Chapter 346
Chapter 346
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 346
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“…….”
I curled the corners of my mouth as I looked at that face. An enemy had proposed an alliance. Mecklenburg, who had caught on to that fact, turned his frozen face toward me with a stiff creak of his neck.
There had to be a significant reason why a man who should have entered the Brandenburg Archdiocese had gone to Osnabrück instead. How likely was it that he’d simply grown bored and wandered into some remote outpost to snag a diocesan bishopric? The same went for why he was in Munich-Freising.
My hypothesis had been this: Ainsidel wasn’t truly committed to Munich-Freising, nor was he loyal to it, because he had deliberately chosen this place for some greater “purpose.”
Ainsidel, who had been staring intently at my face, tilted his head back with a subtle smile.
“So you saw through it.”
“And what will you do about that?”
“Ah, I’m satisfied.”
Ainsidel replied with a face that didn’t look satisfied at all. More than that, I’d heard similar words from someone before…. A chill ran down my spine.
“So… I’m curious how you figured out I’d act this way. Care to explain?”
The chain of reasoning was exceedingly simple.
There was no point endlessly working backward—it only led to confusion—so I first needed to rearrange my information in chronological order aligned with Ainsidel’s timeline. He should have been in the Dresden diocese or the Brandenburg Archdiocese, yet he set foot in Munich-Freising but didn’t settle there, ultimately heading to Osnabrück to become its diocesan bishop—Brandenburg Archdiocese was far more likely than Dresden, and obviously, if I were to visit a church, I’d go to the one in my own region, not the main cathedral. I could elaborate on the basis for this claim by speculating that this Ainsidel was from a collateral line, but that would be too verbose, so I’ll skip it.
I had two pieces of information. First, Pleroma was rife with competition between dioceses. This was something I’d known for a while, but the priest’s response today reconfirmed that inter-diocesan rivalry existed in Pleroma as far back as 1891.
Thus, it became easy to infer what had happened between Ainsidel’s “entry into Munich-Freising” and his “ordination as Osnabrück diocesan bishop.” Munich-Freising wouldn’t let a talented individual slip away to another diocese, yet Ainsidel showed his face there and then advanced smoothly in Osnabrück. This meant either that he had used his divine power to collectively manipulate the memories of Munich-Freising’s clergy, or that he had seized some weakness of theirs to prevent them from pursuing him. This ungrateful act by Ainsidel would have occurred at the moment of a falling out with Munich-Freising or when he judged there was nothing more to gain from them.
‘Now, the second point.’
Federal Council Pleroma member Alexander Kluger belonged to the Brandenburg Archdiocese, and he had said his diocese had poor relations with Munich-Freising. At the time, I’d asked if regional sentiments between Prussia and Bavaria played a role, and the delegate confirmed it. It was safe to assume that relations between the Brandenburg Archdiocese and the Munich-Freising Archdiocese had been rocky from the start.
‘With this second piece in mind, return to the initial question.’
1. Why did Ainsidel, for whom belonging to the Brandenburg diocese would have been natural, 2. deliberately choose Munich-Freising instead? The thought naturally flows in this direction: 1. Ainsidel had deliberately avoided Brandenburg to the point of poor relations with it—whether due to issues with the people there, the diocesan system, or even if Brandenburg had done nothing and Ainsidel simply wanted to seize it for his own amusement, or any other possibility. 2. He didn’t pick just any other diocese but specifically Munich-Freising, which had bad relations with Brandenburg. A random selection hypothesis is plausible enough, but a more causally significant one arises naturally: He chose Munich-Freising, Brandenburg’s rival diocese, to find information that would undermine Brandenburg or to build his own power base.
‘I had no intention of being certain—it was just a hypothesis….’
However, the possibility increased when he infused his mana into my clothes and body during our final exchange, as if tracing a warp spell’s path to track my movements; it increased further due to the warp spell on the floor of the priest’s office; and finally, it was confirmed when he took down Munich-Freising’s priests and extended a hand to me.
And I had no intention of spelling it out aloud. It would reveal the information disparity. I stood from my seat, met his gaze, and said,
“You already predicted I’d know, didn’t you?”
“What makes you think that?”
