Mage? Magic Engineer!

"Now that you’ve perked up, I’ll just drop it." Richard turned his back to Rorschach.

How could he let that slide? Rorschach was furious, flipping him back over. "Out with it. Now."

Richard hesitantly confessed. Only then did Rorschach realize just how cushy a life the guy had been living—he’d even had time for a blind date during his leave. From Richard’s account, Rorschach also learned the inside story of the coup in the Imperial Capital.

"Are you the main character of a chivalric romance? How do you keep ending up in situations like this? And is this Libusse a princess of Pomerania?"

"That’s not important," Richard said with a faint smile.

’That handsome face is just asking for a punch.’ Rorschach let out a long breath. "So, let me get this straight. Even though you haven’t said it outright, you’re quite taken with this Miss Libusse, aren’t you? Don’t deny it. But why don’t you plan on contacting her again?"

"Because, as you said, I’m a Magical Creature now." Richard raised his hand, realizing Rorschach wasn’t exaggerating. He made a casual gesture, and materialized Magic Power left a visible trace in the air. Many spells that had once been difficult to perform now seemed to require only a single thought to cast. This new body was equipped with every possible talent for Casting.

He returned to the topic. "If we were to pursue this and, say, actually get married... could we even have children?"

’Why is he even thinking about that? Does he have a throne to inherit? Uh... actually, Richard does have a lot to inherit. And her family really does have a throne. Never mind, then.’

"...Rick, you’re not an only child, are you?"

"I have an older brother. But that’s not the point." He sat up, considering the matter seriously. "It’s about Libusse. If we got together but never had children, it would attract gossip. And unfortunately, the world often rushes to blame the woman first."

"Besides, would Libusse herself be able to accept having no children? I don’t know. It’s better to just end the relationship here. Most Mages end up alone anyway."

"You’re too damn nice, always thinking about others. Seriously, you might as well just punch me right now." Rorschach was practically gritting his teeth. He placed both hands on his friend’s shoulders.

"I think you should tell that girl the truth, instead of cutting things off with the excuse that it’s ’for her own good’."

’One side gives up for a secret, tragic reason, while the other desperately searches for their love and the truth, with all sorts of bitter twists and turns in between... Are you two trying to act out a soap opera?!’

Rorschach gripped his brother’s shoulders and said, word by word, "Explain everything clearly to this Miss Libusse. Tell her it’s all because of me, the bastard who did this to you. If you two get together, I swear—I absolutely swear—I’ll make sure you have no regrets. Even if I have to bring over every Mage from the Tower of Forest to research this one single, crucial issue."

"No, no, no, I think this conversation has veered off in an extremely strange direction. Can we please stop? I will explain things to Miss Libusse, but at a suitable time and in a manner of my own choosing. And definitely not with you acting like this."

Richard didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, especially at that last part. It was a little domineering, and a little weird.

’At that moment, Rorschach was like a combination of an overbearing CEO from a romance novel and an old quack doctor from a TV infomercial selling... performance enhancers. Hmm, maybe the overbearing CEO of a performance enhancer company?’

Because Rorschach had personally crafted Richard’s new body, and because of his own guilt, he now felt a strange sense of responsibility for his friend who was, in theory, older than him. He asked a few more questions and only then learned that Libusse was the sole direct daughter of the Crook Clan.

"That reminds me. She has a cousin who made a special trip to Bayern to find me a while back." Rorschach watched Richard’s expression as he spoke. "Her cousin and I had a ’very pleasant chat.’ He said he was a member of some organization and came to me looking for a sponsorship."

"How strange. That they’d come to you for help."

"It is. I’m usually pretty low-key." Rorschach rarely had any contact with the Empire’s circle of Nobility. His only connections were the Bayern Royal Family and, of course, Richard.

"So, did you agree?" Richard asked, naturally following the thread of conversation.

"Shouldn’t you be asking what organization it was, or what they needed a sponsorship for?"

