How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 165

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (165)

‘Wait…!’

There was no avoiding it.

Who on earth would think to enter a room without stepping on the floor for some potential crime? It would be easier to ask someone to walk on water. At least that would give time to prepare magic.

The Intermediate Realm with nothing but darkness was brief.

Soon even my thoughts were cut off.

* * *

A strange smell.

That was the first thing I felt when I opened my eyes.

“Mmm…”

A sound leaked out from my throat on its own.

I tried to secure my vision, but my sight moved far too slowly.

I know when this kind of reaction happens.

Right now I’m on the edge. When shock comes or drowsiness hits from blood loss, this is how it becomes.

‘…There’s no reason for that now. Did I have an accident?’

I definitely met the Emperor, used divine power on the police bureau people…

And then?

“…”

I clearly know what I did, but the haziness erased my thoughts.

I must not lose consciousness. If I close my eyes like this…

[Was it too much…?]

[…was it?]

I forced open my gradually narrowing eyes.

If I close my eyes like this, I’ll faint.

[…er.]

[Something to wipe with…]

Someone beside me pressed a rough towel to my mouth.

Thanks to biting my tongue, my mind cleared for just a moment. The sensory delay remained, but my thinking ability returned somewhat.

[Some water at least…]

[No. Just…]

As my mind cleared a bit, I gradually became able to perceive how my senses were processing information.

Voices scattered at the edge of consciousness.

An unpleasant feeling continued as if inflammatory reactions were occurring from the outer skin to the inside. It was a sensation far too disgusting to endure with a clear mind.

‘…Retry. As quickly as possible.’

Ding―!

Searching for Chapter 6 checkpoint… (0/?)

Even as my eyes were closing, bright white text flashed in my vision.

‘No, you bastard…’

Though this is the first time I’ve seen this kind of window.

Still, the fortunate thing is that the window [Chapter 6 checkpoint has expired.] didn’t appear. This kind of window pops up when too much time has passed to return to a branching point that could change the story.

Still, it’s fortunate that this time it’s at least attempting to search.

‘…Then, I’ll have to endure for now.’

I need to find out who those bastards are that boldly placed warp magic in the Imperial 2nd Education Institute dormitory, and for what purpose they dragged me here.

Now that I’ve entered enemy territory is the opportunity to stop whining about unpleasant pain.

Of course, my condition doesn’t seem suitable for leisurely thinking… but I need to find out what I can before leaving.

I put strength into my severely bent neck and slowly turned my head.

Several humans who are definitely Human are sitting beside me.

‘Hmm.’

Perhaps my brain is gradually getting tainted by the New Human way of thinking, as the fact that they’re Human reached my brain first.

If I had been living in the previous world, I would have first recognized that they were girls.

But…

‘…Damn…’

Though my brain keeps flowing slowly, I reached a clear conclusion.

This is Primrose Pass.

There’s nothing more to investigate. The appearance of these Humans is absolutely not something you’d see on the street.

I turned my head and stared straight ahead. I don’t know how it looked to others, but I tried to stare.

A man who also appears to be Human is sitting there.

Among Humans, people over 175cm are hard to distinguish from New Humans, but though this person has a large build, he’s aged and shows signs of long hormonal influence at his facial extremities.

‘A pimp?’

The Human beside me looks at most around the age to graduate from the 3rd Education Institute, but this person is at least in his late thirties.

Rather than being a customer, he’s observing me instead of the Human sitting beside me. And he’s holding a camera artifact in his hand.

At the very least, he must be the Caretaker of this place.

After confirming that much, I ran out of strength and leaned my head back against the sofa.

“Ah…”

[…this person needs something…]

[…leave them alone…]

The sound of Humans talking to each other was muffled in my ears.

The reason I sighed is different from what these people expected.

‘Damn…’

First, what the hell am I looking at? The ethics I’ve built up my entire life are rejecting the scene unfolding before my eyes.

Second, now it’s certain why I was dragged here.

‘It’s obvious.’

To threaten Elias.

Tormenting those around him to make him exhausted and collapse. After being continuously tormented, it’s reasonable to blame the cause as ‘this is all Elias’s fault.’

But such harassment is at most sending threatening letters until the mailbox bursts or sitting stubbornly in front of the house, not warping an investigator friend to a Depraved Establishment.

And why me of all people?

Of course, I don’t mean it would be better for Elias or Narke to suffer the same thing. It’s better for me, who can turn back time, to experience it rather than them. And they’re still just high school students.

So to ask the question precisely, what are they trusting to be able to go this far?

Beep―

It’s the sound from the artifact the Human is holding.

I raised my head again to look at him.

He was pointing the artifact toward me.

“…”

Does he think I haven’t come to my senses?

Taking pictures so blatantly when my eyes are open.

Of course, the world is moving far too slowly. From their perspective, it would still look like I haven’t regained consciousness.

‘There are several questions.’

Let’s set aside the fact that their backing must be enormous for now.

Really, ‘why’ me of all people?

Because I’m the easiest target? I doubt it. One of the reasons Philip cried that day was ‘in case I tattled to my family.’ Just from that, you can see what kind of meaning the background of being a Ruling House of a country has.

Their supporting forces would have to be at least equal to Ascanien or higher level.

‘Could it be… Hyung’s doing?’

Since Pleroma won’t work anymore, he’ll send me to a Depraved Establishment? And spread photos nationwide too?

Looking at just the results, it would be effective, but thinking that Hyung ordered such a high-risk operation with his own mouth feels somewhat ambiguous.

And there’s still one problem.

‘After I escape from here?’

From the warp magic placed at the school to whatever drug I was given, I know everything.

