"..."
Without realizing it, I swayed on my feet, and Narce gently steadied me by placing a hand on my back.
Until now, I had only thought about fully formed Pleromas, but seeing an ordinary human transformed into a Pleroma was nothing short of shocking.
Unconsciously, my voice slipped out.
"…Did you say you're Gerda Asman?"
"Yes, that's me."
She continued speaking with a smile.
"Is it something important? Since it's raining, why don't you come inside first?"
* * *
Narce stiffened and scanned the room with a hardened expression.
Unlike the last time we were here, all the family photos that had been scattered around the room were now gone.
But that wasn't the only surprising thing—their attitude was astonishing.
'Does she not remember us?'
That seemed likely.
If someone who died at 60 were resurrected into a 20-year-old, the memories of those 40 years between ages 20 and 60 would be lost.
And even if, by some chance, she did remember us, Narce would have given me a sign if that were the case.
Gerda Asman placed teacups on the table, releasing a sharp scent of mint into the air.
"So, what brings you here?"
"We interviewed a Gerda Asman a few days ago, and I have some follow-up questions, so I came to see you in person."
"An interview?"
She squinted slightly as she looked us over, then smiled with what seemed like pity.
"I'm afraid I can't help you. It sounds like you were looking for my grandmother, Gerda Asman… but she passed away a few days ago."
―"No, it's her," Narce said, staring directly into her eyes.
He had to say it.
Her story had a flaw.
During our conversation a few days ago, I learned that Gerda Asman's entire family had died when she and her sibling were young. Her children hadn't even reached adulthood.
In this era, people typically married between the ages of 20 and 30, so it didn't make sense for her to have grandchildren.
"I see. You must be deeply saddened. I'm sorry if I've brought up painful memories."
"No, it's alright. It's comforting to know there are people who remember her kindness and come to visit."
"Were you close to her?"
"Yes, even though we didn't see each other often, she was my spiritual guide. I've always been proud of her."
Gerda Asman smiled brightly with a satisfied expression.
"..."
It seems Pleroma even scripts what happens after resurrection.
I wanted to tell her to work on her acting.
It's not strange to embrace death as a blessing, but unless she's intending to show her beliefs through her performance, it would be better to rely on common sense. Smiling so brightly after the tragic loss of a beloved grandparent would only raise eyebrows.
I asked Gerda Asman another question.
"By the way, it seems you share the same name?"
"It's quite common to be named after a parent or grandparent."
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"
There was a brief pause before Gerda responded.
"I'm 25. Why do you ask?"
That pause was troubling.
She had to think about her own age.
"There's no particular reason. I just thought we might be around the same age."
"You said your name was Felix Weitzel, right? How old are you, Mr. Weitzel?"
"I'm 23."
Essentially, I was saying I'm 24 in Korean age.
Although I decided on this with the others, I briefly wondered if I might have gone too far, considering I'm only a high school sophomore.
But since my appearance hadn't drastically changed, even if my style had, this small exaggeration wasn't a big deal.
"And your friend here?"
"Yes, the same."
"I see. Starting a new newspaper… I hope it goes well."
Gerda Asman said this while looking at the business card I'd given her.
Running out of small talk, I decided to get to the real reason we were there.
"I have a question for you, Ms. Asman. This won't be published; it's just a personal question, so please feel free to answer honestly."
"Go ahead."
"Do you plan to continue the charitable work your grandmother was involved in?"
"You're talking about the Heiligenzi orphanage."
She stroked her chin and nodded.
"Of course. If no one else will continue her legacy, then I must. My brother and I were her only remaining family, after all."
Here we go.
Indeed, she has no intention of abandoning the orphanage.
Pleroma doesn't do charity work.
It's only natural that those who receive the "blessing" of resurrection must pay a price.
She plans to offer the children of the orphanage as sacrifices to Pleroma.
I stared into her now sharp, clear eyes and asked,
"You have a brother? What does he think about continuing support for the orphanage?"
