How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 308

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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 (308)

 

“…I apologize.”

 

Leo said, letting out a deep breath.

 

Even though Leo’s status was higher than Emanuel’s, unless it was a family that had completely abandoned manners, one couldn’t simply disregard the wishes of a family elder so carelessly. Leo grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back as he spoke.

 

“Let’s go. I have no idea how you even found out about Emanuel’s residence… but you know this isn’t getting us anywhere.”

 

“I didn’t come here just to have a simple conversation. You go in first.”

 

“Lucas…”

 

I could probably translate that as ‘please just go’… Sorry, but I can’t do that.

 

I sent Leo away and found a cafe overlooking the mansion, where I lingered for several more hours until three in the morning before returning to Berlin. To my delight, Elias was sitting in my room.

 

Elias, who had been drinking something from my cup, knocked on the table in front of him as soon as he saw me.

 

“What’s France up to today?”

 

“Making excuses?”

 

“Right. They keep saying the same thing about what possible reason they could have for stealing Austria’s jewels.”

 

Of course they would. In this matter, it wouldn’t be strange if war broke out immediately. The assassination of the Archduke of Osterreicheste that was the trigger for World War I in our history—the Sarajevo Incident—and the current theft of Osterreicheste’s artifacts by a foreign imperial family rather than common criminals are certainly different events, but since the target that was struck is the same and the opposing factions are similar, it’s inevitable that they overlap.

 

What follows even faintly overlaps with how the German Empire in our world promised to support Austria-Hungary both materially and spiritually when they decided on war. As someone from the 21st century, I cannot help but know what the results of World War I were. And doesn’t the entire world clearly know what Germany did after having their national pride trampled from that?

 

Now all that remains is for Austria to step back and admit they were mistaken, or for France to acknowledge that all the circumstances of their case point to Charles Orleans as the culprit, but neither will do so.

 

Fortunately, unlike our history, the German imperial family and government are not officially taking anyone’s side, but the German media is at least blaming France for framing Pleroma.

 

“At this point, our country’s fake Abraham is just scratching at France… The atmosphere is quite serious. What if a real war breaks out?”

 

Elias said as he rolled up the newspaper and put it down on the table.

 

“And we’re taking vitriol showers again today. At this rate, we’ll be showering three times a day.”

 

He grumbled as he wiped away the black slime stuck to the ends of his hair with gloves. Though he said that, since vitriol actually causes rampage if it touches skin for extended periods, only his outer clothes were ruined.

 

Elias asked me.

 

“What about you? Did you get rejected again today?”

 

“It’s only been two days. ‘Again today’?”

 

“He won’t meet with you. When that person is firm, he’s really firm.”

 

That would be the case. Emanuel Wittelsbach doesn’t reply to my messages.

 

‘Should I consider it hopeful that he at least doesn’t return them to sender?’

 

Even so, I can’t confirm whether he’s reading them or not…

 

He seemed to want to completely ignore anything about Osterreicheste. After all, the Perruor was a family item, and since he disliked that family, he had no intention of cooperating, and even though the caretaker had already changed, he probably didn’t want to think anymore about anything that reminded him of Maria.

 

He wasn’t accepting Leo’s contact either. Leo had asked His Majesty the King for help, but he sent a rejection letter even to the King’s contact.

 

Even so, there was no other way. What I had to do was one thing.

 

* * *

 

“For now, just coming like this is enough.”

 

“People who have ‘enough’ usually aren’t doing this. You’re really… amazing.”

 

Leo said, looking at my dark blonde hair and brown eyes.

 

“Thanks.”

 

I roughly swept my hair back with my hand and looked into the distance. The world was dark because it was night. Even so, Emanuel’s mansion was clearly visible. I could also see the place where Maria had climbed over the wall to enter.

 

“But why aren’t you coming as Nicolaus?”

 

“Absolutely not right now. That would be less safe for everyone.”

 

“…”

 

He probably thought it should be safer if Nicolaus came, wondering why it wouldn’t be safe. Leo let out a short sigh with a face that showed he didn’t understand.

 

“Hey, is it obvious that I’m me right now?”

