Chapter 278
Chapter 278
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 278
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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At least my identity was secure. This was a world where Lucas Everett could walk around legally.
First things first—now that I knew the restricted zones, it was time to scout the areas I could reach. I needed to test the limits of this handy ability: how far it restricted me and how far it let me go.
‘Starting with the Parliament building.’
I took a deep breath and snapped my fingers. The flow of the wind shifted, and suddenly a blue park and a building appeared before my eyes.
Okay. I could warp to the Parliament.
I tried a few other government buildings in Berlin and Brandenburg, and they all worked. Anywhere except where Ascanien might be, it seemed.
‘Good enough.’
No more warping for now... I felt like I might hurl. I’d mapped out a few places I could go, so now it was time to assess the situation here. Feeling my stamina utterly drained, I bought a copy of the Imperial Newspaper from a nearby stand.
[March 20, 1866]
[The Dead Rise? Corpses Revived in Bavaria Following Prussia]
“......”
This on the front page?
I’d been thrilled for a moment to arrive in a world free of Pleroma, temperaments, constitutions—everything that plagued me. But now my stomach churned again. Running into Pleroma’s madness in the news from twelve years ago was a real treat.
Just then, the vendor, munching on something crunchy, thrust a fresh loaf of bread at me.
“Here, have this.”
“Huh?”
“The madeleine you bought earlier? It’s delicious.”
“......”
I couldn’t even accept the kindness at face value. Out of the vendor’s sight, I purified it. Thankfully, nothing was wrong, and with my heart burning through all my energy from the warp, I figured I’d better eat something. I took a bite, and the vendor stared right at my face.
“High schooler? How old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
That was my passport age, anyway. And emotionally, it wasn’t a lie. I’d been twenty-three, chronologically, the last time I was in my own world. My birthday had passed by now, so maybe I should add a year.
“Oh, are you New Humanity, by any chance?”
“Yeah.”
“Lucky you.”
“Why’s that?”
“Why? Being a mage is so cool.”
Back when they used to round up people and burn them alive for fake magic... Truth is, whether it’s that magic or this, acceptance boils down to the same thing. But reactions differ wildly depending on who holds the power.
The vendor pointed at the front page of the newspaper I was reading.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking nobody’s gonna drag me off to them.”
“Sir, that’s Pleroma. What are you...”
“It’s gotta be those guys, right? They’re like Gnostic heretics or something, but they bring the dead back to life, don’t they? And give them magic powers.”
Gnostic heretics? That’s all they think? Gnosticism or whatever, those freaks are doing things unprecedented in history. Pleroma hadn’t yet earned the infamy it would in 1898, twelve years from now. There’d be plenty of backlash, but their image wasn’t set in stone yet. I skimmed the paper and asked,
“Anyway, leaving that aside—what do you know about Anhalt? I’m curious about recent news, but I don’t know where to look.”
“Anhalt? Hmm... Word is the imperial family’s got their eye on the kid there. If it’s reached our ears, it’s basically a done deal for appointment.”
“I see. That’s Adrian, right?”
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“He goes to the 3rd Academy, doesn’t he?”
“Sure does, but he’s already with the imperial family. They’re raising him like their own kid. Probably grooming him for something big later...”
“......”
I nodded slowly. This was info I hadn’t known, since Luka was only six back then.
‘Age gap’s a real wildcard.’
Brains don’t care about age. Sure, kids might lack social know-how, but intelligence isn’t tied to years, so even a teen can think and calculate as fast as an adult. You get disillusioned meeting one in person. Anyway, what chance does a six-year-old have against a brain like that?
‘...Of course, that assumes what I knew holds true.’
Even if it didn’t, I had to survive this political game. Now my opponents weren’t just my brother—they included the Prussian government and public opinion.
The system had said from the start: survive 777 days. My task hadn’t changed. I sorted through a sudden thought, letting the vendor’s chatter go in one ear and out the other, and flipped to the job listings. My eyes lit up.
Ding!
Proposal 2. Find the Host
— Reward: +3 EC points
Gastgeber. Host. Organizer. Find this world’s organizer? But I’d made this world with my ability.
And what were those points even for?
‘Table it for now.’
Jobs first. I had an idea...
Ding!
Extra Chapter
— Stage 1 Special Reward
: Traits available in Extra Chapter too!
“You kinda look like someone, now that I think about it.”
The status window and the vendor shattered my thoughts at once.
Maybe because it was just starting, notifications popped up constantly—like when I’d first entered this world. Nothing back then, so I welcomed them, but they were distracting.
Thinking it was time to move on, I asked curtly,
“Who do I look like?”
“Georg Ascanien. Huh, weird. Must be my memory playing tricks. Not him, right?”
“......”
“Of course not. Just saying you’re handsome~ Haha!”
