Chapter 410

Forty minutes earlier, in the restroom at the Bavarian checkpoint.

Mecklenburg stared at his reflection in the mirror and said, “His Majesty is going to summon your brother over the succession to the Duchy of Anhalt.”

“…….”

The steady rush of water from the open faucet made it hard to think. The words I’d just heard were so sudden, so absurd, that they defied belief. I’d expected whatever Mecklenburg wanted to tell me—as something Nikolaus Ernst absolutely needed to know—to be serious, but this went far beyond anything I’d imagined. Why?

I looked at him and quietly asked, “On what grounds? Isn’t that a little too sud—”

“Sudden?”

He let out a short, incredulous laugh, as if I’d said something ridiculous. The moment I saw that expression, I slowly closed my mouth. A chill crept down the back of my neck. The strange questions Mecklenburg had asked me earlier—his fixation on the timing of everything—were only now beginning to connect in my mind. Only now.

Keeping his eyes on the mirror, Mecklenburg slowly closed them and lowered his head.

“It isn’t sudden. If anything… The real question is why it’s taken this long.”

“…….”

“Ever since you entered imperial service, you’ve led one victory after another in incidents that put anywhere from a handful of lives to hundreds of thousands—if not millions—at stake. At this point, anyone can see that the Anhalt succession is unstable. Don’t you read the papers? You’re the rising star of the political world now. You’d be hard-pressed to find a newspaper or magazine that doesn’t mention you.”

I closed my eyes.

I was tired. I hadn’t felt this way when I was with Emanuel Wittelsbach, but now exhaustion weighed on me. The fatigue and irritation that had been building ever since I saw Mecklenburg were giving me a headache. I didn’t want to look at him anymore. I couldn’t believe the conclusion he’d reached. Just as Mecklenburg had earlier, overwhelmed by the burden of meeting the Emperor, I reached back and rubbed the nape of my neck before taking a slow, deep breath.

‘Don’t I read the papers?’

I did. He wasn’t wrong. The stock prices of Anhalt’s businesses—especially those tied to my brother’s political agenda—swung wildly from day to day. And whenever the newspapers published anything that so much as hinted at my involvement, they fluctuated even more.

Yellow journalism outlets like das rote wrote articles about me every single day, inventing bizarre nicknames pulled from old classics, always careful to keep the articles just within the line of what couldn’t be censured.

The public had all but forgotten I’d once been branded as Pleroma. Or rather, they’d turned that very fact into a selling point. They praised me as the person who had “overcome his Pleroma nature to devote himself to His Majesty, the Empire, and its people,” while quietly framing me as Adrian Askanien’s rival.

Because it made for a good story.

The Pleroma Askanien who had survived thanks to his elder brother’s grace, only to become a loyal servant of the Empire, now threatened that same brother precisely because of his loyalty. Which brother would come out on top?

To the public, it was irresistible.

The succession of House of Askanien affected far more than Anhalt’s political circles. It rippled through the politics of the Empire itself. The Emperor, the ruling houses, and every noble family beneath them all had a stake in the outcome. No one could predict what kind of storm a bloody succession dispute in a single German duchy might unleash.

Naturally, everyone wanted to know exactly where things stood as quickly as possible.

But because of that… Adrian Askanien was coming here?

He wasn’t even in front of me, yet my throat tightened. It felt as though every passage for air had been plugged with stone. It wasn’t my reaction. I forced my voice out.

“…Very well. What makes you think my brother is coming? Is it simply because we’ve become the talk of the political world?”

“‘Simply’ isn’t the word I’d use.”

“I know. It’s been a month and a half, and I’ve already resolved three major incidents. That’s more than enough for His Majesty to take an interest in our family’s succession. But if that were all, he could have summoned me right after the Corbiniano operation.”

“How could we presume to know His Majesty’s intentions?”

“…….”

“But you already know the answer. …If anyone would understand what I’m getting at, it’s you. Why do you think His Majesty waited until now, instead of calling for you immediately after Corbiniano?”

Yes, I know. I kept the answer to myself, and Mecklenburg continued.

“You were injured back at Corbiniano. And now you’re injured again. But at Corbiniano, no one’s life was in danger. Even the seniors and comrades who ended up in intensive care regained consciousness, no matter how badly their bodies—and their cores—had been damaged. But what about now?”

“…….”

