How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 471

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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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“You’re testing my patience.”

The Duke of Caetani of Rome, who had neatly swept back his moderate brown hair, disappeared without a trace, and the illusion peeled away to reveal a young man who swept his black hair that reached down to his eyes with his hand. Gabrielle Caetani looked down at Narke, not me, with the same coldly sharp face as when we first met. He bore no resemblance to the Duke of Caetani of Rome, who was surely his parent. He also bore no resemblance to the Duke of Caetani of Pisa that Narke had manifested. Like someone who had fallen straight from heaven. Was Narke the same? The smell of blood stung my nose. Narke blocked the blood flowing from his nose with the palm of his hand.

“Did you come knowing I would be here? That can’t be… You wouldn’t have acted like that earlier if you had expected it.”

Narke wasn’t even thinking of defending against the attack and just stared into empty space. It was a different attitude from when he dealt with his adjutant Simon Sabelli. Now he acted as if he was thinking of silently accepting whatever Gabrielle Caetani would do to him. While it was true that Gabrielle Caetani was a powerful mage, I thought Narke was definitely not someone who would fall to Gabrielle Caetani’s attacks. Narke, who had been taking short, continuous breaths under the divine power, curled up his body and coughed with a metallic sound mixed in. Gabrielle Caetani, probably because Narke hadn’t answered his question, only pushed the divine power harder with a face that would show no mercy regardless of what reaction Narke showed.

“The Elder of Delphi told me. That you would return to Rome.”

Delphi, he spoke of Greek fatalism. To say such things while bearing the name Gabriel brought a reflexive sense of alienation that overwhelmed my consciousness. Prophecy proclaimed through the mouth of an Envoy of the Covenant—unlike Christian prophecy that presupposes one can repent by using their will well and head toward a better place, Greek oracles are subjugation to inescapable fate.

Was he referring to his own insight ability, or did this side also have a prophet like Abraham’s Daniel by their side? Whatever it was, the metaphor of the Elder of Delphi was alien. He was thinking, at least on this topic, that there was nothing humans could change. Our coming to Rome was a necessity carved into the universe. Perhaps what Narke was doing? My head was complicated.

“But while I was seeing through you, you yourself knew nothing even after arriving in Rome. You had been looking down at my Pythia of Delphi from above the heavens long before leaving, so why, by what whim do you do such things… Do you think it’s proper to have such thoughts?”

Gabrielle’s voice was cold as ice. Narke still remained silent. Elias’s blue magic power flashed between the divine powers from the left side of my vision but ultimately faded away. Gabrielle had become stronger than when we met two months ago, yet he didn’t act as if he would kill Narke. From a battle mage’s intuition, I felt he had no intention of causing physical harm to Narke. It was just that we, including Elias along with me, no matter how bad their relationship was, couldn’t know the exact reason why Gabrielle was suddenly angry at Narke, nor could we understand why Narke was accepting it, so we were swept up in confusion and could only observe the two figures dimly visible between light and darkness. Gabrielle at least didn’t cause me great harm, and I, if I didn’t try to use magic power to escape or twist my body, that is, if I just stayed trapped between the cage-like lights that blocked my movement, I didn’t suffer. Elias would have been the same. Even so, words continued to flow.

“How did His Holiness… that fine Roman Senate allow such indulgence? And have you forgotten the common sense that you must take responsibility befitting your position? Don’t you know that showing such behavior to lives that have suffered, even if you didn’t intend it, is sinful?”

The Roman Senate. I felt discomfort again at the concept suited to ancient times being brought up. Was Narke’s departure from the country done with permission from the Pope and Senate? Did ‘Senate’ refer to the alliance of Roman influential figures that Narke had mentioned? Was it a gathering made up of heads or key figures of influential people? The most natural and common-sense prediction flowed in this direction. However, I couldn’t know whether this was true or not. Sometimes the most common-sense prediction was the most wrong, and predictions I couldn’t even think of were the correct answers. Narke continued to remain silent.

“You don’t seem sorry either.”

Gabrielle spoke with a face devoid of any trace of laughter. As he bowed his head while staring at Narke, hair flowed down over Gabrielle’s nose bridge. Narke still remained silent. The smell of blood gradually drew all the magic power in my body. Magic power struggling to become stronger flowed as if it would burst out of my body. So who should be sorry to whom? I had to somehow divert my attention. From the instinct of magic power to my reason. Gabrielle let out a sharp laugh for the first time, and with a voice that didn’t sound like laughing at all, with a face that contained feelings where no laughter could come out, he spoke.

“I don’t even hope for that from me, but to your so-called friends…”

“I came to catch the traitor of Orsini.”

A calm voice cut off Gabrielle’s words. Even with eyes turned bright red from burst blood vessels due to pressure, Narke was composed.

