Chapter 309
Chapter 309
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 309
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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The face of the man I had seen just a few days ago was right in front of me. At the same time, it was the face of someone I would never see again.
What I had to do this time was clear. I had to step aside until Emmanuel became "me." Just like how I had previously merged with Marco Schreiber.
[Damn this out-of-body experience....]
"......"
Emmanuel's voice filled my head. It wasn't hard to steel myself to observe Emmanuel's actions while excluding my own consciousness. The fact that Emmanuel had thought the same thing deep down silenced me.
Emmanuel let out a deep sigh.
"Haaaa...."
"That's why it felt like the ground sank thousands of meters just now."
"You're no fun, seriously."
"Then don't hang out with me."
"......"
Emmanuel silently stared at Maria before turning away. Maria, unperturbed, leaned against Emmanuel's side—her skull bumping into his ribs, making Emmanuel snap irritably without realizing it—and lit a cigarette. Emmanuel set the magic cigarette down in the ashtray and asked.
"Did the club go well today?"
"Maybe I shouldn't have started it in Berlin. It's too far. Sure, I can communicate with you using that mirror I gave you, but...."
Maria grumbled before continuing.
"Some weird people showed up. Ever heard of Pleroma?"
"Who hasn't? They dig up graves and even resurrect people from centuries ago."
"Yeah. Apparently, that church has a lot of people like me who love the occult. They said they'd introduce me to partners for serious occult activities, so why not merge our groups."
"......"
Emmanuel checked Maria's complexion, grabbed his cheeks, and stared straight into his eyes. A vague unease surged up. I—no, Emmanuel—frowned and replied.
"Just stick with me. I have a bad feeling about it."
"What do you mean, stick with you! You can't even do out-of-body experiences. I could if I had divine power."
...Why the hell would anyone need to do out-of-body experiences?! To say it so casually....
I'd seen it for twenty years now, but I never got used to it. Instead of voicing that thought, Emmanuel said something else.
"I shouldn't have introduced you to that divine power mage.... Anyway, no. Don't go there."
Even as he said it, his mind wasn't at ease. He always appeared carefree with a smile on the surface, but that wasn't how he truly felt. Maybe because he was using appraisal eyes without a target, only a vague anxiety washed over him without anything concrete.
"I wasn't planning to go anyway. It's obvious they don't respect the occult or anything. I can tell if they're just trying to drag me in half-heartedly."
The breath he'd been holding slipped out in relief. Emmanuel smiled leisurely as usual and leaned back against the chair.
"Good. Yeah. That group's gotten weirder every year anyway. They might start killing living people at this rate."
"Hmm...."
"When that happens, we'll have to execute them all, so let's not associate carelessly."
"...Yeah. You're right."
Maria rested his chin on his hand, staring into space. What was he thinking? Emmanuel looked into his eyes and asked again for confirmation.
"You're not going, right?"
"Yeah."
Maria had no intention of joining Pleroma. He wasn't that kind of person. Staring into Maria's light green eyes while using his ability, Emmanuel reached that conclusion and leaned his head back on the pillow.
"So, why exactly do they want you?"
"They want me to create a magical studies framework. Based on what I know, specifically."
"Hm? A magical studies system from occult....?"
"Occult is logos too. They want to access the essence of the universe and the most Christian magics."
You think so, but no one considers occult as logos. The opposite, maybe. The words lingered on his tongue, but he closed his eyes. The magic drug made his body hazy. Emmanuel mumbled randomly as he drifted into sleep.
"I'll try succeeding at out-of-body.... Don't talk about your techniques in weird places; tell me instead."
"Yeah, I said I won't go."
The words came in fragments.
When he opened his eyes again, he was on the balcony in regular clothes instead of pajamas. Maria was stomping over from the other side, fuming.
Kwang—!
His face flushed with anger, Maria threw his bag onto the side table. Either the suitcase or the desk's wood would be splintered. Emmanuel watched Maria silently, thinking that. This was the first time he'd seen Maria return like this, raging.
"Do you know what those bastards told me to do? Make a drug that can brainwash people! Like that exists, and even if it did, I'd never make it."
Maria started using the speech patterns he'd used in the Austrian palace. It must have been the tone from talking to those "weird" people earlier. Since there'd been no word Maria was coming to Bavaria, only one cup of tea was prepared. Emmanuel offered the teacup and asked.
"Was today when you were supposed to meet Pleroma's leadership? They demanded it outright?"
"Of course not. They beat around the bush, but do you think I couldn't tell!"
Maria downed the tea in two gulps, as if it weren't hot. He wiped his mouth with his hand and continued angrily.
