Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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Do you know?
I blinked and slowly turned my head.
“How are you finding your new life?”
A face obscured by the light spoke to me.
I had just received baptism.
Until now, I had always rewound time before the baptism ritual could fully conclude, but not this time.
Ludovica only realized I had been baptized after touching my blood.
*“Twenty-three years ago,” she said.*
Luca’s baptism left traces of mana in his body, so that made sense, but mine shouldn’t have any left.
If it leaves a mark on the mind or somewhere else, does Pleroma baptism leave one too?
Even rewinding time wouldn’t erase it.
I blinked slowly.
*No, maybe I can’t be sure…*
Of course, I was prepared for this.
The reason I pushed forward with this strategy despite the uncertainty was that even if traces remained, no one could detect them. If you could tell someone was Pleroma just by checking their pulse or drawing blood, Pleroma wouldn’t have risen to such prominence by now.
And one more thing.
A mark on the soul is different from my body being transformed into Pleroma.
The latter is a physical reality, but the former is purely about my self-perception—my identity as “me.”
Physical realities can be cleanly resolved by rewinding time. All I need is for my mental strength to hold up. I figured this was no issue at all, and I still do.
“Welcome to our world. You may not have made it all the way, but you’ve still been promised a new birth, so I had to greet you.”
“……”
“Doesn’t your body feel brand new? Why don’t you try swinging a fist?”
I looked down at my fist slowly and lightly struck the floor.
Or at least, that’s what I intended…
Crack—
“……”
A crack formed where there shouldn’t have been one, felt along the edge of my hand.
I dropped the stone fragment from my palm and slowly raised my hand.
My body moved as if it were mine yet not mine.
“It’s still faint.”
Faint? That’s what you call this?
I tried to speak, but no voice came out.
“You haven’t experienced your bones melting or your mouth drying out to dust. Even if His Excellency tried to fool me, my eyes can’t be deceived.”
The deep voice carried a warmth.
I narrowed my eyes and examined the old man’s face.
His hair was white, but his dignified expression and posture made him seem younger than expected.
“It seems your rank is higher than anticipated. Even Monsignor probably didn’t predict this. I doubt you did either. This is my first welcoming ceremony like this.”
“……”
“I never expected the artifact’s mana to be absorbed into the core and attack the baptizee. It’s an odd case on the surface, isn’t it?”
As he spoke, he pressed a wand against my heart.
Then he burst into hearty laughter.
“Ah, but that doesn’t seem to be the point. Haha!”
What…?
“You’re thinking of Ludovica Schneider Monsignor right now, aren’t you?”
“……”
“It’s just the beginning, but she’s become your creator. Naturally, you won’t be leaving her side anytime soon.”
I didn’t even want to know what he meant.
Whatever it was, it would all vanish when time rewound.
I slowly raised my hand to my mouth. Mana flowed, and strength returned to my throat.
Snap—
He rose from his seat and began walking slowly.
“Before we start, let’s take some time to get to know each other.”
His voice echoed through the vast space as he stood.
His jet-black shoes stopped right next to my head.
“I am Abraham. Some call me Chairman.”
His clear gray eyes pierced straight through me.
“…Abraham.”
Don’t make me laugh.
I opened my status window.
Marco Schreiber
Title: Chairman
Stamina: +5.0 [+7.0]
Mental Strength: -6.0 [+8.0]
Mana: +3.5
Skills: +3.0 [+8.0]
Impression: +7.0
Luck: -3.0 [+3.0]
Traits: —
*“-6.0, +8.0.”*
Got it.
I closed the window and slowly opened my mouth.
For now, I had to keep up the act.
“…Why am I here?”
“Ludovica Schneider Monsignor asked me to ease your confusion.”
In other words, give me a revelation.
“There’s no need to be tense. You seem able to move right away. I’ve never seen a case where someone retained their original nature due to interference during baptism, but it doesn’t seem so bad.”
He snapped his fingers.
Rumble—
“…!”
A gust of wind slammed into my ears.
The lingering haze I’d felt vanished in an instant, swept away by the January chill. My body’s sensations grew familiar again, like before the baptism.
Now I stood on my own two feet.
I looked up slowly. The distance ahead was pitch dark.
“This is the Primrose Path as you perceive it. I hear you enjoy playing around here?”
I thought I was alone, but the sound of a cane approached from behind.
“Who knows? I don’t remember any of that~?”
I replied with a faint smile.
Role-playing as Jeremiah for this guy too… It twisted my stomach a bit, and the feeling was oddly complex, but there was no choice.
“But this place you’ve created feels just like the first winter after all the capital’s old humans vanished.”
“How sentimental.”
“Living without sentiment is getting tiresome.”
He tossed out the playful remark.
I smiled and glanced at his profile.
*“This is the man I came to meet.”*
A tall, robust elderly gentleman. Expensive clothes, neat accessories, dignified speech.
He was the complete opposite of a criminal stereotype.
“I heard you want to do business here. Right?”
“That’s right. And you… you said Chairman earlier. Are you the Chairman of Primrose Path?”