To so-called friends, what? I wanted to know the next words that Narke had cut off. Narke had that penetrating look again. He exhaled with an “ah” and spoke with a stable face.

“He left for Milan on government business… The Duke of Caetani of Rome is not here.”

The smell of blood grew thicker. Every time Narke spoke, the resistance of the blood that must be flowing in his throat mixed into the sound. Gabrielle’s cold voice echoed through the reception room.

“Having to endure bleeding from using one ability deeply… It really doesn’t suit you. Please stop this unfunny act.”

He had clearly suffered internal injuries after using insight. Narke said what he had to say regardless of what Gabrielle said.

“There is someone in the Papacy who is in communication with French heretics.”

“When the Minister is conducting ministerial duties, how should I interfere and in what way?”

The expression “French heretics” sounded exactly like something that wouldn’t deviate from the original responsibilities of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Even at Gabrielle’s cold sarcasm, Narke didn’t waver. He persuaded Gabrielle once more.

“They’re not simple heretics but ones like Pleroma. They have the Orleans royal family in their grasp and are manipulating France. We must prevent them from stealing the Papacy’s secrets.”

“Must prevent?”

Gabrielle tilted his head diagonally down and continued with forceful eyes.

“There’s no hypocrisy like this hypocrisy.”

Suppressed anger flowed in his voice. The moment I read the negative emotions directed at Narke, I felt rejection. I twisted my hands between dozens of divine power bars crossing my body at different directions and angles so that I could immediately break through the divine power and rush out if Gabrielle threatened Narke’s life. When the divine power touched me, my skin felt like it would burn, but I had to dismantle the restraints even like this. I couldn’t let harm come to Narke. And along with worry for Narke, the fact that I still didn’t know at all why Gabrielle was saying this remained in my mind.

“Is this the attitude of such a person? If you truly think it must be prevented, you should quit and stay in the Vatican. You know best, more than anyone, especially more than yourself, that now is not the time to be in Germany. With what shamelessness do you say such things?”

“I’m trying to stop what has already happened. I’m just trying to correct what’s going wrong. Please help me find the traitor of Orsini.”

“If you can look down at the Pythia of Delphi, finding out who the traitor of Orsini is would be something you could accomplish miraculously without needing to beg a half-wit like me. The ones you call friends would also want you to return to the Vatican instead of being in Germany. When you do that, rather—”

“It has become uncontrollable.”

At Narke’s quiet words, Gabrielle stopped speaking. White sunlight coming through the long window above illuminated them. Gabrielle spoke in an empty voice without strength.

“How do you plan to handle the aftermath?”

“…”

“You should know you’re having a pipe dream. When the play ends, everything you thought you had until now will disappear like a mirage. That’s because of you. No matter how much the Roman Senate drove you to the edge of a cliff, all of this is because you didn’t reflect on yourself, because you didn’t fulfill your responsibilities—”

“Stop!”

Elias shouted angrily. Gabrielle stopped speaking without looking toward Elias, and silence flowed. Elias was about to shout something again—but Narke’s mouth opened at the same time.

“You’re right. I don’t hope it’s not a pipe dream now.”

“Then why did you start this?”

“The me of that day is a different person from the me of today. Like wind carving rocks gradually changes a village’s scenery, time made the me of that day and today different. Even knowing nothing remains unchanged, I thought I myself would remain unchanged, but all of that eventually changed. It had to be so. However, my name from that day is still mine today, and I will take responsibility. So please help me correct things even now.”

Silence flowed. Only after the curtains hung on the window swayed four or five times due to the wind did Gabrielle quietly open his mouth.

“You have never been under my feet.”

“…”

“So did you think I would be happy if you lost to me? Do you think I would feel even a bit of relief if you endured whatever I did?”

Narke coughed. Since he was lying down, the sound was rough, perhaps because blood was trying to enter his airway.

“That’s what they call the leisure of a victor, not a reversal. Even having you under my feet now doesn’t make me happy. You cannot be redeemed through such things, and in fact, no matter what you do, you probably can’t be.”

Gabrielle’s divine power lifted. I felt the divine power embedded in the wall fall away and the force supporting me disappear, so I quickly got up from my position. Before I could put into action the thought that I should help Narke, Elias ran to Narke and lifted his head so his blood wouldn’t flow wrongly. Even so, unlike his usual nature, Elias didn’t attack Gabrielle. Not condemning based on personal experience until the truth of the incident was revealed meant one thing. Elias was also remaining in a state not much different from mine.

“Know that you have atoned for nothing. Just as the Roman Senate has not atoned to you and me, you are the same.”

