Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family (150)
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The moment our eyes met was but an instant.
Leo immediately started picking up the papers scattered on the floor.
In the meantime, I went down to the second-floor hallway of the main building with the other students.
Lost item notices were fluttering everywhere outside the window.
*What the hell is this crazy situation?*
Who was scattering papers in real time?
Whether flyers had been distributed to other buildings too, students kept warping to the second floor of the main building nonstop.
I pushed my way through the bustling crowd.
“Excuse me.”
“Ah! Why are you shoving….”
The students who had been snapping irritably fell silent and stepped aside upon seeing my face.
Times like this made the prestige of being seen as a Pleroma quite useful.
I made it through the crowd to the bulletin board, where a postcard and a single photo were pinned to the wall.
[To His Highness Duke Elias Hohenzollern of Prussia]
A familiar name had been typed out.
The edges of the paper were frayed, as if students had already flipped it over to peek at the back.
[We will escort you there without wasting a moment, no matter what it is.]
*This…*
It was an appeal letter.
People always said stuff like this right before their social lives ended.
In other words, it was a phrase commonly used by those seeking favors. I was familiar with it because countless ones had flown Nicholas’s way.
I read the red letters scrawled at the bottom.
[Primrose Path]
*…Hmm.*
That was the problem.
It was in a foreign language, but a familiar idiom.
There was only one place in the Empire that used this term as a street name.
No sender or detailed address was listed, but this street had recently become famous in the Empire for its entertainment businesses.
And like all such places, they claimed to follow the law but always danced on the edge of illegality.
I flipped the postcard over again and checked the photo attached below it.
It showed someone wearing a half-mask, with nearly platinum blond hair tied back.
It had been taken with an artifact rather than a regular camera, so the colors were preserved perfectly.
Aside from the fact that Elias never usually tied his hair, the rest matched him perfectly.
Surely I’d thought earlier that the idea of “making him withdraw from the team on his own” was a hypothesis that had gone too far?
No.
*It was spot on.*
The one who had scattered papers around the school was someone from Elias’s team, and that person had a weakness on Elias.
They’d been planning to get him expelled from the start.
No, if it ended with expulsion, that’d be lucky.
For students at the Imperial 2nd Educational Institute—not ordinary students—this kind of scandal was tied directly to their political lifeline.
Especially, it was great news for the Emperor, who was looking for solid grounds to boot Elias out.
*Since he’s about to get kicked out anyway, leaving him out of practice is no issue.*
At that moment, one set of footsteps silenced the surroundings like a graveyard.
“Aha.”
Elias had appeared beside me at some point, murmuring coldly.
“So this was your plan to chase me out?”
The other students’ gazes had already turned entirely to Elias.
Elias snorted and turned around.
“Believe me?”
“…….”
Whether they did or not, the students’ eyes weren’t particularly friendly toward Elias.
And why would they believe the school’s biggest troublemaker? With a photo to boot, even less so.
*The problem is that the photo ultimately doesn’t show much.*
The half-mask obscured the face, and the hood pulled low meant only that the hair was nearly white was identifiable.
But it was enough to add realism to the students’ imaginations.
“Guys, common sense—does it make sense to send mail like this into the school?”
“…….”
No one opened their mouth.
Frustrated, Elias ruffled his hair wildly and tore the postcard and photo from the bulletin board.
Without erasing his smile, he lowered his voice.
“Nothing to see here, so scram.”
*Hmm.*
That was his usual speech pattern.
It was the kind usually given to villains, but whatever. From Elias’s position now, the students couldn’t look good to him.
Elias vanished from the spot immediately.
Fortunately, the students weren’t unfamiliar with Elias speaking this way, so instead of calling out his tone, they started whispering among themselves about the postcard.
*I should go.*
I turned to leave right then. And in that instant, I froze in silent shock.
The club president was right in front of my nose.
“…Junior… so you were here.”
The wreck was here again.
His complexion made him look just like Adelbert a few days ago.
Out of courtesy, I smiled and replied.
“Yes. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
As I tried to slip past, the president quickly blocked my path.
“Wait… just a real quick moment, do you have time?”
* * *
No way.
I had to go console Elias; no time for this.
