How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 535

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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 (535)

A shallow trick.

It might be shallow if you call it that, but it wasn’t shallow for me. It wasn’t one big move but a combination of gradual efforts, and to the Antagonist who only saw part of it, it might have seemed like nothing special, but it’s not something to be disparaged. I incurred a huge debt to my friend to prepare for the interrogation, and I can’t agree with words that ignore that. I looked at the Antagonist with cold eyes, then turned my head and pulled his hand away from my eyes, replacing my answer. The black cloth was wrapped around my eyes again. Abraham flicked his hand to pull over a chair and sat beside the bathtub.

“Thanks for the good show.”

I want to ask when he arrived, but it’s obvious even without asking. He must have been outside the interrogation room from the beginning. I can feel faint magical power in the air that could be used for soundproofing magic. He said.

“It was as surprising as when I learned that the priest who was trying so hard to win Pleroma’s heart was our proud national hero. Who would have expected that the hero who saved the Empire again this evening was actually that young man designated as Pleroma’s Christ, drinking blood in Prussia’s interrogation room to prove his innocence…”

Even without looking, the Antagonist must be observing my expression. His methods are always this petty and dirty. As if he spends all day studying how to ruin someone’s mood, surprisingly. I only answered his first words.

“It must be a dirty sight. How’s your head?”

“It was a bit rough when I kept vomiting.”

Abraham answered shamelessly. He said three more things that would annoy me, and I try not to recall them. What’s certain is that if I looked into his eyes, I’d probably want to fight seriously, so I was grateful for this current state. Since he did nothing beside me for a while, I was half falling asleep.

Then Abraham pressed where my core was and moved his hand to the surrounding area. As if he wouldn’t tolerate silence, he persistently disturbed my sleep. He slowly pressed my skin and stopped his hand below my collarbone.

“Primitive.”

“I wonder if you really had to know. If you didn’t know, you could have thought I was lying here trusting you.”

“How can I not like you when you say things like this.”

He pressed hard on the scarred area and then released it. Then he showed interest in my lack of reaction as before.

In custody situations, they always remove the suspect’s artifacts. When even one artifact is precious, what should I have done? I had to cut the flesh below my collarbone and forearm to insert the sapphires I was using as artifacts. Just like Leo had done. The area below the left collarbone is the same position where they implant defibrillators, a location that’s static yet close enough to the heart to have a strong effect. I concluded it was most rational to distribute the two artifacts’ positions to reduce the risk of detection while implanting one near the heart to ensure safety during interrogation, and as calculated, the healing magical power surrounding my core became stronger than usual. This made my core’s magical density higher, making it a bit stuffy, but this decision was the second biggest factor in getting through this crisis without major problems.

A cool hand without gloves touched the top of my head.

“Now, choose. Will you accept my help again, or do you plan not to?”

He slowly brushed the wet hair stuck to my forehead to the side, then suddenly gripped it tightly. I already knew he was such a rude Antagonist, so I wasn’t surprised, but I couldn’t help cursing him with my eyes. Since he lifted the eyepatch again and threw it away completely, I took this chance to glare at him lightly, and he smiled at me and said.

“As you know, I’m very angry.”

“I’m sure you are.”

What a complete defeat. Have you ever seen such a collection of idiots? When I twisted my lips and sneered, Abraham also raised his eyebrows.

“Our Count gave me no hint at all, so I was quite surprised at first. How could he not, when he dared to reveal his ambition to reestablish the Empire’s hegemony?”

Count Ernst. His mouth moved soundlessly. He pulled my hair back and then released it, patting my shoulder.

“And then I was delighted. It was moving to see the Count’s abilities soar endlessly to the heavens.”

“…”

“But we need to confirm our trust once more. If your intentions differ from mine, wouldn’t it just be regrettable for me to trust you and wait without using my abilities?”

He rolled up one sleeve and secured it. Then he took out a dagger with a silver blade from his pocket and unhesitatingly stabbed shallowly at the one-third point of his forearm. Fresh blood flowed down his pale forearm.

