How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 158

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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 (158)

The rehearsal ended successfully.

No, actually, it couldn’t be called successful.

‘I forgot more lines than I thought.’

It must be because the preparation period was short.

Still, for a hobby arts and sports club, the quality wasn’t too bad.

‘The problem is that the Club President has different goals.’

“…In the actual performance….”

The Club President grabbed his forehead.

“It’ll be even worse. Everyone, I know you’re focused on your studies, but I also know that as students of the Imperial 2nd Education Institute, you don’t half-heartedly approach given exams.”

There’s a reason the Club President is acting like this.

Because judges will be included in today’s performance.

It’s an evaluation hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the Imperial Government, and if you pass here, you can perform at the Imperial Palace instead of the School.

‘Do we really need to go there to perform a play….’

I think that, but I won’t play Rosalind if I advance there.

I only went along with it this time after hearing the promise that they would definitely change the protagonist to Adelbert.

“Even if it’s an arts and sports club, the Imperial 2nd Education Institute has its pride, so we can’t be eliminated from the preliminaries!”

‘Such passion.’

I don’t feel particularly passionate, but since I can’t be the only one playing the protagonist, I plan to work hard.

“Now, it starts in 10 minutes, so please wait. I’ll go outside for a bit.”

The Club President said while clapping his hands.

We went up to the back of the stage.

The two characters who appear first had already gone to the stage and were standing behind the curtain.

As I was looking at the script for a while, I could hear the host’s words announcing the start of the play and applause from beyond.

‘The sound is louder than I thought.’

Just how many people came?

[Adam.]

The voice of a junior who played another lead role could be heard.

[As I remember, Father said in his will that he would leave me 1,000 crowns as inheritance. Father asked my brother Oliver to raise me well. If he wanted to receive blessings, that is. But who would have known? That it was the beginning of my misfortune!]

‘He’s doing well.’

“Junior!”

Then, the Club President who had gone outside came running backstage.

The Club President said while panting.

“Junior, I heard you got first place in the second round?”

“Yes.”

At the Club President’s serious expression, the faces of other club members around also hardened.

The Club President swallowed and said seriously.

“Right now…!”

“Yes.”

“Thanks to you getting first place, there are so many audience members here right now!”

“Huh, really?!”

“Wow~”

“….”

All the club members were clapping, but I couldn’t.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“What do you mean what does it have to do with anything~! They want to see the face of the friend who got first place. And you’re personally famous too.”

I am famous because of Pleroma….

Then, the sound of the curtain coming down could be heard.

A staff member quickly ran backstage.

“Act 1, Scene 2 needs to go on!”

“Junior, go. And I made a deposit earlier when I went out.”

The Club President showed a thumbs up with a completely satisfied face.

What does he mean by making a deposit….

I held back a hollow laugh and went up on stage, leaning against a bench placed as a prop.

A curtain that looked black without lighting separated the audience and the stage.

The student who was going out with me also sat next to me and turned his body toward me.

I looked at him, who was extremely nervous, and said quietly.

“Hanna, the first line is ‘My beloved sister, Rosalind. Please smile happily for me.’, remember?”

“…Yes…!”

“If you forget your lines, I’ll improvise to cover, so don’t be nervous.”

“Yes…!”

Club President, can you even make it to the Imperial Palace?

He was still fired up, so I just gave up on expecting anything.

Then, a staff member gave hand signals from in front of the waiting room.

The curtain rose, and I felt an unfamiliar chill spreading from the audience seating like before.

Pat―

Lighting so bright it stung my eyes came on from above my head.

Because of the lighting, I couldn’t see properly, but I could tell that numerous students were standing around the audience seating.

It really happened.

‘No, these bastards…. They even sold standing tickets?’

Ding―!

Affection +1

Affection +2

Affection +1

“….”

They’re giving affection points even when Georg Ascanien is playing Rosalind.

I ignored the whispers coming from the audience seating and acted the protagonist’s expression.

The student playing the cousin opened his mouth a beat late.

“My beloved sister, please smile.”

“….”

You dropped half the line?

It was so absurd I almost really laughed.

‘Well, still, the audience probably won’t notice this much.’

If only mistakes of this level come out going forward, I can cover them sufficiently.

It’s not Adelbert’s fault that I ended up taking on Rosalind, but I need to see Adelbert play Rosalind’s role at the Imperial Palace.

