Chapter 49 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble House
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"Ah, Lord Nicolaus. It's a pleasure to meet you like this. Honestly, I didn't think I'd actually get to see you."
The congressman spotted Lucas and beamed as he extended his hand.
Lucas shook it and replied.
"How could I ignore a request from you, Congressman?"
"Haha, thank you. As expected, you live up to your reputation for being so gracious."
The congressman raised his voice slightly, as if deeply moved.
Lucas smiled in response.
"So, there's something you'd like me to investigate."
"Yes, that's right. First, would you mind if I invited you to my residence? This conversation... it's not something I can easily discuss in a place like this."
"Your residence."
"No need to worry. It's not my office—it's a place I use for work, and it's near the capital. If it's inconvenient, we can stay here..."
After a brief moment of thought, Lucas nodded readily.
"Very well. Give me the coordinates, and I'll follow."
"No, I couldn't possibly impose that on you when I'm the one asking for a favor. Here, take my hand."
The congressman held out his right hand.
Lucas stared piercingly into his green eyes before grasping his wrist.
The congressman counted softly under his breath, then cast a warp spell. In an instant, his residence unfolded before them.
Or more precisely, the first thing they saw was the garden. Leaves as vibrantly green as summer's shimmered under the sunlight. It was impossible to believe this was a winter garden in November.
Lucas glanced around and murmured.
"Impressive."
"Haha, I'm glad you think so. I put in some effort to prepare it for your visit."
As they ascended to the highest floor of the residence, the congressman attempted some small talk. He gestured to a table near the room's window and took a seat.
"What would you like for tea? I'll have whatever you say brought out."
"No need. As you know, I can't remove the mask."
Lucas chuckled and tapped the edge of his mask.
The congressman leaned back and laughed heartily.
"Ah! Haha, of course. Say, Lord Nicolaus, why do you really wear that mask? There's so much talk about it—I'm curious myself."
"I thought people might form prejudices if they saw my face. I wanted them to focus on my abilities and actions."
"Hmm, interesting... From the vibe you give off, I wouldn't think you're all that unusual-looking. And besides, how ugly can someone really be? It's all subjective interpretation."
He hadn't meant appearance, but it was taken that way.
Lucas smiled softly and replied.
"Prejudices usually arise in that realm of interpretation."
"True... I suppose I can't casually speak on what you've been through. Anyway, no one finds your mask strange anymore. That was just the early days. Let's get back to the matter at hand."
"Agreed."
"You must be aware that Pleroma's movements lately aren't their usual. And fortunately, I've caught them acting differently from before. Can you see this?"
The congressman pulled documents from his bag and handed them to Lucas.
The neatly bound papers contained his analyzed statistics and attached photos.
After reviewing the contents, Lucas slowly stroked his mask's chin and spoke.
"The number of graveyard desecrations has decreased."
"Yes."
"The drop is rather slight. This seems like a change that could happen naturally."
"That's what I thought at first. But once I learned the situation, it wasn't the case."
Lucas looked up and met his eyes directly. Strauchi shook his head gravely.
"I have an informant. Many politicians in the Empire probably have their own, but mine is a bit different. I have someone who was deeply embedded in Pleroma for years and escaped just a year ago."
Lucas let out a light sigh.
"What if your Pleroma defector betrays you? Why keep them around?"
"That won't happen. We've already taken precautions on our side."
Lucas paused, then smiled.
This was worth probing.
It tied into the methods he'd use from here on.
"Do you have a method?"
"We alter their mind through divine power, or impose restrictions on part of their body. Like an oath where breaking the terms causes the mana injected above their heart to burst it... You use divine power yourself, Lord Nicolaus, so you'd know."
The congressman winked and grinned.
"I knew of it, but hearing it's actually used is novel. Quite primal and reliable."
"Exactly. Classics endure for a reason. I realized that here."
"I see. Though... ethics aside, honestly."
"Does Pleroma care about ethics? Those who act against His will have no right to life."
"So, you're saying they're people it's fine to kill."
"They aren't people to begin with."
I get his stance as a congressman.
Lucas nodded.
Strauchi grinned at the reaction and returned to the topic.
"My informant says Pleroma never reduces their annual corpse collection target—only increases it. That's how it's been for the dozen years he was with them."
"Why?"
"Many uses. Commoner corpses can be revived for more grave-digging labor, or vitriol extracted for their own use. Easy to infiltrate society, too."
Extracting vitriol, as expected.
Pleroma calls their mana vitriol.
Anyway, worth remembering.
Lucas nodded.
"So he speculates they're targeting the living instead of the dead this time, pushing some major reform unlike before."
"Makes sense. A plausible hypothesis."
A smile spread across the congressman's face at the response.
"That's why I'm asking you, Lord Nicolaus. You know I'm a federal congressman from Mecklenburg. When Pleroma shows up at a Mecklenburg graveyard, I'd like you to capture them. We lack anyone strong enough to handle the vitriol on our side."
