How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 305

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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 (305)

 

After that, despite my report lacking any kind explanation, Abraham contacted Austria-Hungary to investigate the Orleans family members who had departed for that country that day.

 

Abraham is someone who bases his principles of action entirely on rationality. The fact that such a person made a dangerous decision that could potentially turn both France and Austria-Hungary into enemies after hearing my poor explanation—though I had my reasons—means that his trust in my abilities is extraordinarily deep.

 

Of course, since three major powers were involved and it hadn’t been long since the war, the matter could escalate significantly, so Abraham didn’t propose an investigation based on my report but casually brought up the topic using Orleans’ immigration records as grounds.

 

‘That’s just the surface anyway.’

 

Austria-Hungary had immigration records too. However, Osterreicheste picked up on the signal from the fact that the German Empire, which was in charge of the joint investigation, had specifically pointed out obvious information.

 

Anyway, knowing what kind of person Abraham is, I’m not particularly grateful for his trust. I was just quite surprised that that bastard moved so boldly.

 

“Ah… I had fun though.”

 

Elias clung to my back as if riding piggyback and muttered.

 

Today was the day I would be deployed to the field again for incident reports. The spring breeze was refreshing. Thanks to being in reality rather than that extra chapter where only crazy things happened, my body felt lighter today.

 

‘Before getting involved with the occult, my evaluation was the opposite.’

 

As expected, the occult doesn’t suit my temperament… Those inexplicable phenomena are completely opposite to my nature.

 

Anyway, what Elias was saying was fun must be about the Hermetic Society. Before going to see Abraham, I heard from Narke and Elias that they had almost passed all the entrance tests there.

 

“Fun…? Do you also find the occult to your taste?”

 

“No. I just heard an explanation about astral projection there.”

 

“…?”

 

I felt a chill at the back of my neck and said.

 

“Why would you do astral projection? Don’t get interested in such things.”

 

“I should go and flick Uncle on the back of his head. Ah, if I learn just a little more, I think I could get in too!”

 

Would he really just flick him? I absolutely don’t think so. Haike, who had been following behind us, joined the conversation without knowing the context.

 

“I want to do astral projection too.”

 

“You absolutely must not.”

 

“Why?”

 

“There are such things…”

 

I’m scared he might become a villain and reduce the possibility of change. Anyway, since they’re all still young, do they see astral projection as something worth trying once? I don’t know why these kids are so bold.

 

Haike asked me.

 

“You went to see His Highness the Crown Prince. So is the jewel theft case over with this?”

 

“Well. I’d say it’s mostly wrapped up.”

 

“Investigating was fun.”

 

“Was it?”

 

I’ve gotten used to Haike’s random comments. I also found it… well, not fun, but quite surprising. Haike spoke with a face that seemed to be smiling or not—though to others it would look like smiling.

 

“When this case is all over, what do you think we’ll be assigned next?”

 

“If they assign us another case like this, I’ll resign…”

 

“What?!”

 

At the words that came out without going through my brain, Elias, who had been clinging to me, tightened his grip.

 

Abraham had assigned this theft case to us because he judged it to be a problem no one could solve. If they assign us another case like this, wouldn’t we become the unsolved case processing unit rather than the victim processing unit?

 

I shook off Elias as my throat was being choked. Meanwhile, Haike looked at the ground and smiled while muttering.

 

“I hope next time we get a mission where all seven of us can participate. This time Luise and Julia weren’t there.”

 

“You’ve become quite close with Ulrike.”

 

I could tell since he was calling her by her middle name. I haven’t had the chance to meet Ulrike, so I haven’t been able to call her that.

 

“Yeah. So the day before yesterday, I invited her to my house.”

 

“What? You should have brought me along too.”

 

At my lighthearted comment, Haike visibly brightened up. He immediately opened his mouth.

 

“Then tomorrow…”

 

Beep—

 

[Can you hear me?]

 

A headquarters employee’s voice came through the artifact in my ear. Along with it, a familiar alarm echoed throughout Berlin.

 

[This is an announcement to all citizens in the Mitte district.]

 

It wasn’t just coming through my artifact. The world turned red and bright repeatedly.