‘That guy should also try memorizing the script intensively.’

I twisted one corner of my mouth and raised my head.

“Dear Sillia. I am trying to appear more cheerful than usual right now. But are you telling me to act even more cheerfully than this?”

“No, what I mean is…!”

Good.

He followed well.

I stood up from my seat and stared at the audience.

“Rather than thinking of cheerful things, it would be faster to forget my banished father.”

* * *

‘It’s over.’

As soon as my lines were completely finished, I came out and drank water.

With good timing, the last scene was also ending.

[Come, let’s continue. Continue! It will end as entertainingly as always!]

Surprisingly, affection points kept pouring in.

Especially when I came out in my usual style, I received another baptism of affection points like in the beginning. It seemed to have the effect of looking like a different person because the image changed dramatically.

‘Wait, no one’s raising any objections to that initial visual?’

Far from objecting, they’re just sweeping up all the favorability points—it’s absurd yet satisfying.

Lucas Rene Ascanien

Title: Count Nicolaus

Stamina: +3.6 [+6.6]

Mental Power: +3.0

Magic Power: ?

Skill: +4.8 [+7.8]

Impression: -7.0 [+1] [+8.095]

Luck: +4.2

Traits: Dawn777, Divine Power, Charm (Lv.5), Retry (Lv.1)

‘+1.’

Now there are more people at this school who think well of me than those who don’t.

Not just the 2nd year Department of Magic students, but including 1st to 3rd year students from other departments whose faces I don’t even know.

I finished everything including the curtain call and came down from the stage.

I tried to head backstage, but I couldn’t just slip away immediately.

While greeting some audience members, Elias waved from far away.

“Luca!”

He pointed behind himself.

There really were fifty students sitting far back there. I could see my close friends waving their hands.

“I really brought them all! Our classmates say you acted incredibly well!”

“Yeah, well done…”

I don’t know whether I should point out that he really doesn’t listen to anything I say, or just accept it since my impression value hit positive.

“Here, this is for Luca~”

Elias handed me a bouquet and waved a small bouquet he was holding.

“This one’s for you too. Someone just left it on an empty seat and went away.”

“Really?”

When I accepted the bouquet, I immediately saw a note with my name written on it.

When I unfolded the note, I saw typewritten letters.

[Audienz dubioses schockiertes]

“…Hm?”

Elias peered over and asked.

“What does this say?”

“Who knows.”

It’s written in rather unnatural language.

‘The audience… received a shock that made them doubt?’

Or shocked audience?

If I had to connect it, that’s about it.

In other words, it doesn’t connect.

Unnecessary modifications, unnatural word combinations, and no period either.

Even setting aside the period, just looking at the structure, it seems like something written by someone with zero language skills.

If they wanted to say ‘the audience was shocked,’ they could have expressed it as something like ‘Das Publikum war schockiert.’

“Did someone write this drunk? What are they trying to say?”

“Elias. You don’t know who sent this, right?”

“No idea.”

I looked at the other troupe members.

There was no student holding anything similar to the bouquet I received.

“…”

Elias exchanged glances with me and took the bouquet that had contained the note.

“Hmm~ Better be careful. I’ll handle this. Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”

It’s not a problematic phrase, but there’s no harm in being cautious.

I dusted off the gloves I was wearing.

Then, I spotted a familiar face among the people wearing judge badges in the distance. At the same time, he began looking at me too.

“…Huh?!”

Elias, who was about to move, froze with his mouth hanging open.

If I hadn’t managed my expression, I probably would have had the exact same reaction.

One of the judges who had made eye contact with me slowly approached and stood in front of me.

“You’re Lucas Ascanien, aren’t you?”

“…”

The person standing before me was Marian Baum.

He folded the evaluation sheet he was holding, put it in a file, and looked at me with a relaxed smile.

This is the first time I’ve seen him again in three and a half weeks.

I left last time without being able to say goodbye or explain anything. I had thought about visiting him on the weekend, but right after that, Pleroma contaminated the entire nation, so there was no time for that.

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“Our theater is recruiting promising student actors for actor training. I watched Ascanien’s performance from the beginning, and it was so natural that I thought this is exactly how Rosalind would have been if she were a real person.”

The surroundings became quiet. I could see students’ mouths falling open.

Probably, to their eyes, this looks like a casting scene. And Marian Baum is actually saying such things to me.

