How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 386

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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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1 hour ago.

 

“Here?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Mecklenburg narrowed his eyes and walked stealthily with an expression that seemed to concentrate all the wariness in the world on his face. The reason he walked like this was probably because this was Helga Brandt’s office. I set down Helga Brandt, whom I had been carrying, onto the bed and patted Mecklenburg’s back.

 

“Ack! Why are you hitting me?!”

 

“Walk properly. She drank quite a bit so she won’t wake up anytime soon.”

 

“I’m not okay with this, you punk. Even if they’re subordinates, is it really okay to manipulate these heretics like that? That person from earlier probably doesn’t even know what they fed their superior, and if things get out of hand…!”

 

“It’s fine. Helga Brandt is the only one who will go all the way here.”

 

I checked the status window. I always do that when meeting Pleroma, because information is as good as life for us.

 

As usual, none of these subordinates have any special abilities. Since not all unique abilities appear in the status window’s trait section—I think only abilities related to souls, like intervening in someone’s soul, appear in the trait section—I can’t make hasty judgments, but everyone here is quite mediocre. Only Helga Brandt had a decent trait.

 

‘Envoy of the Covenant.’

 

The trait name was Envoy of the Covenant. Since Ishmailov’s status window was all filled with ‘—’ marks, I couldn’t tell if he had the same ability or not, but this ‘Envoy of the Covenant’ would be different from the simple title ‘Envoy of the Covenant of Pleroma’ that I used for Ishmailov. This must be related to the ability of foresight. Like how Narke predicts the future.

 

And even if it doesn’t overlap with Ishmailov, this ‘Envoy of the Covenant’ trait is the same as one I briefly confirmed from some Pleroma before, but I’ll set that aside for now. Just as the Undersecretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Bavaria Emanuel Wittelsbach have the same unique ability, and just as countless nobles—or politicians commonly share the charm trait, traits can overlap plenty. I’m just pointing this out because there’s something to think about.

 

Mecklenburg seemed puzzled by my words rating Helga Brandt’s abilities highly, stroking his chin and pursing his lips.

 

“…I don’t know what you mean by going all the way, but that person seems to have many sloppy aspects too.”

 

Maybe it’s not that they’re sloppy, but that we’re excellent. Or perhaps both. I looked down at Helga Brandt sleeping obliviously and muttered.

 

“I was disappointed but… I still tried to understand it in my own way. So, this is the Russian frontier, and it’s not a place where strong mages would come. From their perspective, something with the probability of lightning striking a field happened. Thinking that way makes the disappointment less.”

 

“…So you’re saying we’re strong? That we’re at that level? Of course I am, but how self-congratulatory…”

 

Geez. How could I tell him we’re actually affiliated with the Imperial Mage Association? Even though this guy hasn’t entered yet, if he’s someone who will join the Imperial Mage Association after early university graduation, he certainly had exceptional skills even as a high school student.

 

I answered with a smile and reopened the booklet I had spread out earlier, reading again from where I left off. While I was repeatedly inputting everything written into my head, Mecklenburg suddenly interrupted.

 

“…You actually manipulated that subordinate’s mind.”

 

“…”

 

“I’ve really, from before, ever since you saved me when I lost consciousness in Munich-Freising…”

 

“Ainsiedel was the one who saved you.”

 

“No, you did too. Because you can use divine power.”

 

I looked at him expressionlessly. Mecklenburg muttered while only looking at the floor.

 

“I’m not stupid. You, on the last day in Munich-Freising, my memory…”

 

“Let’s talk about it later.”

 

Because that’s not what’s urgent right now. Now, it’s time to sweep up all the important information before Helga Brandt wakes up. I smiled at Mecklenburg and snapped my fingers.

 

—Seek and you shall find.

 

“Declinatio.”

 

I used a search spell when I first entered this place earlier. Strangely, when I searched for Yuri Alekseyev, there was only one glowing spot. That means two possibilities.

 

First, not only the leadership but also Pleroma’s Russian branch Kaluga Center has no intention of using Yuri Alekseyev as an ‘Envoy of the Covenant’ yet. In other words, at this point Yuri Alekseyev is just one of many orphans they’re monitoring, and no one knows his importance yet.

 

Second, they created a code for Yuri Alekseyev’s name. That is, they know his importance and are keeping it classified to prevent external leaks. In the second case, I can’t search for Yuri Alekseyev until I know the code.

