Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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At that moment, the surrounding images went dark.
The unfamiliar voices, presumed to be in Korean, no longer reached my ears.
Richthofen smacked his lips and said,
“What a shame. I wanted to figure out where that was.”
“How do you talk about a place you don’t know?”
“…….”
Elias and Leo looked at me with confused eyes.
Still, they didn’t seem to think that place existed in reality.
They had to believe that.
I couldn’t be sure if my friends would accept the truth or treat me the same way if they knew.
Especially Leo. Our relationship had started with Luca’s mana.
Given Leo’s personality, if he learned ‘Luca’ wasn’t really Luca…
‘No.’
No need to imagine it.
Even if biting my tongue and heading to the afterlife right now was an option, I wouldn’t say it myself. I couldn’t let everything crumble after coming this far.
“Fine. Even if we skip it, we still get a conclusion, right? You’ll still answer. It’s not champagne if you take out the bubbles, after all.”
He was beating around the bush about it being pretty strong. It definitely didn’t sit well.
Unlike my original self, Luca wasn’t hardened against alcohol, so there was no helping it.
“Let’s get on with it.”
“This is independent play, and you’re awfully confident.”
“When did I say I didn’t know?”
Whatever came up, I had to push through quickly to get to his turn. As I snapped back, he laughed and tapped the table.
The light was so harsh it stung my eyes, making me wince reflexively.
It didn’t take long to adjust to the brightness.
Cameras and all sorts of audio equipment were scattered around.
‘…Sigh.’
Of course, it was obvious whose memory this was.
I’d expected a 25% chance might bring it back someday, but no matter how many times it resurfaced, I never got used to it.
“Not intentional, but quite the coincidence. So, anyone have a question?”
Elias and Leo turned to me. Honestly, I didn’t even have the bandwidth to read their expressions anymore.
“Guess not. Mr. Ascanien, does this have any connection to activities protecting against Pleroma?”
“Isn’t this an obvious indirect question?”
Elias and Richthofen’s voices buzzed and blurred in my ears.
At that moment, someone nudged my shoe.
Leo looked at me, gave a faint smile, then turned back to Richthofen.
‘…Right.’
I needed to pull myself together.
I’d been surprised because I hadn’t expected it to mess with my mind—just some silly game—but to win, I had to regain my composure.
“The criteria are vague, but it’s not something like ‘how did it feel to catch Strauch,’ so it should be fine, right?”
In truth, I could have just said ‘no connection’ to his question without issue.
As far as I knew, there was no link between me in reality and Nikolaus Ernst.
But this was no different from poker.
If I answered honestly every time…
‘Later, downing a glass would count as accepting the question.’
But lying could lead to who-knows-what consequences.
We both had things to gain from each other, so they wouldn’t leave it to conscience alone.
So the path I chose was this.
Keep drinking until luck turned.
I downed the liquor in my glass and said,
“Pass.”
He nodded without hesitation and slammed the wand on the desk again.
It was some unknown place. Under a small bridge caked in filthy mud, scrawny kids about elementary school age sat around.
A fishy stench hung in the air, like something rotting.
‘…Elias’s memory?’
But Elias was just staring at Richthofen.
“Ah, my turn now. Anyone have a question?”
Elias started to say something but glanced at me.
‘Where are you from?’ It was a curious question.
But unlike the curiosity, it was low priority.
I gave Elias a nod and said to Richthofen,
“Why drag it out?”
“…Isn’t it fun? Way better than just hitting and talking.”
He said that and downed his drink in one go. The images vanished again.
I let out a light chuckle.
“Boldly lying.”
“…….”
They must have set it up so they took damage if they said something they themselves considered a lie.
If it were true, he wouldn’t have needed to drink.
For the first time, I sensed agitation from Richthofen. His eyes darted around involuntarily, as if scanning somewhere, before fixing back on us.
“Is Sir Nikolaus that Narke Farnese fellow? Mr. Ascanien, you’re not giving any proper answers.”
He snapped his fingers lightly.
“…!”
At that instant, Elias’s eyes widened, and he clutched his throat. His body went limp at the same time.