 

“To me, you’re still you… I’m already familiar with your face, so would changing one color make me not recognize you?”

 

That would be the case. I snapped my fingers. At that moment, Leo’s eyes widened and he tilted his head slightly as if he couldn’t believe it.

 

“You changed your face.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“…Am I mistaken? You look similar to me. Your hair and eye color seem brighter too.”

 

I didn’t change my hair or eye color again, but it would still appear changed to others. To me, my hair is still dark blonde and my eyes are still brown, but to people affected by the cognitive disruption magic, it’s light blonde.

 

Since it’s advanced magic, it’s not easy to maintain—it would take less mana and be easier to just change the color—but this is the best option right now. Since I used it often during the extra chapters to avoid being treated as Georg’s son and also to change my mana color, it doesn’t take as much effort as it did initially.

 

“I used your face as reference. From now on, let’s say I’m something like your cousin. I need to disguise myself this much to be a bit safer.”

 

“Do I look like this?”

 

“Is that important? I don’t even know what I drew.”

 

After that, we continued standing around the back gate of this house. When the mansion’s lights went out, Leo, who had been hidden by cognitive disruption magic, tapped my shoulder.

 

“It’s 12 o’clock. Let’s go back.”

 

“…”

 

“The atmosphere is getting rapidly worse, so Uncle doesn’t have time to come out anyway. The Bavarian Kingdom parliament has proposed a budget bill to temporarily increase military spending.”

 

“If they really increase it, it’ll contribute to this pre-war atmosphere. France and Austria have intelligence agencies too.”

 

“Right. So instead of increasing it right now, they’re holding other budget bills. They want to see how things go until the day after tomorrow when there’s a three-way meeting with France and Austria.”

 

It’s new to see Germany taking on a mediator role in this world. Usually it was a situation where they got beaten up by Pleroma and had to receive mediation from other countries.

 

I shook my head and muttered.

 

“If I had the Orleans family’s techniques, I could just slip right in. I could break in even now, but then alarms would go off and you and I would end up in jail. At least you’d get lenient treatment, but the fact that we’d have to go get investigated in handcuffs wouldn’t change.”

 

“This is the first time I’ve seen you talk this long about something so obvious.”

 

Leo burst into laughter as if he was dumbfounded, then shook his head. Soon he spoke seriously.

 

“Let’s go back. We can’t gain anything by waiting like this.”

 

“…”

 

I let out a breath and pushed Leo’s back.

 

“You go first.”

 

There was something bothering me. There were definitely answers I needed to hear from Emanuel, but beyond that.

 

So I stayed all night at a cafe in a building that partially overlooked Emanuel’s mansion. Grateful that it was open even at this hour, I kept forcing tasteless bread into my mouth.

 

At some point, a clerk started walking around with a bundle of papers.

 

“Would you like to buy a newspaper?”

 

“Is it out already?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Already 6 o’clock, it was about time to head back.

 

I handed coins to the clerk and took the newspaper. There wasn’t much worth noting besides the France and Austria story.

 

‘Though that is the craziest story.’

 

I absorbed all the articles about international affairs into my head and left Bavaria to return to Berlin.

 

“Guys, let’s do our best with the vitriol shower today too.”

 

Elias said seriously with me and Leo beside him. Then he looked at me and muttered.

 

“Did this guy not sleep a wink? His complexion is…”

 

“Lucas. Don’t go today. Uncle is the type who wouldn’t care at all even if you waited outside.”

 

“He did seem like that.”

 

The Emanuel I had directly encountered was that kind of person. But that wasn’t the problem. Did it look like I was just waiting in front of Emanuel’s house hoping for him to come out?

 

If that’s what they thought, they were wrong.

 

I had to prevent what I was worried about from becoming reality.

 

The next day, I looked down at where his mansion was from the cafe like I had the previous dawn. And as soon as I returned to the Imperial 2nd Education Institute, I encountered Leo whose face had turned white.

 

“Lucas.”

 

Leo, who had been talking with Elias, turned around as soon as he saw me. I frowned seeing his complexion.

 

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

 

“Did you just come from Bavaria?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You need to go back to Bavaria right now. Pack your clothes and come out.”

