Chapter 51 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Noble Family
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My brother's fabricated rumor was so meticulously crafted, after all.
It had been accepted as fact for ten years, so no one was left to question its truth now.
Even so, seeing Pleroma like Pleroma swallow it whole told me they had no knack for recognizing their own kind.
'This could prove useful down the line.'
Should I test one more thing?
There had always been something vague enough that I'd put it on hold, but with a high-ranking Pleroma right here, now was the perfect chance.
"Is your head not screwed on right? To think you'd mistake a divine power user for Pleroma."
Strauchi forced a smile as he watched me sneer, though his brow furrowed ever so slightly in the process.
"Manners…. Well, no one would've properly drilled etiquette into a kid locked away in some attic."
"Am I wrong?"
"You lot seem to be under some grave misunderstanding, but there's no rule saying Pleroma can't wield divine power. We have faith in Him too, after all."
'…Good.'
I'd been smart not to reveal my identity relying solely on divine power all this time.
Divine power was the clergy's domain, hinging on pure faith as its prerequisite.
Even with the system's aid, it was a tad suspicious that I could wield it so freely without profound belief.
If I used divine power as proof of purity, the moment evidence surfaced that Pleroma could wield it too, everything would crumble.
Just then, Strauchi stroked his chin and nodded as if he'd made up his mind.
"I'll admit, your ability to wield divine power to that degree is surprising. Since there's room for backlash, our first priority is turning you into a well-known Pleroma. Of course, before that…."
Kwaaaang—
A ferocious gust slammed into my face, making it hard to even open my eyes.
I squinted and took in my surroundings.
"…!"
Overlooking the heart of the city—it was the capital's clock tower.
Down in the plaza, crowds of startled people stared up, wondering what was happening.
"Shall I give you one chance?"
"…What…."
"You don't seem fazed no matter how much force we throw at you…."
Strauchi pondered for a moment before finally speaking.
—Such stubbornness and defiance will break even the noblest seat, and in endless agony, justice itself will weary.
A flat voice flowed into my ears, rapid and devoid of inflection.
Nothing seemed to manifest visibly, but instinct told me he hadn't uttered those ridiculous words for no reason—he'd cast a spell on me.
Whether due to the high-altitude winds choking my breath or the hyper-realistic sensations, my heart began to race.
"I wonder if you'd still feel nothing if Nikolaus's identity were revealed right here in the capital's heart. Ready to start listening yet? Wouldn't it be better to end this cleanly before you truly become Pleroma?"
'…No.'
Of course it wasn't real. No need to fall for it.
No visible effects meant mental magic. My excessive agitation was surely its doing.
But what proof did I have it wasn't real?
The fierce wind strangled my airway.
Even trying to breathe, the influx of air refused to sync.
'Damn it, the magic's messing with my head….'
No mind left to weigh options or deduce his likely moves.
'To dispel the magic on me, should I take him out now?'
Not a bad idea.
Even if it meant forgoing more intel.
"Look. Those are Imperial Academy 2 students over there. Being near the school, plenty must've crossed paths with you on the street once or twice. Everyone here came to hear your confession."
Strauchi turned my face toward the railing, pointing outward.
"If you won't talk, how about this? I announce that Nikolaus Ernst is Pleroma myself. I become Schwerin's upright federal assemblyman, and you turn into the Pleroma who deceived the masses… Naturally, all your achievements crumble."
"...."
"This'd be a fine way to shatter Adrian Ascanien's reputation in one blow. Can't control your own family, yet chasing other Pleroma? Ridiculous. Right? You'd have no choice but to step down."
Let's think calmly.
On closer inspection, there were parts that didn't add up for dragging me into the real world.
First, he was shoving someone off the railing from the inaccessible top of the clock tower. This blatant wrongdoing screamed fake—no repercussions.
Second, no mask, so what makes the crowd peg me as Nikolaus? Not even worth mentioning.
Third….