Elias collapsed sideways.
Thud—!
The chair hit the floor first.
I caught Elias with mana before he hit the ground. But moments later, his form vanished from atop my mana.
“What the…!”
Crash—!
Leo hurled his glass and grabbed Richthofen’s collar. Narke’s illusory face twisted in fury.
It was the most impulsive thing I’d seen from him yet.
“You…!”
“Looks like you’re Nikolaus after all. Protecting your partner like that…”
Richthofen shook his head with a laugh.
“Attacks don’t work, I told you. Never seen double-space magic like this outside the catacombs, so maybe you’re out of practice.”
“What did you do.”
Blue mana sparked from Leo’s hand.
Richthofen shrugged.
“Truth is, Elias Hoenholern’s identity is clear enough without the game. No need for him to join.”
He looked back and forth between me and Leo.
“You lack desperation. Time to change that. Any last words?”
In this situation… should I ask if Robert Mueller is above you?
No, too obvious.
I needed a more important question.
“Give a proper order. Not some vague ‘find out who Nikolaus Ernst is.’”
“…….”
He smirked at me.
Then, after a long pause, he said,
“‘Capture Nikolaus alive and kill the other two.’ Satisfied?”
“…….”
If Nikolaus was the target, his companions were meaningless alive.
Now he held Elias’s life to force the order revealing Nikolaus’s identity.
‘…I get it now.’
From their plan to Richthofen’s scheme.
The puzzle pieces that never quite fit before all snapped into place.
I understood why he’d proposed the game to stall, and that he’d keep dragging it out like this.
If my guess was right, his plan was better than I’d thought.
Smooth enough that it felt impossible for things to go this well.
* * *
‘He’s stalling for time.’
That’s what Lucas had said earlier.
Leo clutched his head and closed his eyes.
‘He’s really dragging it out.’
The game had changed.
Richthofen was out of his seat now.
He’d promised to reveal Nikolaus Ernst’s identity without guilt.
‘He said to read the memories directly.’
At first, it sounded absurd, but after taking the drug as suggested and confirming, he clearly understood what they wanted.
Maybe it was just his own assumption, but it definitely wasn’t a memory Lucas would enjoy reading.
Leo glared at the liquid in front of him, tempted to snap the glass stem.
Another dose inside… to convert mana to vitriol.
It hadn’t manifested in him yet, but he suspected the plan was to turn one of them into Pleroma and expose them.
Just then, Lucas, who’d woken from the drug around the same time as Leo, muttered,
“Good strategy. Split the enemy and win without dirtying your hands. Once you see to the bottom, betrayal’s inevitable.”
“…Lucas.”
“What.”
Leo exhaled sharply without a word.
Was now the time for analysis?
Lucas must have read a memory that felt off to him too.
Yet he was following along.
From his earlier comment about stalling, it seemed he’d grasped their plan.
‘Well, with Elias as a hostage, he has no choice…’
He was definitely drunk.
He wasn’t much of a drinker usually, so it hit harder.
[Waited long enough? This game or a new one? Your choice.]
Lucas pressed his forehead with his fingers as his vision spun and opened his mouth.
“What’s the new one.”
[Spoilers ruin the fun. Leave it to luck.]
Lucas smirked.
Leo knew exactly what he was thinking.
Obvious.
Offering two choices without info on the new one was basically saying don’t pick it.
Who’d jump into a game blind?
Especially after past experience showed it could lead to bigger risks.
But flip it around: Richthofen had a clear advantage in the current game.
So, despite the risk…
“…New one, Lucas. You don’t look right.”
Lucas rolled his eyes up at Leo.
Then he stared into the empty air where Richthofen’s voice had come from and murmured quietly,
“Let’s stick with this one.”
“You…! What are you saying!”
Lucas dropped the hand from his forehead and slowly curled his lips into a smile.
“No need for new risks. And right now, I think he’s telling the truth straight.”
“…….”
Leo just furrowed his brow silently.
He had a point.
But some people stay articulate even drunk. Thinking’s another story.
Lucas’s cognition might not be at full capacity.
‘But…’
So far, every time he acted like this, there’d been a reason.
