Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“…What…?”
“Huh?”
Leo and Elias wiped the smiles from their faces at the same time, staring at me with blank expressions. Now that I looked, Narke had his eyes wide open and his mouth agape too.
‘I guess I spilled it before using Insight…’
“Wh-wh-what?!”
Elias shot to his feet, but Leo grabbed him, forcing him back down as he yelled.
“Why the hell would you eat that?!”
“What the hell are you talking about, Lucas?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“You know what it does, right?”
Leo emphasized each word.
“Would I drink it if I didn’t?”
“It doesn’t make rational sense that you’d fall in love with Pleroma right now, but sure, you’d probably do it to figure out Genda Asman’s plan.”
“You’ve got it spot on.”
I glanced around at my friends and continued.
“Genda Asman can go to Pleroma’s world anytime, so casting magic on a body over there is too risky. But if it’s on me, no problem. And since it lets me read emotions, if I make him think he’s got me in his pocket and lower his guard, things will go smoother.”
“…You’ve always had that divine sacrifice mindset. It’s impressive.”
Leo squinted one eye and snarked.
I always thought this about him—he instinctively rejects anything that sounds implausible. To be honest, I’d react the same way if someone else said it.
Either way, blind opposition wasn’t enough for me. I needed reasons.
“If you’re against it, tell me exactly what part of the plan is the problem.”
“You haven’t been out in the world for the last ten years, so maybe you lack experience, but you think you can betray him and kill him after falling in love with Pleroma? You sure you won’t help with his plan?”
I was.
He might think I lack experience because of Luca, but I’d never acted recklessly enough to forget what I had to do.
Leo read my expression and went on.
“Yeah, you’ll say you are. Everyone does. And everyone comes back with a screw loose somewhere.”
That was… definitely true from watching others.
Third parties often couldn’t comprehend it at all.
I used to think stories of friends getting drunk over love and calling at dawn were clichéd nonsense—until I saw it happen for real. I just laughed in disbelief.
I’d spent my life trying to understand, but never succeeded once.
But now, that personality was going to help.
I could keep my guard up sharper than anyone else.
“There’s an antidote. What’s the problem? Drink it after the job’s done.”
“That’s why it’s a problem—they all say they won’t drink it~”
Elias grinned and propped his chin on his hand.
Leo nodded in agreement.
“Yeah. Emotions like that are addictions too. You might not notice at first, but keep dosing and you’ll habitually shove yourself into those feelings and situations.”
An addiction.
A new perspective.
So even if they offer the antidote, the victims dodge it… Makes me wonder how potent this stuff is.
“Yeah, that’s somewhat fair. But no need to worry. You guys are here.”
“Us?”
Elias raised an eyebrow.
“If I try not to drink it, force it down me. Please.”
Leo scowled uncomfortably, rubbed his chin, then nodded.
“Hmm… The three of us should be enough.”
“……”
Wait, was he worse than me?
It wasn’t brain-removal potion, but how much reason did they think it stripped that they’d need three to subdue me?
From the way he talked, it wasn’t just a scuffle—they were expecting magic. In a fistfight, Luca couldn’t beat any of us here.
That was when Elias smirked and said.
“Hey, this’ll be fun. I’ve only seen you with that stone face in class—wonder how you’ll react?”
“Right? Me too.”
“You’d have to go that far to see…”
Leo muttered with his hand over his forehead. Then he looked at me.
“Fine. I’ll get it.”
“Thanks.”
“But promise me.”
I stared at him, and Leo said with a serious face.
“I mean if things go south somehow. Even if we do whatever it takes to keep you from turning enemy, know it’s not because we hate you.”
“What would that be?”
“Better not to hear it, Lucas.”
Narke smiled as he said it.
“…….”
If even he said that, better not to know.
* * *
Leo’s reaction was understandable.
Getting swept up in love, betraying comrades, and joining the enemy?
Absurd, but not something to totally dismiss.
