"Going to write another letter?"
"Have to."
There was still content I hadn't captured.
Since it would serve as evidence, it would be better to include more concrete, explicit, and detailed accounts.
Leo checked his watch and spoke.
"We should start getting ready to head out soon. I'll coat your last letter and then we'll go."
"Where to?"
At my question, Narké answered instead.
"To talk with Eric Asman."
"Huh?"
"Elias and Leo have been going back and forth since yesterday. They're already discussing investments."
I was just about to suggest we start making moves on that front, but they've already begun.
Well, it's not like those two would just sit still anyway.
From the start, the Highligenzi orphanage incident was something Elias handled from beginning to end.
Then, Narké took a medicine bottle from the cabinet, put on a grave expression, and spoke.
"Let's do it, Elias."
"Yeah, okay."
Elias chuckled and sat back down in the chair.
'What are they doing that requires such a serious face?'
Narké swallowed hard and pulled out his wand.
The moment he lightly tapped Elias's shoulders with the wand, Elias's face began to age rapidly.
Elias picked up the mirror he had placed face-down on the desk and admired his reflection.
"...!"
"It's really perfect. Thanks, Narké."
Narké gave a weak laugh and slumped onto the sofa in the corner.
Elias's voice had also deepened to a resonant tone, making him look unmistakably middle-aged to anyone who saw him.
"...What is this?"
"I moved it about forty years. I've been to the parliament before, you know. Because of the crutch, I stood out, and too many people recognized my face, so a normal disguise wouldn't work. How is it, not bad?"
Narké answered while downing his second bottle of the Witelsbach Elixir that Leo handed him.
'Impressive.'
It's not a very familiar magic, but it seems there's a reason why certain spells aren't widely used.
Because most people can't do them.
What ordinary person could casually use a spell that even someone like Narké has to constantly chug potions to maintain?
Still, Leo's disguise wasn't a complete overhaul type of magic, as Narké waved his wand from his seated position.
And once again, I couldn't close my mouth.
"..."
"...Someone shut Lukas up."
Leo made an awkward face and gestured at me. I shook my head, looking at his long, dark brown hair.
"...No one will recognize either of you."
"Facial impressions change more easily than you'd think by altering just a few key features. I changed both according to my choices, it was fun."
Narké laughed as he drank another elixir.
Well, of course your impression would change if you dyed ivory hair black and stretched yesterday's haircut to look like hair grown out for three years. As his eyebrow color darkened, his facial features became more pronounced. Leo seemed worried even with that, so he started wearing glasses too.
Both Leo and Elias had their faces frequently in the media, posing a risk, but at this level... there's absolutely no chance of recognition.
'They're thorough. I like it.'
I can just focus on Gelda Asman now.
Then, Elias, now properly dressed, handed me the artifact imbued with sensory transfer magic.
"We're off. Listen well while you write!"
* * *
[Don't mind that investment money, okay? We don't want anything, so just try everything you can for now. What's 500,000 Pells? I can give you more later, you know?]
About an hour later, Elias had moved Eric Asman to a bar. They must have gotten a private room, as the loud noise from earlier abruptly died down.
'More importantly, they already gave him 500,000 Pells...'
To casually throw around 50 million won like that... truly a child of the imperial family.
He says he has no money himself, but I think he saves it for times like this.
I had already exchanged several letters with Gelda and was now writing the final one to send.
As I listened with half an ear for another hour, useful information finally started coming from Elias's mouth.
[So, actually... you know about that side, right?]
[Eh? That side?]
Eric Asman, perhaps already drunk, was starting to slur his words.
[You know, to receive the blessing... Huh? It's a bit awkward to talk about here~ We all know, right?]
[Ah, that... we shouldn't talk about that.... Sorry.]
[Ah, come on, don't be like that. Actually, I'm in a bit of a desperate situation right now. My health has gotten much worse, you see. How many family members do I have to feed, huh? Even with what I've earned so far, who knows about the future.... Right?]
After that, Elias, perhaps losing patience, ordered more drinks and poured several rounds into Eric Asman's mouth.
The sound of something hitting the table and plates clattering came through.
He must have banged his head. How much did they make him drink to get him so drunk he couldn't even hold his head up...?
'I should never drink with him.'
I'm afraid I might end up like that too.
Elias whispered.
