How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 180

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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 (180)

Ludovica looked at me with a face that couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

“What are you saying you believe in…? You?”

“Why~? I may look like this, but I’m very interested in world religions. Especially when I want to have fun but can’t, controlling my mind through religion is effective in many ways.”

“How did this happen? No, how?”

“You really don’t believe it?”

“Are you even speaking words?”

“…”

“You’re not just saying that because it sounds cool, are you?”

“No. A few years ago, Eastern monks came to New York and gave religious lectures. That’s when I first encountered Buddhism.”

Ludovica let out a hollow laugh and leaned back against her chair.

“…Buddha would be quite dumbfounded to know he has a follower like this…”

“Isn’t that too harsh?”

“So you’re definitely not a Christian?”

“No.”

At those words, Ludovica made a troubled expression.

She had to be troubled.

The easiest targets to draw into Pleroma are Christians.

Whatever the denomination, they have to believe in that God. It’s natural since Pleroma is a heresy based on that religion.

And considering that 99% of Empire citizens are Christians, Antagonist probably rarely encountered such obstacles.

Ludovica grabbed her forehead and muttered in a low voice.

“Haa… where do I even start with this.”

“Why? Don’t you like Buddhism? Buddhism is a religion that has developed for about 2,500 years, having a profound influence not only on India but throughout East Asia, providing us with deep insights into life and the universe. I don’t know which denomination you belong to, but Ludovica, who believes in Christ to her bones and serves as a Priest, wouldn’t understand, but Buddhist teachings cannot be fully grasped in their essence when approached from a Christian worldview…”

“No, it’s not that I dislike Buddhism…”

Ludovica grabbed her forehead and fell silent.

Then she opened her mouth seriously.

“Seeing Jeremaiah use so many words to speak, you must really be a devout believer.”

“Surprising?”

“Yes.”

Ludovica answered immediately, then belatedly seemed to realize her mistake and made a troubled face.

“I already saw everything.”

“Haha, sorry about that. Anyway, getting to the point… as you know, we run a closed business. Only those approved by the Leadership can participate.”

“Ah…”

I answered with a serious face, pretending to gradually understand the meaning.

Ludovica clasped her hands together and made a regretful expression.

“I’m not asking you to convert… but to get business approval, you need to share our cause to some extent. How much do you know about Christianity?”

Not business approval, but to live as Pleroma, that’s what would be necessary.

Just bringing in a heretic and implanting Vitriol wouldn’t finish the job cleanly.

They wouldn’t be able to blend into the group, so brainwashing would be necessary.

“I know a lot. I grew up in a Christian culture.”

“Good. That’s fortunate.”

Ludovica picked up her bag and stood up, instantly warping somewhere and returning.

Now instead of a bag, she held a wine bottle in her hand.

“Shall we start the test?”

“Wasn’t it already started~?”

At my cheekiness, He smiled.

“Actually, missionary work isn’t very familiar to me. I’m not in charge of evangelism. So let’s put religious talk aside and start with this. Are you interested in strong magical power?”

“Not particularly. I’m more interested in making money.”

“Money over magical power? Separating those two sounds very American. Then what about living longer and healthier?”

I answered with a raised corner of my mouth.

“If it’s about that, then it’s a different story.”

“Because living longer means you can play, eat, and enjoy longer?”

“Yes. That’s it.”

Ludovica nodded and uncorked the wine bottle.

“God did not make death, and he does not delight in the destruction of the living.”

“…”

Perhaps because we relied only on the sunset outside the window without turning on the lights, the red wine looked even redder.

He pushed the glass toward me.

“There are such words in the Old Testament. Though they might not suit you as a Buddhist, Jeremaiah.”

Instead of answering, I looked down at the glass.

‘He said it was a test.’

This would really be the beginning now.

Of course, even if the trick was obvious, there was no reason to avoid it.

I belatedly brought up a question that Jeremaiah might ask.

“The saying that God didn’t make death is new. Does that mean God can’t control death either?”