“We don’t report every casualty that occurs during classified operations. But this time, news was sent to Lord Heike Einsiedel’s father immediately after the incident. As you know… you still believe there’s hope, but even the hospital has found no way to wake him. His body remains intact, but only because it hasn’t begun to decay. At this point, they should be preparing his funeral. It’s only right that his family be allowed to spend his final moments with him. That’s the Empire’s last courtesy to a noble who served it faithfully.”

Heike’s father? Heinrich Einsiedel is his uncle. The uncle who never cared how Heike grew up is supposed to be by his side at the end? And…

“Watch your words.”

“My apologies.”

He apologized immediately, his voice utterly devoid of emotion in response to my icy tone. I knew what he meant. We didn’t have time to argue over words.

“Adrian Askanien returned to Germany once before after being injured. That’s what His Majesty told me. This time, the important part is that you’re the one who was hurt. One way or another, Anhalt may already have received word that you were among the victims, along with the dying Lord Heike Einsiedel. Adrian Askanien is the one who put you in that double identity to begin with. He’d never pass up a chance to see you. He must have requested permission from His Majesty to return. Normally, His Majesty would’ve refused—but then again, Adrian Askanien isn’t the type to make a request he knows will be rejected. The circumstances are different now, so His Majesty’s decision would be different as well. His Majesty will want to see the future of Anhalt’s unstable succession with his own eyes. More than that, he’ll want to see how you feel about Adrian Askanien.”

He spoke without pausing for even a moment, the words pouring out one after another. Only then did he draw a deep breath and murmur quietly, “From this point on, I need to think about how to present you to His Majesty in the best possible light, and what I can do between the two Askanier for His Majesty’s sake. You, meanwhile, need to figure out how you’re going to deal with Adrian Askanien—and His Majesty. Regarding the dukedom succession rights, that is.”

A month and a half had passed since the inauguration. Three days since Heike collapsed. Three days… Simone Savelli’s absent-minded reply came back to me. ‘Did it take two days to get here by train? Or was it three?’

I drew a long, deep breath. Given the political climate, Adrian Askanien, and everything else, there was nothing far-fetched about Mecklenburg’s conclusion. If the Emperor had been weak, uninterested in politics, or if Adrian Askanien had been a different kind of person, it might have been another story. But under the current circumstances?

Not a chance.

Ever since I’d entered imperial service as a member of the 101st Unit, it had been inevitable that Adrian Askanien would come looking for me someday. It just so happened that I’d been injured. Just as Adrian Askanien had returned to Germany from the Papal States after being wounded.

Mecklenburg’s insight was usually useless. Today, however, it made perfect sense. There was no avoiding it.

I stared blankly into space without saying a word. As if he’d read my thoughts, Mecklenburg muttered in a hollow voice, “We haven’t been friends for just a day or two.”

His voice was so quiet that I had to replay it in my head several times before I understood what he’d said. Still staring at the meaningless blue wallpaper of the restroom, I finally made my lips move.

“Very well.”

Otherwise, there’d be no reason for the Emperor to summon me. Especially not while refusing to tell me why. He wanted to see my unguarded reaction when I came face to face with my brother. Feeling my back stiffen, I gave a slow nod.

“It’s a warning I’d lose nothing by believing. Thank you.”

Exactly what I’d expected appeared before me. Not only did it appear—it was in my arms. There was the faint scent of old cologne, nearly faded with time, mingling with the rose fragrance placed throughout the first-class train cars to mask the naphthalene smell of the train seats.

I’d expected this. I’d even been warned. Mecklenburg had told me the Emperor might bring Adrian Askanien today. The strategy discussion that followed had helped me immensely, and thanks to it, I was able to greet Adrian with a smile. Smiling when I didn’t feel like it—making it look more genuine than a real smile—came as naturally to me as breathing. And yet…

“Brother.”

Damn it. I cursed inwardly. My voice cracked as I finished the word. His arms were wrapped so tightly around my back that they squeezed the breath from me, and only then did I realize my own hands were hanging awkwardly near his waist.

The Emperor was watching. He wore a satisfied smile, as though this reunion was exactly why he had gathered us here.

I pulled my gaze away after the briefest glance. Resting a hand between Adrian’s shoulder blades as he did to me, I spoke, hoping the tremor in my voice would pass for emotion.

“I… truly wasn’t expecting this. How did you get here?”

“Luka.”

