Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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“Going to write one more letter?”
“Yeah.”
There were still things left unsaid.
Since it would serve as evidence, it’d be best to make it as clear and explicit as possible, down to the smallest details.
Leo glanced at his watch and said,
“We should start getting ready to head out soon. I’ll coat your letter one last time and be right back.”
“Where to?”
Narke answered my question in his place.
“To talk with Eric Asman.”
“Hm?”
“Elias and Leo have already been over there since yesterday. They were already talking investments.”
I’d been about to suggest making a move on that front myself, but they’d gone ahead and started without me.
Of course. Those two weren’t the type to sit around idly.
The Haarigenji Orphanage had been Elias’s handiwork from start to finish, after all.
At that moment, Narke pulled a vial from the cabinet and spoke with a grave expression.
“Let’s do it, Elias.”
“Sure, alright.”
Elias plopped back down in his chair, grinning.
‘What’s with the solemnity?’
Narke swallowed hard and drew his wand.
The moment he tapped both of Elias’s shoulders with it, Elias’s face began to age rapidly.
Elias picked up the mirror he’d left facedown on the desk and admired his reflection.
“…!”
“Perfect. Thanks, Narke.”
Narke gave a weak smile and slumped onto the sofa in the corner.
Elias didn’t just look older—his voice had deepened into a resonant baritone, making him look every bit the middle-aged man.
“…What the hell?”
“It ages you about forty years. We went to the council before, remember? The crutches drew eyes, and too many people recognize my face, so a simple disguise wouldn’t cut it. What do you think? Not bad, right?”
Narke, gulping down his second bottle of Wittelsbach’s elixir that Leo handed him, replied.
‘Impressive.’
It wasn’t a spell anyone used often, and rare magic always had a reason.
Nobody else could pull it off.
Even someone like Narke had to chug potions nonstop to cast it—who else could just wave a wand and do it?
Leo’s disguise, at least, wasn’t a total overhaul, so Narke swung his wand right from his seat.
And once again, I was left speechless.
“…….”
“Someone shut Lucas up.”
Leo nodded awkwardly toward me. I shook my head as I stared at his long, dark brown hair.
“…No one’s recognizing us now.”
“Turns out a person’s impression changes drastically with just a few tweaks. I picked these looks for both of you—pretty fun, huh?”
Narke chuckled, downing another elixir.
Of course it would. Swap ivory hair for black, stretch yesterday’s haircut to three years’ growth, and the vibe shifts completely. Darker brows sharpened his features. Leo, still paranoid, had even thrown on glasses.
Both Leo and Elias’s faces were too well-known from the papers for comfort, but this? No chance of recognition.
‘They’re thorough. I like it.’
That left me free to focus on Genda Asman.
Just then, Elias emerged fully dressed and handed me an artifact enchanted with sensory transfer magic.
“Be back soon. Keep an ear on things while you write that letter!”
* * *
[Forget about the investment money—we’re not sweating it, got it? We don’t expect anything back, so just do whatever you can. Fifty thousand fel? That’s pocket change—we can front more later, easy.]
An hour or so later, Elias had dragged Eric Asman to a tavern. The noise from before faded abruptly—they must’ve gotten a private room.
‘They already handed over fifty thousand fel…?’
Tossing around five million won like it was nothing. Royal blood, alright.
He claimed to be broke, but I figured he kept a stash for times like this.
I’d already exchanged several letters with Genda by now and was drafting the final one.
Another hour of half-listening passed before something useful came out of Elias’s mouth.
[So, truth is… you know about that side, right?]
[What? That side?]
Eric Asman was slurring already—clearly hammered.
[You know, to get blessed… uh? Maybe not here, heh~ We all know, yeah?]
[Oh, we can’t talk about that… Sorry.]
[Come on, don’t be like that. Truth is, I’m desperate right now. Health’s shot, and I’ve got family counting on me. Got a pile saved up now, but who knows about tomorrow… Right?]
Patience apparently spent, Elias ordered more drinks and poured several into Eric’s mouth.
A thud hit the table, followed by clinking plates.
Sounds like he face-planted. How much did they feed him to knock him out like that…?
‘Never drinking with that guy.’
I didn’t want to end up the same.
Elias whispered,
[So, besides you and your sister… anyone else make it over recently?]
[Just… gimme a sec, uh, really just a bit. Five minutes’ nap and I’ll be golden, yeah?]
[Wanna die?]
[Huh?]
[Not huh. Look, I’m in a real bind here. So, anyone else make it?]
[Dunno. Better if there isn’t… yeah, there shouldn’t be. ‘Cause… y’know, to get Vitriol, gotta thin out the competition.]
Eric Asman giggled like it was the funniest thing.
‘Relatively dim bulb.’
Compared to Genda Asman’s meticulous caution, this guy was sloppy—easy prey for Pleroma’s side.
Sure, to a money-hungry businessman, an investor dropping five million won without batting an eye looked like a saint. No wonder his guard dropped fast.
[How do you get it? Spill a little.]
[Just fulfill the mission. We’re subcontractors, see… No set rules, but there’re folks already over there. Impress them, and you’re in? You know.]
A bit vague, but it cross-checked with what Genda had told me.
[So how do you get the mission? I want in too, man.]
[It’s just… what was it? Been in my head since birth, so I don’t really know. Heh…]
[You dumbass fuck!]
[Keep it together.]
I could hear Leo grinding his teeth through the artifact.
Elias, fresh off yelling, now soothed Eric in a gentle tone.
[Anyway, got it. Loud and clear. Man, without you… You’re a lifesaver.]
[Aw, it’s nothing.]
[So about today’s chat…]
Crash—!
[Let’s forget it.]