I pushed mana through my fingertips.
Something burst.
Even modulating it carefully, fresh blood trickled anew from the briefly staunched wound.
"This won't mean anything in the end."
Spotting my spell, Strauchi cackled.
I smirked at his laughter.
Third, I can use magic here too.
Earlier, I'd thought, 'That curse draining stamina with every spell is definitely active here.' How could spatial magic carry over?
Meaning this place was Strauchi's creation too.
"…Perfect."
Having come this far and met a Pleroma of this caliber, it'd be a waste to let the opportunity slip.
Right then, a familiar window popped up.
Ding—!
Chapter 4 Special Reward
Is life only once?
Congratulations! The 'Retry' trait has been added!
Retry Lv. 1
— Return to the checkpoint immediately before 〈Chapter 4〉
— 1 use: 2.0 points (0/2)
— 2.0 points to next level
* Owned points: 2.0 points
* 0.15 luck points until next point acquisition
'…Immediate prior checkpoint?'
No clue where that checkpoint was, but it sounded like time reversal.
Magic-era time travel research never ceased, yet no one ever fully succeeded.
Why grant me what no one achieved? Starting to get eerie.
'No, not the time to dwell.'
I'd meant to summon it in a pinch, so its timing here felt off. Giving me this trait now….
'Means I have to use it.'
I'd planned to observe longer, extract more Pleroma intel from Strauchi.
Even ready to bail if danger spiked, yet here it was—meaning there was vital info to grab this time.
Gazing down at the ground, I opened my mouth.
"What's the point?"
"Hm?"
"Pushing me in a fake world—what do you gain?"
"…This isn't the time for games, is it? No idea what makes you think it's fake."
Strauchi probed as if still unsure, seeking confirmation.
He projected ease, but his face wasn't relaxed.
"If it were real, no reason I couldn't use magic."
"...."
Strauchi's smile vanished completely.
'Has to be.'
Earlier, he'd hit me with mental magic.
Dispelling it with mind control meant my level outstripped his. Even sealing mana couldn't change that.
Strauchi replied in an icy tone.
"I get the gist. Your choice, so no blaming others later?"
The space shifted instantly. The wind died; I was in an unfamiliar place I'd never seen.
Clearly religious. Without warning our arrival, hundreds in the chapel stared at Strauchi in confusion.
The priest at the podium spoke cautiously.
"…We're in the middle of mass, Vice-Bishop."
"I know. End today's mass here."
'Vice-Bishop, huh.'
They called him Vice-Bishop, not assemblyman—confirmation we'd crossed into the Pleroma's world.
"Vice-Bishop, we need to know the purpose…."
"Let's start the ordination first."
"Pardon?"
"Sir Nikolaus chose this path himself. No need to delay fulfilling it, right?"
Strauchi gripped my robe tighter, sneering.
At Nikolaus's name, the congregation's eyes changed.
"Vice-Bishop, that means…."
"This is Sir Nikolaus."
Kwaaaang—!
The moment he finished, an attack flew from the podium.
I clutched my bleeding head from smashing into a decorative edge and staggered up.
No—tried to, but someone shoved me with vitriol toward the chapel aisle.
'These bastards….'
"Calm down."
Strauchi folded his arms, grinning idly.
Drew mana again, but stamina issues blocked smooth flow.
'Then… I'll listen, infer, and rewind.'
Everything I heard and deduced here was valuable intel.
Conveniently, the crowd encircling me halted attacks, turning to Strauchi.
I pushed off the floor and stood.
"Everyone. Doesn't this situation mean a great deal to us?"
Strauchi clapped to draw eyes, continuing leisurely.
"I didn't expect this one to penetrate this far. Clearly, this brother's prowess wasn't exaggerated. Right?"
'Penetrated this far… Not rank since I'm no Pleroma. Some places barred by aptitude, then.'
And that determines Pleroma-world hierarchy.
As I scanned the crowd for Strauchi's voice, he went on.
