Chapter 324
Chapter 324
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 324
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble House (324)
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[3, 2, 1. Let's begin.]
As soon as the Mimesis relay switched on, Elias quickly scanned the screen.
They were inside a building. Coincidentally, the field was a spacious general store, just like the one where he'd witnessed the murder scene of the 98th batch on that day.
A five-man team without Albert Mecklenburg. Luca was commanding from outside the Mimesis. Among those who'd entered the field, Vice Captain Erich von Rheinau had the highest skill level, followed by the orange-haired mage Luca had asked about earlier.
'Nina Mackensen, right.'
Earlier, she'd set up barriers to guide the berserker's path in a way that favored the 98th batch. Her magic stability and speed were excellent, but as seen when the curtain melted right away, her mana capacity was actually on the lower end.
And among them, there was the mage with the ugliest vibe—surname Liv—who was the only one comparable to Nina Mackensen. He lacked technical skill but had immense mana, making him the complete opposite of her.
The other two were average. But the unique ability of the one named Hindenburg was worth noting. He could teleport anywhere visible without coordinates.
He'd already investigated all the Special Operations Command members with his friends. It was hard to remember every trivial detail, so he only retained bits and pieces.
[Good. On 3, 2, split up and enter through the front and back entrances.]
Nina Mackensen and Hindenburg took the back entrance, while the rest went through the front. Their expressions weren't great, but not terrible either. Mindful of the eyes on them, they weren't slacking—they were running properly.
"They're surprisingly fast."
"......"
At Elias's comment, Narke shot him an incredulous look and chuckled silently. Did Narke already know the future, or had he deliberately not read it? Elias almost asked for a hint but gave up and looked ahead.
After about 30 seconds, they reached the third floor where the berserker was and observed the situation.
[Groooar... Uuugh....]
The berserker was staggering weakly out of the bathroom, letting out eerie noises. The emotion just before rampaging was key, and from the sounds, it seemed less like rage and more like sorrow-induced berserking. It would still frenzy under attack, so this was useful only for the initial response.
'And when aiming for under five minutes, the initial response is the most critical.'
As Elias thought that and watched, he raised an eyebrow. The slight issue here was... the bathroom was close to the back entrance.
"......"
The berserker emerging from the bathroom spotted the mages and froze.
'Whoa... awkward.'
The moment they stared at each other with mouths agape felt eternal. No orders came, so Luca was watching too.
[Uuuugh....]
The berserker timidly gestured with mud-caked hands moving its mouth. In that instant, Elias realized. It still had some rationality left—the berserker was trying to speak to the mages. He'd never experienced it himself, but Luca had told him about cases like this. It was probably begging to be taken to a hospital or lamenting the event that triggered its rampage, unaware of its own berserk state.
But neither Nikolaus nor he knew that far; the 98th batch and other mages certainly wouldn't.
[...Front entrance trio, scatter to 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock, and 3 o'clock directions.]
Kwaaang—!
Luca was faster. The moment one back entrance mage took a guarded offensive stance, the berserker flinched, turned, and bolted at full speed. Vitriol began flowing wildly along its path. Normal berserkers charged mages drawn by mana, but this one was fleeing, realizing they meant to kill it.
[Vice Captain von Rheinau, prepare your unique ability. Being indoors makes it ideal for yours.]
'Yeah, makes sense.'
The general store cross-section visible through Mimesis showed the front stairs and floor already turned pure white.
While Leo's ability shone outdoors, for someone like 98th Batch A-Team Vice Captain Erich von Rheinau whose unique ability hadn't fully developed for wide-area use, a cluttered indoor space with obstacles was better. The berserker's movement was limited, making it easy to leverage pre-frozen spots.
[Why is it running anyway?!]
[It has some reason left. Back entrance pair, use guiding attacks with mana output minimized to the extreme. Front entrance trio, herd it away from stores and stairs while keeping the lead in sight.]
It sounded vague, but it was clear. Everyone was to act as herders first.
'Wow, making them herd right from the start.'
They hadn't started herding until after three minutes last time. It felt fast, but unlike the norm, this berserker focused on fleeing rather than attacking, so without Luca's order, they'd be playing hide-and-seek in this huge store. Still, its attention locked perfectly on 'escape' was lucky. Luck with the berserker's tendencies helped, but without Luca's experience and judgment, even that luck wouldn't be usable. Lose initiative for a split second, let it slip another way, and they'd exceed five minutes easily.
A deep furrow creased Mecklenburg's brow.
[Mackensen, von Rheinau. Here we go. I'll count down. Hindenburg, on '2' teleport forward and overlay a curtain on von Rheinau's unique ability by '3'. We'll stack all four mages' mana—excluding Liv—in one second.]
As expected, for the bullet role, a mage overflowing with mana despite lacking technique was best. The Liv he mentioned had the second-highest mana after Erich von Rheinau.
[Understood.]
[Before that, a question for everyone.]
