How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 299

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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 (299)

 

Narke’s gaze turned toward me. I shook my head once in disbelief and asked.

 

“You’re saying he passed away.”

 

“Yes. Ten years ago.”

 

When I heard that someone I knew was already dead, what kind of reaction should I show? Starting from the tips of my hands and feet, my entire body stiffened.

 

“Ten years ago…”

 

“It seems we’ve brought up painful memories for Your Grace. We truly feel sorry about this.”

 

While I couldn’t escape from the momentary shock, Leo, who had been observing the Duke’s expression, cut off my words and apologized. The Duke waved his hand to indicate it wasn’t necessary.

 

“No, I already understand that this is necessary for the investigation. I’m grateful enough that you’re making efforts for the Osterreicheste family heirloom.”

 

The Duke looked around at us and continued speaking.

 

“However, we manage our belongings at the family level, and above all, our late elder brother managed the Peruer in the same way I do, so there wouldn’t be any special information that he knew.”

 

“I see. I understand.”

 

Leo glanced at me and answered. It meant I should ask if I had questions, but right now I needed time to organize my thoughts.

 

Perhaps frustrated that the conversation he wanted wasn’t happening, the Duke leaned closer to us and asked.

 

“But how is the investigation proceeding? For example, have there been processes like investigating whether there’s an organized theft group, or re-investigating people who entered the country that day?”

 

“Yes, the Investigation Bureau has already investigated all people who entered and left the country during the week from that day, but we haven’t found any traces of the stolen items on our end. Also, we have a mage in Eschete with the ability to read the memories of objects. We’re investigating together with that person around the border, but we haven’t discovered anything particular yet. We apologize.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

While I stared straight ahead, ordinary conversation continued.

 

My head was complicated because I couldn’t shake off the shock from learning about the deceased. To think that someone I had spent time with, even if just for a few days, was actually already a dead person.

 

And… yes, I had said it was too easy. If we asked the Duke directly after 12 years, the problem would be solved immediately. Since we encountered an unexpected variable, it looks like we’ll have to take a longer route.

 

Narke tapped my ankle with the tip of her shoe. When I slightly turned my head, Narke, who had been staring intently at my eyes, read my thoughts and asked the Duke.

 

“By any chance, does Osterreicheste have any special magical formulas that only you possess?”

 

“I cannot tell you about the magical formulas passed down in our family. As you know, all of those are classified. If it were related to this incident, I would tell you… but you must absolutely maintain secrecy.”

 

The Duke made a displeased expression as if he was hearing many absurd questions today. Narke also seemed uncertain and lightly bit the inside of her lips.

 

—”There’s nothing to gain. This person really knows nothing.”

 

I nodded at Narke’s words. After that, we continued our conversation with the second Maria a bit more, and then returned to the manor.

 

If things turned out this way, the side I had to rely on was different.

 

“Finally came…”

 

Elias muttered in a dying voice from my bed. I couldn’t even think of greeting him and put down my luggage on the chair.

 

“Did you get anything? You must have been so happy going without me?”

 

Leo answered dryly to Elias’s sarcasm.

 

“I told you to organize the materials.”

 

“I’m more of a field person!”

 

“So you didn’t do it?”

 

“I did…”

 

Elias buried his face in my pillow and pointed to the pile of papers on the desk. Normally I would have told him to get out, but I wasn’t in that state of mind right now.

 

I sat on the edge of the bed and said quietly.

 

“Leo. I want to meet your uncle.”

 

“Hm?”

 

Leo seemed to seriously doubt what he had just heard.

 

“…You mean Emanuel. Have I ever introduced him to you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then how do you know? Is it related to this case?”

 

“At least he could give us a clue.”

 

If so, as the Duke’s only occult friend, he might know information that even his younger brother doesn’t know. Although there was physical distance, Emmanuel was an irreplaceably close friend to the Duke in that he shared the Duke’s secret hobby. Also, the Duke often came to Bavaria to visit, and Emmanuel often went to Austria. That’s what I learned through their conversations.

 

Leo stared at me stiffly and then shook his head.

 

“Of all people, that person is connected to the Osterreicheste family’s theft case? Just how far have you investigated?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Our uncle hates it whenever that family is mentioned. I don’t know what problems he had with them…”

 

He hates them.

 

Because his friend died? Or is there another reason? Thoughts swept through my head. All sorts of possibilities and their corresponding appropriate probabilities sporadically popped up in my mind, interfering with my calculations. Meanwhile, Leo avoided my eyes and said.