"Yet his inability to use magic here proves our world is sturdily complete. Right? No need to worry about this incident anymore. We'll overcome it as always."
The Pleroma reactions swelled.
'…Using me for propaganda mid-crisis? Surprising, but all intel.'
Recently, something plagued their world, breeding serious unease among Pleroma. Piecing it from seeming irrelevancies showed major turmoil.
'Gotta remember that.'
"And… I understand your anger. But things have order, don't they?"
Strauchi's voice drew nearer.
"Nikolaus penetrating this far also means our vitriol supply explodes exponentially."
Strauchi pushed through to stand before me.
A knife in his hand.
"...."
"Pleroma can't even set foot here. Rebirth here is an honor."
Strauchi slashed my arm, drawing blood, then spoke.
—I can finally say this.
The dripping blood grew viscous, clinging to skin.
Strauchi stabbed his own arm without hesitation, then yanked mine to spill his blood.
"I'll let you admit I made you, at least."
Strauchi took a vial of black liquid from someone, poured it on my wound, and chanted.
—Moment, stop. How beautiful you are!
'…This….'
I'd read this phrasing somewhere before.
But no time for calm thought.
Kwaaaaang—!
"Gah…!"
Just before blacking out, I poured all strength into a mana-charged punch.
Attacking my arm too before vitriol spread—decent move. Skin mangled, but mind intact.
Strauchi lay far off, gasping blood.
"What?!"
"Grab him!"
Some faithful charged. I blocked endless assaults, closing on Strauchi and pinning his shoulder.
"Thanks for the experience."
I wanted to delve deeper for more intel, but….
News spreads, leadership converges instantly. Time to bail—got all I could.
"Guh…."
Strauchi clutched my shoe desperately with both hands.
Feeling vitriol rain on me, I summoned the Retry window and murmured.
"Rewind."
* * *
Kwaaaang—
Eyes scrunched against the high winds.
Mana-born pain vanished clean.
Back.
Surroundings matched what I'd seen.
Strauchi spouted the same lines.
"…Can't control your own family, yet chasing other Pleroma? Ridiculous. Right? No choice but to step down."
"…Ha… haha…."
Live long enough, you experience everything—even nearly becoming Pleroma.
Laughing hard, fresh red splattered the floor.
"What?"
Strauchi stared in confusion, then laughed again.
"Well, well…. Never knew Sir Nikolaus was such a pompous fool."
I chuckled lightly, wiped blood, and snapped my wrist.
Beep—
"Capital clock tower."
"Hm?"
Wind might've muffled it.
Around my brother talk, Strauchi still believed his mental magic held.
Strauchi nodded smugly.
"Still not grasping reality? Speak up if you want this amicable."
"…Sure."
Feeling intense sunlight on my left vision, I scanned the city. Silence brought vivid hair-ruffling winds.
Without the Pleroma capture, this capital vista from on high would've been thrilling.
Gazing groundward, I spoke slowly. One hand seized Strauchi's shoulder.
Kwaaaaaang—!
With the roar, Strauchi's body flew far.
Thud—
Something burst. No idea what.
Blood-mixed vitriol sprayed slow-motion.
Strauchi, crashed against opposite railing, sprawled vomiting blood from his gut.
I tilted my head, resetting senses, and approached.
"…Cough…."
He'd risen somehow, stabbing my arm with his knife.
"Won't… work."
—I can finally say this. Stop, truly….
Trying to Pleroma-fy me again—his wrist already self-slashed, bloodied. I clamped it tight.
"Aaaaagh! Sp, spare…."
"Spare you?"
Strauchi gawked blankly, torso heaving. Blood poured from his mouth.
Sticking to this method to the end confirmed: turning someone Pleroma let free control. His most rational play now.
I stared straight at his face.
"Why would I kill you."
"…Then…."
"Gotta repay what you did to me first."
Smiling into Strauchi's eyes.
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