How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 179

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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 (179)

Actually, bringing this up with him isn’t a good choice.

Because I have to do this alone.

But since Narke can read my thoughts with his ability—I have no idea how he’s interpreting the status window—there wouldn’t be much point in trying to dodge around my plan with him.

It would be better to go to Primrose Pass together but give him other tasks that won’t put him in danger.

“You’re not going to interrogate the Legislator and heading straight to Primrose Pass?”

Narke’s eyes widened, then he clapped his hands as if understanding.

Then he called my name seriously.

“Lucas.”

“…What?”

“You really have an amazing power. I’d like to try using it myself.”

Power?

Don’t tell me this guy also has something like Leo…?

I tried to maintain the same expression as before and said.

“What do you think my power is?”

“Something like insight, right? In some ways, you seem to use your ability even more accurately than me~”

“…”

I stared at Narke intently and smiled.

Is that really all?

I wish I had insight abilities too, but this guy’s system doesn’t give me what I want.

I won’t try to think about it too hard, but it wasn’t easy to trust him from the beginning.

Even now, I don’t have the ability to judge whether Narke’s words are true or not.

“Hahaha! I understand. But Luca trusts me. No matter what, I can’t help but be grateful for that.”

For now, there’s nothing I can do but trust him.

But…

“Luca?”

“Elias calling you by a nickname looks cool~ Close friends call each other by nicknames!”

Ah.

I realized once again that he was attending school for almost the first time and laughed.

“Unless you’ve been close since childhood, people usually don’t call each other that way. Elias is… well, whatever. Leo is actually called by a nickname too, but that’s because his name is too long.”

“Ah, really…? That’s disappointing…”

“…No. Do whatever you want…”

“Haha, no. I know your name, so that’s enough. More importantly, that thing, isn’t that the text you saw at Haike’s house?”

A puzzling comment passed by for a moment, but I didn’t have the mental energy to focus on it.

I handed over the notebook Narke was pointing at. It was a page where I had collected and organized the strange texts I had read so far.

“Yeah. I was wondering if it might be a code.”

I’ve gathered all five sentences I’ve confirmed so far, connecting and reading them, and also reading them backwards.

If a code was applied, it would take quite a while just to figure out what kind of code it is, so I should start slowly.

“Ah~ A code! That’s possible!”

“I’m currently trying to decode it assuming it’s a Caesar cipher. How about it? Do you get any feeling?”

“Hmm, right now… I don’t get anything in this state. Sorry I can’t help.”

Narke pondered and stroked his chin as he spoke.

“It’s good that you’re trying, but don’t exhaust yourself too much, Lucas. Don’t think too hard about it either.”

“Right. I was only thinking about it briefly during break times anyway.”

I don’t have the mental capacity to make that my main focus.

Just as I thought that, Narke rummaged through his bag.

“Oh, if we’re not leaving right now, take this.”

But what came out was Fai.

“Eung?”

Fai, who had been sleeping, suddenly raised his head and looked around.

“Oh, you were here.”

“You didn’t know either.”

“Haha… I thought I left him in the room, but maybe he was lonely since I’ve been going out alone lately? He secretly followed me.”

Narke put Fai back and took out a small box from his bag.

It was a box engraved with the crest of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

“…Cheringen?”

“Yeah, Julia asked me to give it to you. She must have heard about you yesterday while going in and out of the faculty office.”

When I opened the lid, I could see a pearl placed on black cloth. Of course, it wasn’t an ordinary pearl.

“It’s an artifact.”

“Yeah. She knows you use necklace artifacts too. Add one more to the string you’re currently using!”

“…The aesthetics… But isn’t this something only people from that family use?”

“Probably?”

If I carelessly accept something like this… to someone who doesn’t know the full context, it could potentially become a huge political issue.

For example, it might appear that Ascanien and Cheringen have formed an alliance, or that there’s ambition to rule the Grand Duchy of Baden.

Of course, just looking at the artifact without the case, one wouldn’t immediately recognize it as something made by the Cheringen family, but you never know with people.

As I was thinking this, Narke shook his head.

“If you don’t accept it, she said she’d give it to you directly~ Julia asked me to deliver it first because she was worried you might feel burdened, but won’t you accept it?”

“Uh.”

“Julia would want you to use it well~?”

“…”

At the continued persuasion, I let out a short laugh and opened the box again.

“What is this?”

