Chapter 317
Chapter 317
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 317
Chapter Title: Binding Their Feet
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"Let's wrap things up here."
At the crown prince's words, people rose from their seats. He gave a nod to those leaving the room, then turned to me.
"I didn't summon you on purpose, yet here you are, coming of your own accord."
"Your consideration is impressive."
"Isn't it always?"
I had stormed into the advisory committee and called a meeting, and I had also contacted the crown prince. He attended in place of the emperor, who was the chair. His comment about not summoning me deliberately meant he was giving me a break, considering I only had one body. It was impossible to attend as both Lucas Ascanien and as Nicolaus, so up until now, I had been answering their questions by mail.
Once everyone had left and we were finally alone, he lit a cigarette and adopted a more relaxed demeanor toward me.
"I've heard all about it. The 98th and 101st Batches must have had quite the show."
"I doubt it was that impressive."
Instead of replying, he just chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
His information network was as swift as ever. Of course, just as Bavaria had its intelligence department, Prussia had one too. They would have gathered every scrap of intel on me and my allies and rivals within their means.
"I'm curious how the 98th Batch would react if they learned the 101st Batch's deputy leader is Nicolaus Ernst."
"I'm wondering if Your Highness keeps pondering such things because you're in a similar boat. If yours got exposed, it'd be front-page Empire News for a full month."
Abraham laughed as if it were a solid comeback and shrugged. Not wanting to waste more time here, I handed him the paper file I'd brought. He opened it and looked at me with one corner of his mouth lifted.
"Press release."
"It's set to be announced tomorrow at 6 a.m. In summary, the agenda aims to expand information transparency to secure public stability."
"That's not the point. You wouldn't bring something not yet public without expecting something in return."
Instead of answering, I smiled.
At this point, it was obvious, but Bavaria was the most 'detached' of the German Empire's federated states. Separatists operated everywhere, and even non-separatists had strong national pride. Honestly, they could become an independent nation tomorrow without much issue. While others faltered, Bavaria often ignored the federal government's directives. That made it the state Prussia watched most warily within the federation.
And it was common knowledge outside Bavaria that it wielded such power. The German public compared Bavaria and Prussia, demanding the same efficiency from the imperial government. Especially now, after the triple blow of January's rampages, February's Pentaron terror, and the mass disappearance of mages.
"You'll have to respond to this, one way or another. At least if you don't want mass evacuations, you'll need to prepare."
"Of course. But..."
Abraham burned the documents in the ashtray again and clasped his hands.
"I'm wondering why Sir Nicolaus went out of his way to give Prussia half a day's leeway."
"..."
"No need to explain. They say you caused issues with firearm use, so you're planning to prevent that. The problem is, publicizing details Bavaria-style brings heavy financial burdens. Unfortunately, treatment costs far exceed cremation fees for rampagers. Even with treatment, over half die anyway, so losses are already ballooning astronomically from the first stage."
"Not a surprising stance. Saying 'from the first stage' suggests Your Highness knows why we must bear that loss. So, are you telling me to take responsibility?"
"You hit the nail on the head."
"You'll handle your response yourselves, so I needn't advise on that. Instead, regarding what you just mentioned, I have a further proposal. The extra cost is the state's responsibility, fine. But some mages on-site argue shooting rampagers is safer than rescue. So, why not maximize the safety and efficiency of rescues to the limit?"
How to do that? Naturally, the only way now was intensive strategic training. Articulating that specifically and systematically was my next task.
Abraham rolled his eyes, grasped what I was driving at, and burst out laughing.
"I don't see what incentive I have to grant your request on this. Is there a reason I must accept your upcoming proposal?"
Tough bastard. I pondered briefly, then smiled.
"I'll give you a different kind of show."
* * *
I returned from the advisory committee at 10 p.m., and about thirty minutes later, someone entered the 101st Batch barracks and knocked on my door. Opening it revealed Albert Mecklenburg. He'd been in Berlin since this morning—except for breakfast—and Brandenburg housed both headquarters and the barracks, so he must have just gotten back. Before I could greet him, he smiled.
