How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 468

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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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We stood before a massive milky-white stone column with Narke’s restoration. The moment we saw the Ionic column style that required craning our necks to see and the regular vertical grooves running along the column, we instinctively knew we had reached Rome. The warmth emanating from the fluid-like texture of the stones forming the temple moved opposite to our tension. Narke casually threw the first move of the great task of disrupting the papal family and strode forward without any hint. The colorless vestments fluttered in Rome’s harsh wind. The silk fascia and decorations were not with him when he left Rome nor when he secretly returned to Rome. We hurriedly followed behind the young priest who had returned to his hometown. Elias muttered at a volume only I could hear. So this is how Rome sets up checkpoints too. Instead of worrying about what to tell the checkpoint staff right away, he was excited about every corner of the city as if his heart had been stolen by Rome. The massive temple standing on the cliff before us was indeed a checkpoint as he said. Baroque? Or Greek? We lacked the ability to distinguish the style of this admirable architectural work, and somehow didn’t want to either. The attempt to discern and name Rome’s daily life was the lot of foreigners, whether in era or region. In my opinion, what we should do as foreigners was first not to get lost, so we two Germans had to follow the Roman. I grabbed Elias’s collar as he gently embraced the stone column with both hands and pushed him toward the table inside the temple.

Narke, standing before the staff member, pulled out a certificate from inside his robe that served as identification.

“Peace be with you. I was briefly away on missionary work for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.”

He waited for the staff member expressionlessly, and the staff member greeted him with the same “Peace be with you” and read the certificate.

―”Gregory XVII.” Meanwhile, words formed by divine power rushed into me. He had recognized him from the moment we moved to Rome without any delay. He had no intention of dawdling. ―”Giuseppe Vincenzo Orsini. Orsini is already a prominent clerical family in Rome that has produced three popes.”

The staff member looked up. He spoke in Italian with an accent I found difficult to understand. “Father Lorenzo Russo. Are those people behind you your companions?”

“That’s right. These people are new Jesuit brothers who have never visited Rome before, so I brought them for educational purposes.” Along with Narke’s Italian flowing in spoken voice, German information formed by divine power flooded into my head like water. ―”Including Gregory XVII, Orsini would have four popes. The Orsini family says they haven’t been in contact with the Pope since a year before the conclave.”

Ah, is this even possible? I almost furrowed my brow. I know humans can logically develop multiple thoughts at the same time, but this was a different matter. Narke was simultaneously conveying different topics to me in different languages through different sensory organs while speaking. The staff member’s eyebrows perked up happily at the mention of Jesuits. “Jesuits, I see. Where are you from?” My center disappeared with sounds flowing from both sides. I planted my feet firmly and stood my ground. Narke smiled faintly and said, “They’re all from Genoa. They also came to get continental passes issued with Roman names.”

I see, the staff member answered simply and swept something like a detector up and down Narke’s body. Even while doing this, they chatted. How’s the weather in Genoa now, why would such things be curious? Narke dutifully answered about the weather in northwestern Italy where he had never been. Narke’s story about Orsini flowed through my head. I maintained an expressionless face while seriously hoping inside that this merciless friend would do just one thing at a time. ―”Even now, His Holiness doesn’t interact with the family. At least as far as I know, he continued that way until the end.” Suddenly something surged up from my stomach, making me grimace and close my throat to suppress it. I don’t know if it was some mechanism where my body tried to defend itself from staying too long in phenomena beyond my perceptual range, but my stomach churned from unknown causes. Only then did Narke abruptly stop talking. The staff member who had finished the artifact inspection on us as well smiled kindly and pointed to the opposite side of the temple-shaped checkpoint.

“You may enter. Welcome to Rome.”

I rolled up the corners of my mouth that wouldn’t rise naturally to substitute for a greeting and followed behind the priest walking ahead. Rome’s first impression begins like this. Sunlight filtering through the white colonnade, Rome’s red panorama visible in the distance, and the rock-like wind that must have blown thousands of years ago. And also, Narke’s ability that challenges human limits. Suppressing the urge to flick Narke on the back of his head, I asked the question I had heard earlier.

―”He was elected in the conclave despite unilaterally cutting off contact with Orsini?”

