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Reborn as the Doomed Heir of a Mage Dynasty (Web Novel) - Chapter 217
Chapter 217
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
“I don’t even know where to begin apologizing.”
The Pentalon department official who briefed us on the first day looked like death warmed over as he groveled.
“We’re sorry. We don’t have much experience handling royalty directly, so we didn’t prioritize security thoroughly.”
“It’s fine,” Leo said, shaking his head.
“We didn’t expect such a crowd either. Could you provide us with the internal warp coordinates from now on? We understand you need to verify our identities due to potential ability users, so we’ll contact you right before arriving.”
Normally, people don’t crowd around royalty unless the place is packed, but today, the barrier seemed to make them feel safe enough to stick close. Plus, there was no one controlling the crowd.
Or maybe it’s because the Imperial Mage Association has been pushing a public-friendly strategy since Adrian Askanian’s appearance, making people feel more at ease approaching royalty than usual.
‘…If the Imperial Mage Association’s copying my brother caused this mess… it could be useful if played right, but we’ll need to be more careful.’
We listened to Leo’s lengthy exchange with the imperial official and received our morning checkpoint assignments.
Ignoring my friends’ curious and worried glances, I approached Elias. “…Sorry, but can I borrow another pair of gloves? I used my spare this morning.”
“Ugh, what’s there to be sorry about!”
Before I finished, Elias yanked a pair from his clutch and slipped them onto my hands. Then, with a wide grin, he waved enthusiastically.
“Do well today~ See ya at lunch.”
I smiled back, gave a quick wave, and turned to Leo, who was waiting.
Today’s partner is Leo.
I heard Ulrike—er, Luise—strongly recommended it. I tried countless times to sweet-talk him into partnering with me, but it didn’t work. That guy’s clearly trying to force us to bond and eliminate any hint of team discord.
We headed to our assigned area in silence.
Our job today was to check everything from Gates A to H, including seats and waiting rooms.
During the inspection, we didn’t exchange a single word, wary of potential watchers. Neither of us is chatty, but we’d usually cast a soundproofing spell and talk a bit. Today’s total silence felt new.
‘The artifact’s only linked to the security team, so no calls through it either.’
Feels like working solo.
We occasionally ran into other staff, and I ended up talking to them more than Leo.
While taking a break outside, a man waiting for the elevator glanced at his watch and spoke to me. “Brr, it’s freezing today. You okay in just that?”
He was clearly older, bundled up in a coat stuffed with sweaters until he looked round.
I was just in a shirt, jacket, and coat—probably looked underdressed.
“I’m fine. Where you headed?”
“Third floor. I manage the magic lights. By the way…”
He glanced at me and asked, “Mind if I ask something?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“Do you wear that outfit into summer?”
I nearly laughed at the random question.
Given his age, I could let the odd query slide.
“…No, we’ll get new ones. Or maybe a thinner coat. I haven’t been told yet, so I’m not sure.”
“Got it. That outfit’s really sharp.”
I gave a vague smile.
Time to wrap up the small talk.
I’m dead set on catching the culprit myself, but I’m not ignoring Narce’s advice.
Thankfully, he said goodbye without lingering and headed upstairs.
I also ran into one of the many who stared at me yesterday. A New Human kept sneaking glances at me again today.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing… Good afternoon.”
“Thanks.”
We went our separate ways, and the conversation ended.
After exchanging brief greetings with a few others and watching Leo do the same, time flew by.
Everything went smoothly until lunch.
After eating, I froze at the text on a thin pink note.
[You don’t drink much with meals! Sauerkraut and sausage is the best combo. Let’s eat together next time.]
“……”
Leo, eating with me, snatched the note from my hand.
He stayed silent, his expression unchanged.
Someone had slipped it under the break room door.
It reeked of suspicion, but when I went to check, no one was outside.
We’re treated mostly like everyone else, not like nobles. We eat lunch in one of the assigned break rooms.
Sure, getting a break room for every two people, off-limits to others, is a perk. Still…
‘This isn’t good.’
Leo said quietly, “Someone’s watching us.”
“Yeah.”
“Specifically, you.”
I nodded.
Leo sighed heavily, looking troubled, and snapped his fingers.
The healing magic in his core intensified.
