How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 516

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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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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Noble Family (516)

The plan is as follows. The Crown Prince who started speaking says.

“We will not reject the Grand Duchy of Baden’s offer of cooperation, but will limit it to the minimum. There is a possibility that the Grand Duchy of Baden will later claim to exercise influence in that region.”

As everyone knows, the Grand Duchy of Baden must participate in this operation to benefit. And from the Kingdom of Bavaria’s perspective, while we judge that their assistance would certainly be excellent and powerful help in the dimension of respecting and acknowledging Baden’s military technical capabilities, we assess that there would be no problem in achieving the operation’s ultimate goal even without their involvement. The basis is self-evident, so I’ll omit it.

However, if unavoidable damage to Bavarian lives and property occurs during the operation, there remains the possibility that the Grand Duchy of Baden will attack by saying ‘Bavaria failed to fulfill its duties by refusing our offer to cooperate, claiming it was for hegemony.’ We cannot expect them to make such claims for ethical reasons. The Grand Duchy of Baden, like other nations, will utilize all means for gaining power, and since other countries are the same, the Kingdom of Bavaria has an obligation to prepare for all foreseeable attacks. There is no room for sentimentalism in this strategy. At this moment when Bavaria is trying to break the Prussia-Bavaria dual hegemony structure of the German Empire, it is natural to expect that all small nations will covet Bavaria’s position, so anyone who doesn’t anticipate this would be unqualified to sit in a military strategist’s position.

From Baden’s perspective, not participating in today’s plan, which would be the starting point for hegemonic restructuring, would be foolish, so they will unconditionally propose to send troops. But for example, when considering entrusting the handling of the Speyer region to the Grand Duchy of Baden, anyone with decent insight could expect that after succeeding in the operation, the Grand Duchy of Baden would interfere in Speyer territory’s internal affairs.

“Therefore, we will not assign one region to Baden’s support forces, but divide them into team units and partner units and disperse them throughout Bavaria.”

As an aside, the logic of officers who argue that the Catacombs should be incorporated into the Bavarian military to avoid giving power to the Catacombs is fundamentally no different from this. On the other hand, the Crown Prince believed it was right to provide a certain degree of power to the Catacombs, which are composed of people from various German federal states and possess independent environments and technology, so he really intends to use the Trachenberg Plan. However, separate from recovering the rightful rights they should have had, in the dimension of power theory that operates independently, he must be cautious because he doesn’t know what results might unfold when the Catacombs’ leader, depending on their disposition, comes to wield supranational military power—as he had already thought. Rights recovery and power granting were different, and he knew that humans are composed of infinite polyhedra and knew that groups are the same. What he guards against is not Prussia but the cycle of injustice, and what he ultimately pursues is not so much securing the Catacombs’ absolute hegemony as protecting the right for humans to be human. Those who fail to recognize this difference or confuse it may become politicians but won’t avoid the worst, and may be able to incite but will again give birth to an age of injustice.

Chairman Anze Dracher also needs more observation to know for sure, but if Chairman Yanina Schweitzer, who seems similar in disposition to Simon Eberhardt, leads the Catacombs alone, they need to take more time to judge whether they’re acceptable as an ally. This was a conclusion reached because he viewed the Catacombs as a good partner. The Catacombs are themselves an excellent force with sophisticated government and military power, and Bavaria should move forward with empathy and collegial responsibility while not carelessly pitying them, as that would be protecting their dignity. Protecting their dignity was, as always, also the dignity of Leonard Wittelsbach and Bavaria.

An officer sitting at the end of the seats spoke.

“I actively agree with Your Highness’s opinion, but Baden’s military mobility efficiency may decrease.”

This is a ceremonial counterargument. Mobility efficiency—this is correct for the cases of allied forces from various countries composed of infantry-cavalry-artillery before Ion Forso when joint operations were more important. In combat mage operations where the body is the weapon, individual combat is routine. Of course, each of those battles must have organic unity, but the meaning of large-scale joint operations fades compared to non-mage armies, and even for joint operations, team-based cooperation of 7 or fewer people and carrying out commander’s orders is sufficient, as was the case with the Allied Council’s 101st unit. Therefore, Leonard Wittelsbach didn’t say to hinder Baden’s performance, but said what must be said for mutual distance. The Crown Prince looked at that retainer’s face, and knowing he was one loyal to Bavaria, answered.

