How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 424

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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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“….”

I lowered my staff while watching the divine power bursting forth from the entrance. Vitriol melted away without a trace under the divine power of dozens of people. The Monsignor of Stefan, who had boldly brainwashed his own bishop, was captured by real Catholic cardinals and monsignors. I could see the Austrian Imperial Guard running toward us from the distance.

I wiped the sweat and holy water from my forehead, brushed my nose and mouth, and caught my breath. The aftereffects of the mind-control drug still lingered. I couldn’t say it had been a pleasant experience, but through this I was able to gauge somewhat what level the enemy was currently at.

‘…The technology has advanced considerably.’

The performance was clearly different from the crude mind-control drug from three months ago. The significant improvement in technology through kidnapping magical scholars was evident. The Archbishop of Stefan had been controlled by his subordinate Monsignor the entire time, but didn’t look the least bit like he was under mind-control magic.

Wasn’t there someone who came to mind at this point? I erased that detestable figure from my head and looked at the two Vatican mages approaching me.

“I’ve heard you’re called Father Armelini.”

The Vatican mage I was seeing for the first time spoke politely. I had cast very faint cognitive disruption magic on everyone except one chamberlain, so this Vatican mage wouldn’t be able to recognize who I was just by looking at my face, but he had found me well nonetheless. He knew that the person acting as a ‘fake Vatican mage’ in front of the altar was a real Vatican mage. He used divine power to blow his words directly into my head.

―”I heard about the operation from the Minister. We’ll make sure no information reaches the German Empire.”

“Thank you.”

By Minister, he must mean Narke. And by ‘make sure no information reaches,’ he meant he would prevent all the minor information that ‘Lucio Armelini’ had shown at this scene from being passed to the German government. Espionage operations couldn’t be disclosed to the public anyway. My mission had already ended at the Trade and Economy Ministry building, and as such, the government didn’t need to know all information about me as long as it didn’t harm the Empire’s safety. It was better for those bastards not to know. Even though I had defended myself in various ways, such as using only regular mana instead of divine power, there would be many in Germany who would connect me with Nicolaus and become suspicious just from the news that Lucio Armelini was Lucas Ascanien. Therefore, I was planning to slip away buried among the Vatican now.

The Vatican mage looked into my eyes and said.

―”The German Empire may not know, but the Holy See will remember. It is His Holiness’s will.”

“….”

Though he could have represented the Papal States as a nation by mentioning the German Empire, he chose not to.

The Papal States and the Holy See are different. The Papal States were destroyed by Italian forces that invaded Rome in this era of the world I had lived in, but even then the Holy See continued to exist. The Holy See has never ceased to exist for even a moment since the establishment of Roman Catholicism.

The Papal States that existed only in documents in A.D. 1898 had become a great power as a collective of divine power worldwide in A.A. 1898, the A.D. after Ion Forso, but whether it would still exist in A.A. 1998 was unknown. Even the ecclesiastical world saw it that way. But the Holy See would always exist as long as Catholicism’s breath didn’t die out.

So the words ‘the German Empire may not know, but the Holy See will remember’ were by no means light words to them, and to me, who wanted to respect the values they believed in, it was the highest praise. I responded with a wordless smile.

Then the other Vatican mage, who had kept his mouth shut until now, asked.

“Are you going to meet the Minister now?”

“I should.”

“I’ll escort you.”

I took that mage’s hand and straightened my body that had been leaning against the altar. He pulled my arm close and walked outside.

Success felt like a dream.

To briefly retrace the process, we infiltrated different positions. Narke as a palace priest, and I as a lowly servant.

Until entering the chapel, we absolutely could not be perceived as Vatican mages—if so, the culprit would have postponed the date—and for the same reason, we couldn’t entrust this task to the dozens of clergy who would come from the Vatican.

However, in the chapel, we both absolutely had to be perceived as Vatican mages. Why this had to be so was too obvious to even think about.

What remained in our hands were two Vatican mages in Austria, myself and Narke Farnese. There was a problem here. We couldn’t reveal that we were both affiliated with the Vatican, and comparatively speaking, my side was more problematic. Narke’s affiliation with the Farnese family was obvious anyway, but she was supposed to be attending a seminary directly managed by the Vatican, so it wouldn’t be strange for her to carry a Vatican wand.