Chills ran down my spine.
He’d said it casually, but it didn’t land that way for me. Time to go before he remembered I was New Humanity. I said a quick goodbye and left.
I ducked into an alley between empty buildings and cast a small spatial spell. Fragile enough to break if poked, but useful for this.
‘Not good enough. Time to grow out my hair first.’
Identity alone wasn’t security. I needed to change my look so no one clocked Ascanien on sight.
Georg Ascanien in twelve years had long hair, but at this time, he didn’t—as far as I knew. If he had short hair, I needed to differentiate to buy time in recognition.
I recited the formula and snapped my fingers. My black hair grew long. That’d buy me about three years’ worth. I swept the bangs from my eyes and summoned the vanished notification.
‘Stage 1 special reward, huh.’
What now?
Traits should be welcome, but skepticism hit first... Maybe it popped because I’d wondered what points were for.
A familiar glow appeared. A stack of notes, like torn and folded book pages. Like when I’d drawn the Charm trait. Light obscured the text again.
‘Well, if it’s happening, hope it’s a good one.’
I grabbed a note and unfolded it. A new window appeared.
Congratulations!
‘Time Difference’ trait added!
‘Huh.’
Definitely watching me. Time difference—that’s what I’d just thought. No clue on the time gap between here and outside, so I needed to check fast.
Time Difference Lv. 1
— Current time [Extra Chapter: Chapter 7] [1:1]
— Next time [2:1]
— To next level: 1.0 EC points
1:1.
One minute here meant one minute out there.
“......”
A chill crept up my spine. What about Leo? I’d spent about twenty minutes here. Was I even there? Asleep?
‘Gotta get out.’
Jobs could wait. I knew the time flow now—no point staying forever. Friends wouldn’t look for me if I was alone in my room; I could re-enter later and job hunt.
With that thought, my eyes snapped open. I was back in a room in the Crown Prince’s Palace, lit only by artificial lights.
“...!”
“Luca!”
Elias, who’d entered while I was gone, grabbed my shoulders. Leo’s face behind him. I turned back to Elias yelling at me.
“Where’d you warp to?! I should’ve blocked both directions!”
“Oh.”
He thought it was a warp. Good thing I returned in one second. I shook off Elias’s grip.
“...My bad. Sorry.”
Leo, visible behind Elias, looked puzzled for a moment, then sighed deeply.
“I told you to wait. You vanishing scared the hell out of me...”
“Wait, Luca, you can warp solo now?!”
“It was more accident than intent. But I came back quick, didn’t I?”
Leo replied firmly.
“We waited ten minutes here.”
“Got it.”
I leaned back and muttered.
Back again. Returning to this world killed the thrill from the other. Temperament, constitution, blood—too much to worry about.
That other world was normal; this was the broken state.
“Luca.”
Elias called seriously.
I knew what he wanted, but I wasn’t in the mood for talk.
“You finally bulked up, and now it’s all gone~”
“......”
I glanced at my arm, then glared at Elias. Stuffing food down when not hungry was torture—now he said my efforts reset? Seeing my face darken, Elias cackled, then stood abruptly.
“I’m on your side, Luca.”
“......”
The out-of-left-field line made me look up. Elias pointed at Leo and grumbled.
“He tagged along, but he said he had something quick to say, so I gotta head out. See ya.”
“Eli, wait...”
Elias just waved playfully and slipped away.
I stared at the spot he’d left. After returning from the Archbishop’s world, when everyone fretted, he’d joked with me alone. This was his care—Elias-style. He always gave the reactions I wanted.
Leo leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, silent. Those ten minutes had worn him out. After a pause, he asked,
“You’ll turn back time, right?”
Straight to the heavy stuff.
I hadn’t heard his time theory yet—the day I tried, I collapsed. Leo said firmly,
“We have to, Lucas.”
“I know.”
“Even turning it back might not erase the constitution. That’s my guess.”
Leo hesitated, then shut his mouth. I heard him swallow. He was uncomfortable.
“...I got the rundown from Narke the other day too. People think mana’s genetic, but no. What’s inherited is the core. So unique abilities tie to the core too.”
“Yeah.”
“Honestly, our mana research has gaps. We thought family unique abilities matched via genetics, but what if it’s souls resonating similarly?”
“That’s creepy.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
Leo seemed to think of someone too, his face subtle. He cleared his throat and continued.
“...Heike’s still relatively pure, so let’s block it somehow. Anyway, mana and core interact over time, becoming alike. Yours fused into a unique constitution, so distinguishing them’s pointless. But if mana’s soul-bound and core body-bound, time reversal rolls back the core, leaves mana.”
“Hm.”
“The core’s time-tied, so it’ll improve. But mutated mana’ll assimilate the core gradually.”
“Yeah, I get it. Won’t fully revert.”
