How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 435

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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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Third party.

Third party…. Pleroma, that is, other entities excluding the central group that thoroughly agrees with the interests of Pleroma leadership and my target. Yet entities with sufficient capability to possess rampage drugs.

There are candidates that come to mind.

For example, the cult that has taken control of the French Orleans royal family.

The limestone flooring was covered with black mud. The already weak limestone was melting with strange sounds. The dim fire was half extinguished, forcing us to rely on the light from bursting mana in the darkness. The narrow corridor was crowded with countless people tangled together.

Crash―!!

I ran down the small stairs and struck the floor. From the point of impact, divine power spread downward like an ice sheet.

“Your Highness, control!”

Elias’s shout pierced sharply. I closed my eyes with my forehead close to the staff and saw Leo gritting his teeth, then the scene where the divine power bursting from Count Rothenhan’s sword was insufficient to block Vitriol. Leo wasn’t skilled enough to receive such evaluation from Elias, but the tree branches interfered with the rampage victims’ movements while also hindering our side’s movements. In this situation, how could someone who had to exert power in all directions adjust control for each individual? It couldn’t be helped. To fill the spots as they melted to Vitriol, I had no choice but to focus on speed.

This might not have been possible with just us from the beginning. However….

We had to manage somehow. We couldn’t call Ulrike and Cheringen inside due to identity issues, and since the number of rampage victims who escaped outside wasn’t small, manpower was needed outside too. Seeing that the middle gate on the first floor hadn’t collapsed until we entered, we could tell that victims who escaped outside the southern building had come down from the second or third floor and gotten out. Or they had torn through the bars and jumped out. Just now on the second floor, there weren’t as many people wandering the corridors as on the first floor. The rest were either trapped in rooms going berserk or had already gone outside. The police outside, even if they were mages, didn’t have the power to handle rampage victims, so we had to worry about them getting contaminated too.

[Wittelsbach Knights 131st unit has arrived. Will deploy at the barrier’s east gate.]

[Currently secured 103 people. 24 out of 103 died. 827 remain.]

[Sent support request to the federation. The 91st will arrive within 10 minutes without inspection.]

[Aaaahhhhh….]

My breath was completely blocked. Vitriol flowing endlessly from somewhere seemed to be consuming my entire body. This was even while I stood at the 1/3 position of the stairs going down to the first floor, flowing divine power.

Crack― Crash―!

The sound of branches throwing people could be heard. Rothenhan and Elias’s swords cut through Vitriol from opposite directions. Divine power couldn’t be omnipotent. This kind of wide-area magic only temporarily stopped the Vitriol flowing through the victims’ bodies. Purifiers should focus on purification. Especially in this hotbed of Vitriol where hundreds were going berserk, to block the endlessly pouring Vitriol even after purification, we had to thoroughly divide labor. I tapped the artifact and shouted.

“Send additional Arcane Mages!”

[Count Ernst, we’ll send two gamma-grade Arcane Mages to the southern wing. Is main gate entry possible?]

“Yes, it’s possible.”

[They’ll arrive in 2 minutes.]

But right now, there were no options. This wasn’t the time for division of labor. I struck the floor once more with the end of my staff.

―If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish!

The world was instantly engulfed in a white storm. Brilliant light poured down, and divine power covered the surroundings like a massive wave rushing in. Dust and darkness disappeared instantly, and everything was dyed in pure white light. But it would only be temporary. I couldn’t stop.

Whoosh―

As the blade extended sharply, the sound of cutting through air could be heard. Having changed my wand to a sword, I rushed toward Elias who was surrounded by rampage victims in the left corridor.

Crash―!

The moment Vitriol and the sword’s mana touched, my body shook from the vibration. Several of those rushing toward Elias turned toward me. Black masses could be clearly felt even in the intermittently flashing stinging light. It felt like my entire body barrier was collapsing to the rampage victims’ Vitriol. I eliminated all the Vitriol that touched by infusing divine power into my sword, then immediately changed the sword to a staff and destroyed the rampage victim’s core. I shouted loudly.

“Your Highness Hohenzollern, get out!”

“What?!”

“You can’t stay here. You know that!”

