How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 185

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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 (185)

“…W-wait. What are you doing right now…?”

“What do you mean what? It’s that magic you mentioned. I’ve bound your core, so if something dangerous happens, I can just send you a signal. Is that good enough now?”

“Ha… hahaha…”

Leo, who had been clutching his heart and staring at me blankly, collapsed forward and pressed his forehead against the table. He let out a laugh and muttered.

“Always beyond expectations…”

Of course it should be beyond expectations.

But…

I leaned down and whispered in Antagonist’s ear.

“Why didn’t you block it?”

“…”

“I’m delighted that the future king personally received my magic. Or was it that you really couldn’t dodge it, contrary to what I felt?”

Leo curled up the corner of his mouth at those words and bit the end. He seemed slightly heated, but still found this situation so absurd that he let out a hollow laugh as he raised his head.

“Is this really the time for this? This way, I can only know the signals you send. It’s insufficient for discussing safety.”

“Is this the time, you ask? Keep in mind that your core is in my hands.”

“You won’t destroy it anyway.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“You don’t seem like someone who would ruin a friend’s life.”

“Hmm.”

That’s true. Could I even survive if I did that in the first place?

Leo, having regained his composure, spoke calmly.

“If you disliked this situation, you should have given me certainty. You have no choice, Nicolaus.”

As soon as that name came out, I snorted.

I couldn’t not know what this bastard was talking about.

Clap—

“Ugh!”

“This bastard with his roundabout way of speaking…”

I clapped my hands and then twisted them together as if wringing them.

“W-wait…! Lucas!”

Leo clutched his core and bent over. The effect of me twisting his core would have reached him.

So when persuasion didn’t seem to work, he’d summon Nicolaus.

As I felt with Adelbert too, these royal bastards are surprisingly clumsy at human relationships that aren’t official.

Of course, from the royal family’s perspective, human capital is also property of the royal family and the state. I can understand in principle why Leo called me Nicolaus and why he’s trying to implant an artifact in me.

“Are you regretting accepting it now? But I’m not going to release it, so just live with it.”

“…Hahaha…”

Leo burst into absent-minded laughter and then muttered quietly.

“Why would I regret it?”

“…”

For a moment, I held my breath. Even though it was a whisper without force, it somehow sounded eerie. Since he was leaning forward with his forehead against the table, I couldn’t see his expression properly.

Still, it was easy enough to conclude why it felt eerie.

If it were someone else, they’d obviously get angry and ask what the hell, but unfortunately, because he’s crazy about magic…

‘He’s already gone crazy at such a young age, how pitiful.’

I fell into deep thought about what to do with this magic maniac, then shook my head. I picked up the box and threw it at him.

Leo looked puzzled for a moment, then looked at me.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and pierce it so we can finish this.”

“…!”

I said earlier that I could understand why he called me Nicolaus and why he’s trying to implant an artifact.

It may seem blurry because he’s my friend, but he’s definitely my superior and lord. Receiving this kind of consequence for not keeping the demands we agreed upon is actually a light punishment. No, actually, if you think about it, it’s all beneficial to me, so I feel a bit sorry.

Thinking this way, I spoke to Leo, who was just standing there with his eyes wide open.

“You seem to not know something, but accessories can be attached and detached.”

Leo remained silent for a while, then just smiled brightly.

He smiled so innocently, like a high school student, that I couldn’t curse at this unexpected reaction. I just let out a hollow laugh.

“…I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“You won’t take it off anyway.”

“I will take it off.”

“You seem like you wouldn’t take it off just because it’s bothersome.”

That was accurate…

I fell silent.

The earlier innocence gone, Leo spoke with a somewhat cool tone like before and smiled.

“No take-backs, Lucas.”

“What take-backs? Hurry up and finish this so you can hear my plan.”

At the mention of a plan, Leo hesitated for a moment, then regained his composure.

Leo blew magic into the box and picked up the needle inside.

“It’s going to hurt a bit.”

