How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 449

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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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Ainsiedel’s gaze meets Cheringen’s eyes. Silence flowed.

We should negotiate with him as Ainsiedel suggested to create a friendly relationship, while independently finding a way to return Haike’s soul—this is the right way to start. What’s important is that Ainsiedel also knows our ulterior motives, and we also know that Ainsiedel won’t only join hands with us. Cheringen was calm, and Ainsiedel spoke to him with the same expression as before.

“Easy words to say.”

“What other method would there be? Fortunately, our goals align with Count Einsiedel’s within the bounds of not undermining our beliefs. There’s no reason we can’t cooperate.”

Cheringen, with his fingers interlocked, slowly tapped the back of his left hand with his right index finger as he continued speaking.

“First, I must ask this. You know how to return souls, don’t you?”

“Does it look difficult?”

“You seem certain.”

Cheringen smiled at Ainsiedel’s bleak response. My eyes met with Ulrike’s. We immediately understood what the two men were talking about.

To return the taken soul, they would need to use the Holy Grail on Haike in reverse. If they did that, Ainsiedel would essentially face death, so saying he can’t return Haike’s soul now means he won’t die until he achieves his life’s goal of destroying Pleroma.

‘Of all times, Pleroma wants Haike’s ability…’

People with rare and highly useful abilities inevitably become targets of those blinded by power. If my ability to amplify the magic power in blood hundreds of times and make it my own became known to society…

‘How terrible.’

I don’t want to think about it anymore. I would have to live as a goose that lays golden eggs. Even though there’s no way to transfer the magic power I’ve amplified to others, people would try to make it possible. It’s fortunate that the possibility of change hasn’t dropped yet, but I need to continue being careful.

‘But he’s not being as petty as I expected—why?’

Ainsiedel must have noticed that I absorbed Vitriol to use it for moving my broken leg. When you catch an enemy’s weakness, you’d normally use it to threaten them and gain the upper hand at the negotiation table, but Ainsiedel hasn’t threatened me in that way so far.

‘The Archbishop of Freiburg would have utilized every available means as his chess pieces.’

Good information. I need to remember the enemy’s tendencies. While I was observing all the participants at the table, Cheringen spoke again.

“You know that we want Heike Einsiedel’s soul.”

“…”

“On the other hand, we don’t know exactly why Count Einsiedel wants to eliminate Pleroma or exactly what you want. State your goals clearly and explain the overall situation.”

Ainsiedel was still obsessed with Werner Strauch. Does saying he’ll die after destroying Pleroma mean he’s given up his attachment to ‘a life with Werner Strauch’? Well. Judging from the information I got from the extra chapter, he had antipathy toward Pleroma from the beginning, and his only reason for joining Pleroma was to be with Werner Strauch. Since his life’s goal died, wanting to destroy Pleroma is understandable, but I need to hear what he plans to do about the real goal—the ‘Werner Strauch’ problem.

But he didn’t give the answer we wanted.

“You know that’s unnecessary information. It’s not much different from me asking you why you want to save Heike Einsiedel.”

“You call that an answer?”

Ulrike snapped fiercely. Ainsiedel still had his eyes half-open and snapped his fingers. An hourglass appeared in the center of the table. He changed the subject.

“Here, I’ll tell you something you’d be curious about. Believe it or not, it’s your choice, but I absolutely hate lies, so I recommend not wasting time needlessly verifying the truth of my answers.”

Thud…

As Ainsiedel opened his mouth, the white sand in the clock began to fall. His gaze was directed at me. Cheringen and Ulrike looked at me.

“There’s something similar to Pleroma in France too. Terminus Yukairya. It’s not an organization as old as Pleroma.”

“…”

“Pleroma only became certain of its existence in March this year, when France and Austria-Hungary fought over Peruer. Actually, Terminus is just a temporary organization created to collect Arma Christi, holy relics related to Jesus, and doesn’t independently maintain a widespread organization. However, they’ve taken control of the Orleans royal family.”

“Interesting.”

Cheringen raised one eyebrow and lifted the corner of his mouth. I asked.

“What do they want to do with Arma Christi?”

“What else? The official justification is ‘stopping Pleroma, which threatens international security.’ The reality is different. When you think of central European countries, which country comes to mind immediately?”

“The cultural center is France.”

“If you’d asked an American, they would have said France immediately without any additions, but you’re protecting your pride.”

Ainsiedel shot back with a bored expression. I know he doesn’t like me, but I just said what was true, yet he’s so nitpicky.

Ainsiedel tapped the table with his finger.

