How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 592

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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 (592)

6 PM.

In front of a mansion in Munich, two gentlemen stood leaning on their canes, watching the inside of the building. From within the building, the screams of a young woman possessed by evil burst out onto the street, causing all the people on the roadside to furrow their brows at the terrifying screams and watch the place with anxious hearts. Rumors had been circulating that the youngest daughter of the Lorenz family, who ran a textile factory in Munich, was possessed by an evil spirit. Now it was no longer a rumor, as Munich’s exorcist priests had urgently dispatched to the location.

An old man standing three or four steps away from the gentleman whispered with a dejected face.

“Having lots of money doesn’t seem to drive away demons.”

Then a young man behind the old man replied cynically.

“That’s obvious. I actually think this was inevitable.”

“Inevitable?”

“Isn’t his daughter paying the price for Mr. Lorenz driving out small merchants and filling his own belly?”

The old man scolded the young man for his cold tone.

“What sin does the child have? Though the girl was immature, she didn’t have a difficult personality.”

“Anyway, she was born into a wealthy family and lived in luxury, so she has nothing to complain about if she pays it back. How sheltered must she have been to reject all marriage proposals even at twenty?”

“Maybe she wanted a love marriage. Besides, that’s…”

“That very way of thinking is the greed of the well-fed. You seem to think of that thoughtless youngest daughter as if she were your own daughter, but I don’t pity her. If that family had one less mouth to feed, Mr. Lorenz wouldn’t have so ruthlessly absorbed the workshops.”

The two gentlemen glanced at them and looked up at the second floor of the building where the screaming continued. The old man spoke to the young man with a worried voice.

“I also don’t think favorably of Mr. Lorenz, but you should be especially careful with your words. If you have such bad thoughts in front of a demon, the demon might come for you.”

“What a leisurely demon! Where am I wrong? It’s a fact everyone knows. Still, it would have been more interesting if Mr. Lorenz had been possessed instead, what a shame!”

Just as the young man was about to turn and leave, two priests emerged from the mansion with tired faces. Holding crosses and bibles in their hands, they waved at the onlookers.

“Please go home! This is not something to watch!”

“What about the demon? What happened?”

The old man didn’t miss the opportunity and stepped forward, shouting. The priests kindly answered.

“It has completely withdrawn, madam. Though we must watch a little longer.”

“Is Miss Lorenz alright?”

“She’s sleeping now. Fortunately, she was a young lady who faithfully attended church, so God heard her prayers early.”

Then the onlookers clicked their tongues, half relieved and half disappointed. The young man who was about to leave also spat with an extremely annoyed face and shouted.

“Who doesn’t go to church! I don’t know why God keeps such wicked people alive.”

The old man watched the young man’s rudeness anxiously but seemed to understand his feelings to some extent, nodding his head and shrugging his shoulders as if he couldn’t stop him. The other people watching also began to disappear, constantly talking about this topic like chewing barley stalks.

The younger-looking of the two gentlemen who had been watching the commotion muttered.

“God is on our side.”

The youngest daughter of the Lorenz family deserved to be possessed by a demon. The poor, middle class, and bourgeoisie all became people who deserved to be possessed by evil spirits for their own reasons, and fortunately, people took the bait well. The fact that the Lorenz family hadn’t usually accumulated virtue with people would have helped.

Yet the young gentleman slightly tilted his head toward the middle-aged gentleman beside him and said.

“She just turned twenty, what a pity. Thanks to this, marriage prospects in Bavaria are completely blocked.”

“It’s fine.”

“Is it fine? Though she originally didn’t want marriage, she’s still young, and after growing up another year or two, she might want to marry like her friends. Children’s whims are unpredictable.”

“You may not know, but twenty for humans is not a child. She’s already lived 1/3 of her life, so she’s an adult who must take responsibility for her own life. Above all, it’s not fine in that sense.”

The old gentleman rolled his eyes under his drooping eyelids to look at his young colleague. The colleague was listening attentively to his words.

