Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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‘Do you think you can handle listening to my drunken ramblings?’
Naruke glanced at Lucas, who was sitting right in front of him.
Honestly, it caught him off guard.
Anyone else, maybe—but those curt ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers were all he ever got from this guy. Hearing anything else was unfamiliar.
‘It’s starting already, huh.’
Lucas was propping his head up with his arm, his upper body leaning over the table.
He already looked pretty drunk. And he probably was.
Still…
‘You’re sober as can be~?’
Taking Lucas’s response as a yes, they beamed.
“Ah, thanks.”
“It’s early, but you’ve already had a few, huh?”
Naruke chuckled at the comment from the person sitting next to him.
“Yeah~ This is our second round.”
“Oh, where was the first?”
“Out on the street.”
A drowsy, unfamiliar voice suddenly cut into the conversation. Naruke quickly waved it off.
“Hahaha! This guy’s had a lot. Right?”
“Mm…”
“Haha, he’s really wasted~”
Lucas’s displeased expression only made him seem more drunk.
Naruke looked at Lucas and activated his ability.
[…More importantly, those guys over there haven’t touched a drop of alcohol and look perfectly fine, so why bother sitting with a drunk like me who’s pretending to be human by using the chair as a prop? Plus, they’ve been here the whole time, but I’ve barely been sitting for ten minutes?]
‘Haha… Normally, people would just ask if they could sit because they like the vibe.’
Of course, even if they did like it, most would wonder why sit next to someone soaked in booze.
Anyway, since Lucas was a priest, to borrow Elias’s phrasing, that kind of socializing wasn’t something he could tolerate.
So naturally, he assumed they had ulterior motives—that was classic Lucas thinking. Naruke wasn’t about to talk him out of it.
‘Maybe I should play detective like Lucas for once~’
[Evangelizing, perhaps?]
“Cough…”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine!”
[No. Even his judgment’s impaired.]
He knows that much, at least.
Still, his other thoughts were sharp enough, so he wasn’t that drunk.
Just then, the blonde pure-blood sitting next to Naruke spoke up cheerfully.
“I’m Eugen Schiller, and this is Ludovica Schneider. Haven’t seen your faces around this street lately. What’re your names?”
“I’m Gabriel Einzbern. You’ve been around here a while?”
“Something like that~ And you?”
All eyes turned to Lucas.
He’d been gripping his glass the whole time, just swirling it around. Now, as if finally registering the topic, he looked back and forth between the two pure-bloods. He squinted slightly and tilted his head.
“Pretty names.”
‘Whoa~’
Naruke nearly cursed. He laughed and patted Lucas’s arm lightly.
Something Lucas would never say.
He knew it wouldn’t have worked even five hundred years ago, but he said it anyway.
Probably wanted to flip the table and bolt—sure enough, Insight confirmed that exact thought.
From an observer’s view, it was impressive how he kept up the act despite knowing it was a lousy line.
‘Come to think of it, it’s not just talk.’
Naruke observed Lucas’s expressions and gestures.
They were rare in the Empire—common across the continent, though.
“Haha, which one?”
‘They’re playing along with that line~’
Naruke fought back laughter, but Lucas replied casually.
“Do I have to pick? Tough choice.”
“Never mind that. What’s your name?”
Lucas dumped the wine straight into his mouth and smirked.
“Does it matter?”
“…”
“More importantly, this is good. Want some?”
“Tried it. But you ordered the whole bottle? Kinda heavy to drink solo.”
“Yeah… Stomach’s empty.”
They exchanged glances.
Filling your belly with booze.
To these bourgeois or noble types who prided themselves on refinement, nothing could sound more absurd.
They’d probably sensed it from his half-slouched posture and outfit, but this confirmed once more that Lucas wasn’t their level.
“You don’t look like you’re starving.”
“Just got into the country—no decent food spots yet. Cheers.”
Without warning, Lucas grabbed the bottle and poured into Ludovica’s glass.
She didn’t refuse. Instead, she just swirled her half-filled glass.
“Kinda awkward drinking without names.”
“Haha… Jeremiah Caetani. Happy?”
Lucas shrugged and took another swig.
“Jeremiah? Not Empire pronunciation. England?”
“America.”
“Oh. You speak Empire tongue fluently? But…”
The guy next to Lucas stroked his chin and flashed a sly smile.
