Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Infiltrating Pleroma
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December 31st. Even at the end of the year, the imperial palace remained quiet.
The chancellor, sipping tea alongside the emperor, cautiously opened his mouth.
"Your Majesty, I heard that you asked Lord Nikolaus to look into the Catacombs."
"Yes."
The chancellor gazed at the emperor with anxious eyes.
The emperor, by contrast, stared out the window without a flicker of emotion.
Then, sensing the chancellor awaiting his words, he finally spoke.
"We haven't even grasped where the Catacombs might be. And that's despite them having been in the empire for so long."
"...So, did you order Lord Nikolaus to uncover a path into the Catacombs?"
From the chancellor's perspective, this was no simple matter to overlook.
The emperor had no fondness for Nikolaus, but with the issue involving Duke Elias, he might pull the man to his side at any moment.
"It wasn't an order—I requested his cooperation. Lord Nikolaus is sure to uncover some clue about the Catacombs."
"Your Majesty, I don't mean to undermine your intentions, but..."
The emperor met his eyes and nodded, prompting the chancellor to continue.
"This could give Lord Nikolaus and His Highness Duke Elias an opening to join hands with the Catacombs. Neither has a firmly established political position yet, and their ideologies diverge from mainstream politics. It wouldn't be hard for them to align with something sharing their nature."
"You're right. There are clear issues. For instance, even if Lord Nikolaus approaches the Catacombs, he might not report back to us—that's a variable."
The chancellor nodded in agreement, his expression grave.
The emperor's face, however, showed no trace of disturbance.
"Lord Nikolaus will likely let this slip away like water through his fingers. He's built an image as a noble siding with the lowly to boost his support, so regardless of his personal beliefs, he can't easily touch the Catacombs. And if he doesn't, we'll fail to find evidence linking them to Pleroma."
"Then what do you plan to do, Your Majesty? Lord Nikolaus might use your command as a pretext to expand his influence."
"No need to be hasty."
The emperor smiled indulgently as he gazed out the window.
"The Catacombs are within my interests, yes. But so is Lord Nikolaus."
"......"
"If he doesn't investigate the Catacombs... we simply bide our time for the next opportunity. We've plenty of that. But if he brings back useful information, we merely express our thanks."
"...That makes sense, Your Majesty."
If they could pin the Catacombs on Pleroma and eliminate them as planned, it would satisfy both commoners and nobles alike.
On top of that, they could seize all the mana from the Catacombs' commoners and every spell they'd developed.
But it was obvious that wouldn't happen, which was why he was asking.
"At the same time, we can scrutinize the laws more closely. We must execute Nikolaus Ernst for treason."
"......"
Despite the chilling words, tension melted from the chancellor's face in an instant.
"If he uncovers any Catacombs-related information, he ought to report not just that, but every commoner mage he learns of along the way. Commoner mages are illegal by their very existence."
"...If we're fortunate, we might even learn how to enter the Catacombs."
"Indeed."
*Heh, this... If Nikolaus follows Your Majesty's orders and reports, it'll be his own undoing.*
The emperor had intended to frame Nikolaus for treason from the start.
As the emperor said, Nikolaus might cleverly omit key details and slip away like a loach.
But even then, the source of his information would remain.
Nikolaus, who gained popularity by championing the lowly, couldn't possibly betray Catacombs mages outright.
No need for concern. The chancellor now fully grasped the emperor's intentions.
Whatever choice Nikolaus made, it would benefit them without any loss.
With the future clear, the chancellor's mind eased.
* * *
Survival probability.
Last checked: 25.3%.
Dawn777
— To final ending 'Chapter X. Death': 651 days, 19 hours, 00 minutes, 15 seconds
— Change probability: 30.3% (+5%p)
A full 5%p jump in one go.
It felt like just yesterday it was crawling up from the teens, and now it was in the thirties.
After dealing with the negative stats, changes in the numbers barely moved me anymore.
No matter what the survival probability was, dying meekly was never an option for me.
'But...'
I'd never felt a sensation quite like this before—one beyond words.
It wasn't just the survival probability rising.
Even if there was no visible reaction on the surface, seeing the numerical confirmation that the Catacombs' hearts had shifted made it feel real.
Still, one regret lingered.
I hadn't met Marian Baum yet.
'...I wanted to apologize in person.'
I'd considered going to the extremists, but without knowing his thoughts, it would be rude.
Regardless of how he'd helped us for the greater good, the fact that we'd deceived him remained unchanged.