So Narke sought cooperation from a trustworthy Vatican cardinal and bishop belonging to this country. She borrowed a wand, in other words—this expression was correct both materially and conceptually. What the strange statement about borrowing conceptually meant was that we didn’t use this person’s wand. Since this was for creating an alibi, I used Narke’s wand, and Narke, having established the concept of lending me a wand, fought with my wand instead of using a Vatican staff. Even if, though it seemed unlikely they would go that far, Austria-Hungary passed everything they observed to Germany, there would be nothing to catch us on.

As a result, I had to pretend to be a divine power mage through the Vatican staff, but couldn’t use divine power for even a single moment.

Narke disguised herself as a priest to purify the water in the two holy water fonts placed in the chapel—the holy water at the entrance and the holy water the bishop would use. Churches have holy water fonts at the entrance, and people usually dip their hands in them and make the sign of the cross when entering. If the Emperor were to make the sign of the cross with the entrance holy water and get poisoned by the drug before the bishop even sprinkled holy water on him, our operation would become useless, so Narke had to check first. Therefore, Narke, who might need to use divine power in earnest, took the priest role, while I, who couldn’t do so, became a lackey.

The remaining problem was which of the lackey or palace priest would first prevent the holy water from being sprinkled on the Emperor—this was it. We decided that only one of us would step forward first to reduce the information value given to the culprit. At this point, would it be better for divine power to come out first and mana later, or mana first and divine power later? If we chose the former, there was a risk that I would be attacked instead. There were various reasons, but to pick one: if I released mana in a situation where vigilance was already extremely high, it would be difficult to prove that I wasn’t someone trying to harm the Emperor while taking advantage of the confusion. Even with minute differences, we shouldn’t lower the level of danger reaching the enemy but should gradually raise the level for them. In other words, we should eliminate doubts that arose in our allies’ perception, not amplify them. Again, the answer was clear and we didn’t need to think further.

Therefore, I, who could only use mana, would pretend to be a Vatican mage first. The culprit would think ‘the mage I have to face might actually be unable to use divine power,’ simultaneously lowering the possibility of drug purification through divine power while estimating their own chances of victory somewhat higher. The culprit would think it worthwhile to try finding a breakthrough and acting once. When the doubts of non-culprits reached their peak, I would step back and give the culprit a physical opportunity, and Narke, who could use divine power, would stop the culprit who had decided to execute the final plan.

This was our operation. Therefore, I had to be the lackey, and Narke had to be the palace priest.

And so we successfully protected the Emperor. The disaster of the Austro-Hungarian Empire becoming Pleroma’s puppet state overnight did not occur. It had been only 12 hours since we arrived in Vienna. The bleak future that had seemed unchangeable had changed so much in half a day.

The clock tower’s hands pointed to a time just past 6:30 AM. The bluish air had completely disappeared and the world was only white. I had pointless thoughts like whether I should start wearing short-sleeved shirts, while being led by the Vatican priest through Hofburg Palace. Being able to have such thoughts was fortunate in itself. Atropos was probably still being transported in Aqua Panna bottles, but now mine and Narke’s mission was over. The Emperor of Austria-Hungary would collect the Aqua Panna spread throughout the empire before noon today with help from German Empire and Papal States mages. So I wanted to quickly share this relief with my colleague from this operation.

I admired the scenery of the courtyard that the Vatican mages had purified and said.

“Stop walking now, Narke.”

“Ah!”

I chuckled at the Vatican mage who had been walking while holding my arm but now stood frozen with his mouth open.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Ah, what a shame. I thought I had fooled you~”

‘Guess you didn’t use Insight.’

Narke quickly flicked her hand and dispelled the illusion she had shown me. I cast a sound-blocking spell on Narke, who was stretching with a refreshed face, and said.

“Now we need to go to the embassy before His Majesty here looks for us.”

“Mm, we should.”

Narke answered in an uninterested tone, then grinned and looked at me.

“But how often would we have occasion to visit the Austrian imperial palace? There won’t be another day when we come here together, will there? Maybe we could meet through diplomacy when we’re around fifty… That day will bring such new emotions. We’ll be immersed in memories, saying we protected the Emperor and chased away Pleroma here in the final days of our teens, walking through this courtyard—how wonderful that would be. Even on that day, I won’t forget today’s sunlight.”

I found myself smiling whenever I felt a slight sense of alienation in the way my friends here spoke. It wasn’t that it was bad. Rather, it suited my sensibilities well, which is why I smiled. I shook my head and answered.