Surprisingly, Elias was in my room. He was sprawled face-down on my bed as usual.
“Your bed’s all mine now.”
Come to think of it, this guy always lay down whenever he saw a spot.
I recalled how, after drinking Adelbert’s liquor before, he’d flopped straight onto the floor.
I sat on the floor, looking at Elias, who was just blinking blankly.
Elias pulled down the blanket and muttered.
“Why’d you take so long? I need someone to whine to.”
“I got here in one minute.”
Saying that, I snatched the crumpled postcard and photo from Elias’s hand.
*Hmm.*
Typed to hide the handwriting.
Postcards usually didn’t have much space, so most were handwritten simply.
Just then, Leo and Narke warped into my room.
*Natural.*
Naturally trespassing into someone else’s room.
There was a great space in the student council basement, but ever since I started using magic at school, my friends always came here.
*Shouldn’t have given them the exact coordinates.*
Anyway, time to say what I needed to.
I spoke to Elias, who was just blinking.
“You’ve been to Primrose Path, right, Eli?”
“…….”
Elias’s eyes shook violently. Leo, catching the moment, grabbed his shoulders firmly.
“Hey, no way you….”
“Elias. That’s the gambling den you went to, right? Am I wrong?”
Elias flinched.
“…Yeah. But I’m innocent. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You put money on it, didn’t you?!”
“It wasn’t just betting! I had safety measures. And I dyed my hair black every time!”
“Yeah, that photo’s definitely not you.”
I said that while gesturing for Leo and Elias to calm down.
From the fact that the letter from Primrose Path was a solicitation as a survival strategy, it was already clear why Elias considered himself aboveboard.
Leo was just pressing in case, but he’d grasped the whole situation too.
Then Leo clutched his forehead.
“…Wait, black hair? Who dyed it for you?”
“Narke.”
“…!”
Leo turned around with a twisted glare.
Narke was just grinning away.
Elias threw off the blanket and sat up.
“To reiterate, that photo isn’t me.”
“Got proof to refute it? I don’t think you’d move without a plan. Disciplinary committee’s opening soon, so spill now.”
At Leo’s words, Elias’s eyes lit up as he jerked his head up.
“Yeah, I do.”
“What is it? Tell us now.”
Elias stayed silent for a long time, then suddenly said something out of left field.
“Guys. I have a way.”
“…?”
A way…?
Leo and Narke’s eyes met mine for a split second.
Could we trust this guy’s idea of a “way”?
*No. Lately, he’s been more sensible than expected.*
Maybe it was surprisingly good.
While I thought that, Leo cautiously asked.
“What way?”
“What else? Send them packing and get myself qualified alone.”
“No, what do you mean by that?”
“I can’t fail, guys. Ah~ they’re practically shoving the spoon in my mouth.”
Elias’s eyes widened as he grinned and jumped up.
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Elias said “let’s go” then warped out of school alone and came right back.
“They’ll open the disciplinary committee first.”
Elias said calmly as he walked out of the dorm.
No matter how much we pressed, Elias wouldn’t give a straight answer, so Leo mobilized the student council to collect all the flyers scattered across school.
“I welcome it if they open one. It’s not true, obviously. I have all the proof to refute it.”
“Yeah. They’ll end up shooting themselves in the foot. Earlier, all your team’s Class 1-A students got meetings scheduled with the professor.”
“Oh, really?”
Leo had taken the training footage straight to the magic department professors. Naturally, none were pleased.
*Of course, since they’re set on expelling Elias, it won’t faze them.*
“Perfect~ But those guys aren’t the type to settle for meetings. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, guys like that probably won’t.”
Always picking up the thug habits so well….
Elias muttered.
“I’m so grateful I don’t know what to do. When you walk the straight path, the world screws you over—guess this is it.”
“Didn’t say that.”
“Anyway, I’m innocent, so attacking me like this? I welcome it. Right? They’ll end up hoisted by their own petard.”
“Yeah.”
“No, the more I think, the more ridiculous. Slandering me like that? Do I look that corrupt? If they were pro-emperor guys, maybe….”
I clamped Elias’s mouth shut.
Saying that in this Emperor-backed school? Now that I looked, Elias’s eyes seemed a bit unhinged.
