Chapter 24 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Pleroma Plan
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"What?"
Melvin froze with his mouth hanging open.
Narke and Leo, who already knew my story, looked even more serious.
This was a good time to check something.
This guy was one of the students whose favorability I'd checked when I first arrived at school. Unsurprisingly, it had been -10 back then.
What I was saying wasn't exactly easy to swallow, so I needed to see if my Persuasion trait was kicking in.
Melvin Clokner
Favorability –8*
Title: Epitome of Diligence
Stamina: +4
Mental Strength: -1.5
Mana: +4.5
Technique: +4.5
Impression: +5
Luck: +1
Trait: Trust (Lv. 3)
'Good.'
Even without anything happening to boost it, his favorability had gone from -10 to -8—a solid +2. And the new * mark confirmed the trait was active.
Persuasion was likely working fine too.
I leaned toward Melvin, my voice firm as I asked,
"Melvin, what was I like to you before? Some guy hiding his messy hair over his face, mumbling and unable to answer even the simplest questions? Dragging my feet around powerlessly, holing up in the dorms all day, every day."
"You know it pretty well."
Ignoring Leo's remark, I waited for Melvin's response.
"Y-Yeah... You couldn't even use magic."
"Right. And now?"
"...You seem like a different person. In every way."
"So what do you think changed that?"
I gave a faint smile, staring straight into Melvin's eyes.
At a loss for words, Melvin just blinked, his face troubled as he fumbled for something to say.
"S-So you're saying you've been acting for the past year? Right?"
"Well, it's complicated. But..."
I continued without pause.
"There's one reason I started showing changes after becoming a second-year. It's time to put my plan into action."
"..."
The other students had attended the three lower academies, equivalent to elementary, middle, and high school. But for Luca, this place was his first.
They had no basis to judge me beyond the past year.
If they knew I'd lived like last year since childhood, it'd be a problem—but since that wasn't the case, this was workable.
Melvin nodded, still looking confused.
"...Yeah, I don't get it all, but you're saying you did it on purpose. You said earlier that the Pleroma rumor was bullshit you spread yourself. It's gotta be connected to how you acted last year, right?"
I stayed silent, letting Melvin keep talking. He was groping for words, lips flapping without me needing to respond.
"It's true you've changed into someone else. Honestly, I never thought you could answer the professor so smoothly. Or raise your grades enough for the special class. Or stand up to Philip's crew after he hit you. So... mentally speaking."
Philip... the guy who punched me last month.
I nodded, listening to Melvin.
"Everyone probably thinks the same. Whenever your name comes up with friends, it's always 'How'd he change so much?' If what you're saying is true... it all lines up."
I listened to Melvin without reacting.
Frowning and shifting his gaze around, Melvin hesitated before looking at me.
"But there's still something I don't get. Why spread the Pleroma rumor? What do you even gain? It makes no sense..."
At that, I smiled.
Now for the main point.
"Melvin, I'm going to wipe Pleroma off the face of this world."
"Uh, y-yeah... Good plan... So?"
"You'd know this, but the imperial family failed to deal with them for the past twelve years. Unpredictable movements and irregular activity patterns play a part. Their unique magic does too. To grasp all that, we need to seize the essence no one else can catch."
I paused a beat to let it sink in, then went on.
"I'm going to keep up the act to make contact with Pleroma, Melvin."
Melvin's eyes widened.
He looked like he doubted what he'd just heard.
Leo, who'd been standing behind Melvin the whole time, murmured softly.
"Like I said earlier, that's why Lucas is here."
Hearing it from Leo of all people sent another shock across Melvin's face.
Melvin furrowed his brows, glancing between me and the room, then dropped his gaze with his mouth open. He needed time to think alone. Up until now, he'd been reeling from the barrage of unbelievable claims, but now that I'd laid it all out, he could sort through it himself.
After a long silence, I spoke up.
"This is about time to explain why the imperial family hasn't taken me in. They officially cleared me as not being Pleroma long ago. Remember?"
"Yeah, I heard about it when I was a kid."
"But why do you still think I'm Pleroma? Why not accept the imperial announcement? Not just you—the whole country. Why?"
Melvin tilted his head, speechless.
I gave him time to mull it over, then spoke.
"Want me to rephrase? Pleroma breaks down into two main groups: First-Gen and Second-Gen. Which one am I seen as?"
First-Gen meant the originals who arose naturally, while Second-Gen were the corpses they revived and fanatical followers sworn to Pleroma doctrine.
Melvin answered without hesitation.
"First-Gen."
"Right. The imperial family verified I'm alive and not aligned with Pleroma doctrine. I don't qualify as Second-Gen. So why do people shun me? Because I'm said to have First-Gen qualities. Or rather, that's the rumor. Right?"