“Miss Lorenz will become a different person from before anyway, so what does it matter? Miss Mathilde Lorenz will have no intention of listening to her parents, the Lorenzes.”

The old gentleman finished speaking politely. The young gentleman’s mouth corners turned down. He looked at the pitch-black curtained window and said.

“I know, but it’s exciting.”

He gestured toward the window where Mathilde Lorenz was sleeping and continued.

“It’s too obvious. For now, at least.”

* * *

Mr. Kruger stroked Mathilde Lorenz’s forehead and sighed. Beside the bed, Lorenz’s parents were wiping away tears. Father Lorenz dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief while grimacing.

“It was such a difficult time.”

“Indeed. You endured it well.”

“No, I haven’t endured it yet. What did our daughter do wrong to experience such a thing? I can’t even imagine how painful and difficult it must have been for her.”

When Mr. Kruger couldn’t say anything and was looking down, Lorenz spoke again.

“Our daughter was a child who went to church every day without complaint and faithfully listened to the priest’s words. Sometimes she listened with one ear and let it out the other, but that’s how all children are. What has God done to such a faithful child? Did I do something wrong that made my daughter suffer instead?”

Then Miss Mathilde’s mother took a deep breath with reddened eyes and patted her husband’s shoulder.

“Don’t say such things, dear. God eventually drove the demon away from our daughter.”

“That’s true, but my heart feels like it’s tearing apart, I can’t just stay still.”

Mr. Kruger swallowed and swept the inside of his lips with his tongue. It seemed like Miss Mathilde’s possession was his fault. Like a faint voice heard from outside an opera theater, Mr. Lorenz’s cries reached Mr. Kruger’s ears.

“I’ve lived desperately until today trying to raise my children well. Before my first child was born, I was a beggar living off the streets. Only after the child was born did I come this far looking after my children. To Mr. Kruger, who has lived well for a long time, we must look like nouveau riche, right? It’s true. I’ve lived looking only at my children while enduring all those insults, but our daughter had to suffer like this? Now I’m starting to suspect that my daughter became like this because of my wrongdoing. Our good daughter, who never did anything wrong until now…”

Mr. Kruger closed his eyes. He patted the constantly crying Lorenzo’s shoulder and said he would go get some fresh air, then hurriedly left the room. Only the mother with a bandaged forehead, the father who couldn’t believe reality, and the sleeping daughter remained in the room. To Mr. Kruger, all of this began to seem like it was because of the séance salon. Prophet Abel had come and said that Cain’s forces would soon gain power and he had come to prevent it. Could this be Cain’s doing? But why did this happen coincidentally less than a week after he arrived? He must have known this would happen, yes, but…

What if Prophet Abel was actually Satan’s manifestation?

No. This too must be Cain’s scheme! I mustn’t be fooled by this. Cain deliberately made evil dwell in someone close to Prophet Abel.

But then what about me?

Mr. Kruger stopped abruptly in front of the mansion and frowned. If people close to Prophet Abel were destined to receive evil, then what about himself?

Considering this possibility, reporting the current situation to Prophet Abel or sending a new letter might not be a good choice. He could disappear entirely. However, Prophet Abel was truly a prophet and had the ability to grasp the bigger picture we hadn’t spoken of.

Mr. Kruger stopped by the post office directly across from the building and wrote on the provided stationery that the situation was over, then sent it. He could go back to the mansion and send the letter, but out of courtesy, unless the Lorenz family members told him to leave first, staying by their side was the proper thing to do between close bourgeois families, and by then he would return when the salon was about to start, making it too late to send a letter. Anyway, he had to tell Prophet Abel about it. He would also hear today’s news while staying in Munich, so he didn’t want to lie or avoid answering.

* * *

That day, Prophet Abel didn’t appear and only attended the salon the next day. Mathilde had completely recovered the night she was possessed and could attend the salon today. Anyone could think that Cain’s group might have attacked him, and Prophet Abel would know this better than anyone. Also, Prophet Abel would know well that all the participants in this gathering could consider him a suspect for the possession. Not only Madam Kruger but all participants seemed to have thought about it at least once, showing fearful faces. Yet Prophet Abel was indifferent. He sat there with a face that showed he didn’t care at all who was possessed. Madam and the participants were inwardly surprised by his cold expressionlessness.