“It has resistance magic cast on it. It’s not specialized for defense, but she asked if you could use it well~”

It wouldn’t be polite to send it back without even seeing her face.

And if we’re considering political relationships, it would be much better to accept it and give her a corresponding gift in return rather than firmly refusing.

I should see her in person and greet her separately.

For now, after I come back.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

“Wait, I want to hear what your plan is before we go. I understand what more you’ve learned about the Antagonist. But don’t you think it’s a bit weak to use that as a tool to meet with the Antagonist… What are you thinking?”

Narke sat in the chair and tapped the bed.

“…”

He’s right.

In this situation where there’s subtle tension between Pleroma and the Antagonist, I can only approach him through Ludovica Schneider, who is from Pleroma’s side.

Even if I try not to go through him, there’s no other choice now that the street has been taken over by Pleroma.

In other words, I can’t approach the Antagonist by saying ‘I’ll help you abandon Pleroma and create a new religion.’

I’d have to say that to Ludovica, and fat chance he’d relay that message.

Of course, I have a plan.

What I need to consider now is this.

Should I really drag Narke into this too?

‘No.’

Even if it’s time that will disappear, I don’t want to make him experience something he doesn’t need to, even briefly.

It would be better to have him gather different information at the same time as me.

“Narke.”

“Mmm?”

“That person who sat next to you back then, Oigeni Siller, haven’t you met her again at the hotel?”

“No.”

“Then just keep an eye on that person today.”

“…”

Narke stared at me intently and tilted his head.

I deliberately emptied my mind and quietly looked at him, then Narke smiled and asked.

“Lucas, you’re not having any strange thoughts, are you~?”

“Strange thoughts?”

“I see. Since it’s the second meeting, it’ll be easier to get more information.”

“Thanks. Now….”

I said that and was about to ask Narke to warp us, but I changed my mind.

“No, wait. I should stop by Bavaria first.”

* * *

“You came early.”

It was the voice I heard on the street at dawn.

Ludovica Schneider, wasn’t it?

Narke, who had entered the tavern from yesterday evening again, smiled upon seeing the two humans.

Lucas, who had emptied another bottle of alcohol before coming, stood in front of the table where they sat with a heavily drunk face, letting out laughter.

“We meet again. Could you give me the honor of sitting next to you?”

“Hmm…. Didn’t we say we wouldn’t sit together again?”

Oigeni Siller said with a smile.

Still, since she had already heard about what happened at dawn from Ludovica, she wasn’t genuinely puzzled but was just teasing.

“I’m embarrassed.”

Lucas said that and sat down without hesitation.

Ludovica gestured to Narke as well, so Narke bowed slightly and sat in front of them.

Lucas ordered new alcohol and brought his face close to Ludovica.

“That test thing.”

Going straight to the point.

Lucas hadn’t told me about this content verbally, but I had already grasped it through what he recorded in his notes. I had also tried using insight during training.

“I couldn’t sleep because I was curious about what it was?”

“For someone like that, you were out since dawn.”

“Ah….”

Lucas smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck.

“You know about that? That’s a different matter~ I went out to see if there were other streets like this in the Empire. I felt so regretful no matter how much I thought about it.”

“You’re consistent. I didn’t expect you to leave Primrose Pass already. If you find a new place you like, will you do business there?”

“No. I made a promise with Miss Ludovica.”

Lucas lightly lifted Ludovica’s hair that was half-tied and flowing down to her shoulders, and kissed it.

Then he looked into Ludovica’s eyes and whispered.

“I won’t do it anywhere but here.”

‘Hahaha… haha…. Hmm~’

Watching my friend’s acting gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t help it.

Narke tried to maintain a serious expression while suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out.

His atmosphere was completely different from yesterday evening. No wonder he put more effort into his appearance before coming out, he must have decided to push forward in this direction.

Although Lucas was drawing a mental image of running out of the tavern alone in disgust, the observer still couldn’t feel that at all.

‘He’s really paying attention to playing the wastrel role~ Then… should I start reading their thoughts.’

Oigeni Siller, the person who was less understood compared to Ludovica.

[Interesting.]

To read such thoughts right away~

Even while thinking that, Narke sympathized with Oigeni’s thoughts.

No matter how cringeworthy Lucas’s words were, since I wasn’t the one saying them, watching was enjoyable.

[But he’s no ordinary player…. Your Excellency will handle it well, but if she’s not careful, she might fall for it.]

