Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“North? This place you just mentioned is north for Elias too, but you’re saying go even further up?”
Yulia turned her head to Lucas beside her.
“Yeah. North from the 1st Team clock tower. This plaza is basically east from our tower.”
“...”
She wanted to ask why, but now wasn’t the time.
It was better to trust Lucas.
“Elias. Don’t head up to Alexander Square. Go northeast from the capital.”
[...Okay~]
Yulia cut the connection with Elias and looked at Lucas.
“So it really is a trap. Then I guess we need to check on Heike.”
“No, Heike won’t answer even if you ask.”
“...He won’t answer if I ask?”
“Instead, I’ll tell you. Just wait a bit.”
“...”
She had no idea how he planned to figure it out. Still, Yulia nodded.
“Got it. While you find the position...”
He rubbed his chin as he spoke.
“We need to rework our strategy a little. My unique ability is lightning strike, and Oswald’s sense of smell isn’t great. Florian can still use his plant abilities like before... And Auguste said he can create illusions. Right, Lucas?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Shall we move spots and get started? We need to link up with Elias again. And no matter how I think about it...”
We have to bring Heike Ainsidel with us.
Yulia stood up from her seat and smiled.
* * *
East is south.
If they search for frenzy traces from the east, Heike warps south and gives a false report.
That was the first order I gave him.
The distance between the two clock towers is about 10 km. And there’s even more length stretching out on either side. For a single exam field, it’s incredibly wide.
But with free warping and the city center dead silent like a ghost town, that width wasn’t all that difficult for us.
A little burdensome, maybe.
So this strategy could deliver a fatal blow to Team 3, who were hiding somewhere chasing Heike Ainsidel.
But...
“...”
Leo clenched his teeth and ran. The wind whistled past his ears.
They’d already figured it out.
It had to be because of the core.
Lucas had been messing around since earlier, and irregular pains were hitting the core.
He was using healing magic on the core, so it didn’t hurt too badly...
‘...It’s really annoying. Is this a disruption tactic?’
Not just annoying—it had exposed their position now.
It had been about a week since he’d put the artifact on Lucas, so Leo knew it himself. That artifact, mimicking enslavement magic, could roughly pinpoint where his mana was. That’s why Lucas had been able to promise that if anything happened when meeting Her Highness Elizabeth, he’d follow right after.
Naturally, the original enslavement magic allowed tracking too.
The problem was that personal artifacts weren’t allowed during the exam, so right now, he couldn’t access Lucas’s core.
‘Unfair.’
He knew he shouldn’t think like a kid, but it was unfair.
The right to control Lucas’s core was rightfully his. Even if he let Lucas toy with his own core as a concession, losing control felt like the school had stripped away his free will. It twisted his gut with irritation.
In the end, wasn’t he the only one at a disadvantage during this exam? If he had all the abilities Lucas was using now, their team would be in a much stronger position.
Narke cackled.
[Exactly, why’d you allow it!]
“I never allowed it.”
He couldn’t even read his thoughts properly, but he’d guessed right. Leo had never told Narke about this, but he’d clearly figured it all out with insight. It wasn’t surprising anymore.
[But you did~]
“What do you mean?! I was so flustered back then...”
[Then just break it, Leo.]
He had a lot to say, but he couldn’t spit it out.
Why were they even talking about this? With two signals already cut off, there was no time for chit-chat in this chaotic situation.
He drew a deep breath to snap back, but Narke laughed and said,
[Aaaah! Got it~ Searching buildings, but it’s not as easy as I thought. A frenzied one definitely ran through this street, but no hits from divine power on the first floor. Means victims are in the basement or second floor and up. Searching from the entry point to the third building on left and right.]
“Yeah. More importantly, Lucas figured this out, right?”
[Yeah.]
Act like Lucas isn’t there.
If their team finds a victim first, that signal goes to everyone’s mimesis vision.
Chasing Lucas to break through from the rear would be wasteful, so they planned to find a victim first, pressure Team 3, and pull out Lucas.
The strategy hadn’t changed.
Leo sprinted like mad, then stopped in front of a signpost.
‘There, found it.’
[Oranienberger Street - 128:333:456]
A signpost with warp coordinates.
Before sending me the decoy message, Heike had reported a frenzy outbreak at the intersection of Oranienberger and Friedrich Streets.
The text was mirrored left to right. Since the zone he’d chosen was the duplicated one, it was natural.
Leo pondered briefly, then snapped his fingers to warp to the coordinates.
A new scene unfolded before him in an instant.
‘South side of the street.’
Anyone warping to Oranienberger starts from this point.
Now, he had to run up.
As he thought that and glanced around, Leo spotted someone familiar sprawled on the ground.
“...!”
Whether Heike Ainsidel had just fought someone or fallen into a trap, he was pinned under mana pressure.
Leo swung his wand, shattering the mana crushing him. Heike, blood trickling from his cheek, grimaced up at Leo.
“...L-Leo.”