I headed to the magic department lecture building with Elias.
Word had already spread school-wide, so our class professor had summoned Elias.
We were supposed to go to the professor’s lab building where his office was, but Elias wanted to see Team 8’s students first, so we came here.
*The professor’s probably thinking disciplinary committee for Elias, but whatever….*
The ones who deserved discipline were the opposite side, so we could take it slow.
Class 1-A guys had no clue, but we had alibis.
“Protecting your friend even after seeing him go in there? You still wanna call him a friend?”
Just as we climbed the stairs, a voice rang out. Class 1-A guy.
Leo replied calmly.
“Even if you yap here, the student council can’t ignore over five hundred unauthorized flyers distributed.”
“So, what’s the student council gonna do? Expel someone?”
Leo ignored him and continued.
“Not done talking. If you knew it was lost property, you could’ve just given it to Elias. Why didn’t you?”
“I was really just trying to return lost property.”
“Who knows. Maybe you faked the letter just to stir drama.”
“Haha… You’re Class 1-B rep, so you’re defending your class? Student council spreading baseless rumors like this?”
One of our class friends stepped forward, frowning.
“Hey. Cut it out?”
“Student council can pay a fine or whatever. Fine? I got nothing on him. I just picked up lost property to return it.”
At that, Elias, watching from the back door, said lowly.
“Nothing to say?”
The classroom went silent in an instant.
The Class 1-A student finally spotted Elias, panicked briefly, then nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Hey.”
Elias advanced threateningly on the student.
The student flinched but held his ground, pride intact.
Fear was in his eyes, but the mocking “go ahead” sneer was stronger.
Elias shoved his face right up to the student’s nose and curled his lip.
“Wanna die?”
“…….”
At the utterly undignified words, Leo started biting his lip. His face was darkening visibly.
“That’s why you’ve been moving without me? So where’d I go?”
“What, it’s in the letter there.”
“Why would I? What for?”
“What else? What you do there’s obvious.”
“Ah, so what is it~?”
“Don’t change the subject. Everyone knows but you. No, you know too. You went there.”
Despite Elias’s fearsome expression, the Class 1-A student snorted leisurely.
*Definitely not ordinary.*
Meeting a guy like that in a group project—Elias must’ve been exhausted.
From the start, thinking “he’ll get expelled anyway, so exclude him from practice” was ruthless.
Whether they knew he’d be expelled and excluded him, or luckily found evidence while excluding—no, either way, openly sidelining him wasn’t normal brainpower.
*Guys like this won’t flinch even in a disciplinary committee.*
They probably enjoyed ostracizing people.
Using terms like “lost property” to dodge responsibility from the start—he’d clearly brush off even a committee with “oops~”.
His sly actions piled up seeming punishable offenses, but individually, none stuck hard. He knew that when starting this.
*Problem.*
Even with a committee, their team cohesion wouldn’t recover.
We still had to take the second exam with Class 1-A guys, and Elias—whose image was hit, and justifiably so—would bear all the damage.
Elias had boasted earlier about a “way to send them packing and pass alone.”
In this situation, doubtful. They wouldn’t fall easily like Hans or Philip to a duel provocation.
Then, Elias burst out laughing.
“Ah~ you little shit. Won’t talk, huh.”
“What.”
The student scowled, annoyed.
“Should I tell you?”
“Tell me what.”
Elias slung an arm over the guy’s shoulder.
“I thought about it, and you seem pretty curious. Right?”
Elias dug in his pocket and pulled out the postcard I’d returned earlier.
“Spreading crap like this school-wide. Huh?”
“Hey, you really went?! School finds out, it’s expulsion, Elias!”
Our class friend asked with a “are you insane?” face.
The Class 1-A guy shoved Elias’s arm off and sneered.
“See? Admitting it himself.”
“No, think about it. Why make five hundred flyers for something so big? Be honest….”
Elias grinned and continued.
“You wanted to go yourself. Right?”
“What?”
“Hmm….”
The last sound came from around me.
At Elias’s leap, Leo frowned and tilted his head.
“Nothing special, but if you’re that curious, looking into it ain’t bad. So, what’ll you do?”
“Do wha….”