At that moment, the imperial servant at my side spoke.
"Please enter."
I looked up.
'...Thoughts later.'
I'd come to the palace to give the emperor Catacombs information.
And after today, the emperor would back away from the Catacombs.
To make that happen, I had to focus on this moment.
As I entered the room, I said,
"It's an honor to meet you again, Your Majesty."
* * *
At Nikolaus's greeting, the emperor offered a gentle smile.
"Seeing you on the first day of the new year brings me joy. I was shocked to hear about your accident—how are you feeling now?"
"It was a minor injury, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern."
Nikolaus replied lightly, as if it were nothing.
"I'm the one who doesn't know how to properly thank you for not forgetting my request amid such troubles."
"How could I forget words from Your Majesty."
"Haha, I hoped you wouldn't feel burdened, but it seems you did."
"Not at all. Viewing it from the perspective Your Majesty suggested opened a new path for the matter. It became a meaningful time, thanks to you."
A meaningful time—referring to his Catacombs visit?
*Well, now.*
The emperor sipped his tea with a smile.
To speak so casually without grasping the situation.
If I were Nikolaus, I'd have sized it up long ago and reported that I couldn't find an entry to the Catacombs. Yet here he was, coming in person to deliver something worthwhile.
*'Didn't I even provide an escape route?'*
He had the perfect excuse: the imperial family captured five commoner mages with no gains. Why not use that?
*Loyal? Or just dense...?*
No grudges against Nikolaus, of course. The one truly pitiable now was his dear nephew.
"If you see it that way, I'm relieved. So, was your trip to the Catacombs difficult?"
"...The Catacombs?"
The emperor paused at the genuinely questioning tone and looked at him.
Even through Nikolaus's mask, puzzlement was evident.
*...Hm?*
He hadn't gone there himself—must have met a Catacombs mage for information.
The emperor eyed him with that thought.
Nikolaus gave a subtle glance in reply and slid a paper toward the emperor.
"Please review this first, Your Majesty. It's the material I found."
"Very well, let's see..."
[Prussian Government - Saxon Government Pleroma December Memorandum]
The emperor's face stiffened.
"...This is..."
"Pleroma exists in both nations. No names are listed, but... this seemed something Your Majesty absolutely needed to know, so I brought it."
"......"
Pleroma in the Prussian government?
Previously, Representative Werner Strauch hadn't been from the Prussian government, but a foreign one.
Even as this raced through his mind, thoughts of Nikolaus spun rapidly.
Was offering this information born of pure concern?
*'Few mages in the empire can use mental magic.'*
With so few who could wield divine power freely, Nikolaus would inevitably handle ideological vetting for the Prussian government.
*'My overt goal was cooperation with Lord Nikolaus, so that's already achieved.'*
But the biggest problem remained.
It left little room for the emperor to insert himself.
Alerting to issues in Prussia—not even another nation—meant scant gains from public opinion.
*'They might even press me on how I missed it until now.'*
Moreover, a Bavarian mage uncovering what no one in Prussia knew, then asking Bavarian mages to resolve it?
The emperor felt a subtle headache as he read the text carefully.
Pleroma aside, he needed ways to mitigate the damage.
*'At least Saxony's in the same boat.'*
He could exert external influence on Prussia, gaining some face to boast to Saxony.
But 'kingdoms' weren't reliably Prussia's allies by default.
With historical issues from prior generations, Saxony would value the Bavarian mage Nikolaus's merits over the emperor's.
Thus...
*'In the end, it'll just boost Nikolaus's support once more.'*
No—it would.
His fifty years in politics told him so.
The emperor stared into Nikolaus's blue eyes, lost in thought.
"I thought it during the Strauch representative affair too, but Pleroma is everywhere. You should clean house, Your Majesty."
"...Indeed. If you hadn't uncovered this, it could have become a major issue."
He couldn't brush it off lightly.
For the time being, he'd have to regard statements from visiting officials with suspicion.
No choice but to identify and cut them out swiftly.
*'What a headache.'*
Still, a way to seize the initiative existed. He just needed to recall it.
The emperor, deep in thought, slowly opened his eyes.
*'Raise the issue nationwide.'*
If Pleroma had 'specifically' named these countries, they likely existed elsewhere too.
Rather than inspections stemming from this intel, conduct them first while concealing the information, then 'discover' Pleroma. He could package Nikolaus's gains as proof of his own thoroughness.
Just ensure the informant Nikolaus stayed silent—easy enough with a discreet talk.