I’m getting pierced here when I never got pierced in reality.

Back then, even when people told me hundreds of times to get it pierced, I wouldn’t listen.

I held my breath. I felt the needle penetrate my earlobe.

Leo, who had removed the needle, immediately inserted the artifact.

“…!”

I touched around my heart where my core was located.

Even with just one side fitted, there was a change.

Wittelsbach’s characteristic healing magic spread around my core. If I took a core examination like this, it would probably come out one grade higher.

‘Oh.’

No matter how I look at it, isn’t this too beneficial only for me?

I feel a bit sorry for casting violent magic on Leo.

But since I have a means of threat, I have no intention of removing the binding I placed on him. Just live like that until you go to your grave. I don’t know if I’ll be around until then, but Luca will use it effectively. It might be more necessary for Luca than for me.

Leo observed my reaction and brought a new needle to my other ear.

Pook—

That was something I didn’t know.

Surprisingly, there’s a popping sound when something bursts.

I felt the other ear being finished and shook my head.

“Is it done?”

“Yeah. It’s finished.”

Leo stepped back from me while observing the artifact in my ear.

I now fully understood why Leo brought me here.

The pain was brief. In the air of This Location, it didn’t hurt more, nor did my skin feel like it was burning. Rather, his mana and my core were connecting more smoothly. Though unintended, it was having the effect of core treatment.

Leo seemed to be waiting for my reaction and immediately asked.

“How is it?”

“It feels like I came to a Hospital and it’s just fine.”

“…”

Leo looked at me with an expression that said what kind of old man’s answer is that, then muttered to forget it.

Still, he seemed quite satisfied for what it was. Leo was lost in thought alone, then spoke with slightly crazed eyes.

“It would have been nice if I could use divine power.”

“…”

I didn’t ask what he wanted to use it for. Even without asking, what this bastard would say was obviously predetermined.

“Actually, the reason I brought this is also related to what I mentioned earlier. I didn’t put your blood and mana into this artifact, but you said it felt like coming to a Hospital… geez… Anyway, you said it felt like a Hospital. That means it blended in well, but usually that kind of reaction doesn’t occur. If you live like this for a long time, I think I might be able to get more data about your core not resisting my mana.”

“Hmm.”

“And now I can guide you according to your core. I can sense the flow of your core right now.”

“…Ah, I see…”

Is this a good thing?

When I gave a rotten smile, Leo tilted his head and smiled as if asking why I was doing that. He seemed to already be absorbed in thoughts of training.

Then, after a long while, he broke the silence and spoke.

“Lucas. From now on, let’s move together.”

“What.”

“I can’t think like you or Elias yet, but I’m prepared to follow your direction. Elias and Narke will too.”

I looked at his face and fell into thought.

If my actions seemed like I didn’t trust them, that couldn’t be helped. I have no intention of driving these high school students into danger.

It would be nice for me to sit back and take it easy. Where is there a person who wouldn’t like that?

I don’t know what he thinks of me, but I don’t desperately want to protect justice, nor do I want to eliminate evil from this world. I’ve never acted for such reasons even once. I just did what needed to be done when it came before me. So…

Leo continued speaking.

“In the Catacombs, you said you’d show me there were things worth believing in. I understood well. So I’ll show you too.”

So I have no intention of telling him to do unnecessary work yet.

Throwing a high school student into danger for an ideal isn’t something so important to me as to be worth my life.

Making him prey for Pleroma and trusting him are completely separate matters.

“I already trust you, Leo.”

“No, you don’t trust me. And I never asked for permission.”

I quietly looked at him and nodded.

So he’s saying he’ll prove there are things worth believing in, regardless of what I say.

“…Right. I understand your intention.”

Leo replied with a smile instead of words.

Like in the latter part of the novel, if they had been about 10 years older here, I would have worked them hard, which is a bit regrettable.

Well, there are still various ways to utilize them.

Now it’s time to think about what to do tomorrow.