“But Germany, which was always one step behind, grew rapidly and has now become a very threatening country both economically and militarily. The current military power of Europe is Germany led by Prussia.”

Ainsiedel flicked his wine glass with his finger to fill it with water and took a sip. I’m reminded of Haike, who used to slam down beer mugs to fill them with alcohol. It wasn’t just me—Ulrike’s face contorted once again.

Soon there was a clear sound as the glass and the table’s glass touched.

“France wants to reclaim its former glory.”

“…”

“So they’re trying to achieve alchemy to gain ‘more magic power and stronger magic for great France.'”

Then Ulrike frowned and said.

“Alchemy? What outdated nonsense—”

“In their thinking, the total sum of energy existing in the universe isn’t constant. They think energy can be added at any time. They already claim to have encountered entropy reversal in the macroscopic world, so why wouldn’t they be able to achieve alchemy?”

Suddenly my neck stiffened. In this situation, the entropy reversal he’s talking about would mean time travel. Who was there that had time traveled?

‘…Maria.’

I expected it, but it became certain that the French Heretic had absorbed Ecla Literer’s records. Ainsiedel would have needed Terminus’s technological capabilities. For exactly what purpose? Surely not to claim this empty world?

I glanced at the hourglass and asked Ainsiedel.

“How was this world created? Does Terminus Yukairya know of this world’s existence?”

Ainsiedel shook his head. Then he looked at Ulrike and Cheringen and spoke slowly.

“I don’t know how you managed to cross over here. It seems like you persistently tracked my route—did you jump over recklessly? Well, you had no choice.”

Even at that harsh words, Cheringen remained composed. Ulrike continues to glare at Ainsiedel, but hasn’t been dominated by anger yet.

“This is a space that neither Pleroma nor Terminus Yukairya knows about, but it’s a space that Terminus Yukairya is researching. They might find out someday, but such a thing should happen as late as possible.”

“Hmm… When we crossed over here, we passed through one more world in between. Does Terminus Yukairya know about that space?”

To Cheringen’s question, Ainsiedel answered.

“You observed well. That’s their handiwork.”

There was another space in between? Did Ulrike and Cheringen cross over like this: original world-(unknown world)-‘world with enhanced magic purity’?

‘The world in between was created by France, but the world we’re sitting in now—no one knows of its existence except Ainsiedel and us…’

I stroked my chin and asked.

“You said Terminus Yukairya should know about this world as late as possible. But we’ve already fallen into this place. If we naturally fell into this space, other people could easily end up like this too. In the end, you’re the one who drew us into this empty world.”

As expected, he said what I thought.

“You’re quick to understand. Terminus was fully prepared to capture you during the chaos of the prison explosion, and if that happened, another Mikhail Ismailov would be created, so it was the best method for me.”

“Does Terminus Yukairya also make people like that?”

“They don’t disgustingly paint everything white, but they know how to tear apart and fix people’s heads. Wouldn’t you expect that?”

This guy also knows Mikhail Ismailov. He also knows that Ismailov didn’t originally have white hair and white eyes. Ainsiedel closed his eyes and pressed his temple as he spoke.

“The moment you were captured by France, you would all have been dead forever. I’m sorry I couldn’t come earlier, but I hope you’ll be satisfied with being returned intact.”

“…”

My eyes met with Ulrike’s. Soon with Cheringen’s too. Apart from hating me for killing Werner Strauch, Ainsiedel didn’t have much antipathy toward ‘us.’ Whether this is his nature or if there’s a reason, I need to figure it out, so it’s a notable peculiarity worth remembering. I looked at Elias lying prone next to me and said.

“Why did you treat Elias?”

“Didn’t I say I have a habit of treating guests with utmost hospitality?”

“…”

For such a simple reason? The warning I heard from the Papacy, the warning to protect Elias, came to mind. I couldn’t ignore it.

“Does France want Elias Hohenzollern?”

“That would be a leap to say.”

I slowly nodded. Ambiguous. France doesn’t target Elias. If France views Elias with a ‘good if we catch and kill him, fine if not’ attitude, then the Papacy didn’t send the warning because of France. It was a question that couldn’t be answered by thinking about it now. I turned my head toward Ainsiedel and asked.

“Then why specifically the Holy Cross and Holy Grail? There was also the Holy Robe and the Iron Crown of Lombardy. Not to mention the Lance of Longinus. Why, leaving all of that behind?”

“How would I know? But the purpose is the same as before. It’s for alchemy.”

“So exactly what kind of alchemy.”

Ainsiedel went “Hmm,” closed his eyes, then slowly looked at me. For the first time, he pondered how to answer.