[So, besides your sister and you, are there any others? The ones who succeeded this time, I mean.]
[...Just a, ah, just a little nap. I think I'll be perfectly fine if I just sleep for five minutes?]
[Want to die?]
[Eh?]
[...I mean, no. Hey, I'm really in a hurry, okay? So, are there any other successful ones?]
[Don't know. But it's better if there aren't... no, there shouldn't be. The reason is... what was it, to receive the Vitriol, you need fewer competitors.]
Eric Asman giggled as if something was funny.
'He's relatively lacking.'
Compared to Gelda Asman's thoroughness and wariness, this guy is the kind of loose talk the Pleroma side wouldn't appreciate.
Of course, to someone blinded by business, an investor who generously throws 50 million won would seem like the most benevolent human, so it's understandable his guard crumbled quickly.
[How do you get that? Tell me a little.]
[You just have to complete the mission. So, we're subcontractors... Well, there's nothing fixed, but there are those originally there, you know? If you catch their eye, it should work? You know?]
His explanation seems a bit sloppy, but at least it allows for cross-verification with what Gelda Asman told me.
[So how does that mission come? I want to receive it too, hey.]
[That's just... what was it? It was in my head since I was born, so I don't really know either. Hehe....]
[Ah, you stupid bastard!]
[Steady.]
I could feel Leo gritting his teeth even through the artifact.
Elias, who had just shown anger, now soothed Eric Asman with a gentle voice.
[Well, anyway, I heard you well. Hey, if it weren't for you, I'd... you're really my savior.]
[Ah, it's nothing.]
[So about today's conversation....]
*BAM!*
[Let's not remember it.]
"..."
Right, he was originally this kind of guy....
Elias seemed to have slammed Eric Asman's head into something. The wall, probably. Since no groans or screams were heard, he likely passed out immediately.
Elias spoke as if refreshed.
[Brain damage is the direct route to memory loss.]
[Didn't you already chemically damage his brain? Just how many bottles of alcohol was that?]
[How many glasses did you have?]
[One.]
[How boring~ Should I order more now?]
I let their conversation flow through one ear as I sank into thought.
'Having a mission in his head since birth... So Gelda Asman wasn't lying.'
And, I learned another crucial piece of information.
They cannot use Vitriol.
'Now I understand why Gelda Asman is trying to move so quickly.'
'Those originally there'—meaning, the ones who have been abducting people in Highligenzi until now—are the middle managers.
You cannot use Vitriol until you catch their eye.
A special ability to read emotions is only half-baked if you can't use Vitriol.
'And, to the question of whether there were others who became Pleroma this time, he said he didn't know.'
It's unlikely the Pleroma only targeted Highligenzi.
So, to understand how far their influence extends and how they procure people... I can't stop at Gelda Asman in my network.
I must enter the Pleroma's inner circle through Gelda Asman.
Though Elias called him a stupid bastard, he became a good informant.
Now it's time to meet that middle manager.
After that, my own abilities will be sufficient to handle things.
* * *
On the promised day, I visited Gelda Asman's house.
"How is your body holding up?"
"Fine. Thanks to you."
Gelda raised an eyebrow as if to ask what I meant, so I continued with a smile.
"Waiting for your letters made me forget the pain."
"Ah."
My counterpart smiled and drank her tea.
She must be smiling. She probably read my emotions while we talked, killing two birds with one stone.
I couldn't possibly love this kidnapper fanatic sober, so I came after taking a level-10 drug.
When I asked Leo if he could make it stronger, he refused, saying it was possible but there was a reason they didn't make and sell it.
'Anyway, this level is effective enough.'
It's enough to not ruin things in a moment of anger.
I engaged in trivial conversation and then brought up the main point.
"Shall we begin soon?"
"Ah, yes."
The current time was 3 AM.
A time when everyone should be asleep.
Eric Asman was being held by Elias and Leo again today, so there was no worry of anyone interrupting.
"Actually, I rescued another child recently. They'll probably be moved together with the child we rescued previously."
"Is that so."
I followed Gelda up to the top floor.
Gelda stood before a door at the end of the hallway, gripped a pendant, and turned the doorknob.
The scene that unfolded made me doubt my eyes.
A cool winter breeze rushed in.
High ceilings, arched vaults, stained glass... even the religious symbols placed in the distance made it clear where this was.
