How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 346

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“….”

 

I raised the corners of my mouth as I looked at that face. The enemy had proposed an alliance. Mecklenburg, who noticed this fact, turned to look at me with a frozen expression, his head creaking stiffly.

 

There must be a significant reason why the Antagonist who should have entered Brandenburg Archdiocese went to Osnabrück instead. What are the odds that he just went to a foreign region out of boredom and ended up becoming the Bishop of the Diocese? The reason for being in Munich-Freising is the same.

 

The hypothesis I had considered was this. Ainsiedel doesn’t put his heart into Munich-Freising, and naturally doesn’t show loyalty either, because he deliberately sought out this place for some ‘goal’.

 

Ainsiedel, who had been staring intently at my face, smiled mysteriously and tilted his head.

 

“It seems you expected this.”

 

“Then what will you do?”

 

“Ah, I’m just satisfied.”

 

Ainsiedel replied with a face that didn’t particularly look that way. More than that, I’ve heard these words from Someone before… Chills are creeping all over me.

 

“So… I’m gradually becoming curious about how you knew I would act this way, so why don’t you explain it to me.”

 

That reasoning process is extremely simple.

 

Since thinking in reverse order indefinitely would only be confusing, I first need to rearrange the order of my information to match Ainsiedel’s timeline. He who should have been in Dresden Diocese or Brandenburg Archdiocese set foot in Munich-Freising but ultimately didn’t settle and went to Osnabrück where he finally became the Bishop of the Diocese—the possibility of Brandenburg Archdiocese is much greater than Dresden Diocese in Saxony, and naturally, if I were to go to Church, I would go to the regional Church where I live rather than the regional Church where the Main Building is located. As evidence for the above claim, the point that this Ainsiedel is presumed to be from a collateral line can be considered at length, but I’ll omit it as it becomes too verbose—.

 

I had two pieces of information. First, Pleroma has fierce competition between dioceses. This was information I had known for a long time, and through the Priest’s answer today, I was able to reconfirm that competition between Pleroma dioceses existed in 1891 as well.

 

Therefore, I can now easily infer what happened between Ainsiedel’s ‘entry into Munich-Freising’ and his ‘ordination as Bishop of Osnabrück Diocese’. Munich-Freising wouldn’t want to lose a capable person to another diocese, but Ainsiedel clearly showed his face to Munich-Freising and then went to Osnabrück where he was promoted without incident. This means that Ainsiedel either collectively manipulated the memories of Munich-Freising’s Clergy with his divine power, or seized Munich-Freising’s weakness to prevent them from pursuing him. This ungrateful act by Ainsiedel would have been carried out at the moment of conflict with Munich-Freising or when he judged there was nothing more to gain from Munich-Freising.

 

‘Now secondly.’

 

Federal Pleroma Alexander Kruger belongs to Brandenburg Archdiocese, and he said his diocese doesn’t get along well with Munich-Freising. At that time, I asked if regional sentiment between Prussia and Bavaria was related to that, and the Legislator answered yes. The relationship between Brandenburg Archdiocese and Munich-Freising Archdiocese would have been that way from the start, I can assume.

 

‘Keeping this second evidence in mind and returning to the original question.’

 

1. Why did Ainsiedel, for whom belonging to Brandenburg Diocese would be natural, 2. choose Munich-Freising for some reason? Here, thinking naturally flows in this direction. 1. Ainsiedel is not on good terms with that diocese to the point of deliberately avoiding Brandenburg. Whether the problem is the people within it or the diocesan system, or even if Brandenburg did nothing wrong but Ainsiedel alone wants to take Brandenburg into his own hands for fun, or whatever other possibility one might think of. 2. He chose Munich-Freising, which doesn’t get along with Brandenburg, rather than any other diocese. While the hypothesis of random selection is quite good, a more causally meaningful hypothesis would naturally come to mind. He chose this place to find information to screw over Brandenburg from Munich-Freising, which is Brandenburg’s rival diocese, or to build his own power.

 

‘I had no intention of being certain, so it was just a hypothesis…’

 

However, the possibility of this hypothesis increased once when he tried to track my route by letting his magic flow into my clothes and body during our last conversation, like tracing the path of warp magic, increased again due to the warp magic cast on the floor of the Priest’s office, and finally this hypothesis became correct when he knocked down Munich-Freising’s Priests and extended his hand to me.

 

And I have no intention of saying this directly. It would reveal the difference in information. I stood up from my seat and met his gaze as I spoke.

 

“Didn’t you also predict that I would already know?”

 

“Why did you make that judgment?”

 

“You evaluated me as a Mage worth using as a Colleague, yet do you think I’m such an inexperienced Mage that I couldn’t detect the magic you released into the air?”