“Not your real name, right?”
“Do people use real names in entertainment spots?”
“Haha, this is just a bar? You must’ve partied too hard.”
Even with the slightly scolding glance, Lucas just smiled and tilted his head.
“What’s your real name? Even as an Italian-American, Caetani’s a family that produced popes. Could’ve picked something less obvious.”
“Doesn’t suit me?”
“Nope.”
“Harsh.”
Lucas let out a light laugh.
“My last pure-blood matrilineal ancestor was from that family. Borrowed it.”
“Ahh… Real priest bloodline, huh~? Hope that’s okay~”
“Ah.”
Lucas said curtly and arched a brow with a grin.
“Don’t say that.”
“…”
Naruke sipped his drink and eyed the pure-bloods.
[His family now must be solid too. Even ancestral lines would’ve married equals…]
‘Good.’
The connections angle landed as Lucas intended.
But now he got the doubt Lucas had earlier.
Sure, class society or not—shared culture creates invisible tiers.
Their educated speech and bourgeois aura suggested that even if they were nobles, they wouldn’t mingle with someone using a fake name while drowning in booze and fun.
Assumptions of deep involvement in prostitution, gambling, illegal vices—spot on. So why approach?
Just because the family seemed decent? No, that realization came later.
The real question: why approach before knowing the family was good? Even if curiosity-driven, why this guy?
“Haha, I get it. I came from a convent myself.”
“Hm…?”
Lucas, wine in mouth, let out a hollow chuckle.
For a split second, he was genuinely thrown.
‘As if a cardinal play-acting as a thug isn’t more shocking~’
Naruke swallowed the quip and enjoyed Lucas’s face.
Lucas quickly composed himself and smiled.
“Fellow traveler.”
“Right? Oh, right—you two friends?”
The pure-blood next to Naruke asked.
Naruke smiled.
“Yeah. We got close back in school in America. Hearts align, you know.”
“School? You both look young… No, let me guess. 19?”
Lucas frowned at that.
“I do have some conscience about others. Or did you hope I was that young?”
“Hahaha! Then… 23?”
“Hm?”
“Doesn’t seem older.”
Lucas snapped his fingers and smiled.
“Thanks. 25.”
“Wow, no way.”
‘No kidding~ He’s 18.’
Adding seven years, and they bought it—thanks to Leo’s clothes?
Naruke marveled at their poor judgment.
“Didn’t peg you for students. What do you do?”
“Make paper diplomas.”
“Oh, college?”
“High school. College boom these days, but not my thing.”
“Fair enough~ Sometimes passions come late… No need to follow the crowd.”
“True. So, Ludovica—do I pass in your eyes?”
The pure-blood next to Lucas grinned again.
“Need more time for that.”
“Mm, fine.”
Lucas grinned and pushed his glass across the table.
“But if you don’t say by tonight, I won’t get my answer.”
“Huh?”
“Might as well have fun since we’re here.”
Lucas staggered up, slipped on his jacket.
Then grabbed the neck of the untouched wine bottle.
‘Hmm~’
Yeah.
That’s the image he was going for.
The two pure-bloods froze, smiles intact.
Lucas grinned dopily, eyes half-lidded, oblivious.
“Ah, any gambling spots open this late?”
Nearby tables glanced over.
The act was so convincing, Naruke had to keep using Insight to confirm he wasn’t actually drunk.
“Didn’t hear? All capital gambling dens are shut down.”
“Ah. Damn… Was counting on that.”
“Got a place to crash?”
“Entry’s still secret. Gotta beg now.”
Naruke read the pure-bloods’ eyes.
Total problem child.
Surprisingly, Lucas openly dissing them didn’t seem to offend.
“Aw… How long in the Empire? No place to stay.”
“Can’t go back to America now. Probably staying.”
“Can’t go back?”
“Yeah. It’s complicated. Table number?”
“No need. Gambling spots and most venues here shut down… As an Empire citizen, I should console you.”
“What?”
“All closed. Even past midnight, nothing opens.”
Lucas’s smile slowly faded.
At the dramatic shift, the pure-bloods tilted their heads sympathetically.
“You really didn’t hear? New human into that scene?”
“Closed? No way… Why?”
“No raids alert? Family seems solid—nobody tipped you?”
“Hahaha…”
Lucas laughed vacantly, like he didn’t want to talk. His jacket, slung over his elbow, slipped; he grabbed it clumsily. Total mess.
