How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 145

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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 (145)

“…Why are you looking at me like that…?”

Philip asked, narrowing his eyes.

He seemed to want to show his anger, but perhaps remembering that Cheringen’s family was no ordinary house, his voice quickly became subdued.

“Well, you seem to be the most problematic one here.”

“What do you mean by that…!”

“You don’t think so? I wasn’t trying to pick a fight, but if you believe you’ve lived an exemplary life, then I apologize.”

‘…Hmm.’

He knows how to be sarcastic right from the start.

It seems he wasn’t just talking when he said he’d nip things in the bud from the beginning.

It’s clear he won’t tolerate anyone who interferes with bonus points.

Philip, perhaps because there were two people in this room who had something to feel guilty about, spoke as if making an excuse.

“…I won’t cause any trouble. My score is on the line too.”

“Good, excellent. We’ve become teammates, so let’s do well together.”

Cheringen said with a smile and an authoritative voice.

Very thorough in his organization.

It’s convenient having someone who knows how to handle people who judge all human relationships by hierarchy leading the team.

Cheringen looked around at us and said.

“First, shall we investigate everyone’s unique abilities? As you all know, mine isn’t an ability I can use in this exam. I can’t drop lightning on rampaging students.”

‘Oh.’

His unique ability is quite like something from a comic.

It’s a good ability.

Perhaps noticing my thoughts from my expression, Cheringen smiled and added an explanation.

“Lucas, you’re learning about this for the first time today. It’s not literally an ability to create lightning, but rather an ability to manipulate water, though I’m not well-versed in the operating principles so I can’t apply it in various ways.”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

Everyone would be like that.

Even Adelbert uses wind as his unique ability, but isn’t that actually an ability to manipulate gases?

However, there’s a reason he doesn’t say his unique ability is gas manipulation.

While he can create wind without mana or body movements, he’s not developed in applications like instantly removing gases from a space to create a vacuum or splitting molecules into atoms and recombining them.

That’s what unique abilities are like.

They’re abilities limited to certain fields that even the person who possesses them doesn’t know why they have. It’s not impossible to expand the range, but it’s difficult.

“Well then… Since Melvin doesn’t have a unique ability, shall we start with Heike?”

At those words, Heike Einsiedel shook her head expressionlessly.

“Mine isn’t an ability I can use right now either.”

Her voice, which I was hearing for the first time, was cooler than I expected. It was like that even though she didn’t seem to be speaking with any negative emotions.

Anyway… so she does have a unique ability.

When my turn came, I answered briefly.

“I don’t have one.”

Philip’s face slightly contorted.

Heike Einsiedel and Florian’s gazes also turned toward me.

I know what they’re thinking.

‘They probably think the trait of being able to increase mana by drinking blood is itself a unique ability.’

Although Bavaria announced that there’s ‘currently’ no problem with my core, the fact that there was a problem in the past is being accepted as truth.

So people think that my past characteristics could manifest at any time.

If I could actually increase mana by drinking blood, I wouldn’t feel wronged.

Then it was Philip’s friend’s turn—Florian—who hesitated before speaking seriously.

“Um, I’m not sure if I can use this or not.”

“Well, just say it. We all roughly know already, so there’s no need to be reluctant now.”

Cheringen answered casually as if telling him to speak quickly and get it over with.

Perhaps thinking he was right, Florian began speaking while still hesitating.

“I can somewhat control the growth speed of plants… but I can’t grow them beyond their limits like Leonard. I’m mentioning it because there might be some use for it.”

“Yes, good.”

A school bully who also has a unique ability.

Anyway, it’s true that there will be uses for it.

The fields given in the exam vary from urban areas to nature. In natural fields, it would be a useful ability.

Cheringen spoke to Philip, who was keeping his mouth tightly shut.

“So now we just need you to tell us yours, Philip.”

“Mine isn’t a useful ability right now either.”

“I wonder about that. That’s just your opinion. I’d like you to tell us properly.”

At Cheringen’s firm words, Philip snorted with a dumbfounded expression.

“Why are you asking when you already know what my ability is? It’s useless except for finding water veins.”

‘How did he end up finding water veins?’

Seeing that he can find such things, it seems he can amplify perceptual abilities.

Come to think of it, on the day this bastard tried to feed Fai to me, his confident assertion that no one would come must have been thanks to his unique ability.

Perhaps thinking it doesn’t look impressive, he seemed reluctant to talk about it.