 

“He probably already knows that we’ve taken on this theft case. So… I can’t arrange a meeting.”

 

“…”

 

“Even if I ask him, or even if you send a letter directly to my uncle, he will refuse.”

 

“Are you certain?”

 

I exhaled briefly and asked. Leo made a face that said he understood my feelings. But the answer that came was utterly firm.

 

“Yes.”

 

* * *

 

Leo’s words were accurate.

 

I sent a letter to Archduke Emmanuel asking if we could meet, and immediately received a refusal by warp mail. I hadn’t mentioned a single word about Osterreicheste, but Emmanuel knew what case we had taken on, just as Leo said, and predicted that I would ask about it.

 

Requesting help from the Imperial Court or the King of Bavaria would also be meaningless. First, I don’t want to use the Imperial Court’s power to exert force on Bavarian royalty, and since it’s customary not to use divine power to investigate royalty, without physical evidence that he’s connected to this case, it would end if Emmanuel played dumb.

 

Then what could I do?

 

“I heard you collapsed and then got up.”

 

I opened my eyes. Emmanuel, who had been sitting on the back of the sofa, brought the cigarette he was smoking to my lips and smiled.

 

Twelve years ago. I had entered the extra chapter again. I didn’t just enter now, but came in half a day ago in this time after investigating the deceased Archduke Maria.

 

Since my friends outside also needed time to investigate, I deliberately didn’t raise the time difference level further. Since Elias and Narke decided to continue approaching the Hermetic Society as they had been doing, I needed to be able to hear information when I came out. The information they bring is also important to me.

 

I waved my hand away.

 

“If you’re going to give me one, give me a new one.”

 

“You’re picky. Are you really American?”

 

“What do you think of Americans…? Do you think Americans don’t know about hygiene?”

 

“Haha.”

 

Emmanuel didn’t answer and laughed while smoking.

 

Here, I would learn ways to gain favor with the real Emmanuel, and more fundamentally, spend more time with Archduke Maria here to gather information. Archduke Maria said he moved up the club’s founding by several years because of me. I would listen to many stories about the ‘original plan’ he had and carefully approach without greatly interfering with the future events that were supposed to happen.

 

If this were too much for me, I wouldn’t go this far, but spending peaceful time wasn’t a big problem. It was too much to completely give up since there was an imperial command involved, and now that I knew what kind of technique the Duke had, I couldn’t just leave it alone without knowing what was in the Peruer.

 

Let me review the conversation Leo and I had yesterday. What if there were some restrictions on Pleroma’s ‘ability copying’? So, to remove the restrictions, they sought his technique?

 

It’s just one of many possibilities, but the problem is that there are countless such hypotheses. If the hypothesis is true, the damage from this would spread like wildfire in an instant.

 

Rather, if I could have the leisure to breathe peacefully and gather information, I would welcome it. I looked at the cigarette smoke rising above me while thinking about the wallpaper discoloration.

 

“In twelve years, will Your Grace be 41 years old?”

 

“I’m 29 now, so… that would be right.”

 

“That’s old.”

 

“41 is old? I have 100 years left to live.”

 

“I mean there’s a big difference between you and me.”

 

Emmanuel seriously pondered what that had to do with being 41 and then chuckled.

 

“Count Everett will be 35 then too. We’re six years apart, but isn’t it a bit much to say six years is a lot?”

 

“It’s plenty of difference. When I entered middle school, Your Grace was entering the First Education Institute.”

 

It was a brainless answer. When I return to reality, he’ll be 41 and I’ll be 18. More than 20 years difference. A six-year difference, well, in Korea they make a huge fuss over even one or two years difference, so it might be difficult, but here it’s no problem for becoming friends. Even so, twenty years is a bit difficult. I’m prepared to act, but no matter how hard I try, the other side will see me as a child.

 

‘To 41-year-old eyes, 18 years old is… like a child.’

 

This is troublesome. Actually being a nephew’s friend is a minus.

 

“How should I become close with Your Grace?”

 

“Then accept it like an American.”

 

He offered me the cigarette he had been smoking again.

 

“Did you have some unfortunate experience with Americans?”

 

“Strange. You said you wanted to become close with me?”

 

“If you want to smoke together, how about giving me a new one?”

 

“This is my last one.”

 

“You thought of me like this and I didn’t realize it.”

 

“That’s right. Do you understand now?”

 

“I think I understand, but thinking about it again, I don’t. I’m grateful that you tried to give me your last one, but this is actually the first time I’ve seen someone give away something they’ve been smoking the whole time. Do you want to share oral microbiota with me?”