"It bruised my pride, but... I did tell them what I expect from the occult. Even I have standards. To shake off these leech-like bastards, I had to do something."
"...I don't know what happened, but good job. So, what's with the suitcase?"
"It's documents from my house and the Berlin base. Hold onto them for me; if anything happens, burn them properly. I need to wrap up the Hermetic Society too; this won't do...."
Emmanuel offered Maria his own cigarette and said.
"You said there were ten people gathered; you're disbanding that? It's the group you always wanted to keep going."
"The safety of ten people matters more. Those Pleroma whatever will hunt down that group just because they're connected to me. They'll dig up graves, resurrect the dead, and extract their knowledge."
"That bad? Even so, you're royalty...."
"That's the kind of people they are. They'll chase to the ends of the earth if needed."
"Hm... Are there that many who'd go that far? Why do you think so?"
"Because I saw it myself. They proudly showed off someone who rebelled against their organization.... I might need to make a spell that destroys astral bodies to prevent resurrection and put it on every grave. Ah, then they'd just take the ashes?"
Whatever they showed must have been utterly repulsive. Maria shrugged sarcastically. He looked up at the sky, sighed, and pulled artifacts from his pocket, handing them to Emmanuel. Unfamiliar metal lumps clattered onto the desk.
"You shouldn't hang out with me anymore. I'm not staying here. Be careful for a while...."
"So we can only contact by letter now?"
"I gave you that artifact mirror. We can see each other's faces with it."
"......"
Vague anxiety surged.
It didn't matter if he left or not. The age of hoping to play with a friend all day was long past, forgotten, and he was Austrian, so they had to be apart often anyway.
I knew that. I knew, but I couldn't shake the instinctive foreboding. My limbs tingled. My neck stiffened, immobile.
[No. What are you doing, you idiot....]
It felt like someone else was doing it, even though it was me. My heart raced.
"I'm going. If anyone contacts about blood or spells, kick them out!"
Unlike when he arrived, Maria left the hall empty-handed. No, he couldn't go yet. There was something I wanted to ask....
[I should say that....]
The brief moment my eyes closed felt eternal. When I opened them again, I was somewhere else.
Flutter—
[1888. 02. 26.]
[To His Highness Emmanuel Wittelsbach]
[...I heard you are my brother's close friend. My brother has been absent for two days. I am contacting you to ask if he is in Bavaria. There is a family event soon, so he must return by tomorrow. If he is with you, please pass on the message. Thank you.]
[Leopold Maria von Österreich-Este]
Emmanuel folded the letter and pulled the mirror artifact from his pocket. He tapped the surface, but no response came from the other side.
"Maria~"
[......]
"Maria. You there?"
No matter how much he called, unless Maria had the mirror, I couldn't communicate. We each had two one-way artifacts, that's all.
It wasn't the first day or two without contact. Still, it was surprising he wasn't home, but since his family knew nothing of his occult research, it made sense he wouldn't stay home much during such a worrisome time. Nothing else to do. Emmanuel sipped tea and opened Maria's suitcase.
Maria's research materials were astonishing. No matter how many times he saw them, he was always impressed that not just anyone could produce such results.
'The methods being occult is a bit disconcerting, though....'
As long as he was happy. Emmanuel visualized the formula from the simplest-looking material among those spread out and swung his wand.
No reaction.
'Maria did it fine.'
That meant the formulas weren't all illusions. But it was as if only Maria could use the spells he created; Emmanuel had never succeeded alone. He glanced at the occult materials in the box. Three vials of Maria's blood, magic drug bottles for rituals, even chalk for pentagrams.
'Unnecessarily many supplies.'
Maybe he needed to use them all. He didn't want to, but.
Emmanuel rummaged further and found a strange notebook.
[How to Implant New Thoughts in Souls Entering the Astral Realm: Gain new knowledge just by sleeping, no studying needed!]
"......"
What.... Why make a spell like this when there's no need to study?
More like, brainwashing spells are right here, so what does he mean nothing exists? Emmanuel chuckled and neatly placed the notebook at the bottom of the box.
Then, a strange noise.
Clunk—
"Hm?"
Emmanuel unfolded the mirror artifact he'd set aside. It showed a new human wearing otherworldly clothes. Maria was with other people.
[I told you I have no business with you.]
[There are things we haven't told you yet. Seems like there's a misunderstanding....]
"Maria."
He called, but it seemed my voice didn't reach. Since he activated the artifact to show me deliberately, he must have something to say....
Emmanuel stared at the screen expressionlessly.
[We came to save the world, not to spread evil as Your Highness Maria thinks.]
[So what I'm saying is, go save yourselves; why drag me into it....]