I clapped my hands to get their attention.

“Now. From now on…”

“From now on nothing, go to sleep.”

I stared at Leo who said such words while laughing.

“I’ll listen tomorrow. Okay? It’s already 1 AM, so get some sleep.”

Right, well. It’s not urgent anyway.

It’s only been half a day since I met the Antagonist. I don’t notice it when I’m here, but fatigue will surely hit when I go outside.

Leo, who read my expression change, stood up first and gestured to me.

“Let’s go.”

* * *

I slept deeply for the first time in a while.

How long has it been.

When I opened my eyes thinking that, bright sunlight was streaming into the room.

“…!”

I bolted upright and checked the clock.

‘…9 o’clock?’

Am I crazy?

Training would have already started and then some.

Thinking that, I roughly changed clothes and burst out the door, when I encountered Narke wandering around in school uniform.

“…Huh?”

“Lucas, you’re awake. Why are you in such a hurry~”

“Why are you here?”

“Haha, our team skipped morning training. More importantly, did you have any dreams?”

Come to think of it, even after going through that crazy ordeal, I slept well and woke up without any nightmares.

Narke answered casually as if reading my thoughts.

“Every time you were about to wake up, Leo and I put you back to sleep~”

“Really? Thanks.”

Since he’s not asking why I kept waking up, Narke must have noticed something by now.

He had figured out a bit late before that I didn’t like warping.

I’m just grateful that he knows something happened but doesn’t ask for details.

Narke looked at my face carefully, then tapped the artifact on his earlobe and smiled.

“The earring suits you well~ I have one here too!”

Among the New Humanity, there wouldn’t be anyone without one, so it’s not new.

Narke stared at me and muttered.

“Want to get another piercing?”

“…No. Why are you like this too…”

“Ah, why am I like this too? Hahaha, the Papacy has artifacts they give to clergy. Anyway, I’m honored that you accept me a bit differently.”

I don’t know what’s so honorable, but this guy isn’t stubborn like Leo, which is good.

Also, unlike Leo, he doesn’t have that madness about magic, so it was a much more comfortable answer to hear.

“By the way, why did you skip training?”

“So you could sleep well. And I have to take you to school too.”

“I see. I feel sorry somehow.”

“No, the kids were totally happy~ They said they had to go to clubs anyway, so they just decided to meet twice at 12 o’clock.”

They were happy?

‘What’s happening to discipline.’

Since it’s the 3rd round, only skilled people practically like professionals remain…

Even during training, I didn’t experience the awkward situations like in the 2nd round. Thanks to everyone being skilled and getting the hang of it through the 2nd round, we could easily reach desired results with just a little coordination.

Anyway, I had something I wanted to ask him, so I should resolve it when I have time like now.

“Narke. Can you check my baptism traces?”

He might ask what this is about suddenly, but Narke readily nodded.

I extended my hand to him.

—Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Divine power flowed from Narke’s hand as he caressed mine.

He patted my hand once and said with a smile.

“…I don’t know what happened, but you’ll need purification once~ You can’t be born three times.”

‘…That’s a relief.’

It seems the traces can still be washed away with one purification.

The Antagonist said I hadn’t even come halfway. Thanks to instinctively interfering with Ludovica’s baptism, it seems no major problems occurred.

“Narke. Can others tell when they use divine power while chanting like you do?”

“Hmm, no.”

Narke stroked his chin and shook his head.

“You know I belong to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, right? I even met with the Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith during Cardinal appointment meetings. Just as I received authority over insight, the Undersecretary has similar abilities. Without such authority or unique abilities, it would be impossible to discern such things.”

Right, it’s not for nothing that it’s an organization with the Inquisition as its predecessor. As long as I don’t meet people from there, even if I receive Pleroma’s baptism, everyone won’t be able to recognize it.

At least that’s one worry off my mind.

Come to think of it, he knows I received Pleroma’s baptism but doesn’t ask about that either.

I wonder if this is good consideration or what.