Vitriol temporarily yields dozens or thousands of times a normal mage's power, making it hard to deal with.
He's piled on logical points to recruit me. His reasoning still holds up so far.
"Hmm. What will you do if I catch Pleroma?"
"Make them confess everything they know. If you use divine power for that, Lord Nicolaus, I'll offer greater compensation. Of course, all info obtained will go toward thwarting Pleroma's new plans."
Lucas nodded slowly as he listened.
The congressman's gaze, expectant of agreement, fixed on him.
After some time, Lucas finally spoke.
"As you know, I serve Bavaria's Crown Prince."
"Yes, indeed."
"In that position, I can't approve this alone."
"Then..."
"I think well of your plan, Congressman, so I'll request permission from His Highness."
A smile bloomed on the congressman's face.
"You mean Crown Prince Leonard Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria."
"That's right."
"That's a problem."
Lucas watched him without a change in expression.
The congressman rose slowly from his seat.
"I'll pass on involving him. And... by now, the poison should have fully set in."
"..."
"Even with divine power, can you endure this long? Ah, forget the request. You didn't take it seriously, did you?"
"If you want me to understand, say it clearly. If you'd rather mutter to yourself, I'll leave."
"Go ahead."
Werner Strauchi tilted his head slightly and gestured toward the door with a flick of his hand.
Lucas glanced indifferently at him, walked to the door, and turned the handle.
Click—
"..."
Lucas stared at the handle that wouldn't turn past halfway, then chuckled softly.
"First time someone tells me to leave while providing a door that won't open."
"Right? First time I've seen someone unscathed in this air, too. Should've realized when you wielded divine power so freely..."
"Warp too..."
Lucas rubbed his fingers together.
Crackle—
No matter how many warp formulas he ran, no proper response came.
Natural enough. What fool blocks a door against a mage but not warp?
"Of course not. Recite all the coordinates you know. I'll wait."
"How did you do it? Impressive."
Despite Werner Strauchi's mockery, Lucas sighed faintly in a calm voice.
The congressman smiled just as warmly, leaned on the table, and crossed his arms.
"Understand if I say the coordinate system itself is different? If our previous world was World 1, this is a duplicate fragment, 1*... something like that."
"The world itself is different?"
"More like... You don't know? Anyway..."
The congressman squinted slightly, then curved his lips softly.
"One thing matters: without my help, you can't return to where you were."
"...Where I was?"
"Yes. You can't go back to being the Bavarian royal mage from the Papal States. Your shining career ends here. You'll spend your life in this place with nothing but my residence."
"Haha..."
Lucas burst into a deflating laugh.
"I'm not sure what 'original' means."
"No desire to go back?"
The congressman tilted his head at Lucas's mutter.
Lucas stared into space, lost in thought without a word.
After a long wait, the congressman's lips twitched upward faintly.
"This silence... feels like you don't mind not going back. Am I right?"
"No chance."
Lucas fixed his gaze piercingly on Werner Strauchi, who had approached right before him, and said.
"Let's negotiate first."
"..."
"What do you want? Why bring me here?"
"Impressive how calm you are."
Strauchi let out a hollow laugh.
"Answer me."
"You seem to misunderstand who holds the power here..."
Boom—!
The floor right beside where Lucas stood blackened and scorched.
"I don't need to answer your questions, do I, Lord?"
The warp's initial spell had activated earlier. The faint sound proved it.
But the coordinates I input didn't exist here, so the space couldn't connect.
Either way, magic works here to some extent.
"Looks like magic is usable in this world. Just invalid coordinates."
"Hahaha... So, betting on one spell to charge in?"
Boom—!
Before the words finished, an explosion hurled Strauchi's body into the wall.
"Guh...!"
He slid down, collapsed forward. He dry-heaved as if about to vomit, groaned in pain, and slowly rose.
His legs trembled wildly, strength sapped by the impact. Yet Strauchi kept sneering as he approached Lucas.
"Acting like this will disadvantage you."
Lucas placed a hand on his mask's edge.
Each breath stabbed his senses with an unfamiliar metallic blood scent. Soon, something trickled down from inside his nasal bone.
'As expected.'
I'd noticed when he brought me here without restraining me.
Given the signs, this place clearly had a curse that drained stamina with every spell cast. From children's fairy tales to high school curricula, the ubiquitous curse—and now I'm experiencing it firsthand.
'So this is their method.'
Pleroma's mage confinement technique makes perfect sense.
No need to bind or paralyze. Just disable magic, and they're harmless.
So couldn't I just overpower physically? But considering this is Lucas's body, the odds are slim.
Above all, the opponent can use magic freely.
Which means vitriol-based magic has no restrictions.
'Still...'
This much is no strain for me. For this moment, thanks to my brother. Though without him, I wouldn't need the disguise anyway.
Probably three or four more times.
That'll finish me off completely; I can survive until then.
Of course, no intention of admitting that.
"I can manage one more."
Lucas kicked his leg, sending him tumbling again.
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