 

[A Grade 8 Rampage has occurred at the National Opera House on Unter den Linden in the Mitte district. Citizens are advised not to approach the National Opera House until the termination signal sounds and to move to squares where evacuation is easy.]

 

“Hmm, looks like we need to go there.”

 

Elias said while fiddling with his ear. Haike’s face began to turn pale.

 

“This is my first time going to a cramped place like a theater with lots of people.”

 

“Same here.”

 

Elias whistled and rubbed his gloved hands together. He wasn’t doing this because he was happy that someone had gone on a rampage, but this was his way of expressing tension. Elias licked his lips and continued.

 

“Let’s quickly get them to the hospital and finish this.”

 

* * *

 

Nevertheless, fortunately we finished our work as usual. The tension was only momentary now.

 

Though it shouldn’t become routine, the appearance of rampagers has now become routine for the citizens. Bavaria developed drugs to increase survival rates in response to Pleroma’s advancement, and currently we’ve entered a period of relative stability. However, death and injury statistics don’t capture individual lives. For each person who dies from rampage, statistical stability periods are just empty echoes.

 

In that sense, I must be careful not to feel secure about such daily occurrences. Even though I’m feeling like I’ve finally returned to daily life after experiencing more insane things like astral projection.

 

I glanced at Elias. He had a splint on his wrist that had been broken when grabbed by a victim. Today we faced an easy victim, but since the location was what it was, we couldn’t avoid injuries either. As I stared intently at his wrist, Elias seemed embarrassed and complained unnecessarily.

 

“Ugh, it’s sticky.”

 

“Did Vitriol get in your boots?”

 

“Yeah. It feels like swamp mud was scooped in.”

 

Elias said that and clung to Haike.

 

“Haike~ Want to switch boots?”

 

“Should we?”

 

“What do you mean should we?!”

 

I chuckled and separated the two. Elias was getting angry even though he was the one who suggested it.

 

“Right. In times like this, you should confidently refuse!”

 

“I’m fine with it though.”

 

“That won’t do~ If anyone asks you to switch boots in the future, don’t do it. I can just ride on Luca’s back.”

 

“Did I hear that correctly?”

 

Elias had already attached himself to my back without permission. If our first or second-year classmates saw this, they’d be shocked. It was absurd, but I channeled magic to maintain balance and warped to the Eschete Management Committee headquarters with the two of them.

 

And as soon as we arrived, I encountered the jewel theft case again, which I thought had left our hands.

 

“The Osterreicheste family and the Orleans family are looking for Vice-Director Lucas Ascanien.”

 

A new-race employee told me. Though he was also a noble, since he wasn’t from a ruling family level, he looked visibly nervous.

 

Of course, it would be confusing even for a ruling family. Right now, the Austrian-Hungarian imperial family and the French imperial family are looking for me. Elias widened his eyes and looked back and forth between me and the employee. Since I don’t know anything either, I have nothing to say. I followed the employee to another room.

 

‘I wasn’t called alone.’

 

Narke, who had just finished work like me and had Vitriol on his clothes, was sitting in the room.

 

A foreign ministry official I had met several times before saw me and stood up with a stern face.

 

“I was waiting for you.”

 

“What is this about?”

 

“As you may have heard, France and Austria-Hungary have requested specialized interrogation investigators from our Empire.”

 

What are they talking about? I narrowed my eyes and looked at Narke and the official.

 

“Specialized interrogation…? Why are you looking for me? I have nothing to do with interrogations.”

 

“I don’t know that much either. What’s certain is that His Highness the Crown Prince ordered Count Narke Farnese to attach Count Ascanien to him.”

 

The official began to put pressure in his eyes as if telling me to understand quickly and agree. From how urgently the order had come down, all his actions seemed frantic.

 

“Yesterday evening, our Prussian Investigation Bureau sent entry and exit records of high-ranking officials and nobles to the Austrian-Hungarian Investigation Bureau for comparative verification. The Austrian-Hungarian Empire pointed to the Orleans family and requested investigative cooperation, and the Orleans family requested help from our German Empire. They said they wanted to prove their innocence and asked us to send investigators trusted by the imperial family…”

 

The official looked at us and trailed off.