What’s certain is that this person, not me, is the real Pleroma. Instead of experimenting with blood on me, they should properly arrest this person who truly uses blood as his main sustenance to deploy his abilities. The Prussian government was literally driving an innocent person as a vampire while having a real vampire in front of them. Since a society where those who use abilities through blood has gained power, my likes and dislikes inevitably cannot escape from that subject, but even so, there aren’t many who try to feed blood this proactively and persistently. It would naturally seem like madness, and it’s not easy—he’s probably really insane. As I just watched quietly, Abraham whispered soothingly.

“No one’s here.”

“Move over.”

I looked up at him with a crooked face and said, and he answered while pretending to be gentle in his own way.

“I don’t want to.”

“You’ve already screwed me over enough, and you want to tire me out again? If you dislike me that much, solve it with words…”

I know. He’s not doing this because he dislikes me, but rather because he likes me, he’s testing my limits. You can get through this alone without his help—that’s true. However, it becomes an unnecessarily roundabout affair, because he can interfere with me while having what he ultimately wants to get from me. I gradually slipped into the water with my arms hanging on the frame. Even as sleep comes, thoughts continue intermittently. The Antagonist has a goal… What goal, what limit? Until now, I thought the Antagonist was trying to feed me blood to find out if I had the ability to amplify magical power through blood sucking. That intention is probably somewhat correct, but it became clear today that there are other reasons. Since I’ve already been drinking blood and soaking my body in blood for a long time, there are two deducible reasons for making me do the same thing again.

First, as I just said, he’s playing around as he pleases. In this case, if he has such a personality, it’s entirely possible, and now it would be more shocking if he didn’t do this. People do things they’ve never done when they’re about to die—this is something I could say when Abraham stops talking about blood and has human-like conversations before leaving. Second… I was closing my eyes and falling asleep. Abraham, who had been kindly waiting for my words to continue, grabbed my chin and pulled it out of the bloody water to wake me up.

“First, if this interrogation had been as damaging to you as such a frivolous expression suggests, you wouldn’t have come to Prussia, because you’re someone who absolutely won’t take losses without compensation.”

“Hmm…”

“Next… today’s interrogation was part of Adrian Ascanien’s instructions, not my intention.”

I opened my eyes at those words. This is interesting news. Even if today’s events weren’t Adrian Ascanien’s direct orders, today’s preparations were necessary due to his commands. Seeing my expression change completely, Abraham propped his chin and smiled, speaking calmly.

“It wasn’t me but your dear brother who made you drink blood. Is it wrong to politely wait until that friend’s turn is over and then request loyalty on my turn?”

“Did he return to the country—”

“Why don’t you think about why there are only such people around you?”

He cut off my words. I shook my head to signal him to drop it and asked once more.

“Did he return to the country?”

Instead of answering, Abraham brought his blood-pooled hand to my mouth. I swallowed the incoming blood. The aggressive magical power penetrating between my taste buds awakened my mind. Light the same color as his irises spread before my eyes. He answered as if doing me a favor.

“I received it by letter. While we temporarily lifted the restrictions on cross-border warp mailboxes.”

I followed the rules before asking another question. Then I opened my mouth.

“Then…”

“Well. It depends on His Majesty’s whim.”

Abraham cut off my words before they ended, no, before they even began. He wasn’t wearing the teasing smile he usually had. He was speaking sincerely. I was about to think of the next question when I suddenly realized that the game board he created guaranteed me some utility, and that’s why I was adapting to and following his methods. So, if I don’t constantly maintain consciousness…

Even so, after putting blood to my lips, my thoughts continue to Abraham’s extra chapter. The thought crosses my mind that I might be able to accept some losses to achieve complete victory. Anyway, blood was continuously entering my mouth, so it wasn’t difficult. After experiencing the twisted kindness of having blood packs poured into a cup, blood from human wounds is too slow. I moved my mouth, then stopped at a slightly torn area and bit off the torn flesh.

“…Uh.”

