How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 133

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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 (133)

“Leo, thank you.”

I smiled and listened to their conversation, then spoke quietly.

I meant thank you for setting the stage. Of course, those aggressive guys would have picked a fight with me even without Leo’s help.

[Ah~ this will be fun. I’ll watch closely, Luca!]

Instead of Leo, Elias giggled and answered.

I’m sure he said the same thing during the festival play.

I turned off the communication and looked down at the newspaper I brought from Bavaria, organizing my thoughts.

Regarding the same situation, attitudes are divided according to interests.

I rummaged through the pile of notes stacked in one corner of my desk.

‘Nearly twenty of them.’

Twenty out of 72 students is quite a number considering partners have already been decided at this point.

It’s similar to the number of requests Leo or Elias received during this time.

No matter how loudly a few raise objections, that’s just temporary commotion at best, and ultimately the flow shows I have the advantage.

The fact that there are those desperately struggling for fear of losing something is a signal that I’m doing well enough in terms of achievement.

‘More than that.’

I heard Adelbert Hohenzollern received a 3+ grade yesterday.

The School was so noisy I couldn’t help but know.

When I went to my office in Bavaria, there was a letter he had sent a few days ago.

‘Unlike his Father, he doesn’t send messengers.’

He sent it normally through warp mail.

Though because of that, I checked it too late.

‘I should reply to him now.’

Even though his technical score was 2 points, he had been receiving good enough grades to skip grades, but now his grade dropped vertically in an instant, so his mental suffering is obvious.

Though it may seem trivial, if you get the wrong mindset at this time, your entire life can change.

This Student military corps selection wasn’t in the novel to begin with, and if there had been no selection, he wouldn’t have received a 3+, so I should encourage him.

‘If he gets discouraged and locks himself in his Room, I won’t be able to get information from the Antagonist either.’

I tore open the seal stamped with the House of Ascanien’s crest and unfolded the letter.

[To the respected Count Ernst]

[…Recently, a mobilization order has come down to the Capital School, and everyone is taking qualification exams. It seems voluntary but it’s not. Especially not for me. His Majesty keeps urging that I should be in Team 1.

…

But I don’t think I can meet His Majesty’s and my teachers’ expectations. Count, have you ever experienced something like this?]

“…Hmm.”

I can see why his grades dropped.

Now I understand why he called me with a death-like expression from the drama club before.

I wonder if he would think to say such things to someone with -5 favorability… but I suppose he was so frustrated that he wanted to talk even to someone who hit rock bottom favorability.

‘But I need to have experience encouraging someone to do it.’

I’ve experienced countless situations similar to the Antagonist’s, but honestly, if I were to encourage myself from those days, I wouldn’t have much to say. When I had no immunity, no words would have gotten through.

After thinking for a long time without coming up with appropriate encouragement, I decided to write just one sentence.

[Expectations exist to be broken, Your Highness.]

I picked up my pen and wrote the content in the neatest handwriting possible, added the conventional phrase to contact me anytime if he had concerns, and warped it to my office in Bavaria.

Honestly, I don’t know if it will resonate. This would be better said in person…

‘More than that, it seems the Emperor is paying some attention to Elias.’

I closed the fountain pen cap and got up from my seat.

Looking at the clock, it was approaching 11 o’clock.

‘Should I get some fresh air one last time?’

I considered taking Fai, who was sleeping on my pillow, but went up to the Rooftop alone.

I leaned against the Railing, enjoying the night breeze while looking down below.

Tomorrow I should make a partner first, then escalate the situation as those guys come.

While I was killing time thinking like that, I heard voices from the Rooftop door.

“…As I said before, I think that Friend deserved the 1+ grade.”

“…We’re gathering kids right now, but you really won’t try it?”

When a familiar topic came up and I turned around, I saw two Class 2 Students opening the door and entering.

When our eyes met, one of them was startled and stepped back.

The other one smiled leisurely and raised his eyebrows.

“Ah, Lucas.”

While the other Friend hurriedly left the Rooftop, he approached me.

“Meeting you here. Ah, do you happen to know my name?”

