How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 383

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

The person who introduced himself as a self-defense force member shook his head as much as possible while shouting.

 

“We only responded to a report we received. There were mages moving around with dangerous items in their carriers…!”

 

“Is that really true?”

 

I asked with wide eyes. The self-defense force member quickly nodded his head. I opened my mouth and widened my eyes as much as possible before shouting.

 

“If you received such a report, you wouldn’t have blown up the carrier, would you? This excuse of yours doesn’t even make sense…!”

 

As I glared sarcastically, Mecklenburg grabbed my ear and whispered.

 

“Hey…! Since we’ve already noticed each other anyway, don’t be too nitpicky with each other. If you corner them, they might bite back at you! Besides, our guess could be wrong!”

 

‘Our guess.’ His thoughts and mine would be the same. In this situation, it wasn’t difficult to guess what their identity might be, so there was no reason to be surprised by this story.

 

“Very wise. I should ask some less pointed questions.”

 

I rolled my eyes toward the sky again, half-sarcastically. Then I let out a deep breath and asked the person pinned under my foot.

 

“Since the carrier ended up like that, how are you going to compensate for my mud-covered clothes?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“This could have been resolved through calm conversation with us. Just listening to one tip and having people who aren’t even real police arbitrarily condemn foreign mages? I’m so dumbfounded that this is the most exasperating thing I’ve experienced all year. Above all, where is there a country where such strong mages work as vigilantes…”

 

Thwack—

 

Mecklenburg hit my forearm. This was telling me to restrain myself since pushing too hard might make them turn the tables on us, but it’s really absurd that I can’t even ask reasonable questions. I couldn’t accept this situation, so I took a deep breath first and nodded. Then the person pinned under my foot said with difficulty.

 

“Vigilantes using force against mages is the culture of our Russia, especially in rural areas like this. Public authority doesn’t protect this far out. We know we were violent and rude. We apologize for that.”

 

“…”

 

I’m currently speaking in French, and this person is also speaking in French. The time has come to actively utilize Europe’s cultural lingua franca. Even if the monastery monks don’t know it—communicating in Greek would be more certain for them—if these people are well-off nobles and mages, they would have studied cultured French, and indeed they’re speaking fluently. However, not all nobles are proficient in foreign languages. So a person born into a noble family wealthy enough to educate them to speak foreign languages fluently becomes a vigilante member because of security gaps?

 

‘How righteous.’

 

What a righteous setup. There are grounds for rebuttal in every single word. I had to somehow endure the itching in my mouth.

 

‘Sloppy.’

 

I bit the inside of my lips.

 

‘Sloppy, sloppy…’

 

It’s too disappointing. Disappointing, I tell you. But I understand why it’s like this.

 

First, we have better skills than we think, and that point cannot be overlooked. Albert Mecklenburg will become the representative of the 98th Unit of the Imperial Mage Alliance in the future, and I’m also affiliated with the Alliance.

 

From the perspective of those who don’t know this, judging these two foreign tourists, they would normally think we’re just ‘average’ mage level—people who were merely born with Esper bodies, practically non-mages, let alone members of the Imperial Mage Alliance. Most Espers don’t have the skill to use magic as freely as we do, since we’re just not used to it from living only among students of the Imperial 2nd Education Institute.

 

In such circumstances, they pushed forward with numbers, and since their skills are also quite good, they probably never thought we two could win. Above all, they probably didn’t intend to defeat us completely. They wanted to frighten us into leaving Russia, or prevent us from going to renew our permits—making us become semi-illegal residents. They would have wanted to create a situation where our permits expired and we had to flee from this place as quickly as possible.

 

However, for me who considers all possibilities, they still only look sloppy for not properly constructing a story to tell when defeated. Ironically, I can gain information again from such sloppiness.

 

The self-defense force member looked at my expression and answered in a crawling voice.

 

“No mages have entered this village even once in the past year. The residents were surprised and may have made a false report…”

 

“Since you’ve already broken our luggage, you know well. We weren’t carrying dangerous items. We have no intention of doing so either. So what happens to us now?”