 

Ainsiedel, who had been looking at me expressionlessly, smiled again.

 

“I like people like you.”

 

He turned his head and continued speaking.

 

“No, I don’t know if I like you or what… but the fact that you’re quite a satisfying existence now remains unchanged.”

 

What are you trying to say by saying you like me but then saying you don’t know if you like me or what? I looked at Mecklenburg, who was holding his bleeding arm, and said.

 

“Why did you drink my Friend’s blood?”

 

“I just needed strength since it’s been a while. If you’re dissatisfied, I’ll ease the pain a bit.”

 

“….”

 

Does he mean it’s been a while since he used divine power? Since he sat in front of Mecklenburg and Mecklenburg frowned and tried to back away, I sat next to Mecklenburg and grabbed his shoulder. Ainsiedel placed his hand on the cut arm and used healing magic. He definitely didn’t seem to have this kind of ability before, worth remembering.

 

More than that, the smell of Mecklenburg’s blood filling my lungs makes my core gradually expand. Feeling terrible disgust covering my entire body, I said quietly.

 

“You’re already Pleroma. I thought while reasoning that you wouldn’t just be a prospective believer.”

 

“Probably.”

 

“Good. Then how do you use divine power?”

 

“….”

 

“What you used to knock down the Priests just now was even sleep magic. Sleep magic isn’t achieved through incantations, so where on earth did you learn such formulas?”

 

I scrutinized Ainsiedel with sharp eyes. After tilting his head for a while, he exhaled deeply with a bored expression.

 

“I can’t tell you. Now then. Honestly speaking, Pleroma’s reputation is laughably pathetic right now. The Pleroma I knew wasn’t such a sloppy organization… So what will you do with this sloppy diocese now?”

 

Listening to his slow words, I answered briefly.

 

“Let’s ransack the Archives.”

 

“Our intentions align.”

 

Ainsiedel said that and turned his head sharply.

 

Kwaaaaang—!! Crash—!

 

I raised my arm to block the front. Divine power spread from the staff Ainsiedel struck down, and the magic of spatial magic that had been rushing from that entrance shattered and scattered like glass. Munich-Freising’s other Priests had already arrived. I cast a barrier with one hand, pulled Mecklenburg up to his feet, and watched Ainsiedel’s movements. The continuous explosions and light confused my senses.

 

‘His reaction speed is extraordinary.’

 

His skills are already complete. Since there were no more opponents to fight, this Room quickly became quiet. Ainsiedel looked around at the five Priests collapsed on the floor, then stepped out of the Room and stomped his foot hard. As if he had warped everyone instantly, the Priests disappeared somewhere. I’ve seen this sight many times before. Isn’t this exactly what I’ve done dozens of times? I watched that familiar scene and said.

 

“You already know Pleroma’s coordinate system. Munich-Freising’s coordinate system at that.”

 

“How did you know that you need to know Pleroma’s coordinate system to use spatial magic? No matter how I think about it, as your Friend said… I’m curious what you’ve been doing to be this skilled.”

 

We are suspicious of each other. How long will this suspicion remain without being brought up as a topic?

 

Ding—!

 

Quest 1. Converse with ‘Ainsiedel’ (0 minutes/30 minutes)

 

— Reward: EC point +5

 

The first quest appeared.

 

When I smiled, Ainsiedel also mimicked my expression and made the same face. Then he tilted his head with a slightly interested expression.

 

“I was planning to handle this quietly, but since I have a Colleague, shall we try to handle it cleanly? Let’s go to the Cathedral before going to the Archives.”

 

* * *

 

The sensation of battle is never welcome.

 

“Hey!”

 

Kwagwang—! Kwagwang—!

 

The moment my feet were bound from the floor, I heard a terrified scream from Mecklenburg. My feet were literally bound. The marble squirmed and covered my feet, then climbed up my legs fiercely.

 

‘There’s someone who uses ground manipulation as a unique ability…’

 

He’s just a believer, but he definitely won’t remain just a believer. Munich-Freising will recruit him. The moment I raised my head to find this ability user who must be somewhere in the Cathedral packed with people, a flash of sword light flew before my eyes. It touched the Barrier.

 

Kuung—!

 

[He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent.]

 

Blue light that spread from where I struck down the staff shot up to the sky. The blades that had pressed close to my back and right in front of me weakly retreated. The Pleroma grabbed their throats and dropped the weapons they were holding. I took a step forward and swung my staff.

 

[He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind…]

 

Bluish magic that isn’t mine rushes toward me. The final struggle approaches me and I stirred my staff to scatter it.

 

Kwagwang— Kwagwang—!!

 

“Ah, no…!”