“How could I not? We’re in the same class.”

Julia Zehringen.

The heir to the Grand Duchy of Baden, who will become the Grand Duke of Baden, that is, the ruler of Baden.

And the Student I was planning to propose as a partner.

“I see. I wasn’t trying to ignore you, I actually heard a few things from Melvin. I’m glad you know me.”

He must be talking about how Luca didn’t memorize his classmates’ names.

Luca didn’t know the names of most Students, including Melvin, throughout the year.

“More than that, I was really surprised at yesterday’s first preliminary exam. I didn’t know you had such talent, and as a colleague who will take exams together in the future, it was good study. It was also stimulating.”

“Thank you for the kind evaluation.”

“Not at all.”

Cheringen laughed heartily, then opened his mouth again.

“From here on, whatever I say probably won’t be received very well. It’s true that no matter how much you praise the abilities of outstanding people like you, it doesn’t resonate.”

“…”

I was about to approach first, but I guess there was no need.

‘We had the same intention.’

More than that, just from the content there’s nothing particularly special, but his tone and attitude are the most like a ruling Family heir among all the Students I’ve met.

Unlike Leo, who feels awkward about being called crown prince, this person seems like he wouldn’t feel any awkwardness about that title.

‘Is this why he didn’t have much contact with Leo or Elias?’

I don’t mean that’s bad.

If this guy were a tyrannical ruler, Elias would have gone to punch him, so probably Cheringen will become a ruler who does fairly unremarkable politics in the future.

However, a typical Nobleman perfectly adapted to the class system wouldn’t deeply empathize with Leo or Elias. That’s all.

I nodded my head, meaning go ahead.

“I’m sorry to say this when we haven’t talked much, but Lucas, you’re currently being evaluated as having received a 1+ grade thanks to pushing through with magical power. Do you know?”

“I know.”

“To some extent, it’s true. But that’s not everything.”

I didn’t answer and waited for his words to continue.

I roughly get the feeling.

Instead of praising me now, he’s trying to prove his usefulness.

In a way, it’s a natural strategy, but it wasn’t a method I could find from the Students who had sent notes so far.

He leaned against the Railing in the opposite direction from me, smiling as if amused.

“The reason most Friends evaluate you as pushing through with magical power is purely because they couldn’t feel any special technique or characteristics in your movements. Do you agree?”

“Yes, I agree.”

“And that’s not because you’re ignorant of techniques like other Students think, but because your movements are perfectly textbook.”

“…”

“Your movements reminded me of Leonard’s style. They were clean and restrained enough to want to learn.”

Certainly, guys who are good in one field have different eyes for observation.

Unlike Students who simply say you pushed through with magical power, he had already properly analyzed the movements.

“This type of attack has the disadvantage of being relatively easy to read. Of course, that’s an excuse from mediocre people, but at the same time, it’s an undeniable fact for 99% of people. That’s why everyone tries to create their own irregular moves and characteristics.”

The Antagonist’s face became slightly serious.

He continued speaking while looking into space.

“And it’s tiresome to say that everything goes wrong from such hasty luck. Development potential comes from the right path.”

He’s like Leo.

Unlike those who pursue immediately visible results, they look far ahead.

“However, the disadvantage of being easy to read doesn’t seem very significant for you. After all, there aren’t many people who can handle your magical power. If there’s a weakness you have, it would only be that you still lack data, making it difficult to respond flexibly to opponents’ attacks. That’s just my guess though.”

“Hmm, that’s not entirely wrong.”

Even in cases where I could move much more efficiently if I had studied more, I tend to move only according to what I’ve learned so far due to lack of experience.

“So you felt that way too. Then… if you had a partner who could respond technically when gaps appear, you could effectively block any scoring holes that might arise. As you know, partner selection is also part of the teamwork evaluation, so your partner’s movements are also your score.”

I looked at him with a silent smile.

Cheringen extended his hand with a confident smile.

“I don’t know what kind of attack methods you prefer, but I can fill in adequately in any way, Lucas. I want to work with you in the second test.”

