Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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KWANG—!
A door practically flying off its hinges burst open without warning. I’d only just closed my eyes for a moment before Leo arrived, but now they snapped wide open.
Leo stood there panting, still dressed in his Bavarian royal attire from the palace, staring down at me. His face was completely ashen.
I looked up at him and spoke without expression.
“…You remember, don’t you, Leo.”
Before I could finish, Leo—his face soul-drained—plopped down on my bed without permission and muttered,
“…You’re alive….”
“……”
“You didn’t die.”
“Yeah. I rewound time right in front of you.”
“You’re alive.”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
Leo fell silent now, staring at his own hands. Then he pulled me close and buried his face in my shoulder. Right before that, his expression had shifted to something almost tearful, and I was inwardly shocked that Leo of all people could make even a hint of that face. I patted his back to comfort him.
“You little shit, what’s gotten into you….”
“Aren’t you glad I survived? No matter what happens, your emotions always hover right around zero.”
Leo actually seemed relieved by my words and let out a small chuckle before slowly sinking back into gloom. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew what he was feeling, so I could guess the expression too.
And honestly, it stung a bit. Compared to people of this era, I do have pretty muted emotions. Even in modern times, I got called out plenty for it, so I just felt sorry for my friend.
‘That said, he’s still a teenager.’
I keep thinking of his age from the novel’s later parts.
It hits me again that he’s still so young and green. He handled things so competently on-site that I hadn’t felt it before, but at this age, he’s allowed to be a bit of a mess.
Come to think of it, his birthday hasn’t passed yet, so he’s 17….
‘…17. The others are mostly 18 now, but still….’
It reinforces the thought that I can’t keep dumping stuff on these kids going forward. I can’t shove burdens onto people whose heads are still wet behind the ears. If I recalculate my age by this world’s standards, professors or others might see me as just another kid with a fresh scalp, but relatively speaking, it’s different.
“Leo.”
“What.”
“Grow up quick.”
“Huh?”
So I can exploit you without guilt.
I patted his shoulder a few times from above, then sat him straight up properly.
Leo sat there with his eyes downcast and face dark. Right after the suicide incident, he’d seemed so composed moving people to Brandenburg New National Park or during the emergency committee meetings. But now the shock was spilling out unfiltered. It must be the difference between real combat and not. He’d probably been like this the whole time deep down.
Or maybe….
‘There’s another reason.’
I handed the listless Leo one of the whiskeys Elias had sent, along with the oranges I’d brought as snacks.
The patient—whose room was basically a prison now—was me, yet here I was serving him.
Leo looked up at me quizzically upon seeing the orange and whiskey together.
“What’s this… combo? You eat it like that?”
“……”
Even now, nitpicking the food—it really sinks in that this guy’s royalty. Of course, whiskey with orange as a side isn’t how I’d normally drink it either.
But right now, he needs to eat something to unwind the tension from the terror attack. I’d love to give him time, but we have things to discuss.
“Eat it like that, so you do too.”
“Okay….”
Surprisingly compliant, Leo ate the orange and took a sip of whiskey.
“Tasty?”
“Would it be?”
“You’re so honest.”
“Ah… no, this won’t do. Gotta eat ’em separate.”
‘Picky bastard….’
I stared at him intently and spoke lowly.
“Leo.”
He looked up at me with just his eyes, fork piercing an orange.
“Good to see you again.”
Leo started to say something but shut his mouth and smiled faintly. Then he replied shortly.
“Me too.”
I didn’t say more, just kept looking at him. Maybe because I stared so piercingly, Leo paused mid-fork and gave me a what’s-up look, but I just shrugged.
Leo said awkwardly,
“…Come on, explain. Why the sudden thing?”
“Nothing. Just eat.”
I nodded at the plate, and Leo asked again.
“What?”
“Eat.”
He gave up retorting at my curt reply, shook his head, and kept spearing oranges. Arms crossed, I watched him silently until he emptied the plate.
When he set it on the nightstand and looked at me, I nodded and asked slowly,
“You remember what happened earlier?”
“…Yeah. There was a terror attack.”
“Tell me everything you remember, from start to finish.”
Leo’s lips twitched in surprise, like he hadn’t expected that.
“…Why do I have to?”
“What is it you can’t tell me?”
“……”
“From the perspective of remembering what you said to me right before you went back, I can’t just stay in the dark.”
At that topic, Leo’s face stiffened slightly.
“I clearly told you to forget….”
“Forget. Sorry, but I can’t forget anything, Leo.”
It wasn’t sarcasm.
Fortunately, Leo looked back at me calmly, expressionless.
I kept staring at him too.
“Knowing is how we solve it or not. Dodging talk doesn’t help anything.”
“I only said those things because I was about to die and couldn’t filter what I should or shouldn’t. It was pure selfishness from that version of me—it’s not something you needed to hear, and I don’t want to spell it out.”
