Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Noble Family
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“......”
Gelda stared down at me intently before slipping the syringe into his pocket and taking a step back.
“You must have some faith in it, then.”
“I’m only saying this because I can’t hold out in my right mind anymore. And didn’t you just say it yourself, Mr. Asman? You’ve seen the effects on your target several times, so it won’t be awkward.”
“......”
Even so, it seemed he still couldn’t fully trust me.
Only after using three more syringes did Gelda finally put me back to sleep.
An hour in real time passed afterward—or six hours here—before I regained consciousness.
‘Thorough, isn’t he...’
I scanned the empty room and, just in case, drew magic from my heart.
The result was, predictably, failure.
It showed a level of completion similar to what the Investigation Bureau used, so there was no way it would come undone easily.
‘Why the hell is he drawing so much blood... It’s ridiculous to go this far just for a bit of blood.’
The most plausible possibilities were two.
First, to grow stronger. Second, to survive.
I figured it was both.
Revived corpses couldn’t sustain life without blood.
Gelda had started harboring doubts about Pleroma just a couple of days ago in local time, so he was probably preparing to live without relying on blood supplies from above.
The fact that he was drawing it out in multiple 10mL syringes instead of all at once suggested it was for storage.
He might even plan to keep me around as a portable blood source.
‘So...’
Since he was holding onto me out of necessity, he couldn’t completely ignore my condition.
And I needed tools to release each of these restraints.
My strategy in this situation... started with not holding back on the pain.
But even if my arm turned blue, sticking a needle in didn’t make me scream.
So I decided to simply flop down dramatically.
“Mr. Baicel.”
Just as the strength to open my eyes began to fade, Gelda called out to me opportunely.
“You’re not dead, are you?”
“......”
“I’ll go find some anesthetic.”
“No. That’s enough already. Let me go.”
Gelda just looked down at me silently before heading back upstairs.
‘He has no intention of letting me go.’
Force wouldn’t work.
And I couldn’t go back to before the incident either.
‘But if my actions fail within this incident, I can still rewind them.’
In that case, since things had come to this, my only option was to keep up the acting with the traits I’d gathered so far.
Personally, I didn’t want to go further, and I had no desire to hurt him more than I already had... but with nothing else working, I had no choice.
‘Leo and the others still haven’t found this place, and half a day has passed in real time.’
Waiting longer didn’t seem like it would bring answers.
That’s when Gelda came down the stairs and spoke to me.
“Try getting up.”
I didn’t respond, pressing my right arm over my eyes.
Gelda’s voice grew closer.
“I brought the medicine I mentioned earlier. Drink it and wait a bit. If the anesthetic doesn’t work, I’ll get some painkillers.”
My mind wasn’t spinning quickly... but one thing was clear.
The strategy had partially succeeded.
He was giving me the medicine he’d withheld out of fear I’d pull something?
He probably thought I was trying to avoid the situation altogether, so he needed to change that. If he wanted to keep using me as a supply source, he’d need my cooperation.
Plus, he figured I was too drained to do anything else.
I answered curtly.
“Never mind.”
“......”
“I can’t understand why you’re doing this. I thought you had some grudge against me... but then why bring anesthetic? What’s the point of all this? How am I supposed to make sense of it?”
Gelda sat beside me and pushed my arm aside.
“Drink it. Endure for a moment, and it’ll be much better than before.”
He ignored my words and said something else entirely.
Gelda Asman
Favorability +9*
Still the same.
I didn’t really want to, but it was worth a shot at this level.
“Trust me. It’ll be fine.”
“I said I’m not drinking it.”
I swatted Gelda’s hand away.
Then, mustering the most mocking sneer I could, I continued.
“You’ll just drag out some weird memory and put me to sleep on the spot again, right? Am I wrong?”
“......”
Gelda hesitated for a moment before pressing down on my jaw.
I grimaced and swatted his hand away again.
“Wait a second. Have you ever tried it? Seen someone drink it?”
Gelda looked at me and, deciding it was safe to answer, spoke up.
“No, and I haven’t seen anyone else drink it besides you, Mr. Baicel. Why?”
“Have you tested it? Sorry to say this outright, but I’ve already had level 10 medicine. What do you think happens if you make me drink twice that amount while the effects are still lingering...”
“I’ll keep a close eye on you.”
My blunt admission must have irked him, because Gelda cut me off and poured the medicine into my mouth.
I shook off his hand with all my strength, and the vial fell to the floor.
In my dimming vision, I saw Gelda hurriedly righting the bottle. Even so, a familiar taste lingered in my mouth. Then our eyes met.
In that instant, I twisted my face and curled up.
“What’s wrong?”
As if he hadn’t expected real trouble, Gelda leaned in close.
‘...I get why Leo never made this stuff.’
This was as intended, but my cognitive functions were already fogging, forcing me to focus on recalling my plan.
Still, the sudden urge to drop everything and go home bubbled up. If Elias found out I was still lucid after double the dosage... I’d be hearing engine noises until graduation for sure.
I tried to unfocus my eyes and slowly rose to my feet.
I didn’t want to dwell on what words or actions were coming out, but one thing was certain.
Even though I’d just shoved Gelda’s shoulder to the floor, unlike when I’d intended real force, I didn’t fall asleep.
‘If I’d known this would work, I’d have done it from the start.’
Gelda must have read my emotions as always and known my actions weren’t a threat.
In truth, I was still using emotions now, which pricked my conscience, but there was no other way.
