Chapter 263
Chapter 263
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 263
Chapter Title: Back in Bayern
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[Your Excellency, please call for me when you're ready.]
At the voice from outside, I slipped the notebook with things to discuss with Leo into my pocket and stood up.
I stood in front of the mirror in the hospital room, giving my outfit one last check. It had been a while since I'd escaped the patient gown and put on my Eschet uniform, but it felt surprisingly unfamiliar. It still didn't quite sink in that I was back here. It probably wouldn't feel real until I saw the others.
And also.
I touched my bare earlobe.
'Won't it get clogged if I don't wear it?'
Either way, it felt good to have my ears light for the first time in ages. Ever since removing the earring in the cathedral, I hadn't worn Leo's artifact again.
That artifact was for safety, but in practice, we used both as trackers. Naturally, you don't want to be in a situation where you need that function. I liked that right now, I didn't need to rely on the artifact.
I opened the door and stepped out. The Bayern National Medical Center staffer waiting outside saw me and spoke.
"Ah, you're ready. We'll head over now."
"Yes."
I took the hand he offered, and the scenery shifted before my eyes. A breeze brushed my face. Not the Imperial Central Hospital, but the rooftop of a much more familiar place.
The moment we arrived, I saw Bayern royals and government officials lined up on either side of the rooftop. They saluted as they spotted me.
No one mentioned a formal welcome?
I kept a straight face and returned the gesture.
Beyond them stretched the familiar city skyline. My gaze didn't linger there. The reason we'd come to the rooftop instead of the hospital lobby was obvious.
I looked at the man standing in the center of the rooftop and opened my mouth.
"Um..."
"Lucas."
Just as I was about to say "Your Highness," Leo beat me to it by calling my name.
Until now, whenever I'd met him here, it had only been as Nikolaus.
This was the first time setting foot here as Lucas Ascanien, so the words didn't come easily.
Silence stretched on.
Leo spoke first.
"Welcome back."
People can't help being influenced by their surroundings. The formal "Vielen Dank, Eure Hoheit..." I'd said countless times as Nikolaus lingered on my tongue.
I felt the cool breeze on my face and noted how everyone's gazes were stiffer than when facing Nikolaus. Only then could I respond as his friend.
"Yeah, thanks."
So he'd dropped the aloof act I'd requested on Bayern soil?
It was fine, though. No one else would see it but the people here.
I approached Leo and gave him a light shoulder hug in greeting. Anyone else might miss it, but Leo would know. This hug meant more "good job" than "glad to see you." As Nikolaus, it might've been an insult worthy of arrest, but between equals in rank, it wasn't rude.
Taking advantage of our closeness, Leo murmured quietly.
"We'll talk details later... but seeing you on your feet puts my mind at ease."
"..."
His words had bite again.
The last time he'd seen me, I'd been lying down—practically a corpse—so I had no comeback. I couldn't shake the thought that I'd given this hothead some mental trauma. It wasn't really my fault—more the archbishop's—but it bothered me that Leo always seemed to witness the worst scenes first.
Anyway, I glanced around, cast a soundproofing spell, and spoke.
"Yeah, thanks. But what's with the ceremony...? Never seen you parading around like this."
"It's not for me. It's for you."
"Obviously. That's why I'm asking—did I come here as an Anhalt state guest or what?"
"You did."
"I see."
I answered and looked at Leo's face. He stared back blankly. I suppressed a hollow laugh and grabbed his shoulders.
"No, you should've told me something like that, you idiot... I could've worn my Anhalt ceremonial robes if you'd said ahead of time."
"Nah, I didn't want that."
What did that have to do with me?
I nearly clutched my throat at the utterly royal non-answer but managed to hold it together.
He's not the type to do this for no reason, so it was either resentment toward Adrian Ascanien making him hate the sight, or some other political motive.
Fortunately, Leo pondered briefly and nodded.
"...Yeah, you're right. You should decide. Go change into Anhalt robes if you want."