 

And we know that Kaluga Center intends to give blessings to everyone at Lavrentiev Monastery. Also, naturally, in this frontier city—Kaluga—there are many more monasteries besides Lavrentiev. Now the answer is clear. Which way do the possibilities lean?

 

Obviously the second.

 

So this time I searched for another word I saw in the letters, Declinatio, which definitely seemed important but whose meaning I wasn’t yet certain of. This time too, light appeared in only a few places, and excluding the letter mentioning ‘two Germans’ that I checked earlier, the most recent letter received was this one.

 

[Maybe the idea that there would be an Envoy of the Covenant in our time was wrong to begin with. Except for Your Holiness, that is. In our time, there would be no one capable of Declinatio, nor anyone who could make someone undergo Declinatio. Likewise, except for Your Holiness.]

 

Your Holiness refers to the Pope. Here it would mean the Pleroma Preacher, not the Catholic Pope.

 

I checked the letter received after that.

 

[Γεώργιος? I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with that… Wouldn’t it be better to find someone else? You’re not insisting on Russia just because you’re fluent in Russian, are you? It’s been almost 3 years since you stayed in Russia. Give up now.]

 

[Where to go, you ask. Since you’ve been with our sect from the beginning, you could get a position anytime. Brandenburg? Hamburg? Just say the word. I’ll try my best.]

 

[How many times have you said the time has come? How long will you stay in Russia? 3 years have passed waiting for that ‘time.’ Besides, how can you change that child? As I said before, a faction that doesn’t recognize your abilities has started emerging here in Brandenburg. They say you see illusions, not the future.]

 

[You’ll make everyone into Pleroma?! It’s even more ridiculous that this was approved. How will you do it? Will you go around giving blessings one by one? If someone can’t receive the blessing, won’t they just die? Having many die at once is too dangerous.]

 

‘Hmm.’

 

Good. I continued flipping through, but there were too many received letters to find nutritious content easily. I looked around the room again and snapped my fingers.

 

—Seek and you shall find.

 

“Γεώργιος.”

 

Greek Georgios. It was written at the beginning of the letter I read earlier. This is the origin of ‘Yuri,’ and it’s probably the code word they use to refer to Yuri Alekseyev.

 

[There are people with good unique abilities everywhere. What are you going to do with that Γεώργιος now?]

 

[It reminds me of Hansel and Gretel… I feel like we’ve become the witch trying to fatten up and devour children. Of course, it’s amazing that there’s a child who knows how to ‘devour.’ But it’s unclear whether Γεώργιος can really ‘devour’ or not—I trust you, but here they call your thing a delusion—and even if what you say is right, our position is the same as before. So what? Are you saying that ‘devouring’ ability causes Declinatio? Is he some mongrel dog coveting the soul of the supreme one? But that’s not Declinatio. And in my view, that child would at best reach the level of a mongrel dog even if he touched the sky. Shall I explain further? The point is, that Alexander the Great has no ability to save. That devouring ability has nothing to do with our salvation!]

 

‘Alexander.’

 

Okay. This must also refer to Yuri Alekseyev. They really use various codes. I lightly placed my hand above my head and chanted the spell again.

 

—Seek and you shall find.

 

“Alexander.”

 

I pulled out a glowing paper from a corner at the bottom of the bookshelf, and at that moment raised my eyebrows. The handwriting of the letter was different from what I had read so far.

 

[The glory of Alexander the Great lasted only one era. Your discovery will lead us to internal strife. In ten years, Diadochi will run rampant among us. We are descendants of Abraham’s faith, not descendants of Ishmael. In our time, the descendants of Ishmael are heretical groups that must be eliminated because they will soon become Diadochi.]

 

This time it was sent by someone from the leadership, not that presumed colleague from earlier. It was clearly a letter scolding Helga Brandt, and indeed Helga Brandt seemed to have been upset. Right on the previous page was a letter that Helga Brandt had written while pressing down hard.

 

[You know one thing but not two. Then why don’t you say the Gospel of Luke is apocryphal? It wouldn’t suit your taste! Among the four Gospels of the New Testament, the one that sends the most powerful message to our time is precisely the Gospel of Luke. We are true descendants of Abraham, but people don’t know this and instead curse us calling us descendants of Ishmael. What meaning is there for us, the persecuted lowly ones, to curse Ishmael ourselves? Moreover, I’ve been holding back but now I’m saying it—you are truly excellent people but you don’t know what’s important. If you can’t believe my words, then enter the second womb and come out! Even if I say this, you’ll reject my words saying ‘How can such a thing be possible’—]

 

Nothing is written after that. So she didn’t send it after all. Looking at the metaphors used, it was good that she didn’t send it. Moreover, what each side understands about ‘descendants of Ishmael’ conflicts.