 

“What?”

 

“Emanuel has disappeared.”

 

* * *

 

Since my heart was pounding like crazy, I could tell that the bewilderment Leo was feeling was no ordinary level. He couldn’t even control his own mana right now.

 

“Since yesterday evening, he said he wanted to be alone, so no one entered His Highness’s room. At least according to what I was told… that’s what was supposed to happen. I was in Baden at that time, so I didn’t hear it directly, but…”

 

“Come out! Quickly!”

 

“…”

 

Medical personnel rushed past behind the initial reporter. Servants lying like corpses were being carried away on stretchers. Since this was a royal disappearance case, dozens of investigators had come to examine the scene. Countless people were making the view chaotic.

 

I came here as Nicolaus and am now handling Emanuel’s disappearance case together with Leo.

 

“Your Highness the Prince.”

 

An investigator greeted Leo and then offered me a handshake.

 

“Good day, I am Robert Holzmann, Chief Investigator of the Munich Investigation Bureau. I’ll give you a brief explanation of the case, so please follow me.”

 

The investigator who brought Leo and me inside swept the floor with his gloved hand and said.

 

“As you both already know well, according to our investigation so far, this is clearly Pleroma’s doing. After contacting the Prussian Investigation Bureau, the sleeping drug left on this floor is identical to what was used during the Grand Hotel terror. Moreover, traces of vitriol are also embedded in the floor.”

 

“…”

 

“Among today’s victims, only Emanuel Wittelsbach is missing. But the problem is…”

 

The investigator lowered his voice and spoke with a worried expression.

 

“There are traces of Emanuel walking out on his own. On the other hand, there are no traces of anyone entering from outside.”

 

Leo, who had been listening to the explanation, asked.

 

“Around what time did the crime occur?”

 

“A servant named Katrin Schultz, who had been visiting her hometown, arrived at this mansion at 6:30 this morning. You spoke with her earlier. We still lack sufficient clues to give you a definitive answer, but we estimate it happened between 3 AM and 6 AM today.”

 

Leo nodded with a cold expression and led me to an empty room. When investigators passing by outside spotted Leo and hurriedly greeted him, he locked the door and cast a sound-blocking spell.

 

“Lucas.”

 

“I watched all day, but no one came or went throughout the night.”

 

“…”

 

When I answered preemptively, Leo stood there dazed for a moment before rubbing his face with his hand.

 

“The reason you’ve been coming here recently wasn’t just…”

 

It wasn’t just because he asked to meet. Right, to be honest, I came to prevent something like this from happening. In the end, all I gained was the fact that the crime occurred even though no one approached Emanuel’s mansion throughout the night…

 

But that alone is an important clue. I looked around and asked.

 

“Want to gather more information before we go back?”

 

“No.”

 

Leo’s answer was firm.

 

He must have thought there was no more information to be gained here. I agree. I opened the retry window and said.

 

“Go back 12 hours.”

 

* * *

 

I looked out the window.

 

It was the Bavarian cafe from dawn.

 

Leo’s mana was running wild, making my heart throb like crazy. Leo definitely came along.

 

The shock he was feeling must be considerable, as his hand kept trying to reach toward his heart. I wanted to tell him to stop rampaging, but I couldn’t since I was probably causing just as much trouble to Leo’s core.

 

I felt like my head was turning white. I took a deep breath, cast a sound-blocking spell, and called the Investigation Bureau.

 

[This is the Bavarian Munich Investigation Bureau. Please speak.]

 

“This is Nicolaus Ernst. I suspect a vitriol terror attack at Emanuel Wittelsbach’s mansion. There’s a risk the perpetrator might flee, so please send reconnaissance agents. I will enter the mansion with His Highness the Prince.”

 

It was nonsensical. If I spouted such things in Prussia, they would send a bunch of mages to the house regardless of reconnaissance or anything else. But this place was different.

 

Thinking it wasn’t a matter to decide alone, the acknowledgment came only after about 3 minutes. After hearing the response, I left the communication on in case there were instructions and went downstairs from the cafe.

 

“Oh.”