"Well, it seems all he's thinking about right now is business."
Gerda Asman laughed.
"..."
I had to work hard to keep my expression from darkening.
Arvin Asman must also be a Pleroma now.
When we met a few days ago, he had stepped away from his business and was living off the money he had earned in his youth.
'…They've reverted to the mindset they had in their twenties.'
It makes sense. They were resurrected into their younger selves.
I don't know what the principles of this resurrection are that could roll back everything to their younger years… but these people are no longer the ones I met a few days ago. Forty years is enough time for a person to change several times over.
And in those 40 years, the Empire has also changed a great deal.
It's amazing that they can adapt so easily to a world that's transformed so drastically.
For them, this isn't just resurrection; it's practically time travel.
When I first arrived here, I couldn't even remember the last time I smiled peacefully for the first few weeks.
But she seems completely at ease, as if nothing about this place feels strange to her, as if she's living a normal, peaceful day, unchanged from the one before.
'They must have received a benefit and a shock in equal measure.'
They must have been given something worth the upheaval of skipping 40 years. Something that could completely overturn their previously unsatisfying and frustrating lives.
Sure, Pleroma's indoctrination played a role, but what if their most fervent desires were fulfilled as well?
The desires they had before they resigned themselves to an unchanging reality, back when they had once longed to be mages…
"What are your thoughts on magic? It might seem like an unrelated question, but we're considering running a special feature on social reform. We're gathering opinions on the magic-centric world we live in."
"Without magic, our world wouldn't have advanced as quickly as it has. While I understand Mr. Weitzel may have a different opinion, I think our current structure, despite some unfair aspects, is not inherently wrong."
"…Then, Ms. Asman, have you ever wished to become a mage?"
I asked the same question, sitting at the same table, in the same seat, facing the same person as I did a few days ago.
I couldn't help but recall the trembling hands of the elderly woman who had spoken to us back then, her eyes, though faded and clouded, still filled with resolute conviction.
I clearly remembered the way she had looked at me, as if she saw her younger self in the non-mage youth who had expressed a desire to become a mage.
'…Please.'
I found myself silently praying to something I couldn't even identify as I clenched my fists tightly.
After a moment of hesitation, Gerda Asman laughed brightly, crinkling her nose.
"Of course! If I had the chance, I would love that. To be honest, it's not easy living as a non-mage. If I could just use a little magic… at least I wouldn't be treated as less than human."
"..."
Narce bit his lip.
The tension drained from my body as my stiff shoulders finally relaxed.
I could feel the energy seeping out of me as I turned my gaze away from her.
Let's correct this. She's not the same person anymore.
The elderly woman I met a few days ago is dead and gone, and the person before me is a completely different entity.
'It feels like I'm at a funeral.'
I quietly responded,
"I understand."
"Aren't you going to write this down?"
"It's alright. I'll summarize the simple Q&A when I get back."
I took down Asman's contact information and left, heading back to the dorms in silence.
Narce was just as quiet.
As we neared the school after a long ride, Narce finally spoke.
―"This feels like a desecration of the dead. I wonder if this is what Ms. Asman would have wanted."
―"Indeed."
There's no way she would have wanted to live as a servant of Pleroma.
It seems their desire to become mages was stronger than I had anticipated.
Narce sighed, unable to shake off the bitterness, and then turned to me.
―"Lucas, I learned something today. Let's meet in the student council building basement at midnight. I'll call Leo and Elias too."
* * *
After completing the purification of four nations as planned, I returned to school just before midnight.
Both in the capital and in Bavaria, armed mages were patrolling the streets with grim expressions.
A week had passed since Pleroma's incident, but the number of people on the streets was still significantly lower compared to before the event.
I glanced out the window of the dormitory at the street scene, then read the day's newspaper as I warped to the meeting place.
Elias looked up and said,
"You're here."
