Chapter 187
Chapter 187
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Narke pulled a cross from within his robes and pressed his lips to it. I could feel divine power filling the spot where I stood.
I raised my staff and opened my mouth.
—Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own.
Kwaaang—!
As I shot mana into the sky, the shattered divine power rained down from all directions.
It would look like this if stars fell from the heavens. The white divine power reflected off the building walls, now exposed as the camouflage magic over Primrose Path melted away.
“Who’s there!”
Kwaang—!
No sooner had the words ended than Narke slammed his staff into the ground. The shrill sound of whistles filled my ears.
It was still 2 a.m.
Normally, no tavern would still be open at this hour, but as I’d confirmed with my own eyes before, this place was different. Lights flowed into the pitch-black alley, and guards poured out from it.
And the moment they spotted us, they halted in their tracks.
“…A priest?”
“What order….”
Instead of answering, I whispered lowly.
—Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen guard it in vain.
“…!”
Kudoong—!
The sounds of bodies hitting the ground echoed one after another.
“Let’s go.”
I passed them by and headed deeper into the street.
A few guards popped out here and there, thrusting their wands forward. Each time, I swung my staff and recited the same incantation as before.
—Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen guard it in vain.
Kwaang—! Kwoong!
Unlike earlier when he’d just watched, Narke now launched attacks at them.
Roaring explosions erupted from the clash of barriers and mana. While he attacked, I recited the same incantation, and only then did the guards collapse.
Seeing their reaction, I said,
“They must have already heard the incantation we’re using.”
“Mm, probably~”
Magic doesn’t work properly if the opponent is prepared for it.
That said, casting spells just by thinking without vocalizing comes with its own drawbacks.
Fortunately, these guys were small fry, so simple coordination was enough to break their defenses—no problems there.
Perhaps because we’d already cleared the way ahead, no one appeared for a good while as we advanced.
The moment I thought that, footsteps began echoing eerily.
I stopped walking.
“You two make a fine pair.”
From the now pitch-black street, where the light of the divine power we’d scattered had faded, came a voice laced with amusement.
“Heading to a masked ball? No woman’s going to want to try anything with a man in clerical robes.”
Ludovica slowly emerged from the darkness.
I tilted my head and asked,
“Advice from experience? As expected, Your Excellency is something else.”
“…….”
Ludovica let out a hollow chuckle and turned his head. Then he looked back at me and spoke in a soft tone.
“Shall we hear you out? You’re not here for the second test looking like that, are you?”
“I figured if you knew we were in the same boat, it might be easier to tear down your walls.”
“Did we have walls between us?”
“…….”
Such a line… I hadn’t realized it when I said it, but hearing it thrown back at me left me speechless.
Ludovica scanned me from head to toe and said,
“I never imagined Jeremiah would sense walls from me. For some reason, this look of yours makes me feel even more of a psychological barrier.”
“You’re not worried about excommunication, are you? Don’t mind it. I’m always open.”
“You should be the one worrying about excommunication.”
With those words, a wave of vitriol surged right up to my face.
Kwaang—!
I stepped back a pace with my left foot and lightly swung my staff.
I’d only done as usual, but….
‘Fast.’
It was fast and heavy.
He wasn’t called “Your Excellency” for nothing.
As if to prove he hadn’t intended to attack, Ludovica raised his hands once I defended and shoved his wand into his belt.
Narke’s eyes widened in surprise at a Pleroma priest setting down his weapon with the enemy right in front of him.
It wasn’t hard to guess why Ludovica had stowed his wand so quickly.
‘He wanted to see my divine power up close.’
To confirm if I was really a priest.
Ludovica, who had been staring right through me, muttered,
“So the Roman Catholics snatched the talent first…. But just a priest?”
He said calmly,
“Why not come to me instead? I can elevate you to a higher position.”
“I’m sure you can.”
At my words, Ludovica raised an eyebrow.
“Since Amelia Schneider is a monsignor.”
“…….”
The corner of Ludovica’s mouth slowly curved up.
I’d already checked his status window before.
Amelia Schneider
Favorability +6 [攻略 possible (Stage 3/5)]
I had no idea why his favorability was already that high without any traits, but it wasn’t an impressive number, so no need to overreact. I didn’t even know the exact emotion behind it.
Good was good, anyway.
Especially today.
“A monsignor is right below bishop—the highest rank among priests. Considering most stay ordinary priests, that means great merit, or papal proxy, or exceptional skill….”
I folded my fingers partway and looked at him as I finished.
“Or entrusted with important duties. Right?”
“You know well. I’m tempted by that ability of yours too.”
Ludovica snapped his fingers and laughed.
“More than that, in the Empire, they call people like you ‘Lustmord.’ You might not get it unless I say it in English. I still can’t believe I’m seeing a Catholic priest like you.”
“…….”
As if I wouldn’t know.
Never mind what it means… he’s not saying it thinking I really don’t know.
The important thing is, my intent worked perfectly.
Coming here, I’d insisted Jeremiah—not Lucas or Nicholas—wear priestly robes. Two purposes, and one was already fulfilled.
Ludovica believed Jeremiah Caetani was a priest.
