How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 73

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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 Family (73)

Instead, to avoid the unpleasant feeling, I had to make sure my hair didn’t touch the wall.

‘I went through the trouble of bending it with magic, only to use pomade…’

Don’t they have water-based products in this era?

The oil at the ends of my hair is bothersome.

Anyway, it’s set appropriately for the occasion, so it’s not a problem.

I was worried about my lack of dexterity, but fortunately Gelda Asmann also had someone like a servant attached to her, so I received his help.

‘And another thing that’s bothering me…’

Gelda’s judgment of talent must have been accurate.

The Pleroma who appear to be first generation keep staring at me.

When I make eye contact, they all politely turn their heads away, but there are a few who stare intently without even paying attention to my reactions.

I heard that second generation could also come to this gathering, so it probably isn’t a look wondering why someone unqualified came here.

“Mr. Baichel.”

I watched Gelda Asmann returning from dancing with another Pleroma and slightly extended my glass forward.

Gelda picked up a glass and clinked it against mine.

I smiled back at Gelda’s bright smile and asked.

“You look like you’re having fun.”

“Of course. This is… my first time at a gathering like this. I only learned to dance a few days ago from someone I know here, but actually dancing at a place like this is more fun than I thought.”

Gelda said with a flushed face.

Come to think of it, she said she wasn’t well-off in her youth.

Even for commoners, entering high society isn’t impossible, and there are frequent parties among the middle class… but considering her environment in her youth, she probably didn’t have opportunities to participate.

“Would you like to dance with me now?”

“That sounds good. But Mr. Baichel, you seem to have come here often.”

“Well.”

This is practically my first time too.

I learned dancing as a liberal art at school, and Luca wasn’t completely ignorant of it either, so there’s no problem.

I took Gelda’s hand and went out to the hall.

When the song reached the middle section, I raised my head and looked across the hall.

From the moment I started dancing with Gelda, gazes have been following me more persistently. I looked into his eyes and quietly asked Gelda.

“Who is that person?”

“Hmm?”

Gelda turned her body to the opposite side in time with the steps. Then she saw the person I had gestured toward and her expression hardened.

Gelda asked in a subdued voice.

“Should we finish dancing here and leave?”

“Who is he that makes you react like that?”

“…”

Gelda looked around with an expressionless face, then opened her mouth.

“…That person is the one who made me into a Pleroma.”

So, he’s one of the ‘original members’ that Eric Asman mentioned.

He must be the main culprit behind the Heiligenstadt kidnapping incident that happened.

I had to suppress my laughter.

Right, there’s no way the person directly above wouldn’t be at this gathering.

Of course, now he seems to be thinking of stealing the ‘achievements’ of the Pleroma I created…

I reassured Gelda, said I would go get some fresh air, and went to the balcony at the end of the hallway outside the banquet hall.

After killing time by looking down for a while, I took out a cigarette and put it in my mouth.

I’m maintaining my quit smoking, so I have no intention of actually smoking it, but I need this item right now.

‘To get any conversation started, I need some kind of opening.’

I took out a magic-powered lighter and lit it.

Then, I heard an unfamiliar voice from behind.

“You’re smoking a cigarette.”

Someone leaned against the railing next to me and spoke to me.

It was the person Gelda Asmann had mentioned.

“It’s imported. I’ve seen many people around here smoking them recently, so it’s nice to see it up close.”

‘How proactive.’

I welcome it.

I opened the case lid and asked.

“Would you like to try one?”

“No. I have what I usually smoke.”

He waved the pipe he was holding in his hand.

I nodded and let the smoke pass behind my throat.

“…!”

I covered my mouth with my other hand and held my breath.

I almost coughed for a moment.

‘Damn… This wasn’t my body.’

Come to think of it, the physical age is also a factor in this situation.

I shouldn’t handle it carelessly.

I might accidentally cause addiction and shorten someone else’s lifespan.

I rubbed the cigarette end against the empty tin case I brought and extinguished it.

Watching my actions, he asked.

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“I had a cold, so my condition isn’t good. I’ll have to be careful until I’m completely recovered.”

“I see. Did you come here while not feeling well?”