 

Following the other divine power exploding around me and Mecklenburg’s magic, several Pleroma’s screams fade from my ears. The Priests and believers who had been standing densely around gradually disappeared from eye level after my incantation. The sound of people collapsing continues. Every time I take a step, unconscious people get stepped on. I continued forward while chanting the next incantation.

 

[He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.]

 

Kuung—

 

[He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.]

 

I chanted quietly and looked at the one person standing before me. Panic spread across the face of the last believer remaining in the Cathedral. Panicked that his unique ability to manipulate the ground wasn’t working, he frantically waved his wand, but that itself was a mistake. At the same time, an amber attack like a blade rushed toward his neck. After the sound of the last person falling, silence came.

 

“…Ha.”

 

Mecklenburg let out a trembling breath. He asked in a faint voice close to breathing.

 

“This, this… Why are such strong Mages in this heresy…? Is what you said really true and not nonsense…?”

 

“Strong?”

 

At my question, Mecklenburg blinked rapidly then squeezed out a barely audible voice to ask.

 

“…Then are they weak to you? This?”

 

I didn’t answer. The you of several years later will manage somehow. I wanted to resolve his doubts, but now wasn’t the time for leisurely conversation.

 

‘There are quite a few people with useful unique abilities. But…’

 

They’re incomparably weaker than the Pleroma of 1898. Even considering that believers are mixed in here. I looked around this Cathedral, recalling the photos of numerous Bavaria Cathedrals in my memory. I knew which place Munich-Freising uses as its Cathedral. Then, when my eyes met Mecklenburg’s, he flinched and gripped his wand tightly. After seeing my skills, has he become wary of me too? To think I have to reassure him even in this aspect—whether it’s this time or seven years later, Mecklenburg hasn’t changed in this regard. I gave him a faint smile and asked Ainsiedel, who had been standing behind us watching.

 

“Where will you go now? Since you touched the Cathedral first, it’s obvious we’ll have to head straight to the Archives now.”

 

“You seem confident you can go even though there will be chaos.”

 

Ainsiedel asked.

 

Until now, reinforcements couldn’t come because we moved Munich-Freising’s Cathedral entirely with spatial magic, but from now on, if we make a mistake, we’ll face the Monsignor and the Bishop council. Even if previous memories torment me, I can’t avoid it now. How could I miss this opportunity for preview? Both occupying the Archives and combat are necessary for me.

 

“We have to go.”

 

“I’m curious why you’re so blindly obsessed with attacking Munich-Freising…”

 

“That’s what I want to ask you.”

 

Ainsiedel nodded and stomped his foot. An old university Library hundreds of years old spread before my eyes. The sunlight that had been coming in until just now wasn’t here, and now I had to rely on chandelier lighting hanging everywhere. I looked up at the upper Railing and asked.

 

“How did you know the coordinates of This Location?”

 

“You seem really curious about that from earlier.”

 

Even as Ainsiedel said that, he answered my question.

 

“I just utilized information I knew in advance. The coordinate system itself isn’t often completely overturned. If there are cases where it’s overturned, what we’re doing now would be the beginning of that.”

 

“Information you knew in advance.”

 

You knowing Pleroma’s information in advance… that definitely means you’ve already stirred up Brandenburg too.

 

“….”

 

Ainsiedel said nothing more and stepped forward. Even though he surely knew this peace could be shattered at any moment, that bloody combat would soon break out, his face was utterly serene.

 

He descended to the underground level with familiarity. To achieve my proposal and confirm what information he would reveal, I followed behind him and asked. Mecklenburg hesitated before joining my side.

 

“What are you planning to do by raiding the archives?”

 

“What about you?”

 

“You’re probably thinking of finding weaknesses in the Archdiocese of Brandenburg. Then why didn’t you target Brandenburg’s archives instead?”

 

“Impressive that you figured that much out. As expected, you’re no ordinary person either….”

 

Ainsiedel muttered this and continued speaking.

 

“I cannot go there. No, I will never set foot in that place no matter what happens. Does that answer your question?”

 

“….”

 

As expected, there’s something between the Archdiocese of Brandenburg and Ainsiedel. It’s definitely information I need to know. As I just glared at his back, he who was walking ahead asked quietly.

 

“I ask again. Why did you come here?”

 

“What if I came to eliminate Pleroma?”

 

“Aren’t you already eliminating it with your own hands right now?”

 

When I didn’t answer, Ainsiedel burst into laughter.

 

“Yes, all of Pleroma…. That’s not bad at all.”

 

“Not bad?”

 

Even though you’re part of Pleroma?

 

He ignored my question that carried a hint of mockery. He just remained silent for a while, then continued speaking in a tone devoid of any laughter, as if praying to something.

 

“I hope you destroy it with everything you have. Make it a place no one will remember when the next century comes.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————