 

Thud—

 

I exhaled deeply and closed the file. Then I leaned against the bookshelf and looked around at Helga Brandt still sleeping drunkenly and Mecklenburg sitting on the sofa in a sulk.

 

“…”

 

This is giving me a headache.

 

Now, I know what Declinatio is.

 

Declension. This is a word metaphorically referring to their messiah, the Envoy of the Covenant.

 

* * *

 

And so, back to the present.

 

I tried to erase thoughts of declension and such while acting.

 

“I’m curious what about me caught your fancy.”

 

Honestly speaking, this acting is a bit difficult. Because. No matter how much tacit agreement I received—I spoke with that concept—someone who comes to ransack another’s room is a bit… sleazy-looking and actually sleazy. I personally think it’s also sleazy to show someone ransacking another’s room and then cover it with romance and deliver lines like this. The other party probably doesn’t care at all—since my magic power is the goal.

 

But shamelessness is always the answer. Just then Mecklenburg also silently dry-heaved, but I decided not to care from now on. I shrugged my shoulders at the silent, wary Helga Brandt.

 

“It’s interesting, isn’t it? To accidentally open materials and see my name.”

 

“How much do you know?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

When I asked back with a ‘what are you talking about’ expression, Helga Brandt, who had been staring at me intently, removed her hand from inside her jacket. Then she smiled and answered.

 

“It’s surprising that you immediately recognized that as your name in that instant.”

 

“I like the quizzes that run behind the newspaper every evening.”

 

At those words, Helga Brandt let out a hollow laugh. Just that? She was obviously thinking that. I continued speaking, pretending not to know.

 

“If someone has genuine feelings for me more than I thought, I thought it might be okay to give them my magic power. It’s just magic power, after all.”

 

“Yes. It’s just magic power.”

 

“Ah, did I misspeak…?”

 

“No, I already knew you were this kind of person.”

 

This kind of person. What kind? Is this about my personality being questionable… When I made an ambiguous expression, Helga Brandt smiled coldly.

 

“Rather, after ignoring me all week and not properly responding to contact, it’s refreshing to have this kind of time.”

 

“I was very wary at first. But once I get to know someone’s heart, I become close right away. That’s why I thought you had your subordinate send me letters.”

 

Yes, exactly this. The problem is that I have to shamelessly say my own concept with my own mouth. Uweeeeek… I felt like nausea was rising to my throat, but since Mecklenburg was dry-heaving on my behalf—why is this guy doing that when he can’t even hear due to the sound-blocking spell? Maybe it’s because of my expression—I decided not to create problems directly. I glared at Mecklenburg, who was failing at expression management, then turned my head back toward Helga.

 

“How many hours do we have to do this?”

 

“We’ll probably have to do this all day today.”

 

“What about meals?”

 

“We can call someone for a moment.”

 

“How clear.”

 

That means she can call people to this place. Or she’s thinking of finishing things before then. Thank you.

 

Silence again. Unlike the silence before bringing up ‘Emil Abel,’ now blade-like air was cutting between us. Everyone was sharpening their edge and being wary. No one spoke this fact aloud.

 

I was enjoying the silence when I reached out and brought Helga Brandt’s wrist toward my face. Mecklenburg was probably making a really disgusted expression, but I didn’t care. I asked the slightly surprised Helga Brandt.

 

“What perfume do you use?”

 

“I don’t know the name. Shall I give you one?”

 

“That would be nice.”

 

Though I’ll never receive it. I smiled and let go of her hand, looking forward again. As expected, I could see Mecklenburg in my peripheral vision with his eyes wide and his face completely scrunched up.

 

“…”

 

Ah… I want to kick that guy out. He’s genuinely despising me. It’s just acting, but that bastard seems to be taking it as truth. Or maybe he feels repulsed by the fact that it’s acting. The person who should feel most nauseated might be me.

 

However, even though everyone’s mental strength is going into the negatives, Mecklenburg needs to be here. Otherwise, there’s no meaning to me being here doing this.

 

Because.