If left unchecked, Wittelsbach’s Magic Power could be felt externally, so I used my own Magic Power to suppress the artifact’s energy, letting the healing magic settle into the core.
By 4 p.m., after finishing all inspections, we headed to the dorms.
Of course, I reported the note too.
‘If this bastard shows up in person, I’m ready, but this is getting annoying.’
Though, safety-wise, it’s better if they don’t show up.
But then how am I supposed to catch them?
While I mulled over less-than-ideal thoughts, Narce escorted me to my room, beaming. “Another day done~ Good thing the report went smoothly.”
“Yeah. Thanks for today. See you tomorrow.”
“Lucas.”
At Narce’s serious tone, I turned as I was about to enter my room.
He stood by the door, looking at me.
“I don’t know exactly, but I’ve got a bad feeling. Wanna stay at the militia dorm tonight?”
“Bad feeling?”
“Yeah.”
Hmm…
So they might show up?
If it was that serious, Narce wouldn’t have walked me here, so it’s probably something lesser.
“Nah, I’m good. There’s no space for me there anyway…”
I glanced around and continued, “Right now, it’s about gathering data.”
“……”
Narce nodded readily, then smiled softly. “If you gather data and end up with more bad memories, what then? No way~ I’m sleeping in your room.”
“Huh?”
Before I could respond, Narce vanished.
After washing up and getting ready for bed, I found Narce unpacking a pile of stuff in my room.
He flopped onto the opposite bed, opened his bag, and out popped a hamster-like lump. Of course, its hopping made it clear it was a rabbit.
“Lucas!”
It’s been a while since I heard that animal’s voice.
Well, not heard—more like it registered directly in my mind.
Before I could greet Pai, Narce pushed me down and draped Pai over my chest.
“Brought him on purpose. Pai therapy~”
“No such thing.”
“There is!”
Just asserting it, huh.
Whatever, it’s warm. Pai, probably excited to see me after so long, was squeaking at a barely intelligible speed. As I tried to cover Pai with the blanket, he suddenly stood up.
“Huh!”
“What?”
“It’s Lucas!”
It’s me?
I could guess the rest.
Pai, sensing Leo’s Magic Power, spun in circles. It’s been a while since I realized you can read confusion on an animal’s face.
Since it’s healing Magic Power, Pai seemed even more content and flopped back down.
I infused Divine Power into Pai.
Lately, Pai’s been mostly in Narce’s room. Since my dorm changed, he didn’t know to come here.
He’s not a magic-casting animal that memorizes coordinates, so I’ll need to train him to come here directly. Then he’ll visit more often.
“Pai doesn’t trigger the barrier here, huh.”
“Yep.”
He’s too small, and the Magic Power for warping is negligible. That’s why we used Pai to communicate when trapped in the potion lab before.
Unlike other teammates, Pai’s easy to bring along, which is nice.
‘If Pai were 500 times bigger, I could sleep on his belly.’
As if reading my shameless thought, Pai jerked his head up.
“Ong?”
“Sorry.”
“Why?!”
“Just because.”
I covered Pai’s ears, wishing he’d grow fast.
Soon, both Pai and I fell asleep.
Nothing happened overnight.
‘At least not physically.’
The next morning, Pai came back with a pink note in his mouth, picked up from the window.
“I stayed awake all night, and at 4 a.m., a note hit the window.”
Narce’s face was grim.
I stared at Pai, still holding the note, and muttered, “Good thing you were here.”
“…Nah, even if I wasn’t, it would’ve stopped here.”
Narce replied soullessly, eyes fixed on the note.
Maybe. But I saw it differently.
“Still, it’s better to face this kind of morning with someone to report it with than alone.”
“Haha, true. Fair point.”
Narce gave a hollow laugh, staring daggers at the note.
I thought he was checking for Magic Power, but the note had none.
Wearing gloves, I unfolded the notes one by one.
[You were pretty friendly when we talked during the day. I knew you’d be that kind of person. Keep it up next time.]
“Ugh.”
Chills ran down my spine.
Talked during the day?
I spoke briefly with at least five people today—what?
None of them seemed off.
Steadying my breath, I opened the next note.
[What’s that rat-like friend? Doesn’t look like a native animal.]