I absolutely could not let him suspect I was Nicholas.
If he found out, it had to be later. When I’d finished my business and could fully deal with Ludovica.
I sorted my thoughts roughly and spat out the most Jeremiah-like line.
“You’re judging me without even trying… that’s too much.”
“That’s exactly what warrants excommunication.”
Ludovica dismissed my words as nonsense, just like always, and shrugged.
“But even for you, Jeremiah, damaging Primrose Path’s property like this… it’ll make it hard to even help you take the test.”
“Property.”
“Putting the guards to sleep out of nowhere is tampering with our assets. As the one in charge of this street, my relationship with the chairman gets awkward too.”
The chairman came up, and I fell silent.
Ludovica asked,
“Be honest. Are you here to kill me?”
“…….”
When I didn’t answer, he said as if he’d expected it.
“No, you’re not. Right. Back off here. This isn’t something you can handle.”
“How kind.”
“It’s advice human to human. Whatever your real name or what kind of person you are, no one can beat Gregorio. In the end, you’ll only hurt yourself.”
Right now, he and I weren’t enemies. I knew that.
Why? Pleroma wanted the chairman gone, and so did I. He probably thought the Papal Court had put me up to it.
Papal Court or not, with Pleroma and me sharing a common enemy, there was no reason to kill each other now.
That’s why Ludovica hadn’t pressed the attack and had immediately holstered his wand.
Still, hearing this from a Pleroma member felt different from just imagining it.
“Then why are you here, saying that?”
“Everyone the Church sends to the front lines is expendable. From the Church’s view, I’m someone the chairman can kill too.”
“…….”
Sticking with Pleroma knowing that—their mindset is hard to grasp.
Or maybe that’s exactly why he wasn’t stopping me.
If he were loyal to Pleroma to the bone, he’d have killed me outright, but with the chairman gone, his life would be secure and he’d gain some benefits, so he was leaving me be.
“Separately, if you try to kill me, you’ll face the entire Brandenburg diocese.”
No suicide spell on him, I guess.
A wiser approach. Probably tied to whoever reincarnated him or key figures.
Keeping Jeremiah’s tone, I replied playfully.
“We’re supposed to do business together, and you’re thinking like that? What a horrible idea.”
“…….”
Ludovica smiled.
He inhaled as if resolved, drew his wand, and transformed it into a staff.
From his expression, I could tell he’d decided to help us.
“This place is under spatial magic. You know that?”
“I do.”
As we’d walked here, at some point the ground had been covered in magic.
We were now in a completely different space.
“I won’t pry how you know the chairman or why you’re attacking him. Just like you don’t tell me everything. Besides, it solves a headache for me.”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Not particularly thankful, but I answered offhandedly.
“Thanks? Our interests just align, that’s all. Back to the point—you don’t know this, but the chairman is tracking us. The issue is I’m on friendly terms with him on the surface. He’ll think I’m fighting you, so when leaving here, only one of you can go.”
The other would fake a fight with Ludovica, I supposed.
The chairman tracking us, though. Good call opting for baptism.
I cleared my mind and asked a question I already knew the answer to.
“And you during that time?”
“You know I know best what’s where in this place, right?”
“…….”
“I think that’s why you haven’t attacked me either. Same as me.”
Ludovica said confidently with a smile.
He wasn’t in that position for nothing. I’d considered threatening him like I did the council Pleroma guy to get what I wanted, but my judgment was off. His situational awareness deserved respect.
I smiled.
“Monsignor Amelia. I have a favor to ask.”
* * *
Kwaaang—!
I slammed my staff into the ground.
A different mana than before swirled across the floor. I felt the spatial magic shatter.
Ludovica’s spatial magic had been perfectly set up, so even if I broke out, the spot I stood in should look the same as before.
But it wasn’t.
Unlike before, streetlamps now illuminated the path.
What did that mean?
“Mr. Caetani.”
A deep voice came from behind.
Everything was going according to plan.
Even thinking that, electricity shot through my heart. I ran my thumb over where my fingernail should be, feeling the bone. The mana of Wittelsbach, sensing my core going haywire unstable, suppressed it. All this in an instant.
I steadied my breath and slowly turned around.
An old man with white hair, leaning on a cane and dressed in a luxurious navy suit… stared at me.
He kissed the cross necklace near his own core, then slowly raised his head.
And smiling, he asked,
“Do you know me?”
The same question as before.
But my answer would be different this time.
I smiled calmly and said,
“Don’t you know the answer?”
“Hahaha!”
The chairman burst into hearty laughter and muttered,
“Yes. Of course I do.”
No one spoke, so the wind howled loudly.
He stared at me silently, then opened his mouth.
“Since I’ve met the one who rebirthed me in Him, allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Abraham. Some call me the chairman.”
“…….”
“You already know that, though.”
Wrong.
Not ‘me,’ just the owner of the body he was using now—I’d baptized that one.
He lightly tapped his cane on the ground, and the space around us turned into a large room.
“Put down the staff and sit. Violence solves nothing, so let’s resolve this through talk, shall we?”
