Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“Impossible.”
Leo murmured softly.
I froze for a moment as I looked in that direction.
One second felt like an eternity. Only after a long time passed did I slowly close and open my eyes. I needed to confirm if what I’d seen was real.
‘...The question.’
Was it imprecise? Did I say something wrong? If not, this made no sense.
Why him?
I frantically scanned the surroundings again, my gaze stopping among the professors in their magic department robes. One of their heads was tilting slowly.
Even as I checked for anyone else reacting, my eyes kept returning there.
Even the imperial mage, who had just dealt with the operations team staff and returned here, fixed his gaze on him.
His head tilted further until it rested against the backrest.
Thud—
“......”
It was our homeroom professor.
Someone I’d never even considered.
I shook my head slowly and spoke.
“...From yesterday evening until midnight, have you heard or thought about the coordinates ‘233.3:808.3:000.1’?”
[......]
Once again, our homeroom professor alone reacted to my words, lowering his head.
It was less a nod and more like dropping the head he’d been leaning against the backrest, but in a situation where no one else reacted, the meaning of his conspicuous movement was clear.
Leo’s face had already drained of all color.
“......”
Just looking at his +6 affinity was enough, but he was probably the only professor at our school who saw me without prejudice.
He believed I’d never induce Adelbert and Elias to rampage, that I couldn’t be Pleroma.
While I was distracted with identifying suspects and Professor Trout’s antics, he’d been furious on my behalf and tried to bring Professor Winter before the faculty disciplinary committee.
Was all this just a smokescreen to cover up the crime?
‘No. It’s too ambiguous.’
I already knew how revelations worked.
That ancient human nodded to the question of whether he’d received direct commands in his head, and to whether those commands could control his body.
There might’ve been errors since he could’ve misunderstood.
But I verified it was true by asking the same question three times.
Unless he was controlled, he’d have to know he’d visited the “Magic Department Dormitory Building 1” and “Student Lucas Ascanien’s room.” There was no reason to react only to the raw coordinate numbers.
‘Damn...’
From attempted imperial assassination to threatening the safety of Imperial 2nd Educational Institute, and handing me over via Primrose Path—all of it would fall solely on our homeroom professor.
The real culprit would hide behind him, and the professor would be executed without ever knowing why.
“So, you’re saying Lucas sunbae’s homeroom professor entered his room and installed a warp spell? Then that professor contaminated my room too?”
Adelbert spoke in an emotionless, analytical tone. When none of us responded, he began scanning the atmosphere with a puzzled look.
Right.
That’s what we needed to figure out now.
We couldn’t just let his throat be slit, and if my hypothesis held, there was no reason for him to be chosen even if controlled.
I cast a soundproof spell in front of the professors and asked Leo.
“Your Highness.”
“......”
“What are the warp coordinates for Student Elias Hoenzzolern’s room?”
I already knew, but I had to put on a show.
Leo murmured with his still-pale face, unable to tear his eyes from the professor.
“It’s 233.3:805.2:007.1.”
“And for Prince Adelbert?”
“237.8:808.3:001.5... No way...?”
I snapped my fingers to dispel the soundproof spell and slammed my staff into the ground.
Divine power spread through the auditorium once more.
“Did anyone here hear the coordinates ‘233.3:805.2:007.1’ recently? Please raise your hand instead of answering.”
I wondered if they could even comprehend such a long string of numbers—my mind was blanking with pointless worries now—but unlike the dimwitted thugs from Primrose Path, they understood me perfectly.
“...Huh.”
Adelbert’s mouth fell open, his eyes widening.
Every magic department professor reacted.
And at the far end of the auditorium, among those in all-red robes, someone raised a hand to chest level.
“You can lower it. Now, did anyone hear the coordinates ‘237.8:808.3:001.5’? Raise your hand the same way.”
The reaction was identical.
Those who’d heard Elias’s room coordinates had also heard Adelbert’s.
The suspect pools for both incidents were the same.
So the question now was this.
‘It’s been a long time since the incident day.’
The contamination was too advanced for reliable intel.
Unlike the warp incident from last night, the rampage attempt had happened ages ago. Even without criminal intent, they could’ve heard warp coordinates during the investigation.
So...
‘What question pins down only the real culprit?’
My head throbbed.
Still, I had to answer. I clutched my forehead for a moment, then quietly spoke.
“Anyone who knows whose room ‘233.3:805.2:007.1’ belongs to, lower your hand.”
They’d heard the coordinates—which were technically confidential—but didn’t know they were Elias’s.
What did that mean?
Rustling sounds followed. None of the magic department professors still had hands raised.
“......”
My eyes turned to the only one still holding his hand up.
Knight Faculty, specifically a Magic Swordsmanship Department professor.