[Your room’s too Bavarian, isn’t it? Anhalt’s eagle is so much cooler—why keep that clunky lion decor?]
The curtains were drawn—how did they see?
That was the biggest issue. Second…
Is this bastard here to critique or what?
Flipping the note, I read more.
[But if you chose it, I like it.]
“……”
I opened another.
[Just leave your reply anywhere, and I’ll read it.]
* * *
‘…Someone I talked to.’
The person who grabbed my hand was a New Human with an Old Human woman’s hand.
What does that mean?
This criminal is a shapeshifter.
Whether such an ability exists in this world is something to verify now, and I still don’t know how they shook off my grip and kept singing.
But one thing’s clear: I don’t know what mask they’ll wear when they show up.
“Hello. We meet again.”
“……”
Inside the all-white stadium building, by the cast-iron elevator, I ran into the old man from yesterday.
When I just stared without answering, he tilted his head. “Something wrong?”
“No. Good morning.”
“It was so cold yesterday, I borrowed a heating artifact for my vest. But today’s warm—too hot.”
“Haha…”
“Take care of your bones when you’re young. New Humans have stronger bones than Old Humans, so you might think you’re fine, but end up like me. I spent half my days exercising like a maniac when I was young. Felt great then, but decades later…”
Ding—
He finished as the elevator took him upstairs. I smiled, tipping my hat slightly. He smiled back, returning the gesture.
Not long after, someone tapped my back.
A kid, startled by my eyes, asked in a small voice, “Uh, do you know where Exit 22 is?”
They probably didn’t realize it was me—Pleroma’s Askanian.
Unless this is the stalker’s act and not a real kid.
I forced a smile and pointed to the side passage. “…Go left down that passage, then straight back.”
“Thanks.”
Why’s a kid here? Before I could think, Elias spoke behind me. “Guess that kid’s Magic Power is needed here?”
Hmm…
Another case like Narce and Heike.
Judging by their Magic Power and demeanor, everyone I’ve met so far seems genuine.
Yeah, if they admitted to disguising yesterday, showing up today as someone else would be amateurish.
All day, my nerves were on Müller.
No matter how much I tried to ignore it, I couldn’t relax, knowing I had to catch them if they appeared.
Also…
‘It’s getting to me, humanly speaking.’
Even setting aside my resolve to catch them, knowing someone’s watching me all day isn’t exactly pleasant.
‘Why me, damn it?’
Sure, it’s better than this creep targeting the other six here, but with so many mages in the world, why me?
From the notes, it feels less like genuine support and more like half-jealousy. If that’s their version of affection, fine, but having a jealous stalker nearby is the worst.
Thankfully, Elias stuck by me, chattering nonstop about trivial stuff, which dulled my frayed nerves a bit.
By 4 p.m., we prepped to return to the dorms.
Holding Narce’s hand for his help, I quietly told my friends, “I’m sleeping at the militia dorm tonight.”
“Huh? For real? Stay in my room! Narce and I share it.”
Elias made a fuss.
That night, I couldn’t sleep.
First, I had to stay vigilant.
Second, Elias, hyped that I was there, pulled out liquor and a board game.
“Luca’s too good at this! I wanted to beat you once, but you never lose.”
Elias grabbed Narce’s wrist as he spoke.
Narce, caught, squirmed away, narrowing his eyes. “Ugh, why just me?”
Smack—
Elias slapped Narce’s hand and laughed heartily, flopping onto the bed. “Ah~ That pays back the hit I took at Heike’s place.”
“What, it stuck with you *that* much?”
Narce, rubbing his reddened hand, burst out laughing.
“I forgot, but setting up the board tonight brought it back!”
“Haha… huh?”
Narce turned absentmindedly, then froze.
He jumped up, flung the curtains open, and opened the window.
“……”
Seeing what Narce held, my face hardened like his.
A pink note.
I took it and unfolded it.
[Think I won’t find you if you change locations? Your expression’s worth seeing. Haven’t seen it yet, but it’s vivid in my mind.]
“……”
I heard Elias tap his artifact to call the police.
This bastard thinks they know my expression?
I felt a laugh slip out as I tried to unclench my fist.
Can’t tear it since I need to submit it. I’ll burn it with a filter instead, like in Asman.
Then, something hit the window again.