 

“I’ll report to the captain that there was a mistake. I promise we won’t attack again.”

 

I lifted them up while maintaining my magic power.

 

“Good. Then let me ask one thing. Why are you strong people doing vigilante work?”

 

Then the self-defense force member answered with determined eyes.

 

“Because we love this region. This place is like a hometown to me.”

 

“…”

 

“Especially in dangerous times like these, we must work even harder. The newspapers already only deliver anxious news every day, and if security collapses once at times like this, there’s no way to recover.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Isn’t it the same for you Germans that only anxious news is being delivered? If you’re someone who loves your hometown, you’ll understand what kind of feelings we’re doing this work with.”

 

His voice trembled finely as it usually does when speaking from deep within. I looked at him silently, then spoke calmly.

 

“I understand well. Too well, that’s the problem. Then, is there a way we can help?”

 

* * *

 

Creak—

 

“You came out.”

 

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Leo leaning against the wall. I looked around and pointed at him with narrowed eyes.

 

“You weren’t like that for three hours, were you?”

 

“Is that not okay?”

 

“You should do your own work too.”

 

“This is my work.”

 

Leo replied expressionlessly and naturally.

 

You really have nothing to do, you bastard… I swallowed those words and went to the living room. Leo followed behind me and asked quietly.

 

“So, I’m curious what you found out.”

 

“First, promise you won’t ask where, what, from whom, or how I got the information.”

 

“How novel. Would you tell me if I asked?”

 

“…”

 

What’s my reputation? Mecklenburg said the same thing…

 

Either Mecklenburg has an eye for people, or he’s quick-witted. It’s surprising that he made the same assessment as Leo when he hasn’t even been with me that long.

 

“There will be a chance to tell you later. I’ll definitely tell you.”

 

“Hmm, I’m pleased.”

 

“…Well, first, Ishmailov made a contract with Pleroma when he was young. The environment made it so.”

 

“Environment. What kind?”

 

“Ishmailov grew up in a monastery before entering Pleroma. He was an orphan.”

 

“…Ah, I’m already getting a feeling.”

 

Of course. It’s a well-known fact that Pleroma has always targeted orphans everywhere. They can be used as blood materials, and if they have ‘qualities,’ it’s good for the diocese to raise them directly.

 

“Around 1888 to 1891, the monastery began to collapse. Pleroma approached young Ishmailov offering money, that is, enormous magic power, and Ishmailov joined hands with Pleroma because he didn’t want to see the monastery that raised him collapse. No, you can’t say he joined hands.”

 

“He was caught. No matter how much it was his own decision, a child couldn’t know the true intentions of adults who approach pretending to be innocent.”

 

“Right. Those Pleroma members disguised themselves as vigilantes in Russia. Either they co-opted the vigilantes or directly acted as vigilantes—I think it’s the latter for now.”

 

Leo, who had been listening to my words quietly, nodded.

 

“Good, so there were people who identified Ishmailov’s qualities from an early period? It’s clear that finding him this year doesn’t mean they discovered him this year, but if they knew Ishmailov’s qualities long ago, there would have been no reason to leave him stuck in a Russian monastery.”

 

“You never know. Maybe there was a prophecy about timing. So I haven’t made a judgment yet about whether they know about his qualities.”

 

Leo exhaled and buried himself in the chair.

 

“Right, I understand. But you really decided to dig from the beginning.”

 

It might seem like going in circles, but if we don’t dig from the root, the problem will keep repeating. This time it was Haike, but who knows who it might be next time. We don’t know what form the problem might explode in either. There’s still no answer about how to save Haike. There are only guesses about the cause and culprit of this matter. So I want to go back to the beginning and find out everything.

 

“When you can’t see the answer, the direct approach is the fastest way.”

 

I replied briefly. When I didn’t bring up anything more after that, Leo asked.

 

“So, what are you going to do now?”

 

“I came out to say this. I need to dig for information for about 10 more hours.”

 

Then Leo, who had been calm-faced the whole time, narrowed his eyes.

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Why? Because I want to ask more. Why not?”