“This is a gathering to celebrate the achievements of someone important to me. Since I was invited, I couldn’t miss it.”

“Who did you come with?”

I glanced at him and answered.

“I came with Ms. Gelda Asmann.”

“Ah, today’s protagonist. To accomplish her first mission just five days after being reborn, she will surely become a model for our parish in the future.”

They even have a parish…

Thanks to Strauchi, I knew about the system, but I get the feeling they created something like a parallel world and are having a good time among themselves.

He looked me up and down, then opened his mouth.

“And… it’s only been ten days, but you’ve already met new people like this. You must be a very diligent person. Of course, we want many people to make full use of their blessings, so you’re welcome. Happiness comes first, doesn’t it?”

Why are you saying that while looking at me?

I suppressed the urge to say that and shrugged my shoulders.

“Should I pass that along?”

“There’s no need for that. Come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves. What’s your name?”

“Felix Weichel.”

“I see. I’m Marcel Koffman. How long have you been coming here, Mr. Weichel?”

“I haven’t counted exactly, but it hasn’t been even a month. I’m receiving preliminary believer education, so my name probably isn’t even registered yet.”

“I see. That’s what I thought.”

He probably thinks that based on the fact that I haven’t been taken away by other first generation members and am still here.

I avoided Koffman’s gaze, which seemed to be looking at useful material, and opened my mouth.

“Excuse me, but I’ll go back inside now. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Koffman.”

“Ah, yes. But… Mr. Weichel.”

I turned around at the sound of him calling me back.

“What is it?”

“You said you’re receiving preliminary believer education now.”

“That’s right.”

“There’s a way to become a priest immediately.”

“…”

“It also means you can live forever just as you are now. Starting from preliminary believer to become a priest would take at least 10 more years, so wouldn’t it be better to maintain your twenties appearance as much as possible?”

In his twenties…

I had directly seen the dead Gelda Asmann appear in her twenties, going back 40 years, so what.

If they’re going to turn back time anyway when I become a priest, they’re really messing with people’s psychology like this.

I looked at him silently.

Unlike his behavior that showed his age, his face wasn’t much different from mine.

He approached me and lightly tapped my shoulder.

“I am a priest from the Diocese of Brandenburg who gave Ms. Gelda Asmann a second life. I’ll give you this, so if you’re interested, come to my office anytime.”

He handed me a business card.

No address was written on it. It would be an object that activates teleportation magic the moment it’s torn, so naturally there was no need for one.

He smiled with satisfaction, patted my shoulder once, and left.

With this, my plan to meet a middle manager was half successful.

‘Let me think about this for a moment.’

As a mage, my rank was higher than Strauchi’s.

And Strauchi was an auxiliary bishop.

If rank and ability are proportional, there’s a high probability that guy is weaker than Strauchi.

‘Not bad.’

I finished my thoughts and went into the banquet hall to meet Gelda.

* * *

As the party was ending, I saw dawn breaking outside the window and turned around.

“I should head back now.”

“Already?”

“I’d like to stay longer, but I have things to do today.”

Gelda burst into laughter at those words.

“You don’t need to worry about that. If it’s not morning yet, you don’t need to go back, right?”

“Of course, but the sun is rising right now.”

“It’s still dawn in your time.”

“…”

Time flows differently?

I asked while trying not to change my expression as much as possible.

“Is it normally like this? Since I’m not used to it yet, everything seems surprising.”

“I was surprised too. This kind of problem has been happening lately.”

‘Problem,’ she said.

There’s the advantage of being able to spend more time than the enemy, so she should be happy about it…

There must be a bigger risk involved.

Suddenly I remembered Strauchi saying ‘our world is very solidly completed, so there’s no need to worry.’

‘If that’s this problem, I should remember it. And… shall I verify it once?’

Dawn777

― 674 days 7 hours 11 minutes 35 seconds until final ending ‘Chapter X. Death’

― Possibility of change: 19.2%

It was 18.6% last time, but it went up 0.6%p while I wasn’t checking.

More importantly, it’s about time.

When about an hour had passed by the clock here, I opened the status window again to check the time.

Dawn777

— 674 days 7 hours 00 minutes 45 seconds until final ending ‘Chapter X. Death’

— Possibility of change: 19.2%

An hour passed here but only 10 minutes passed in reality.