“You deemed me a wizard worth using as an ally, yet you thought I was so inept that I couldn’t detect the mana you scattered into the air?”
Ainsidel, who had been watching me expressionlessly, smiled again.
“I like people like you.”
He turned his head and continued.
“No, I’m not sure if it’s like or something else… but I’m quite satisfied with you now.”
If you say you like me but then say you’re not sure if it’s like or not, what am I supposed to do with that? I looked at Mecklenburg, who was clutching his bleeding arm, and said,
“Why did you drink my friend’s blood?”
“It had been a while, so I needed some power. If you have complaints, I’ll ease his pain a bit.”
“…….”
Did he mean it had been a while since he last used divine power? He sat before Mecklenburg, who grimaced and tried to back away, so I sat beside Mecklenburg and gripped his shoulder. Ainsidel placed a hand on the slashed arm and cast a healing spell. He didn’t seem like he had this ability, but it was worth remembering.
More than that, my core was steadily expanding amid the blood scent from Mecklenburg filling my lungs. Feeling utter disgust wash over me, I said quietly,
“You’re already with Pleroma. I suspected you weren’t just a prospective believer while piecing it together.”
“Perhaps.”
“Fine. Then how do you wield divine power?”
“…….”
“Moreover, the spell you just used to take down those priests was a sleep spell. Sleep spells aren’t cast through incantations—where did you learn that formula?”
I glared sharply at Ainsidel. He tilted his head for a long while before sighing boredly.
“I can’t tell you. So, frankly, Pleroma’s reputation is laughable now. The Pleroma I know wasn’t this sloppy an organization…. So, what will you do with this utterly lax diocese?”
Hearing his languid words, I replied curtly.
“Raid the archives.”
“Looks like we’re in agreement.”
Ainsidel said that and abruptly turned his head.
Kwaaaang—! Crash—!
I raised my arm to block the front. Divine power spread from the staff Ainsidel slammed down, shattering the incoming spatial magic from the entrance like glass. Munich-Freising’s other priests had already arrived. With one hand forming a barrier, I pulled Mecklenburg to his feet while keeping an eye on Ainsidel’s movements. Continuous explosions and flashes disrupted my senses.
‘His reaction speed is no joke.’
His skills were already fully formed. With no more opponents to fight, the room quickly fell silent. Ainsidel glanced at the five fallen priests on the floor, then stepped out and stomped hard. In an instant, the priests vanished as if warped away somewhere. A familiar sight. Wasn’t it just like what I’d done dozens of times? Watching the scene, I said,
“You already know Pleroma’s coordinate system. Even Munich-Freising’s.”
“How did you know spatial magic requires knowing Pleroma’s coordinate system? No matter how I think about it, like your friend said… I’m curious what you’ve been up to to be this proficient.”
We were suspicious of each other. How long could this suspicion linger without becoming the central issue?
Ding—!
Proposal 1. Talk with ‘Ainsidel’ (0min/30min)
— Reward: EC point +5
The first proposal appeared.
As I smiled, Ainsidel mimicked my expression perfectly, then tilted his head with a hint of interest.
“I planned to handle this quietly, but now that I have an ally, why not clean it up thoroughly? Before the archives, let’s head to the cathedral.”
* * *
The sensation of battle was never welcome.
“Hey!”
Kwa-gwang—! Kwa-gwang—!
The moment my feet were bound to the floor, a terrified shout came from Mecklenburg. My feet were literally bound. The marble floor slithered up, covering my feet and fiercely climbing my legs.
‘Someone using ground manipulation as their unique ability….’
Just a believer, but he wouldn’t remain one. Munich-Freising would recruit him. As I raised my head to find this ability user amid the packed cathedral, a blade’s gleam flew at my face. It met my barrier.
Boom—!
[Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain.]
Blue light surged skyward from where I slammed my staff. The blades pressing at my back and face retreated powerlessly. The Pleroma members clutched their throats and dropped their weapons. I stepped forward and swung my staff.
[Who lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot.]
Vibrant blue mana—not mine—rushed toward me. As their final struggle bore down, I swept my staff to disperse it.
Kwa-gwang—! Kwa-gwang—!!