A delayed sound of surprise comes, as if he belatedly realized his condition. This is a meaningful reaction to hear from Abraham. I felt the sensation of magical power gripping my throat like carbonation while looking for any window that might appear. Why, no matter how much I drink, nothing appears. I’m reaching my limit, but that Antagonist’s extra chapter won’t complete. I couldn’t figure out what I needed to do to get the Antagonist’s extra chapter. Is it not opening because magical absorption isn’t working? Even while thinking this, my stomach stings. This magical power won’t die and is trying to kill me from the inside.

Along with such complaints, the faint ecstasy that Abraham must have always felt surged up, so I muttered.

“You are human after all.”

“What else should I be?”

I ignored his words and looked up at Abraham with raised corners of my mouth.

“You even know how to feel pain.”

“You, on the other hand, are becoming less and less human. Don’t you drink blood more and more without hesitation as each turn comes around?”

He laughed, and he probably hoped I’d be shocked, but I laughed too. Got you. This is what I wanted to ask. I felt the intense disgust beyond the threshold actually giving me less disgust and asked.

“Are you really doing this for fun?”

“What do you think?”

I looked at him and frowned as if feeling sorry.

“This isn’t the time to ask back, you should be thinking of excuses. Right now, as you just confessed yourself, you’re acting as if your goal is to make someone inhuman…”

I slowly drew out my words and finished simply.

“Aren’t you corrupting me?”

Pleroma aside, I’m a bit curious about why even you won’t let me live as a human. I swallowed those words. What if the Antagonist is also trying to create a Christ through this process? The Antagonist is an unprecedented blood enthusiast. While I feel considerable disgust about blood like others, the Antagonist calls ‘those who can use abilities through blood the true mages’ and says we should join forces. He’s always been like that. I can’t help but remember.

So he’s training me to adapt to drinking blood. It was a thought I’d been having subconsciously, but as soon as it became concrete, I felt nauseous from the attacking magical power churning my stomach.

He just looked down silently, then smiled and said.

“Your skin is gradually healing now. More?”

“…”

“Or do you have some goal?”

He hit it exactly—I do have the goal of examining the extra chapter. As soon as he finished speaking, my stomach turned again, but useless competitive spirit prevented vomiting. I felt my body growing cold as I shrugged at the Antagonist, and he opened his mouth slightly, stayed silent, then began to laugh.

“Hahaha!”

He burst into hearty laughter and grabbed my hand. He muttered out of nowhere while feeling my blood vessels.

“That’s why I like you…”

He whispered while freely spreading my hand.

“If you feel bad, give me your blood. No matter how disgusting it is, I can drink more than what I’ve given you so far. Who knows? If it’s the blood of a strong person like you, unlike how you’re suffering from stomach pain from my blood, it might kill me outright.”

“How amusing.”

What would someone who considers blood-related abilities proof of strength find disgusting? I felt cold sweat breaking out as I spoke sarcastically and said coldly to him.

“Unlike Your Highness, I’m not Pleroma, so I don’t spout nonsense about drinking blood.”

“Can’t be helped.”

He let go of my hand with an indifferent expression. That had basically been his attitude all along. At least today, he had never once been desperate in front of me. He leaned toward me and spoke gently.

“Now, our Prussia will no longer be rude to an innocent citizen and powerful ally. Even if you hadn’t drunk my blood, we planned to do so anyway thanks to your ‘normalcy.'”

I shrugged. I’m not curious about things I already know. I just wished he would leave as soon as possible.

For once, he did as I wished with a calm expression.

“Today’s interrogation was solely for the Empire’s security and the people’s safety, and we want you to know that we’re conducting the same experiment on other suspected Pleroma. If health problems arise from today’s events, we guarantee treatment in the name of the Imperial Court, and if the Count’s innocence is proven, we’ll help ensure you won’t be interrogated again for the same issue. We express deep gratitude to the Count for cooperating for the Empire’s safety.”

Abraham, who had bothered to use formal speech, raised his eyes. His bright pupils shone. He released the restraints on my hands and returned to his original tone.

“Let’s see if you can remain normal to the end.”