“So you’re saying we should sightsee here before leaving? You’ve got some nerve…”

“Haha! It’s not that.”

Narke used divine power to speak.

―”I’m enjoying being with you. It’s finally over, Lucas.”

That’s right, now we could return. I answered with a smile.

We walked in silence after that. Narke seemed to have become lost in thought for some reason. There were Vatican mages moving about in various places throughout the palace besides us. Then we stopped in a garden decorated with square shrubs.

“Lucas. That holy water you got hit with earlier, are you okay?”

“Of course. I’m fine, aren’t I?”

“…You seem fine, but even so, I don’t feel good about it.”

“What does it matter, I’m alive and well like this in the end.”

“That’s so like you… Actually, I was looking for water to let you wash your face before we go.”

‘Hmm.’

No wonder we were wandering around gardens even though everything was over. Now I understood. Narke pushed my back. The place we entered was a garden leading to a small hunting ground, with a place for watering horses ahead. Of course, it would be fine for people to drink too. There were similar drinking fountains in Anhalt and Bavaria, so their purpose would be similar. I turned on the faucet and washed my face briefly. I could hear birds fluttering their wings from tree to tree. After wiping away the dried holy water marks on my skin, I stood still and looked around.

The night had been particularly clear, and the morning sky was clear too. The sound of willow trees swaying was refreshing. Wind brushed past my cheeks. As I stood quietly like that, Narke, who had been standing a step behind, spoke quietly.

“I’ll never forget the day I spent with you.”

“Me too.”

I answered softly.

I won’t be able to forget it in many ways.

The crisis where one of Europe’s great powers nearly got devoured alive by Pleroma passed one hurdle at 6:30 AM this morning.

Now it begins. However, we, the Empire, were completely different from yesterday evening when we knew nothing about Atropos and the Prime Minister’s death. Originally, the Empire and continent should have met destruction by Pleroma without knowing anything, but with today’s successful operation, we would no longer be helplessly victimized by this case.

Also, if Narke hadn’t been the partner for this undertaking, I would probably be traveling all over Austria-Hungary by now. In that sense, I won’t forget this experience of seriously coordinating with Narke alone for the first time. I smiled and asked.

“But we have to work together in the future too, so you’re only trying not to forget this time?”

“Huh? Ah, hahaha. That’s how it turns out~”

I laughed along wordlessly, then looked at the beating sunlight and said to Narke.

“I’m grateful for the Holy See’s will.”

“When it’s something you did, is there reason to be grateful?”

Well, it would be something you conveyed and a result you brought about. Thinking that, I shrugged, and Narke continued.

“But this much is certain. The Empire may not know, but we’ll remember what happened this morning.”

“If you’re saying this because you’re worried I’ll be upset about not getting recognition for saving the Emperor, I’m fine. What’s the point of getting recognition from Prussia anyway. And…”

I spoke with a slight sneer.

“I think the Empire knows everything about what we did and how.”

“Right. They’ll keep being mistaken, so the two of us will completely fool the Empire~”

Narke giggled as she spoke. I laughed lightly. I had been worried that Austria-Hungary might run their mouths and let Germany know how we carried out this operation, but with Narke saying that, I felt much more at ease. The Vatican had said they would help, but since they didn’t even know I was Nicolaus Ernst, wasn’t it only half the help?

Narke turned her body halfway toward the exit and continued.

“Until the day the Empire knows everything, let’s fool them well.”

Until the day I reveal that I am Nicolaus Ernst. I nodded.

Now it was time to leave the work here to others and depart.

* * *

And so, we disguised ourselves as Vatican mages and secretly slipped out of the palace with their help.

Having warped to the embassy, we sent a letter saying we would return to Germany, and stepped on Prussian soil faster than that letter could travel.

7 AM.

We were in Hohenzollern’s imperial palace. However, we couldn’t immediately meet the imperial family or high officials at the palace. They were holding emergency meetings since dawn to respond to what we had reported about Atropos, and still were now. It was natural that they were too busy to meet anyone, as this was a situation more than sufficient to declare a national emergency once again. Rather, if any of them had tried to meet us, I would have necessarily needed to rest after facing faces I didn’t want to see right upon arrival.

After various health examinations and investigation reports, when we left the Investigation Bureau, it was 11 AM.

Bang—!

“We have returned.”