“Fine. Can’t believe it, but okay. Thanks for the info.”
“No prob. Need help? Same seat tomorrow.”
The pure-blood smiled leisurely, back in control. Lucas uncorked the wine, tossed it on the table, and replied smoothly.
“Won’t happen. Fun chat.”
* * *
I quickly settled the bill and headed out.
Naruke stuck close.
—“So, Naruke. What’s their deal?”
—“Haha…”
Naruke brushed it off with a laugh, so I asked again.
—“Not civilians.”
—“Right.”
With his crisp answer, I continued slowly.
—“Doesn’t add up no matter how you slice it. Age gap’s big, and culturally, no match.”
—“Haha, maybe wanted a young pup?”
—“That mindset… You sure you’re a cardinal?”
The booze I’d actually drunk hit me; I pressed my hand to my mouth.
—“Hearing that after your chat? Surprising~ Button up!”
—“Elias 2.0 over here…”
—“Don’t puke. Just testing. Felt like they wanted something from you, but as you know, second meetings beat first, third beat second for accuracy. Need related topics to extract info.”
No clue what ‘don’t puke’ meant, but I let it slide.
I’d burned the alcohol with divine power, but he seemed tipsy too.
Naruke mumbled nonsense.
—“Need organs, maybe…”
—“What?”
—“Nothing. Heading back? Past 7 already.”
—“Yeah. One more drink somewhere, then straight home.”
—“Not ordering by the bottle this time?”
That’d kill me for real.
—“Cleaner than expected~ Just a face-show today, huh.”
Even saying that, he’d hoped for more.
Sure, ‘today’—tomorrow’s different. Show face like today, but time to act.
—“Coming back. 2 AM.”
* * *
With Naruke’s warp, I landed in my room.
Elias, lounging on my bed playing with Pie, shot up.
Leo was off handling work.
“Ah, you’re back. My Jerry~”
“New nickname.”
“Fine, Jerome~ Voice is wrecked already. Don’t drink like that in my room.”
Never seen someone nickname an alias.
Thought he just shortened S-enders, but no.
“So, how was it?”
“Nothing much today.”
Two approached, but unclear motives—too soon to call significant.
At least hooked the bar crowd’s interest.
A sketchy guy clueless about Primrose Pass raids? Eyes inevitable.
Hoping they spread the word.
“Heading out again at 2. School?”
“11 PM roll call. You’re exempt. Leo extended your stay.”
Nice.
Meant to check that, but solved already. Now just alibi for Naruke.
I eyed him. Elias too.
Naruke grinned and pointed at himself.
“Ah, just me left~?”
* * *
—“Leaving Pie behind?”
—“Haha, we do it often~ Warp back if anyone comes. Easy.”
2 AM, we warped to Primrose Pass again.
I lifted the bottle in my hand to my lips.
All-day alcohol—puke rising for real now.
But needed it now.
—“Starting?”
—“Yeah.”
Boom—!
I stomped the ground.
The street’s magic shattered laughably easy. Dirt turned marble.
‘Wasn’t like this before. Raids weakened defenses?’
Naruke chuckled wryly, shaking his head—same thought.
But this sloppy? Bad for me.
Can’t limit recognition to customers.
Better if owners or managers clock me.
No point if no witnesses.
That instant, light hit from behind.
Bang—!
“Who’s this drunk?”
Magic.
Someone cast from behind.
Tried rising, hand to ground—but a kick slammed my back.
‘Knew it.’
Someone’s here.
Glanced—Naruke pinned by other guards.
Someone yanked wand from my belt.
“What, new human?”
“Know where you are?”
“From the bureau? Check him.”
Another pressed my back hard.
‘What now.’
Perfect chance.
Too many eyes at the bar, but mind magic on these? Easy.
Stop violence moderately, lead to their boss. As I relaxed—
“Stop!”
The three holding us froze, heads turning.
“…Priest?”
Priest?
The voice earlier—pure-blood woman.
‘Priest in Primrose Pass?’
No.
Lucky. Catch already?
Not standard Catholic.
What outfit frequents here?
“Fancy meeting again, Jeremiah.”
White light pierced from the ground, stinging eyes.
But voice alone ID’d him.
The guy from next to me earlier extended a hand.
“I told you it’s closed.”