Salvation.... People who talk like that are all crazy. This must be the Pleroma Maria mentioned days ago. As soon as he thought that, an impossible sound rang out.
Kwang—Thud—
"...!"
Emmanuel jumped up. The screen's world tilted sharply. Another impact followed, and half the artifact screen went dark.
'Right now....'
What just happened?
His mind blanked. Was what I heard real?
No way, they hit Maria's head....
[Take him to Gregorio.]
[Bishop. If we don't accept Gregorio's negotiation terms, he won't use his ability.]
[Then accept them.]
[You're going to humor Gregorio for research we don't even know is real magic?!]
[At least this guy has abilities usable like magic. Besides, we need Gregorio's brainwashing ability anyway! We'll accept eventually....]
[No! We approached Beatrix von Österreich-Este to avoid relying on Gregorio's power, didn't we? Gregorio is ambitious. He's just new, so he hasn't shown his true colors yet, but he'll betray the organization anytime.]
[Once we get the brainwashing spell from this Österreich-Este, kill Gregorio. Problem solved.]
"......"
His head cooled coldly.
They did this to get Maria's techniques. The story Maria had come to tell without warning days ago flashed through his mind.
Maria showed me the artifact hoping I'd come find him. I stuffed the papers back into the suitcase and ran to the room. I had to go out now. Go out and....
His hand pulling out the jacket stopped.
Go where? Where was that place? Austria? Berlin? The artifact now only transmitted the rustle of clothes, no voices. The mirror's view shifted to a dark room. They'd warped somewhere. Maria's location was now a bigger mystery.
When I opened and closed my eyes again, I was at the Investigation Bureau.
"Warp magic was detected around the building Your Highness mentioned. Come with us to Prussia now. The Österreich-Este will arrive here soon; shall we go together then?"
"It was detected?"
The staffer, noticing my daze, checked my face and replied.
"Yes. Thanks to your quick report, it was possible. Prussia Investigation Bureau has opened a portal; let's go through now."
Hope appeared. Whoever Gregorio was, we had to find Maria before he brainwashed him. Or even after—Maria had developed spells to reverse it maybe....
I took a deep breath and checked the artifact. No changes yet. So, I followed the investigator to Prussia.
But hope didn't last.
The new location was an empty building. Nothing but the structure itself. The Prussian investigator looked around in confusion.
"Strange. This is the place...."
"It's the place; why is everything gone?"
"Well, it.... It definitely led here. If not, we have no other way...."
Another Prussian investigator said gravely.
"Maybe they refracted the mana? We know almost nothing about Pleroma; they might have unique tech."
"Then...."
Listening silently, someone grabbed my back when I reacted oddly. Rage whited out my vision unknowingly. I heard to rest while retracing the path; with the investigator's help, I sat. No longer trusting them, I snatched back the submitted artifact.
Clear voices started from the artifact shortly after.
[Who are you?]
"...!"
Maria had woken. I hurriedly unfolded the mirror. A kindly old man sat before Maria, smiling.
[I am Gregorio.]
[You're the one who worked for the German government long ago, aren't you?]
[Impressive memory. You're Austrian.]
Gregorio laughed. Maria's tone was still sharp.
[You were Magic Division Vice Minister. I didn't know you'd be in this feudal group.]
[You never know with people.]
Friendly laugh. Chair scraping.
[Now, Archduke Beatrix Maria. Let's talk calmly.]
[......]
[I imagine you're quite shocked. You didn't expect to be dragged to a strange place like this. I was the same at first. It's very closed-off, with weird goals; I'm just waiting to leave.]
[You were dragged here too?]
[Of course. What reason would a former Magic Division Vice Minister have to come here? After losing my children in Alsace-Lorraine, I had no desire to live long.]
[......]
[You want to go home.]
Gregorio lowered his voice cautiously, as if concerned for Maria.
I held my breath. A sliver of hope flickered but died. Being in this group, he couldn't help Maria. Plus, hadn't those Pleroma mentioned a "negotiation proposal"? Maria missed that, but I heard it. This guy was trying to coax Maria too.
'No.'
[You won't get an answer here.]
[Hm?]
I stared blankly at the artifact. Maria couldn't have heard that conversation?
Even in this situation, Maria replied calmly.
[You're one of my kind.]
[Your kind? Like Archduke Beatrix Maria?]
[People with knowledge others don't have. Hearing me say I want to go home is your goal, right? Then you'd make your next move. Besides....]
[......]
[Did you draw my blood? That makes you even more suspicious.]
The old man looked surprised, then smiled softly.
[You know the importance of blood. Good.]
[Good. What?]
[I have no intention of harming Your Highness Maria. Using violence carelessly is unjust and wrong. So I won't use unnecessary means on you, but I'm not in a position to defy their orders.]