“…….”
Yeah, that tracked.
Elias must’ve smashed Eric’s head into something—wall, probably. No groans or screams, so out cold instantly.
Elias sounded refreshed.
[Brain damage’s straight to amnesia central.]
[Pretty sure the booze already chemically wrecked his brain. How many bottles was that?]
[How many drinks you have?]
[One.]
[Boring~ Want me to order more?]
I tuned out their banter, lost in thought.
‘Missions in their head since birth… Genda wasn’t lying.’
And another key piece.
They can’t use Vitriol yet.
‘Explains why Genda’s rushing.’
The ‘folks already there’—the ones kidnapping from Haarigenji—were mid-level managers.
No Vitriol until you impress them.
Emotion-reading without Vitriol? Half-baked.
‘And he said he didn’t know about other recent Pleroma inductees.’
Pleroma wouldn’t limit to just Haarigenji.
To map their reach and supply lines… I couldn’t stop at Genda Asman.
I needed to infiltrate Pleroma proper through her.
Elias called him a dumbass, but he’d been a goldmine.
Time to meet that mid-manager.
After that, my abilities would handle the rest.
* * *
The appointed day arrived, and I headed to Genda Asman’s house.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
Genda raised an eyebrow like she had no idea what I meant, so I smiled and continued.
“Waiting for your letters made me forget all about the pain.”
“Oh.”
She sipped her tea with a smile.
She’d probably cracked a grin reading my emotions during our chats.
Couldn’t love a kidnapping cultist sober, so I’d downed a level-10 suppressant before coming.
Asked Leo if he could amp it higher—possible, but he refused, saying there was a reason they didn’t sell it.
‘Still effective enough.’
Enough to keep a flash of anger from ruining things.
I humored small talk before cutting to the chase.
“Shall we get started?”
“Oh, right.”
It was 3 a.m. now.
Everyone else would be asleep.
Elias and Leo had Eric tied up again today—no interruptions.
“Actually, I rescued one more kid in the meantime. They’ll probably move out with the one we saved together before.”
“I see.”
I followed Genda up to the top floor.
She stopped at the end of the hall, clutched her pendant, and turned the knob.
The sight made me doubt my eyes.
A chill winter breeze rushed in.
High ceilings, arched roof, stained glass… and far off, religious iconography. No mistaking it.
“A cathedral.”
“That’s right. It’s my storage now.”
Probably like ones in our world, but as Strauch said, different coordinates from ours.
I shoved aside thoughts of trespassing or whatever and hit her with the important question.
“We were clearly in your house—amazing. You use teleportation magic on the curse targets here, I take it.”
“Hm, actually, you can layer teleportation on target curses from anywhere. But… you’ve been dying to see this place these past few days, Mr. Baizel.”
“You’ve thought of me? I’m thrilled.”
As I smiled down at her, Genda stared silently before turning away.
“…….”
What just happened?
Genda Asman
Favorability +8.5*
‘8.5?’
It was 7.5 last time. Why the jump?
I racked my brain—no clue. The atmosphere? The inky stationery gift and letters? Or the level-10 emotions?
Silence stretched until Genda spoke.
“There’s actually another reason for moving at this hour. I have a celebration today for my first achievement.”
They even did that—desperate for manpower, clearly. Trying to boost morale and output.
I missed my cue to speak, and Genda turned to me.
“So, want to come along?”
“Of course. It’d be an honor.”
In the novel plot, it would’ve been with Eric Asman, but this…
‘Perfect.’
A spot to mingle with other Pleroma folks? Endless potential.
As I kept staring, Genda shrugged.
“Shall we summon, then?”
We descended to the basement via a side chamber.
In the altar room, I leaned against the wall and watched the ritual.
‘Using her own blood.’
I’d ask about the mechanics later.
Genda clutched her pendant again and intoned,
—You will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Genesis.
But also from Faust.
Question was, those were the devil’s words.
She turned, smiling, as soon as she finished.
“Simple, right? They’ve probably arrived by now.”
* * *
“Wait here,” she said, heading upstairs first. Once sorted, Genda called me back to the first floor.
Where pews should’ve been, marble boxes lined up like graves. Up close: bloodless children, laid out stiffly.
Genda stood before one, stroking her chin as she gazed down.
“This one’s worth raising under me directly.”
“Oh?”
“Got talent. With luck, could make first-gen. Hm, the one next to it goes up as blood stock.”
What did I just hear?
Anyway, this was Pleroma’s idea of ‘talent.’
“You can tell at a glance—impressive. Why not scout from the outside world?”
“If we could spot it there, Pleroma would’ve conquered the Empire ages ago. Hard to gauge suitability outside our domain. I think it’s the air…”
Strauch mentioned air addiction or whatever. They used it a lot as an ingredient.
Might as well check myself.
In Pleroma’s world now—good to know my value to them.
‘Could even leverage my suitability with other Pleroma.’
“What about me?”
“…….”
Genda’s eyes gleamed with reluctance to probe.
‘Fully compatible, huh.’
My mana alone screamed it.
Proving my hunch, she lifted my hand and said,
“…Skip the party?”
“It’s to celebrate your achievement. I have to go.”
Like I’d pass this up.
I shook my head with a smile.
Genda nodded and continued.
“Finish this job, and I’ll make you first-gen.”
“…….”
“But promise me. Don’t listen if other Pleroma say the same.”
New intel.
‘Missions’ came with performance rivalries.
And I was prime talent here.
‘Things are going smoothly.’
Smiling, I flipped her hand over mine.
“Would I listen to anyone else?”
* * *
I would.
That’s why I came.
I leaned against the wall, surveying the music-filled banquet hall.