“Father.”

Someone spoke up. It was someone who had been distrustful all along. He looked around at the others and spoke with their combined opinion.

“Cain’s group has come near us. We earnestly hope that you will tell us what kind of things they will do in the future.”

“That’s impossible. Because Cain’s group is right here in this place.”

At those words, Madam’s eyes widened. So did the others. Come to think of it, for this prophet to become so stern was a rare sight. If it was because Cain’s group was right here, his coldness made sense. Someone reckless shouted.

“Are you referring to Miss Mathilde?”

Then Miss Mathilde, who had been sitting with a somewhat gaunt face and an elegant smile, was startled and placed her hand on her chest.

“Me? I’m part of Cain’s group?”

The other people glared at the one who had spoken recklessly. Mr. Kruger also called his name and made him stop talking. However, Miss Mathilde had already heard the story and couldn’t help but be heartbroken. Miss Mathilde stood up from her seat.

“Yesterday’s incident made my parents very sad. Coming here today was only possible because I told my parents with my friend that we would meet Madam Kruger, but if we’re going to have such conversations in the place I finally came to, I’ll go back now.”

“Wait, Miss Mathilde.”

Mr. Kruger stood up abruptly at the thunderbolt-like words and led Miss Mathilde out the door. Miss Mathilde looked at Mr. Kruger with a displeased face.

It seemed the Lorenz family didn’t know that Miss Mathilde came and went to the séance salon. It was natural since it was a secret salon. Mr. Kruger soothed Miss Mathilde and stroked her hand.

“I’ll talk to them properly, so wait outside for a moment. I’ll give that fool a stern talking-to.”

“Thank you, Madam Kruger.”

Mr. Kruger nodded with an awkward smile. When he was about to turn back, a strong force grabbed his right hand. When Mr. Kruger turned his head in confusion, Miss Mathilde responded with blazing eyes.

“But Madam, you don’t completely believe I’ve returned either, do you?”

“What? No, child. What are you talking about?”

Mr. Kruger only frowned because he really didn’t know what this was about. When did I ever think that far? I never had such thoughts or intentions, so what am I supposed to do if someone else insists otherwise? Did she think that from looking at my face, or was yesterday’s incident so shocking that she could only see the world from her own perspective? She’s still young so she lacks experience and mistakes what she sees for the whole truth, but her barbed words greatly bewildered and annoyed Mr. Kruger. When Mr. Kruger showed complete bewilderment on his face, Mathilde plopped down on the sofa. Mr. Kruger stood frozen in shock at the rudeness, then returned underground. There, the people seated were having a conversation.

“…Come to think of it, she seems to have recovered too quickly.”

“Miss Mathilde is confident even though yesterday’s incident happened.”

“Being confident isn’t a problem. She was originally a timid young lady without many words, but how did she become so bold? Right from yesterday as the turning point.”

Then Mathilde’s friend who brought her got angry.

“What kind of reasoning is this? Don’t say such things about Mathilde. She wasn’t timid. She’s a friend who doesn’t particularly welcome séances, that’s all. It’s my fault for forcing her to come.”

Mr. Kruger felt a headache coming on and waved his hand.

“Stop, stop. This is hasty judgment.”

“Madam Kruger, the Father won’t speak. But don’t you also think Mathilde has changed strangely somehow?”

Someone burst out with complaints in a rough voice. Prophet Abel, called ‘Father,’ was closing his eyes and lost in thought with a quiet face. Madam felt his sacred appearance invoke fear, and spoke as calmly as she could.

“Let’s hear the Father’s opinion first. Father, I don’t know whether Cain followed you here or you pursued Cain here. But can’t you speak clearly so no more victims occur? We’re all gathered here today in fear.”

“Miss Mathilde Lorenz is not part of Cain’s group I’m talking about. She was an innocent victim.”