"...True. But I’m tired and not interested." The "patient" who had been sitting up lay back down, stretching out in a comfortable position, seemingly a gesture to show his guest out.

Seeing this, Rorschach stood up. "With the body you have now, you could run from the Imperial Capital to Valuva without breaking a sweat." Still, he backed out of the room. "Rest well... I’m so sorry."

After offering one last apology, Rorschach gently closed the door.

Richard’s sickroom was in the Imperial Capital. After ten days of quiet recuperation, he was immediately summoned to the Imperial Palace by the Emperor.

From his own firsthand perspective, he recounted the entire incident to William II, but he omitted Rorschach’s name and actions. He wasn’t lying. If not for his resurrection and subsequent meeting with Rorschach, Richard truly wouldn’t have known who created the black hole and the final, massive explosion.

Because he omitted this information, the other listeners would naturally believe that the final explosion, like all the calamities before it, was caused by an evil ritual.

William II stared intently into those bright eyes. "Count Dalberg, are you certain that the disaster in Ovord had nothing to do with the Mages of Valois or the Magic Guild?" His use of Richard’s title was unprecedented, showing the Emperor’s gravity at that moment.

"No, it was related," Richard answered truthfully as always. "By the time I arrived, the situation had already deteriorated to a certain degree. I mistakenly underestimated its severity and danger. I gathered all the Military Mages in our ranks and negotiated with the Valois side."

"The temporary agreement stipulated that the Valois Army would be allowed to retreat, but their Casters had to stay behind to help deal with the calamity."

"Regrettably, we ultimately failed and were nearly all wiped out."

Many had witnessed this firsthand, and his account matched the testimony of the surviving Military Mages. Afterward, the Emperor also expressed his concern for Richard’s health.

As for how he survived, Richard only said that he had lost consciousness and didn’t know the details.

After resurrecting his brother, Rorschach had done a fair bit of work to cover his tracks. He’d arranged for Rick to be discovered on the banks of the Oder River, making it easy for people to assume he had jumped into the water to escape the explosion.

Even if the water flowing through the blast zone had been completely vaporized, it didn’t stop the imperial ministers and the Emperor, who hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, from imagining a "plausible" scenario for Richard’s survival.

Even if many of the details seemed plausible, the Emperor still had questions, and his tone was hostile. "On what grounds do you dare to assert that the Valois Mages who stayed behind were there to handle the anomaly, and not for some other purpose, Count Dalberg?"

Richard stated with conviction, "Because by then, the disaster had escalated to a point where we all recognized its underlying danger."

"This wasn’t a tactical or strategic move by one Caster or army to defeat another. It was something that indiscriminately created tragedy and vile creatures. Not long ago, the Magic Guild even issued a warning about the growing activity of the Earth Mother Goddess faith. And as far as I know, a similar contamination incident once broke out in Valuva..."

"Based on these factors, I determined that everyone present was on the side of wisdom and civilization, regardless of allegiance. In fact, in addition to our own compatriots, Mages from Valois also sacrificed their lives."

William II gave a reluctant nod. "Very well. Thank you for your defense of the Magic Guild."

"Your Majesty, this is not a defense, nor is it for any person or organization outside the Empire..." Richard disliked the Emperor’s final words, but His Majesty was clearly no longer interested in listening. Richard could only bow, sigh, and leave the Imperial Palace.

After he left, another man appeared for an audience with the Emperor.

The Monk, Gregory, was somehow still alive. He strolled leisurely through the first gate of the Imperial Palace, completely unfazed by the Guards’ weapons aimed at him.

Gregory’s entire aura had changed dramatically. He was more sinister, and taller. What was most striking, sending a shiver down the spine, were his sunken eye sockets. From within and without his eyeballs, black veins spread out, covering the whites of his eyes and the surrounding sockets, pulsing as they expanded and contracted.

Upon stepping into the Forbidden Magic Domain within the Imperial Palace, he couldn’t help but reveal a faint smile, baring his sharp canine teeth.