As if struck by a sudden thought, he continued alone.
“Ah, or do you know this too? No ulterior motives. I really just want to talk.”
I knew. He hadn’t drunk blood, so he needed my consent for it to mean anything.
Then why?
‘To extract information, obviously.’
To see how prepared I was, and if the weapons he’d readied could deal with me or not.
And that wasn’t the end.
There’d be one more new goal.
He gazed leisurely out the window and continued.
“I can’t offer tea, but sit anyway. On that note, closing the street early was wise. Half-forced shortened hours, but it let me meet you sooner, so I’m satisfied.”
“The loss from the search and seizure must be considerable.”
“Indeed. Thanks for understanding.”
I sat and just smiled.
He brought up an abrupt topic.
“Mr. Jeremiah, do you know of Sodom and Gomorrah?”
“You know my name.”
“Of course. A guest in our street—how could I not? So, your answer?”
“Is there anyone in this country who doesn’t?”
“Hahaha! True.”
He nodded and looked out the window.
“Cities of sin from Scripture. Reading it again from a modern perspective, it’s utterly insane from start to finish.”
“Your phrasing is coarser than expected.”
“Can’t deny that, can you? To build rapport, we need similar language, Mr. Jeremiah.”
He was referring to the image I’d built in Primrose Path.
I couldn’t fall for it. I didn’t expect him to fully buy that image.
“One must consider historical context, but primarily, it shows how barbaric human consciousness was. Of course, Scripture tells the history of barbarism from start to finish. If humanity weren’t barbaric, Christ wouldn’t have died in humiliation and shame.”
Up to here, it was tolerable.
But I knew what came next.
“We’ve advanced enough to admit sin and strive to escape it, but barbarians still live among us. The people of Sodom are right here.”
When I didn’t reply, he continued quietly.
“Different opinion? Barbarism is simple. The anti-human acts in Primrose Path all fall under barbarism. Makes me wonder how barbarism operates within market economy principles—not that you’re that simplistic, I suppose?”
“Go on.”
“I maintain Primrose Path’s business for humanity’s harmony, but empathizing with customers’ values is another matter. For example, feeding fruit to monkeys doesn’t mean I share their mindset. Just knowing ‘monkeys like fruit’ is enough.”
I smiled at the more vulgar metaphor than last time.
A man who could speak so refined before, now like this.
From dragging this topic out abruptly, I’d guessed he didn’t plan a long chat either.
“Same here. I supply prostitution to old humanity, but that doesn’t mean I think like them. Prostitution is….”
“A test of humanity’s lowest line.”
“…….”
Gregorio slowly turned his head to look at me.
He’d caught the signal I sent and nodded.
“We might just move as one. I don’t agree with questioning if prostitution is ethically right. It might decide my business’s fate, but as a new human, leader, and imperial infrastructure user, businessman, I can’t not think ethically.”
Even without my reply, he asked and answered himself.
“Then why run Primrose Path? you ask. To prevent old humanity’s barbarism from spreading to us.”
He tapped the floor slowly with his cane and continued.
“Humanity is weak. Could we bipeds catch rabbits without fire or weapons? Alone, we’re lion food. We formed groups as a survival strategy. Scraping marrow from beasts’ leftover bones, that frail creature became Earth’s hegemon—no accident.”
He went on.
“Groups let us reach apex predator status, and humans still rely on them. But there’s a fatal flaw. Groups steal individual thought. They hinder reflection, aligning it to group rules. If the group calls blood water, it is—from that moment.”
“…….”
“My logic seems like a leap? Consider the economic schemes flooding society and nations’ nationalism. How do those shallow ideologies slaughter kin? Those who call blood blood are killed by the group.”
I didn’t reply.
No need to agree or refute.
I knew where the conclusion led.
“Rebelling against group stability means schism, and schism means death in the wild. Instinct-overriding old humanity has no choice but irrational group operation by survival instinct.”
“That’s the real leap.”
“You think so? Evil isn’t far off. Countless criminals who don’t think for themselves, mistaking group goals for their desires—they’re evil by existence. Yet they don’t know it. What total sin is this?”
He half-sighed and looked out the window.
“Barbarism is old humanity’s history. They still live in evil, eyeing God’s throne. We rational ones guided instinct-driven ones, keeping them from extinction—but imagine yielding that role to old humanity.”
“…….”
“You know what happens. Designed to slaughter kin for group illusion and false ecstasy. And those who pull it off aren’t leaders—they’re clowns.”
“Familiar words.”
“My business helps old humanity accept their limits, stay true to nature, keep to their place. Otherwise, they eye undue positions and drag all to ruin.”
No different from what he’d said before.
He’d claimed to prevent old humanity leaders by stirring infighting or immersing them in entertainment. He hadn’t used those words, but kicking me while calling it “such activities”—not much different.
The chairman gazed at my face and said lowly.
“You can’t give fire to an unripe child.”
“…….”
“I’m impressed by your talent. You could achieve my aims. Join me.”
He smiled with trust.
More human than before.
This time line, pulling me to his side was one goal.
I peered into his clear gray eyes and slowly opened my mouth.
“Shall I?”