How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 240

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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 (240)

[Dear new humans and humans of all nations, welcome to Berlin.]

Strategy room.

The Emperor’s dignified voice, amplified by enhancement magic and cleanly overwhelming the cheers, echoed within the strategy room bunker, but a suffocating silence continued among the people inside the bunker listening to it.

From the radio artifact, people’s cheers began to sound like a waterfall pouring down. However, the sound of an analog clock’s second hand moving tick by tick came to me louder. Perhaps it wasn’t the clock but the sound of my own pulse beating.

‘5.’

[Our Empire is pleased to make a leap that will remain in human history together with our great allied nations in the great city of Berlin. This first international competition, Penthalon, is the fruit achieved through the sweat and effort of 56 nations.]

’10.’

[This international competition will be the competition that best shows how humanity has progressed and developed. Humanity that lived in the present now lives in a better future. Today has advanced beyond yesterday, and tomorrow is more hopeful than today. We humans have always been victorious, and this place where you are, this Penthalon, symbolizes that victory.]

‘…19, 20.’

The Emperor closed his mouth and smiled, lightly moving his head to slowly look around at the audiences from 56 nations.

’21.’

The second hand’s gear moved one notch.

The sound of the second hand turning was irritating. As soon as I became conscious of it, one second had already passed.

‘…23.’

Soon the Emperor, wearing his initial confident smile, gazed at the magic-powered camera filming him and spoke with emphasis.

’24.’

[God is with us.]

’25.’

[May God’s blessing be upon you!]

Bang—

Small fireworks at the height of the arena interior and massive fireworks that rose as if to touch the night sky burst in succession.

Again came cheers that sounded like being in pouring water, and the sound of band music reminiscent of a triumphal march could be heard through the artifact.

Beep—

30.

Nothing happened.

The Commander looked down at the pocket watch in his hand.

A short performance continued before the main performance of the opening ceremony.

Even though the second hand reached one minute from the start, still no problems occurred at the opening ceremony.

The Commander lifted his gaze from the pocket watch and looked at us. At me, the Doctor, and the Minister of Magic.

“Well, congratulations.”

“…”

“We have successfully passed the first checkpoint.”

The Commander’s voice was dry and matter-of-fact. He showed no signs of joy.

“This was the first step among hundreds of checkpoints. We must maintain the same state of alert throughout the entire 5 hours of the opening event.”

He spoke to us in a more weighty voice as if confirming facts.

“We cannot stop here. You know well why. They may have prepared backup plans in case of failure. Perhaps after the first plan goes awry, they might move having lost their reason.”

Then the Doctor spoke with a regretful expression.

“If we could have decoded the cipher, we would have known clearly when their terrorist plan would be executed. If we could have waited for them at that time and caught them, we could have saved more of our strength than now, right? Even if we knew all eleven characters of the cipher accurately now, we don’t have time to decode it…”

I disagree.

From the moment they openly gave us the cipher, we shouldn’t have thought about decoding it to prevent their crime.

Because that itself was a deception.

Moreover, I had already solved the cipher. From the moment I received Elias’s contact, I immediately studied the combination of 11 letters, three words.

That cipher was neither a warning about this magic lamp terrorism nor a device telling us the time of the terror. It was just a phrase whose intention I still couldn’t know for certain.

As a result, even knowing that cipher wouldn’t have helped at all with this magic lamp terrorism incident.

The Commander nodded and said.

“That’s right. Even if we know the cipher now, it’s not time to decode it. Even if the Empire’s best cipher decoding unit from the Kingdom of Prussia’s military started the mission, it would take at least two days.”

The Commander grabbed a long rod and pointed to the map on the table as he spoke.

“Adrian Ascanien’s ‘deception’ plan had a tremendous impact on delaying the enemy’s decision. Today, a total of 1,614 mages were mobilized for the actual cooling magic, with 754 mobilized from outside Brandenburg. If there had been no event, the terrorists would have found the 754 mages passing through Brandenburg checkpoints suspicious of our movements. Even if they hadn’t passed through checkpoints, they would have considered the coordinate system magic overload from warping unusual.”

