Eberhardt tilted his head, his smile unwavering.
"Thank you? Now that's a rather unrealistic thing to say. You still don't seem to grasp where you are. My little pup, would you care to explain?"
Both Leo and I simultaneously turned our gazes to Richthofen.
'…Just now…?'
He had called him almost as if he were addressing a cherished grandson.
Richthofen maintained his icy smile as he spoke concisely.
"The Intermediate Realm."
"That explanation won't mean much to them."
Richthofen kept his eyes locked on him as he elaborated.
"It's a fusion of spatial layering magic and the substance you ingested earlier. A spell connecting to Pleroma's world must have been cast on the drug."
"But I can't see anything."
"That's because you didn't take the drug. The target is floating in limbo, unable to enter the same realm as the Chairman."
Richthofen lifted his glass, letting the liquor catch the light against the dark backdrop.
"In this kind of deadlock, there's no way out. Of course, if you keep resisting, even the Chairman won't be able to maintain it forever…"
Trailing off, he casually tossed his glass into the air.
Crash!
"Let's see who wins."
"Heh, a dog that talks back isn't much fun to keep around."
"You still have a foul mouth."
"A habit's a habit for a reason. But more importantly… It seems Sir Nicolaus had a different idea from the start. 'Helping like this'—what exactly do you mean?"
Richthofen raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. Meanwhile, Leo, having already experienced this sort of situation a few times, seemed unfazed—whether because he had built up resistance or because he had already reached the same conclusion as me.
"It means exactly what it sounds like. If, by any chance, you had a moment of weakness and decided to spare Nicolaus, refusing to hand me over to Pleroma, then I would have had to hold a wand to your throat and force you."
"So you intended to meet Pleroma from the beginning. In that case, I suppose saying 'thank you' makes sense."
"Exactly. Not everything follows predictions to the letter."
"Aren't you afraid?"
His voice was warm.
He was asking if I wasn't afraid of crossing over into Pleroma's world—but hearing it from the very person sending me there made me want to laugh.
"It would be a lie to say I'm not."
"..."
"You're doing this for the safety of the Catacomb, aren't you?"
"There is no other goal in my life."
I smiled.
"But hasn't anyone told you that your plan, in the end, will only strengthen His Majesty the Emperor's position?"
"Anyone with a bit of common sense would figure that out on their own. But that's only true when our power is incomplete, wouldn't you say?"
What an idealist.
Would Pleroma really grant them enough power to surpass the population of the surface world?
It didn't take much common sense to realize that wouldn't happen, just as he had said.
"Is Pleroma promising you strength?"
"I had my doubts as well, but if they want to survive attacks from people like you, they'll have no choice but to take our hand."
"Then once I'm dead, you'll simply let go of theirs."
"..."
He silently stared at his wine glass.
For a remark I had only half-meant as bait, his reaction was unexpected.
It was only for a brief moment, but it was enough for me to tell—personally, he didn't want me dead.
'Of course.'
Thinking back to how he had said being able to pursue justice in the way one desires is a fortune, Robert Müller's ideology was exactly as I had read it.
But as a representative, his position must be different.
Not that it mattered to me right now.
"I heard that spatial layering magic had already fallen into their hands. When, and from whom did they acquire it?"
"You don't need to know that."
"Hah… If you don't answer, then we have no reason to cross over to Pleroma's side."
"..."
Eberhardt should be more worried about his own core exploding than anything else.
Fortunately, even without me saying it, Eberhardt kept his smile as he gazed at me and spoke.
"A week ago, on the day five people were killed in Prussia. In exchange, we received enough Vitriol to sustain 5,000 people for a year."
What a terribly unbalanced deal.
"From whom?"
"Strauch's faction was based in Osnabrück, wasn't it? The contract was made with Pleroma's bishop there."
Osnabrück.
It had been a while since I last heard that name.
I cast a soundproofing spell around Leo.
I didn't care what the Chairman or Richthofen thought right now.
"Leo."
"Go on."
"I probably won't make it there with my sanity intact."
"..."
Leo remained composed. It seemed he also thought there was no way Pleroma would take Nicolaus along in one piece.
No matter how much he tried to stop me beforehand, when it came to actual combat, this was just the kind of guy he was.
Neat and clean. I liked that.
I gave him one final warning.
"I'm going alone for now. No matter what happens, just stay put."
"…For now. Got it."
There was no way they'd miss the chance to capture Nicolaus.
So, I might as well experience firsthand what they had painstakingly prepared.
And then, I'd turn back time.
Dispelling the soundproofing spell, I activated a transformation formula with my magic, creating a mask.
It was a method I had prepared just in case ever since I met Strauch.
"If the world you ultimately desire comes to be, even if it's not through the method you planned, will you accept it?"
"As I said before, some people only have one remaining path."
"We'll see how long that remains true."
Eberhardt fell into deep thought at my words, staring at the table before finally speaking.
"You're right. No matter what I say, it'll only interfere with your decision."
Glad you understand.
Without responding, I raised my glass and took a sip of wine.
In that instant, the space around me vanished, and the interior of a cathedral unfolded before my eyes.
I was surrounded by figures draped in pure white cloth.