 

“…How scientific. Who thinks that far? That’s why you’ll have trouble becoming close with me, Count.”

 

Emmanuel answered with a snicker. I wasn’t planning to smoke anyway, but naturally anyone would think about hygiene. It seems he strangely prioritizes useless loyalty, sentiment, or romance, but in my opinion, hygiene comes first no matter what. Even thinking about it a hundred times, hygiene comes first. Even thinking about it a thousand times, hygiene still holds better value for me. Maybe it’s because I’m a 21st-century person, but sometimes I find it difficult to follow the romantic sentiments of this era. Right now, even if I were dropped into 1960s Europe, I wouldn’t be able to adapt to the atmosphere different from 21st-century sentiment, so how much more so the 1880s. This place is honestly a completely different world from the 21st century. I can only survive by putting down 21st-century thinking and keeping my mind at ease.

 

“When will Her Highness Maria arrive?”

 

Since we parted ways after learning unique abilities at the end, Maria Osterreicheste was staying at Emmanuel’s manor. But right now, she was nowhere to be seen.

 

“She probably went to Berlin to look for a place.”

 

So passionate without even resting. Meeting someone who would die in two years so directly would likely dampen my mood, so I needed time to prepare myself mentally. In that sense, being apart for a while was fortunate.

 

I received the whiskey glass Emmanuel handed me, took a sip, and lay back down.

 

“Archduchess Maria introduced a unique ability to generate water, but do you happen to know if she has any other unique abilities?”

 

“Why?”

 

“Just curious.”

 

“Probably not.”

 

“Then, are there any unique abilities that Archduchess Maria wants to have?”

 

“Why are you asking so many detailed questions? Why do you only talk about Maria?”

 

“I’m the type who only talks about one thing when I get fixated on it.”

 

“When you get fixated… what?”

 

Emmanuel frowned and looked down at me. My casual deflection had caused a problem. I resolved to choose my words better even with the New Humans and corrected myself.

 

“I meant I got fixated on the occult. I made an occult friend, so wouldn’t Your Highness feel the same way?”

 

“I see… Well, whatever the case, she stirred things up so now we have to go look for that treasure chest.”

 

Emmanuel seemed to have decided to voice his displeasure with me, pressing down on me slightly with his magical power as he spoke.

 

“I’m a bit surprised you’re saying it’s because of me. Wasn’t Your Highness already planning to go look for the treasure chest with Her Highness the Archduchess from the beginning?”

 

“Sigh… Why look for it now? I had convinced her to look for it later.”

 

So later she would have gotten tired of it on her own and given up, is that it? But I was the one who lit the fire.

 

Sorry, but I need to light a fire to create some momentum. Thinking that, I asked something I was personally curious about. It was also to consider the possibility that she might be a different person from what I had researched.

 

“What is Archduchess Maria’s full name?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

The silence stretched long.

 

‘Don’t tell me he doesn’t even know his friend’s name?’

 

I became quite suspicious, but fortunately Emmanuel snapped his fingers.

 

“Beatrix, and what else was it.”

 

“I see. Please try to remember your friend’s name at least.”

 

Fortunately, it matches the information I researched.

 

Earlier, her younger brother Leopold Maria called Beatrix Maria ‘Hyung’. Actually, he didn’t use ältere Bruder but called her Venerabilis. New Humans use different words from Old Humans. While I lump all Venerabilis together as hyung or sometimes call Adrian Ascanien by the Old Human term ältere Bruder, New Humans usually use the word Venerabilis to address older siblings or mages with high magical power. In other words, even such words make it impossible to guess. I’m the only one who calls them hyung in the Old Human way.

 

Emmanuel grumbled at my criticism. Even so, since I had become quite close with the 29-year-old Emmanuel, there was no risk of being dragged away for blasphemy. When I didn’t answer and kept my eyes closed, Emmanuel broke the silence and asked.

 

“Is teaching work still manageable these days?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Since I had properly appeased him by promising to be a better friend and teacher than Fronto, Leonard wouldn’t be chasing after me during his free time for a while. Before Emmanuel could continue talking about Leonard, I asked.

 

“How should I become closer friends with Archduchess Maria?”

 

“You don’t look like you particularly want to become close friends.”

 

Emmanuel, who had been staring intently at me, smiled.

 

Well, she’s someone who will die in two years. I don’t want to get hurt unnecessarily. But to find out how Maria ended up bringing even family heirlooms into this, whether this is really just my speculation or something with a high possibility of actually happening, I can’t just spend time in a superficial relationship. When I shrugged my shoulders, he casually threw out a comment.