“From the moment we incorporate the Catacombs as allied forces rather than organizing them into the Bavarian military, inefficiency in dispersion becomes inevitable. Also.”

The Crown Prince deeply captured each of his faithful retainers in his eyes. The generals’ gazes met the Crown Prince’s eyes. Deep trust and loyalty flowed toward each other. The Crown Prince spoke with the same unwavering voice and expressionless face as before.

“Bavaria always solves Bavaria’s internal affairs.”

Silence flows. Leonard feels the atmosphere change with his declaration. He firmly maintained his position.

“The reason we allied with Baden forces during Penthalon was because it was an international issue. That was southern cooperation and partnership consolidation at the time. However, today’s situation is different from that day.

Today, there is no place for foreign armies to interfere in the kingdom’s internal affairs. Accepting Baden’s offer of support is the utmost respect we show to Baden, a great nation with whom we have partnership. No meaning beyond this exists, so we do not permit arbitrarily assigning other meanings.”

“We shall obey, Your Highness.”

Unwavering determination spreads across the generals’ faces.

While it’s not quite equal benefit since Baden’s gain is greater, it is indeed mutual benefit, but politically it’s Bavaria’s goodwill to also empower the Grand Duchy of Baden, which was an ally when creating this period of hegemonic change. The Grand Duchy of Baden can use this goodwill as a stepping stone to attempt rebellion, and the Kingdom of Bavaria will not permit the southern German states it has nurtured to cross the line. This was different from, and not different from, what King Hildegart of Bavaria does to Grand Duke Wilhelmina of Baden. Hildegart Wittelsbach knows that Leonard Wittelsbach is his faithful retainer and representative, which is why he has entrusted him with full authority for negotiations with the Catacombs. Leonard Wittelsbach speaks according to his own judgment, but simultaneously this is work of Hildegart’s reign and his will.

The Crown Prince summarized the situation with concise words.

“We do not permit joint operations above team level to Baden forces—that is, only the Bavarian military will conduct special operations requiring joint action.”

Satisfaction appears on the officers’ faces. They would have wanted the same hardline approach as King Hildegart, who closely aids and cooperates as partners with the Grand Duchy of Baden and southern Germany while suppressing the expansion of Wilhelmina’s royal influence, and Leonard Wittelsbach has no intention of deviating from that policy whether as Crown Prince or after ascending to the throne. However, Julia Cheringen, the next Grand Duke, will seek to build a more prosperous nation than Grand Duke Wilhelmina with her characteristic ambitious nature and capabilities.

“Also, we will ensure that Baden’s military leadership does not overlap in regions where Catacombs allied forces leadership members are deployed. All these operational discussions will prioritize appropriately reflecting our ally Catacombs’ intentions before Baden.”

If there were a leader who values ethics, the Catacombs would not have joined hands with Baden in the first place. However, if there were a leader who values other things, the Catacombs could ally with other forces at any time to bring down Bavaria.

This is firstly unacceptable because Leonard Wittelsbach is in position to become Bavaria’s monarch. He had to protect his people and nation as much as he sought to protect universal human dignity.

Secondly, it’s unacceptable to prevent the cycle of injustice. Whatever the case, Bavaria is consequently the only nation in the empire that didn’t arrest the Catacombs, and other countries know this fact. However, if the only nation that refused to comply with the constitution based on universal rights could be attacked by that victim group and everyone could watch it happen, no nation would be able to move toward righteousness in the future. The stiffening of ethics comes from hasty pursuit of profit and betrayal.

Then thirdly, for the Catacombs’ dignity, he remains vigilant. The Catacombs are not an activist group with a single will, and while they have no obligation to become absolute ethicists just because they are victims, the second problem could end up damaging the values they sought to protect. As already confirmed in Simon Eberhardt’s case, some leaders might pursue excessive profit and their own justice, causing the group’s dignity to collapse, so he worries about such infinite possible world developments. Leonard Wittelsbach hoped the Catacombs would strike a good balance between dignity, ethics, and private interests, and believes they can do so on their own regardless of Bavaria. Thus he wants to witness with his own eyes the sight of them reclaiming the rights they should have had.

So Leonard Wittelsbach will not permit other nations’ struggles for dominance. He will absolutely not permit an age where the logic of iron and blood prevails under Prussian leadership, at least not during the age when his eyes are wide open and alert. He wants a Germania of humans, of moderation.

When resumption time came, his adjutant dismantled the security magic and barriers that had blocked the table. Chairman Anze Dracher speaks.