Elias pressed his robe brooch firmly, removing the pin.
The student’s smirk vanished watching Elias. Doubt crept into everyone’s expressions.
“Asking if I should tell you. Mouth shut now?”
“No, what are you even gonna tell me? Speak clearly….”
The instant the Class 1-A student replied coldly, Elias threw off his robe and shrugged out of his jacket.
“…?!”
The student froze with the most baffled look imaginable.
Elias tossed his tie next and literally ripped his shirt open.
“Since you’re blabbing everywhere, seems you’re dying to know—so I’ll show you what I learned there.”
“No, that’s not what I….”
As Elias’s hand went to his belt, the student visibly panicked and backed away.
*What the hell now?*
And learned what? Why admit it?
Wondering if I was the only shocked one, I looked around.
Naturally, everyone wore the same expression as me.
The student glanced at the surrounding students, unable to grasp the situation.
Realizing they all got the same idea, he froze solid.
“I’ll show yoooou!”
“No, what are you talking about?!”
Yelling that, the student spun and bolted at full speed.
While I was frozen, Leo snapped to and chased them.
“Hey! What the hell?! Hold up!”
As expected of Elias’s childhood friend—reaction speed like he’d seen this often.
“Why run?! I’m telling you! With the effort for five hundred flyers, you could’ve just asked me directly, huh?”
I’d momentarily forgotten why Elias was treated like a delinquent.
I hadn’t consciously recalled how, on his first day transferring to Class 1-B, he’d tied up a first-year he’d just met in the lobby.
How had I forgotten that intense first impression?
*No, not the time.*
I started running after them.
Fortunately, a few students were chasing too, so it wouldn’t look weird.
But they were fast like possessed. One seemed sped by mortal terror, the other just naturally so.
No matter how long we ran, they didn’t stop.
Elias’s yell echoed from afar.
“Hey!”
“No, aaaaah! Stay away!”
“You go home too! I’ll take responsibility and make it vacation for you!”
Expulsion?
Anyway, Elias had dropped his act. His true colors emerged. Maybe we could catch them.
As I sighed in relief momentarily, our class professor emerged from the first-year magic department door in the distance.
“Hmm?!”
Seeing the uncontrolled Class 1-A guy and Elias, panic spread across the professor’s face.
* * *
*Charging in with total intimidation like this.*
The activity of crushing spirits by competing over who’s crazier was a success.
Insane as it was, Elias’s choice wasn’t bad.
*That Class 1-A guy’s expulsion chance is near zero.*
Whether he scattered five hundred or a thousand unauthorized flyers, he’d get punished, but not expelled or suspended—so second exam together still.
Especially with three more sharing the ringleader’s views.
Even a committee couldn’t avoid the collective exam mess.
But now, it was different.
The Class 1-A guy was pale-faced, utterly cowed.
“You lot….”
“…….”
“What is this in high school?”
The professor dropped polite speech.
We were in the professor’s lab, getting lectured.
Fortunately, no collision accident.
The moment I put up a barrier in front of the professor, Leo magically grabbed the Class 1-A guy and Elias and tossed them.
Seeing our exhausted faces, the professor encouraged us.
“You students did well. Running like that risks accidents, but no one got hurt thanks to you. Still, next time, safely call a teacher.”
“Yes, sir….”
Leo answered soullessly.
The professor cleared his throat and sat. His expression was deadly serious now.
“I’d already summoned Elias earlier.”
“Yes.”
Elias replied sullenly.
“Student. Explain exactly what happened there.”
“You mean Primrose Path.”
“Yes.”
“Nothing to say. I never did anything to tarnish the Imperial 2nd Educational Institute or House Hohenzollern’s name, Professor.”
The professor stared at Elias piercingly before speaking.
“Student. There’s a photo. Of course, we’ll verify authenticity from now, but factoring in the letter you supposedly received makes it worse.”
“Nothing to say.”
“If you’re like this, we’ll have to open the disciplinary committee to investigate. Before that….”
“No. Open it.”
At Elias’s confident tone, the Class 1-A student scowled at him.
The professor narrowed his brows too.
Anyone could see Elias’s expulsion was set, so naturally.
Elias smiled at them.
“Or check the newspaper at six.”