“Aquinas’s philosophy would be helpful to you. Based solely on biblical text, I can answer like this: ‘Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.'”

“…”

“He did not wish to give us death, but death came to us through Adam’s sin. Death is the price of original sin.”

Ludovica continued calmly.

“If we could only wash away original sin, we wouldn’t have to die, would we?”

“…”

What a tremendous leap.

And since I’m not religious, I can’t easily accept the way of thinking that uses scripture verses to assert things as facts.

I frowned, feeling like my mind was gradually becoming hazy.

“I think Humans without original sin are the new humanity. Sorry to say this to you as a Human.”

“We shouldn’t simply use being born from a person’s belly as the standard for original sin. We know what true original sin is, how to atone for it and transform it from sin into power, and thus we have found the Narrow Entrance that truly belongs to Christ’s embrace.”

“…”

“I’m saying we know how to live forever without dying, Jeremaiah.”

I looked at Ludovica with confused eyes and shook my head.

“This really seems like a cult…”

Not seems like – it is a cult.

If this isn’t a cult, what is?

The moment I thought that, I felt a familiar yet strange sensation from within.

I stared blankly at the table, then slowly raised my hand to examine my glass.

I tried to lift my head, but my vision wavered and the shape of the person sitting across from me swayed as well.

My memory of this moment ended here.

* * *

[…Jerem…]

Someone called my name.

It was Empire pronunciation.

I felt someone urgently slapping my cheek and slowly opened my eyes.

[…wake up? Jeremaiah.]

“…”

[I’ve never seen this kind of reaction before, I thought you were dying. You almost just…]

I finally realized what that sensation I felt earlier was.

It was the feeling from when I was injected with Primrose Pass’s drug.

I wondered what they had spiked it with, and this was it.

I squinted my eyes, feeling like I was hearing the conversation underwater.

[Have you done drugs before or not?]

“…”

When I didn’t answer, he pried open my eyes and shone a small lantern into them.

[…I’ll need to give you more.]

When did I think I was going to die and get surprised, but now he wants to give me more drugs?

There’s a contradiction. Why is that?

It didn’t take long to think of the answer.

‘The desired effect probably hasn’t appeared yet.’

My pupils probably reacted.

Then what exactly is that ‘desired effect’?

The final goal wouldn’t be to prevent any reflexive actions, would it?

Thinking that far, I recalled what happened at midnight the day before yesterday.

When Narke cast mind manipulation magic on me, I definitely felt something similar to the drug I was given at Primrose Pass.

‘…Ah.’

Now the puzzle is coming together.

‘This is these bastards’ truth-determining interrogation method.’

So that’s why they call it a test?

I felt laughter seeping through my teeth as I let my head turn.

Once the puzzle came together, I now understood why Pleroma developed this drug.

‘To become independent from the Chairman.’

Mind manipulation magic isn’t widely used since mages who use divine power aren’t common, and there’s no way to recruit them.

But if they keep receiving the Chairman’s help, it only solidifies his position.

So those bastards probably wanted to develop a magic potion with effects similar to mind manipulation magic.

For a moment, I had the illusion that all my blood was turning into drugs.

When I opened my eyes again, quite some time seemed to have passed.

Ludovica was lightly pressing my nose and mouth, then slowly removed her hand. I could hear her saying something in a worried voice.

‘…How far did I think.’

Right.

If my earlier reasoning was correct, I need to answer his interrogation.

From experience, when this drug wears off, I regain the strength to speak like talking in my sleep.

And now he seemed to have found the right ratio. If I squeezed it out, I somehow had the strength to speak.

Since I know the mechanism of mind manipulation magic well, acting isn’t difficult.

‘If I could give a revelation, I wouldn’t have to do this.’

So I still can’t meet the Chairman?

Thankfully, due to divine power, this drug doesn’t work very well on me. It worked properly on my body, so I can’t complain, but at least mentally it’s like that.