That’s why Leo couldn’t speak up.
Meanwhile, Lucas continued.
“I pick the master. After playing along this much, you can let me have my favorite, right?”
[Whatever.]
“Whiskey sour’s doable, yeah? Brandy sour works too.”
[They bring whatever you order. Go wild.]
“Not into limes, so skip ’em. Don’t skimp on the garnish—make it look proper.”
Lucas tacked on pointless orders.
‘He’s wasted…’
Leo suppressed a hollow laugh.
Telling a sour cocktail to skip lime meant lemon instead, but why not just say lemon upfront?
Surely no deeper scheme here.
Two whiskey sours appeared on the table soon after, lemon slices as garnish.
No voices instructed it—method was obvious, no need for them to chime in.
“Lucas.”
“No, sorry, that won’t work.”
He hadn’t even finished speaking?
Leo bit his lip hard.
“…Sorry, but I really can’t yield on this.”
“I get it. Whatever trick they pulled, your dose will have me in it.”
“Yeah, it did. That’s why I’m saying—”
“No hard feelings. Don’t trust me?”
“Yeah.”
At the blunt distrust, Lucas waited quietly for Leo to continue.
Leo knew it was the worst thing to say here.
“…Not you exactly. I don’t trust people.”
“Say it.”
“You don’t know someone till you’ve been through it. Even if you say you’ll treat me the same, seeing the past again might change your mind. Leaving time in the past versus replaying it now—they’re different.”
“…….”
“Sorry. I don’t want to drift apart.”
Lucas stared at Leo, then just shrugged.
“Won’t happen. I got close knowing it all. Didn’t you know?”
“Is that true? Or just me thinking that?”
“…Of course…! What’re you saying now.”
“Then trust me.”
“…….”
“I’ll show you trusting isn’t so bad.”
Leo watched Lucas laugh leisurely.
He couldn’t pinpoint where that smile and confidence came from.
From his words, he knew last year’s memories would be read…
Maybe just drunken rambling. Might need an Elias-style head smack.
But for some reason, the words wouldn’t come.
“Thanks.”
Lucas caught his expression and smiled faintly as he took his glass.
He plucked the lemon from his glass, examined it, then popped it straight into his mouth.
Then he shoved his glass off the table.
Crash—
“…!”
“Sorry. Not like this—I'll tell you myself later.”
Leo gaped in shock, speechless.
“Hey, what the hell did you just eat….”
“It’s not inedible.”
“No, I know that!”
Seeing him eat a raw lemon garnish shattered any faith in his state.
Lucas silently plucked a lemon slice from his glass and examined it.
“Ever tried lemon?”
“Like I haven’t.”
For an instant, cool freshness filled his lungs like a breeze.
So fleeting, he couldn’t tell if it was real.
Lucas thrust the lemon right under his nose.
“Eat it. Tastes good.”
“…You held it.”
“Ugh… picky. It’s clean.”
“No, germs, common sense.”
“…….”
Lucas’s look screamed ‘what a weirdo,’ making Leo avert his eyes despite himself.
“Fine, I’ll eat…. But why this?”
“To soften the shock. Eat then chug. I’ll down mine too.”
No clue what he was thinking.
Maybe slap him sober for real.
But what could you expect from a drunk?
Soon Lucas would read his memories, sober up, and stop pranking easily.
Didn’t get it, but no desperate reason to refuse.
Leo chewed a garnish for the first time ever and sipped the cocktail.
* * *
Drip—
A drop of rainwater fell.
At the edge of the public training hall, yesterday’s rain leaked from the unrepaired ceiling.
“Wanna go back to the dorm.”
“Damn school never rests.”
Friends’ voices drifted over.
Just like a year ago, I sat in the center of the tiered seats, listening to their trivial chatter.
‘Lucas…!’
I wanted to turn, but couldn’t.
My body wouldn’t obey, like it wasn’t mine.
Then, a small commotion started from behind.
“Did it really eat a rat?”
“No way? If true… fuck….”
Only then did my head turn back. Friends did too.
A short question slipped from my mouth.
“What is it?”