Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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Honestly, it was a dirty trick.
Impersonating the dead didn't sit right with me. No, could words that light even capture it fully?
But I didn't regret it.
'Bishops really are on another level.'
Incredibly, he was still clinging to his sanity, however faintly. If guys like this were bishops, then Strauchi truly had been a cut below.
At that moment, he forced his mouth open. The stench of blood hit again.
"...You must climb higher."
Whether he couldn't bear to lose Strauchi's memories or not, he desperately tried to push back against my manipulation magic.
"You caught on quick that I was planning to wipe them all out while I was at it."
"Hahaha..."
Of course, that left his next memory wide open. I pressed my forehead hard, relentlessly recalling the memory I wanted to erase.
'Let's think fast.'
Now that I'd seized the advantage, how should I deal with him?
First option: Cast enslavement magic.
But enslavement relied on a connection. Linking with someone hell-bent on revenge would just let him use me for his own ends.
Second: Attack the core right now.
'That's tempting.'
But my instincts screamed no.
I needed to dig deeper.
Striking the core meant diverting that much power from mental magic.
It was true he couldn't overcome my spell, but if he had the mental fortitude to hold out this long—over thirty seconds of delay—then easing up could let him reset everything.
So, hit him another way.
"Who made the Osnabrück clergy lose their memories?"
"Your doing, regrettably."
"No."
Ainsidel's unfocused eyes slowly turned toward me.
"We have to be clear on the facts. Who from outside could possibly storm in here? Even Nicolaus would struggle, so logically, it had to be a rival diocese on bad terms with you. The Pleroma diocese, whose dual-space magic you'd lose access to if shared."
"...Hahaha! This... makes me fear waking up even more..."
Even as his eyes drooped shut, he burst into laughter.
He grasped the situation fast.
Similar to what Narke had pulled earlier. I'd been surprised then, but sowing internal strife would surely damage his honor and Pleroma's forces.
I twisted my lips and shoved divine power forward. Then continued slowly.
—The gate that leads to destruction is wide, and the road is broad, so many enter through it...
"Good... Climb so high no one dares challenge you. Then, next time we meet, prove to me that Bern didn't die like a dog."
He muttered in a cracking voice. Cornered to the end, his breathing slowed.
I didn't answer and blasted mana forth.
—The gate that leads to life is narrow, and the road is constricted, so few find it.
As focus vanished completely from his eyes, the space magic he'd deployed dispersed.
'He held out a long time.'
Maybe because I'd overtaxed myself pushing against Luca's weak mental resistance—my vision spun.
I'd have to reference this for future encounters with Pleroma bishops.
Now before me lay the scene I'd last seen after knocking out the clergy.
Lichtofen had returned unnoticed and was spinning space magic outside the cathedral.
And...
Leo and Narke looked down at me.
"Success."
Narke extended a hand.
Grabbing it, gentle divine power flowed in.
I felt my drained strength slowly refill. The stabbing pain in my fingers, which had felt like they'd snap, was gone.
I stood right up.
"Yeah, it's over."
It was. Just implant the fake memories I'd planted in Ainsidel into the small fry here, and done.
I recited the same command as before, slammed my staff into the ground, and released divine power.
Having truly exhausted every ounce of mental strength, my vision went black for a moment.
"..."
I'd better raise my value fast, or I'm done.
As I thought that, Leo pressed his wand to my shoulder and activated healing magic.
[Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.]
"Ah, thanks."
"No problem."
I waited silently for the healing to seep in, then nodded at Lichtofen.
"Let's go. Lead the way."
Lichtofen nodded and tapped his ear.
Then he led us to that same cathedral from when I'd first fallen into the Pleroma world.
"Mr. Ascanien."
"Yes."
"You should wear a mask from here on."
Others waiting upon arrival, then.
I recited a transformation spell to conjure a mask.
Once ready, he stood in the empty cathedral's center and struck the floor with his staff.