In other words, this is also an opportunity to get closer to the Chairman.

[…This testing method won’t work on you. You have a severe rejection to the drug. You look like you’d be doing drugs like this every day, but surprisingly….]

“What do you think I am….”

I shook my head.

[You said it seemed like a cult earlier.]

“Yes.”

[Magic has existed in this world for so long, you don’t need to be surprised by this much. If it’s God’s will, is there anything we humans can’t do? But as I said, we’re not forcing conversion.]

“Then?”

[If you just go along with the will in front of the leadership, you can do business without converting. You said you were interested in living healthily for a long time. If you just go along, we’ll let you live forever too.]

“Why would you do so much for me?”

[Even if your religion is different, you’d become one of us. You said you wanted to live enjoying yourself.]

Ludovica looked at me while drinking.

Nice act of generosity.

The attempt to become independent from the Chairman was good.

It’s time to turn that attempt into bubbles.

I shook my head.

At least I tried to.

“No.”

[….]

“That’s a bit scary. Eternal life.”

Seeing me say this much in a situation that produces the effects of mind manipulation, that is, a situation where I can only tell the truth, he’ll probably accept it now.

“I don’t want to live that long.”

Ludovica just looked at me silently.

Just as the air was starting to feel chilly, Ludovica spoke cheerfully.

[That’s understandable. I put unnecessary pressure on you.]

“It’s nice that you understand.”

[What do you think about the business?]

Instead of answering, I first thought calmly.

There’s a limit to backing down.

Even considering the risks, it’s better not to back down this time.

“It would be good if it’s not religious activities, but I’m scared. It’s not like everyone is as tolerant as you, Ludovica. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if I need to do business to this extent….”

I trailed off and slowly closed and opened my eyes.

Ludovica nodded with a gentle face.

[Good. Let’s do this first.]

Ludovica pointed at me and said.

[I’ll take responsibility. Since you refuse, I’ll make sure no one gives you Vitriol until you give permission.]

“….”

I looked at him expressionlessly.

What nonsense.

But I’m almost there.

[Instead, let’s put in one safety measure.]

Crash―!

Ludovica stomped the floor with her foot.

I could see the air instantly turn black.

She whispered in a calm voice.

―Blessed are those who hope to find peace in the sea of temptation.

My stomach churned and my vision went black.

I slowly twisted the corners of my mouth.

Welcome.

I have no choice but to break my promise with Leo at this time.

It’s not that I take my promise with him lightly.

A peaceful solution. Would I dislike that?

Without this process, I can’t meet the Chairman.

Ludovica won’t want to hand me over to the Chairman, and the Chairman, if he’s also a religious person similar to Pleroma, will try to recruit me.

Then this person will naturally try to get me one foot into Pleroma and then give me ideological education. This is the safety measure.

Conversely, if I just go through this process, it means it won’t be long before I meet my target.

Something drew a line across my left palm and wrist. Then I heard the sound of flesh being cut that wasn’t mine, and an unfamiliar smell of blood stung my nose.

Ludovica’s cool hand gripped mine tightly.

[This is no ordinary thing.]

Ludovica pressed my wrist firmly and laughed. A subtly different smell of blood mixed and vibrated.

[You’ve been baptized before. Once 23 years ago, once 15 years ago.]

“….”

[I’m curious how you received baptism twice and then converted on top of that.]

“….”

[It doesn’t matter much now. When you open your eyes, you’ll be somewhere else.]

―This final cup, I offer my soul in blessed worship for Dawn.

My palm grew hot.

It was a voice filled with satisfaction.

Ludovica smiled warmly and continued speaking.

[See you later.]

* * *

I opened my eyes wide after quite some time.

The pain from the medicine and the pain from the sword cuts had already completely disappeared.

And there was someone I’d never seen before looking down at me.

He was a typical old man holding a cane.

“….”

Despite the somewhat unexpected scene, I could immediately tell who he was.

He smiled and opened his mouth.

“Do you know me?”

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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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