How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 310

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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 (310)

 

The scene before my eyes changed. Sunlight blocked my vision, bringing on dizziness. I was sitting in an unfamiliar office, staring at the face of the Archduke of Austria.

 

“You’re saying Beatrix got involved with a territorialist group and died.”

 

“She was never involved.”

 

Emmanuel answered briefly. Beatrix Maria’s father explained again.

 

“So, you’re saying Germany’s territorialist group killed our Beatrix. I heard everything from the investigation bureau.”

 

“As you heard, they wanted Beatrix’s magical research. These are her magical research materials.”

 

Emmanuel held out a box, but the Duke didn’t even open it and shook his head.

 

“Beatrix never showed interest in magical studies. Recently, she was working hard for the integration of Hungarians.”

 

“…Didn’t I already tell you in my letter? Maria was conducting magical research based on Kabbalistic mysticism and Hermeticism. Maria was unjustly murdered by robbers who wanted this research material.”

 

The Duke’s eyes were filled with anxiety as he slowly began shaking his head. Emmanuel intuited it. Though he wasn’t crying, he was weeping, and while he couldn’t grasp that he had lost his child, he knew he would never see his child again. And he loved his child while simultaneously not trusting his child. He was denying reality.

 

“Our child is a Christian. A devout Catholic.”

 

“So what.”

 

“There’s no reason for her to get involved in such fields.”

 

“Listen! The territorialist sect cast cursed magic disguised as baptism to resurrect Maria and control her at will. That’s why Maria died! Shouldn’t you go protest to Germany right now?! Go and ask what they’re doing not eliminating Pleroma, or declare war over an Austrian royal dying in the heart of Berlin, or do something!”

 

“…”

 

The Duke looked at Emmanuel with a completely uncomprehending face. He was trapped in the sound of his own weeping, unable to hear anything. Nothing reached him.

 

Communication was impossible. This person was mad, and I was mad too, but I no longer had confidence to continue talking. For this person, Beatrix Maria was different from the Maria I knew. He only knew Maria as his child was an excellent politician, but had no idea she was someone who wanted to give opportunities to Humans even if it meant getting involved in wicked magical studies, nor did he want to know. At the same time, he would be even less willing to learn that she was someone who had taken a liking to those wicked magical studies. Honor, honor, honor… He loved his dead child but couldn’t accept any truth about his dead child.

 

Emmanuel looked down at the Duke with a disgusted face and squeezed out words from his stiffened throat.

 

“Farewell.”

 

It was his final courtesy.

 

As soon as Emmanuel left the room, the dead Maria’s Younger Brother who had been waiting outside followed beside him. The anxiety on his expression felt distant.

 

“Emanuel.”

 

“…”

 

“How did my Hyung die? No one explains it to me. You…”

 

Emmanuel looked at him blankly and shook his head.

 

“You don’t need to know.”

 

“What?”

 

Emmanuel passed by him just like that.

 

When I closed my eyes once and opened them, my vision changed again.

 

[1888. 02. 28 Archduchess Beatrix Maria of Austria-Este dies]

 

[Accidental death during magical research… Waves of mourning throughout Vienna]

 

Whoooosh—

 

Sometimes the sound of wind cannot be distinguished from the sound of rain. I’ve only lived in the south, so this is my first time to the North Sea. Same for Maria. We lived inland. I wanted to bury you in a Forest or mountain, but since I can’t, I’m sorry. Emmanuel thought this as he looked at the newspaper in one hand. A fake funeral procession was being broadcast through the Imperial Newspaper.

 

‘The real one is here.’

 

Emmanuel sat at the edge of the Cliff and read the article. The final statement released by Osterreicheste was quite a sight.

 

[We will not forget Beatrix Maria of Austria-Este, who worked for the Austria-Hungarians until the end. Archduchess Maria’s heart for magical studies and people’s livelihood will be remembered forever.]