 

“I waited three hours and now you want me to wait ten more hours?”

 

“…”

 

I couldn’t close my mouth in disbelief, then exhaled deeply and waved my hand.

 

“…Don’t you have any friends besides me? Go out and have some fun with Elias.”

 

“Who knows what you’ll do again.”

 

“I won’t do anything dangerous. I promised.”

 

At least my original body won’t be harmed. Where else is there a space more optimized for information gathering than this? I smiled at Leo, who was looking at me with displeasure.

 

“I’ll come out every hour to have tea with you. That should be reassuring, right?”

 

* * *

 

“Abel!”

 

The monk slapped my cheek and shook me. Mecklenburg beside him was looking down at me with an incredulous expression. The yellow lamp at the monastery entrance made everything in my vision hazy and white. When I opened my eyes, the monk, relieved and catching his breath, looked at the hem of my clothes and the collar of Mecklenburg’s shirt beside me with a horrified expression and asked.

 

“There’s blood on your clothes. What happened?”

 

“…What was I doing?”

 

“You collapsed as soon as you arrived here.”

 

I looked at the monk’s worried eyes and touched my head with a confused expression.

 

‘Mm, good.’

 

It went according to plan. I actually came to the front of the monastery on purpose and then left the extra chapter. In case there were problems, we needed people who could testify that we were harmed by the vigilantes. When I couldn’t speak, Mecklenburg explained for me.

 

“…Actually, we met vigilantes while going to renew our coordinate system permits. Wrong rumors must have spread because foreign mages visited, and they attacked us from the darkness. It’s resolved well now, but he seems to not have recovered his strength yet from the earlier attack.”

 

“Vigilantes? Those people attacked you this severely just based on rumors?”

 

The monk tilted his head as if finding it strange.

 

“They are people who know how to resolve things peacefully. There are often disputes at the tavern in the residential area below, and each time they rush over to mediate and prevent disturbances. But they don’t just manage this neighborhood—they oversee all of Kaluga, and… it’s strange that news of a foreign mage coming to the monastery would reach them this quickly.”

 

“…”

 

“I’ve talked too long. Let’s go inside quickly. I’ll treat your wounds.”

 

I shook my head at the monk and stood up from my seat.

 

“I’ll just drop off my luggage and come back. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, I want to have a conversation with those people.”

 

Earlier, I asked them if there was anything we could help with. Help with what? I have no intention of helping.

 

But I do need to catch them and extract information. They asked if my needs and their needs aligned, if they could give us a chance to apologize to them instead, and so we agreed to meet again by going down to the village plaza. Naturally, I don’t think pure intentions are involved, and I’m considering even the worst-case scenario. The monk also seemed worried and shook his head.

 

“Will you be alright? It would be better to rest here.”

 

“Still, we have to stay here for a while, so what’s the point of creating bad feelings between us?”

 

I left the monk who was trying to dissuade me and came down to the village plaza with Mecklenburg.

 

One self-defense force member saw us and immediately turned around, heading toward a narrow alley. Mecklenburg seriously pondered whether it was really okay to enter here, but that worry was unnecessary thinking. Following the self-defense force member down stairs made of clay bricks, we came to a shabby tavern, and most of the seated people were drunk and just cackling with laughter. The sober people just sat there blankly staring at us.

 

“Emil Abel, Clemens Schmidt.”

 

Then, I heard a German accent. When Mecklenburg and I turned our heads simultaneously, a neat-looking esper stood up from their seat and welcomed us.

 

“I heard you’re German. Hello. I’m Helga Brandt.”

 

“You’re German too.”

 

“That’s right. My father is German. Actually, I was born and raised here in Russia, so I think of myself as Russian.”

 

Helga Brandt showed a textbook smile and looked directly into our eyes as she apologized.

 

“Our self-defense force accepted wrong information without verification and was rude to you. I, as the captain of the Kaluga region, want to personally apologize for that.”

 

“So you’re the captain. How old are you?”

 

“Twenty-six.”

 

Isn’t that too young to be a captain?