“……”
Ah, now I truly get how he must’ve felt when I hid the retry back then. I was thinking the same at the time. Not much different now.
He wore the same face as that me back then, and though I couldn’t see it, I probably had the same as this Leo. He’s avoiding my gaze, face screaming he’d warp anywhere to end this talk.
No solution? Might as well shut up since there’s none anyway? I know what he’s worried about. But after telling me to share the burden before, now he wants me to just sit tight?
Who decided that?
I met his darkened eyes and spoke slowly.
“I know you’re cautious. Yeah. Sometimes you hold back because you don’t want to miss anything. I even know what you’re worried about that makes you tell me nothing.”
“……”
“But if I keep rewinding time knowing nothing, is that good for you?”
“Whether it’s good or bad for me doesn’t matter. It’s up to how I see it. Again, you don’t need to worry about—”
“Earlier, I said I know what you’re worried about.”
Leo just looked at me silently.
“Let’s talk about that. It might seem out of left field, but you’ll get why I’m bringing it up. I can’t be the righteous person you think I am. I can change more here than you expect, but I haven’t accomplished much yet. I’m not the type to do it just for the people’s happiness.”
Leo twisted his face and said,
“Who am I hearing this from right now?”
“Hear me out. Unlike what you said, I can’t move solely for the greater good—I never have. Everything I’ve done so far wasn’t from conviction or resolve for some cause. It was just to avoid dying unjustly, just because these things happened right in front of me.”
“……”
“So if rewinding time causes something bad to happen to you right in front of me, I can’t pursue any ‘cause’ built on your misfortune. I don’t have your firm political beliefs—I prioritize what’s in my sight, get swayed by interests, and can’t escape personal ties. Even if you clam up about retries now, I’m not big enough to ignore it and chase the greater good. Disappointed? You’re sparing words for Nikolaus’s sake, but I’m not the greater-good-pursuing Nikolaus?”
“No.”
Leo fixed me with a frighteningly sharp gaze, then smiled faintly with an unreadable face and replied.
“Hearing this from you is a first, so I don’t even know how to put it—aside from that, all your words right now sound like you’re saying I have no kingly qualities.”
“……”
“Get what I mean? Do you know what I’m thinking?”
“No.”
“Your selfishness is justice to me.”
Leo’s eyes were cold now, unlike before.
“And to the people too. The world calls it justice, and the world wants leaders like you.”
“Right now….”
“Don’t rebut. No—I won’t allow it. The royals pay homage to all of Nikolaus’s deeds, so downplaying his achievements in any way is as good as blasphemy against the royals, as you know.”
That damn Nikolaus….
I replied without any expression.
“Very well, then.”
It sounded sarcastic, and Leo’s brow twitched. It was sarcasm, so no point denying. Still unsmiling, I continued slowly.
“But as Ascanien, I can’t not say this. I don’t know what’s happening to you. But if the greater good requires your silence, like I said earlier, I don’t know what justice is—so I can’t treat your silence as nothing and keep operating as before.”
“…Wait, you….”
I cut Leo off.
“Promise me.”
“……”
“Tell me after this is over.”
Leo’s mouth slowly opened. His brow furrowed at the same time. But it wasn’t negative.
With a face that was neither smiling nor frowning, Leo said quietly,
“It’s not a serious issue, Lucas.”
“I’ll hear it and judge for myself.”
“…….”
Leo let out a hollow laugh, utterly deflated.
This guy needs a push sometimes. I extended my pinky toward him.
He just stared, puzzled.
“What?”
“Oh.”
Looks like the pinky promise culture hasn’t spread here yet.
It’s modern knowledge, but in times like this, you bulldoze shamelessly. I wiggled my hand to show him to copy. He looked a few times, then made the same shape.
I hooked my pinky in his and recited from memory. Leo looked dubious once done.
“There, done.”
“What does this even do?”
“That’s the promise. Now you have to tell me after this is over.”
“…? I never said…!”
“You were already half swayed by me.”
“…….”
Leo stared like what the hell is this guy saying, then smiled in resignation.
I patted my palm, and only then did Leo turn away with a hollow chuckle.
“…Such a childish method….”
If he really hated it, he’d say no. Complaining about it being childish after going along.
And I did it because the kid in front of me is still a kid. I just shrugged.
Since it’s a sensitive topic and he might back out, shift to the plan quick so it doesn’t come up again.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Anyway, not the time. I said ‘earlier,’ remember.”
As I stood, Leo—who’d been sitting like he’d been scammed—paled and changed expression.
He nodded seriously.
“Yeah. You said you’d tell me your plan. Go on. How can I help?”
* * *
“What the hell am I doing here?”
Richthofen said, looking around at us.
Me, Elias, Narke, and Leo were now in Leo’s building in Bavaria—the Crown Prince’s Palace.
We’d grabbed Richthofen on the way. Elias’s face bore a crooked smile, still biased against Richthofen’s human form.