Cheringen wrote something on paper while saying indifferently.

“So you’re saying super-perception is possible. That seems quite useful. Though water veins would indeed be useless.”

Perhaps because he had just called the only thing he mentioned as useful now useless, Philip’s face reddened as if he found it absurd.

But I agree with Cheringen’s words. I really don’t understand why he thought water veins would be useful.

‘But listening to this is quite interesting.’

It’s somewhat ridiculous that two school bullies have unique abilities, but they all really seem like mages.

Especially Cheringen could go make a movie just like this.

After that, the meeting went smoothly. Philip and his friend grumbled briefly, but they maintained normal attitudes.

We established strategies for the 20 fields announced by the school and wrapped up the meeting.

Cheringen stood up from his seat and said.

“Team 3 said they’d vacate the training ground in an hour. We can spend free time until then and meet again.”

“Alright. Should we come here?”

“Yes. Let’s meet and move together.”

I nodded while listening to Heike and Cheringen’s conversation.

The moment I went outside, I heard a familiar voice.

“Lucas!”

Team 1 must have just started their break time too, as Narke was resting in the lounge area at the end of the hallway.

“There you are. When is your training?”

“Um, we have an hour left until our reserved time.”

Narke gestured for me to sit in front of her and continued speaking.

“So, did the meeting go well? I was surprised that you and Philip ended up on the same team.”

“So-so. I’ll have to see how it goes, but it doesn’t seem like there will be problems right now.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Narke looked around and then used divine power to speak.

—”How about Einsiedel.”

She seems concerned about him too.

“Ordinary.”

Except for the fact that “impossible to capture” appeared for the first time.

Just then, I heard someone knocking on my office door through the artifact on my ear, so I immediately warped to Bavaria.

When I returned to that spot about ten minutes later, Narke smiled.

“You’re busy~ Doesn’t headquarters keep looking for you?”

“That’s right.”

I feel like I go in and out dozens of times a day.

To prevent them from estimating when I’m at my seat, whenever someone knocks on the door, I immediately warp there and then come back here repeatedly.

Since yesterday’s incident with Adelbert and the announcement not to directly contact victims’ cores, I’ve been called in even more often.

More than that, I had something to ask Narke.

I cast a soundproofing spell and spoke up.

“Narke. I need to conduct a confidential investigation about Adelbert’s case, so what do you think I should say about my alibi?”

“Hmm, an alibi…”

Narke answered as if troubled.

“I don’t think it would be meaningful to worry about that now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…”

Narke smiled ambiguously.

So even if I create an alibi, the situation won’t flow in a particularly favorable direction for me.

“Still, don’t worry. In the long run, this was for the best. If you hadn’t entered Adelbert, several mages would be dead by now.”

“That’s true.”

Pleroma is probably puzzled right now about why the new drug isn’t working on mages.

Since we only notified the agency not to touch the cores, it will take some time before they realize we’ve discovered their updates.

“Then, there’s one more thing I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“The place I entered was Adelbert’s dream, right?”

“It’s ambiguous. It’s a dream but at the same time a real world.”

Anyway, if it was based on a dream, the fact that I used divine power there isn’t easily explained.

Adelbert, who created the world, doesn’t know that I use divine power, does he?

“Narke. I didn’t enter there as myself but entered Adelbert’s body.”

“Ah, I thought so. I couldn’t imagine you walking around with Adelbert’s face.”

We did look quite different.

“That’s not what’s important. I was able to use divine power in that body. I can’t understand how that was possible, do you have any ideas?”

“Ah, even if it’s that kid’s dream, it was you who entered the body~”

“…”

We’re not understanding each other.

“Hmm, how should I explain this~? Actually, most people aren’t conscious of this field, so it’s natural not to know…”

He stroked his chin and fell into thought, then his eyes lit up as if he’d thought of an appropriate analogy.

“Lucas, in Pleroma’s world there are the unqualified and the qualified. Why don’t all non-mages who receive Vitriol become equally able to use magic?”

“…”

“Vitriol has the special property of settling as a core, but it doesn’t create magical aptitude that wasn’t there before. The aptitude that person fundamentally possessed is manifested when a core is formed.”

“…Wait.”

“Yeah?”

I knew that, but you’re applying it here?

I feel like I’ve heard something quite shocking.

Then, the magical power I’m using now…

I pressed my forehead with one hand and asked.

“Narke. Then if I entered Adelbert’s body in reality, I could use the same magical power I’ve been using?”

