecting!"

"First."

As I cut off the words, Erich Reichenau's gaze mixed with concern turned toward me. It did not take long to know that it was not concern for me but concern for the 98th Class Team A. I continued immediately.

"Do you intend to lower your skills on purpose to stop me?"

"Do you have a wish to get disciplined?"

A hysterical rebuttal came immediately.

"There is a limit to ignoring people; if you have time to worry about that, contrive a strategy."

This time, unlike before, everyone's expressions became sharp. Good. That became an answer. Considering their pride as Mages—though they are worrying about discipline in the first place—they will not move loosely in an obvious way. They might be able to lower their skills cleverly. If they lower skills cleverly, it can't be helped. It is just a matter of setting up a strategy to succeed despite that.

And, naturally, I need to do some work before that.

'Ah, this was what I intended to use on Mecklenburg.'

I came to use it a bit earlier. I lowered my eyes slightly and opened my mouth.

"Senior."

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