 

Mecklenburg must have had the same question as he showed an ambiguous smile. Helga Brandt, as if she’d experienced this reaction often, smiled bitterly before quickly composing her expression and looking between us as she spoke.

 

“I’ll compensate for all damaged items. I’ll also pay for medical expenses. Come to think of it, I should have asked this first, but I was too flustered… Were you badly injured?”

 

“Somewhat.”

 

“Oh my… I’m truly sorry. I’m so ashamed.”

 

“Please be careful from now on. To believe even malicious rumors without hesitation for the sake of public order—from the residents’ perspective, isn’t that a double-edged sword?”

 

“You’re right. I’ll definitely improve. I’m grateful that you’re understanding with such magnanimity. And actually, I should have visited you at the monastery, but since you’ve come to Russia, I wanted to treat you to local drinks and food. Please sit.”

 

I hit Mecklenburg’s stomach with the back of my hand as he tried to pull out a chair and smiled.

 

“No. I abstain from alcohol for religious reasons. I’m not hungry either.”

 

“That’s a shame. Then, would you like to smoke?”

 

Helga Brandt offered a cigarette. I narrowed my eyes and pushed away his hand.

 

“No. I don’t smoke either. I’m a theology student, and I want to maintain a clear mind befitting my position.”

 

“Ah… I see. Smoking actually clears your head though.”

 

“Haha. Just do deep breathing exercises normally.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

I slightly furrowed my brow at that reaction and raised the corners of my mouth as I looked directly at Helga Brandt. He snapped his fingers.

 

“That’s a good idea.”

 

* * *

 

There was no need to think about what was suddenly so good. Helga Brandt and the self-defense force members were doing their best to please us. Among such attempts were questions that rather went against our mood, for example, this one. When we only drank water, Helga Brandt also drank water and quietly asked.

 

“I heard you toured this place today. Is there anyone in this village who caught your fancy?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

It was a very human-like conversation, and since it was something that made me want to vomit even when I was human—and was professionally troublesome at the time—I just pretended not to know and widened my eyes. Helga Brandt looked at my expression and chuckled as he answered.

 

“It’s a shame you’re an esper.”

 

Was he saying that if I were human, he would have tried to set me up with someone from this region? Mecklenburg received the same question, and he immediately said no. This was the first question that went against our mood. For the second, there’s this. On the third day of meeting, Helga Brandt came to the cafe terrace where Mecklenburg and I were sitting and suddenly said this.

 

“Want to go to the bathhouse?”

 

“Are you going to keep saying such ridiculous things?”

 

I had reached enlightenment at the time and answered like this, and you can probably picture it from the fact that I’d already reached enlightenment, but whether he was sociable or not, he tried to befriend us every time he met us for three straight days.

 

“Huh…? Anyway, you and I are both espers…”

 

“I value personal space, so I’m sorry but I can’t do that.”

 

“Aw.”

 

“Really. I’m a theology student, so I absolutely don’t go to public bathhouses.”

 

“This is the first time I’ve heard that theology students can’t go to bathhouses…”

 

“It’s fine if you’re hearing it for the first time.”

 

I spouted nonsense and turned the page. Helga Brandt put his arms on the terrace railing and tilted his head.

 

“You came all the way to Russia but you don’t drink vodka or smoke papirosa. The only things you put in your mouth are borscht and kasha.”

 

“I drink coffee too.”

 

“Even for an esper, aren’t you living too boringly?”

 

“I like it this way.”

 

I closed the book loudly and smiled. It meant stop talking and leave. Wouldn’t it be fine to just ask about the self-defense force for my intended purpose? you might think, but…

 

As if I wouldn’t have tried. He only said nutritionless things, I extracted maximum clues from those nutritionless words, and such a ping-pong game continued. Now I’ve gathered information that’s somewhat useful as side material. I needed to get to the core now, but at least that day I wasn’t in the mood to do so. When I opened the book again like that, Helga Brandt tipped his teal self-defense force cap and delivered a terrible line.

 

“Your hair is like the sun.”

 

“…”

 

“Cough… *cough*.”