Lucas’s acting worked properly on him.

But wait a minute.

‘Your Excellency?’

Your Excellency.

‘If she’s not careful, she might fall for it’, from the context, ‘Your Excellency’ was referring to Ludovica Schneider.

‘…You wouldn’t normally call just anyone Your Excellency~’

The back of my neck suddenly felt cold.

Narke looked at Ludovica and used his ability.

[….]

It wasn’t easily readable.

Something was caught, but being blocked like this meant our compatibility wasn’t good.

Even so, I couldn’t back down here.

‘A little more.’

Narke felt his chest area getting hot and used his ability.

Ludovica smiled and drank her alcohol.

[Impatient.]

It was readable.

Narke looked at Ludovica’s downcast eyes and continued using his ability.

[How should I bring it up. Maybe it won’t be as difficult as expected, but giving baptism right away without saying anything also looks good. Anyway, there probably aren’t many people the Empire is looking for like him….]

Baptism?

Narke now realized why Lucas had told him to stay close to Oigeni.

“….”

Narke slowly swirled the drink placed in front of him and looked down at it.

I don’t know exactly what conversation Leo and Lucas had at the end.

But what’s certain is that I can understand both of their positions.

‘…It’s difficult.’

I can understand Leo’s concerns, and I can understand Lucas’s judgment.

None of them were wrong. In terms of caring for a friend, Leo wasn’t oversensitive, and in terms of thinking about the greater good, Lucas’s decision wasn’t reckless.

I also know that actually meeting the Chairman won’t be something easily accomplished. Perhaps I feel it more certainly than even Lucas.

They’re trying to dominate the Empire by any means necessary, so there’s no room for peace here.

‘So I won’t stop Lucas’s judgment, but… I need to be firmly prepared.’

It would be fortunate if I don’t become a stumbling block.

Narke thought that and put his hand into the bag he brought.

Meanwhile, Lucas turned his head toward Ludovica and rested his chin on his hand.

“What are you thinking about so deeply. Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind now?”

“How could that be~ I like talented people. If we’re going to work together, it should be with someone like you.”

Ludovica Schneider smiled warmly and pointed outside.

“You said you were curious about the test. Shall we go right away?”

* * *

Since Narke dragged me out saying he needed to go to the bathroom for a moment, I also knew what he had discovered using insight.

‘He’s no ordinary guy.’

Right.

They wouldn’t put just anyone near a dangerous person like the Chairman.

But the information discovered from the vanished time, that is, the relationship between Pleroma and the Chairman, isn’t time to use yet.

Since we have no choice but to go through Ludovica Schneider for now, I need to play along with the rhythm a bit more like I did at dawn.

We returned to the hotel and went up to the room where I stayed yesterday.

“Did you like the room? It seemed like you barely slept and went out.”

“Of course~ But what’s that in your hand?”

I pointed to the handbag Ludovica was holding.

Ludovica didn’t answer and smiled while changing the subject.

“Well, shall we sit down first?”

“Yes. But I’m curious why you’re avoiding the answer~?”

“Haha, later. To open a shop here, there’s one more condition needed, first… Do you have a religion?”

It’s starting.

‘Religion, huh.’

Ludovica Schneider can make me into Pleroma. When she does that, his benefits will increase.

And he’s currently testing the waters on that topic.

From here, I need to create the situation.

If Ludovica made an accurate judgment of my qualifications, she won’t try to let me slip away like the bishops of Freiburg did.

Then I can afford to be bold in this part.

But here’s where a problem arises.

No matter how much Pleroma needs the Chairman’s mental magic, as long as they view him as a competitor, Pleroma will try to reduce their dependence on him.

It’s natural that they won’t pass new information to the Chairman, and they’ll slowly bring even the work previously entrusted to the Chairman into Pleroma internally.

No matter what methods are used, the possibility that Ludovica won’t bring me to the Chairman has become extremely high.

‘What would have happened if I hadn’t interrogated the legislators.’

I would have just kept trying to win Ludovica’s favor. Because I assumed the Chairman and Pleroma had an absolutely friendly relationship.

In the current situation where I naturally can’t meet the Chairman, I need to make it so Ludovica has ‘no choice but to drag’ me before the Chairman.

So there’s only one method.

“I believe in Buddhism.”

“Hmm~”

Ludovica nodded reflexively, then slowly opened her mouth.

“…What did you say?”

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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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