“In reality? I didn’t know you had such interesting thoughts~ You have a rich imagination.”

“It’s not interesting.”

“Haha, anyway…”

Narke shrugged and said.

“Rather, wouldn’t it come out even better once you adapt? Adelbert’s core test results were Special Grade 1.”

“…”

“Of course, even if you became Adelbert, your magical power would come out as yours. That’s your aptitude.”

It would be the same situation even if I interpreted Adelbert as Luca and myself as my original self.

What I’ve believed to be Luca’s magical power all this time wasn’t Luca’s magical power but mine?

Several questions instantly scrambled through my head.

“Lucas. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

I answered while pressing the area above my eyebrows to avoid eye contact.

Come to think of it, he shouldn’t know about this.

I might get exorcised.

‘…Could I return to the original world if I get exorcised now?’

No, is my original self even alive in the first place?

All of this would sound strange to Narke.

“Well, thanks for letting me know.”

Before Narke could read my thoughts and express doubt, I answered like that and got up from my seat.

Fortunately, judging by his expression, Narke seemed to have already fallen into other thoughts.

“Don’t mention it~ By the way, Lucas!”

“Yeah?”

“The Drama Club was looking for you.”

“How did you know that?”

“Someone came into our meeting room earlier and asked which room you guys were using.”

“…”

* * *

Now that the manager failed to time it right, this is our chance.

Whatever department it is, if it’s the Department of Magic they’d be in meetings like us, and if it’s another department they’re in morning classes right now so they’re not free.

I immediately gathered the 6th team friends who were scattered throughout the building and warped to the training facility building.

Fortunately, it seemed the previous team had finished training 20 minutes early.

As we entered the training ground we had reserved, Cheringen said with a smile.

“Haha, I didn’t know Lucas was this serious about training.”

“We have to do our best.”

Philip’s mouth was hanging open, probably because I had led him here, but fortunately he didn’t say anything.

Cheringen clapped his hands to focus attention.

“Good. The training ground rental ends in 2 hours and 20 minutes, so shall we go seven times in a row without rest?”

“Let’s try it first and then decide. What should we use for the first field?”

“Let’s go with buildings to be safe.”

Ainsiedel said expressionlessly.

‘…It feels strange calling him Ainsiedel.’

My left hand is definitely fine, but I keep feeling like it’s broken.

Meanwhile, since no one objected to the building field, Cheringen operated the spatial magic artifact installed in the training ground.

At that moment, the world stored by the school unfolded before our eyes. There were decent roads and countless buildings.

[Wow, this is the first time calling up somewhere other than the exam hall with this.]

Cheringen’s voice, which had definitely been heard from beside me, now came through the artifact.

The school also adopted this tool to hear instructions immediately, just like in the field.

I looked around.

Unlike the field, there were no people passing by.

Cheringen probably set it to a version without people. If civilians were walking around a rampage scene, the difficulty would increase dramatically.

Then Cheringen tapped his ear to speak through the artifact.

[Good. There are no civilians, and I’ve raised the grade to 5th. It’ll be much harder compared to the 6th grade we did last time. Still, as we discussed, I’ll give you direct instructions, so just do well as we talked about.]

He paused once and continued.

[After the countdown, the rampage alarm will sound. I’ll give you coordinates, but inside the building we have to find the rampage location ourselves. Lucas, and Philip.]

“Yeah.”

[When Philip finds the location, Lucas will assist from beside him. Two will handle it from outside, four from inside, and you two will enter inside.]

So my partner for this 2nd exam will be Philip.

Actually, I’d be more comfortable staying with Cheringen the whole time, but I fully understand his decision. There’s no one suitable to put next to Philip.

“Got it.”

“Wait, why do I have to be with him…”

Philip said with a dumbfounded expression.

But Cheringen was already not listening and was talking to another student.

‘Why would he?’

Since his behavior is terrible, it’s better to pair him with someone who’s already established dominance.

Melvin absolutely won’t do, and Philip’s friend won’t work either. There’s no telling what those two might pull.

But pairing him with Ainsiedel from Class 1 would be taking a risk since we have no data.

In other words, from now on Philip will move together with either me or Cheringen in rotation. Problem students need close surveillance.

I smiled and said to Philip standing beside me.

“This is the first time we’re partners. Let’s do well.”

“….”

Philip just frowned without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Cheringen finished his briefing, and the countdown began.

[3, 2, 1. Begin.]