“They worship Maria Osterreicheste as an apostle.”

“…”

Ah, now I understand.

Terminus Yukairya needs more magic power for national prosperity and military strength, and to create more magic power, they plan to resurrect Maria Osterreicheste. Using Arma Christi. Goosebumps rose all over me. Ainsiedel stared into my eyes and muttered.

“You seem to know who that person is.”

“…”

“Maria Osterreicheste. An Austrian-Hungarian?”

When Cheringen asked while stroking his chin, Ainsiedel answered in a flat voice.

“There’s an occult group that was the predecessor to Terminus. They babble that Maria Osterreicheste was a prophet of that place.”

The ‘intermediate’ world that Ulrike and Cheringen mentioned would also be spatial technology that emerged while developing technology to find Maria. And the world they ultimately want is probably right here, which Ainsiedel is hiding from everyone. Now only about 2 minutes remain in the hourglass. Excluding topics that would only get negative reactions—Werner Strauch—I ask the most necessary question. I looked at the sand piled below and asked.

“Who is the Papacy’s collaborator?”

“Would you understand if I told you now? Sit quietly and wait for the right time.”

I knew he’d shut it down. Then pass. There was a problem I needed to know about.

“What happens to souls when the body dies?”

“…”

Ainsiedel closed his eyes.

“I don’t feel very good hearing such a question from you. Go back to the universe.”

“So you become part of natural mana. Is Pleroma’s resurrection about returning that mana to its previous form? If so, what’s the principle?”

“If we knew the principle, Pleroma wouldn’t be in its current state. Isn’t that right?”

Ainsiedel looked at me and smiled. I could tell it was an expression of exercising patience.

I know from Abraham that Pleroma doesn’t understand principles and such. From experience, Pleroma’s resurrection isn’t possible twice or three times. When you’re an ordinary human, you can only be resurrected once, and when you die, that’s the end. If they knew the principle, they’d aim for infinite resurrection, but since they don’t know, there’s nothing they can do.

This is why Ainsiedel went mad because of Werner Strauch’s death. I looked at Ainsiedel, who was looking down, and asked.

“Souls can be revived even without a body. Does this mean it’s always possible?”

“In theory, yes. They’re the ones who can turn rotted bone powder back into a complete body. The original Pleromas were those who were revived that way.”

“In theory. I suppose there were exceptions.”

“You know about it too.”

I do.

He was talking about Maria Osterreicheste.

Pleroma failed to revive Maria. Thanks to the permanent annihilation spell Maria created, his soul could never coalesce in the form of Maria Osterreicheste.

‘…But I just accomplished something impossible earlier.’

I accomplished the resurrection of a soul that even Pleroma couldn’t do because they were blocked by Maria’s magic formula. It wasn’t that I revived this world’s Maria, but merely brought Maria from another world, but as a result, others would see it no differently, and it’s true that I made someone who shouldn’t exist in this place exist.

Maria’s EC-reality astral projection, which I had tried to somehow rationalize with existing theories, came to mind again. The existing theories seemed to make sense while also not making sense, and the cause of the ‘nonsensical’ events was my blood. My blood made another ridiculous feat possible beyond just amplifying mana.

“It was impossible for Pleroma to revive Maria Osterreicheste, but Terminus is trying to succeed in resurrection, is that it.”

Ainsiedel blinked as if responding to Cheringen’s words. I felt my head grow cold at the conclusion forming in my mind.

“Terminus Yukairya is trying to make the impossible possible.”

That’s the ultimate goal. This side also aims for resurrection.

Silence flows.

Then, what does Ainsiedel, who joined hands with such Terminus, want? He believes that if France can revive Maria Osterreicheste, they can also revive Werner Strauch.

It’s confirmed. My blood’s ability is a secret I must take to the grave. If he learns the truth, I’ll become the material to revive Werner Strauch.

‘…Well, Ainsiedel isn’t the only problem.’

Thud—

All the sand in the hourglass had fallen.

Everyone’s gaze turned to the clock. Ainsiedel calmly took another sip of water and stood up from his seat. As he did so, he said dryly.

“Well, I’d like to believe this was a decent initiation.”

“Wait! Not yet—”

As Ulrike slammed the table and stood up shouting, Ainsiedel flicked his hand and threw something at her. Ulrike, eyes wide, caught it.

What Ainsiedel handed over was a bottle smaller than a finger joint. At a glance, I could see gray mana contained within it. Ulrike looked at Ainsiedel with a completely crumpled face. Ainsiedel looked at such Ulrike with emotionless eyes, then placed his right hand on the table.