“…”

“Of course, I don’t feel it’s a style optimized for theater, but that’s exactly the kind of actor our theater wants right now.”

Marian Baum spoke as naturally as flowing water.

“If you don’t have any plans afterward, could you spare some time for a moment?”

* * *

Of course, this isn’t actually casting.

I ran my hand through my hair, which had been cut again today and felt awkward, as I entered the cafe he led me to.

“You could have just gestured for me to come out.”

“That would lack sincerity. Also, wouldn’t there be those who view suspiciously having connections with a director active in Bavaria? Anyway…”

Marian Baum sat down, adjusted his clothes, and looked at me.

“It’s been a while, Dietrich Granach.”

“…”

Why bring up that name?

I looked at his face, wondering whether I should start with an apology.

His mouth was curved upward in an arc. Even in his eyes, more tired than a month ago, I felt unexpected warmth.

I smiled following his lead and said.

“…Yes. It’s been a month since we last met, but it feels like it’s been a year. Have you been well, Teacher?”

At that title, Marian Baum let out a soft laugh.

“Was this how it felt? Being called teacher by someone called Bavaria’s next prime minister—let’s stop with jokes that could cost me my neck.”

I pretended not to notice his pointed joke and asked.

“Am I being called that?”

“Of course, when you have the support of both His Majesty the King and His Highness the Crown Prince simultaneously. To think I’d see such a person acting as a human from hundreds of years ago… It feels worthwhile to have come, having an experience others couldn’t have even if they paid for it.”

Since Marian Baum laughed heartily, I barely managed to swallow what almost made me choke and asked.

“…I suppose it must look strange to old human eyes?”

“Hahaha! I can’t say it doesn’t. After all, the physique and atmosphere itself are different.”

“…”

“Still, Count, you’re quite natural for a new human. Faces that sell well to the public surprisingly don’t feel awkward even when the gender is changed.”

I thought he was the type to say everything without distinguishing between what should and shouldn’t be said since I started learning acting from him, and he’s still the same.

This guy is treating me as if he never met Nicolaus Ernst in the Catacombs.

In other words, it’s the same attitude he had when dealing with Dietrich Granach.

‘Is he planning to bury it?’

It’s an awkward problem, but it’s my fault, and as such, I need to resolve it. I smiled and looked at him, then asked quietly.

“Weren’t you angry with me?”

Marian Baum glanced at me and began drinking the tea placed on the table.

“It would be a lie to say I wasn’t angry.”

“….”

“It was brief. In the end, it was my mistake for letting them take Granach. It was due to my lack of vigilance.”

“Since they approached you systematically, there’s no fault on your part, Baum. They studied and moved to figure out how to make me accept you—how many people could have avoided that?”

“That sounds like you’re saying the Count has quite a good batting average? A life where everything you touch succeeds must be nice.”

I looked at him with eyes that said ‘you’re making jokes even in this situation,’ but Marian Baum just chuckled.

“You don’t know because you haven’t come to the Catacombs. No one there blames Count Nicolaus. If it weren’t for the Count, could we have diverted His Majesty the Emperor’s attention?”

“….”

I remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

“If that’s what you think, then thank you.”

“You really need to see the atmosphere in the Catacombs for yourself, Count. You’ll realize there’s absolutely no reason for you to be so modest right now.”

I simply smiled at his considerate words.

Sensing that the atmosphere had relaxed considerably, he gradually began to change the subject.

“I also received the mail you sent, Count. The Catacombs are currently contaminated as well, so without the Count’s help, countless people on our side would have died. That’s why I came to thank you personally this time.”

“I’m glad it was helpful.”

I had sent mail to his theater troupe immediately on the day I noticed that Pleroma had changed the drug.

I didn’t expect them to actually receive and utilize it, but it’s quite fortunate.

‘But he probably didn’t come all this way just for that.’

As soon as I thought that, he spoke up.

“Actually, there’s something I need to tell you. There are two things in total. First… as a result of separate experiments conducted in the Catacombs, there are some parts that differ from the Count’s research.”

“Different parts?”

“Well, that will take a while to explain, so I’ll tell you slowly. Second, there’s something I want to ask the Count.”

“What is it?”

He held out several black and white photographs.

[Bocuse dasitzende risikoscheu]

[Cookie diesseits zuschraubend]

[Diözesan dubiose tückischeres]

“Mysterious phrases have started appearing throughout the Catacombs. Do you know anything about this?”

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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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