"Shall we take a walk?"
"..."
I stood still for a moment, then turned.
"I'll grab my coat."
"Go ahead."
I pulled out whatever coat was handy without checking and headed behind the barracks.
Behind the barracks was a forest, and a thirty-minute walk away lay headquarters. Nothing else around, no matter how hard you looked. Astonishing they'd drag us here for a mere change in affiliation to such a barren spot. As I thought that, Mecklenburg's voice came from beside me.
"How was your day?"
When I didn't reply, he glanced at me and changed the subject.
"About seven years ago, when Phleroma became a social issue, I came here as part of a task force. Nothing's changed."
"That would have been around when you were twenty?"
"Yes. I handled the Brandenburg cemetery desecration response. With your brother, too."
So, even before imperial selection, he'd worked briefly with the government. Impressive at such a young age. But this topic pulled my thoughts elsewhere.
One thing to reiterate: The Imperial Royal Mages Association usually recruited from college seniors at minimum.
Before time turned back, when I held the revolver, I was certain the 98th Batch was around my brother's age, mid-twenties. Here's why: My top score in the third exam nearly got me Eschet's squad leader position, showing reps go to the highest scorer. Batchmates' ages don't vary much since magic favors talent over extra study. With early graduation systems, the 98th was same age as Adrian Ascanien or one year older.
For someone competent enough to work for the government at twenty, Mecklenburg's imperial selection was late. They take mostly college seniors, so why late?
'Considering the precedent of entering the palace at thirteen, it's not late.'
My thoughts veering meant Adrian came to mind whenever he mentioned ability-related things.
Adrian Ascanien, Albert Mecklenburg's friend, was an 89th Batch imperial mage selected in October 1886. That's why I needed to gauge how outlier-level they were. Adrian skipped over a decade straight to the palace, a genius of geniuses; Albert was a grade's top student.
'They only had each other to talk to.'
The professor was likely wrong. Though I considered he might truly have been close to Adrian... experience made the hypothesis of Mecklenburg genuinely cherishing Adrian near-fantasy. On that note, I asked.
"I heard you were close with my brother."
"Yes. Has Adrian ever mentioned me?"
"No, I heard through school."
His face stiffened briefly, then regained composure. I could guess why. Mecklenburg replied curtly.
"He's still as cautious as ever."
"He just didn't have many chances to talk. School and palace duties kept him in Berlin often."
"I see."
We walked in silence for a while. When I didn't speak despite waiting, he chuckled lightly.
"You're not much of a talker, are you?"
"Yes. Sorry."
The professor hadn't misjudged his character. He didn't snap at my unresponsive reply, matched my pace, and kept conversing.
"I heard there were three reports today. Must have been tough."
"Yes, but one was a misjudgment—actually Grade 4."
"Grade 4 isn't easy. I know how much effort it took to handle and send to hospital."
He spotted a rundown bench and sat. No invitation, but I sat at the end. He stared into space silently before speaking.
"Since transferring here yesterday, I've been tasked with training you all. Know what I got?"
"No."
He pulled a leather-bound booklet from his bag. Recruit training manual for old humans. He smiled lightly.
"Quite the bind. I just arrived yesterday, so I'm the one learning, haven't met the 101st, and crucially, you're neither old humans nor recruits. Nor officers, for that matter."
That's why the imperials mostly took college seniors. To poach from officer academies—like magic schools. But early this year, they started taking high schoolers, floating our status. And from the mess so far, we were still floating.
"No commissioning, so naturally."
"You get it. Plus, Crown Prince Wittelsbach's decisive Bavaria Army tie means Defense hasn't finalized any system externally. They're seeking Bavaria's aid, though."
'Looking again, we're total bombshells...'
Us 101st Batch.
More curiously, why belabor these obvious points? We knew we were floating, and Defense was fumbling rampager policy amid emergencies. Actually, I'd just exploited that gap in my second proposal to Abraham.