The very one who’d grilled me yesterday about not being related to Pleroma—he was the culprit behind the rampage attempt.
‘...As expected.’
This matched predictions.
Elias had insisted someone from Primrose Path attacked Adelbert to politically eliminate him.
I’d always tabled that opinion.
After visiting there, I was convinced of some connection, but decisive proof was still missing.
If they’d wanted to politically take out Elias by killing Adelbert, they could’ve sent assassins instead of using rampage, poisoned his food or water with a lethal dose, or even given Elias a revelation directly.
No—they had to do it that way.
Why?
Because using rampage would pin the prime suspicion on Luca, who’d lived his whole life labeled Pleroma.
Not Elias, seen as Nikolaus’s partner and Pleroma cleanup squad.
If they’d planned to amplify damage by twisting his image—or frame Elias via rampage—they should’ve planted evidence to make him a suspect.
That sloppiness was why I’d never bought Elias’s claim.
And the moment the same happened to Elias beyond Adelbert, I was certain.
Whatever the ultimate target, this was aimed at me.
So, consider their Plan A failing, with Lucas Ascanien cleared as a suspect.
Right now. When I wasn’t meekly taking the fall.
Stories run on causality. Crime scenarios must too—more tightly than any tale in the world.
Who could frame me?
From my view, Stefan Trout was the surest culprit.
An Imperial 2nd Educational Institute scholar from Anhalt Duchy, a professor tied to my brother, one who benefits if Adrian Ascanien succeeds.
With the Ascanien ducal succession uncertain now, my brother’s followers clearly wouldn’t welcome me.
So, they gave Stefan Trout the revelation.
That was my guess.
“Excellency Ernst, so there’s only one culprit now?”
“Looks that way.”
I murmured without even glancing at Adelbert.
Adelbert shook his head, perhaps unable to accept two criminals.
“You’re saying the one who poisoned my room and Elias sunbae’s is different from the one who warded Lucas sunbae’s with warp magic? How could two people in one school pull this off...?”
“No. Conscience isn’t the issue.”
I cut off Adelbert, who’d veered into faulty logic amid his agitation.
I had no bandwidth for advice.
Leo, ever composed on the surface, rarely bit his lip.
Soon, he enclosed me—excluding the prince—with a soundproof spell.
“Milord. Professor Trout is behind the rampage attempt.”
“Yes.”
“Weren’t you assuming he did everything up to yesterday’s incident? If the rampage was to frame Lucas Ascanien.”
I’d told him nothing, yet he spoke as if he’d read my mind.
“......”
“But why did Professor Ron get the revelation this time? If they planned dual targets assuming the frame-up would unravel, they should’ve picked him—Lucas’s enemy—for this round. He needed to be the victim now.”
Leo clearly expected me to answer.
He didn’t want to accept a trusted adult’s involvement.
“Later. Not now.”
I barely managed a short reply and shattered the soundproof spell.
Then, the imperial mage who’d been silently watching spoke in a grave tone.
“Two in total. I’ll take them into custody.”
“......”
I didn’t respond, just snapped my fingers.
The professors groaned as if waking from sleep and sat up.
When no reply came, the imperial mage leaned toward me.
“Excellency Ernst? Can we hand over these two culprits you identified straight to the investigation bureau?”
“...Do it.”
I answered without looking away from the professors.
The professors, looking weary as before the spell but otherwise relaxed, exchanged glances at our conversation.
[Investigation bureau?]
[What’s that mean?]
I told the imperial mage.
“But there’s something you should know. These aren’t the real culprits.”
“Pardon? You just singled them out.”
“Since the crime used Pleroma-style revelations, they’re mere puppets. You need to know the real malice targeting Imperial 2nd Educational Institute students lies elsewhere.”
The imperial mage nodded but said something else.
“First priority is verifying if revelations exist and if they truly received them. Professor there—what’s your name?”
He pointed at our homeroom professor.
The professor glanced around in bewilderment before asking.
[Me?]
“Yes.”
[...Johannes Ron. What’s this about?]
The imperial mage ignored his question and pointed to Trout’s seat.
“The professor at the front of this row—what’s your name?”
Trout frowned, clearly baffled, before answering.
[Stefan Trout.]
“You two need to head to the investigation bureau immediately.”
[What?]
[Hold on—we’ve found the culprits?]
Professor Winter shot up in panic.
[Excellency Ernst! You’re saying Imperial 2nd Educational Institute faculty threatened a student? The investigation must be flawed!]
[Wait! I never entered the dorm yesterday. Why would I ward a student’s room with Primrose Path warp magic? And Lucas is my student—why would I harm one of my own class...!]
Our homeroom professor shouted.
Trout paled, trying to speak, but the imperial mage swiftly soundproofed them. It was rude.