 

As soon as I reached the first floor, I encountered Leo, who had come here without even fixing his hair. No matter how shocked he was, he knew well what he shouldn’t do. Fortunately, he didn’t storm into Emanuel’s mansion front gate. Instead, Leo tried to call my name as soon as he saw me.

 

“Lu…!”

 

I covered his mouth and pointed to the communication artifact hanging on my ear. Only then did Leo nod.

 

“…Count Ernst.”

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Getting to the mansion’s vicinity without making any noise didn’t take long. Mages from the Investigation Bureau would be here too. I created and wore a mask with mana, then held my breath with Leo to check for presences around us.

 

“Your Highness. Plants aren’t caught by barriers, right?”

 

Leo looked at me and nodded slightly.

 

“Please send some stems into the mansion.”

 

“…”

 

Leo was looking at me with an expression asking what crazy thing I was saying, but realizing I wasn’t speaking meaninglessly, he quickly sat on the ground and placed his hands down.

 

After listening quietly for a moment, he tapped the ground once with his finger, and plant stems growing from the earth cut through the grass covered in darkness and advanced far away. Soon the wind swayed the grass, hiding their traces.

 

Leo’s face, which had been in a confused state for a while, hardened at some point. He said quietly.

 

“The mana in the plant stems is being drained.”

 

“…”

 

Why would that suddenly happen?

 

Because those poisoned by vitriol absorb mana from the air.

 

4:20 AM. This is the beginning of this crime. I immediately reported the situation to the Investigation Bureau and changed my wand to a staff, striking down.

 

Kwaang―! Crash―!

 

The moment the barrier shattered completely, the sky around the building repeatedly turned red and went out. It was an alarm spell. Leo seemed quite flustered that I had destroyed the royal barrier in one blow, but there was no time to explain that I hadn’t used sorcery and that I was originally capable of this.

 

I rushed into the building with him. As the numerous barriers and security spells installed in the house were absorbed into my body, drastically draining my mana, Leo grabbed me as I hesitated and infused mana to keep me running. In the extra chapter 12 years ago, I had been granted permission to pass through barriers freely, so I didn’t know the barriers would be operating so complexly.

 

‘But I can’t stop.’

 

Bang―!

 

I stomped my foot at a curve to maintain balance and rushed into the building lobby.

 

All the servants were collapsed on the floor. I exchanged glances with Leo. As expected, this was no different from what we experienced at the Grand Hotel in Alexander Plaza before Penthalon.

 

Crash―! Kwaang―!!

 

I swung my staff to smash the windows on both sides of the corridor and sent divine power flowing through the hallway. I wanted to infuse them with divine power just in case, but for now, this was the best I could do. The mages I contacted at the Investigation Bureau would take them away. The most critical problem factor was elsewhere right now. I ran to Emanuel’s private room with Leo.

 

If he’s not here, I’ll have to turn back time again.

 

Bang―

 

Right, there’s no need to turn back time.

 

The problem was… that Emanuel was looking out the window in this situation where vitriol mana was vibrating in the room. I could see other letter paper I hadn’t sent and a fallen teacup on his bed.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Emanuel turned his head toward me.

 

The same face from 12 years ago. I didn’t think 41-year-old Emanuel would be much different from the past, but facing a face that seemed like I’d just seen yesterday made his appearance from the extra chapter churn through my mind. My mouth felt bitter as if Maria should be right beside him.

 

But there’s no time for sentimentality.

 

“Please stay still.”

 

“…”

 

He looks fine, but this is also a rampage. Unlike the rampages below 8th grade I’ve faced so far, this one retains reason.

 

“I don’t recall inviting you in.”

 

“I know. More importantly, you know who I am.”

 

Emanuel smiled lightly. He must have recognized me through his discernment.

 

The moment I carefully channeled mana into my staff in case he wouldn’t listen to reason, vitriol came rushing at me.

 

Kwaang―!!

 

Leo, who had changed his wand to a staff, struck away the vitriol. The bookshelf fell over, making the room ring. Emanuel spoke in a cold voice.

 

“What’s your reason for going this far over some mere jewelry matter?”

 

“…”

 

“Of course, it would be diplomatically important. France stole Austria’s relic… How surprising.”