 

His words seemed different from what I knew on the surface, but if you examine them closely, they’re not really that different. It’s just a matter of how it was packaged, how my and Abraham’s decisions were diplomatically presented.

 

Just from listening, it seems like Germany did nothing except send materials that everyone already had once more, and doesn’t it look like Osterreicheste suddenly pointed to the French imperial family out of nowhere? In such cases, it’s reasonable to assume there were some signals beneath the surface.

 

To interpret it, the Orleans family didn’t request our help. Their intention was: since the French imperial family was pointed out as suspects, Germany, which is in charge of the joint investigation, also bears responsibility, so come and hear and clarify their innocence.

 

The official continued with an expression of having no choice.

 

“Crown Prince Elizabeth ordered that Count Narke Farnese and Vice-Director Count Lucas Ascanien be sent immediately to the Foreign Ministry building.”

 

* * *

 

Don’t they protect their employees? This bastard is the one in charge but he’s selling everyone out. Facing a huge diplomatic firestorm, I had skeptical thoughts about Abraham as I moved to the reception room.

 

Of course, Abraham never said anywhere that ‘I’ was the first to point to France’s Orleans. Even Abraham has that much sense. He simply sent investigators truly trusted by Hohenzollern when they asked for investigators trusted by Hohenzollern.

 

‘…This guy seems fine even if Nicolaus Ernst tries to gain support in Prussia.’

 

His words about helping me are truly being realized properly. Though practically my troublesome work has increased, opportunities originally only show their true value when you work hard for them.

 

Anyway, Abraham isn’t the type to act petty out of fear that trouble might splash onto him, but rather someone who would have summoned me either because he thinks this confrontation with the Orleans family will ultimately help me, or for his own amusement. I hope it’s the former. If it’s the latter, I’ll go looking for a good way to give him a political beating.

 

Creak―

 

“The investigator from Hohenzollern has arrived, Your Highness.”

 

As soon as we entered the reception room, Orleans’s aide spoke up. I could see that Orleans who had entered Austria-Hungary around the time of the incident. He was a new breed of man with black hair and angular glasses. This person is the nephew of the French Emperor.

 

“I am Charles Orleans.”

 

He greeted us with an ambiguous smile, perhaps in a bad mood from being suspected as a thief.

 

“I am Lucas Ascanien. Pleased to meet you.”

 

“I am Narke Farnese.”

 

We briefly shook hands with him and took our seats. Now I could see that he had a list of words written densely in French in front of him. It was upside down, making it difficult for me as a foreigner to read. Noticing that we were looking at the paper, Orleans picked it up.

 

“This is what His Highness Charles has compiled regarding the flow of events in preparation for potential damage to the Orleans family’s honor. Please read it if necessary.”

 

The interpreter translated Charles Orleans’s words into German. ‘Damage to honor.’ Surprising. He’s coming on strong from the start. Narke smiled gently and said.

 

“That’s fine. I understand that it’s material His Excellency Orleans requires.”

 

The phrase ‘not strange material’ was omitted from the beginning. When Charles Orleans gave a subtle smile and spoke to the interpreter in French, the interpreter gestured to Narke.

 

“He says to please verify it.”

 

“….”

 

Narke looked at Charles Orleans while maintaining his earlier smile.

 

It was understandable.

 

Right now Charles Orleans was sending us a signal to fight. He was definitely showing great hostility toward Germany. If you’re going to suspect me of being a thief, then go ahead and check everything, that’s what he meant.

 

Narke stared intently into Charles Orleans’s eyes as he took the paper, read it aloud, then smiled again as he returned it. A crooked smile appeared on Charles Orleans’s face, which had returned to expressionless.

 

I took a deep breath and spoke.

 

“First, while the final investigation of this case is being handled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, what is your reason for visiting Germany like this?”

 

“I heard that you investigated the jewelry theft case at Osterreicheste. Specifically, it was a collaboration between the German government’s Investigation Bureau and Eschete.”

 

“That’s correct. However, we only provided assistance to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and since we’re not parties to the theft case….”

 

“You could at least be parties to charges of false accusation.”

