How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 120

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (120)

Even at Adrian’s response, Lucas remained composed.

“I have been neglectful toward you all this time, Hyung.”

“Neglectful, you say. You don’t need to push yourself, so don’t think such things.”

Adrian’s face bore the same unchanging smile.

Then the servant’s voice was heard once again.

“Count Georg Ascanien has arrived.”

When he came, Lucas and Adrian rose from their seats and showed their respects.

“You have come.”

“Sit.”

Georg’s gaze, as he spoke, turned to Lucas’s indifferent expression that was different from a year ago, then quickly withdrew.

Now Georg looked at Adrian.

“How is your body?”

“Much better than before I came. Coming home puts my mind at ease, making me forget the pain.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Despite his words, it was a voice devoid of any emotion.

Even though it had been more than a year since the three had last gathered together, Georg Ascanien showed no emotion on his face.

A bitter smile crossed Lucas’s face as he observed him.

When a servant filled the three glasses with aperitif, Georg recited a prayer.

“Bless this food given through grace and us. Through the Lord we pray.”

An emotionless voice that felt not a grain of gratitude echoed. Then he spoke briefly.

“Drink.”

For a while, only the sound of forks touching plates could be heard.

As they were finishing the appetizer, Adrian spoke up.

“It’s been quite a while since the three of us dined together, and gathering like this makes it feel real that I’ve come home. How have you been spending your time, Your Highness?”

“No different from usual.”

Despite the stiff, brief answer, everyone present didn’t find this response strange.

Georg Ascanien was someone who simply wouldn’t open his mouth.

Instead of answering, he would usually look coldly at the other person as a sign to be quiet, and cases like this where he responded to conversation were rare. It was close to a privilege that could be received because it was Adrian Ascanien.

“That’s fortunate.”

Adrian Ascanien answered with a textbook perfect smile as if drawn. Then he began discussing Anhalt’s political situation with Georg.

Throughout the conversation, Adrian’s dignified and gentle manner of speaking made the servants begin to feel the comfort that the master of this house had finally returned.

Georg Ascanien’s attitude was exceptional at making subordinates submit, but it couldn’t induce true loyalty.

But Adrian was different. The servants could easily realize each time they faced him how he could have such a position throughout the Imperial Court and the entire Empire.

By the time Adrian was finishing his conversation with Georg, the suffocatingly heavy atmosphere of the dinner had softly eased.

Now Adrian looked at Lucas.

“It’s nice to dine with my younger brother after such a long time. I heard you won second place at the Bavaria Potion Competition this time.”

“Yes.”

“Just like when you achieved excellent grades at school, I was very surprised this time too. I’m truly happy that you consistently produce good results.”

“It’s thanks to Hyung believing in and supporting me all this time.”

Lucas continued with a gentle smile.

“More than that, I heard you had an accident, Hyung. What happened?”

Though they didn’t show it, the servants were now feeling bewildered.

Surely until last year, the one who barely managed to answer only when asked was now looking straight at his older brother and asking about things he was curious about.

On the other hand, Adrian Ascanien showed no sign of surprise at such a change. He simply looked at his younger brother with the same warm gaze as always.

“It’s not a pleasant story to tell, but you should know too. I was attacked by magic set up by Pleroma and lost consciousness. At first, I thought it wasn’t a serious injury, but a diagnosis came down that it would be better to receive treatment in the Empire.”

At the mention of Pleroma, the servants exchanged glances among themselves.

As servants educated in Ascanien, that reflexive reaction was quickly withdrawn, but Adrian had already caught that instant.

When Adrian’s face slightly hardened, Lucas smiled with an unreadable expression and said,

“I’m fine, Hyung.”

When telling a story about being attacked by Pleroma in front of a younger brother who was Pleroma, one couldn’t help but be curious about that younger brother’s reaction.

Lucas glanced at the soup being placed in front of him, then looked at Adrian again and continued,

“You must have suffered greatly, Hyung. I heard that Pleroma’s movements have grown recently, but to think such close family would be harmed – I’m shocked first. I will pray deeply for your swift recovery.”

“…”

Adrian smiled slightly and answered.

“Thank you.”

The soup bowls were cleared and now plates with bread were placed.

During this time, the topic had already changed several times, but mainly Georg and Adrian’s political discussions continued.

Adrian, who had been talking with Georg, looked at Lucas and said,

“Luca, could you pass me the butter over there?”

“…”

Lucas, who happened to be drinking wine, casually shook the table bell.

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Even Georg stopped talking and looked at Lucas, so their conversation was cut off there.

A servant quickly came to his senses and approached.

“Please speak.”

“Place it conveniently for Hyung to use.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

At the natural command, the servant felt nothing strange and followed as if enchanted.

Lucas smiled at the two who were staring at him intently.

“I won’t be using it anymore, so please use it comfortably, Hyung.”

“…”

It wasn’t a strange thing.

Since there were two glasses placed in front of each person, reaching across the table would rather be cumbersome.

Also, since he was a nobleman and the child of a ruling house with over a hundred servants, it should be more natural for him to be accustomed to having others do things.

However, Lucas Ascanien was not someone who could do such things.

Especially regarding what Adrian had said while pointing at him, he was even more unable to show flexibility.