“I’ll contact you soon.”

Light burst forth from beneath his palm.

* * *

We immediately opened our eyes in Bavaria’s empty mansion, warped to Nuremberg and Ingolstadt to erase our trail, then moved to Munich. All while carrying the still-sleeping Elias.

The fact that warping worked meant we had returned to our world. This confirmed that Ainsiedel knew how to enter and exit the ‘world with heightened mana purity.’ His ability to evade surveillance from both Pleroma and Terminus Yukairya until now was probably possible thanks to using that empty world as an underground passage for movement.

“…We’re back.”

The dawn sky is blue.

The moment we warped to the plaza where Munich’s Residenz was visible, Ulrike quietly whispered beside me. We calmly nodded without the strength or anything to be happy about. Due to our sudden appearance from thin air, the gazes of all the people walking the streets turned toward us.

“…! Count Ascanien is here!”

A Bavarian mage who had been guarding the palace front in the distance spotted me and my friends and shouted while tapping his ear. We immediately moved to the National Medical Center, and I explained the situation to the King’s aide who had come looking for me to resolve Nicolaus’s identity issue, then sent him away.

Right, so now it was time to gauge my friends’ reactions. I glanced sideways to observe my friends’ complexions.

“….”

Ulrike didn’t seem the least bit curious about where Nicolaus had gone and asked me nothing. Cheringen was the same. Ulrike had been gripping the bottle tightly in her hand from the moment we woke up in the empty, ownerless mansion until now. Ulrike held the bottle up to the long window in the medical center’s hallway and muttered.

“What could this be. It’s not a soul… Haike’s mana?”

“….”

My eyes met with Cheringen’s. Since we didn’t know what it was either, no one opened their mouth.

“It doesn’t seem like just ordinary mana.”

Ulrike muttered while handling the bottle. She seemed to be controlling the mana flowing through her body, perhaps afraid that her own mana might seep into the bottle through the glass. I nodded and checked the time.

‘Even if we figure out what this is later… it should be about time for permission to be granted.’

I turned around to look at the hospital room door behind me.

Bang—!

“Your Highness! Just a moment!”

As soon as I turned around, the door swung open. A familiar friend was looking at us with a familiar expression.

“….”

Leo’s head and right arm were wrapped in bandages. For a moment, my brow furrowed, but I consciously relaxed it quickly. Seeing the face of a friend who hadn’t crossed to another world made me truly feel that we had returned to Munich. I felt the tension finally releasing and smiled for him.

“Leo.”

“…Definitely, in the building…”

Whether he had just woken up or was affected by medication, he was rambling incoherently. His eyes were also slightly unfocused. He stopped mid-sentence and held his head. A nurse pulled him back into the room while gesturing for us to come in.

As we sat beside the bed, Ulrike quietly brought up what she had been waiting to say without even asking Leo how he was.

“When you’re discharged, let’s go get magnolia branches, Leo.”

“….”

Leo was still just holding his head, as if it rang every time he spoke. Seeing his poor condition, my face naturally hardened even when I tried to smile. I wanted to ask if he was okay, but that would also require an answer, so I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut for now. However, unlike me, Cheringen initially seemed quite surprised by Leo’s condition, but was now looking at our friend with a surprisingly peaceful face. That peace might have been joy.

Leo looked at us with a confused face, then opened his eyes wide as if remembering something. He looked at Ulrike and whispered.

“…Magnolia branches?”

“We’re going to place them in Haike’s hospital room.”

At those words, Leo slowly opened his mouth. He soon pulled down his eyebrows and shook his head.

“…You guys don’t tell me… Wait, where’s Elias—”

Before Leo could say more, I held up my hand and cut off his words.

“Yes. We met him. Elias is awake now and doing well in another room, and I’ll explain the rest later, so you should rest more.”

“….”

Leo also realized that we had met Ainsiedel. Having grasped the situation, Leo squeezed his eyes shut. Then he pressed his face with both hands and slowly let out a laugh. Then Ulrike hugged his back, closed her eyes, and smiled.

“Lucas said he’ll make something delicious when you’re discharged and we go to our house. Get better quickly so we can leave.”

“I said I’d boil sugar for you, not that it would be delicious.”

I quickly shattered expectations just in case. Cheringen, who had been resting his chin and smiling at us, finally burst into laughter. Even in the midst of this, Leo slightly lifted his head and expressed his question with his eyes. I ruffled Leo’s hair and leaned back fully against the backrest.

The sunlight coming through the window was warm. This moment couldn’t have been more welcome.

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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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