‘Not that I’d ever switch to Pleroma’s side, no matter what.’
From a magic ability standpoint, defecting would be a headache the instant it happened, so they’d see me as even more trouble.
“Wow, cool packaging.”
It was a weekend afternoon, but we gathered when the package arrived.
Elias admired the dark wooden box banded with gold.
Leo, still looking uneasy, unlocked it.
Inside were ten vials of yellow liquid.
Leo handed me the leftmost one.
“Here. Test it. Weakest dose, so antidote should be easy.”
Usage was simple: drink and look someone in the eye.
Who to test on?
I pondered briefly, then opened my mouth.
“Off to see the professor. Meet back here in five.”
“What? I’m coming!”
Elias shouted.
I warped straight to the dorm, grabbed my textbook, and headed out.
Somehow Elias was there again, floating his crutch with magic and slinging an arm over my shoulder.
“Gotta come with, Luca. You trying to hog all the fun?”
“Hold your crutch right first. Gotta heal up quick.”
“Yeah, but…”
I knocked on my homeroom professor’s office door.
Elias snickered.
“This your type? Sixties is a bit…”
“No.”
I answered before he finished.
It was just a test.
No suitable friends to summon on the spot, and grabbing a stranger meant not enough time to confirm effects after dosing, so this was the best target now.
Especially since just looking at him made me sleepy—perfect for checking.
Sorry to the professor in multiple ways, but antidote in five minutes meant no big issue.
“Come in.”
“Professor, I have a question.”
“Who’s the student behind you?”
“Oh, I’m just here to listen.”
Elias grinned.
He didn’t look like a student at all, but the professor shrugged it off and gestured to my book.
“Let’s see.”
I passed the book to the professor and asked.
“We learned that differentiating total utility gives marginal utility—can you explain the calculation again?”
At the moment he peered into the book, I dumped the potion from my hand into my mouth and swallowed. No change yet.
“Yes. This part gets clearer with repetition. See here, the delta X? Remember delta means change?”
“Yes, I know.”
The professor was still pointing at the book, not looking at me.
Elias watched silently from behind, stifling laughter.
“Let’s look at the utility function. X-axis magic, Y-axis utility. Marginal utility is the increase when you add one unit of magic spent. Say we increase spending by delta X. Then Y-axis rises too—that’s delta U.”
Then the professor looked up and met my eyes.
“You follow so far?”
* * *
Surprisingly, nothing changed.
‘But I understood the material fine.’
Of course—explanation helped. Repetition works wonders for studying.
Back at the meeting spot, Leo—who’d been waiting with Narke—asked immediately.
“How’d it go?”
“Same as usual.”
“Wow, how are you so unfazed~”
Elias warped in laughing.
Leo nodded and pulled the third vial from the left.
“Varies by person, can’t help it. Gotta test. You… level one’s too weak.”
“You can tell just from that.”
“Some traits don’t hide.”
Leo handed me the vial.
After trial and error, we learned level five was needed for human-like fondness.
“You a machine or what?”
“What’re you saying…”
I chuckled lightly at Elias’s nonsense and pocketed the level six vial.
With ten levels total, five starting to kick in seemed average.
Finally, I put on glasses and, staring in the mirror, completed the appearance formula I’d noted before.
My hair softened into curls and turned red. The freckles I’d added for distraction reappeared on my skin.
That was when Elias pointed at my pocket.
“Aren’t you gonna test that? Seems weak for you.”
“No, gotta be careful since I can read emotions. Better ramp up gradually than jump.”
Narke, who’d been quietly watching, shook his head.
“Lucas, hold on. Six or seven doesn’t matter, but change clothes now. And cleaner glasses.”
* * *
I hadn’t drunk yet, so with no emotions, I hadn’t realized people tidy their appearance even a bit when seeing someone they like.
I’d focused only on disguise function.
Elias teased me about being a machine again, which felt a little unfair. No emotions meant needing the potion in the first place.