"Too late now. Whatever. I'm just here for the exam anyway."
My Anhalt robes probably wouldn't fit anymore. Lucas had been skin and bones, and now that I'd put on a bit of weight, I'd need new ones. Anhalt could rush alterations on one of my brother's spares, but I'd rather stick with this. No way I was borrowing clothes from a future murderer.
Leo fell silent for a moment, gazing at the view behind me before murmuring softly.
"You're in Bayern now."
"Yeah. Came straight here after ditching everything else."
"Honored."
It wasn't something worth saying so grandly, but that's royal speak for you. Never gets easier. With nothing else to say, I just smiled in response.
Doing Prussia and Anhalt interviews first would push back seeing my friends. I needed to check the outside situation too, but I wanted to greet the friends who'd backed me up first. Officially, Bayern couldn't request a visit, so to meet them, I had to come to the hospital myself.
"Anyway. Why'd you say to come to Bayern after the opening? Time to spill."
At that, Leo suppressed a smile, keeping a straight face.
"Hm, after the exam and Prussia and Anhalt interviews, I'll tell you."
"After the interviews?"
"Yeah."
A few Bayern government and Wittelsbach dignitaries on either side were watching us now. We'd stood in one spot too long. I nodded toward the door leading downstairs.
"Alright, then I'll head down... for the interview. We've gotta have a quick meeting with you guys beforehand too, so no time-wasting—let's get the exam done fast."
"Sure, but..."
Leo couldn't hold back his smile anymore.
"Weren't you struggling hard with formal speech at first? Felt like I was the only one being polite."
"Yeah. That was months ago—why bring it up now?"
"Everything feels new once it's over."
"..."
How could I not get what he meant? I knew exactly why he was drawing out the conversation, uncharacteristically for him.
I patted his shoulder and smiled lightly.
"True. See you after."
* * *
The exam took three hours.
Results would come later, but since there were no issues with activity now, I could meet my friends right away.
"Lucas!"
It had been about a minute in the royal building next to the hospital where they waited when the door flew open.
The first friend I saw was Elias. He barreled toward me at an absurd speed and latched on. Like a legit sloth clinging, so it startled me quite a bit.
"Didn't you do this before too?"
"Yeah. Like I thought back then—you've been working out."
While I was shocked by Elias's sloth routine, he seemed surprised I'd stayed upright. You shouldn't charge if you think the other person might topple—doing it anyway and then marveling was some reckless praise-worthy stuff.
And...
He wasn't bringing up terrorism or health, which eased my mind. Elias was deliberately avoiding heavy topics, talking like we'd hung out yesterday.
Cheringen, who'd come in with him and watched the antics, smiled and greeted me.
"Glad you woke up safe, Lucas."
"Been a while."
"Yeah. Must feel longer for you. Really happy you're back in one piece."
He'd entered Pleroma's world with Bayern too, so he knew all about the time distortion. Elias and Narke probably did as well.
"Where's Ulrike and Heike?"
"Hm, better after the strategy meeting?"
Cheringen said as he sat.
Narke and Leo came in late and greeted me. Narke froze the moment he saw me.
"Lucas."
He blinked, then continued quietly.
"Knowing through ability and seeing in person are different. Puts my mind at ease now~ You okay?"
"Fine. See? Perfectly healthy."
I smiled as I said it, and Narke smiled softly back. Leo next to him clearly thought I was talking nonsense. I got that it might not convince everyone, so I didn't argue.
Instead, I pulled out the notebook I'd brought.
"Anyway, I've got some questions for you—sorted them out. First, space magic seemed linked to the archbishop's core, so we need to strictly distinguish mana and cores. Linking cores to space magic is probably one of their new techs. Right?"
"...You noticed that even in that situation?"
Leo took the notebook with a look of disbelief.
"This later. I'll jot thoughts and send it."
I hadn't questioned it then—I was unconscious—but I did later.
I'd had time after waking and deciding on Bayern, up until actually coming.
We'd have to discuss their new tech eventually.