Boom—!
Squinting against the golden mana, the Catacombs council appeared.
Unlike before, black-robed figures surrounded the table.
"You're here."
Eberhardt, seated alone, snapped his fingers.
The faint mana around us vanished cleanly.
He'd been bridging Lichtofen between the Pleroma world and the Catacombs until now.
Lichtofen raised his wand the instant he saw him.
"..."
"The Catacombs can't stand by while you join hands with Pleroma."
Eberhardt stared silently at his glass.
"I know the chairperson's concerns and goals. I know you don't align with Pleroma. But you're not the Catacombs' absolute monarch."
"..."
"You should have openly persuaded the Catacombs' citizens before making this decision."
"No one would easily accept a plan to acquire Vitriol."
"No, you should have done it anyway. That's the seat you're in. If you lacked the confidence to sway the public, you shouldn't have chosen it. Do you still not understand that?"
From a noble's mouth—surprisingly pointed.
In the short time I'd observed, Lichtofen was accustomed to noble life but no noble sympathizer.
Eberhardt didn't reply, just nodded slowly. No agitation on his face. Just calm, as if he'd anticipated this.
Strength entered Lichtofen's voice.
"We don't want a leader who decides matters of dignity and life on personal whim."
His firm voice echoed through the chamber.
Eberhardt didn't respond. Instead, he sipped his wine, then set the glass aside, propped his elbows on the desk, and extended both hands.
"..."
Lichtofen's lips clamped shut hard.
Two vigilantes by the chair fastened restraints on his hands.
Silence reigned.
Even as the Catacombs' enemy accepted voluntary removal from chairmanship, no one spoke.
'It has to be that way.'
If Eberhardt were truly a Pleroma spy selling out the Catacombs, this reaction wouldn't have happened.
His methods were deeply flawed, but his intent to 'resist the Empire slaughtering commoner mages' aligned with them all—no denying it.
Lichtofen silently lowered his wand and stood quiet for a long while.
Then he turned to me.
"Lord Nicolaus."
"..."
Meaning, pronounce judgment on Robert Mueller.
After all, he and the vigilante captain had tried to kill me.
But dragging him to the surface for imperial law...
That would ruin a perfectly good meal.
I spoke quietly.
"If we separated you as part of the Catacombs and handed you to the Emperor, you'd die."
"..."
"But we can't. It'd fulfill His Majesty's desire to paint the Catacombs as another evil like Pleroma."
Eberhardt listened without reaction.
"Your decision was a shortsighted blunder."
"..."
"But that's from a third party's view. I'm not the one threatened with survival, and unlike you, I can step back and survey it all. Even if Pleroma grows stronger, saving the organization now meant future years didn't matter to you."
I continued to the still-composed Eberhardt.
"So, I understand why you tried to kill me. I won't hand you to the surface. Face punishment by this place's laws."
At "understand," Narke and Leo's gazes turned to me.
Eberhardt finally nodded.
No apology came, though.
Good. That was his intent too.
"From this moment, per decree, Ange Draher vice-chair will assume Catacombs National Assembly chairmanship. Escort him."
At Lichtofen's words, vigilantes grabbed Eberhardt's arms and warped away.
He ordered the remaining vigilantes back to the plaza, then turned to us.
"I should slip away soon. Might get removed myself."
His expression still grim, but cracking a joke eased my mind a bit.
Leo asked.
"Did Elias wake?"
"Of course. My men were here for His Highness Elias. Or rather, thanks to him."
"Thanks to?"
"After His Highness collapsed, the defense forces pushed Marian Baum forward. Figured she'd rage at you all. But... you'd already told Teacher Baum everything."
"We did."
"She knew it all and brought you anyway. Obvious to anyone it wasn't you."
"..."
"Then vigilantes spilled blood, showed Vitriol as proof. Chaos erupted once the captain was subdued, but it snowballed worse."