* * *

I couldn’t return immediately. After he left, I completely emptied my stomach and was utterly exhausted. After that, I waited until Hohenzollern’s Human servants made me presentable again, then was moved to Charlottenburg Palace. Although Hohenzollern provided the room out of courtesy for the ruling family, it’s precisely no different from house arrest. The servants had already dried my hair, but I filled the bathtub with hot water again and lay there sleeping. Though I say I slept, I entered an extra chapter and met Leonard. After spending time inside and coming out, less than an hour had passed outside due to the abnormally high time differential level I’d set. I ended up resting for several days inside. Teaching, and teaching more, and gathering information about Pleroma there. I learned a few things about young Leo. That kindergartener, like now, doesn’t like playing with food, but he accepted getting cake cream on his nose okay.

After being in everyday peace, when I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hot bathtub looking at a golden ceiling. The interrogation had already become something from several days ago for me, but here not even half a day had passed. The faint smell of someone else’s blood and the scent of lotion I don’t use proves it. So I submerged in the water again and fell asleep. Leo, Elias, and Julia can’t visit here. We promised not to.

[Our Prussia does not accept Pleroma’s claims as fact.]

Three or four days of rest is enough. Now it’s time to assess the situation. Around three in the morning, I unfolded the newspaper the Imperial Court had provided. I had ordered it from the servant guarding the door about three hours ago, and he kindly brought it.

The Imperial Court’s major announcement is repeatedly flowing on page one of the Empire Newspaper.

[This is Pleroma’s disruption tactic to throw the continent into chaos, an intentional divisive operation. We will not tolerate their claims and will prioritize the safety of our people and nation. We earnestly ask our citizens. Pleroma’s claims are very shocking, but they are strategy among strategies to mislead you citizens. Please, we hope our citizens will patiently wait for our government’s anti-Pleroma operations. Only then can we finally win with one heart.]

The Empire’s Chancellor is saying something Adrian Ascanien might say. It was probably written based on Adrian Ascanien’s advice. The Prussian response that Leonard and I predicted first wasn’t this, but a simple-minded declaration to severely punish Lucas Ascanien. However, now that content…

[First, regarding Lucas Ascanien, our government is conducting a detention investigation, and so far we have found no evidence of wrongdoing…]

Has become secondary. Surprisingly, thanks to Adrian Ascanien’s plan coinciding with my plan, things are going smoothly.

That was enough confirmation. I closed the newspaper and stood up from my seat. Letters and packages were piled up on the table. Curious about what trivial contents those that passed censorship might contain, I opened one random letter.

[Count Ascanien, I know what you have done for the Empire. When you were active with the Imperial Mage Association, you saved my family from a rampage. Do you remember?

…

I do not believe the news that you were in collusion with Pleroma.]

It must have been difficult to pick out even this much decent content from countless hate letters. Its very existence was remarkable. I carefully folded it back into the envelope and organized it on one side of the table. There were also letters declaring neutrality while asking Count Ascanien to critically consider whether he had done anything wrong in causing this situation, but things didn’t go as they demanded. It’s easy to firmly believe you understand a situation without getting close to the right answer, and not checking such people’s words again is an unwritten rule for celebrities who have lived in an age where the internet exists. Therefore, I kept only letters that didn’t make me laugh bitterly and sent the rest back to the basket. Others’ petty suspicions and rudeness are like flesh-eating ants—if you don’t pay attention thinking they’re trivial words, all that remains is gradual destruction.

So I decided to stop opening letters and open packages first. Candy and chocolate bars with a sharp smell that stung my nose, and one book. All sent by different people. I don’t know what those candies and chocolates were made of, but I don’t want to know either. There’s nothing I need to know here either. I put away the gifts and opened another newspaper to understand the trends.

Berliner Tageblatt, since it’s not pro-imperial media, I don’t remember them writing particularly good articles about me, but unusually they published an article saying it would be hasty to consider Lucas Ascanien as Pleroma and we should be cautious. They could have criticized the imperial family by questioning Ascanien’s qualifications instead. Vossische Zeitung was the same. It was a newspaper that used to speak subtly negatively about me, but not this time.