‘An illusion?’
According to their team friends who’d come up from Team 4, Auguste Rosenheim, formerly of Team 4, could create illusions.
So realistic that even teammates doubted if it was real, and simply suspecting it wasn’t enough to dispel them. That’s what he’d heard.
So for now, he had to keep all possibilities open and consider this Heike might be a real teammate.
Finding him right upon arriving at the Oranienberger warp point could mean it was an illusion targeting him...
But it also meant Heike might have heard he’d been exposed, given up the deception, and come here for support.
“Leo, barrier quick. Ignore me and head up Friedrich Street. Hurry.”
He checked the surroundings—no signs of people. Leo snapped his fingers for a barrier and said,
“Tell me the situation first.”
“...Yulia chased me. Yulia and Lucas were watching us from the Grand Hotel next to Alexander Square. Did Narke tell you?”
“Is that true?”
It wasn’t directed at Heike.
Narke replied in a distracted voice, focused elsewhere.
[What?]
“Whether Lucas and Yulia saw Heike from the Grand Hotel next to Alexander Square.”
[Uh, yeah~]
Heike muttered in his usual slow, dry tone, tinged with a hint of dejection.
“...My artifact broke too. Got spares?”
“Yeah. Later.”
“Now?”
“No.”
He wouldn’t toss an artifact to someone on the ground when he didn’t even know if they were real or fake.
“Get up.”
Leo extended a hand.
As Heike reached for it, his face twisted in terror and he shouted,
“Behind!”
“...!”
Boom—!
Leo spun, blocking his view with his arm.
Golden mana scattered before his eyes. He knew exactly whose it was.
Yulia stood atop the opposite building’s top floor.
He hadn’t sensed anyone earlier. But given the guy’s skill, it wasn’t impossible.
‘Anyway... planning to block entry to the street entirely, huh.’
“Yulia.”
“Mm.”
“Where’s Lucas?”
“Handed him to Elias. Why?”
“Nah.”
Leo smiled, shook his head, and thrust out his hand.
Something surged up at invisible speed, slamming into Yulia.
Boom—!
Yulia raised a barrier, but too late. Thick, tough plant vines sprouted from the building wall, grabbing his wrist and yanking him down.
Yulia swiftly severed them with mana and leaped to the ground.
“Still got it, Leo.”
“Gotta.”
“Ah, honestly wanted a one-on-one with you.”
“Now’s your chance. Let loose like you want.”
“You know we don’t have time.”
Despite his words, a white blade glinted in Leo’s eyes.
Clang! Screech—
Yulia’s signature heavy strike transferred straight to Leo’s sword.
Exactly the sensation Leo had always felt.
‘Not an illusion.’
He still couldn’t tell for sure.
Yulia laughed in that familiar voice.
“Guess all that training at my place every break paid off.”
Up to mid-third year at the academy, he’d gone to Baden every break for training.
Leo adjusted the force in his wrist and murmured quietly,
“Ancient history. And I wasn’t training under you.”
“Ancient history...”
Boom—!
Yulia stomped the ground hard.
Mana erupted from the earth, forcing Leo to hold his balance while focusing on Yulia’s sword flowing under his and his posture.
Then laughter leaked from Yulia.
“You’ve been ignoring the rear like this since earlier—it’s bugging me. Wanna come back to Baden for more training?”
Yulia was in front, but a whoosh came suddenly from behind.
Leo twisted sideways, dodging both attacks, and in that instant, Yulia vanished from his sight.
Speed unbelievable for a human.
Disappearing mid-fight.
Meant he wasn’t the target.
Sure enough, Heike was gone from where he should’ve been. But now wasn’t the time to focus on Heike.
That whoosh from earlier. It was...
Clang—!
Leo twisted his wrist to block the incoming blade.
Since it lingered, Heike could wait.
“Focus, why don’t you.”
“...”
He was focused.
Not a good situation for such a tackle.
The one who appeared was Lucas.
Still wearing the cloth over his eyes.
‘...Ah.’
Bait.
Instead of chasing Heike, go for removing Lucas’s blindfold.
Like he’d thought earlier, the moment he freed those eyes to scan the field, victory was theirs.
Good offer. Of course, two possibilities here too.
“Narke. Find Heike now. Vanished with Yulia.”
[Later! Aaaah, seriously, Team 3 steals so well~? Hurry and help! Gotta finish before Team 3 gets here!]
Leo kept his gaze fixed on Lucas’s face as he listened to Narke.
He hadn’t realized just imagining it, but seeing the blindfold up close sent chills down his spine from instinctive fear. He’d brushed off Narke’s mutterings about mummies and coffins, but now it really looked like something risen from a casket.
“Coming as bait yourself, and treating me like this? Gonna piss off the visitor, class rep.”
“Class rep?”
Whoosh—Boom!
Leo dodged Lucas’s sword and retreated sideways.
How long since he’d heard “class rep” from Lucas’s mouth? Acting? Two possibilities again.