Beep―

Along with the test start signal, a grating alarm sounded loudly.

[Attention residents of Kreuzberg. A rampage report has been received at coordinates 12:333:718. All citizens are advised to maintain order and quickly move to clearings where no black smoke is visible or to evacuation facilities.]

An alarm I never quite get used to hearing.

I plugged the coordinates into a formula I knew and snapped my fingers.

Melvin and Ainsiedel from Class 1, who were handling the exterior, were wrapping the entire building with mana.

Since Philip hadn’t entered the building yet, I lightly tapped his shoulder.

“Philip.”

“…!”

He practically jumped and turned to look at me.

“….”

Why is he acting like this….

I pretended not to notice that reaction and led him to the main gate, casting a sound-dampening spell to match our movement speed.

The Vitriol sphere inside the building wasn’t making any sound.

It knew that getting caught meant death.

The fact that it wasn’t reacting like an animal but was slowly calculating meant its danger level was extraordinary.

As soon as we entered through the main gate, Philip leaned against the visible wall, concentrated his senses, and whispered quietly.

“Not on the first floor.”

[Got it. I’ll be waiting inside the back gate, so let me know as soon as you find its location. Sealing the building now.]

Now there was no escape route. The exterior team would be blocking even the windows.

We proceeded from the 2nd to 3rd floor with our sound-dampening spell active.

His ability was definitely useful.

While just concentrating mana in the ears makes it difficult to detect living beings inside rooms, he focused for about 5 seconds then immediately jumped upward.

‘He’s been causing nothing but trouble with this ability all this time?’

It really is the perfect ability for causing trouble.

Living like that, finding water veins was probably the most useful thing he could do with this ability….

Just then, Philip, who was leaning against the stairway wall on the top floor, frowned.

“5th floor, in the room next to the right stairway from the main gate.”

[Got it.]

Now Cheringen and his partner would head up that way.

To decide whether to move with a time delay from them, we needed to know how much power the victim had and how it was currently expanding its influence.

As Philip tried to rush out first, I called to him and pulled his shoulder back.

“Wait….”

“Ahhh…!”

I covered his mouth.

“Hey… I mean, Philip.”

“….”

“Even with a sound-dampening spell, you can’t scream like that, right? The vibrations travel through the floor.”

“R-right.”

“Let’s calm down.”

I briefly soothed him and brought up what I was trying to say.

And so, the first practice ended quite successfully.

“Wow, the recommended processing time was 20 minutes but we finished in 15…!”

Melvin couldn’t hide his excitement and laughed.

The result itself wasn’t bad.

‘Did I sense it wrong?’

Well, I’ll know if we do it again.

And 30 minutes later.

Crash―!

As I fired magic at the target, I could see Philip, who was on the opposite side, flinching.

The surrounding team members were looking at Philip instead of the target.

“….”

Of course, this time too ended with a not-too-bad result.

Beep―

[Test concluded.]

“Hmm, we challenged a 30-minute scenario but finished in under 25 minutes again.”

“Our teamwork really seems to click…!”

Melvin thought the team composition was the worst, but he seemed satisfied since the results kept turning out well.

But I wasn’t.

‘I definitely thought this combination would be problem-free.’

The problems I originally anticipated weren’t there.

Issues like Philip causing trouble, that is.

But while he wasn’t causing trouble, if he has a fit every time he looks at me like this….

‘Is he kidding?’

Did I eat him or something?

Without even looking, he’s probably thinking of me as a vampire like Adelbert did a few days ago. In this guy’s strategy guide, I’m probably listed as Pleroma.

With this kind of nerve, he sure bullied me well in first year. Back then, Pleroma or whatever, I probably looked like a helpless coward who couldn’t do anything, so it wouldn’t have been particularly scary.

“There are some regrettable points, but we still have 2 weeks left, so let’s work on fixing them gradually.”

Cheringen said, looking around at the students.

“Good work everyone. I’ve reserved the training ground for tonight too, so rest for now and let’s try again later.”

“Yeah, see you later.”

The team members briefly said goodbye and left the training ground.

Philip also trudged out of the training ground with drooping shoulders, probably exhausted from being startled constantly.

Or rather, he tried to leave.

Crash―!

I used magic to pull the training ground door shut and locked it.

“…?!”

“Philip.”

Cheringen said we’d fix things gradually, but problems need to be eliminated as soon as possible.

I looked at his face, which had gone completely pale, and smiled as gently as possible.

“Shall we have a chat?”

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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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