Thud—
Narce stood, grabbed another note, and brought it over.
[Oh, I’m touched. Keeping my letters forever? Creepy. Guess we’re the same kind.]
I didn’t sleep a wink.
Sheer stubbornness to see who’d win kept me awake.
I submitted last night’s notes to the Royal Investigation Bureau, got a promise of five mages for personal protection, and headed to the stadium.
Considering the daily cost of five mages, it seemed decently arranged. Though, who knows how much effort went into that decision.
It’s only useful for Old Humans or weak New Humans—not much help to me. Besides, I asked them to catch the culprit, not protect me. Leo alone is worth more than those five.
So, the mages were stationed around the dorms. Not that it’ll help much.
Right now, Bavarian investigators are probably searching my lodging.
‘Tired.’
At our team’s meeting point, I stashed my belongings in the cabinet and looked out the window.
Who among the people passing on this street is the culprit?
Somewhere, someone’s watching me, and I don’t know where.
My spine and shoulders feel stiff. I don’t know where to look. Since yesterday, my senses are heightened; even the hum of the lights feels audible. The arched ceiling’s curve and the magic light in the center shimmer in my eyes. My nerves are so shot, I can’t even tell the light’s color.
But my fist was very much alive.
Ready to swing hard if they show up.
‘Come out in front of me, you bastard…’
Just messing with notes and not showing up leaves me no way to catch them.
‘Fine. You’re not gonna reveal yourself openly now, huh.’
Got it.
They think keeping me on edge puts me under their influence, even without showing up.
They’ve half-achieved what they want, so why risk getting caught?
Then I’ve got a plan too.
“Lucas, you look rough.”
Tsheringen looked at me with a serious expression.
“Do I?”
“Yeah.”
Tsheringen pulled a cola from her bag and held it out. “You like this, right? You drank it nonstop during the second exam. Have some to lift your mood. It won’t fix everything, but it’s all I’ve got.”
“Oh, thanks.”
I drank cola because it was there, but I guess I drank it enough to seem like a favorite.
I appreciate the gesture.
By the way…
‘This Yulia’s the real one, right?’
Focusing my blurry vision, I asked, “Yulia.”
“Yeah?”
I held out my hand, and Tsheringen looked surprised.
She lightly tapped my hand. Her Magic Power tingled my skin. Wittelsbach’s Magic Power surged to the spot, triggering healing magic.
I clenched and unclenched my hand.
The attacking side’s Magic Power transfers to the passive side. I usually tapped her hand, so I didn’t notice, but today, the Magic Power I felt was definitely her, like during sparring.
“It’s you.”
“……”
Tsheringen’s mouth opened slightly, then she smiled. “Yeah. We sparred on Tuesday, right?”
“Sorry for doubting.”
“No, it’s natural in this situation. And you should be this thorough.”
I gave him a soft smile. “Yulia, I’ve got a favor to ask. Can you hear me out and think it over?”
Maybe because this was a new attitude, Tsheringen looked a bit surprised. She nodded, stepping closer.
“The investigation’s stalled, and the culprit’s just sending notes without showing up. At this rate, we can’t catch them.”
“Right. It’s a mess if it stays like this. No way to handle it.”
“So, could you be my partner today?”
“Oh, sure! But Ulrike’s probably gonna push for you and Leo again.”
“…True. How about the three of us—me, Leo, and you?”
“Fine by me if we can arrange it.”
We already worked as a trio with Elias and Leo yesterday, so approval shouldn’t be an issue.
When I didn’t say more, Tsheringen asked gently, “Was that the favor? I can do more.”
“Well, there’s one more thing.”
It’s not over.
Will partnering with Tsheringen make the culprit show up?
Nope.
To draw them out, I need to take one more step.
“This might be a weird favor, but could you act extra friendly with me today?”
“Act friendly? We are friends… oh.”
Tsheringen, puzzled, opened her mouth.
A grin spread across his face.
She’d figured out why I brought this up.
“We’re friends. But I mean, could you make it more… obvious?”
“…Hahaha, I get what you’re going for~ Leave it to me.”
“Thanks.”
Tsheringen’s confident laugh made me smile in gratitude.
‘You won’t show up in front of me.’
Fine. That’s fair.
Let’s see how long you can keep that up.