Makes sense.
Views on Pleroma were the same here or on the surface.
"So, now?"
"Once His Highness woke and persuaded the defense forces, both remaining vigilantes and defense turned from the captain and chair."
Persuaded the defense forces?
No such scene in the novel—hard to imagine.
Wish I'd seen it myself.
Pushing that aside, I asked after him.
"Good to hear. How's his condition?"
"No need to worry. Back to normal."
Leaving the assembly hall, Lichtofen warped us to the plaza.
"...!"
In the plaza's center loomed space magic like Lichtofen's earlier. An empty chamber showed.
Staring at the massive projection, I let out a hollow laugh.
"No way, again..."
"Yes. Everything we said transmitted here. Nothing regrettable, right? Forgiving the chair needed broadcasting, not hiding."
Transmitting without warning again.
Grateful, though.
No need to repeat myself.
I scanned the plaza.
No speakers, no broadcasts via space magic, yet people waited orderly. Best spot for news, apparently.
Lichtofen eyed the podium and asked.
"Last words?"
"Yes."
Mountains of issues left, but no more time here.
We came only for Pleroma and Robert Mueller.
No intent to meddle—theirs; wrap up and go.
I ascended the podium where Elias stood.
True to position, Elias bowed formally without play, stepping back.
Instantly, public eyes fixed on me; space magic projected my image.
"..."
Who set this up?
Never said a speech, but prep was done.
I cast amplification magic and spoke.
"Greetings. Nicolaus Ernst."
"..."
Surveying the deathly quiet plaza, I continued calmly.
"I know this isn't the situation for greetings. I know a noble like me shouldn't be here. I'll leave immediately after."
I lightly invoked divine power and spoke again.
"I apologize to you all for today's events and make this promise. The moment nobles like us set foot here, your sole safe world turned perilous—I know that. From the surface or here, we've infringed on freedoms and rights you deserve. Deepest apologies."
"..."
"First, we who entered today will never interfere in Catacombs politics henceforth."
No intent to breach their independence.
"Second, we came on His Majesty's order to 'check Catacombs due to suspected Pleroma ties,' but to defy that order. Thus, today's events stay secret from him, come what may."
Defy to come—slight stir rippled through the quiet crowd.
"You may think noble intervention steals your sovereignty. The vigilante captain surely told His Highness Elias as much."
Can't let them feel indebted to us nobles. Harms their identity, our future ties.
"Today we severed Pleroma ties, voided contracts, removed all transferred tech. But without your will, impossible. We can't claim your achievements as ours."
I continued calmly to the silent crowd.
"Nor is your surfaced life-stripped plight yours to bear. Empire nobles sowed and nurtured it. Not infringing sovereignty—clarifying responsibility."
"..."
"So... shamelessly, I ask: If you must ally against His Majesty, choose us over Pleroma."
Still, the plaza stayed quiet.
Blank expressions flickered on some faces.
Not words for big reactions anyway.
Just not seeing us as enemies—enough.
"Speaking it, it might sound fabricated."
I spun my wand into staff-form, slammed it down.
KABOOM—!
Night here, yet it blazed like dawn.
"I promise. This resolve holds till my last breath."
Covenant magic condition.
Break it, and it'd drain my life-force—but won't happen.
Not this era's noble but modern man, I can't bond with nobles massacring via system for power.
Recalling the Latin scripture, I said.
—These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace.
Divine power's fierce wind muffled the plaza's startled voices.
Imperial tongue scriptures were prime discrimination against commoner mages. Long before death penalties, Empire banned them strictly. Imperial spells unfit here.
Unlike other divine magics, light didn't just illuminate—it climbed my body. Feeling divine power squeeze my core, I continued.
—In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world!
Staff lifted from ground, final light burst, blinding vision.
Before my eyes, stark white text appeared.
Ding—!
Chapter 5 Guidance
New support base.
Check your survival odds.