The 98th Batch A-Team kept blasting magic toward the stairs, herding the berserker into the hallway center. They blocked doors to prevent store entry and awaited Luca's word.
[Can your mana output replicate artifact bullet effects?]
At the question, the front entrance trio's highest-mana mage snapped.
[What's not to?! You...! All that crap earlier, and now you're messing around...!]
[It'll work. But here, we need a method anyone can do right now without practice, so we'll go this way.]
Luca took a short breath, then said clearly to the mage.
[Liv, draw your revolver.]
[...Huh?]
"Ah."
His friends around him, even the 91st batchers, looked stunned. A revolver now...?
Elias quickly pieced together what Luca had been driving at and clapped in mock applause, giggling. Ulrike, realizing late, gaped.
[One shot only. I said one. I'll signal 'now' for you, sir. Prepare.]
[N-No, you don't trust my mana...!]
[3, 2, 1. Now!]
[You...!]
Kwaaang—!
The explosion was the beginning. Glass shattering pierced eardrums sharply as various manas scattered as light. An impossible shockwave seemed to reach their seats.
Neck hairs stiffened at the unpleasant roar of overlapping sounds. Heike below plugged her ears silently.
Then came dull impacts, mana shoving air with fierce force.
It was over.
[Kuhk....]
Someone retched up mud-like substance. They'd seized the berserker's opening and shattered its core.
Beeeep—
[Time: 2 minutes 34 seconds.]
Now the announcement confirmed Luca's victory.
Elias smiled down at the arena the Mimesis had shown.
Even shorter than before. Luck that the berserker's focus was escape from the start helped, but clearing in that time meant Luca's commands were optimal at every moment.
He was glad. The 91st batch reacted positively to Luca. The lead mage was intrigued by the 98th vice captain's unexpected performance, then realized the game's leader was Luca, and finally—whatever meeting they'd had this morning—he was satisfied with Luca's rational arguments. The 91st batch's overall mood matched their leader's. He'd met the expectations of the Ascanien name perfectly.
But his instinctive unease now was different: worry that using firearms might flip the opinion Luca had just built.
'...Nah, no need to worry.'
Luca had deliberately used Liv's mana and a tool here. It wasn't genius—anyone could mention it anytime. Especially as a counter to Luca's claims. So Luca struck first, and there must've been a reason to show it now, not earlier.
Mecklenburg had mentioned total costs earlier. Meaning training centered on firearms cost less time and effort than Luca's way.
And it was true.
1. Minimize mana for herding and surrounding, focus on shooting accuracy.
2. Herd the berserker's attention as bait/herders, output strongest curtain magic in sync, then in the split-second before it decides next, shoot mana aggregates at the curtain—using a revolver.
Which was easier and required less practice was obvious. The former honed individual marksmanship—and everyone had handled guns since single digits, removing psychological barriers—while the latter demanded team coordination like any training until fully adapted. Even if Luca succeeded, other teams' training would differ.
And the latter's total cost was the same whether ejecting mana aggregate cartridges via revolver or wand. Meaning, even with tools, the process was completely different from Mecklenburg's.
'Even so... if he'd said it from the start, it'd be approved quick.'
But Luca, ever precise, likely worried stating it upfront would blur his point's essence. As he said while commanding, revolvers were best only when 'anyone could do it right now without practice.' Pulling guns everywhere would alarm civilians understandably.
Luca wanted mana aggregates via wands basically, but saying early 'if mana varies, borrow artifact power to smash curtains'—obvious or not—risked Mecklenburg, pro-firearm advocate, hijacking the flow. Same words, different order and audience prep yield different persuasion, so Luca chose shock therapy first, compromise later—rigid upfront.
'Calculates even the small stuff.'
Overthinking everything would be exhausting. Like born orator, maybe live off speeches. But it wasn't that complex; anyone would consider it here. Elias himself would've chosen similarly—no need for even slightly riskier paths.
Luca and 98th A-Team soon returned. 98th looked complex, Luca relieved.
The 91st lead mage's gaze fixed on Luca. Elias cast a sound barrier, leaned to his returned friend beside.
"...I've seen you command plenty, so fine. But those seniors moved better than expected—how'd you pull it off~? Huh?"
"We bonded."
Luca said, looking sheepish.
'Huh.'
Elias was certain then. For some reason, the acting's aftereffects lingered. Bonding aside... this wasn't a face Luca made!
As expected, his next words came with muscles reverting to usual stoic smile.
"So, this issue seems settled for now. What do you think?"
* * *
"Even after resolving the Pentaron terror, it didn't feel real."
"Feel real now?"
"Absolutely."
We finished the morning's short—but eventful for me—verification, processed reports, and returned. Detouring via the barracks, I overheard 91st Squadron Leader mages chatting.
"Could be Federal Council rep tomorrow from how he talks."
"Yeah, no experience, but nailed it."
Grinning praise—not serious endorsement—but I'd take it... Blushing, I quickly backtracked.
Then, I ran into who I'd wanted to avoid anyway.
"Ah."
"......"