[......]
[You don't agree. But it's the truth.]
[What answer do you want here?]
[Could you tell me what you know?]
I jumped up. Investigators stared in surprise, but I ignored them.
"Emmanuel Highness!"
Someone grabbed me. I shook them off, retraced our path, portaled back to Bavaria Investigation Bureau, and headed to my mansion.
Kwang—!
'In the conversation.'
There was a clue in the conversation. They emphasized "blood-based ability" earlier. Worth trying. With trembling hands, I opened the suitcase and rifled through Maria's materials. Text that was readable before was now illegible. I slashed my hand with the letter knife.
Crack—
After the illusion of my hand bone snapping, my vision cleared faintly. Blood dripped onto the paper from my palm. Hoping the bloodied text wouldn't fade, I kept searching. The notebook titled what I sought appeared.
[Astral Projection]
"Ha...."
A habitual laugh escaped. Out-of-body. Insane. It was insane. No way I hadn't gone mad.... I'd said I'd try once, but never believed it; now it felt like a savior.
They won't kill him. They don't want Maria dead; just his techniques. I opened a vial of Maria's blood and pulled out his divine power artifact. If I could just find the location....
"...our flesh remains in the material world."
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a familiar place.
'...Here....'
I couldn't hide my shock, mouth agape. Wasn't this the building from before? Without portaling, did I really succeed at astral projection? Or just moved to a remembered place unconsciously. Either way, I couldn't stay still.
Sunlight streamed brightly into the corridor. Like the place I'd just been. But Maria's view was dark like a basement despite the light. I placed my hand on the door to the basement. Locked, but I passed through. Madness, but I couldn't think that far.
Opening the basement door revealed a vast space. Rooms numbering at least ten. Whether from insanity or his real presence nearby, Maria's voice grew vivid. I opened doors one by one, listening to the words piercing my ears.
[I told you again, I have nothing to tell you.]
[......]
[I know you capture the poor, drain their blood. Do you think you qualify to pursue immortality? You think I don't know you resurrect dug-up corpses, use them as laborers, then discard them? The dignity of the dead means nothing to you. Be grateful I haven't told anyone yet.]
'......'
A Maria I'd never imagined. Was this a fabricated friend? No. I knew he truly cared for the lowly, but we'd never discussed it deeply. Draining blood from the poor, abusing corpses—even from fragments about resurrecting them, I'd guessed, but nothing detailed was known.
[You think I don't know you're trying to summon more blood with my techniques? And you dare speak of salvation?]
[You'd have succeeded by now if not for my ability. Now I'll bring in someone else. Before that.]
Gregorio's voice. He continued.
[Cooperate briefly, and I'll send you home. You won't even remember saying it. Today's memory will be wiped clean; live without guilt.]
[......]
[You really don't want that?]
As I reached for the third door on the right, their forms appeared before me. Invisible to them, yet the old man looked toward my door and said.
"...Then rebirth isn't bad either."
Kwang—!
I instantly exited the astral realm. Unsure if I'd truly been there or how I left, it didn't matter. I portaled back to Prussia.
"Emmanuel Highness!"
"What happened? Your hand...."
I brushed off the investigators and looked around. Still nothing. Same space, clearly.
[...If reborn, you will....]
Faintly, another Pleroma's chant came from the artifact. Shifting strategy fully, the old man had called someone else. I shoved past investigators and slammed my staff down.
I'd gone mad, surely.
Maybe hallucinating Maria here out of wishful thinking. Pouring mana wouldn't help....
Kwang—!
Eyes met investigators'. Mana flow shifted. No idea how. Building-duplicating space magic? No one knew Pleroma's methods, pointless to analyze now. I aimed my staff at the basement door. Alert investigators tore it off.
[Grief....]
Maria's voice.
Instinct told me. Spell. One Maria never taught me, unknown effect, yet my mind blanked, forgetting all. Third room right. No idea how I moved.
[Grief pursues the heel of grief swiftly!]
Kwang—!
"Maria!"
I screamed till my throat tore. The widened light green pupils turned to me.
Nothing after. Mana clashed everywhere. People following me dragged out Pleroma wizards. I stepped in a blood pool. Though I advanced step by step, those eyes didn't follow my face. Now fixed on empty air.
"Wake up."
"......"
"Let's go."
Heavy silence touched my skin. Noon sunlight from above illuminated him. The stillness was cruelly peaceful.
"We have to go. Don't do this...."
I knew.
Kneeling on one knee where Maria fell, I carefully lifted his neck.
I knew.
Deep breath. Warmth lingered on his cheek like life.
I knew, but what could I do?