Leo sheathed his sword for his wand, blocking Lucas’s attacks while saying,
“Then take it off.”
“...”
“You know what I mean. You’re the bait. Heike’s gone, so at least you...”
Boom!
Leo stomped wide, dodging sideways, and thrust his hand out again.
Something scattered nearby writhed like a living thing. Lucas whirled at the mana surge, but too late.
“Gotta buy time.”
The plant vine precisely grabbed the strap behind his head and yanked.
Leo finished speaking and stood still, watching him.
Lucas steadied late, crouching, clicked his tongue, and looked this way. Squinting at the sudden sunlight, he pressed near his brow bone.
Lucas’s usual impassive face.
Likewise, those ever-lazy pink irises met his gaze.
“...”
Seeing that face, Leo’s lips curved up.
The two possibilities had split the situation 50-50 until now, but he knew for sure.
Leo tapped the artifact by his ear.
“Narke. Auguste’s around here.”
With those words, Lucas vanished in an instant, just like Yulia earlier.
Yulia had been an illusion too.
[...Four buildings left! Hurry and search! Wait, what? Auguste? You’re not coming...?]
“That’s not the point, Narke. Team 3 kids there?”
[Nope.]
“They are. No way Team 3 abandons a point they found. Search again. And Heike’s not there, right?”
[Yeah.]
When Heike first reported real info to them, he’d given every little detail.
That was a clue to how the frenzy happened.
In cases of multiple frenzies, there was definitely a contaminated source somewhere, erupting from multiple bodies around the same time.
Meaning, even multiple incidents had one cause.
And unless it was something only Lucas would think, Elias, Yulia—everyone could think the same.
“Here’s a thought. There was a slight time lag. Between when you told me ‘Lucas figured it out’ and when I arrived here and met Auguste. Felt like about five minutes difference, from memory.”
Leo’s lips slowly curved up.
Narke’s small laugh came through, as if he’d grasped it.
[...Ah~ Nice. Got it.]
* * *
‘Ah, damn.’
Auguste clicked his tongue, peeling his head off the wall and peeking slightly out the window.
‘How’d he figure it out? He fell for Heike and Yulia stages fine.’
He knew Heike as an old friend, so showing an illusion of him was no issue.
Yulia had given the needed info too, so that ended successfully.
But getting stuck here...
Everyone knew Lucas and Leo’s relationship. He thought he did too.
So he’d assumed success.
For human illusions, you layer emotions finely. Otherwise, it’s bland, like a doll. With over ten years of data since his unique ability awakened as a kid, he knew it well—failures were rare.
‘But... mixing in disgust at the Lucas stage was the mistake?’
When he disliked someone, didn’t they usually reciprocate? It spreads eventually. Lucas looking at Leo with hate made sense.
Was he secretly hoping Lucas liked him despite his own dislike?
‘...No. That wasn’t resentment in his reaction.’
It really felt like he’d spotted the illusion.
Anyway, no time for this.
He had to report to Yulia and Elias now.
As he leaped down the building to signal Elias’s artifact, a massive alert blared, snapping him alert.
Beeep—
Auguste’s eyes widened.
Red text hovered blinking before him.
[Team 1: +1]
[Team 3: 0]
* * *
Gave up one point.
[...Elias. Sorry. Held them almost to the promised time... but Leo caught on at the end.]
“Mm~ It’s fine. Don’t blame yourself.”
Elias smiled as he said it, then whispered to the friend with an arm around his shoulder.
“Hey~ Our Narke’s amazing. Or is it Leo?”
“...”
“Stuck in an illusion for four minutes, spotting it in the last one? Leo or whoever smashed Oswald and Florian’s artifacts in one minute—how do we deal with this? They’re not that weak.”
Heike, pale and soul-drained, staggered beside Elias, clinging on.
“...You smashed mine too. Ulrike’s and Josephine’s.”
“What can I do if you mistook me for Leo, Heike? Auguste’s unique ability is seriously good. Right?”
At the unnecessarily gentle tone, Heike squeezed his eyes shut.
He usually didn’t feel emotions much, but this made his blood boil for some reason.
He wanted to be friends, but getting teased like this pissed him off.
Here’s what happened...
Shortly after the fake report, Leo came running from the south. He’d explained everything from scratch for five minutes since his artifact broke, but it was actually Elias.
He’d tried to warn about Auguste using his ability, but Auguste went to the real Leo, and Elias smashed his own artifact.
While Heike was lost in thought, Elias casually checked the clock inside the building and muttered,
“Leo’s coming here now.”
“...What? How?”
Elias ignored Heike’s question, mumbling playfully to himself.
“Ah~ Our prince rolls his head bloody, stressing this guy out. Since when was west north? Huh? Bluffing directions?”
“Bluffing...”
“...!”
Elias whipped around.
Then, confirming the face behind him, he smiled.
Leo approached with an unusual fishy grin.
“I’ve never had a bad hand, so call it straight.”