Mecklenburg spotted me, smiled faintly. I nodded curtly.
Changed my mind. Seeing him lead Vitriol detection dogs, I didn't want to meet. Not the dogs' fault, but unfamiliar large animals unnerved me.
Now I saw more mage-soldiers behind him leading dogs. He gestured them ahead, smiled, approached me.
"Turning everyone you meet to your side must be fun. Isn't it?"
"......"
"Wonder if that's from your brother too."
"When did I ever turn everyone to my..."
"Good. Even that, you take after him."
Mecklenburg stepped closer.
Playing innocent, huh.
Post-morning demo, 91st banned direct firearm fire on berserkers over curtains; Albert Mecklenburg couldn't use his obsessed method anymore.
From now, he and 98th A-Team must use my way.
So it'd look like 91st sided with me.
'And... his reaction suggests the five 98th A-Team didn't badmouth me post-demo.'
Turning everyone? When?
Likely because 98th A-Team reacted far better than Mecklenburg expected to my command. Why guess? The strategy I'd planned for him first worked well on them; throughout commanding and returning, they treated me far kinder than anticipated. Disorienting.
So... Mecklenburg felt isolated now. For him not to show open animosity but say this directly was unusual.
"No one's on my side."
"......"
"Just worrying prematurely? The 98th seniors are perfectly your colleagues and subordinates, sir."
Even mentioning 98th, he didn't scoff—just stared, then spoke.
"Must feel good blocking firearms as wanted."
"Not banning firearms so much as..."
"You labeled our way firearm abuse, 91st seniors banned abuse. Word games?"
"No."
"That's all?"
I rolled my eyes, met his gaze seriously.
"I want to get along with you too, sir."
"......"
He stared, frowned slightly, then smiled.
"Perfect. Me too."
Sure you say that. I smiled back.
"Honored. Then, I'll..."
"Before that."
He reached out; dogs approached me. I reflexively stepped back.
"Fortunate running into you while helping soldiers. Manage these military dogs for a while."
Uh....
Where were these dogs before? Even temporarily quartered here, I'm a loaned rider—why me? You're fully assigned; do it.
But no blunt retort.
"Sorry, but Prussia Army has dedicated units for dogs; why me...?"
"Thanks to Lord Ascanien's reforms, much changed."
He tilted his head, faint smile. Never reformed that. Implies top-down order.
'Suddenly? Related to forming A-Class team?'
Low chance he unilaterally brought absent dogs. Then why dogs? Not hunting berserkers proactively sans reports...
As I guessed their plans, Mecklenburg smiled calmly as usual.
"Management won't burden a mage like you much. Just acclimate them to mana properly till full deployment. 98th B-Team nearly got it for adaptation, but no time with training shift. 101st is used to your methods... You have time?"
"Doesn't make sense 98th B-Team nearly got it. This isn't our job basically."
"Don't believe? Ask them."
Softly.
"You seem to vibe well with them; no reason to complain."
"......"
I forced a laugh. Thought he'd separate work-personal; nope.
He placed a leash handle in my open palm. I smiled, thinking warp and call help.
The op I'd planned for Mecklenburg was still valid. To prep, I spoke.
"Are you assigning this to me, sir?"
He glanced. No answer yet, but I reprised my earlier expression.
"Honored."
* * *
For three days after, we madly repeated reports and training.
Initial ratings lost meaning. Most 91st dropped to B-Class; 98th A-Team held steady as hoped, but rest of 98th mostly fell from B to C/D-Class.
And...
As heard before, I rose to A-Class.
Familiar names joined A-Class—Albert Mecklenburg prominently.
"You got this. Right?!"
"Yeah..."
Today Ulrike cheered me with fired-up face. Last strategic training day; after, no more games.
'Real combat instead.'
No details on what yet.
Important spot. Selecting overall commander for new team; top training performance here means first place essentially. Ulrike's hype made sense—Chief of Staff evaluating even.
"You with that... senior sucks. And Leo too on top..."
Ulrike trailed off, sighed deeply. I lightly brushed off her worried gripe.
"Yeah, tell me about it."
A-Class top four split into pairs for Mimesis strategic eval game. Teamed with Albert Mecklenburg; opponents Leo and 91st lead mage.
'Same team, but final results rank individuals.'
I nodded greeting to Leo down the hall, entered waiting room. Mecklenburg inside looked blankly, turned away.
Before, Narke told me: 'He sees Adrian Ascanien overlapping you, so not blindly hating.'
Narke's words were gold. Enabled softening 98th A-Team hostility days ago.
First, Mecklenburg's feelings toward me matter when I know/use his exact weakness precisely.
Doesn't matter if he secretly likes me—nope—or not; I won't tolerate reckless gunplay endangering lives, and till settling internal hierarchy, won't leave him hostile.
Firearms issue wrapped perfectly; time for second problem.
[Enter.]
Announcement hit as I entered. Late entry for timing paid off. Mecklenburg opened waiting room door first, exited; I followed.
"Teammates, huh."