Even Daslotte wrote an article arguing we should be careful without trying to find out whether I’m Pleroma or not. Berliner Lokalanzeiger, which shares some characteristics with Daslotte, was the same. It’s a daily that wouldn’t fail to bite on this topic. Was there pressure from the imperial family? The evidence to believe so was weak. The imperial family wasn’t at a stage to apply pressure. As if to prove this, several other newspapers published popular criticism of the same kind heard on the streets. So I ask: what are these few newspapers thinking by not showing their usual behavior?

This can’t be right. They can’t be this kind….

I retraced my memory and took out newspapers from other media companies. A Prussian daily company in which the Cheringen family holds shares also wrote articles with the same argument. I should convey my gratitude when I get out of here. However, no matter how clear the imperial family’s position has become, it’s somewhat surprising that even newspapers unrelated to my friends or the imperial family write articles that aren’t hostile toward me. Sensing something strange, I rummaged through the letters and found letters sent by familiar names. The first one was from my supervising professor. Just as I was about to open it….

Knock knock—

The sound of knocking on the door.

[Count Ascanien, I’m letting them in.]

They say they’re letting someone in without even telling me who it is. I let out a bitter laugh and stood up. Through the open door, I could see two or three guard mages, and behind them, a familiar face entered.

“Senior.”

Mecklenburg looked at me, averted his eyes, and just nodded slightly. He closed the door and just stood there, continuing to avoid eye contact. I really didn’t want to meet him right now. I couldn’t know what my acquaintances would say and think about me after hearing this news, and I didn’t want to guess either. I don’t want to perform such calculations for everyone yet. I shared in this unwelcome intruder’s silence before asking.

“Why did you come?”

Mecklenburg put down the paper bag he brought without answering. He doesn’t answer my question and asks instead.

“Why are you awake instead of sleeping?”

“I already slept a lot.”

Mecklenburg looked puzzled at those words, checked his watch, then looked at me with a disgusted expression. He must have thought I was just playing with words. He carefully pushed aside the pile of letters on the table, washed his hands, then cut up tropical fruit he brought and offered it to me. I sat across from him, watched this scene, and muttered.

“It’s not like you’re visiting a patient….”

He’s looking at me with half-open eyes. His gaze clearly says why am I talking so much when I should just eat what’s given, so I shrugged and stabbed the fruit flesh with a fork. It wasn’t very sweet. I emptied the tray alone while being on edge about this uncomfortable senior’s presence. When I finally put down the fork, Mecklenburg, who like a germaphobe couldn’t stand seeing things messy, got up from his seat, took the tray, and approached the door. I watched him and pointed to his left arm.

“Did you hurt your arm?”

“….”

“You seem to avoid using your left arm more than necessary since you came in, so I’m asking.”

We’re both combat mages, so how could I not notice that? I asked with a light laugh, but he didn’t answer. With the Antagonist’s attitude following Pleroma’s announcement also unknowable, I can hardly maintain my usual demeanor in response. Getting increasingly frustrated, I asked him once more.

“Fine. I asked why you came.”

Only after fatigue seeped into my voice did Mecklenburg avert his gaze and barely open his mouth.

“…Conversation partner.”

“Same nonsense….”

“Right. I came to monitor you.”

“….”

“Just like you monitored Ishmailov, I was told to monitor you too. To watch and report what you do.”

Mecklenburg spoke rapidly and looked at me. Tension was evident in his eyes. I thought for a moment and nodded. I sat down and tapped the seat in front of me to tell him to stop standing, but he just stands there like a statue. I quietly looked at him, then opened one of the books I received and focused on it. Then I heard words.

“Your networking paid off.”

“Pardon?”

I asked with a frown. Mecklenburg hesitated but looked straight at me and spoke.

“Isn’t this the time to be smug about it paying off?”

Ah. I understood what he meant. He means shouldn’t I feel at ease knowing that he, who knows my situation, can look out for me when reporting to the imperial family. So he’s asking why I’m not saying what the usual me would have said. I pondered briefly and answered with a smile.

“How do I know what you’ll say about me?”

Mecklenburg squinted his eyes. I looked at him and likewise slowly erased the smile from my face.

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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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