To avoid any lingering discomfort, I had to make sure my head didn't touch the wall.
'After all the trouble of using magic to style it, this pomade...'
Don't they have any water-based products in this era?
The oiliness at the ends of my hair is irritating.
Anyway, it's set in place now, so it's not a problem.
I was worried about my lack of skill, but fortunately, Gelda Asman also had a servant-like attendant, and I got his help.
'And another irritating thing...'
It seems Gelda's judgment of character was accurate.
First-generation Pleromas keep staring at me.
When I meet their gaze, they politely look away, but there are a few who keep staring holes into me without even trying to hide it. I heard second-gens could also be here, so it's probably not a look questioning my qualifications.
"Mr. Bichel."
I saw Gelda Asman returning from a dance with another Pleroma and slightly extended my glass forward.
Gelda picked up a glass and clinked it against mine.
I smiled back at his bright smile and asked.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Of course. This is... my first time at such an event. I only learned to dance a few days ago from someone I know here, but actually dancing at a place like this is more fun than I thought."
Gelda said with a flushed face.
Come to think of it, he said he wasn't well-off in his youth.
It's not impossible for commoners to enter high society, and the middle class often has parties too... Considering his youthful environment, it makes sense he wouldn't have had opportunities to participate.
"Would you like to dance with me now?"
"Sure. But you seem to have been to many of these, Mr. Bichel."
"Well."
This is practically my first time too.
I learned dancing as a school elective, and Luca wasn't completely ignorant either, so it's fine.
I took Gelda's hand and we stepped out alone.
As the song reached its midpoint, I lifted my head and looked across the hall.
The stares have become more persistent since I started dancing with Gelda. I looked into his eyes and quietly asked.
"Who is that?"
"Hmm?"
Gelda turned his body in the opposite direction with the step. Then he saw who I indicated and his expression hardened.
Gelda asked in a subdued voice.
"Shall we stop dancing and leave?"
"Who is it that makes you say that?"
"..."
Gelda looked around expressionlessly, then opened his mouth.
"...That person is the one who made me a Pleroma."
So, that's one of the 'original members' Eric Asman mentioned.
Likely the mastermind behind the recent Heyligenzi kidnapping incidents.
I had to suppress a laugh.
Right, of course the person directly above wouldn't be absent from this place.
Though it seems they're now trying to steal the 'achievements' of the Pleroma I created...
I reassured Gelda, said I'd get some fresh air, and went to the balcony at the end of the corridor outside the banquet hall.
I killed some time looking down below, then took out a cigarette and put it in my mouth.
I'm maintaining my no-smoking rule, so I don't intend to smoke it, but right now it's a necessary prop.
'Need an opening to start a conversation.'
I took out a mana-powered lighter and lit it.
Then, an unfamiliar voice came from behind.
"You're smoking a cigarette."
Someone leaned on the railing next to me and spoke.
It was the person Gelda Asman mentioned.
"An import. People around here have been smoking these a lot lately. Seeing it is rather pleasant."
'He's proactive.'
I welcome it.
I opened the case and asked.
"Would you like to try one?"
"No. I have something I smoke."
He waved the pipe he was holding in his hand.
I nodded and blew the smoke over my shoulder.
"...!"
I covered my mouth with my other hand and held my breath.
I almost coughed.
'Damn... I forgot this isn't my body.'
Come to think of it, the physical age is a factor too.
Shouldn't handle it carelessly.
Might end up shortening someone else's lifespan by getting them addicted for no reason.
I rubbed the cigarette end against the empty tin case I brought and extinguished it.
He watched my actions and asked.
"Are you unwell?"
"I was ill, so my condition isn't good. Need to be careful until I'm fully recovered."
"I see. You came here despite being unwell?"
"It's an event to celebrate the achievements of someone important to me. I was invited, so I couldn't miss it."
"Who did you come with?"
I glanced at him and answered.