More than that…
‘He’s still just an enemy I have to handle.’
Natural good feelings were even harder.
I’d sent Genda Asman a letter ahead to set the meeting.
I rang the bell, cleared my throat, lifted my gloved hand to my mouth, and drank the level six.
‘Hope no one else shows.’
No change yet, but I knew eye contact triggered it.
Antidote just in case—no issue.
Trying not to look around, the door opened.
“You’re here.”
Luckily, it was Genda Asman.
Asman smiled and swung the door wide.
“…….”
“Mr. Baizel?”
“…Ah, yes. So glad to see you again. Thanks for making time.”
“No problem. Come in.”
Level six was strong.
These feelings toward someone not even on my radar—impressive tech.
Once Asman was out of sight, I looked around.
Second and third floors probably same, rarely used for guests. First floor still stark.
No—a new addition. Across the hall, a framed diploma with Genda Asman’s name.
‘Avin Asman must’ve changed names in his rebirth.’
Next to it, one for Eric Asman.
Pleroma prepped them. Needed a full 25-year backstory synced to current time, bulletproof against reports.
Means they intend full use.
‘Enough sightseeing.’
Too much snooping breeds suspicion.
As I turned back to the plain sofa inside, Genda Asman set down tea and asked.
“Your friend from last time didn’t come.”
“Busy.”
I smiled softly.
Genda smirked meaningfully, eyeing me.
“Really? For real?”
“…Who knows. What do you think?”
I tilted my head, smiling back.
That look and tone—he knew. Knew I wasn’t here for media business.
‘Faster than expected.’
I hadn’t planned to reveal so soon. Even if he sensed with ability, figured he’d play dumb.
Anyway, Leo was way off.
Unlike the faint facial flush from manipulated chemistry, my reason was fine.
Of course, at level ten… less confident.
Luckily, Genda just smiled and restated my purpose.
“Let’s start the interview. Until seven, right? Only forty minutes left.”
“Yes.”
Good lead-in.
From now, I’d use his knowledge of my “feelings” as a shield to pry Pleroma’s info.
To get real Pleroma plans, first get close to Genda Asman.
Gotta know what he’s like.
So I grilled him with nosy questions for a while.
At 6:58, Genda asked.
“All questions done?”
“No.”
Genda widened his eyes like what else.
“Free now?”
Damn it… Never thought I’d say that to him… Regret and cringe hit hard, but the potion was flawless.
Self-loathing vanished; just heart racing.
‘Handy for this.’
Note to self.
Genda burst laughing.
“Now? You said interview till seven.”
“Right. But I changed my mind.”
“Not about media business?”
“Of course not.”
Genda smiled, tilting his head silently.
“You said you came to the capital a week ago. There’s a theater thirty minutes by carriage. Know it?”
“I see. Should check it next time.”
Genda smirked shamelessly.
Never broke eye contact, watching my reactions.
Suppressing the urge to bolt and dorm-ward, I smiled and asked.
“No. Schiller play in one hour—if you’d grace me with your company?”
* * *
I got back to the dorm near midnight.
Then Pie—who’d camped in my room—dragged me via warp to the meeting spot. Sure enough, friends waited.
“You kept Pie up this late just for me?”
“Yeah! Antidote time!”
Right.
I downed the clear liquid Leo offered.
“So, how’d it go?”
“What do you mean how—barely started.”
“Next date set?”
I took off glasses, rubbed eyes.
“Set. What else.”
“Man, freckles and glasses can’t hide it—Adrian Ascanien’s little bro shines through~”
“You like praising the emperor?”
“Oh.”
Elias laughed, shaking his head.
I’d burned all energy, melting into the chair.
Potion or not, facing Pleroma kept my guard up.
‘He’ll just think I’m smitten—no issue.’
“Meeting tomorrow. Level seven then.”
“Machine mode again…”
“No.”
I gave a hollow laugh and continued.
“Gotta speed up. I need to become Pleroma too.”
“Yeah?”