The three of them were already seated. Their expressions weren't great, likely due to the discussion they'd been having about Pleroma.
As expected, an article about the Heiligenzi deaths was spread out on the table.
Narce straightened up from his slouched position and spoke.
"Now that Lucas is here, let's get started."
"Alright."
"As you guys know, each Pleroma receives a special ability. I'm talking about the true Pleromas, not the ordinary believers."
In other words, the first-generation Pleromas.
They're not just followers of Pleroma's doctrine but individuals who possess Pleroma's unique traits.
Narce looked around at his friends and continued,
"Gerda Asman's special ability is similar to mine."
"Yours?"
"I have an innate ability called Insight. It's not extremely powerful, but I can get a rough sense of a person's situation and what they're thinking without them saying anything."
"That's pretty cool."
Elias nodded more nonchalantly than expected, as if he'd already suspected as much.
But if Gerda Asman's ability is similar, that could be a real problem.
"Gerda Asman also has the ability to read emotions like I do. But unlike me, she's limited to emotions only; she can't understand situations or thoughts that haven't been voiced."
'I see.'
I understand why she received that ability.
Of course, it's possible that this was her latent talent, which is why she became a target for Pleroma. In any case…
Her ability is perfect for manipulating people.
Especially with children, it would be even more effective.
Who wouldn't have positive feelings toward someone who can read their desires and cater to them before they even ask?
In the novel, the Pleromas frequently visited the orphanage as benefactors and often participated in events with the children.
The environment is already set for exploitation.
"And I'm not sure what ability Arvin Asman received. But just looking at Gerda Asman's ability, it's clear that it could be used dangerously. Lucas, you think the Asmans are going to do something at the orphanage, don't you?"
Narce looked at me as he spoke.
It seemed like he had already pieced together the conclusion I'd reached, but he wanted me to explain it to the others.
"Yes. I think the Asmans are connected to the Pleroma that's been causing disappearances in that region, or they soon will be."
"So they'll act together?"
Leo asked.
"Yeah. To repay the price of their new lives, they'll need to offer something substantial. Pleroma might have even orchestrated this so they could abduct more children more efficiently."
"Hmm, the problem is timing. We can't be there 24/7, but if we want to monitor what's happening at the orphanage in the northern capital…."
Everyone fell silent, lost in thought.
Finally, Leo spoke up.
"We could use the same tactics as Pleroma."
"How so?"
"If Pleroma avoided suspicion by involving people connected to the orphanage, we could do the same by placing someone there. The Asmans won't suspect an undercover officer, so we can ask them to keep an eye out and alert us immediately if something seems off."
It was a good plan.
"Yeah, let's go with that."
We'll need to rotate the personnel daily to avoid raising suspicion.
I quickly added,
"But we need another method as well. Undercover officers can only catch things after they happen; they can't read the plans forming in someone's head."
"…That's true."
Leo nodded in agreement.
But it's not like we can have Narce go visit them every day to keep tabs on their emotions.
'Let's think. There must be a way.'
I closed my eyes for a moment, pressing my fingers against my brow.
Then, almost immediately, I opened them again.
"…Emotions."
"Hm?"
I had read about emotion-altering magic potions in a book on emotional magic since coming here.
"Leo, can you get me a potion that induces love?"
"What?"
Leo looked at me incredulously.
As the words left my mouth, a few song lyrics floated through my mind, and I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. But that wasn't important right now.
Elias burst out laughing, clapping his hands before finally composing himself enough to speak.
"You're planning to give it to them? Make the Pleromas fall in love with you?"
"It would definitely help with gathering information…."
Leo muttered with a dry laugh, then looked me straight in the eye.
"Yeah, I can get you the potion. It's on the edge of legality, but if it's for a Pleroma, it shouldn't be an issue. But how do you plan to administer it and keep it going? Are you going to spike their tea every day?"
"No."
I shook my head and continued.
"I'm going to drink it myself."