While I was looking at the clock, Gelda called me.

“Let’s go back to the storehouse now, Mr. Baichel.”

This place had magic connected throughout the building, with many structures that allowed you to return to where you came from.

For example…

Gelda now moved to the very end room of the manor and moved the candlestick placed on the fireplace to the right.

When she opened the door again, the manor hallway had completely disappeared and the cathedral we came from spread out before us.

“Convenient, right? To think technology has advanced this much, honestly it’s amazing.”

“Indeed.”

I answered simply.

After that, we stayed in the cathedral talking for 30 minutes in real time, or rather three hours here.

‘Talking is exhausting too.’

The other person also looked tired.

There was nothing to do but talk. Gelda Asmann also didn’t know the Pleroma world well yet, so there was nowhere to go around.

Even so, perhaps disliking how time passed quickly, Gelda didn’t suggest going back to reality first.

‘Still, I got a lot of information.’

The criteria for how Pleroma chooses people, how to cast targeted curse magic and connect to desired locations, and generally what objects to touch to move to previous coordinates, etc.

Gelda readily answered the questions I asked.

She seemed to interpret the number of questions as a degree of interest.

Then, perhaps reading the tired look on my face, she gestured toward the sanctuary.

“Shall I give you some candy? Though it does have targeted curse magic on it.”

“Then does that mean I can come here anytime Ms. Asman calls me?”

Gelda answered with a smile.

“Something like that.”

Perhaps taking my light question as agreement, Gelda brought a candy basket and handed it to me.

‘…She really wants me to eat it?’

Well, there’s nothing wrong with it… but why bother.

I chose words that would please Gelda and opened my mouth.

“Actually, I don’t really like sweet things. Instead, I’ll keep it and when I find an appropriate child, I’ll feed it to them and tell Ms. Asman about it.”

“Hmm, that sounds good.”

Of course it would be good. I’m helping your performance.

Anyway, this isn’t the time to be killing time like this.

Since we encountered the important person we’d been looking for, I need to go have a strategy meeting.

I opened my mouth in a surprised voice as if I just remembered something.

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Instead of just sitting here, shall we play a game? Do you know any card games? Or how about chess?”

“Hmm, I forgot the rules of chess… and I’ve only played solitaire for card games.”

“That’s single-player.”

I thought for a moment and opened my mouth.

“How about poker? Shall I teach you?”

* * *

Gelda Asmann readily agreed to that.

I returned to reality under the pretext of getting playing cards and warped to school.

They still weren’t showing their faces, probably still holding Eric Asman.

Still, Narke said he left an emergency contact…

‘That would be Fai…’

I felt pangs of conscience as I pulled Fai out from the pile of stones in the middle of the desk and woke him up.

“Mmm?”

“Sorry, Fai. Do you know where Elias and Leo are?”

“I think I might be able to find out.”

What’s this supposed to mean.

I’ll take it as he can figure it out if given some time.

“Then, can you deliver a message?”

“Yeah! What is it?”

“We found the middle manager, so let’s have a strategy meeting.”

“As is?”

“Yeah, just relay it as is.”

I immediately pulled out paper and hastily wrote down the points I needed to convey.

When I quickly took out a deck of cards from the cabinet and packed my bag, Fai tilted his head.

“Where is Lucas going? You said we’re having a meeting.”

“I’ve written down everything I need to say. Now you guys can have the meeting among yourselves.”

After saying that, I was about to deploy warp magic when a sudden thought made me look at Fai.

“Fai.”

“Yeah?”

“You should join in on this too.”

* * *

Three hours had passed since I returned to that place and taught Gelta poker.

In real time, thirty minutes had gone by.

Since Gelta seemed sleepy, perhaps from being nervous at the banquet, I put her to sleep before coming out.

I looked out at the strangely dim exterior despite it being daytime and tore up the business card in my hand.

At that moment, the scenery before my eyes changed once again.

Marcel Koffman’s office was completely dark. It was bright enough to make out objects, but it wasn’t a space you’d want to stay in for long.

Then I heard a voice from behind me.

“You’ve come.”

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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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