 

It is magical studies, indeed. Though it wasn’t ordinary magical studies, and she didn’t die in an accident during magical experiments. Osterreicheste had no intention of catching the culprit. They feared the deceased would be regarded as an anti-Christian figure. They must have thought it better to say she died in an accident.

 

‘…Yes, being dragged away and killed by a group like Pleroma because of occult magical studies is quite disgraceful. Don’t you have the confidence to protest to Germany and make a big deal of it?’

 

In that process, they probably worried about possibly learning something they didn’t want to know, or having Germany find their weakness.

 

Emmanuel took a deep breath. At this point, there was no meaning in questioning anything. He fiddled with the bottle he was holding and muttered.

 

“Good thing I didn’t tell those people about the suicide.”

 

The sound of waves could be heard.

 

“If I had, you wouldn’t even be able to get near purgatory. Your devout Father would have prevented it.”

 

Laughter scattered in the wind. Emmanuel, who had been laughing lightly alone, stood up from his spot.

 

The conclusion is this.

 

Maria is dead, and Pleroma can no longer obtain his techniques by any means. At least as far as I know.

 

Crack—

 

Emmanuel poured oil on the travel bag he had brought and dropped a white phosphorus match that he had lit. There was an explosive sound. The leather on the bag’s surface melted and transformed into a black semi-solid form. The papers inside didn’t burn as easily as expected. The letters Maria had written by hand were slowly being consumed by fire. What he left behind disappears like this. Emmanuel watched Maria’s traces turn to powder, and only when the last piece of paper scattered and flew away to the sky did he open the bottle he was holding and throw it into the sea. The bone powder mixed with seawater and disappeared.

 

That was the end.

 

* * *

 

I opened my eyes.

 

“You must be satisfied only after reading it all. Though I don’t know how you did it.”

 

Emmanuel’s half-drowsy voice could be heard. I blinked while looking at the ceiling of the Bavaria hospital.

 

I had returned.

 

Without going berserk from within like Adelbert or Marco Schreiber. He simply accepted the divine power I had pushed in, purified the Vitriol himself, and sent it back out. It was a calm ending.

 

Though countless things starting from Gregorius were scrambling through my head, now wasn’t the time to think about that. I took a deep breath to organize my emotions and said.

 

“You’re waking up more cleanly than expected.”

 

“Because I’ve already sent him off.”

 

“…”

 

“I’m the only one who can properly send that Friend off, so I should at least send myself off cleanly.”

 

I sat up without a word. Emmanuel muttered with a face drained of all strength.

 

“No need for apologies. Didn’t you save me when I was about to die becoming Pleroma? Rather, I should be the one thanking you.”

 

“Your personality is still the same.”

 

At those words, Emmanuel looked at me.

 

“When have I ever had a proper conversation with Count Nicolaus?”

 

Though it had only been a month, my mouth didn’t open easily. I stared blankly into space before answering.

 

“No.”

 

“…”

 

There’s no more time to continue like this.

 

I touched my face to confirm there was no mask, and realized this was a sealed hospital room without windows. Leo must have put me here. The rampage incident that occurred at Emanuel’s mansion had been settled while I was in the labyrinth.

 

I organized the remaining aftereffects of Emmanuel within me, then spoke after a long while.

 

“There’s someone targeting Emanuel. You must know this too.”

 

“It must be Pleroma.”

 

I nodded.

 

“As you can see from how they boldly targeted Emanuel, a royal, knowing it would make Bavaria an enemy, Pleroma currently wants Maria’s techniques.”

 

“They should know that’s all gone already.”

 

“They’re trying to extract the knowledge in Emanuel’s head. Moreover, if Emanuel happens to be keeping Maria’s remains or blood… they must obtain that.”

 

Emmanuel looked at me. I know what he wants to ask me. I quietly continued.

 

“You must be curious about their intention to resurrect Maria only after 10 years of not searching for her.”

 

“This seems to be related to Peruor.”