"Yeah."
"But if the imperial family found those qualities in me, they'd have grabbed me regardless of my beliefs. So why am I still here, not locked up?"
In reality, this too had been swept under the rug by our family's own investigation and a pact with the imperials.
But that's not how people saw it.
"Well, your core rank is... the lowest. Wait—hold on! You can't use magic, and you want to infiltrate Pleroma?!"
"When did I say I can't use it?"
"Huh?"
Melvin stared at me, stunned.
Thwack—!
I pulled out my wand and tapped the desk lightly. A gust of wind erupted. Blinding white light burst forth with the spell's activation.
"Ugh!"
Melvin shielded his face with both arms against the fierce wind.
Then, slowly lowering them, his mouth fell open as he looked up.
"...What? What was that?"
He noticed the white light swirling around him and met my eyes.
"The activation range... No, wait. Why... why is it white?"
"Why do you think?"
"T-This is divine power, isn't it?! No way, Narke, you..."
"Nope, not me."
Narke waved both hands. Leo added casually,
"Lucas can use divine power too, Melvin. Hard to believe, I know."
Melvin's face went blank again, his mouth flapping soundlessly.
"See? We've got a shot, right? That's why I stuck around."
Narke propped his chin on his hand, grinning as he poked at the white light around him. He nodded toward Melvin and winked at me.
It was over.
* * *
Ding—!
〈 Chapter 3. Persistent Water Drops Pierce the Stone (1) 〉
Proposal 3: Life is for the bold! Recruit 10 team members. (10/10) (1 hour 07 minutes 18 seconds)
* Route 1 ― 〈 Chapter 4. Persistent Water Drops Pierce the Stone (2) 〉
* Route 2 ― 〈 Chapter 4. Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today 〉
One hour.
I'd succeeded with an hour to spare.
I let out a sigh of relief and rubbed my forehead. Leo asked, seeing me bow my head.
"What's up?"
"Nothing..."
Even with my eyes closed, white light flashed in my vision.
Congratulations!
Proposal 3: 'Life is for the bold! Recruit 10 team members.' Success!
'Chapter 3. Persistent Water Drops Pierce the Stone (1)' Complete!
'Route 1 ― 〈 Chapter 4. Persistent Water Drops Pierce the Stone (2) 〉' Confirmed.
I swatted the window away and shook my head.
No hiccups, mission accomplished.
Each chapter seemed to give a special reward, so moving to the next one felt good.
'If only I knew how to level up traits.'
I'd noticed it while convincing these last seven: Persuasion's 20% boost made some parts smoother. Leveling it would speed up future talks.
Favorability hit positive for all seven, thanks to the trait.
Melvin's final score was +1.
Even without the trait, it'd be -1—a dramatic jump from the initial -10.
The other six were similar. Like with Leo, clearing up misunderstandings shot it near zero and beyond.
"Lucas, hey...!"
Melvin came in with an awkward smile.
I waved lightly with a grin.
"Hey."
"Starting today, right?"
"Yeah."
He sat, pulling out materials with sparkling eyes at my reply.
As promised time arrived, the students I'd convinced filed in and took seats.
"Hey, Lucas. Man, I still can't believe it. You've been thinking like that all along?"
"Yeah."
I smiled at their chatter, lost in thought.
This group would exceed my expectations. It couldn't end as some school club.
I knew Pleroma's moves for the next ten years.
Not every detail, but the major events and how the protagonist resolves them. I'd filled a whole notebook early on with everything that came to mind.
'Of course, the plot could change.'
So I analyzed their existing patterns.
When it diverged, I could spot modifications and remnants to predict new outcomes.
Saying I could slap any other ending onto mine wasn't bluffing. No image sticks like a supposed Pleroma member eradicating them.
Just wielding divine power alone and claiming innocence while acting normal wasn't enough. Gradual changes had to happen under the radar, not in public. If my brother had time to craft a counter-scenario to my shift, it was over.
This shocking reveal would stun the masses in one go, leaving him unable to touch me.
So I had to commit fully. No better weapon existed.
I spread a map on the desk and spoke.
"Thanks for making time. Let's get started."
* * *
Next morning, before assembly, I got up early to drop my stuff at the special class.
I'd skipped it while finishing proposals. Any more absences meant warnings, so I had to show up mornings at least.
Clunk—
"Huh."
I stopped dead opening the door.
A student stood in front of my room. He'd stepped back, startled before I even knocked, then cleared his throat.
"I'm here to deliver a letter."
He lifted the basket briefly and picked the top envelope. A papal seal stamped it as he handed it over.
I flipped it immediately. Top left, fresh emerald script gleamed in neat handwriting.
Adrian Ascanien.
A letter from my brother.
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