"I came with Mr. Gelda Asman."
"Ah, today's protagonist. To complete his first mission just five days after being reborn... He will become a model for our diocese in the future."
Fancy having a diocese too...
Thanks to Strauch, I knew about the system, but it feels like they've created something akin to a parallel world and are having their own fun.
He looked me up and down, then spoke.
"And... it's only been ten days, yet you've already met such a new person and seem very diligent. Of course, we hope many will utilize their blessings to the fullest, so you're welcome. Happiness comes first, doesn't it?"
Why are you saying that while looking at me?
I suppressed the urge to say that and shrugged.
"Shall I convey that?"
"No need. Come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves. What is your name?"
"Felix Bichel."
"I see. I am Marcel Koffman. How long have you been here, Mr. Bichel?"
"I haven't counted exactly, but less than a month. I'm undergoing catechumen training, so my name probably isn't listed yet."
"I see. That's what it seemed like."
Probably seems that way because I've remained here without being taken by other first-gens.
Avoiding Koffman's gaze that looked like he was seeing useful material, I opened my mouth.
"Excuse me, but I should head back in. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Koffman."
"Ah, yes. But... Mr. Bichel."
I turned back at his voice stopping me.
"Yes?"
"You said you're undergoing catechumen training now."
"That's correct."
"There is a way to become a priest immediately."
"..."
"It also means you can live forever as you are now. Starting from a catechumen, it would take over ten more years to become a priest. Wouldn't it be better to maintain your appearance in your twenties?"
Appearance in your twenties...
I directly saw the deceased Gelda Asman appear as a twenty-something, regressing forty years. What nonsense.
They'll turn back time when you become a priest anyway, yet they're playing with people's psychology like this.
I silently looked at him.
Unlike his demeanor that showed his age, his face wasn't much different from mine.
He approached me and tapped my shoulder.
"I am the priest of the Brandenburg Archdiocese who gave Mr. Gelda Asman his second life. I'll give you this. If you're interested, come to my office anytime."
He handed me a business card.
No address was written. It's probably an item that activates a teleportation spell when torn, so naturally, it's not needed.
He smiled satisfactorily, patted my shoulder once, and left.
With this, my plan to meet a middle manager was half successful.
'Let's think about this for a moment.'
As a mage, my rank was higher than Strauch's.
And Strauch was a bishop.
Assuming rank and ability are proportional, there's a high probability that guy is weaker than Strauch.
'Good enough.'
I finished my thoughts and went back into the banquet hall to meet Gelda.
* * *
As the party was ending, I saw dawn breaking outside the window and turned around.
"I should head back now."
"Already?"
"I'd like to stay longer, but I have things to do today."
Gelda burst out laughing at that.
"Don't worry about that. As long as it's not morning yet, you don't have to go back, right?"
"Of course, but the sun is rising now."
"It's still dawn in your time."
"..."
Time flows differently?
I asked, trying not to change my expression.
"Is it always like this? Maybe because I'm not used to it yet, but everything is just so surprising."
"I was surprised too. These issues have been occurring lately."
'Issues,' he says.
You'd think it's an advantage to have more time than the enemy...
Seems there's a bigger risk.
Suddenly, I recalled Strauch saying, 'Our world is very solidly completed, so there's no need to worry.'
'If that's about this issue, I should remember it. And... shall I test it once?'
Dawn 777 — 674 days, 7 hours, 11 minutes, 35 seconds until final ending 'Chapter X. Death' — Change Probability: 19.2%
It was 18.6% last time. It rose 0.6%p while I wasn't checking.
More important is the time.
When about an hour had passed by the clock here, I opened the status window again to check the time.
Dawn 777 — 674 days, 7 hours, 00 minutes, 45 seconds until final ending 'Chapter X. Death' — Change Probability: 19.2%
One hour passed here, but only 10 minutes passed in reality.
As I was looking at the clock, Gelda called me.
