How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 334

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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 (334)

 

“Now, let’s split into two groups first. I have somewhere to stop by briefly for insurance, so Senior, please stay here. If anyone comes in, say there was no one here, and if they ask for identification, say you’re a Monsignor who came to support from Hamburg Archdiocese at the leadership’s request, and give a false name using a commoner surname.”

 

“….”

 

“See you later.”

 

I had said that to Mecklenburg at some point. I must have said that. I remember amber eyes trembling finely in the hazy darkness. Now I could no longer instantly judge which scenes among the countless fragments of possibility overlaid on perception were fantasy and which were truth, but the atmosphere of that final moment remained vividly in my mind. Why had the emotions and expressions of someone I disliked both humanly and otherwise become so deeply etched in my eyes? Perhaps it was because we both knew the situation was gradually heading toward the worst outcome, because we were always keeping the final possibility among countless possibilities in mind. Even as he blinked rapidly, he nodded to me with the maximum confidence he could muster.

 

I immediately led the Monsignor out and picked up a suitcase that had been rolling around in the basement corridor. The Archbishop of Freiburg’s house had a laboratory for pharmaceutical work. There would definitely be such a place within Pleroma’s diocese, and I could obtain chemicals useful as insurance from that location. The estimated time required was about 2 minutes. I knew even that was precious, but it couldn’t be helped. Even though the Bishop knew we two had come to Brandenburg Archdiocese, he only sent priests and didn’t move personally. Why didn’t he come when the mages he had tried so hard to capture were here? It meant he had already encountered the other two. It meant he was too busy dealing with them. My heart began to beat faster. Leo and the 91st representative were already facing Bishop-level mages or… they had been captured by them. With such thoughts, I ransacked the laboratory using magic indiscriminately.

 

The time required, confirmed by Mecklenburg’s pocket watch just before returning, was 1 minute 20 seconds. I had used too much mana trying to finish quickly and return, so now I couldn’t hear. It didn’t matter anyway since I would return. I had to get back to Mecklenburg, who was buying time in the basement, even one second faster.

 

I kept my promise. We met, and I warped to the next location with the suitcase containing the chemicals. Yes, the control room. And that was the end.

 

Having warped to the place the Monsignor had led me to, I leaned against the wall, staggering while gripping my staff.

 

There was so much blood bursting from my face that my head was now spinning. Looking at the blood flowing at my feet and slowly moving my gaze far along it, I could see seven Monsignors lying dead. I stared blankly at them and snapped my fingers. In the darkness, there was a corpse whose deep pink trim decorations had turned black. I approached that fake Monsignor and carefully checked his pulse.

 

“….”

 

His body temperature was warm. That was all.

 

The fatal mistake was Pleroma’s unique ability that had been moving around during that time. If I had gone later, if I had kept the promise a little later… I looked down at my one and only colleague and stood up from my position.

 

When I came to my senses, there was an unpleasant sensation stuck in my throat. Fortunately, I had entered the control room and the Pleroma in the control room was dead. The memories of that period are all stained red. Thus, in the first timeline, I moved to where the Bishops were. Now only the thought of finding the two remained in my mind. Other than that, I couldn’t tell what state of mind I was in at that place.

 

In conclusion, I met Leo.

 

I learned for the first time that day that Leo could make such eyes. A blood-covered person was staring at the floor with vacant eyes. I had thought about getting out of here and either turning back time to eliminate the test or taking the test while wearing the earring, but such naive thoughts shattered at this moment. I still can’t warp and still can’t close my eyes and face water. Leo would soon become the same way. I must be the one to have the artifact. I resolved this. Because I couldn’t pass such memories on to Leo.

 

‘…When today is all over.’

 

If there’s a world where Leo doesn’t experience such things, then I can give it to him. That would be right.

 

I may have vaguely known from then that today would repeat countless times.

 

If I saved one person, another died. When Mecklenburg died, I lived, and when he lived, I was on the verge of having my breath cut off. When everyone passed through safely, time was delayed and Leo was dying. Different deaths followed each time. Brandenburg Archdiocese’s buildings were excessively numerous and vast, there were many reinforcements from other dioceses, and the variables were enormous. When I discussed with friends, prepared everything, found a successful route and advanced by 1 minute, Pleroma who hadn’t been there appeared and attacked us. The moment success seemed within reach, everything collapsed. All of that was the problem. Because all those problems weren’t grand, I ultimately couldn’t know what the problem was. Life and death were divided by the most trivial differences. Everything happened within 30 seconds at most, 1 second at least. Like during the Penthalon terror, or perhaps even more thoroughly, I went to find Abraham, met Pleroma Legislators, and calculated all possibilities. However, we were only two no matter what we did, they were hundreds, and variables of unique abilities overflowed. Yes, this was the problem. This was different from Penthalon.

