Indeed, with the help of the King of Bavaria, I could bring this situation to a swift conclusion.
With such a solid foundation, I could even announce that my brother had been drugging me. It was a thought that crossed my mind.
However…
"The timing isn't right."
I must think long-term.
Wouldn't my brother have prepared for what would happen if his actions, known to everyone in the Askanian family, became public? Even the number of servants exceeds a hundred.
'He'd likely use the oath with the imperial family as an excuse.'
Even now, I can come up with an immediate explanation.
Though it's been buried in people's memories, the fact that someone with the greatest magical power in Askanian history suddenly became an ordinary person unable to use magic is certainly suspicious.
Some of those involved in the oath may know that Askanian has been feeding me a potion to remove my abilities.
In that case, should I reveal that the murder incident long ago was my brother's doing?
How can I reveal that without any evidence? Even with the King of Bavaria backing me, it is impossible to prove.
If there is no way right now, I shouldn't publicly hinder my brother until I have a chance to get rid of him.
'Then, how about revealing my identity as Nicolaus, using the King's trust as leverage, without attacking my brother?'
This, too, is not ideal.
Support doesn't simply increase because someone powerful is backing you.
If I reveal my identity relying only on someone else's endorsement, I could easily collapse under the slightest attack.
It's crucial to increase Nicolaus's national support for a more thorough success.
The King looked intently at my face, then smiled with satisfaction.
"Yes. I agree. It's not advisable in this situation where the citizens trust Adrian Askanian more than His Majesty the Emperor."
"...."
Was he testing me?
Even if it made me chuckle, I'm someone he met just yesterday from the King's perspective, so it can't be helped. How much could he trust me?
Seeing him go to such lengths makes me curious about the scale and significance of his proposal.
"Well, shall we get to my real proposal?"
"Please go ahead."
"I don't know how you plan to reveal your identity or how you'll deal with Nicolaus. Nicolaus will likely be discarded after his support is transferred to Lucas."
Hearing about what comes after unifying my identities is new.
I met his gaze and waited for him to continue.
"But even after Nicolaus Ernst becomes Lucas Askanian, the citizenship rights you hold won't disappear."
"...."
Naturally, if no action is taken after revealing my identity, the citizenship will remain intact.
But that's not the trivial point he's making. He's saying that regardless of my choice, Nicolaus's identity won't be erased and that my duties as a citizen and a mage of the kingdom will be strictly enforced.
"You mean to live as both a citizen of Anhalt and a citizen of Bavaria."
I looked at the Bavarian palace across the garden and asked with a smile.
"It's not a suggestion, is it?"
"It's not mandatory. It's just my wish."
He smiled back and drove the point home once more.
"But speaking of my thoughts, I have no intention of letting the Duchy of Anhalt inherit the accomplishments you've built. I didn't stamp your citizenship with that in mind."
"...."
"Of course, I assume you feel the same way, don't you?"
"Yes, I do."
Of course, I don't intend to do that.
Why would I do something nice for my father and brother?
Since I bear the Askanian name, the accomplishments of Nicolaus will inevitably serve as a source of pride for Anhalt.
In the long run, that's also a good thing. It's clear who will have the right to inherit the title of Duke of Anhalt once my brother is dealt with.
In the immediate sense, it means Bavaria also cannot yield Nicolaus.
They can't just leave me be only to have me drain the benefits and discard them.
"I have no intention of abandoning Bavaria. I will never forget the grace Your Majesty has bestowed upon me."
"In that case, our conversation is concluded."
The King smiled contentedly.
'…Simple.'
It smoothly passed at a crucial point, surprisingly.
And it makes sense.
He knows I have little affection for Anhalt and that I harbor no fondness for my father and brother. There's no reason for me to abandon Bavaria in his calculations.
"As you know, Bavaria has been dedicated to medicine in the post-magic era. Thanks to solving what old humanity's medicine couldn't with magic, we can hold sway over the Empire and the continent."
I'm curious what the reaction would be if he said they held sway even in reality.
Well, there's no point in comparing since there's no magic in reality.
He flicked his fingers, scattering magic across the table.
Images of the Bavarian Medical Museum's interior and hundreds of small vials appeared. I recognized them as materials for new generation humans from a general medical book I read once.
"The state of your body is also a result of the technology of the Wittelsbachs. And it's the same for most mages of our era. We can now extend lifespans up to three times and create life using magic. It's been a long time since we turned the impossible into the possible."
He withdrew his fingers, dismissing the images.
"We need another advancement now."
It must be aimed at advancing the field of combat magic.
In fact, Bavaria's magical military power is already at a significant level.
'Yet they're not satisfied with that.'
I like it.
After only seeing the timid students at the Second Institute, seeing someone like him is refreshing.
His lips curled as if he read that on my face.
"Sir Nicolaus will become the greatest mage in our kingdom. If there's anything necessary for your survival, I will support it. Whether it's for Lucas Askanian or Nicolaus Ernst."
The greatest mage in our kingdom, huh?
I didn't bother to refute it and smiled lightly.
'He has high expectations.'
Knowing I'm desperate to make Nicolaus succeed, he must have decided it wouldn't hurt to invest. After all, I'll continue to achieve great accomplishments with substantial publicity.
Of course, the same goes for me.
Support is never a bad thing. While there haven't been any issues so far, this opens up the possibility of participating in large-scale projects as a Bavarian mage.
Moreover, it prevents Nicolaus's achievements from entirely shifting to Askanian, creating a support base for Nicolaus in both Anhalt and Bavaria.
I replied with a smile.