"Let's return to the repository now, Mr. Bichel."
Magic was connected throughout this building, with many structures allowing return to where you came from.
For example...
Gelda now moved to the farthest room in the mansion and moved the candlestick on the mantelpiece to the right.
When we opened the door again, the mansion corridor had completely vanished, and the cathedral we came from was spread out before us.
"Convenient, right? The technology has developed this much. Honestly, it's amazing."
"Indeed."
I answered briefly.
After that, we stayed holed up in the cathedral, talking for three hours here, which was 30 minutes in real time.
'Talking is exhausting.'
The other person seems tired too.
There was nothing else to do. Gelda Asman also didn't know the Pleroma world well yet, so there was nowhere to go.
Yet, perhaps disliking how fast time was passing, Gelda didn't suggest going back to reality first.
'Still, I got a lot of information.'
The criteria for Pleromas choosing people, how to cast target curse spells and connect to desired locations, and generally which objects to touch to return to the previous coordinates, etc.
Gelda readily answered my questions.
He seemed to interpret the number of questions as the degree of interest.
Then, perhaps reading fatigue on my face, he gestured toward the altar.
"Shall I give you some candy? Though it has a target curse spell on it."
"Then, does that mean I can come here anytime Mr. Asman calls?"
Gelda answered with a smile.
"That's the idea."
Perhaps taking my light question as agreement, Gelda brought a basket of candy and handed it to me.
'...To actually eat?'
Well, it's not like I can't, but... why bother.
I chose words that would please Gelda and spoke.
"Actually, I don't really like sweets that much. Instead, I'll keep it and give it to a suitable child when I find one, and tell you about it, Mr. Asman."
"Hmm, that sounds good."
It should. It's boosting your performance metrics.
Anyway, this isn't the time to be killing time like this.
We've encountered the important person we've been looking for, so we need to go for a strategy meeting.
I opened my mouth with a surprised tone, as if I just remembered.
"Ah."
"What's wrong?"
"Instead of just sitting here, shall we play a game? Do you know any card games? Or how about chess?"
"Hmm, I've forgotten the rules of chess... I've only played Solitaire for card games."
"That's a single-player game."
I thought for a moment and spoke.
"How about Poker? Shall I teach you?"
* * *
Gelda Asman readily agreed.
Using the pretext of getting a deck of playing cards, I returned to reality and warped to school.
They still hadn't shown any sign of having Eric Asman with them.
But Nark said he left an emergency contact...
'Is it Pie...?'
Feeling a pang of conscience, I took the pie from the pile of stones stacked in the middle of the desk and woke it.
"Mm?"
"Sorry, Pie. Do you know where Elias and Leo are?"
"I might be able to find out."
What's this now?
I'll take it as meaning he can figure it out given some time.
"Then, can you deliver a message?"
"Sure! What is it?"
"Found a middle manager, so let's have a strategy meeting."
"Just like that?"
"Yeah, just deliver it as is."
I immediately took out paper and scribbled down the points I needed to convey.
As I immediately took a deck of cards from the cabinet and packed my bag, Pie tilted his head.
"Where are you going, Lucas? You said there's a meeting."
"I wrote down everything I need to say. Now they can have the meeting among themselves."
After saying that, as I was about to deploy the warp magic, a thought occurred and I looked at Pie.
"Pie."
"Yeah?"
"You need to be part of this too."
* * *
Returning there and teaching Gelda poker took three hours.
That meant 30 minutes had passed in real time.
Fortunately, Gelda seemed sleepy, perhaps from being tense at the banquet, so I put him to sleep and came out.
Looking at the strangely dim outside despite it being daytime, I tore the business card in my hand.
Instantly, the scenery before my eyes changed again.
Marcel Koffman's office was completely dark. It was light enough to distinguish objects, but not a space you'd want to stay in for long.
Then a voice came from behind me.
"You came."
—-----------
T/N:
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