…I’m not sure why I have to say such things to these people. I struck the floor loudly with my foot, saluted the seniors before me, and sat down with Narke. The entity that ordered this espionage operation was the Commander, and these 91st and 98th unit members had nothing to do with our operation, so I had nothing additional to report to them about when and where I had been. Atropos was classified to begin with, and they didn’t even know of that water’s existence. Naturally, the Austria-Hungary espionage operation was also classified—though we couldn’t hide that the two of us went on a classified operation since we took the selection exam together as A-class.

Silence flowed. For some reason, awkwardness lingered in the air. Mecklenburg, whose eyes met mine, turned his head with a slightly awkward expression. The other 98th unit member was avoiding eye contact from the start, beyond just being awkward. Leo looked at me with his usual cold gaze. I looked at my other friends. Cheringen smiled gently for a moment then quickly turned his head forward. Ulrike, among the seniors, froze slightly then gave an eye greeting after checking others’ reactions—her effort to compose her facial muscles was admirable as laughter seemed to burst out upon meeting a familiar face—and Elias was just grinning regardless of seniors or anything. I confirmed that my friends were healthy and looked forward.

‘Hmm, so.’

Returning to Germany in less than a day was comfortable and meeting the seniors wasn’t particularly burdensome, but the key question was why everyone had gathered here.

The structure of the meeting room we always used had changed in the brief time I was away in Austria-Hungary. There was a U-shaped table in the center and other seats in the corners of the room, and regardless of unit number, all those without captain or vice-captain positions were sitting in the corner seats. As vice-captain, it seemed clear I should sit at the central table. However, there were only two remaining seats at the room’s central table, and Narke, perhaps having used Insight, didn’t retreat to the corners after saluting but sat directly in that seat.

Seeing that, I roughly understood what we had gathered here for—or been told to gather for. And seeing the seniors’ reactions made it even more certain.

The Representative Mage of Class 91 stated the purpose of this gathering.

“Now that everyone up to Class 101 has arrived, we’ll begin. Today, Pleroma’s new drug was discovered in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Named Atropos, it becomes a deadly poison that kills people when combined with artificial mana, and becomes a mind-control drug when combined with human mana.”

‘…I hoped it wouldn’t be, but they’re really talking about this…’

Isn’t this what we frantically figured out going back and forth to the hotel at night… I take back what I said about them not knowing about the existence of the substance called Atropos. They’ve already heard about it. The same goes for the others besides Albertina Hohenzollern, the Class 91 representative. It’s surreal hearing the content we just finished reporting in front of the scribe being recited here.

‘The deductions we made in Austria last night are being recited by Senior in Germany this morning, and I’m listening to it as a junior…’

I feel like I’m playing two roles. I wonder if this is how Adrian Ascanien feels. And I could understand why the seniors wouldn’t make eye contact with us. However, their deliberate avoidance made me feel even more absurd. In other words, even I was starting to feel awkward. In this situation, Narke’s eyes sparkled as if she was enjoying herself.

The Representative Mage of Class 91 cleared his throat and continued reading from the file.

“Ahem, according to information obtained by our German Empire intelligence agents, the 16.43 tons of mineral water Aqua Panna currently imported to the Austro-Hungarian Empire is entirely Atropos, and five squadrons of the German Empire’s Royal Mages have been deployed to eliminate the Atropos spread throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Vienna Archdiocese has also been contaminated with this liquid. Also, according to our intelligence agents, it was used for poisoning in the form of holy water…”

‘That’s right…’

But knowing full well that the people involved are right here, must everyone deliberately avoid looking at us? Even the Representative Mage of Class 91 hasn’t looked at us even once. That awkward handling of gazes makes this place feel like sitting on pins and needles. Just as I was feeling the conduction of awkwardness, the Representative Mage of Class 91 pressed his forehead and slammed the file he was holding onto the desk with a loud sound.

Thud―

“That’s enough.”

“…Excuse me?”

At this absurd pause, the Vice Representative of Class 91 quickly asked. The Representative Mage of Class 91 lifted his head with a resigned expression and looked at us.

“You already know everything, don’t you. Count Ascanien, Count Farnese.”

As if those words were a signal, the eyes of countless people sitting in this place turned toward us all at once. The Representative Mage of Class 91 smiled faintly and said.

“Thank you for your hard work on the Austria-Hungary intelligence operation. Congratulations on your return home.”

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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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