“We Catacombs find the Kingdom of Bavaria’s proposal very meaningful.”

The atmosphere is much more stable than before. The Crown Prince responded accordingly.

“Thank you. It’s likewise a meaningful beginning.”

“Now we wish to discuss with the Catacombs Defense Committee Chairman.”

“Please proceed as you’re comfortable.”

Chairman Anze Dracher, who smiled gracefully in response, maintained his gentle expression while speaking with gravity.

“First, please tell us what position you can promise us.”

* * *

“The negotiations between the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Catacombs just ended, Your Excellency Ernst.”

I rubbed my eyes and accepted the letter. While I was gathering information in the extra chapter, my secretary compiled and delivered the information to me, and is still doing so now after I busily visited various Wittelsbach estate houses following my audience with His Majesty the King. The secretary briefly summarized and explained.

“Both sides ended with positive reactions and concluded with an allied forces system. For the rest, they say the timing of the full-scale field strategy meeting will depend on Your Excellency Ernst’s decision.”

“We can start now. I’ve recruited all necessary personnel.”

“I’ll convey that. Also, a letter has arrived from the Grand Duchy of Baden.”

I silently accepted the letter and unfolded it. Then I placed it alongside the letter sent by Leo’s adjutant and fell into thought.

First, I had received the Catacombs’ materials. There was a lengthy explanation about whether someone named Yanina Schweitzer was a person requiring attention. According to internal testimony, she’s an extremist with similar tendencies to Simon Eberhardt, but unlike Chairman Simon Eberhardt who concluded alliances unilaterally, she’s active in gathering opinions within the leadership and is thought to coordinate significantly with Chairman Anze Dracher. The Catacombs side appears to have added one radical representative to balance with moderate Chairman Anze Dracher, and according to internal testimony, this was judged to have somewhat suppressed extreme individual actions by radicals within the Catacombs…

Yanina Schweitzer will not participate in combat. The Catacombs were willing to cooperate with technology but had no intention of allowing damage beyond that. However, if such a person is a leader, the Kingdom of Bavaria needs to be careful.

Especially now, the Crown Prince and general-level officers decided to put alliance with the Grand Duchy of Baden as a lower priority and settled on not involving them in strategy formulation. That’s natural treatment. If we include Baden forces together as allied forces in Bavaria’s operation to liquidate Bavaria’s Pleroma, wouldn’t that mean we’re permitting Baden forces to contribute to Bavaria? This has a high possibility of being used as internal affairs contribution. The Grand Duchy of Baden is a strong nation but lacks such qualifications.

Not stopping there, a kingdom military order was issued to me to formulate strategy so that Catacombs and Baden military leadership don’t contact each other.

The meaning is one thing. Right now the royal family is cutting off any possibility of Baden and the Catacombs joining hands.

This also means there are some risk factors in both Baden and the Catacombs—respectively the nation itself, and Yanina Schweitzer who has similarities to Simon Eberhardt.

Leonard Wittelsbach’s inclusion of Julia Cheringen in the Crown Prince’s palace meeting was entirely for Elias Hohenzollern’s sake. It’s Leonard Wittelsbach’s strategy to disguise it as participation by Royal Mage Allied Council 101st unit colleagues to avoid Elias Hohenzollern’s treason charges, and if Julia Cheringen hadn’t participated, he would have planned to deploy Ulrike Kleist. I think as I thought before that bringing in Ulrike, who isn’t from a ruling family, would have some difficulties, but I’m also considering bringing him if necessary.

And Julia Cheringen also participated in the meeting while seeing through his strategy. However, that’s working with Allied Council colleagues, not permitting Baden. Baden’s attempt to come help by bringing Baden forces is because this operation offers an opportunity to take first place in accompanying the Bavaria-led German federal current by achieving merit, meaning Baden assessed Bavaria’s victory probability as extremely high. If Bavaria succeeds, this would elevate and solidify the Grand Duchy of Baden’s position during turbulent times. For Baden, this is a matter where they must get their name listed.

It’s not difficult. Dividing Baden military leadership and Catacombs leadership so they don’t overlap, and ensuring no reversal of host and guest occurs—while also creating a plan for maximum victory.

So I must go right now to the meeting hall where the Crown Prince and Catacombs leadership have gathered. We must make plans as quickly as possible or we won’t be able to commence at 6 PM today. I gathered the materials and maps I had written outside the extra chapter and hurried my steps.