 

“That’s right. Do you know that Maria made Peruor into an artifact and communicated with people from the past? You already know that simple astral projection alone cannot interfere with the past.”

 

“…This is the first I’m hearing about communicating with people from the past, but it sounds like something that Friend would have done.”

 

Emmanuel burst into light laughter and continued.

 

“I disliked astral projection, so that Friend didn’t bring it up much either. From when we created the club called Hermitici Gesellschaft, he gradually started talking about it…”

 

He stayed still with eyes recalling memories, then asked.

 

“If what Count Nicolaus says is true, do you think the French Imperial Family that stole the gem this time knew that Maria’s techniques were embedded in that Peruor?”

 

“Yes. Otherwise, you would know there’s no reason for France to steal Austria’s Peruor.”

 

There are more clues, but I can’t tell Emmanuel about them. Emmanuel also seemed to think there were too many awkward points for France to have simply targeted another country’s mineral chunk, so he agreed and asked.

 

“What technique exactly is contained within it?”

 

“It was a technique for replicating unique abilities. There were various other techniques embedded in the artifact, but that was the main magic.”

 

“…”

 

Emmanuel held his breath, then stroked his chin.

 

“That’s Maria’s masterpiece that I remember.”

 

A familiar expression. I smiled. Emmanuel looked at me like that and said.

 

“How did you investigate Maria? You… don’t seem like a bad person, but you know unknowable things extensively.”

 

“…”

 

“For reference, I’m not saying this because my mental barriers have disappeared, but because you’ve already read everything anyway, so I’m just talking.”

 

He speaks lightly, but it’s not light. The reason he had been rejecting me all this time was probably because he lacked the courage to face Maria as described by others. The memories of his that I read prove this. The reason no lingering resentment remained that could cause continued rampage wasn’t because he had become numb to death, but because he hadn’t thought about what might have happened if there had been other possibilities regarding Maria and his own actions. Sending her off cleanly is one thing, and the wounds from that are separate.

 

“I understand. I’m sorry.”

 

“I told you earlier that there’s no need to apologize.”

 

He said that and looked at me silently. He was still demanding an explanation. I looked into the air, thinking, and handed him a cigarette I had been carrying just in case. Since Emmanuel just looked at it with an expression asking what it was, I smiled faintly.

 

“Accept it like a true Bavarian.”

 

“….”

 

Emmanuel laughed with a slightly incredulous face. Even so, his eyes were filled with vague confusion. It seemed that the answer he gave me that day wasn’t just a casual remark.

 

“You seem to have a special ability like me.”

 

I showed him a smile. It probably wasn’t a sufficient answer to the question of how I conducted the investigation, but it couldn’t be helped. How could I tell him that we were friends, albeit briefly, 12 years ago? It’s something from a world that doesn’t exist for him. I left him and got up from my seat.

 

“Please rest. I’ll come back in the evening.”

 

* * *

 

I waited until Emmanuel’s treatment was finished, then received simple treatment myself before entering his hospital room. Emmanuel pointed to the bandage wrapped around my neck.

 

“Did I do that?”

 

“Yes. You remember.”

 

“I’m sorry. I wondered why your voice sounded a bit strange…”

 

“Everyone who goes berserk is like that. First, let me explain what I can tell you. The French royal family and several noble houses know that Archduchess Maria has a special artifact. It’s understandable that they wouldn’t know it’s an artifact that stores unique abilities, but given the circumstances, they probably know by now.”

 

Emmanuel quickly understood despite my sudden explanation. I observed his expression and continued speaking.

 

“What did you think when you heard the news that France had stolen Osterreicheste’s Peruer?”

 

“Naturally… I was dumbfounded. I thought maybe Pleroma had stolen it and pinned it on France.”

 

“It would take too long to explain, but Pleroma is not the culprit. Though I can’t say it’s confirmed yet, when I verified my information with help from those around me, that theft was carried out using the Orleans family’s unique technique.”

 

“….”

 

Emmanuel looked at me incredulously, then brought a playful expression to his face.