 

When I postponed the test, the residence was attacked. When I eliminated the test and protected the residence, the same thing happened a few days later. When I went back to prevent the mage kidnapping, the same incident occurred elsewhere. When I prevented Mecklenburg from participating in the test, I couldn’t break the intermediate world, lost consciousness, and was trapped alone. When I prevented Leo from participating in the test, even other mages outside the test site disappeared. I tried twice to create a world where Leo and I were on the same team, but couldn’t. I suggested attacking Brandenburg Archdiocese first, but was immediately dragged to higher-ups for investigation. We were, no matter what we did, stuck in place. Narke’s words were right. My initial judgment was also right. What I could change was not Pleroma’s desires but the present. Only the present I knew was within my grasp. Returning to the flow again and again was the only thing I could do.

 

The smell of blood stings my nose. Here again. Now I was even confused about which timeline I was in. I could have known well enough if it wasn’t a situation just before death, but extremes don’t allow leisure.

 

“Senior.”

 

Mecklenburg’s eyes, red from burst blood vessels, turned toward me. He frowned at me. I opened the pocket watch to check the time. Coming here at 18 minutes results in failure.

 

Turn back. At a command I didn’t even know if I had spoken aloud, everything in my vision changed. I was walking toward the Victory Memorial. I could see Mecklenburg’s smiling face in the distance. Recognizing us, he smiled gently and extended his hand in greeting.

 

“You’ve come. I’m Albert Mecklenburg.”

 

Bang—!

 

I clicked my heels beside Leo, who was momentarily flustered. I could see Mecklenburg’s expression freeze coldly at my salute before relaxing.

 

I had known Mecklenburg for 47 days with this. He was always irritating, defined rampagers as enemies of the people, overlapped Hyung with me, and always pretended to be good. And he always turned bright red and collapsed upon learning I was Nicolaus.

 

Thus, I stood at this moment. Finally, we had arrived at the Bishops’ gathering place in the shortest time without dying. I laughed.

 

“We’ve arrived. What?”

 

Mecklenburg’s soul-departed whisper could be heard.

 

We had come where we needed to come. The pocket watch taken from Mecklenburg indicated that 16 minutes had now passed since falling into the Hall of Peace. People wearing clothes with purple trim decorations were standing around a long table on all sides. Pleroma Bishops, among them the Bishops of Brandenburg Archdiocese, Hamburg Archdiocese, and Mölitz Diocese. Auxiliary Bishops and Sub-bishops were also mixed in this gathering. I already knew well who they were.

 

Creak—

 

I raised both hands, then slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. Then I looked around at them and asked.

 

“Why didn’t you come directly?”

 

Why did they bring us here? I already knew, but I followed the words I had said in previous timelines. Then one Pleroma Bishop standing around the head seat sat down and clasped both hands together.

 

“This is the first time meeting like this, Count Ascanien.”

 

“I see. This isn’t the time for leisurely greetings, is it?”

 

“It’s moving to meet someone of high reputation in the Empire. I was deeply impressed by the Penthalon incident.”

 

“Hahaha…”

 

I laughed openly in mockery. Knowing who orchestrated the Penthalon terror, it was ridiculous to see him throw out a remark here as if it were Pleroma’s achievement as a whole and counterattack. The Bishop smiled at me and gestured to Mecklenburg standing behind me.

 

“You must be Count Mecklenburg. It’s pleasant to meet the one who will soon become the ruler of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz Duchy.”

 

“….”

 

“Please sit. It makes us uncomfortable when our invited guests continue standing like that.”

 

“How kind of you. Anyone listening would think you invited us here voluntarily.”

 

In reality, they must have been slightly poisoned by mind-control drugs, causing the spatial magic that Brandenburg Bishop had spread here to waver, and with their connection to subordinates cut off, they hastily warped us here…

 

Whatever the case, there was no reason to keep Mecklenburg standing. I stared at the Brandenburg Bishop sitting far at the head seat and snapped my fingers to magically pull over a chair. Then Mecklenburg, who had been on guard, silently sat in that spot. The Bishop smiled and said.

 

“I’ve received analysis that Count Ascanien has a somewhat rough temperament, and it seems to be true.”

 

“Now you know.”

 

Though I don’t agree. I briefly scanned the Bishops standing around this table. Now it was Mecklenburg’s turn to speak.

 

“What is this gathering?”

 

Why did they warp us here after creating a place for dialogue without fighting? This was an overly abbreviated question with that subtext, but the Bishop at the head seat understood it correctly. He grinned and raised his eyebrows.

 

“We don’t engage in unnecessary fights. The wisest response is always peace. As it’s the most human way, it’s also the most difficult thing to do.”

 

Words they could say because they clearly knew they had the upper hand. Since there was no way for us two, outnumbered, to win.