―”Yes.”

The conclave is the next papal election meeting held after a pope’s death, where the pope is elected through votes by the College of Cardinals within the College of Cardinals. That Orsini was a Roman powerhouse was famous enough information for me to already know. Essentially, cutting ties with the Orsini family meant that Gregory XVII could not receive protection from Cardinal Orsini and cardinals from families allied with Orsini. While the election of Catholicism’s leader shouldn’t become factional fighting, being human affairs, it was difficult to be free from internal power structures. In conclusion, Cardinal Giuseppe Vincenzo Orsini was either a virtuous clergyman worthy of being elected pope despite giving up Orsini and allied votes, or else…

―”Are you saying families trying to check Orsini united to support Cardinal Giuseppe, Narke?”

―”I can’t say no. Various circumstances were involved there. …Now, let’s start again. Orsini still doesn’t get along well with the Colonna family.”

I waved my hand at those words. Finding Orsini’s traitor was important, but we also needed to point out strange aspects.

―”No one can know when a conclave will be held. How could they know when the pope would die? Was it exactly one year ago that contact was lost?”

Narke walked looking only ahead. The wind lessened as we came outside the temple. Then he answered. ―”That’s right.”

He skipped a conversation turn. He knew what he would answer, knew what I would respond to that, and was therefore answering my response that surely existed in some possible world. It would be confusing for a third party to hear, but I wasn’t confused.

“Wow.”

Elias, who had followed behind us, exclaimed. We looked at the city portal in front of the cliff—it looked like a holy water font that would have been placed beside an ancient Greek altar—before us. Rome’s landscape spread before our eyes. Here was the world’s capital that the German Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire had coveted for nearly a thousand years, ascending to Roman Emperor and wanting to keep under his feet. We read the ages in the red city yellowed by sunlight. We looked at the Colosseum and gazed down at the Pantheon temple and Capitoline Hill. We looked at the Tiber River’s blue waves and the aqueduct arches. Elias opened his mouth facing the city he had longed for.

The throne of the Roman Empire that disappeared a thousand years ago still survives uncorroded, transferring imperial glory and Ciceronian confidence to emperors of Germany, Russia, and the entire world. The Roman Empire was not limited to the Italian peninsula, but this place uniquely remained in the past and existed in the present. Borrowing an expression I liked, Rome will only perish when humanity’s last city disappears—a city of the same name perpetuates Rome. Rome is dissolved in the European spirit, reproduced before the continent’s cities, towns, plains, and rivers. And the capital of the Roman Empire inherited every grain-like trace of that place without needing reproduction. Elias whispered, completely absorbed in the city.

“The Holy Roman Emperor should have recaptured this city before claiming to be Roman Emperor.”

“Ah…”

Narke smiled with a puzzled face. We often forgot that Narke was Roman because his German was too fluent—I’m sorry to say I realized this again now, though I surely had this thought earlier too.

Actually, thinking of Narke as Roman was nothing more or less than wordplay, no different from calling someone a Dessau person or Berliner based on birthplace. Since he didn’t live in ancient times, he’s not Roman but Italian, and though we’re from Germania, we’re not Germanic but German—what and in what proportions of Germanic, Slavic, Jewish, or countless unknown bloodlines flow through our arteries? Trying to distinguish the origins of things that can’t be traced is sometimes a nasty business.

Of course, the fact that we’re descendants of Germans who invaded Italy whenever we forgot doesn’t change. Though Elias began rolling his eyes, Narke knew well that Elias didn’t agree with conquest and subjugation carried out in the empire’s name, and actually didn’t seem to care much about what we said, pushing Elias into the portal without much expression change. With a scream of “Aaaahhh!” at the top of his lungs, Elias disappeared. Witnessing my face turn white, Narke then pushed me in that direction, and thankfully moved together without letting go of my hand.

“Huff…”

I was in one of the downtown squares I had looked down at earlier. To avoid suspicion from Roman citizens watching people come down through the portal, Narke threaded his arm between my arm and body to help me not slip.

“Out of breath?”