 

“Well… if Count Nicolaus says so, then it must be so. Let’s assume that family has abilities optimized for theft.”

 

I wonder where that temperament that turned me away at the door initially went.

 

“…Getting back to the main point, if France was willing to steal a jewel even considering war, that jewel must not be an ordinary object. If France needed to steal jewels because they lacked money, they would have rather squeezed their colonial mines. Pleroma couldn’t help but notice this strange point as well.”

 

When the topic of colonies came up, Emmanuel looked at me, and perhaps reading that I don’t support imperialism, he returned to his usual gaze.

 

“I received another theft report. Sacred relics were stolen from Trier Cathedral and the Papal States, and they disappeared using the same method as this Peruer incident. But when I interrogated him, the culprit of this incident knew nothing about the sacred relics.”

 

“….”

 

“Orleans only stole the jewel… but there’s someone who stole sacred relics using the same method. How could they possess the family’s technique?”

 

“Hmm. The head of the Orleans family could have had another Orleans member retrieve the sacred items.”

 

“That’s a good thought. But since family techniques aren’t unique abilities, they can be passed down. Rather than having someone from the same family do such dangerous work, wouldn’t it be better to have a trusted servant do it? After all, a royal servant would be a high-ranking noble at the level of a ruling family, so they wouldn’t receive the absurd request to open their luggage during inspections. Also, since they’re in a position to erase memories with divine power after completing the work, there’s no need to worry about secondary damage like a servant running away with the Peruer.”

 

“Nicolaus’s reputation isn’t there for nothing.”

 

“….”

 

He keeps teasing me.

 

I chuckled at Emmanuel’s strange smile.

 

“Everyone would have thought like me. What you mentioned earlier was the first possibility.”

 

“What’s the second?”

 

“France also has an organization like Pleroma, and they’re controlling Orleans. In other words, Orleans is a puppet ruler, and the mastermind who absorbed the family’s information used an appropriate person with travel plans to retrieve the jewel and sacred relics.”

 

“….”

 

Emmanuel stared at me intently. His face gradually hardened.

 

Why wasn’t Charles Orleans subjected to memory erasure magic regarding the sacred relics? This is the crucial question remaining in this incident.

 

Since there’s no need to explain the entire strategy to the chess pieces being used, the mastermind would have had information about both the jewel and sacred relics, but those used as tools like Charles Orleans would only know about the items they were assigned and wouldn’t think there might be other theft incidents. In other words, since the Orleans family is thoroughly in the position of individual servants rather than masters, they weren’t given any information about the sacred relic plan established by the mastermind, and there wasn’t even a need to erase their memories.

 

The terrorist attack on Emmanuel and the information I witnessed in his labyrinth partially support this hypothesis.

 

“Third, both are correct.”

 

“…Are you certain that Pleroma caused the incident targeting me this time?”

 

“The sleeping drug used was identical to the one used in the previous Grand Hotel rampage incident. I have a diocese in mind. You don’t need to doubt this point.”

 

Emmanuel frowned and thought for a moment before speaking.

 

“You’re thinking of the second possibility.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The reason they took such high risks in this situation—the reason they attacked royalty even prepared for war with the Kingdom of Bavaria—is because the French royal family re-examined the possibility regarding Maria Osterreicheste that they had buried. But there’s a problem.

 

“However, even if the first hypothesis is correct, there’s nothing particularly strange about Pleroma carrying out an attack on Emanuel. After becoming a large organization, they became quite cautious, and after Penthalon they were extremely lying low, but… Pleroma originally often showed radical moves. If Pleroma takes even greater risks and causes another major incident, that would be different, but if they stop here, the second hypothesis about France having a powerful organization that can compete with Pleroma might be ambiguous.”

 

“Yes. You know well.”