Now sorrow fell on the prophet’s face like rainwater from mountains.

“Didn’t Cain’s group visit Miss Mathilde?”

“That doesn’t mean Miss Mathilde assimilated with Cain’s group. Cain’s group made Miss Mathilde different from usual for deception. That’s all. Concluding that Miss Mathilde became part of Cain’s group because she became strange is moving away from the essence.”

“How can we be certain of that?”

“If Miss Mathilde had been disguised as Cain’s spy from yesterday, she would have acted like her usual self by now, and news of the possession wouldn’t have spread through the city.”

That was right. If Cain’s group had really planted a spy to scout Abel, Miss Mathilde wouldn’t have changed to be noticeably different like today!

In short, either Miss Mathilde’s personality naturally became irritable from shock, or Cain’s group changed Miss Mathilde’s personality to mislead knowledge. If the former, it was just a simple happening, and if the latter, Miss Mathilde was merely a smokescreen to hide the real spy and couldn’t actually do anything strange. Even if she did, she would only have the duty of providing information that could be cut off at any time, and essentially couldn’t become someone who truly delivered something important. How one-dimensional was it to suspect Miss Mathilde even briefly? Similar thoughts crossed everyone’s minds. They were a gathering of pitiful people who knew one thing but not two. Prophet Abel didn’t seem greatly angry or disappointed with all the ignorant people sitting before him, still keeping his eyes downcast and lost in thought like meditation. It seemed he hadn’t even expected anything. The wise prophet before them was someone who would save the foolish ones who had lived without deep thought—that’s how it seemed. Someone exhaled and shook their head.

“Father. How on earth do you know such information?”

“Think it through carefully.”

“Think, you say.”

Mr. Kruger interjected with a troubled expression and asked Prophet Abel further.

“Then we’ve overcome the first obstacle that Cain’s Followers had planned. Since Cain’s Followers tried to divide us using Miss Mathilde, it’s become clear that we must trust each other. So what move will Cain’s Followers make next? More people might become corrupted in the future. For the sake of the mission that brought you here, Father, you must tell us the truth immediately.”

“If you carelessly speak of what you’ve seen and heard today, Cain’s forces will immediately descend upon you. Cain’s forces can influence you with even a single word, so please be careful.”

The Envoy spoke while scanning the air instead of meeting anyone’s eyes. People fell silent with uneasy hearts at those eyes that looked beyond people, somewhere that wasn’t human. However, whatever the case, this wasn’t the answer the attendees wanted. As if responding to their bewilderment, the Envoy opened his eyes and spoke quietly.

“Cain’s Followers have planted a seed in this location. Mr. Kruger.”

Mr. Kruger held his breath and stared at the Envoy. The iris that was particularly bright on one side was eerie. The Envoy opens his mouth.

“You have been chosen. Miss Mathilde is not the true victim. Right now, you are being controlled by Cain’s Followers.”

It seemed like someone was stretching time to death… Mr. Kruger recalled his earlier thoughts and opened his mouth. What should you do when you know something isn’t true but others insist it is? His face began to crumple completely at the scene where his beliefs were being shattered.

* * *

“What is the meaning of this?! I’m moving under Cain’s orders? I know that’s not true, so what are you talking about? Huh? Please speak, Father!”

As soon as Mr. Kruger finished speaking, he dragged Prophet Abel outside and shouted with a face flushed red and blue. As soon as Prophet Abel sat down, he stroked his chin and became absorbed in thought, then pulled out a notebook and pencil from his pocket. He licked his upper lip while quickly sketching something in the notebook. It was an arrow. Prophet Abel closed his eyes and tilted his kind-looking face slightly upward. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The two irises that felt eerie due to their different colors fixed on Mr. Kruger’s angry pupils. The Envoy flicks his hand. Though it’s unclear what changed, the Envoy’s clear and earnest voice flowed from between his lips.

“Don’t worry. You are not.”

“What did you say?”

“Would you understand if I said it twice?”

The Envoy, despite his holy appearance, shrugged his shoulders uncharacteristically as he replied.

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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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