“Yes, this…”

“What about when we go back? I’ll have to help you more when we return~”

I pushed him away meaning I was fine now. Narke patted my shoulder and moved away from me. Elias, having become a brother visiting Rome for the first time, didn’t hide being a tourist and showed it with his whole body. We walked following such Elias and conversed through divine power.

―”You mentioned the Colonna family. As I know, I heard a pope reconciled them in the 15th century.”

―”Would grudges disappear overnight? First, as Rome’s prominent clerical families, we can count six: Sabelli, Conti, Orsini, Colonna, Caetani, and Farnese. There are more, but let’s only consider this political structure for now.”

―”Somehow it feels like not much has changed from the 17th century.”

―”Haha. Still, we don’t need to go back to the Guelph and Ghibelline fights… ah, maybe we do.”

Guelph and Ghibelline were factional fights that arose when the Holy Roman Empire’s conflict between Welf and Hohenstaufen spread to Italy while the empire was on German soil. Very simply put, Guelphs wanted to protect papal authority and Ghibellines fought for the Roman Emperor. When I narrowed my eyes at Narke’s words, he quietly laughed and continued.

―”Alliance and hostile relationships change frequently, but they often return to historical structures. Orsini and Caetani were clear Guelph allies, and Colonna was Ghibelline supporting the Germanic emperor. But Caetani also blocked Orsini’s territorial expansion. Still…”

He deliberately sought paths with many tourists. I received Narke’s words while admiring the statue that appeared after turning a corner.

―”Though Caetani might conflict with Orsini for various reasons, the possibility of joining hands with Colonna now is low. They get along well on the surface, but Caetani inwardly believes Colonna could reach out to Germany and France anytime. Orsini feels the same way. Moreover, the Caetani family now superficially shows loyalty to the Pope.”

―”Then it’s a bit troubling that someone from Orsini’s side, not Colonna, contacted the French imperial family.”

So it means someone exists who colluded with France’s Terminus Yukairya from the Orsini family, who tried to protect Italy from foreign powers, rather than the Colonna family, who as Italians tried to cooperate with foreign powers. Isn’t that quite strange? I thought more and continued.

―”If Orsini’s side needed other forces to check the Pope who temporarily betrayed their family… that would be a plausible scenario. Do you think so too?”

―”Yes.”

Narke’s answer was clear. But as I know, Gregory XVII became pope not just a day or two ago. He had already sat on the apostolic throne for a long time. Now the family tries to check the Pope? Since the Pope isn’t exactly the Papal States, the Orsini family would have enjoyed most benefits obtainable from the ‘pope-producing family’ title, right? Narke didn’t resolve my doubts, and instead poured information ceaselessly so I could deduce.

―”First, excluding Orsini and Colonna from those six families, which gets mentioned most in history books?”

―”Sabelli. They have five popes.”

―”Right. Mainly medieval popes, but they still wield great influence in the Papal States. Many mages are employed in the Papal States too. They’re sweeping up countless riches backed by Corta Sabella, the death penalty exemption right.”

He casually criticizes his adjutant and fellow clergy’s families without concern. Then he stopped walking and spoke aloud with a benevolent face, extending his hand.

“Brother. Would you like to have a meal?”

I shook my head. I don’t know what Narke’s evaluation would be, but I thought my Italian was still insufficient and didn’t want to open my mouth and attract people’s attention unnecessarily. Narke watched Elias’s city sightseeing and again sent words into my head.

―”But at least for the recent century, Sabelli has no reason to antagonize Orsini. Sabelli and Caetani apparently formed a perfect alliance with Orsini. They share the same intentions.”

―”What about Farnese?”

Narke didn’t answer my question. I moved my gaze fixed on the center to Narke’s back. He answered.

―”The same.”

By the time he said that, we were in front of a fountain. Elias was sitting in front of it, trying to catch falling water with his hands. No matter how much of a tourist, it was conspicuous for a brother who appeared to be an adult to do such things, so we walked as far away from him as possible while conversing.

―”In the Papal States, Orsini family members currently hold two cardinal positions and one priest position. The two cardinals are close to a hundred years old, and the one priest is now in his twenties. And one more condottiero. Natalia Orsini, who serves as condottiero, isn’t currently in Rome.”

Condottiero, if we compress the meaning greatly, can be thought of as a mercenary unit commander. It’s convenient to think of it that way. I told him.