"A cathedral."
"That's right. It's currently the storage space I use."
It's probably a cathedral that exists in our world too, but like with Strauchi, this place likely exists on a different coordinate system from our world's coordinates.
I ignored thoughts of unauthorized occupation and asked the important question first.
"We were clearly in a house, yet this is astonishing. You must use teleportation magic from here to move the children."
"Well, actually, you can cast teleportation magic for a targeted curse from anywhere. But... Mr. Vaithel, you've been wanting to see this place for the past few days, haven't you?"
"You considered that? I'm pleased."
When I smiled down at her, Gelda silently stared at me for a moment before turning her head away.
"..."
What's that all of a sudden?
Gelda Asman Favorability +8.5
*'8.5?'*
It was definitely 7.5 last time I checked. Why is it rising so quickly?
I tried to think of the reason, but nothing came to mind. Was it the atmosphere of the place? The meticulous ink gift and letters? Or the level-10 emotions?
As the conversation lulled, Gelda spoke.
"Actually, there's another reason we need to move at this hour. A celebration party has been arranged for my first achievement today."
They do that too? Anyway, these guys must really be short on people. Their intent to coax and boost productivity by any means is clear.
Perhaps I missed my timing to speak, as Gelda looked at me and asked.
"So, would you like to come along?"
"Of course. It would be an honor."
If this were following the novel's plot, I probably would have gone with Eric Asman, but this...
'This works out well.'
If it's a place where I can encounter other Pleroma, there's a lot I can look forward to.
As I kept looking at her face, Gelda Asman shrugged and said.
"Shall we summon now?"
We descended to the basement through the sacristy.
Entering a room with an altar prepared, I leaned against the wall and watched the ritual.
'She's using her own blood.'
I'll have to ask about the principles in detail later.
Gelda Asman gripped the pendant again and spoke.
—You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
It's from Genesis.
But at the same time, it's also a line from Faust.
One point of curiosity is that those are the devil's words.
As soon as the words ended, Gelda Asman turned around with a smile.
"Simple, right? They should have arrived by now."
* * *
After telling me to wait a moment and going up first, Gelda Asman, having finished organizing things, called me back to the first floor.
Where the pews for worshippers should have been, marble boxes were lined up like tombs. Approaching, I saw children lying in proper posture, devoid of any color.
Gelda Asman stood before them, looking down at a child and stroked her chin.
"This one seems worthy of raising directly under me."
"Is that so?"
"The aptitude shows. At this level, if raised well, they might even reach the 1st Generation. Hmm, the child next to them should be sent up as blood material."
What did I just hear?
Anyway, this must be what the Pleroma side calls 'aptitude.'
"To know just by looking, that's impressive. Why not use this ability in the outside world?"
"If we could know there, the Pleroma would have ruled the empire long ago. It's difficult to ascertain suitability outside the Pleroma's domain. I think it's because the air is different...."
Strauchi also talked about being addicted or not to this air. These guys use air as a material quite often.
Shall I check what mine is?
Now that I'm in the Pleroma's world, it wouldn't hurt to know what value I hold for them.
'Maybe I can use my own suitability against other Pleroma.'
"What about me then?"
"..."
Gelda's eyes gleamed with a light I'd rather not decipher.
'Must be perfectly suitable...'
Well, just looking at my mana gives the answer.
As if proving my guess correct, Gelda took my hand and lifted it, saying.
"...Should we skip the party?"
"It's a celebration of your achievement. We should go."
As if I'd miss this opportunity.
I smiled and shook my head.
Gelda shook her head slightly and continued.
"After this matter is concluded, I'll make you a 1st Generation."
"..."
"In return, promise me. Even if another Pleroma says the same thing to you, don't listen."
I learned a new fact.
There seems to be performance competition regarding the 'mission.'
And right now, here, I'm considered potential high-grade personnel.
'Things are working out well.'
I smiled and turned Gelda's hand over, placing mine on top of hers.
"Would I listen to anyone else?"
* * *
I would.
I came here with the intention to listen.
I leaned against the wall, surveying the banquet hall where music flowed.
—-----------
T/N:
Free members get 10 advanced chapters every week.
Want more? Get access to 40 chapters ahead on Patreon:
[email protected]//hiddenmage