He only buried his face against my shoulder and whispered my name. The moment I heard the dampness in his voice, revulsion spread through me. It wasn’t hard to guess what kind of scene he was trying to create.

The embrace was clumsy, our balance thrown off, and I stumbled back a step while instinctively pulling Adrian with me. Behind us, Mecklenburg quietly moved a chair aside and stepped out of the way.

“Brother… what’s wrong?”

I forced an awkward smile, trying to sound completely confused. But my attention was already elsewhere. The pounding of my heart echoed through my chest. And then there was the mana. Adrian’s mana collided with mine. Perhaps because he had just used warp magic, it hadn’t settled yet. Before it could reach my core, my own mana dissolved it away.

For a moment, I was grateful I’d replaced every artifact beneath my clothes with ones designed for mana control.

No. Was this really the time to be grateful?

It wasn’t.

Why had Adrian Askanien traveled for three whole days to get here? Why…

To find out what had changed in me after the Ash Wednesday Eucharist? To recreate, with his own hands, what Andrea Friedman had done to me? Or simply to prove, once again, that no matter how hard I struggled, one performance as the perfect older brother was enough to win the public’s sympathy and protection?

In contrast to my cold cynicism, his weak breath brushed against my left ear as he whispered, “I’m glad.”

“…….”

“That I didn’t have to see you lying in a hospital bed.”

Adrian Askanien slowly let go and stepped back. His gaze lingered on my face before drifting down to my neck. I lowered my eyes for a moment before greeting him.

“It’s good to see you again in Germany, Brother. But… you look much more worn than the last time we met. Are you alright?”

Adrian answered with only a faint smile. He had finally relaxed, leaving him with no strength to respond. Or rather, that was the role he was playing. I almost scoffed at the performance, only to realize I didn’t even have the energy for that. In that regard, I wasn’t much different from him. The only difference was that my exhaustion wasn’t an act.

I steadied my voice as much as I could.

“Brother. I’m in far better shape than I was before. You don’t need to wor—”

“You almost died.”

His eyes slowly rose from my neck to meet mine as he murmured the words in a subdued voice.

My neck. Of course. Just like at the Pentathlon, when Adrian Askanien wrote telling me to look after myself, it was my neck again this time. The sorrow in the voice of the person who insisted on calling himself my brother slowly tightened around my throat.

“You’re right. You’re stronger now than you’ve ever been. But that’s not what I mean. I am simply surprised, as I conveyed in my letter before, that you are still alive.”

“I’m sorry for causing you so much worry. So you came all the way to Germany because of me. I’m happier than I can say to see you again, Brother, but knowing I’ve caused you such concern weighs heavily on me.”

I forced the words out, feeling a chill creep across the back of my neck. Despite the fatigue written across his face from the long journey, Adrian deliberately adopted a sterner tone, though his voice still came out soft, almost breathless.

“Don’t apologize. None of this is your fault.”

“…….”

“We’ll talk properly later.”

He gave my shoulder an affectionate pat before turning to Mecklenburg.

“Albert.”

“…….”

“It’s good to see you. Seeing you again makes it feel like I’ve truly returned to Germany.”

“…Likewise. It’s good to see you again. It must’ve been nearly two years since the Deputy Minister’s inauguration.”

The tone caught me off guard. I looked toward Mecklenburg. The polite, accommodating mask he wore at the Command was gone. So were the gentle voice and easy smile. Instead, Mecklenburg smiled with calm confidence as he spoke. Adrian, apparently used to seeing him this way, simply smiled back.

“You remembered.”

“How could I not? It concerns one of my dearest friends.”

“I’m honored.”

Adrian Askanien kept smiling, looking genuinely touched. His bright blue eyes seemed to speak nothing but sincerity. Anyone who met his gaze would have thought the same. He turned back to the Emperor and bowed his head once more.

“Your Majesty, thank you for granting me permission to return.”

“It is only natural. You must have been so worried that you rushed here without even catching your breath.”

“My mind is now at ease now that I can see my younger brother in person.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

Looking thoroughly pleased, the Emperor made the suggestion that had been inevitable from the moment this meeting was arranged.

“To welcome the Deputy Minister after such a long journey, the palace chefs have prepared a meal. Let us go downstairs.”

Clatter―

As before, I put on a calm expression and took a bite of my food.