For now, I couldn’t give him time to weigh the pros and cons.
Thanks to inducing that awkward position, he dropped the vial he’d been holding without much effort. I picked it up and shoved it in Gelda’s face.
“Want to try it?”
“......”
“It’s unfair if it’s just me. Stay like this for a bit... then drink the antidote.”
Without waiting for a reply, I dumped the medicine into my mouth. At this point, with my screw-loose acting, what was one more impossible thing? Of course, that was fine for me, but he couldn’t suddenly think rationally and spit it out now.
Otherwise, I’d have to try again and go through this all over...
‘Let’s end it in one go.’
I lightly covered Gelda’s mouth with my hand, then released when I felt his throat move.
“See?”
“...!”
Hm.
Perfect.
Seeing the same light in Gelda’s eyes as in mine, I curled up the corner of my mouth.
It wasn’t from the thrill of things going well for once. The effects were hitting me too, letting me entertain such shameless thoughts without guilt.
Gelda Asman
Favorability +10
‘The trait kicked in.’
He wasn’t showing more only because he was staring at the ceiling. By my estimate, it was well over +10. He wasn’t the machine-like person Elias described from the start, so even level 1 to 10 medicine would have been plenty effective.
‘He shouldn’t assume the effects he saw on me would be the same for him.’
But he already did, so he didn’t stop my offer.
I dragged the situation out for a few minutes—not enough to feel too sorry toward Luca—before extending my wrist.
“No matter how hard I try to endure, it’s uncomfortable... Can you release them?”
“...No.”
Unlike his hazy eyes, Gelda refused firmly.
Then, anxiety flickered in his gaze right after.
‘Sharp as ever...’
I wished every Pleroma in the world had zero perception.
I’d tried to coax more voluntary action from him, but no luck.
I pulled out the small artifact I’d found in his jacket’s inner pocket.
“Sorry, but I already found it. You had it on you.”
I’d easily guessed from the faint mana emanating from his clothes.
Gelda’s face darkened in an instant.
“I figured you’d carry it yourself. If another Pleroma might come here, you wouldn’t want extra baggage when fleeing, right?”
I held the artifact against the restraint on my arm.
An invisible seam split open, and it fell to the floor.
Whether the effects had fully kicked in or not, Gelda stared in shock, speechless. As I dropped the last restraint, he squeezed out words.
“No way, all this time...”
“Sorry, Mr. Asman. Let’s go now. I’ll undo the Pleroma’s brainwashing.”
It was down to luck.
Whether Gelda Asman’s feelings toward me were still softened or not. A gamble on that.
Even if it was unavoidable, using someone’s emotions again made me feel like the last shred of my humanity had crumbled away.
Suppressing words I wouldn’t normally say, I opened my mouth.
“As I said before, no more. I have nothing to say for the hurt I caused by my judgment. Blame me all you want.”
“...I’m having trouble understanding right now.”
No surprise there. There’s a reason they don’t make this medicine.
It rarely works on people, and even when it does, the effects wear off fast. If my mind was this messed up, imagine others.
“Anything except the crimes you committed, do as you wish. I’ll rewind it all to the beginning for you. If you want, I’ll even help with the investigation. The Pleroma’s brainwashing heavily influenced your crimes... you might even get bail.”
“......”
“Sorry for everything up to now. Go out and live a new life.”
Even though he could use magic on me, no attacks came.
Lacking the courage to meet his eyes, I silently picked up a rolling stone shard and pricked my skin. Staring at the falling blood, I drew mana and chanted the spell.
—You shall be like gods, knowing good and evil.
Kwaaang—!
Unlike summoning Pie recently, an explosion rang out.
Time was running critically short now.
Recalling what I absolutely had to do, I forced my unresponsive mouth open.
“As for me... fine. Should we set it to the day I gave you my card?”
He’d been silent the whole time, and now that I was finally speaking, my voice trembled pathetically.
Pushing away Gelda’s hand, I recalled what to erase as I completed the formula.
‘...Me.’
If I ever use this damn medicine again.
I wanted to punch my past self for thinking it was ethically fine since I was drinking it. That a quick sip would do, that I could act until entering Pleroma—all delusions. I’d found no solution besides manipulating emotions to the end.
I touched Gelda’s forehead and spoke.
—Enter through the narrow gate.
Could I cast manipulation magic strong enough to counter the drug’s effects in this state? Could I fully erase the Pleroma brainwashing? Doubts arose, but there was no time to agonize.
The moment I lifted my hand from his forehead, Gelda’s body went limp.
“......”
I channeled divine power into the seemingly dead Gelda. He opened his eyes normally, as if nothing had happened.
Now, no emotions showed in Gelda’s gaze.
For the investigation, I’d left his Pleroma memories intact, and thankfully, he seemed to know where this was.
Explosions from upstairs grew louder now.
Gelda, looking around, tilted his head at me.
“Who are you?”
“......”
“I’ve definitely seen you before. That young press guy from the Blue Speech... right?”
It was over.
With this, my task was completely done.
Back home, I’d release this under Nikolaus’s name, watch the impression points rise, and plan the next step...
“......”
Sensing something off in my reaction, he narrowed his eyes.
“What’s wrong? Wait, what’s going on outside...”
Kwaang—!
Whether they hadn’t found the entrance or were blasting from outside, sunlight from the first floor reached the basement. As I squinted against the brick dust and long-missed light, a familiar voice called out. Someone grabbed my shoulder.
“Sorry, I’m too late. You okay?