"I will meet Your Majesty's expectations."
"Good, excellent."
He answered in a refreshing tone and extended his hand.
As I lightly shook it, magic flowed through my wrist, constricting my veins.
It was an oath sealed in place of a loyalty pledge, a magic I was familiar with from Askanian.
"Well, it's already this late. Shall we discuss the issues discovered in the Strauch incident?"
"What issue do you mean?"
"I've listened to the entire recording. I believe you have identified what the issue is by now, so let's hear your thoughts."
I didn't expect to get advice on the situation, but two heads are better than one. I already had an idea of how I should proceed, but it wouldn't hurt to have more input.
I nodded and began to speak.
"Lucas Askanian's negative image overshadows Nicolaus Ernst's. Now we need to find a way to improve Lucas Askanian's image."
***
The next day, I sat in an empty classroom, jotting down my next plan in my notebook.
Today, everyone moved to the restricted area around the capital for the monthly evaluation, but I remained in the classroom as I was deemed unfit for the core.
'It's nice to have the place to myself.'
The only background noise was the sound of other departments preparing for the festival.
Our class was noisy with theater practice, but at least today I could focus on the problem.
'First, let's deal with Luca's Impression score.'
The animosity toward Lucas is still stronger than the goodwill toward Nicolaus, enough for the enemy to use it as a weapon.
'I need to raise his Impression score to a certain level.'
The target score is -8.
Although I used the phrase "improve the image," I don't expect the score to skyrocket.
What I'm aiming for is a concept that the status window's numbers cannot capture.
Even if it's the same -10, it's different if it's because of fear versus pity.
At this point, it's necessary to recall the conclusion reached after the conversation with the King.
Creating commonalities between Nicolaus and me would narrow the gap the public feels between us and give them room to connect the two who seemed completely separate.
Currently, I'm considering the extraordinary image derived from Nicolaus's magic and deeds.
Outstanding features or unusual skills in a specific field are easier to link beyond their specific domain than you might think. Regardless of reality, people often make quick connections, thinking, "Of course, someone who's good at one thing must be good at another."
'Then I just need to create a similar image for Lucas.'
If a similar image is created in a specific field, it will likely only enhance connections rather than create any drawbacks.
Especially since Luca has a strong image of incompetence and lethargy not only among the students at the Second Institute but also among the general public, breaking this image will have a significant effect on transforming perceptions.
Since I can't compete in practical skills, I need to expand beyond the school to compete nationwide in academics outside of magic.
'He said he'd arrange the stage.'
Since he's thinking around the end of the year, I should just wait for now.
'Now, onto the next.'
Having dealt with Strauch, it's time to prepare for the next plan.
The next plan involves the missing persons. It's also a case Elias solved after the barrier suitability incident.
'Elias started gaining fame from this point on.'
Since I don't intend to change course, I should actively promote Elias this time if possible.
At that moment, a clanking sound echoed repeatedly from down the hallway.
Pai, who had stayed behind and not followed Narce, lifted his head.
'What is it?'
Bang—!
"Hey, you're still here~"
Elias kicked open the door and sat on the desk next to me, chewing on something.
Besides me, Elias, who was still treating his leg, also failed the evaluation.
He spent the whole day going up and down the school, saying goodbye to the students, and finally returned to the classroom after doing who knows what.
Elias whistled at Pai, who jumped onto my neck.
"Hey there, bunny~"
Pai blinked without responding.
He doesn't seem to dislike him, but when he encounters Elias without Narce, he folds his ears back. He seems to be afraid of him for some reason.
I gestured at the small bucket in Elias's hand to divert his attention from Pai.
"What's that?"
It was a bucket I'd never seen before, and I had no idea where it came from. Seeing the fruits inside, I couldn't help but ask.
"This? It's cherries. The kids doing the snack booth tomorrow had them."
"You didn't just take them, did you?"
"Come on~ No matter what, I'm not the kind of guy who steals other people's food! They gave them to me when I was checking it out."
Elias offered the bucket to me.
I took a couple and passed one to Pai.
Meanwhile, Elias grabbed a handful of cherries, stuffed them into his mouth, and muttered while casting a soundproofing spell.
"Wow, how can the school be so quiet? It's a shame. I wanted to hear the kids talking about Strauch."
I heard it already before the assembly.
I witnessed Leo's energy drain in real-time as even the professors joined the students in talking about Strauch.
"There's no need. You heard it this morning."
"It's exciting, no matter how many times I hear it. Don't you want to tell everyone that the one who took down the Pleroma is here?!"
That's true. I'm curious about how they'd react.
Elias continued speaking as I just smiled at his words.
"Let's talk about what we're going to do next. I've got a field I'm interested in. Tomorrow's the festival, so you'll be too busy to think about it, right?"
"I don't know if I'll have time to play. I plan to head to the library once I'm done with my tasks."
"Oh right, you don't have any friends. Hahaha! You'll have no choice but to talk about the Pleroma with me!"
That was harsh….
I chuckled at Elias's hearty laugh and started tidying up my desk.
If I truly didn't have friends, he wouldn't joke about it like this. If he sighed and gave me a worried look instead, that would be a red flag.
Sure enough, Elias winked immediately.
"You know I'm joking, right? You've got like ten friends here, don't you?"
He's talking about the friends in our secret club. It's true that we've gotten fairly close, so he's right.
Of course, outside of our meetings, everyone ignores me thoroughly, so it's not like I have anyone to hang out with.
But leaving that aside, I need to find a time to talk with Narce around that time, so I really don't have time.
"Alright, let's start discussing it. First, let's change our location."