 

“If you want to become close, try to arrange to visit Maria’s house.”

 

“I can’t leave the country because of classes.”

 

“Aha. Then you have no choice but to find the treasure chest~”

 

“Do you think that’s realistic?”

 

“No.”

 

He’s an accurate person. Even 12 years later, that treasure chest remains in such an unknown realm that it’s used in secret club entrance interviews. If it had really been discovered, it would definitely have made the newspaper.

 

Becoming close with the Archduchess by finding the treasure chest was out of the question…

 

‘To ask if she can imbue abilities into Perueo would mean I’m changing the future.’

 

In that case, the Archduchess would first try imbuing any ability into Perueo. The greater my level of intervention, the more the information I obtain becomes muddied by my influence.

 

Let’s think about this logically. What kind of crazy person would think to apply their newly developed technology to a family heirloom? How many accessories suitable for making artifacts exist in the world, and how easy are they to obtain? Why would they specifically have to touch a family treasure that’s both the family’s wealth and has historical value?

 

If an extreme environment is created in some sense that makes the Archduchess think of Perueo on her own without me even mentioning the letter ‘P’ of Perueo, then it becomes somewhat reliable information. Of course, since things happened earlier, there might be some differences, so it would be right to gather additional information here as quickly as possible, leave, and cross-verify. If I’m wrong, it would be right to quickly withdraw.

 

Since Elias and Narke are approaching the Hermitici Gesellschaft from 12 years later, if I’m wrong here, it would be better for me to join them there too.

 

‘Let’s set another two weeks for this time.’

 

12 hours by outside standards.

 

Two weeks by local standards – my goal is to naturally hear and remember everything about Maria.

 

And so, I spent three more days in local time studying and finally finished Introduction to the Occult.

 

The Archduchess clapped her hands and jumped up from her seat.

 

“Now! Let’s have a party to celebrate finishing one book! Count Everett, you’re truly enthusiastic. To cover everything about the occult in just one week like this.”

 

“Haha…”

 

Damn… All I learned was some occult theory.

 

I thought it would look easy but be unexpectedly challenging. It’s difficult to naturally connect the occult with family wealth, and these types only talk about what interests them. While I can have many conversations, it’s hard to steer them in the direction I want.

 

I tried to lead with questions like ‘Do you also make artifacts from gems?’ but only received looks asking why I was asking such obvious questions. I took risks and asked about slightly closer topics, but only heard bland answers that anyone could give. The same went for questions about unique abilities and other topics. Originally, all these conversations ended up turning into basic occult studies, so I couldn’t even have long conversations.

 

Perhaps sensing something from my soulless reaction, Emmanuel, who was behind us, closed his book and giggled.

 

“Maria.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Emmanuel, who had become more comfortable with our trio’s gatherings, began speaking casually to the Archduchess even when I was present. Emmanuel spoke again.

 

“Do you think Count Everett is really here because he likes the occult?”

 

“…?”

 

I turned around, ready to hit Emmanuel’s mouth if necessary. Emmanuel saw my expression, panicked and laughed briefly, then turned his head aside and spoke to Archduchess Maria.

 

“He’s here because he wants to do direct activities with you.”

 

“Direct activities…”

 

The Archduchess stroked her chin and looked at me with serious eyes.

 

“Am I thinking what you’re thinking?”

 

“Sorry, but I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

 

“What are you asking about? Count Everett has never said such things to you until now. It’s because it’s difficult for him to bring it up directly to you, but you should have noticed by now.”

 

The Archduchess finally looked enlightened and gave me an apologetic expression.

 

“I had no idea… If you had said something, I would have accommodated you.”

 

“What do you mean? By the way, I think studying things like occult necromancy in theory only would be sufficient.”

 

“Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark.”

 

“…”

 

I just blinked, wondering what she wanted me to do, when the Archduchess confronted Emmanuel.

 

“He doesn’t know.”

 

“Well, Count Everett is still an occult beginner.”

 

Emmanuel got up from the sofa and pulled my shoulder toward him.

 

“It’s Dante’s Divine Comedy.”

 

“I know that. So what?”

 

“You should travel with Virgil at least once.”

 

I got chills for a moment and looked back at Emmanuel. Was he telling me to visit the afterlife briefly? Near-death experience? Sightseeing in the afterworld?

 

Sure enough, something ridiculous was said. Emmanuel patted my shoulder and laughed.

 

“If you try astral projection together once, you’ll be able to become close friends as you wish.”

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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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