Especially, I can use this to empower Elias. The photos will actually become evidence proving my victimization.

This is their critical problem.

Their weapon will soon become my weapon, so did they move stupidly without knowing this?

It’s safest to assume they have a plan rather than assuming the opponent is stupid.

‘Then what kind of scheme could they have.’

For now, since there’s no clear answer, let’s maintain the hypothesis that ‘they’re trying to brand me as a Primrose Pass customer and furthermore kill Elias’s social relationships.’

I can gather enough data while I’m here.

Before that….

‘It’s hard to assess in my current state, but let me try.’

I swept the sofa with my finger.

Though it was difficult to read since I couldn’t control the mana coming from my body, I didn’t feel any particular mana. I didn’t sense anything other than my own mana in my body either.

‘The air is a bit ambiguous.’

Mana was mixed in, but it wasn’t the kind of magic that blocks all mana except Vitriol like Pleroma used.

I suspect it’s mana mixed in by this establishment for business purposes.

‘Hmm.’

Good.

In conclusion, I can use magic.

I considered reporting these guys’ actions without using retry, but that won’t do. I have to use retry anyway.

There’s no guarantee that only I’m being harmed at this moment. There’s no need to traumatize my friends.

And Nicolaus warped directly from the inn to school.

Seeing that they cast magic on the dormitory, it seems their target is me, not Nicolaus, but since the time Nicolaus got off the carriage and the time he warped are close, I need to turn back time.

Beep―

Then, a notification sound came from the artifact at my ear. Someone is contacting me.

‘Hmm, they didn’t remove this? How careless.’

How would Humans figure out an artifact under stealth, but I’m grateful for such carelessness.

Anyway, before using retry, I need to find out what these guys wanted by bringing me here.

It would be good to hold out as long as possible to gather evidence.

“…Why.”

[…What, you’re already awake? How…? No, this isn’t the time. Bring the drugs.]

The sound feels distant like a phone call, but now I can hear speech without interruption.

I opened my mouth once more.

“Why did you bring me here?”

[Hurry up, damn it! You’re so slow….]

When the Caretaker shouted, the Teenager Chimera who was being cautious jumped up and rummaged through the drawer at the end of the room.

‘If it’s that important, he should have prepared it himself instead of making a middle schooler….’

I glared at the Caretaker while holding my throbbing head.

That Human Caretaker snatched the medicine bottle and stuck it into a syringe that was rolling around on the sofa.

Fear began to seep into the eyes of the guy watching my movements. Not because I was glaring at him. It’s because he knows well what it means that the drug’s effect on me is wearing off.

I looked down at my trembling hands once and snapped my fingers.

Light pink mana spread through the air and quickly became transparent. This blocked the sound.

The Caretaker, not seeing this, threw the syringe to the child.

[Hey! You do it.]

[…! Huh, what?]

[You do it. Huh? Buy some time. Damn it, he won’t die. I’ll go tell them to just spray drugs in the room…!]

I calculated his position and snapped my fingers. I saw bright red light burst before my eyes.

Kwaaaaang―! Crash!

[Aaaaah!]

“If he won’t die, why don’t you do it yourself?”

[Guh, urgh….]

I could hear him gasping and hitting the wall.

I tried to sit up while pressing my eyes with one hand.

To think this is how I am with the drug wearing off, this drug’s effect is really impressive. Unlike usual, I couldn’t focus.

‘The effect is quite serious…. Is this supplied from outside, or is it a self-made drug.’

If it’s from outside, there’s one place that comes to mind.

[Uaaaaaaah!]

[Huh, gasp…!]

I belatedly raised my head at the horrified sounds.

I could see blood flowing on the wall, as if he hit his head on decorations while being thrown.

I failed to control my mana.

This was unavoidable due to the drugs.

I held my head that was ringing more from the screams and muttered.

―Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.

Thud―!

Fortunately, the Teenager Chimera has now fallen asleep.

He seems to have collapsed on the floor, but I’m sorry I don’t have the strength to catch him. Still, when I turn back time, even if he got a concussion, it will disappear.

I infused mana into the floor and my legs and stood up.

When I gestured to the Caretaker across from me, his already unconscious body was easily dragged over.

I grabbed his shirt collar and threw him onto the table.

Crash! Smack―!

“Wake up. You can’t sleep.”

I pounded his head with my fist while infusing divine power.

[Urgh…. Cough.]

The smell of blood that wasn’t mine stung my nose.

I spat on the floor and said quietly.

“What made you prepare so carelessly? Surely this isn’t the end.”

[Huh, urgh… I’m just doing what I’m told…!]

“If you don’t know, who does.”

Should I use brainwashing magic right away.

Actually, I want to see how he reacts if I just pressure him with a clear mind….

‘It’s a waste of time.’

The blood pooled on the table began dripping to the floor. Too much blood is flowing from his broken head.

Even if I try to pressure him more, there seems to be nowhere left to hit.

Anyway, I only need to know one thing.

―Enter through the narrow gate.

I muttered while pressing his head to the table. His pupils dilated instantly.

“There are too many shortcomings for you to have brought me here simply to threaten an investigator. Or did I overestimate you guys too much?”

He shook his head as if wanting to show his innocence.

“That can’t be it. What’s behind you guys is at least on par with Anhalt, or higher.”

And now there’s evidence supporting Elias’s hypothesis.

If Primrose Pass really interfered with Adelbert and Elias’s rooms as Elias hypothesized, it means there’s a powerful person behind them who can even touch the House of Ascanien.

“You must know where you’ll send me next, or who will come.”

I’m starting to get a sense of it too.

I grabbed his collar and pulled him up as I asked.

“Who is it?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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