"You know this place has imperial mages from commander to chief of staff, reorganized from the Association's top active elites. No big essence change, so... I'll teach as I was taught. Everything from now is as your Association senior."
I stared at his face. He turned from distant barracks buildings and said slowly.
"We must become killers."
"..."
"No one's told you, so here it is. Forget the peace you learned in high school. What we protect are orders. If His Majesty says sacrifice some subjects for the greater good, we process the designated ones. If ordered to prevent more rampagers at all costs, we do exactly that. Even if ordered to kill a comrade, we obey. That's our duty as His Majesty's servants."
"You're killing because His Majesty ordered maximum effort to prevent rampagers?"
"Different. Though partly right. What's certain: most efficient, economical way."
Economical... Matches someone. Decisively different in key ways, though.
Suppressing myriad thoughts, I smiled.
"Why tell me this?"
"You're the 101st most vehemently opposing our directives."
Seniors couldn't laugh off juniors rebelling, yet he smiled understandingly. My intent was why force this on us, but it boiled down to reinforcing batch hierarchy flaws, so I dropped it.
"I understand it's hard to adjust. No fault of the 101st. It pains me to teach ungraduated, unentered 1st Training Academy folks this."
Finishing, he beckoned me. Unsure, I squinted; he eyed my hand.
"..."
His friend once asked for my hand too. Déjà vu, I extended it. He pushed off my glove, checked skin, and said regretfully.
"Need to send you some medicine. I'll have someone deliver when back."
Amazement in multiple ways silenced me. Felt why the professor wanted to raise his kid like this. If always this thorough, praise-worthy indeed. Mildly, he said.
"As I said, great job today. But from tomorrow, we'll handle our share."
"..."
"No need to prove anymore. See you on first dispatch tomorrow."
Tomorrow, off to kill rampagers.
"First dispatch" meant dragging us to 98th's rampager sites again. We got reports from control center and moved solo, no need to meet. Physically exhausting to break 101st will for firearm consent ended today; tomorrow, they'd harden.
Mecklenburg patted my shoulder. I smiled back wordlessly. Guessing my smile's meaning? His gaze lingered on my face.
* * *
He really sent medicine. Leo took it to check contents, so no use.
Today we met both 91st and 98th Batches fully. Unexpectedly, not a site but conference room. But since it'd prompt "surprising" from friends—like Leo heard—I kept quiet.
Batches split into three teams: 91st twenty mages, 98th eighteen. Just forty-five total for nationwide high-risk rampagers.
After brief intro, sitting stone-faced at head, the 91st rep fixed on documents and continued.
"...Thus, from today, all Hesse-Darmstadt rampage reports go to 91st. Second, Bavaria government's emergency aligns with info disclosure revamp."
Elías, beside me, reached under table, slapped my hand. I glanced, refocused on 91st mage.
"Imperials showed deep interest in rampage phase survival rates. Bavaria subdued and hospitalized in 98.3% rampages, while our Prussia hospitalization is 72% of reports—worst but one in federation..."
Eyes narrowing displeased, he continued.
"Imperial government planned non-disclosure, but Emperor Friedrich heard and ordered improvement for contingencies. By March, raise to 95% for federation average. After, hospitals' job."
"..."
Far off, Albert Mecklenburg's head turned slowly. He'd grasped my smile's meaning now.
The very start of the start.
Expressionless, I watched him. No panic on his face watching me. 91st mage's emotionless voice went on.
"One more directive. Only each batch-team reps stay; rest, dismissed."
* * *
Now they can't just kill and send, nor force it on us.
And not just success in first tying their feet.
"The Ascanien family hands over info so readily."
Mecklenburg stared straight into my eyes. I met his gaze blankly.
Any expression loosen, and I'd laugh. Delusion. I made that directive come from 91st rep's mouth. Naturally clueless, believing I got it from Adrian Ascanien.
98th behind him glared sternly, ignorant. Ironically, most normal face: Mecklenburg's. He smiled softly, patted shoulder again.
"Not a bad thing. Let's do well going forward."