 

Mecklenburg, sitting beside me, almost spit out the coffee he was drinking and covered his mouth. To deliver so casually a line I’d never even delivered when acting—this really is the 19th century. The third day ended with such thoughts.

 

And today makes it a week.

 

It’s also the fifth time I’ve had tea with Leo. That guy really wants me to have tea with him every hour without getting tired of it. And…

 

Knock knock—

 

“Today’s letters!”

 

8 AM. When I opened the door, Yuri suddenly held out two letters.

 

The sender of both is Helga Brandt. He’s been continuously sending me letters for a week now. As I sat at the dining table with a subtle expression drinking water, Mecklenburg, who came out after washing, saw the letters in my hand and let out a hollow laugh.

 

“I’ve been thinking about this, but does that person like you?”

 

“Pfft…”

 

“Disgusting!”

 

“You’re more so. Anyway, why did you think that?”

 

“Are you stupid? Anyone can see he’s interested in you.”

 

“I’m not interested in espers.”

 

“You’re an esper too. Don’t tell me you’re an esper who likes humans?”

 

A look trying to catch me in something coexists with curious eyes. I glanced at his eyes and smiled.

 

“No. I’m not interested in anyone. When you need to study, paying attention to other things isn’t a student’s duty.”

 

“…”

 

“You’re the same, right?”

 

Mecklenburg, who was blinking, suddenly shouted.

 

“…Of, of course I’m not interested either! I’d rather open a book in that time.”

 

“Boring.”

 

“What do you want me to do?!”

 

“What do you mean what. Why are you trying to get my approval?”

 

Build some self-esteem, you bastard. I didn’t scratch further and turned my gaze back to the plate. Mecklenburg was about to snap back but seemed tired of it, shook his head, and returned to the original topic.

 

“When you think about it, that person is strange. Why does an esper act like a human? It’s weird.”

 

“You’re right about that. So you’re just misunderstanding his wanting to become friends.”

 

“Maybe. I’ve never wanted to become close with anyone, so I wouldn’t know. Everyone approached me first.”

 

“How great for you… Anyway, yes. Think more broadly.”

 

This bastard is quick to catch on. Even though I said this, I’m human too, so I have intuition. At least, it’s not the direction Mecklenburg is misunderstanding, but he is approaching with some reason. I know what that reason is too. How long have I spent here and how much experience have I accumulated—it would be stranger not to know that reason. I opened one of the letters he sent, saw it was full of nonsense, and opened the other letter.

 

“Mm, yes. He’s asking to have dinner with the self-defense force members again today.”

 

“Are you going? You didn’t go yesterday or the day before.”

 

“I didn’t go.”

 

I looked at the meeting place written at the end of the letter and handed it to him.

 

“But I should go today. The meeting place is the self-defense force headquarters.”

 

* * *

 

“…This person lives in the self-defense force headquarters building. What’s going on?”

 

As soon as Mecklenburg entered the vigilante corps headquarters, he widened his eyes and whispered to me. That’s right. Helga Brandt was living in the vigilante corps headquarters building. No, to be precise, they were using his manor as the vigilante corps headquarters. It was a bit unusual from the start when he suggested meeting at headquarters for dinner. I cast a sound-blocking spell and answered simply.

 

“There are all kinds of people in this world. Actually, this works out well.”

 

“…Works out well, you say…”

 

So we had a simple dinner and moved to the banquet hall they had prepared. I casually picked up a drink from a tray and had a couple of glasses, then took a quick look around the structure of this building before approaching Helga Brandt, the party host. He raised his eyebrows and waved his hand at me.

 

“Oh. Are you enjoying yourself?”

 

“The party is fun. Thank you for the invitation.”

 

Then Helga Brandt grinned and snapped his fingers.

 

“Right. I’m even more grateful that you came. But…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What you’re holding right now is alcohol. It’s kvass.”

 

“…!”

 

I covered my mouth and furrowed my brow. Helga Brandt laughed heartily and patted my back.

 

“Ahaha! You deliberately drank something that doesn’t taste like alcohol, right? That one does taste like a soft drink. It tastes like sugar water.”