“No need for more words. You’ve confessed as culprits yourselves, regardless of your classes.”
The imperial mage placed a hand on his wand. Facing mages, he clearly planned swift suppression and forced escort.
Meanwhile, our homeroom professor stood and declared loudly.
[I only went to the dorm after our class rep reported it. Professors with me until 10 PM are right here. Until midnight, I was organizing today’s lesson materials—or rather, why would I even...!]
He trailed off, stunned, then looked at me.
[Excellency Ernst, I truly didn’t harm my student. I had no reason to.]
“......”
I knew he had no reason.
Feeling a deep sorrow, I replied.
“You wouldn’t have.”
[Pardon?]
“You just received a revelation. As I explained an hour ago.”
[...Wait, so you’re saying I really installed magic in that student’s room?]
Silence fell.
I spoke slowly.
“It’s hard to say for sure now, but even if so, it wasn’t your will.”
[......]
The professor stood slumped, soul drained from his face.
He needed time to process.
“Revelation” was just my temporary label, and no one knew who gave it or how—nothing more to tell him.
The imperial mage scolded me.
“Excellency Ernst, you can’t state unconfirmed matters so definitively. He might be the real culprit.”
He drew his wand, aiming at the professor.
—Swift are its feet to do evil, quick to shed innocent blood...
Boom—!
I deflected his spell and turned to the imperial mage.
“You can’t just hear what suits your taste. If you doubt my deductions, do you at least trust my interrogation method so far?”
“No, it’s not that...”
“Not that?”
“......”
As he struggled to reply, I continued.
“If it was voluntary, why doesn’t either recall entering the dorm?”
“They might’ve erased their own memories... Or an accomplice did.”
“Did you check the investigation logs? No one at Imperial 2nd Educational Institute can use divine power, and no one left during the incident window last night. So why doesn’t this professor remember yesterday’s events? Still don’t grasp what reacting only to coordinates means?”
“That’s...”
The imperial mage looked troubled, glancing around.
Then, the investigation bureau mages he’d summoned warped in.
I spoke slowly.
“I’m not saying don’t investigate or ignore proven guilt. With evidence of deeper connections, I’m saying don’t jump to conclusions—keep possibilities open.”
If Lucas Ascanien had said it, they’d ignore him. But as Nikolaus, it landed differently. The imperial mage nodded.
“Understood. I’ll relay that.”
I let him go without reply.
He headed down, ordering the professors to come.
Meanwhile, everyone here stared at me, faces blank with incomprehension.
Then, another mage greeted Adelbert and stood before me.
“First time meeting you, Excellency Ernst. I’m Auguste Moltke. His Majesty received the investigation bureau report directly and was greatly pleased.”
“We’ve only just begun—already pleased?”
Leo turned to me.
It wasn’t the politest, but the mage didn’t take it as badmouthing the emperor.
“Haha, as expected, you’re humble, Excellency. If His Majesty has no further schedule, he requests a visit to the palace. Shall we go now?”
* * *
I spoke with the emperor for nearly 10 minutes before returning straight to school.
As Nikolaus, I couldn’t just go back to the school infirmary, and with a carriage waiting outside, the visit was mandatory.
“Revelations, huh. Sharp mind you’ve got.”
Narke emerged from the bed, sitting in the chair beside it.
I finally switched places with Narke, who’d been disguised as me in the infirmary.
I’d told him nothing, but from just seeing me and Leo’s faces, he’d read the memories as if he’d been there.
He asked gravely.
“No one knows?”
“Yeah. No public announcements going forward either.”
That was a relief. It bought time for investigation without media frenzy.
Whether culprits were caught or not, no word could spread of imperial family harmed at Imperial 2nd Educational Institute.
Even our students would likely hear the professors took leave.
Leo had been silent since earlier. He seemed deep in thought too.
Narke eyed us and asked.
“What’s the plan? Doesn’t look ordinary.”
“Too little info.”
Leo spoke up.
“Even if Trout and our homeroom are just arrest bait puppets, no one else knows that. Without catching the revelation-giver and demonstrating the ability, the investigation won’t progress smoothly.”
“......”
“Honestly, I buy it because it’s you, Lucas. Otherwise, no way.”
Agreed.
Revelations were too outlandish a concept.
While Narke and Leo talked, I sank into thought.
‘That ancient human distinguished “Pleroma” from “us” perfectly.’
Pleroma and Primrose Path were linked but not the same group.
Sensing the oddity there, when I asked who from “our side” ordered it, he said, “Probably the chairman.”
Then came the talk of receiving orders mentally.
No need to go as far as Pleroma.
Follow Primrose Path up, and you’d find the revelation-giver.
‘High chance it’s that chairman.’
I organized my thoughts and spoke.
“Guys.”
“Yeah?”
“Need to make a new identity.”