I’d expected that. Halfway was profit; slowing time was gain.
I met his eyes calmly.
“But politics are different. You’re telling me to reverse because of that, right?”
“You know it.”
I gazed into space.
“Brother wanted me absorbing everyone’s mana and dropping dead there. Me collapsing wasn’t in his plan.”
“How’re you sure?”
“Dunno. Instinctive shutdown.”
I bullshitted. My heart stopping was the special reward. Not supposed to happen. Without forcing it, I’d have sucked up everyone’s mana. The thirst and hunger pre-arrest proved it.
Brother didn’t want this peaceful end. Chaos for me, disappointment for him.
Leo got it and shifted to public opinion.
“People think you pushed too hard before recovering fully and passed out. Sentiment’s still positive—actually rising from this. If Brother orchestrated meticulously, it’s backfired completely.”
Chapter 6’s special reward was legit. Brutal—kill and revive—but without it, I’d be buried per Brother’s intent, mana-vamped. Yet I remained the terrorist victim-hero to the public. This boosted my image. ‘Externally.’ And external mattered most now. Inner turmoil later.
I smiled and beckoned.
“Yeah, you get it. I’ve got an edge here. They already know me as having that mana-absorbing temperament.”
“Yep.”
“They believe it’s dormant now. No rampage shown, so externally, no minus. Status quo.”
Leo crossed arms, nodded. I paused, recapped.
“But Nikolaus stepping up changes it. Before, you said wait for Brother’s attack, reverse, reveal as Nikolaus?”
“Yeah... but...”
“Same page.”
I looked at Leo. He met my eyes, mouth closing. I turned away slowly, musing aloud.
“Can’t play my hidden card now. Brother’s hit cost me 30%p mutability—that divine power proof, my ace defense and offense. Using it’s reckless. Confirming I’m Nikolaus hands him a grand send-off chance.”
Time to think Nikolaus deeper. Key trait: divine power. Prussia wary, Bavaria recruiting—purely from massive divine power. Loyal to Bavaria with it, hard for Nikolaus to wield Prussian politics. Prussia won’t give me past Magic Security Advisory Vice Chair. Friendly, but no permanent posts beyond provisional. No magic or security minister/vice, no imperial chancellor nod. Elevating me aids Bavaria. Clear since Pentaron opener terror prep. Tiss Hotel basement rat swarm discovery convened council—even with Bavaria king/crown prince, why no Nikolaus summon?
No need spelling it; intent obvious. Infuriating for Nikolaus, but crisis is opportunity. Political angle here. Planned to stop using it past this, but...
‘Circumstances demand it.’
I’d conquer Prussia too.
To stop the Empire grabbing Adrian Ascanien, not content with Bavaria—make Prussia mine. Turn Prussia’s Lucas Ascanien into Prussia’s second Nikolaus Ernst, rival to Nikolaus Ernst.
Meanwhile, as Nikolaus Ernst, nurture Bavaria to devour Prussia.
Thus, no revealing I’m Nikolaus yet.
I met Leo’s eyes firmly.
“Cleaner the better. Brother knows the collapse triggered it. Post-reversal, if constitution persists, trigger’s pulled—sacred blood won’t drop me now.”
“Hm, under that premise, high chance. Silver lining?”
Leo propped his chin, tapped lips thoughtfully, nodded. I smiled, clapped once.
“Good. Sorted. How’s outside?”
“More details than before?”
“Yeah. You know me.”
“Should’ve clocked it using newspaper shuttles...”
Leo muttered sourly. Hates crown prince tag, acts the part.
“Lots want to meet you. Still the Empire’s hero. Next month: schmoozing politico-economic elite.”
“Hm, fine. But ‘Empire’s’... don’t call it that.”
Fine solo, but hearing it? Chills. Blue-eyed hunter flashbacks...
Leo chuckled.
“Italy train ticket—using it?”
“Nah, Berlin. Not Italy.”
“To send the letter?”
“Yeah.”
No Italy trip needed for Brother’s next plan. He said arrive Berlin, letter. Pre-reversal, heed his demand.
Leo meant meet Brother pre-reversal. Solid idea. Issue: manual reversal max six hours. Slept three days; rely on last checkpoint. Luckily, Thea Tina Cathedral Eucharist—delay risks overwrite.
‘Gotta calc points, upgrade trait first.’
Leo blocked me.
“Wait. Not done talking.”
“More?”
Leo unpacked a box, pulled a vial. Spine chilled.
Who wouldn’t? Perfume-sized, 30ml maybe. Red liquid inside, thicker than water...
“...Blood?”
“Obviously.”
“What’s obvious? Why bring it? Whose is it?”
“......”
“Not human, right?”
Leo didn’t answer. Just offered the vial with an enigmatic smile.
Then the madness:
“Drink it.”