'…Ten—no, twelve. Quite a crowd.'
The moment that thought crossed my mind, my vision darkened, and the world turned black again.
* * *
"...!"
I snapped my eyes open.
Blinding white sunlight stabbed at them.
As I reflexively pressed my hand against the ground, my fingers grasped soft fabric.
'…Just now, what?'
I jolted upright.
It was a bed I had never seen before, in a room I had never seen before.
It had the air of a guest room found in noble or bourgeois homes, yet it oddly reminded me of the ones I had seen in Strauch's mansion.
I had braced myself for the kind of experience Leo and I had given Richthofen—sending his head flying with a cross-legged kick into a desk. Yet, instead of that, I was met with an unexpectedly peaceful scene.
I tossed aside the thin blanket and looked around.
'The sun was setting, but now it looks like morning.'
I hadn't been unconscious for more than half a day, but the time discrepancy confirmed that I had indeed crossed over to Pleroma's side.
Even though Pleroma had no reason to treat me with courtesy, my condition was the same as before. There were no restraints attached to me.
I snapped my fingers.
"…!"
A sharp jolt, like electricity running through my core, coursed through me.
'As expected.'
It wasn't a physical restraint but a spatial curse, the same method Strauch had used.
I had already experienced this once, so I knew it well.
It felt strange to think of it this way, but this kind of restriction at least gave me the opportunity to use magic until the very last moment before death.
I got out of bed and inspected the items in the room one by one.
Strangely enough, none of them emanated magic. There was nothing in the room designed to monitor me.
'I don't mind, but… what are they thinking?'
That was what I needed to find out.
That was why I was here.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"I'm coming in."
A man, unmistakably a servant, entered the room.
What was surprising was that he had brought the meal himself instead of having a lower-ranked servant do it.
'Obvious.'
It meant they wanted to minimize contact with Nicolaus.
This person might be the only one I met here.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Matthias Hertz, and I will be attending to you, Your Excellency."
"I didn't expect to receive any form of hospitality after crossing into Pleroma. That's surprising."
"The Master has instructed me to serve Your Excellency with the utmost respect."
Even with my sarcastic tone, he responded politely without a single change in expression. I looked into his eyes and opened my status window.
Matthias Hertz
Favorability: 0
Title: ―
Health: +5 [+8]
Mental Power: +2
Magic Power: +4 [+4.5]
Skills: +6
Impression: +2
Luck: 0
Traits: ―
'…Hmm.'
I could already see what was going on.
For someone this weak to be stationed near me, it meant he had some form of guaranteed protection.
Either people would rush in the moment something went wrong, or they were using spatial layering magic.
"Who is your master?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that."
As expected.
It would be more surprising if he answered honestly.
I glanced down at the meal—a bowl of thin porridge.
"They said Your Excellency's stomach might be unsettled from the strong drugs taken at the Catacomb. Starting with the next meal, proper courses will be prepared."
"Is it morning?"
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Take it away. I have no intention of eating."
Without hesitation, he placed the tray back onto the cart.
One connection had already been confirmed.
Even though he hadn't sent word that I was awake, he had already known and had prepared a meal accordingly.
'He must be linked to me.'
I couldn't sense any magic, but knowing them, they could have used any method.
Now, it was time to find out whether he was connected to someone else as well.
"Sit down. I have something to discuss with you."
He stared at me for a moment, then placed the tray outside the door, locked it, and sat down across from me.
"What are you planning?"
"What do you mean, Your Excellency?"
"Tell me why I was brought here. There's no need to drag this out; let's end it quickly."
"I do not know the details, Your Excellency."
"You don't?"
I let out a small laugh.
"Then let me take a guess. If your goal was simply to kill me, you would have done so already. That means you're after something more sophisticated—something that ensures Pleroma will never be underestimated again. You're looking for a way to break the people's spirit completely, something more effective than simply snuffing out my life."
"..."
"You're going to turn me into a Pleroma. If you didn't use Vitriol, the transformation wouldn't be apparent, so you'll force-feed it to me. It's the perfect move—both personal revenge against Nicolaus and an ultimate mockery of the people. What better ending could you ask for?"
"..."
"Well? Was my guess off?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Then I'll need to speak with someone who does. Or perhaps I should go find them myself."
Even with such a direct statement, he remained unfazed.
His composure suggested they were using spatial layering magic.
'Then neither divine power nor magic will work here.'
I raised my hand and drew magic from my core. A pale white glow of divine power gathered at my fingertips.
A flicker of pity crossed his face.
He must have thought I still hadn't grasped the situation.
'Think whatever you want.'
In the meantime, I'd silently thank Leo for giving me this idea.
I sharpened the divine power in my hand and drove it forcefully into my own heart.
"Guh…!"
His once indifferent face instantly twisted into shock, then pure horror and pain.
Boom!
He collapsed onto the table, clutching his chest with a contorted expression.
For me, this level of core damage was nothing. But for him? It seemed he had no resistance at all.
"Guh… ugh…."
"What are you so relieved about?"
If he had linked his senses to mine to monitor my condition, he should have been prepared for this.
Smirking, I raised my hand toward my heart once more.
"Still thinking of pretending you don't know?"