 

“Therefore, I decided to consider all three hypotheses with appropriate possibilities for now. The reason I kept sending letters to you about Archduchess Maria Osterreicheste… was in case of the second possibility, preparing for Pleroma, cornered, to pull something like today. I also had to ask about the possibility of Archduchess Maria being revived, or you having her materials. They might continue to pursue traces of Archduchess Maria for a while.”

 

“Ah, so you’re trying to explain this.”

 

“Yes. No matter what, I’m sorry for continuously bothering you. If it’s been clarified, I’ll take my leave now.”

 

Despite my impolite words, Emmanuel answered calmly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“….”

 

“See you again.”

 

I answered with a smile and left the hospital room.

 

I wanted to talk more, but I couldn’t. An emergency meeting was scheduled in Bavaria regarding this rampage incident. Of course, the same was true in Prussia. To avoid suspicion, the King considerately allowed me to go to Prussia first.

 

I moved to the Wittelsbach mansion in Prussia together with Elias, who had been in Bavaria.

 

“Change quickly! 10 minutes left, 10 minutes!”

 

Elias brushed off the bandage on my neck and pushed me into the dressing room. It was absurd, but since this was virtually the first time a direct attack targeting only royalty had been carried out, the Prussian Ministry of Magic also quickly scheduled meetings for each student corps. There really were 10 minutes left.

 

‘Why do old-fashioned clothes have so many things to put on? They look similar though.’

 

“It took you 5 minutes!”

 

When I came out of the dressing room, Elias scolded me. Unlike casual clothes where you can just throw on a one-piece shirt and jacket and run out, this requires assembling from the shirt up, so it can’t be helped. Anyway, even while saying that, he didn’t cling to me as usual. He carefully grabbed my arm and raised his eyebrows. It meant let’s warp. When I closed my eyes, the air around us changed.

 

“You’re here.”

 

I heard Narke’s voice and opened my eyes. We were in the school’s student corps meeting room.

 

‘Hmm.’

 

This is serious. I wonder how long it’s been since this happened.

 

Unusually, all student corps students from 1st to 3rd year had gathered. I adjusted my turtleneck to hide the bandage and sat down.

 

Thus, 10 PM, when the meeting was scheduled, arrived. Confusingly, no one came.

 

We waited another 20 minutes from then, but still no one came. Elias, who had gone out saying he’d call someone, still had no news. Narke glanced at me and turned his head. His expression looked strangely dark.

 

“They’re late.”

 

Crash—!

 

As soon as those words ended, someone opened the door and entered.

 

“I’m a bit late.”

 

Questions arose in the students’ expressions. So did I.

 

The person who just entered wasn’t the student corps chairman but a non-mage staff member. He swallowed with a pale face and said.

 

“There’s a bit of a problem, yes… a problem has occurred. Professor, Chairman can’t come right now…”

 

He rambled incoherently, then deciding words wouldn’t work, showed us the newspaper he was holding.

 

[[Breaking News] 204 Magic Scholars Nationwide Missing]

 

“Right now we don’t know where the professors have gone, so the investigation bureau is investigating. You all can’t stay here either, and guidance will be issued soon…”

 

The air froze coldly. Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the newspaper.

 

“….”

 

Magic ‘scholars’ of all people? And not missing from one city, but from all across Germany?

 

They say when whales fight, the shrimp’s back gets broken.

 

It really broke.

 

If this incident is really Pleroma’s crime, what does that mean?

 

We now have to deal with the French criminal organization that Pleroma is desperately trying to check. No, precisely, people across the Empire have to deal with being caught up in the competition between that organization and Pleroma. Today, when Emmanuel went berserk and 204 scholars went missing in just one day… is the beginning.

 

An announcement voice with amplification magic can be heard from somewhere.

 

[Attention all Imperial 2nd Educational Institute Student Corps members.]

 

‘…My reasoning.’

 

I hope it’s an oversensitive calculation.

 

[We will announce the revised mobilization plan in response to the emergency, so move to the Imperial 1st Educational Institute Student Corps Operations Center immediately upon hearing this guidance.]

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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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