―”Even Orsini who aren’t currently in Rome could have played a major role in leaking information to the French imperial family. It’s possible to extract information under the pretense of asking family about their well-being and collude with Terminus Yukairya. Then we need to find out whether the cardinal and priest Orsini are fine or not…”

Hmm, Narke looked at me. I conveyed my words without looking at him.

―”The problem is how do we call out those three Orsini? Entering Rome was easy because we had your certificate. But entering the Papal States is a different matter. Security would be tighter, and just as you can’t infiltrate the Farnese family, you can’t enter the Papal States either.”

Though he’s a secret cardinal, if he goes deep, many would know his face, so how could he enter? From the moment Narke sets foot in the Papal States building, it wouldn’t take 30 minutes for the numerous clergy inside to recognize him. No matter how much he changes hair and eye color, it’s difficult in front of people who know his face completely. He could gamble with cognitive disruption magic with detection in mind, but.

―”So you agree that we need to call them out.”

―”Yes. And you’re thinking of using other powerhouses to call out the Orsini clergy.”

Whether it was correct, Narke glanced back and grinned. Then he returned to the calm, settled expressionless face like when he had returned to Rome.

How should we utilize powerhouses to draw them out? To summarize, the Pope is from the Orsini family and hadn’t contacted the family since before becoming Pope. From the family’s perspective, since they don’t know which way the Pope might turn, they could have felt the need to check Gregory XVII. According to Narke, Sabelli, Caetani, and Farnese are all close to Orsini. Colonna is not. He didn’t mention Conti, so that family is still unknown. And presumably, someone in Orsini contacted the French imperial family.

If there’s a culprit in the papal family, breaking through the Papal States’ tight security is somewhat understandable, but still surprising.

Though I heard from Narke how power stems are entangled, I have no sense of how we can call the three Orsini out of the Papal States. I led Narke to a newsstand and bought a newspaper.

“First let’s read the newspaper…”

Before I could finish speaking, I figured out what the thick Italian title meant and frowned.

[Shocking news about Eugene Lamour?]

[Germany’s ‘Daily Saxony’ claimed today to have significant information about France’s national painter ‘Count Eugene Lamour’ obtained from an anonymous informant. We promise to share information from ‘Daily Saxony’ and publish this article.]

I closed my eyes, sighed, and turned the page. Regardless of Rome’s tranquil scenery, it’s obvious that people here would also be desperate for stimulating information. I have no particular feelings about Eugene Lamour, though I do think he’s somewhat suspicious, but I didn’t want to encounter such articles. If Italy is paying attention to this extent, the entire continent must be on fire, so I can only hope Count Eugene Lamour’s mind remains intact.

―”Never mind the newspaper.”

I folded it and roughly rolled it into my robe pocket, then finally followed Elias who had emerged from the fountain. Since Elias already knew well that we were conversing through divine power—logically it was planned before coming here—he didn’t say a word to us and instead stuffed strange grass blades into his pocket.

We were heading toward a road where the Colosseum was visible. I don’t know which family’s mansion appears if we go this way, but I know that noble mansions appear wherever you stir in Rome. Narke deliberately erased his usual cheerfulness throughout wandering Rome, and it was the same now.

I didn’t feel Narke was caught up in negative emotions, but I asked to redirect his consciousness back to the papal family.

―”Let’s think. Why are Sabelli, Caetani, and Farnese all close to Orsini? Interest disputes were so severe, so why in this generation?”

―”Even now, if you dig inside, they’re wary of each other and sharpening their blades. They cooperate having common goals, but in the process they’re on edge about who will gain more interests.”

―”Common goals?”

―”Obvious goals.”

Since Narke didn’t give a clear answer, I extended my thoughts in another direction. More precisely, I told him thoughts I had already conceived.

―”Anyway, not Colonna. That side doesn’t need touching at least for now. Narke, choose. Is Sabelli better, or Caetani better?”

At those words, Narke stopped walking and faintly raised the corners of his mouth. His eyes narrowed. He expected what I would say, and I knew he expected it, but I had to say it directly.

―”We need to go steal a family seal now. Tell me which would be more convenient.”

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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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