Anyway, with Leo taking the notebook, I sat and asked my friends what I needed to know.
"I don't know the current outside politics... but the Pentaron terror got resolved okay, right?"
Meaning, casualties.
Politics after could wait.
Time off, but hospital blocked newspapers for "rest."
Leo nodded.
"Yeah. Some injuries while dismantling the curse as time ran out, but no deaths."
"..."
"We barely had to lift a finger anyway. Of the 600,000 cursed, only about 25,000 weren't listening to your voice."
"So 575,000 of the 600,000 cursed were zeroed in on your match. Wonder if Magic Division knew something putting you there..."
Elias pouted and shrugged.
Magic Division asking me to compete was coincidentally spot-on. They'd probably just planned a distraction.
Leo glanced silently at his documents, then looked at me and said softly.
"Your achievement."
"Couldn't have without you all. Thanks for the help."
"Haha."
Cheringen laughed and tilted his head. With a gentle yet serious face, he said,
"Lucas. We just handled cleanup for the incident you solved from start to finish."
Elias nodded vigorously beside him.
Leo glared at him before Elias quieted.
Cheringen smiled at them and continued.
"Politics are rough right now. In this super unstable mess, you need to demand recognition of your merits and criticize the rest. Otherwise, you'll get dragged into groups dodging blame by sacrificing you."
Like I'd miss that.
Blunt advice out the gate—sudden, but grateful he'd say it for me. Wouldn't come from anyone not truly worried.
I nodded and smiled.
"Yeah, I know plenty. Just saying it 'cause it's you guys."
"Good. Thanks. Must've sounded pushy— you okay?"
"..."
Textbook royal perfection. Same disorientation as with Leo.
Though Baden under Cheringen was a grand duchy, not kingdom, still.
"Of course. Your advice is exactly what I need now."
I replied, then looked around at my friends.
"Alright, time to get the real picture. Anyone got an Imperial News?"
No one answered.
They avoided my eyes oddly or stared pointedly—something was off.
Now I noticed Cheringen alternating between his Imperial News and me. Elias shook his head at him.
I stood with a smile.
"None? Guess I'll buy one."
"Aaah! No!"
Elias grabbed my arm.
"Why not? Something's up— if you're stopping me, say why straight."
"Can't say."
Elias shook his head seriously for once.
"Not urgent anyway. No big news in today's paper."
"Bull. What is it?"
Half-serious now, and Leo calmly interjected.
"Not important for you now, Lucas. Key is Prussia trying to dodge blame using you."
"..."
"They could even pin you as terror accomplice now."
True. I'd expected it since the archbishop's mansion.
More than that...
'This is insane.'
What, did I piss off the newspaper? Kept happening lately.
Anyway, reason to block me—better drop it. No shaking these four even if I threw a fit.
"...Fine. Then start with Freiburg status. So much to check in papers..."
"If it's for interviews, they won't dig deep on that in Prussia gov talk. This matters."
Leo continued.
"Where you got the code '[Osnabrück Diocese is looking for you]'. Your ties to Osnabrück Diocese and catacombs."
* * *
"Like I said, keep the upper hand no matter what. You earned it. Got it?"
"What're you worried about? I will."
I smiled, bid Julia final farewell, and entered the reception room.
Julia came with friends because Bayern and Baden handled media play. Not direct meddling, but countering negative press—and blocking papers but talking like this? No clue...
Anyway, no big deal for me. No plans to go low even without her worry.
Plus, I'd prepped politics-wise, so nothing major to fret.
Questions flowed smoothly. After fluff, the security minister's aide interviewing me asked if I had words for citizens on the terror.
Smooth sailing so far.
"Resolving this terror was my duty. As a Hohenzollern mage and Ascanien by blood, I must do my utmost to keep Imperial citizens from harm. It's an honor to serve His Majesty the Emperor and all citizens."
The staffer noting my words finished. The aide smiled gently at me.
"Now for more serious questions. Alright?"