Before coming here, I handed Richthofen the paper where I’d jotted down the recap.
“I need your help, Senior. Take this first.”
“Out of nowhere?”
Richthofen chuckled in disbelief. But no time for slow explanations.
He took the paper, and his face hardened.
“…Hold on, how do you have this…?”
“Recognize it?”
“I asked how you have it.”
Richthofen’s face turned rigid.
“…….”
Yeah, it’s classified Catacombs tech, so expected reaction. He’d rushed to me bloodied, desperate to share this right before dying, yet remembers nothing now.
Totally natural. That’s the past now—erased time.
Can’t explain in detail, so dodge naturally.
I shook my head at Richthofen.
“I’ll say it’s from the Pentaron terrorists.”
“Terrorists?”
“What?”
Not just Richthofen—Elias’s face crumpled too. Narke, summoned with us, already suspected somewhat and sat tense.
“How…? What’s that got to do with this?”
“The terrorists have tech far beyond ours and plan to curse the entire Pentaron site. A curse no disassembly spell can break. You’ve got the gist, Senior—the paper’s the counter to the tech they’re using.”
“…….”
Richthofen still eyed me, brow furrowed.
I get his feelings on the Catacombs—no need to poke.
Plus, confusion mixed in his gaze, so no need to argue. He wasn’t dismissing my terror talk as total BS. Surprisingly, I’d built trust with him despite not doing much right by him.
“Sounds crazy, I know. But it’s from a reliable source—no need to doubt. The issue is implementing that magic in two days.”
“Two days…? Why not prevent the terror altogether?”
“Our tech can’t preempt it.”
It wasn’t me saying it. Leo, across from Richthofen, spoke for me.
“They’ll cast the curse via broadcast.”
“Broadcast? How….”
“That’s how advanced it is—that’s the problem. Bigger issue: no grounds to demand they stop newspaper voice transmissions. Even if we luck out and handle papers, they could use stadium speakers, or worst case, amplification magic right at the opening venue and event grounds.”
“…Right. But before that—no evidence to show the bureau now, and you want me to implement this?”
“Yes.”
I answered for Leo.
“Can’t say how I got the info now. If I could tell others, I’d have canceled Pentaron before calling you.”
“…….”
Can’t touch anything now.
In other scenarios maybe, but with conditions like this, without solving the root—the enemy’s existence—canceling Pentaron is just a band-aid.
Richthofen pressed his forehead, pondering long.
“…Fine.”
A welcome response.
He nodded at me.
“Nothing to lose. I’ll do it.”
“…Unexpected.”
“Don’t fully believe it, but… better than regretting ignoring and at least having the tech ready. Plus, this feels like something written by someone who thinks like me—no big resistance.”
Because you wrote it.
I just smiled.
“But two days? Impossible.”
“Yes, so don’t stay here—go now and do your best.”
“Knew you’d say that.”
Richthofen stood.
Leo followed to guide him.
Now left: Narke, Elias, and me.
“Lucas.”
Elias stared at me, dazed.
Before I could ask, he waved and cut in.
“Got tons to ask, but won’t on the terror. Wanna call BS, but no time at all. I’ll hear from Leo later.”
“…Yeah. I’ll hear it later too. Just two days to opening—how….”
Narke, beside Elias, nodded darkly in agreement. His expression graver than Elias’s—he’d grasped more than I’d said. Elias eyed me.
“I’ll hold my curiosity, but gotta ask this before diving in. Plan to stop the terror? Or we planning that first?”
Good catch. Nice.
I shook my head.
“I already have a plan for the terror—no big changes needed there. Different plan for you two.”
“What kind?”
“It doesn’t end post-terror. Need your help with that.”
Elias narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.
“Post-terror?”
* * *
[Preparations ready?]
“Yeah.”
Opening day.
Back in the hospital room.
But this time, unlike last loop, I wore an artifact for external comms. I read the same memo as before while hearing Leo’s connection cut.
[Excellency Ascanien. Emergency Committee Head Patrick Einheart here. As you instructed, we’ve found the ‘new plan’ threading through the entire Pentaron main stadium and event grounds. No need for pessimism. Time’s still ample. We won’t drop our guard, and we hold diverse resources to execute defense plans no matter what arises. Now we need your help for a successful opening.]
[Hold diverse resources to execute defense plans no matter what arises… huh.]
Reading it now hits different. Those confident folks failed terror defense, dooming 1.37 million to death.
I folded the memo and tossed it in the fireplace. Unlike last loop, my terror notes were long burned.
Two hours to opening.
Evening 8 PM on opening day again.
Indigo sky bursting with multicolored magic like fireworks, same as before. Overlaps with the last sight pre-rewind: mana field shards raining from the sky.
This time, prepped in Eschet’s ceremonial robe and gloves. Fixed my hat like before and stood at the door—knock came a bit later than pre-rewind.
The imperial guard’s voice again.
“Excellency Ascanien. Time to move.”