While applying cognitive disruption magic and transformation magic and trying to find my way down to Nymphenburg Palace’s basement level, I suddenly turned my head at the sound of whistling. And I held my breath upon encountering a familiar face. Speak of the tiger and it appears, though of course I hadn’t spoken, but whatever the case, now was not a good time to meet.

Cheringen, wearing Baden’s ceremonial uniform, stood with arms crossed, leaning against the first floor wall. He smiled at me and said.

“Pleased to meet you, Count Ernst.”

“…”

This is our first private meeting. He said so. I wasn’t saying anything and greeted him.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness the Grand Prince.”

“What time do you think the Bavaria-Baden allied forces strategy meeting will be held?”

I couldn’t help but know the intent behind such a question. Though nothing has been announced yet, he also knows Bavaria’s response regarding Baden military assistance. He leisurely continued speaking.

“I’m wondering whether to get some sleep before going.”

I remained silent for a while, then quietly asked.

“What do you think?”

“I think it would be fine to take it easy until we start organizing Baden forces.”

He seems to have grasped the situation from my single remark. But that’s not what I was asking about. I shook my head.

“No, I mean about this operation.”

“How thoughtful.”

Cheringen smiled and answered. Though I can guess the reason, not knowing exactly why he said that, I waited for his words to continue. Cheringen let out a gentle laugh and spoke leisurely, word by word.

“I’m simply happy that I can be loyal to the Bavarian royal family, which has the strength to rush toward righteous work without hesitation.”

“Is that all?”

“Then what else should there be?”

Cheringen shrugged and stepped away from the wall, approaching closer. He spoke with a mysterious expression that I found difficult to grasp, as if reading the expression behind a mask.

“That’s how politics is. If this were a problem, we’re all brothers mixed with magic power—how could family members run different countries?”

“Brothers.”

I said with a hollow laugh.

He says such things because of magic power exchange contracts, but he speaks that way because he was born almost identically to Leonard Wittelsbach with only a few months’ difference. Ruling families born around similar times are likely the result of their parents exchanging magic power with each other.

That doesn’t make them family though. You most resemble the person who gave you blood, and genetic information is carried down through blood. However, certainly that core and magic power have small roots connected to each other.

I don’t know which families Lucas Ascanien was mixed with, but he would have been made by combining about half the previous Ascanien magic power shared in the family and Georg Ascanien’s magic power, then mixing in about half the magic power obtained through exchange contracts from various German and overseas countries. Looking at how they were born in similar years, considering the timing of contract implementation, even 0.1% of Hohenzollern, Cheringen, and Wittelsbach magic power would have entered Lucas’s body. The other three are the same with each other. However, even if manufactured in the same year, the same components don’t necessarily go into same-age peers—there are cases of using stored power or storing for later use after receiving, and this is set during contract negotiation.

Bavaria and Baden mainly formed marriages for friendship, so saying they were made through the same components is somewhat correct. Wilhelmina Cheringen’s magic power would have entered Leonard Wittelsbach’s body, and Hildegart Wittelsbach’s magic power would have entered Julia Cheringen’s body. However, rather than what and how much went in, what’s most important is what combined with what in what ratio to become what kind of third magic power—that is, chemical magic reaction is most important. So if you call them brothers because their components overlap, it’s the same as saying humans and chimpanzees are family because their genes match over 98%. Some fields might claim they’re family, but it’s obviously nonsense—certainly the molecular biology field would faint at such talk. Even individual humans show only about 0.3% difference when DNA sequences are analyzed, so at this level, shouldn’t we just call each other brothers? Therefore, Cheringen was teasing me. I smiled and turned my head. Cheringen laughed pleasantly and said.

“Thank you for the answer. See you this evening.”

I bowed to show respect.

Then I went down to the building’s classified warp point. There I memorized the warp coordinates for the meeting hall where Leo and the Catacombs leadership would remain.

My vision changed, and a dim corridor and massive door appeared. I had my identity checked in front of the door and stood before it. The guard opened the door and shouted loudly.

“Special Minister Nicolaus Ernst has arrived.”

I can see the Bavarian royal officers and Catacombs leadership seated. I slowly looked around at familiar faces and new faces while standing at the seat prepared for me. We were about to begin in earnest. I opened my mouth.

“From now on, we will begin the Anti-Pleroma Liquidation Operation strategy formulation meeting.”

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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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