 

The opponent must have allowed Mecklenburg to observe, thinking this much was manageable. Rather, it would be safer to have even one more person on my side here.

 

‘But this guy shouldn’t get too emotionally worked up.’

 

You never know. The color I changed with divine power earlier might try to revert to its original state. Of course, there’s probably no bullshit worse than the bullshit about making babies, so the possibility of him getting that level of indignant or flustered again is unlikely.

 

“It’s boring just sitting here. I’ll go get some cigars for a moment.”

 

Helga Brandt tried to get up from her seat. At her words about bringing cigars, Mecklenburg and I exchanged glances, and I immediately grabbed his arm. I smiled gently at him as he looked down at me.

 

“No, please stay here.”

 

“…”

 

Helga Brandt smiled and glanced at Mecklenburg and me, then sat back down. Then she took out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it.

 

“Papirosa, I see.”

 

I muttered while observing it before the box lid closed.

 

The color is different. While all the others have blue-tinted filters, the cigarette she just picked up is wrapped in gray paper. And earlier I confirmed that her cigar band consists of two colors. Isn’t there a similarity…? Could it really be a coincidence?

 

Regarding that point, I had already obtained information when I went outside and met Legislator Alexander Kluger.

 

“Yes, I smoked outside often.”

 

“Is it okay to smoke this kind of thing while extracting mana?”

 

“I wonder.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

I snatched the cigarette from her hand and crushed it. I had to try not to breathe somehow, while also trying not to look like I was holding my breath. Helga Brandt said coldly with a hardened face.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Let’s concentrate.”

 

“On what?”

 

“On me?”

 

CRASH―!

 

The moment I spoke, a loud noise came from the floor. However…

 

Despite the loud sound that seemed like it would cause a warp, nothing changed. Of course, since I had controlled the mana with restraints. Helga Brandt, who had stomped the floor hard with her foot, slowly raised her head at the completely unchanged scenery. The light reflected in her irises was fierce.

 

She too had figured out my strategy.

 

I did my best to suppress her wariness but it wasn’t enough, and at the same time…

 

THUD― BANG―!

 

My preliminary investigation and reasoning were sufficient. I pushed her upper body outside the sofa, then pressed down on her thigh with my knee and searched the pockets of the jacket she was wearing. She probably planned to use cigarette smoke filled with priestly drugs to put us to sleep, then safely release the restraints, but since we had already noticed, that strategy became useless.

 

How unfortunate. Helga Brandt’s fist flew toward me. I tilted my head aside and lightly dodged the attack. It’s not in the outer pockets. Not on the left, not on the right. I pressed down on her right shoulder and searched inside the jacket with my left hand. Finally. Something metallic caught at my fingertips.

 

“…This…!”

 

A square restraint-releasing artifact. This magnet-like thing always had the same shape. I quickly released and dropped the restraints on my wrists and neck, then threw the artifact to Mecklenburg. Helga Brandt, who had been kicking at me as if to kill me, stopped resisting and let her body go limp when she saw mana coming from my hands. Soon, hearty laughter pierced my eardrums.

 

“…Hahaha! Haha!”

 

“You find this amusing?”

 

At those words, Helga Brandt twitched her eyebrows in a state where it was unclear whether she was panting or snickering. I looked straight at her and said.

 

“Declinatio. You know it, don’t you.”

 

“Haha… Latin?”

 

“You should speak properly, shouldn’t you? It’s not just ‘Latin’…”

 

GRIP―

 

I grabbed her by the collar and looked down at her shining eyes.

 

“It’s the Pleroma Messiah, isn’t it.”

 

A saint who will realize that he is one of the three persons. I shook my head and continued speaking.

 

“…You’re quite something. You’re misunderstanding me. Emil Abel is Declinatio… So no matter how much I recommend Clemens Schmidt, you won’t listen.”

 

And this person is related to Bishop of Brandenburg Lilli Lebendro, who assigned Ishmailov to me. The same violet scent, and both have ages that are ‘questionable’ in different ways. Their unique abilities are also the same.

 

‘That means.’

 

What could it be?

 

Helga Brandt is either a close relative of Bishop Lilli Lebendro, or in the worst case, the same person.

 

“Kek…!”

 

And what does that mean?

 

Isn’t this an opportunity to ask a person from 1891 what I couldn’t ask Lilli Lebendro? I grabbed Helga Brandt by the collar and brought my face close to hers.

 

“Why do you think I’m Declinatio?”

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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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