 

When Orleans said this with a smiling face, the interpreter immediately spoke up.

 

“His Highness Charles is expressing deep concern about the possibility that the German Empire shared biased investigation results that could cause misunderstandings with the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s investigative agencies.”

 

Though a recreation-level interpretation followed, we could understand Charles Orleans’s French directly anyway. Narke and I were left speechless by his direct manner of speaking. Such words in the heart of Berlin, and moreover to investigators he himself had asked the German Imperial Court to bring?

 

Charles Orleans noticed that the interpreter had paraphrased his words, but without reprimanding him, he continued speaking.

 

“Since you participated directly in the investigation, you must be well aware that the German Empire spoke about me to Austria-Hungary. I came here to assert my innocence.”

 

“….”

 

Narke remained silent with a faint smile on his face. Charles Orleans likewise stayed quiet for a moment, then continued.

 

“Soon the Orleans family’s investigation results will come out. Osterreicheste’s investigative agency sent a request to investigate my manor.”

 

“….”

 

“Would there be any reason to refuse? Our family is innocent, and our France is innocent too. I never even went near Osterreicheste’s manor museum, yet this happened, so it’s truly bewildering.”

 

For a prime suspect to come out so brazenly like this….

 

It’s surprising. Narke also seemed to find something suspicious as he activated his divine power and spoke.

 

―”Strange.”

 

“You’re someone who uses divine power.”

 

As soon as Narke finished speaking, Charles Orleans said sharply. Narke answered cleanly without showing any sign of confusion.

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“Good. How far have you investigated this case?”

 

“There wasn’t much progress. We examined auction house ledgers and immigration records, and used our Eschete mage’s unique ability to directly check the records of Osterreicheste manor and checkpoints. That’s all.”

 

“Then do you know who first mentioned my name?”

 

“We don’t know. If you could tell us exactly what you want us to prove, we’ll help.”

 

Narke answered with a calm expression.

 

Charles Orleans artificially pulled up the corners of his mouth to show a smile, then returned to an expressionless face. About 10 minutes passed when someone knocked on the door. A French secretary with a tense face spoke in a quickened voice.

 

“Your Highness Orleans, this is the summary investigation report from Osterreicheste.”

 

“Mm.”

 

Charles Orleans gestured for the paper to be passed to us without even looking at it. The secretary placed the paper in front of Narke and me, then carefully left the reception room. At the end of pages filled with typewritten text, a sentence with special symbols caught my eye.

 

[Investigation of 3 manors owned by Duke Charles Orleans and Duke Charles Orleans’s social club and major visited locations over the past 2 weeks found no evidence of suspicion regarding the theft of the sapphire Peruer.]

 

A smile briefly crossed Narke’s expression. Charles Orleans did the same.

 

“Surely you don’t believe we need to search the entire Orleans family.”

 

He was asking if we wanted to escalate things. Right now they had only searched what Charles Orleans, a relative of the French imperial family, owned, so there was still room to restore relations with France. Don’t make a false step and go back. That’s what he’d been saying from the start. He gestured to the paper and said.

 

“It says ‘no evidence of suspicion.’ It’s a grateful result that gives me a chance to wash away some of my grievances, but probably many people won’t believe this investigation result. I think there’s still room left too. You just need to smuggle it somewhere other than my manor. Let’s say we investigate all of that thoroughly. If innocence comes out that way, the investigative agency can conclude their assigned work like this, but… for me as an individual, this would be an extremely unpleasant stigma in my life.”

 

Not believing the investigation results. That’s accurate.

 

Whether he hid it using magic or developed spatial magic, in the post-magic world there are countless ways to conceal crimes. Even without such supernatural methods, he could disguise himself as a commoner and secretly sell it on the black market. From the standpoint of knowing that the Peruer he stole is an artifact, this possibility doesn’t make sense though.

 

The most accurate verification method is to dig into his mind.

 

“Of course, I don’t fail to understand the Osterreicheste family’s grievances. That’s why I cooperated with the investigation, but there should also be an opportunity to restore my honor.”

 

Charles Orleans continued speaking while looking at us with an expression that seemed to ask what we wanted him to do about it.

