Chapter 22 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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The excited commotion faded away, leaving behind an atmosphere as tense as thin ice.
A hundred shocked gazes turned toward me.
It reminded me of the day I first answered the professor's question.
No one dared to move, as if time itself had frozen for everyone but me.
The classroom remained deathly silent until I reached the lectern. And even after. Even the professor just stared down at the envelope in his hands, saying nothing of note.
After waiting patiently for a long while, I finally spoke, and only then did the professor begin.
"...This is your first time entering the special class, isn't it? I double- and triple-checked, but yes, you're the final member of the special class roster."
"Yes, it is."
"Climbing from 98th place to 10th in one go isn't easy. I can't even imagine how much effort you must have put in. I hope you continue to achieve great results."
For the first time, the professor looked at me and offered a faint smile.
*All good, but...*
Why bring up that I was 98th so bluntly...?
Whatever. If even Luca got handed a zero-score report card from some classmate whose name he didn't know, then no one in the school would be unaware of these rankings.
I greeted him with the warmest smile I could muster.
"Thank you, Professor."
* * *
"Congratulations."
I headed to the training grounds without a break today as well. Sure enough, Leo was already there.
"You too."
"For me, it's not surprising anymore, but you actually making it into the special class..."
"Couldn't have predicted it?"
"No, I figured your grit would get you there, but seeing it happen for real is still shocking."
Leo patted the spot next to him.
I plopped down beside him and leaned back against the wall.
Leo, lost in thought without a word, finally spoke up.
"So, ready to get started?"
"Have to. Can't just keep stalling against my brother."
"You saw the class's reaction earlier, right?"
I nodded, and Leo continued.
"It's not just our class. The whole school's buzzing the same way."
"I know. Word will spread fast."
"Yeah, it'll leak out of the school, out of the capital, even out of the empire in no time. Of course, it's just school rankings, so it won't cause a huge stir. It'll just be a passing mention among those obsessed with Pleroma."
Leo went on.
"But among those obsessed folks are your brother and his allies. They could hear about this right now. You ready for that?"
"Yeah. Someone has to fire the starting shot anyway."
Naturally, my brother gave no sign until he killed Luca.
If I didn't change the course of events first, all that awaited was him killing me in seven hundred-odd days, just like before.
Leo started to say something, closed his mouth a few times, then shifted to a slightly different topic.
"...Alright. That plan you mentioned before—is it still on?"
"Of course. This is just the beginning."
At that, Leo burst out laughing.
Then he stood up.
"Right, then. Let's do this."
* * *
September's end-of-month evaluation day.
I leaned forward toward Leo, who was focused on my words, and clasped my hands together.
"But not right now—after midterms."
Leo's face hardened with tension.
"...What is it?"
"I'm forming an organization."
"..."
"..."
Our gazes clashed in midair for a long stretch. The suffocating silence was broken by Leo.
"Planning to become a gangster?"
"No, a secret group to study Pleroma."
Ignoring Leo's quiet sigh of relief, I pressed on.
"As you know, Pleroma is a serious social issue. We'll analyze past Pleroma crimes, build predictive models to forecast their moves, and maybe even pitch our models to the imperial court if needed."
"Hmm, yeah. Sounds plausible."
Leo nodded at my words, then looked at me with a subtly changed glint in his eye.
"I get the public-facing pitch. So, what's your real goal?"
*'Public-facing pitch.' Nice, he gets it right away.*
Of course, this wasn't what I needed to tell Leo.
"To build up my own side."
"Your side?"
"Yeah. I can't keep living branded as a Pleroma forever. You know my brother has massive prestige in the empire and abroad. Standing alone against him is impossible. You know how countless people idolize and follow him, right?"
"Yeah. Your brother... he's basically headed for the history books at this rate."
Leo scowled and clicked his tongue.
I had to pause for a moment.
It was similar to a line from Leo ten years in the future, in the last chapter I read. I might not remember it word-for-word, but it could have been exact. A subtle pang of nostalgia hit me.
Anyway, it was a bit much for now, but if my brother skipped the pointless politicking and kept on like this, it was entirely possible.
"...Yeah, so I need to build my own allies too. People who know I'm not Pleroma, who'll join me for the greater good."
Leo smirked at that.
"The greater good, huh? Conveniently, we have a common enemy in Pleroma. I see how you calculated this."
"Exactly. We use the group dynamic. A shared external enemy strengthens community bonds. But right now, even in the same school or class, I'm seen as the outsider enemy—at least in terms of 'normalcy.'"
The earlier tension was gone. Leo grinned like he did during training and snapped his fingers.
"Nice. You're leveraging the in-group center full-on. Form a group that predicts Pleroma movements and takes them down."
"Right. If the students won't pull me into their group, I'll insert myself into it."
"You know that's usually impossible, right?"
"Yeah."
Leo leaned in closer.
"The fact you're telling me this means my role matters, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. Think I'd leave you out of my plan? Thanks in advance."
Leo let out a dry chuckle and nodded.
"What an honor.... Anyway, fine. I get the big picture. But you're the extreme case here. Someone at the edge like you shifting to the other side is incredibly tough. You prepared for that?"
"Obstacles, sure. If I'm at one end, just bring the other end to me."
"...Hmm."
"Then it's just one step away. Right?"
Leo smiled at my casual reply.