Whether the Papal States’ instruction to protect Elias referred to today’s events or not, since we couldn’t execute the pre-established operation, he had to return. Whether to the Bavarian Police Department or the royal palace. Thinking of the dangers he’d face on the way back made me feel equally hopeless. What if someone intercepted his warp route where I couldn’t see? What if they approached Elias disguised as police? But at least….

“No.”

It was a deflating sound. I felt Leo’s blue-green plant stems strike behind my back, throwing rampage victims, and continued swinging my sword forward. Between the ear-piercing screams and impact sounds, Elias’s answer could be heard, spoken clearly with precise pronunciation.

“Count Ernst.”

“….”

“You seem to be mistaken about something, but I have no intention of dying in bed. Whether I’m shot for treason at an execution ground or die fighting beside you, those are my only two options.”

Perhaps the deflating sound would have been better. It was a suffocating sound. His words about dying while fighting beside me didn’t just refer to this situation. These ambiguous words were a great honor since they meant he regarded me as a like-minded comrade to overthrow this insane society, but I couldn’t be happy.

Because he wouldn’t listen to my request? No.

A future of being killed no matter what he did. This couldn’t be right. I changed my sword to a wand and pierced the Vitriol core of a rampaging prisoner, speaking with divine power.

―”Don’t you consider the possibility of ascending to the throne and dying a natural death?”

“Even if I became emperor, do you think I could die naturally?”

An utterly calm voice was buried in Vitriol and soundproofing magic. Momentarily stunned, I pushed away my barrier with a bang, blowing off the Vitriol covering my body and looked toward where blue mana was sparking. Leo’s plant stems pushed away those rushing toward me while binding even the prisoners who had fallen half-submerged in Vitriol at our feet and throwing them outside.

A blue-green blade moved diagonally. I saw the calm blue eyes beyond it directed toward me.

“The citizens will come for my head. No matter how much I strive for true reform.”

“That’s….”

“It’s an oppressed era. [I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord―]”

Bright blue mana dyed the air in the darkness blue. Like the illusion of entering deep seawater, Elias’s voice continued.

[In the presence of all the Lord’s people, I will fulfill my vows to the Lord.]

Crash―!! Clang―

A gale swept through my body. The lights broke due to the high-density mana. Even though it clearly targeted victims, the mana in my body and Leo’s plant stems quietly subsided.

‘This is why wide-area magic isn’t used easily….’

Right now, since I could use divine power, it didn’t matter what Elias used. The rampage victims’ movements decreased. I took this opportunity to strike the floor to reduce Vitriol. Snowflake-like divine power passed through the sticky floor and struck them. I ran following Elias, smashing the victims’ cores. He set up soundproofing magic at the boundary of the first middle gate and answered.

“The world shouldn’t have become like this. Great-grandfather, and our grandfather, uncle… all the pus they suppressed and suppressed is destined to burst in the next era. Even if we’ve lived like this for hundreds of years, the time has come now.”

In my view, the time hadn’t come yet. This ‘time’ was very long-term, so it couldn’t be something achieved within a few years, and in my opinion, the minimum unit was a century. As long as the terrible entity called the ‘French Third Empire’ that I’d never heard of stood firm on the continent, change would remain distant even beyond a century. Just as I couldn’t say I’d overthrow theocratic regimes if I fell into ancient times, just as I couldn’t say I’d collapse all feudalism and the Papal States if I fell into medieval times, in the current ongoing Ancien Régime that had transformed into a darker age than the 19th century of the world I lived in, in a world where enlightenment remained only in print and stagnated, in this dark intermediate period where the red blood of predecessors had turned blue, we who lived should do our utmost for the future when we’d be dead and gone, but entrust the moment of true liberation to descendants born at the end of the dark age. However, Elias believed the time of change would come in just a few decades. He was saying he’d offer his own head as sacrifice for that change. I felt the illusion that the person beside me now would turn into foam and be blown away by the wind at any moment.

Hiss―…

The back of my glove melted away. I didn’t even think to shake it off and swung my sword while looking only at my friend.

“I’m not trying to seize the throne to close my eyes in a sunny bed.”

Elias blocked the attack by supporting the sword tip with his hand, continuing in an unwavering voice. His eyes were directed only forward.