With his mind eased, the emperor pondered further. Nikolaus shattered his train of thought.
"Your Majesty, will you conduct inspections regarding Prussia and the Saxon Kingdom?"
"There's more to consider, but yes, for those two, it's a given."
The emperor replied calmly, maintaining his smile.
Nikolaus continued.
"I see. Regardless of Your Majesty's will, for safety's sake, I believe checking other nations' governments would be wise. If you permit it, I'll assist with inspections across the entire empire."
"......"
The satire that a servant's virtue is to keep their mouth shut so as not to outshine the master wasn't entirely baseless. After all, the oblivious snatched all the credit unawares.
*'He's not that old, I heard, yet he truly doesn't know how the world works.'*
Fortunately, they were alone in private, so no issue.
The emperor nodded with a smile.
"Of course we must. Pleroma won't be limited to Saxony and Prussia. That said, I'm glad you'll help."
"I can't sit idle after hearing of Pleroma. Well then..."
Nikolaus slid another paper before the emperor.
The emperor's calm face lost its smile in an instant as he read.
[...Pleroma judged to exist in the Prussian Kingdom and Saxon Kingdom governments.
For safety, we plan to request Emperor Friedrich permit inspections of all empire politicians.
Request permission for divine power use outside Bavaria for the month of January.]
A proposal sent to the King of Bavaria.
Below the incident summary and proposal was the King of Bavaria's signature.
"If Your Majesty just signs, we can move immediately."
"......."
"As you know, being part of the Bavarian royal army, I needed His Majesty's permission. For speed, I couldn't consult Your Majesty first—please understand. If Your Majesty doesn't wish empire-wide inspections, I'll destroy this proposal right now."
The emperor had to hold back a laugh.
It wasn't laughter from disdain.
Simply from sheer absurdity.
Intentional? Certainly.
Nationwide permits for mana use were mere formalities.
*'Seeking power permission isn't the true intent.'*
He'd left evidence of the proposal.
It wouldn't show now, but such proof shone when attacking him later.
It would demonstrate that feats touted as the emperor's were joint efforts.
*'But without controlling the press, it's meaningless. Pity.'*
Still, no real problem.
This didn't erase his gains.
It just meant both sides fairly claimed their shares, with the document as witness.
"Naturally."
The emperor signed the two sheets with a smiling face and handed one to the attendant nearby.
Perhaps from things not flowing as intended, fatigue now crept in.
Time for the original plan, not these trivialities.
"Well then, Lord Nikolaus."
"Speak, Your Majesty."
The emperor clasped his hands and opened his mouth gently.
"You contacted me saying you had urgent words now that your Catacombs investigation was complete, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now I'd like to discuss the information you obtained from the Catacombs."
"Understood. I should have started with this."
Nikolaus placed the final paper before the emperor.
The emperor's lips curved smoothly upward.
Whatever the content, all he needed was proof of Nikolaus's Catacombs contact. That alone would prove more useful than entry methods or Pleroma in politics.
Feigning a grave expression, the emperor slowly read.
[Catacombs Utilization Plan Resolution — Expected Effects]
* Secure stability via Catacombs space magic technology
* Absorbing Catacombs' 200,000 subjects intact: Pleroma holy city population projected at 400,000 in 5 years
** Given Catacombs trait of all 200,000 population being mages, projected annual mana revenue estimated at 3x+ current intake.
** If empire mana growth rate same in 5 years, entire empire usable as Pleroma territory.
"......"
The emperor's face hardened.
Three reasons made it inevitable.
First, Pleroma eyed war.
But that could wait. Everyone made convoluted plans.
The real issue now...
"As Your Majesty sees, the Catacombs are slated for use as a Pleroma tool. Had Your Majesty not pointed it out first, who knows what..."
The emperor waved him off.
Nikolaus halted, as if asking what was wrong.
Clutching his throbbing head, the emperor forced words out.
"...A Pleroma official document."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A faint hint of amusement seemed to color the end of Nikolaus's words.
"Weren't you investigating the Catacombs?"
"Of course. Your Majesty said a link between Catacombs and Pleroma would spell massive trouble."
"......"
"I agreed. But... as Your Majesty noted, uncovering what the imperial family couldn't was difficult. I even wondered if Catacombs mages ever surfaced."
No...
The emperor's lips stiffened.
Nikolaus smiled softly and continued.
"If there's a link, documents must remain with Pleroma too. So I infiltrated the Pleroma side, Your Majesty.