“Then, Narke.”

“Yeah?”

“Since the morning is free, I’m thinking of going to school. You have my priest robes. Can you bring them?”

“Priest robes? To school?”

Narke’s eyes widened.

* * *

I’m not going to wear them now.

I entered the school again in Nicolaus’s appearance.

“Oh…!”

Several students who spotted me stepped back with visibly startled faces. They glanced at me repeatedly, then turned around and started running.

‘I asked them to control this.’

Now they’ll go somewhere to report that Nicolaus has come to the school.

Anyway, since I’ll be leaving soon, there’s no time to stay here while they come back to find me.

Leo, who had been by my side receiving guidance from the school, spoke in a voice only I could hear once the people disappeared.

“I thought you would sleep more, but you came early.”

This isn’t a situation where I can keep sleeping.

I unconsciously touched my ear, then pulled my hand away when I felt the cognitive disruption magic I had placed on my earlobe dissolving. Leo saw this and turned his head.

“Count, what did you suddenly come here to do? It doesn’t seem like you visited His Majesty the Emperor first.”

“Don’t we need to obtain evidence to prove the Professor’s innocence? Since we need to gather several pieces, let’s move quickly.”

“I don’t know what information you’ve obtained, Count. I’d like to know first how the Chairman uses his abilities.”

“Blood, and consent. These two things are the conditions for revelation. As long as he can commune with them, any question will do. It seems the level of consent needs to be deeper depending on the other party’s status.”

“Hmm… Blood.”

Leo narrowed his brow slightly as if displeased.

“The possibility seems small, but they might have invaded the professors’ quarters and stolen blood. If the professors had been in collusion with them, there would have been no need to give revelations. If not that, then where on earth did they get the professors’ blood?”

“That’s really an unlikely possibility.”

“…I said it was unlikely… Then what do you think, Count?”

“You’ll know if you watch.”

At my words, Leo shrugged as if asking what I meant.

“If you came to find that out, shouldn’t you go to the prosecution instead of the school? How will you find out at a school where the Professor isn’t even present?”

“Even if I go to the prosecution, I won’t be able to meet him right away. And this isn’t the only information I need to obtain.”

After this, I need to move to the next location immediately. There’s no time to wait around to meet the Professor.

I entered the School Administration Office where I had made an appointment in advance, guided by Leo.

When I knocked on the door, the Director came out personally to greet us.

“You’ve arrived, Count Ernst. I was waiting for you.”

“Nice to meet you. Since this is urgent business, I made a difficult request, but thank you for meeting with me so readily.”

“Not at all. There’s no reason to refuse when you’re stepping forward to help with our school’s affairs. I happened to have time available too.”

He sat down and clasped his hands together.

“So, you said you had something you were curious about, what kind of…?”

“Have you conducted health examinations for faculty members within the past month?”

“…!”

Leo looked at me.

The School Administration Director widened his eyes and looked back and forth between me and Leo, as if he hadn’t expected a question about health examinations.

Naturally, he must have expected a question like ‘What were the professors’ activities regarding Pleroma?’ from me.

“…Health examinations…?”

“Yes. I understand that mandatory examinations are conducted once a year for Imperial 2nd Education Institute faculty during summer vacation. When was the most recent examination? It can’t have been just the regular checkup.”

He searched for a calendar and pointed with his finger as he went through it.

“Recently… 3 weeks ago, so in the second week of January, there was an irregular examination. Haha, how did you know? It was the first irregular examination we’ve ever conducted.”

“…”

“The second week of January. Quite out of the blue.”

I slowly nodded and asked a question to drive the point home.

“I understand that mana testing is essential for mages. How is the examination conducted?”

He tilted his head with a face that asked why I was asking something so obvious.

“We draw blood, don’t we? Mana won’t dissolve in anything other than blood.”

“…”

I lightly raised the corners of my mouth.

The Director just looked at me and Leo in bewilderment.

I could hear Leo letting out a small hollow laugh.

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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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