Narke didn’t answer. That was understandable. Gabrielle’s words were nothing more than repeating Narke’s earlier resolution with different expressions. That he repeated Narke’s resolution didn’t mean Gabrielle’s suppressed anger and distrust were being expressed, but rather meant a trace of faith grasped at the limit line. Gabrielle felt emotions close to disgust toward Narke while still placing hope in him once more. What kind of hope would that be? It would still be weak expectation filled with disillusionment.

What exactly did Narke need to correct and what had he done wrong? I couldn’t know. Regarding Narke, even knowing meant knowing nothing, and whenever I got deep enough to approach, I stopped at an appropriate distance. I couldn’t go even when I tried to approach, and if Narke didn’t want it, I didn’t want to go. We might not be friends but comrades, but Narke didn’t treat us as comrades. I would have been the same. So inwardly I hoped he had done nothing wrong. What? I don’t know. Even if he had done wrong, I hoped he could correct it as he said. If it was something from before he came to Germany, even while knowing nothing, even while being somewhat wary not knowing what he was hiding from us. This wish was a separate matter.

After Elias wiped away all of Narke’s blood and let go of his hands, he slowly got up supporting himself on the ground and returned to the topic he had been discussing.

“The traitor of Orsini is stealing the Papacy’s holy relics and leaking information that should only be kept in the Papacy to the French royal family. Even though the Colonna family is currently devoted to the Papacy, the Roman Senate, which cannot forget the actions that family showed centuries ago, should not turn a blind eye to this matter.”

Since Gabrielle had expressed that he would place even disillusioned expectations on Narke, it was natural for Narke to seek cooperation in finding the traitor of Orsini. Since Gabrielle had said he would do so directly.

As expected, Gabrielle closed his eyes and answered quietly.

“What will you do after finding the traitor of Orsini? Finding them isn’t the end, is it?”

“From then on, I will do my work.”

Finding them is the end. Narke planned to expel the traitor of Orsini with his own power as Minister of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith—that is, a high-ranking clergyman with the authority to try criminals. In other words, if we just found out who the traitor was, the three of us could return to Germany.

Gabrielle’s gaze finally reached me. He spoke with a face devoid of smiles or anything else.

“We meet again.”

Narke looked at me. Some wariness flashed in his eyes and quickly disappeared. Gabrielle spoke without taking his eyes off me.

“Before approaching the traitor of Orsini, I have something to say to Count Ascanien.”

“I don’t want that.”

Narke cut off his words decisively. As if he had expected it, Gabrielle also answered immediately.

“If you were your original self, you would have smiled leisurely as I’ve seen you do sickeningly and told me to go ahead. You would have felt that I don’t want to die at this age.”

“…”

“If you know what I’ll do, please let me go.”

Narke gently raised the corners of his mouth with eyes that didn’t smile at all. Then he sat on the sofa with Elias. Then Gabrielle immediately left the room. Narke gestured to me with his eyes while smiling. I had to follow Gabrielle too.

He had already borrowed the face of the Duke of Caetani of Rome, and after climbing two more floors, he opened a huge door with marble busts placed on both sides and let me enter first. From the long windows here, the blue courtyard and back gate were clearly visible. I sat at the round table in front of the window.

Gabrielle had also returned to his original appearance and did the same. His particularly sharp features stood out even more when seen up close.

As I had thought, I couldn’t find any resemblance between him and the Duke of Caetani of Rome, who was surely his family. I later heard that he and Narke were created based on some shared blood and magic power, but he didn’t resemble Narke either. Perhaps the impression when glimpsed was just soft, but Narke might also be sharp-featured when examined closely. It actually seemed difficult for an adult human whose bone structure was already fully developed and had no excess flesh to truly look soft. But at least his features didn’t give off any feeling similar to Gabrielle Caetani. Did they have to be this different? Why?

“So you think that.”

“…”

I had overlooked that he was an insight ability user. Even so, I wasn’t greatly surprised, so I looked at him without any expression. He knew that I had figured out his name during Penthalon, so he wouldn’t be surprised that I knew his abilities either.

“How much did you read?”

“The expression ‘read’ isn’t accurate. I just know that you felt some alienation looking at me.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

Narke wasn’t like that. I erased the thought, and just then Gabrielle stared at me quietly and opened his mouth.

“It’s not a situation to say it’s good to see you, but it’s good to see you. Seeing you alive and in this place after safely finishing what you decided to do makes me feel that way.”

“…”

“That we met again today means the natural order is rapidly being disrupted. At least that day, I didn’t think we would see each other again today.”

“I think so too.”

“You must have had an intuition. So today I must say this to you.”

What words? But what I needed to know was something else. I looked into his two eyes directed at me and asked.

“Are these the words of the Pythia of Delphi?”

“No.”

He turned his head to look out the window where silver sunlight was flashing.

“But yes. I’m trying to talk about what could rightfully happen to you. At least I know more than you do.”

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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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