 

“It’s beyond the level of an important matter.”

 

“I know. Wars always start like this. The jewelry has now transcended its simple value as jewelry, and now the public will be captivated by the ethnic value implied by the stolen Holy Roman Empire sapphire and insist the enemy must be killed. How often have we seen such foolishness of killing millions over mere religion, property, and pride?”

 

“Your emotions have become agitated.”

 

“That’s not the answer I wanted.”

 

Emanuel smiled with the same face from 12 years ago. Leo’s face was full of confusion. It can’t be helped. A rampage that maintains intelligence is indistinguishable from Pleroma on the surface. I calmly gave him the answer he wanted.

 

“Emanuel, you were close friends with Archduchess Beatrix Osterreicheste. I’ve come to see you, risking rudeness, because there’s a possibility Pleroma might resurrect Archduchess Maria’s corpse.”

 

Emanuel stared at me with the same soulless smile. Soon I heard an answer from him.

 

“That won’t happen.”

 

“…”

 

Of course. Because Maria Osterreicheste’s coffin is empty. I know that much from investigation. They said her body was so damaged in the accident that no corpse remained that could be placed in the coffin. At least officially.

 

The problem is what kind of magical formulas Maria developed from right after the founding of Hermitici Gesellschaft until just before her death, and…

 

Whether Emanuel possesses the mana and genes of the already dead Maria, whether the technology she created remains with Emanuel, and most crucially, whether Maria became Pleroma.

 

And right now, I need to prevent Emanuel from completely going into rampage.

 

“If you’re done talking, please leave.”

 

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible.”

 

As soon as I said those words, everything went black.

 

Kwaaaaaang—

 

A wind made of Vitriol blocked our view. Leo’s magic cut through it, and I purified the Vitriol with divine power to secure our vision momentarily, but…

 

Actually, there was no need for that.

 

Kwaang—!

 

The door fell off and rolled across the floor. The windows had already been blown out long ago.

 

I could hear Leo gritting his teeth and chanting all sorts of magic spells.

 

This was the kind of talent Pleroma had been searching for. People with such high Vitriol compatibility become Pleroma, and to find such talents, Pleroma had been putting drugs in rivers, land, and air all this time. I could hear the screams of the Investigation Bureau mages who followed us. Naturally, they wouldn’t stand a chance. If things continued like this, their presence would only make the cleanup take longer.

 

I wasn’t sure what grade of Rampage this was, but fortunately, I had a method I could use.

 

‘Three, two… one.’

 

I released the power from the staff I had struck into the floor.

 

Kwaang—!! Kwadeuk—

 

“Urgh…!”

 

I felt intense pain in my head. Emmanuel’s Vitriol was strangling my neck. Even though he couldn’t see, he seemed to have sensed the situation as I heard Leo’s panicked voice. The Vitriol pressed in so hard it felt like it would break my neck bones. I grabbed the Vitriol choking my neck with both hands and stomped my feet hard. The Vitriol quickly crushed my legs, but it was too late.

 

“…!”

 

Kwaang—!

 

Something pulled sharply. I slammed Emmanuel, caught in my binding spell, to the floor, turned my body, and struck Emmanuel’s core with my other hand. The light of divine power briefly stung my eyes before quickly disappearing.

 

My vision went out.

 

The already dark view became complete darkness.

 

* * *

 

I opened my eyes in bed.

 

“…”

 

There was no foreign sensation on my left ring finger. Bright eyelashes that seemed like Wittelsbach’s blocked my vision every time my eyes moved. Without realizing it, I removed a cigarette from my mouth and exhaled smoke.

 

A cigarette with a strange taste. I knew what this was. It was something I used frequently in that place and now even knew how to make. An unknown gas clung to my throat’s mucous membrane and went down to my lungs. Unlike regular tobacco, the magic forming the gas was penetrating through the membrane into my entire body. It was like an elixir turned into gas.

 

“It feels like my consciousness is separating.”

 

A strange voice came from my mouth. When I closed and opened my eyes once, the face of a New Humanity member with glowing eyes came into view. Maria was smiling as she looked down at me.

 

“Right. That’s the basics of astral projection.”

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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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