“I intend to become emperor with the resolve to make victory songs ring on the day my funeral dirge should echo.”

Slash― Crash!

Vitriol that splashed from the sword tip touched mana and made an explosive sound. Elias’s reform was resigned. Though he wasn’t yet of age, he spent all his wealth on those at the very bottom among commoners, but didn’t consider that he was doing his duty. His political philosophy was no different. He would surely reorganize the system after becoming emperor to end the dark intermediate period and deliver liberation into the hands of descendants at the end of the dark age, but even then he stood before the guillotine. Whatever he did, he stood before the guillotine. This isn’t the Ion Forso War, Elias. If I said that, he would smile and say he stood before the executioner’s gun.

I felt devastated, felt my head becoming numb as I swung my sword. Plant stems strangled a victim’s neck. I destroyed the victim who grabbed my shoulder with the end of my staff and threw him toward another Arcane Mage standing in the center. I could see the mage taking him to the hospital and disappearing. Elias’s playful voice could be heard faintly through the half-lowered soundproofing magic.

“Let me stay here until things are settled. That’s my will. More importantly, do you think it’ll be safe if I go out in this situation? Hmm~? Think about it! If I’m the target, going outside would be the end!”

―”You’d give citizens the chance to kill you.”

I wasn’t unaware that going outside would be problematic too. How could I not know, having had to move from the dormitory to Primrose Pass? But my mouth uttered an unrelated question.

He believed there was no way to suppress the pus of society that had already expanded as much as it could, and it could only burst and subside. He believed that no matter how much he governed for the future, he couldn’t eliminate the people’s accumulated pain, so he would pay for his ancestors’ sins. Yet he was saying he’d become emperor.

The answer didn’t come immediately. After a pause, following the sound of Vitriol’s mud and the screams and wave sounds coming through the artifact, a short seven-word answer was heard.

“If I could live as myself, then yes.”

Elias wasn’t confident he’d obtain the throne. Therefore, he first envisioned the future of being shot by his uncle as soon as he came of age, or perhaps being lured into a rampage victim’s grave and dying before that. The future of seizing the throne and dying at citizens’ hands was secondary, but that too was a future leading to death for him.

I knew that the words hidden in jokes, taking the form of old walls, were utterly sincere. I wanted to think about where it all went wrong. Someone else drew blood, but the one bleeding was yet another victim. But since Hohenzollern blood flowed in his body, bearing collective responsibility was fate―people would say that. The emptiness that made everything feel futile consumed me again. Humans can follow contradictory values without cognitive conflict, right. It was true. Even while feeling the world was wrong, that the hearts of those I loved would become stepping stones to open the next era, I….

I wanted to abandon everything worthless and take him somewhere to exile. Somewhere no one could find. Since I was his friend, I couldn’t say such things. Perhaps it was due to futility.

“What His Holiness the Pope said might mean the enemy wants to gain advantage by doing this and that to me. Right?”

―”…Yes.”

“Then I’d rather die here. Dying in battle is as honorable as being shot by uncle. But if you send me back, I’d be placed among countless possibilities of dishonorable ends.”

“Disable the soundproofing magic and report the situation!”

Simultaneously with Leo’s shout, Elias asked.

“So, will you respect my opinion?”

I forced my unmoving lips into a smile and said nothing. Elias whistled.

“Count Ernst!”

At Leo’s distant shout, I struck down with my staff. As purification magic spread, breathing became somewhat easier. But it would soon be covered again.

Crash― Bang―!

Noise came from the central stairs behind. A massive human covered in mud came down from the stairs and rushed toward where we were. It was endless from all directions. Before he charged toward Rothenhan on the right, I shot magic to focus attention and swung my sword. The sword corroded and disappeared. This too had reached its limit. That meant others’ swords were the same. I changed the melting sword to a wand and rushed toward him, shouting.

―Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain!