“Haha, I do oversee the businesses here. But it’s not as grand as that sounds.”
“Impressive~ Do you have a taste for entertainment? Since we’ve crossed paths like this…”
I leaned in close to his ear.
“Why don’t you introduce me to your favorite spot here?”
“……”
“Judging by your outfit, our tastes might align. Maybe even in that area.”
He smiled in silence.
Even I knew it was a flippant question for an elder.
I did it on purpose, so I didn’t feel guilty.
Only my mind suffered from having to infuse emotion into such sleazy lines on a second’s notice.
I shrugged and whistled.
That’s how Jeremiah would act. At least for now.
The Chairman smiled as he spoke.
“Won’t His Excellency be ashamed of you?”
Just her?
I was just glad no one knew about this.
Leo aside, Elias would make a huge fuss and demand I say it to his face too. Nark even kept quiet but wasn’t much different.
My expression hardened as those thoughts surfaced.
*“When I get back…”*
Once I returned and met my friends, I’d have Nark check if any Pleroma baptism traces lingered in me.
It was the best decision, so I didn’t regret it, but I didn’t look forward to facing it.
“To me, it doesn’t seem like your Buddhist faith is any issue at all. What do you think of Primrose Path’s business?”
What do I think of Primrose Path’s business?
Do I need to say it? It’s something I need to crush. Wipe it out so it never resurfaces.
Suppressing my disgust, I muttered.
“No idea? Light and salt?”
“Everything that happens in Primrose Path tests the lowest line of humanity.”
“……”
Silence fell.
After a long moment, I looked up at him.
“…?”
It was so absurd I was speechless.
That’s my line.
Is this what the head of Primrose Path says?
“Did I hear that right?”
“At least that’s how I see it. I don’t enjoy buying and selling flesh, luring slum kids here and chaining them up, or trading the right to beat people and harvest their organs.”
“Haha, I didn’t expect that. Forget what I said earlier.”
“You’re surprised that someone making money off illegal acts would say this.”
“……”
I felt the wind tousle my hair and muttered.
“Why tell me this?”
He wasn’t doing this out of boredom.
I met his clear gray eyes.
This was likely tied to his ability.
For example…
*“To grant a revelation, he needs to understand the target’s mindset.”*
Or to persuade and gain consent—permission.
So, it could just be lip service.
But right then, an even more ridiculous statement came.
“You must find it hard to believe me. A manager needs insight into how my society and business interact.”
“And?”
“Let me say it again. I don’t think prostitution is right. I see it as a challenge to human intellect. In market logic, how far can humans yield themselves…? It’s not just the body. I mean the lowest line of humanity.”
“……”
“In other words, if we can buy and sell sex and all its accompanying depravities with money, why isn’t paying to beat someone a big deal? It’s an instinct, mutually beneficial, good for mental health. If it can’t be a transaction or industry, why?”
I had to stifle a hollow laugh.
The one saying this was none other than Primrose Path’s top powerbroker.
“Then, can we not buy and sell death too? Is there a special reason this is allowed and that isn’t?”
He matched my stride as he continued.
“No need to debate supply and demand. There are plenty of old humans in the slums desperate for hospital bills. We won’t consider if suppliers exist. With fair compensation, some will die willingly, and surprisingly many want to kill. How low can humans go for money? That’s why my business, always opening the door to ethical issues, should be controversial.”
“Should be controversial… Now I’m curious about your intent there too.”
“You wonder why I’d say something that could ruin my business? Controversy doesn’t mean the end of prostitution. It’s been sinful since the Old Testament, yet humanity hasn’t parted with it.”
“……”
“But in this era of humanity’s most brilliant time, with 100 million people and widespread higher education, if we’re regressing to pre-Old Testament together, what does that mean?”
I replied flatly, expressionless.
“It won’t be just one field, so the Empire’s development potential and investment value might need reevaluation. But it’s not closely tied to your business, Chairman, which struggles to expand globally.”
“We seem well-matched. I was about to say that if you have a businessman’s mind, you’d easily grasp how I reached this conclusion. But such precise words.”
“I just matched your thinking, Chairman. Satisfied?”
“…Good. That was enjoyable to discuss.”
The Chairman laughed, ending the conversation.
The path stretched endlessly no matter how far we walked.
Much later, he spoke again.
“Do you like stories of old and new humans?”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Centuries ago, this continent hunted and burned old humans suspected of using magic. A prime example of what magic meant then.”
“Yes.”
“But now, how is magic viewed? Why is what was sinful then sacred now?”
“Who knows~ More wizards?”
I answered lightly.
Jeremiah couldn’t give proper answers to his questions. If I had to respond, keep it vague and brief.
“No. It changed when nobles began wielding magic.”
Not ideal, but not wrong.
No, it was spot on.
“Another story. Why did Martin Luther’s Reformation succeed? Why didn’t Hus and Wycliffe, who preached similarly before him, achieve historical success?”
“Precedents built up and exploded with Luther.”
Stories from before magic, shared between my old world and this one.
Even 21st-century knowledge gave me a few plausible answers, but I kept it vague again.