 

“First, thanks to what Count Ascanien did, countless Monsignors across the continent are now seriously hindered in performing their duties. I feel about three have already died. They were in the middle of combat, you see.”

 

“I see.”

 

“We fully understand it was justified self-defense. You must have been startled and acted out because we couldn’t receive you comfortably, so we’re simply sorry. We have no intention of blaming you and just want negotiation.”

 

I nodded to indicate he should continue speaking.

 

“You want Leonard Wittelsbach and Albertina Hohenzollern, correct?”

 

“We want not simply people, but for all of us to return safely.”

 

At my words, the Bishop raised his eyebrows and nodded as if he understood fully. He maintained a gentle expression and said.

 

“You must be curious why we did such things.”

 

“I’m not curious since I already know.”

 

“We are now earnestly praying for the German Empire’s victory. Especially against France and Britain that threaten our German people, and furthermore to stop America, which shamelessly acts neutral now but could support Britain at any time.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you know what we need for that?”

 

“Technology, I suppose.”

 

I answered with a smile. Knowing what crazy things they did wanting to check the French version of Pleroma, how could I not answer this? From what circumstances did Emanuel Wittelsbach’s rampage and the large-scale disappearance of mages occur? The Bishop answered with an expression saying that was correct.

 

“Correct. We need technology. Now is the time for Pleroma and non-Pleroma scholars to join forces to overcome the tribulations given to our people.”

 

“So you kidnapped mages.”

 

“Rather than such an impure expression, it would be right to call it scouting. The scholars we recruited are now experiencing a more certain prime of life than ever before. Our Pleroma provides houses they couldn’t buy working their entire lives, supplies mana generously, and if needed, procures everything they want from outside Pleroma. Once a brief education period ends, we’ll even help those who wish to go out and live outside.”

 

“For such a thing, quite a few people have been escaping.”

 

He didn’t answer my words and smiled while saying.

 

“What we want from Count Ascanien, Count Mecklenburg, Count Wittelsbach, and Count Hohenzollern is similar. Our Pleroma also wants the capabilities of you all, selected as the Empire government’s finest.”

 

The Bishop pointed to his head while saying ‘capabilities.’ They also knew we had come from taking a strategy test. Naturally, since it was a planned crime, it had to be so. Mecklenburg spoke in a cold voice.

 

“If you want it, must we comply? You seem to value Pleroma’s worth very highly, but we feel absolutely no merit in your scouting.”

 

“You will be able to live eternally. You’ll maintain youth and health without aging forever. Living eternally as commoners might be a bit tiring, but for ruling families like yourselves, wouldn’t it be a promise of lifelong benefit? Now Anhalt Principality and Mecklenburg-Strelitz Duchy will be under your rule forever, and you can become much stronger as mages.”

 

I waved my hands to cut off that lengthy speech.

 

“I understand. Rather than that, you should tell us what we need to do.”

 

“We just hope you understand Pleroma’s sincerity. What our Pleroma wants is only the glory and peace of the German people.”

 

“Delusions are also a disease.”

 

I could see Mecklenburg’s lips press tightly shut. I ignored the weak-spirited stubborn one’s reaction and continued speaking.

 

“However…”

 

“However?”

 

“You’re saying if we just understand your intentions, you’ll send us back and let us live eternally. Where should I sign?”

 

The Bishop shrugged and gently closed his eyes.

 

“There’s no need to do such things. Since it’s time for us to persuade you, please give us a chance to win your hearts. You two must want to see the other two, right? We’ll let you confirm their safety.”

 

“That’s quite good to hear. More than that, it’s been exactly 20 minutes.”

 

I interrupted his words while opening the pocket watch taken from Mecklenburg. The Bishop stared at me intently.

 

“By now your colleagues will have succeeded in knocking out Leonard Wittelsbach and Albertina Hohenzollern.”

 

“….”

 

“Actually, we were troubled by failing to subdue them until just before coming here. On top of that, it must have been very difficult with me running wild too.”

 

Mecklenburg’s eyes turned toward me. Confusion mixed with bewilderment about how I knew that was clearly revealed.

 

They would let us confirm safety. Sweet words, but a trap. They would gather us in one place and disperse drugs. I clasped both hands together and continued speaking.

 

“Now you’ll continuously administer drugs to those two mages until just before death while saying all sorts of things. Your ultimate goal is mental collapse, after all. And in the meantime, you’ll try to baptize them and make them completely into Pleroma.”

 

Now, at this point.

 

Two Pleroma dioceses came to support here: Görlitz and Hamburg Archdioceses. Since they were dioceses adjacent to Brandenburg, I had predicted from the beginning that if support came, it would most likely come from these two, and this was true. As can be seen from the fact that the Bishops here didn’t immediately collapse, the place where I am now is not a location created solely by Brandenburg Archdiocese’s Pleroma. This place is either under the jurisdiction of Görlitz or Hamburg Archdiocese or Pleroma leadership, or it’s a space created by combining all their mana.