 

“Oh no… It was alcohol? What should I do? I’ve already drunk quite a bit.”

 

“It’s fine~ You won’t get drunk from that, will you?”

 

“That’s not the issue, I abstain from alcohol for religious reasons…!”

 

“Come on. You didn’t know it was alcohol when you drank it, so it’s fine. It’s not alcohol. Okay?”

 

“…”

 

“Enjoy yourself. When will you get to try such alcohol again once you go back?”

 

“…My head hurts.”

 

I made a shocked expression and turned around weakly. I could see Mecklenburg standing near the entrance looking at me and letting out a hollow laugh. I straightened my expression as if nothing had happened and put down my glass on an empty tray.

 

A little while after the party started, when everyone was somewhat drunk, I tapped Mecklenburg’s shoulder and whispered.

 

“Keep them occupied. Five minutes.”

 

At those words, Mecklenburg nodded. I headed toward the bathroom outside the hall, then went up the corridor stairs next to it.

 

‘Would I not know it was alcohol? I’ve been here for a week.’

 

Of course, it really did taste like a soft drink. It was a taste that I could never think of as alcohol. I confirmed that no one was in the corridor and entered a room, moving all the candlesticks.

 

Creak— Swoosh—

 

The sound of moving candlesticks, the sound of old floorboards creaking. There was no other reaction besides that. After waving my wand to make all the books rustle once with magic, I entered the next room and did the same thing. Then, in the third room. The moment I moved the first candlestick above the fireplace to the side, the scenery before my eyes changed.

 

“…”

 

I was in. The old room I had been in just moments ago disappeared, and before me appeared a pristine white office with marble flooring.

 

‘To add spatial magic in this way, it’s excessively Pleroma-like.’

 

Since it’s probably Pleroma, I won’t complain. I quickly looked around the neatly organized surroundings and drew my wand.

 

—Seek and you shall find.

 

“Yuri Alekseyev.”

 

The center of the bookshelf right next to me glowed. I pulled out the glowing bundle of documents and flipped through them.

 

“…”

 

What was written on the papers wasn’t much different from what I had told Leo. As I suspected, Pleroma had approached Yuri Alekseyev.

 

If there was one thing to note…

 

‘It seems the leadership isn’t keeping an eye on Yuri yet?’

 

The only group eyeing Yuri Alekseyev was here, just the Kaluga Center under Pleroma’s Russia branch. The names of other orphans besides Yuri Alekseyev were also written down. I copied what was written on those papers directly into my memory and flipped through the pages. Then, seeing a new file with a cover, I unconsciously opened my mouth.

 

“…”

 

What is this?

 

‘Lavrentiev Monastery Integration Plan.’

 

That’s what was written on the cover. Integration, integration? I wasn’t unfamiliar with what that meant. When I turned the file, a clearer expression appeared.

 

‘Lavrentiev Monastery Complete Conversion to Believers.’

 

[Blessing to be granted first, baptism and religious ceremonies that deviate from Orthodox doctrine are not permitted]

 

“…”

 

A chill ran down my spine.

 

A few days ago, I answered Leo that ‘Pleroma approached young Ishmailov by offering money, that is, enormous magical power.’

 

That’s correct.

 

But at the same time, it’s wrong. They don’t intend to give magical power only to ‘Yuri Alekseyev.’ They plan to make everyone at Lavrentiev able to use magic, which means they intend to make everyone into Pleroma as written in this document. I felt my head growing cold as I barely managed to turn the page. A memo he had written to organize things himself and a yellow letter he had received appeared. I skimmed through what was written on the memo and letter.

 

[_De l’éducation/1.Mose 4,4]

 

I turned my gaze to the side. From the first line, the letter was written in hastily scrawled German.

 

[I thought my heart would drop. ‘Declinatio’! On what grounds? Even a German? Does the branch know about this fact?]

 

Latin Declinatio. It means declension and here it would be a code.

 

‘…De l’éducation. On Education. And 1.Mose…’

 

Tap—

 

A cold hand landed on my right shoulder. A voice came from behind me on the left.

 

“What are you doing?”

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