 

“Everyone believes your interrogation results, don’t they?”

 

“…That’s right. Because it’s an investigation conducted under Hohenzollern’s name.”

 

“Then please prove it with divine power.”

 

“….”

 

Charles Orleans looked at Narke and me with a cold voice.

 

“I tried my best to understand because I know this case is a serious theft situation, but this reasoning process that tarnishes the Orleans name is truly surprising. To become a thief of that expensive heritage simply because I visited Austria after Penthalon?”

 

Certainly the people from the Ecla Literer gathering know that Archduchess Maria used the Peruer as an artifact. However, other people might have learned that fact afterward too. Charles Orleans’s immigration timing might just be a coincidental match.

 

Even though Josephine Orleans was devoted to magical research until her final years and frequently traveled to her homeland to interact with Ecla Literer members, even if Josephine’s occult relics remained only in the Orleans family’s safe in her room and in Ecla Literer, the Orleans family might not have systematized ‘real’ magical formulas by taking ideas from occult magical formulas.

 

This is the flaw in my reasoning. I judge this as a low possibility, but it’s still a possibility that exists. Then is my reasoning wrong? I’m always considering that possibility, but if I had been reasoning completely wrong, Narke would have answered my questions negatively. Even now Narke’s expression was as ambiguous as mine.

 

“I’m not saying you falsely accused me. I just hope you’ll pass correct records to the German Investigation Bureau.”

 

Charles Orleans gestured to Narke. Narke looked at me once, then drew his wand and stood up. His face maintained the same mysterious quality between expressionless and faint smile as before, but I could sense a faint doubt in his eyes. Narke stroked his wand with his hand and said.

 

“I’ll do as you wish. Please close your eyes.”

 

Then Orleans sent out his interpreter so only the three of us remained in the room. Narke placed his wand against Charles Orleans’s forehead and said.

 

―Enter through the narrow gate.

 

The power that had been in Orleans’s body was easily released.

 

“Did you lay hands on Osterreicheste’s sapphire Peruer?”

 

Orleans frowned and slowly shook his head. It was a strange expression as if asking what kind of nonsense this was.

 

Narke grabbed his chin and lifted his eyelids. After staring at his pupils for a long time, Narke smiled.

 

―”He really doesn’t know?”

 

“….”

 

He doesn’t know.

 

If that possibility I judged as low is actually true….

 

‘This is strange.’

 

―”This can’t be right.”

 

Narke said exactly the same thing as me. After thinking for a moment, he spoke.

 

“Do you know Hermitici Gesellschaft?”

 

I could immediately understand the context in which Narke asked the question. He had reached similar reasoning as me. Or he had read what I wanted to ask Charles Orleans.

 

Charles Orleans showed the same reaction as before. Narke grabbed his chin and continued questioning.

 

“Have you ever studied occult magic even a little?”

 

“….”

 

Still the same. Charles Orleans showed reactions that suggested he had no connection to the occult. Despite the continued negative responses, Narke didn’t give up and looked down at him thoughtfully.

 

Rustle―

 

I took back the paper Orleans had been holding and read through the words he had written down. Family magic, immigration records, Osterreicheste’s sapphire Peruer. Only familiar words were written.

 

“….”

 

A verification method occurred to me.

 

“Narke.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Could you ask him about Josephine Orleans?”

 

“….”

 

Though it was a sudden request, Narke nodded.

 

“Do you know who Josephine Orleans is?”

 

Charles Orleans still frowned, lowered his head, and slowly shook it from side to side. Though it was the same reaction as before….

 

The interpretation of this had to be different from before.

 

“…Ah~”

 

Narke, who had been fixing her gaze on Charles Orleans’s eyes, stroked her chin and smiled.

 

For ruling houses, genealogy is an essential field of study. People from ruling houses, for whom studying their roots is both diplomacy and virtue, could not possibly be unaware of the names of ancestors who lived not so long ago, especially an ancestor who was a queen of a surrounding country.

 

I looked at Orleans’s furrowed brow and the collection of words he had brought, then said.

 

“They erased his memory.”

 

All memories related to Perruor, that is.

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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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