Nothing could be discerned from eyes covered in Vitriol. As his movements slowed and he hesitated, tree branches that crossed the air like swift blades tightly wrapped around the rampage victim’s neck and twisted. I knocked the rampage victim to the floor and pressed his chest hard with my left hand. The body barrier was melting and breaking. Sticky mud endlessly flowed between my fingers. Damn, my vision went dark. Vitriol had replaced where ribs should be. Someone who should be counted among the dead was sustaining life with Vitriol before me. A different kind of devastation made my head ache. I felt my eyebrows contort as I pushed divine power into his core. The prisoner’s body, which had been screaming and struggling, went limp after the divine power spread throughout his body. Elias’s firm voice echoed in the corridor.

“Left side complete!”

That meant the end of those who came out into the corridor. The right corridor, that long corridor about 100m from center to end, was still chaotic with screams and mana. From now on, we had to extract prisoners sleeping in cells at least on the left side. Since those who had already gone berserk had broken out of their rooms, those inside could be saved intact since they hadn’t gone berserk yet. Elias was inserting keys one by one into the cell locks that hadn’t corroded yet. Somehow, none of them fit properly.

After casting purification magic once more and approaching him, Elias spoke in a puzzled voice without soundproofing magic.

“The keys…. Don’t tell me, Count Ernst. Do we have to try all of these?”

“No. This isn’t the medieval era… All room keys use the same one. By now, one should work.”

“Oh.”

When still nothing opened, Elias tried all the keys with his characteristically quick hand movements and raised an eyebrow.

“If this is the main gate and this is the middle gate, then this should be the prison door key, but nothing works? Is one of these the guard room key?”

“Did you open the main gate to enter?”

“No, someone had torn it open and left, so there was no need to open it.”

We didn’t need to open the middle gate either. The steel had melted away due to Vitriol.

“Didn’t you bring the wrong ones?”

Crash―!

The moment the middle gate blocking the emergency stairs beside us collapsed, I swung my staff toward the Vitriol mass. Screams, more screams. The screaming scratched my eardrums. Elias destroyed a victim’s core with help from tree branches that struck from the distant ceiling and answered.

“I brought what the guard at the police station gave me.”

“….”

When I didn’t answer and just made a mysterious expression while purifying, Elias snapped his fingers on his own.

“Aha~ These bastards… don’t tell me…”

A high-risk rampage with reason intact. If it was a guard who normally harbored bad feelings toward the prisoners, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to deliberately remove the room key and give us the rest. Since rampage amplifies personal emotions and makes one move according to emotions and magical power. By now, rampage incidents would have occurred at the police station too. The bomb scattered among 1,000 people was spreading like wildfire. We had to contain it as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Elias grabbed the bars.

“We’ll have to tear it off then.”

“Can you hear me? I need one Arcane Mage, a saw, and workers.”

When I tapped the artifact and gave instructions, Elias made his mouth round and rolled his eyes.

We don’t have time to tear this off right now. Since we’ve somewhat blocked the Vitriol being generated on this floor, we need to handle the upper floors and the underground level.

I took him and went up to the upper floor. Vitriol was continuously pouring from the upper floors and the top floor, and people were trapped there too. We had to do the same treatment we did earlier.

Right now even…

Crash―

I struck the human staggering down the stairs with divine power and rolled him down below the stairs. Another mage who had come as support aimed his staff at him from far away. I quickly ran up to the next floor. With each step up the stairs, the density of Vitriol grew higher.

Creeak―… Gurgle―…

Strange sounds were coming. Vitriol was dripping from the ceiling. The moment I set foot on the 2nd floor, I felt the situation had become more serious than before, and immediately turned toward the 3rd floor.

“Wow, this…”

Elias meaninglessly covered his nose. Even covering his nose wouldn’t help since his body’s barrier was being attacked. Like opening both entrances on the first floor, we had to tear open the rooftop door or do something to dilute the air even a little. At this rate, only chain rampage would remain.

Craaaaaash!!

“…!”

I reflexively blocked the front. A roar and vibration covered my entire body. Dust obscured the view ahead. The moment I stepped onto the 3rd floor landing, I furrowed my brow at the scene before my eyes. The wall decomposed into stone chunks was collapsing. The 3rd floor ceiling was collapsing. Elias’s hand grabbed my robe. From the cracks in the floor, the floors were separating from each other.

[Your Highness!]

I felt something heavy fall and shatter near my ear. The building was collapsing.

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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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