"Yeah, you've got it all figured out. Let's hear the details."
"The core of this plan has three elements: invitation-only membership, secrecy, and divine power. I'll only reveal myself to those who've been invited."
Leo nodded for me to go on.
"Given the sensitivity, we need to stoke their desires to avoid leaks. Make them fully ours, loyal and self-sustaining. Recognition, belonging, self-efficacy—that should do it."
Leo exhaled sharply in surprise, chuckling.
"...What are you...? Never mind. Yeah, that'd work. Secret meetings invoking the greater good? Solid for belonging. So you're doing invitations to exploit that?"
"You've got the order backward. Closed operations were best for my situation. Then I found the angles to leverage."
There's a world of difference between being pushed by circumstances and exploiting them.
The environment is always constraining. Wait for ideal conditions to start smoothly? Might as well wait to die by my brother's hand.
Thoughts shape nuance, which shapes the message received, so if this is my only play, I can't drift—analyze every element and use it right.
*'Of course, primarily it's Leo who steps up, so he needs to be aware of all that—recognition, belonging, etc.'*
In that sense, I picked a good partner. He's sharp enough for this.
Leo burst out laughing.
"You're blunt."
"Have to be. You're not a target—you're a partner."
"Trusting me, put like that..."
"Yeah, correction: you're my most trusted friend."
"Uh, yeah. That's... reassuring. Nice phrasing."
Leo narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
Why react like that when I say it straight...?
Chuckling at his response, I got back to business.
"You're perfect for this."
"You just admitted to stroking egos, and now you say that to me?"
I shrugged at Leo's laugh.
"Yep. Just stating facts. If I go up to them out of nowhere and say, 'Join my secret Pleroma research group,' you think that'll stroke their egos?"
"They'd be lucky not to think it's nonsense."
"Right. But if you propose it? Your status and credibility fill that void instantly. So... convince some friends first, before I show my face. Cool with that?"
"Yeah, that's doable. Not hard. But..."
Leo, who had nodded readily, looked me straight in the eye.
"You know this is the optimistic scenario, right? People's hearts don't stay in neat little boxes. You've only talked generalities so far."
"So we choose invitees carefully. And... we have a friend whose unique ability is insight."
Truth be told, I didn't design this around Narcé.
Even without abilities, Leo's got a great eye for people. Most folks here are friends he's known since childhood anyway.
I wove that in as I continued.
"Your judgment's plenty. Don't invite those who take things at face value without skepticism or lack the drives. You don't need me spelling it out—you already know who's right."
"Yeah. I've got a rough list in my head already."
*Fast.*
With Leo's eye plus Narcé's ability for double-checking, risks drop big-time.
If issues still pop up, mind-manipulation magic's an option.
*'By midterms, no desperate need to hide my info anyway.'*
My midterm scores are bound to reach my brother.
Once the first signal of change fires, it's fine.
Leo pondered, tapping his temple with his fist-propped chin.
"You picked this format because you have concrete ops planned, right? Confident it'll succeed publicly?"
"Naturally."
Leo nodded.
"Yeah, sounds good. No reason to refuse on paper. If you break free from your brother before applications, we could leverage the group's achievements for admissions. Solid results? Straight to high imperial posts."
*...Since you're the one who'll make a new emperor anyway, that's no issue.*
"So, how do you convince them you're not Pleroma? Not planning to bring up your brother, right?"
"Of course not."
I smiled as I answered.
My brother needs to stay the hero.
In this scenario, at least.
* * *
The week after midterms ended.
"What time's Narcé coming?"
"In an hour!"
"In an hour."
I relayed Pie's answer to Leo's question.
On end-of-month eval day, I'd told Narcé the plan in the carriage ride back. He reacted more intensely than expected but gave a positive yes.
Leo nodded.
"So, starting today?"
"Yeah."
"How many you aiming for?"
"Three or four a week."
Faster the better, but pacing for stamina.
*Ding—!*
〈 Chapter 3. Constant Droplets Pierce the Stone (1) 〉
Proposal 3: Life is for the bold! Recruit 10 team members. (1/10) (71 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds)
* Route 1 — 〈 Chapter 4. Constant Droplets Pierce the Stone (2) 〉
* Route 2 — 〈 Chapter 4. Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today 〉
"..."
I rubbed my head and called to Leo.
"Leo."
"Yeah?"
"Join my organization."
"Aren't I already in? What nonsense."
Ignoring Leo, I checked the proposal window.
Proposal 3: Life is for the bold! Recruit 10 team members. (2/10) (71 hours 59 minutes 47 seconds)
*'Good.'*
With Narcé, that's three.
So, seven more within 72 hours...
I reread Route 2's title.
*'Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do Today.'*
Feels like it's talking straight to me.
I grinned, feeling my fist clench.
Fine. Faster is better for me, success or failure. Time to try.
Just bring two or three daily. Problem is, 72 hours are all weekdays, and persuasion time's evenings only.
*'Need to save time.'*
Group them in pairs?
No. Can't risk implying replaceability.
Plan: Leo spends an hour convincing a student, then I talk to them.
My conversation seals it. Clear misconceptions, pitch the purpose.
*'Adding one killer proof point would speed things up.'*
I have a way.
No going classy, though.
I dismissed the proposal window and stood.
"Leo, I'll be right back."
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