What mattered wasn’t my response, but what he said.
My prediction of the Chairman’s ideology missed the mark—never thought I’d see a pimp criticizing prostitution—so I needed to reassess.
“Luther had noble support. Hus and Wycliffe didn’t. You’d think Luther, the reformer, sided with the weak? He ignored peasants and fiercely denounced Jews.”
“……”
“What does this tell us? The strong can elevate their beliefs and values to social justice. The weak masses just accept the justice led by the strong; they don’t create it.”
“Haha…”
I knew it.
You can’t hide your true nature.
Or maybe he doesn’t even try.
“This implies much about new and old humans’ natures. Know about the recent rise in bourgeois political participation?”
“Recent? Over a century ago, no?”
“Yes. You know commoners have tirelessly tried to oust nobles and join politics. But the bourgeoisie must not dominate the world, nor should old humans get full suffrage. You’re new human, so you agree?”
“Hmm, no. Why?”
“We can’t have politics by fools. The masses will elect clowns as kings, not leaders. Our ruling class, governing humanity for millennia, can distinguish them. But old humans, mere commoners until millennia ago, lack that ability.”
“……”
I stroked my chin, deep in thought.
As someone who’d lived over twenty years as an old human, the nauseating remark aside…
*“This is unexpected.”*
Religion needs some politics to form a church, but such extreme ideology changes things. Worth remembering.
“I assure you. If kings and nobles don’t control them, commoners will coup and unleash unprecedented massacres. They lack leadership ability. Instead of pens and speeches, they’ll take up guns—the old humans’ greatest achievement.”
“……”
“Why must they resort to guns? They can’t use human intellect—privilege—to persuade the masses. They stimulate nerves instead, gaining support sparked by madness.”
I just smiled instead of replying.
Knowing I didn’t agree, he laughed and added.
“Let me prophesy. The moment monarchy falls and old humans seize power, this continent’s Jewish lines will be exterminated. Foreigners, heretics—perfect targets. They even look different. It preserves monoreligious cultural identity while stoking nationalism to unite the people.”
I didn’t respond.
The uncanny sight of his insight twisted by flawed ideology was merely awe-inspiring.
Could he be from another world too…?
*No.*
Reasonable suspicion, but unlikely. This world’s context sufficed for the hypothesis.
The Chairman watched me quietly, then tilted his head ambiguously.
“What do you think the weak are, Mr. Jeremiah?”
“……”
“The 98 million commoners born without money or honor are weak in our eyes. But their numbers make us call them the masses.”
“Why say this to me?”
Ignoring me, he continued.
“Individuals may be smart, but groups aren’t. The more, the dumber—someone else thinks for them. Why digest and ruminate yourself when kind others chew, spit, and feed you? Plausible empty logic spreads like wildfire into group opinion, which becomes the thoughtless individual’s opinion. So, old humans’ fatal flaw is their sheer numbers.”
“……”
“Wise, rational change lies only in our new humans’ hands, but we must consider their overwhelming numbers. Groups won’t sit idle knowing they’re weak; their agitator nature stirs. What’s the best way to stop it?”
I felt the air shift and silently focused mana on my core.
“Make them unaware they lack power. Theatrical devices are needed. The most common is internal division, used in colonial rule. And…”
In that instant, the world I stood in blurred white.
*[There’s more. Even if they can walk on water, they’ll never reach our position and must remain weak for generations…]*
Boom—!
“…!”
Agony struck my solar plexus. I gritted my teeth.
The spatial magic the Chairman created shattered, and I lay back in the original awakening space.
His shoe heel ground into my solar plexus. The back heel made my ribs feel like they’d snap.
“This covers it up. No magic in my building, so don’t try anything foolish.”
Vitriol swirled over my core.
I bit my lip to stifle a scream; he pressed harder on my stomach.
“Ignoring the world’s macro flow, if I can overwhelm the strong on the micro level for pleasure, does it matter? Selling old humans the right to toy with minority new humans… I don’t ethically agree personally, but like the old human prostitution business, it’s a fine concept. Do you agree?”
“As if.”
I exhaled sharply and shoved him off.
He dodged my fist and stepped back.
“No matter how we talk, finding common ground with you is impossible. You leave no openings.”
*“Hard to find common ground.”*
Thanks for the info.
Earlier, I thought his conversation had purpose.
If it was just justifying logic, this long talk was a waste.
But if the goal was different?
Eliciting agreement to create an “opening”—that must be the condition for implanting a revelation in someone’s brain.
He continued in a soft voice.
“By the way, I said earlier you won’t leave His Excellency’s side. Sorry for the certainty. You probably won’t meet your Excellency now. Oh well, no matter.”
I just looked up at him silently.
He pulled a ticket from my pocket and showed it.
The New York theater ticket I’d placed in my clothes for Jeremiah’s act.
He shook the paper three times; the ticket vanished, replaced by a metal ID.
I slowly curled my lips.
He looked down at me with a similar expression.
“Bavarian Government Investigation Bureau, Detective First Division, J.H….”
“……”
“You came all this way looking for me, after all.”