 

Excluding the hypothesis that ‘Pleroma leadership has jurisdiction,’ don’t the remaining hypotheses show room for us to try something? If we just knew how to enter Görlitz and Hamburg Archdioceses, if we recalled what method we used to get here, the answer seems clear. Now the problem is the connection of spatial magic.

 

I compiled spatial magic information extracted from interrogating Pleroma in several past experiences and passed it to Mecklenburg and Riechthofen, researching to enable use of spatial connection magic more sophisticated than Mecklenburg’s previous spatial magic in special spaces like the Pleroma world. The signal to deploy that is…

 

“…”

 

“Isn’t that right, Senior?”

 

When I turned my head to seek agreement from Mecklenburg, Mecklenburg hardened his expression as if he had never been flustered. The Bishop maintained his smile throughout before closing his mouth and nodding his head. I could feel the tension in the space rising instantly. The Bishop lightly pushed the desk with his hand and slowly rose from his seat. Pop, light burst forth. I saw the wand in the Bishop’s hand trace through the air from bottom to top, and at that same moment Mecklenburg thrust out his hand. I heard the sound of other Bishops standing around stomping their feet.

 

Kwaaaaaaaang—!!

 

At a time when the acrid Vitriol should have turned my vision black, my sight was blue as if I had entered the ocean, and I was still in the light. Breathtakingly blue mana exploded in all directions, and blade-like mana that pierced through my entire body through my breathing, mana more overwhelming than anything else, pressed against my whole body. Instinctive fear dominated my mind, but I knew well whose mana this was.

 

“That won’t do~”

 

I see boots stepping on the table without any hesitation. Though the gale obstructed my vision, the owner of this mana had such distinctive attire that I could easily recognize his form. Elias’s white hair, having struck down his staff, fluttered wildly and looked blue. He, who wore his hat almost as decoration, pulled up one corner of his mouth and ruffled my hair with a mischievous face.

 

“Well done, Luca.”

 

Perhaps such greetings should be given to Mecklenburg who connected the spatial magic. My ears stung. My skull was ringing. The sound of countless mages from the Papacy and government who arrived with him firing divine power in succession continued. Someone on our side must have thrown a magic potion on the floor, as unidentifiable green smoke burst forth. The information to dismantle the Bishop’s one-way blocking magic, obtained by spending 2 points, had already been left below. This was the result.

 

Now where I needed to go was clear. I grabbed Mecklenburg’s arm and ran through the hall to the top floor. They don’t go far leaving an unfinished fight behind. Anyone who would leave far away abandoning fish that must be caught and seems like it can be caught soon would be more insane. The past time when I had passed through this place flashed through my mind like a panorama. How was I back then? I probably couldn’t have acted like I do now. From my first attempt, I know well where the room the Bishop took me to after our negotiation was located. How could I forget where I saw Leo, half-dead?

 

Kwang—

 

I turned the corner and struck the floor with my foot. Mana that surged up from my foot passed right through the door. Good. The safety spatial magic that had been set up once more to prevent people entering here from seeing the situation had already been broken collectively earlier. I shot the door with a gun to tear off only the Old Humanity’s locking mechanism that remained. The moment the door swung wide open and I landed behind it, a lump of Vitriol came rushing at me.

 

Kwagwagwagwang—! Kwang—

 

Light that spread from the staff I held blocked it. I muttered quietly.

 

—Enter through the narrow gate.

 

Three or four people collapsed and I heard a series of dull sounds. Fortunately, Görlitz and Hamburg Archdiocese seemed to be the correct answer. Those who had been poisoned by the chemicals in the air earlier swayed and collapsed with a single spell.

 

I slowly caught my breath. Looking around the room with six sides blocked by marble with no room for plants to enter, I looked at the person sitting in the chair. I noticed the mana restraints that had been used on me so persistently were now on someone else’s ankles. The faint scent of blood I had once tasted brushed past my nose. I struck down my staff and spoke quietly.

 

—Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.

 

As light spread, the person who had fallen into shallow sleep flinched his shoulders. Light-colored hair hung down covering his face. He had clearly lost his hat somewhere like me. I don’t know how many times his collar had been grabbed, but he who always dressed cleanly without a single wrinkle was in the most disheveled state I had ever seen him in. Feeling this long, long time coming to an end, feeling the thought that I could return everything to its proper place dominating my mind, I took steps forward toward him. I stopped one step away from him and opened my mouth.

 

“Good to see you.”

 

“…”

 

Leo, who had been hanging his head halfway down, raised his eyes to look up at me. In this scene I had witnessed several times, Leo’s eyes, this time at least, were not dulled by drugs. The completely dilated pupils were no longer there. Seeing the bright light shining in those blue eyes, I smiled.

 

“These eyes are hard to see.”

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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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