All the servants present considered Lucas to be a lower being than Adrian, so they were greatly flustered and only watched Adrian’s mood, but Adrian himself wore the same gentle smile as always.

Lucas was the same as well.

* * *

Adrian Ascanien didn’t call Lucas to his room even during the three days that followed.

He only attempted various conversations with a smile during meal times.

Since it was only about school life, friends, and Pleroma, the content wasn’t particularly special either.

Though all the servants in this castle couldn’t adapt to Lucas’s change at all, Adrian treated his younger brother, who had changed completely like a stranger, exactly as he had last year, and never once showed curiosity about such changes.

It was strangely ordinary and peaceful treatment.

And on the fourth day, Adrian called Lucas out.

* * *

Since coming alone was Hyung’s request, I entered the building without bringing a servant.

The place I came to was a theater.

When you’re a ruling house of a country, building all sorts of facilities inside the house like this isn’t particularly special.

Since this isn’t a place that suits the current master’s taste, this place was probably built by the previous duke.

“You came.”

Perhaps hearing my footsteps, Adrian Ascanien turned around from a seat about halfway up.

“Yes.”

I answered indifferently.

His purpose is one thing. Whether or not he can sense magical power from me.

So whether I have the power to someday surpass him and take revenge.

‘He came to find out just that one thing, yet dragged it out so long trying not to show he was shaken.’

He should hide what needs to be hidden.

From the moment he came here to examine me alone, he was already shaken.

After checking his status window and hearing exactly what kind of injuries he had sustained when he came here, I was convinced once again.

The Antagonist had deliberately injured himself before coming.

‘So, I’m curious about his true intention for waiting quietly for several days and then specifically calling me out to the theater.’

Adrian Ascanien asked in a friendly manner, as if we were brothers who had been close for 18 years.

“We used to come here often when we were young, do you remember?”

“No.”

“Mm, well. When I was ten, you were three.”

I smiled lightly.

He’s aware of that tremendous age gap, yet doesn’t seem bothered at all about trying to eliminate his younger brother who is seven years younger, both socially and physically.

“Why did you ask me to come here?”

“I felt like I haven’t been taking good care of you since you entered the Imperial 2nd Education Institute. Actually, Luca, you’ve mostly stayed in your room since childhood and haven’t enjoyed much leisure time.”

Adrian continued speaking while looking at the stage with only sets, wearing a smile.

“There’s a lot I want to ask you too.”

“….”

Right, it’s about time for him to show his true colors.

Since I was controlling even the minute mana flowing in the air, there was no worry about my mana being detected, but just because I found it unpleasant, I sat one seat away from him.

Fortunately, Adrian didn’t mind. He seemed to regard it as behavior typical for someone my age.

Before long, the theater troupe that Hyung had called took the stage.

The play was Macbeth.

I hadn’t expected much, but perhaps because it was a troupe employed by the Ruling House, it wasn’t unwatchably bad.

[Honor, love, friends… Instead of those, only curses remain for me.]

As I let the dialogue flow through one ear while thinking about the Antagonist’s plan, the play had reached its end before I knew it. When I was just counting down to the ending time, Adrian said while keeping his gaze fixed on the stage.

“No matter how many times I watch it, it’s enjoyable. The lesson that one shouldn’t end up like that really hits home.”

“I see.”

It was just laughable.

Talking about lessons.

Since when was this bastard someone who could speak of lessons?

The large age gap was unfortunate.

If there had been only a year or two difference, we would have either lived ignoring each other’s existence or fought openly and directly.

He would have easily revealed his true nature, making it convenient for me to deal with him.

He wouldn’t have put on such a disgusting act of pretending to be good like now.

Then, Adrian opened his mouth again.

“So, are you taking your medicine regularly?”

“….”

A topic that had never come up even once until now finally emerged.

I might be heading straight to the basement soon.

I answered without putting any emotion into it.

“I am taking it.”

Adrian rested his chin on his hand and continued with a smile.

“It doesn’t seem to be working.”

“….”

I looked at him silently.

The music and dialogue from the play instantly faded from my perception. I didn’t have enough capacity to be aware of such things when I barely had enough to analyze only the important information.

“I wonder.”

“It’s okay to tell the truth, Luca.”

“There’s nothing more truthful to say here. I already told you as it is.”

Let me think.

There’s no reason for him to say ‘the medicine doesn’t seem to be working’ right now.

I now knew better than even Leo or Elias how to hide mana floating in the air.

If I didn’t hide it, information would reach people like Traut, so I had to develop that skill to a level where no one could match me.

Then, Adrian Ascanien smiled and extended his hand.

“….”

He didn’t say anything, but his intention was clear.

He was telling me to prove that it was true.

No matter how much I blocked the mana in the air, unless I used auxiliary tools, I couldn’t block the mana in the skin where the pulse beats.

Since there had been no way for him to directly detect my mana until now, there are two possible routes for him to say ‘the medicine doesn’t seem to be working.’

Either this is his bluff, or he obtained information from somewhere that I use magic.

Then I too need to determine which of these two possibilities applies to him before I can decide which direction to move next.

‘What should I do.’

I didn’t need to think long.

I reached out my hand toward him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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