Adrian watched me quietly for a moment before smiling. He never looked Albert Mecklenburg’s way, but it seemed he’d deliberately stopped paying attention to the tension between us. Or perhaps not. There was no telling what he was thinking. It didn’t matter right now.

All my attention was fixed on Adrian, the Emperor, and myself.

“How have things been in the Papal States?”

As attendants cleared away our plates and set down the next course, the Emperor posed the question.

“They have been peaceful lately. Security there is maintained much more strictly than in ordinary Italian territories, so enemy incursions are rare. Attempts to steal information or resources from the Papal States can be extremely dangerous, but thanks to my capable colleagues, we have always managed to complete our missions and return safely.”

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. Adrian smiled gently before speaking.

“I have heard much news of my younger brother over the past period. I am genuinely glad that Lukas has been able to enter the Imperial service and serve for the Empire and His Majesty.”

“Indeed. Lord Lukas Askanien has become one of the indispensable mages of the Empire. To have two such remarkable Askanier serving the Empire with such loyalty… it almost feels as though Heaven itself favors both the Empire and House Hohenzollern.”

“Your Majesty honors me with such generous praise.”

“I have also heard that Lord Lukas Askanien has been doing a great deal for Anhalt. Stepping in to shoulder the Deputy Minister’s responsibilities is no small feat.”

“…….”

For a split second, it felt as though the air itself had frozen.

I kept my eyes on the Emperor. Looking to Adrian Askanien for any hint of expression would be a mistake. No one here would openly ask which of us would inherit the Duchy of Anhalt. Ducal succession. Those words were forbidden in this room. The only things being judged were the conversation that flowed as though nothing were amiss, the expressions on our faces, and the looks in our eyes.

Smiling at the Emperor, I answered in an even voice.

“You flatter me, Your Majesty. I have only ever admired my brother’s devotion to both the Empire and Anhalt, and tried to follow his example.”

Then I turned to Adrian, who was watching me with widened eyes, and gave him a gentle smile.

“I wanted to help Father strengthen Anhalt until the day you returned, Brother, so that I could repay everything you’ve done for me. Just as your guidance shaped the person I am today, there is still much I hope to learn from you.”

“To think I’d live to hear you say something like that.”

Adrian Askanien’s cheeks flushed with delight. His blue eyes shone quietly beneath the chandelier.

The light burned against my skin like a warning beacon. A born actor. I knew it instinctively. That was all. Keeping the smile on my face despite the chill creeping down my spine, I listened as his smooth, effortless voice continued.

“I merely followed the path fate laid before me. It was your devotion to His Majesty and to the people that brought you where you are today.”

Of course he would say that. That’s exactly what he’d say. My guard had been for nothing. He wasn’t saying a word about the Duchy of Anhalt. Not about Pleroma. Not about the rumors from my childhood. Not about the disposition. Not about blood, or the wound on my neck… or the Ash Wednesday Eucharist.

I didn’t know how much he knew, but despite this being the sort of occasion where every sentence ought to be laced with hidden meanings, not a single veiled remark was aimed at me. Unlike the Emperor earlier, who had deliberately skirted around the heart of the matter.

Instead, it was the Emperor who brought it up first. Watching us with satisfaction, he smiled.

“It is truly remarkable to see how well you have grown despite everything you have been through.”

It wasn’t hard to read the situation. Adrian Askanien’s goal was to play the part of innocence. At least for today, in this room, he had no intention of showing his true colors. Even when the Emperor handed him the perfect opening, Adrian merely smiled warmly.

“I am merely grateful to my younger brother for overcoming those difficult times.”

That was all. He was standing before a piñata, waiting for what was inside to grow larger.

Until the meal was nearly over, he spoke of nothing but politics. Whenever the Emperor steered the conversation toward the past, Adrian smoothly redirected it elsewhere. He praised me. He praised Albert Mecklenburg as well.

White wine was served after the meal. The Emperor, who had been chatting with the three of us throughout dinner, chose water instead and turned to Adrian.

“Where do you intend to stay before you return?”

“I will be staying at my residence in Berlin. I will have to stop by Anhalt before long, but I do not intend to remain there. The Ministry of Magic has requested my assistance this time, so I need to stay within Prussia.”

“Hmm. A wise decision.”

The Emperor gave a brief nod. Adrian smiled faintly and continued, “And since I plan to stay with my younger brother until his neck has healed, I would rather remain somewhere it is easy to call for a doctor.”