“Ah, no…!”
Amid other bursts of divine power, Mecklenburg’s spells, and cries from some Pleroma members fading from my ears, the densely packed priests and believers around me gradually vanished from eye level after my incantation. Sounds of collapsing bodies continued. With every step, I trod on the unconscious. I kept chanting and advanced.
[Who walks upon the wings of the wind, Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.]
Boom—!
[Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.]
I quietly chanted as I eyed the last remaining believer in the cathedral. Panic spread across his face. Desperate at his ground manipulation failing, he wildly swung his wand—but that was a mistake in itself. Simultaneously, amber blade-like attacks closed on his throat. After the final body fell, silence descended.
“…Ha.”
Mecklenburg exhaled a trembling breath. In a faint voice barely above his breathing, he asked,
“This, this…. Why are such powerful wizards in this heresy…? If it’s not nonsense, then what you said is true….”
“Powerful?”
At my question, Mecklenburg blinked rapidly and squeezed out words that wouldn’t come.
“…Then they’re weak to you? This?”
I didn’t answer. You’ll manage somehow in a few years. I wanted to resolve his doubts, but now wasn’t the time for casual chat.
‘There are quite a few with useful unique abilities. But….’
They were incomparable to Pleroma in 1898. Even accounting for believers mixed in here. I recalled photos of numerous Bavarian cathedrals from my memory and surveyed this one. I knew which Munich-Freising used as their cathedral. Then, my eyes met Mecklenburg’s; he flinched and gripped his wand tightly. After seeing my prowess, he was on guard against me now too. To think I had to reassure him even here—this aspect of Mecklenburg hadn’t changed from now or seven years from now. I gave him a faint smile, then asked Ainsidel, who stood behind watching us.
“Now where to? You stirred the cathedral first, so it’s obvious we head straight to the archives.”
“You’re confident despite the chaos that’ll ensue.”
Ainsidel asked.
So far, we’d warped the entire Munich-Freising cathedral, preventing reinforcements, but from now on, a misstep could pit us against monsignors and bishops. Even if past memories tormented me, I couldn’t avoid it now. How could I waste this rehearsal? Both seizing the archives and the battle were necessary for me.
“We have to go.”
“I wonder why you’re so blindly obsessed with attacking Munich-Freising….”
“That’s what I want to ask.”
Ainsidel nodded and stomped. A centuries-old dilapidated university library unfurled before us. The sunlight we’d entered by was absent here; we’d rely on the chandeliers hanging everywhere. I looked up at the upper railing and asked,
“How did you know this place’s coordinates?”
“You’ve been awfully curious about that.”
Ainsidel said that but answered anyway.
“I just used prior information. Coordinate systems aren’t overturned often. If they are, what we’re doing now might be the trigger.”
“Prior information.”
So you knew Pleroma’s information in advance… that definitely means you’ve already infiltrated Brandenburg too.
“…….”
Ainsidel said no more and stepped forward. Even knowing this peace could shatter anytime and bloody combat would soon erupt, his face remained utterly serene.
He descended to the basement with familiarity. To complete the proposal and see what information he sought, I followed, asking. Mecklenburg hesitantly stuck by my side.
“What do you plan to do after raiding the archives?”
“And you?”
“Probably grab Brandenburg Archdiocese’s weaknesses. Then why not target Brandenburg’s archives?”
“You figured that out well. You’re no ordinary person either….”
Muttering that, Ainsidel continued.
“I can’t go there. No, I won’t set foot there no matter what. Does that answer it?”
“…….”
As expected, something existed between Brandenburg Archdiocese and Ainsidel. Crucial information I needed. As I glared at his back, he quietly asked from ahead.
“I’ll ask again. Why are you here?”
“If I said to destroy Pleroma?”
“Aren’t you destroying it with your own hands right now?”
When I didn’t reply, Ainsidel burst into laughter.
“Right, all of Pleroma…. Not bad.”
“Not bad?”
Even though you’re with Pleroma?
He ignored my question laced with mockery. After a long silence, in a tone devoid of amusement, as if praying to something, he merely continued.
“Do your utmost to destroy it. Make it so that in the next century, no one remembers it.”