Golden eyes filled with intelligence gleamed in the darkness.

That smile that doesn’t consider rejection.

It’s a smile possible only when one knows their own excellence well.

He’s approaching me thoroughly politically right now.

And my intentions weren’t much different either.

This exchange won’t end with just a test, but might be groundwork for the succession of the Duchy of Anhalt that could change.

‘I could tell from his way of speaking.’

Subtly, it was a tone like addressing a peer met in political circles rather than a high school friend.

If it’s a time when he can gain a relationship with minimal effort like now, there’s no reason for him to refuse becoming friends with me.

Of course, that’s why I have no reason to refuse either.

It would be fortunate if both the future King of Bavaria and Grand Duke of Baden were all my allies.

“Alright.”

I smiled while grasping his hand.

I felt a hand full of calluses, showing traces of effort similar to Leo’s or Elias’s.

* * *

After getting some fresh air and returning, I was fully awake.

The friend I was planning to ask to be my partner had come to me first with the same request, which really cleared my head.

‘I also gained 3 more affection points.’

I’m getting closer and closer to acquiring 15 points.

Thinking that, I flipped through the newspaper Leo had left behind earlier.

‘I should analyze what needs analyzing.’

Since it’s a time when changes are just beginning to show, I need to do a media analysis.

[Bavaria Magic Medical Center, “Lucas Ascanien’s Core Perfectly Normal”]

[Bavaria Magic Medical Center, “Current State Normal, Though Past Condition Unknown”]

Media outlets from various regions are pouring out similar articles with only different content.

[Is ‘Pleroma’ Treatable?]

[Anhalt Protestant Church Union Strongly Criticizes “Era of Pleroma Handling Pleroma”]

[Lucas Ascanien, The Ascanien Family’s Only Way Out]

[“Cannot Entrust Citizens to Pleroma” Strong Opposition to Imperial 2nd Education Institute’s Decision]

Let’s set aside the analysis articles about my magic since they mostly only talk positively.

Articles mentioning me outside of magic are mainly telling negative stories at first glance.

Out of ten articles, seven mentioned ‘Pleroma’ and ‘blood drinking’ while expressing concerns.

‘Looking at this alone, it’s not a very good sign.’

But this is a natural result.

If the accumulated negative public perception were to flip overnight like turning over a palm, that would be stranger.

It would mean someone in high places is controlling the media according to their intentions.

But what I need is immediate information, and what should I do when there’s a time lag like this where past conventions are reflected before people’s real perceptions are revealed?

At times like this, there’s a place that reflects people’s unspoken psychology first.

‘The market.’

I picked up yesterday’s economic newspaper that Leo had left behind.

Anhalt hasn’t achieved any special industrial development compared to other countries so far.

But Adrian Ascanien started eyeing steel, railways, and defense industries from around my current age, and development in those directions is actually in its beginning stages.

However, since Anhalt is originally a region where agriculture developed, and policies are still in their beginning stages, there’s a basic underlying anxiety that development toward new industries could be scaled down or abolished anytime if the leader changes.

Even though there’s still a long way to go, Georg Ascanien has let go of the steering wheel, making fluctuations inevitable even with slight information.

I underlined companies involved in the development my hyung is pushing, and companies that have financial dealings with those companies.

And the result was…

Niemeyer Engineering -6.4%

Anhaltbaumer -7.95%

A&P Special Steel -5.9%

…

‘What a mess.’

I smiled.

When looking at the entire Empire, there were no major changes in stock prices of companies in the same industries, but stock prices of companies involved in hyung’s policies all dropped uniformly.

Did investments in Anhalt get withdrawn due to increased national concerns about me? For that to be the case, there were no major changes in stock prices of other corporations located in Anhalt.

Only companies that joined hyung’s economic development policies showed such decline.

‘Good.’

Stock price drops don’t just reveal economic conditions.

Though it might be just a temporary phenomenon, that’s exactly what’s important to me. The immediate calculations and psychology people show right after information is given.

In other words, this result meant one thing.

The market has lost firm confidence in the successor to the Duchy of Anhalt.

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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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