Essentially, everyone in the country who could use ice magic had been gathered. This number was impossible with unique abilities alone, and they had brought all those from magic schools around the country who were teachers, that is, those skilled in advanced magic that manipulates natural elements including freezing magic.

The Commander continued.

“Now there’s something we must do.”

Right. It’s time to remove the white phosphorus.

Though we had kept the temperature from rising near the ignition point, we couldn’t keep the interior cold forever.

Since we had neutralized them, we now needed to remove the seeds of danger.

The Minister of Magic looked at us and said.

“Now that the bombing plan using white phosphorus has failed, attempts to break glass and spread runaway chemicals are impossible. That means even if we purify the pipes and remove the white phosphorus step by step, openly in front of the criminals, they have no way to do anything about it.”

The Minister smiled as he said this.

“Now, blackouts will occur step by step. Of course, after establishing sufficient defense systems and measures to prevent the recurrence of terrorist threats, we must determine the order of locations to remove gas from the pipes and move accordingly.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s determine that order from now on.”

* * *

[I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.]

One hour after the opening.

The Doctor’s energetic voice came through the artifact.

It was notification that we had succeeded in removing all the white phosphorus.

Ezekiel 34:26. This was today’s final cipher. Since it was a cipher meaning complete termination, it was a situation where we no longer needed to use ciphers, but this cipher was closer to symbolic meaning given to the crisis response committee members.

At the opening ceremony venue, that is, the main stadium, lights often went out due to the program. The crisis response committee requested 5 minutes with the lights out, and the event preparation committee accepted that request and performed with magic while the lighting was off.

The work after handling the opening ceremony venue went smoothly. Since it wasn’t a situation where we had to remove white phosphorus from all spaces at once like before the cooling magic was applied, the crisis response committee spent an hour sequentially inhaling air from pipes of all lights on the premises and applying purification magic. Not stopping there, they even finished laying barriers horizontally inside the ceiling again to prevent recurrence.

However, it’s not time to relax yet.

Until it’s completely over, we shouldn’t.

I left the crisis response committee with the Doctor’s help. What the Crown Prince had entrusted to me was limited to the magic lamp terrorism incident, so I couldn’t stay in the crisis response committee any longer. Though I was told that the Ministry of Magic would recognize my contribution for this help, even though I had achieved results, I was still just a rookie mage of the 101st class.

The remaining terrorism prevention now depends on their capabilities. I think I’ve done what I could.

‘They need to block it well.’

I hope the Imperial Government seizes the opportunity when it comes, at least this time. What kind of peace is this that was arranged? No matter what more plans the enemy has, thoroughly blocking them is their job.

I stood quietly at the warp point in the staff passage, looking outside, then checked my watch.

I need to go in again in another hour. Until then, all of us in the 101st class have free time.

Now I will be deployed to the facility inspection and checkpoint duties that Eschete was originally assigned to.

Still, I can’t just trust the Imperial Government alone, and since I shouldn’t let my guard down yet, I will lastly check if any suspicious plans are being executed here.

‘Before that.’

Let me rest for 10 minutes.

Going down the stairs leading underground, I loosened my neck muscles and took a deep breath.

“It’s been 3 days.”

The moment I entered Basement Level 1 of the main stadium to go to the staff break room, I heard an unexpected voice.

It was Leo.

“Good work.”

Leo said with a faint smile.

I looked around and cast a sound-blocking spell.

“You know?”

About me briefly joining the crisis response committee at the end. From what he’s saying, he seems to know what I did there too.

“I was informed. Did you see? Everything has been proceeding smoothly so far.”

“You mean did I watch the opening. No.”

“Really?”

Did I have time to watch? I was constantly stuck in the crisis response committee looking at maps, then briefly going outside, then going back into the crisis response committee and coming out repeatedly. I didn’t have time to properly watch the opening.

Leo smiled, uncrossed his arms, and extended his hand to me.

“You should watch now. Let’s go.”

* * *

The atmosphere outside had a different feeling from before the opening when I had watched from in front of the art museum for mission purposes.

Outside the opening ceremony venue, the faces of people watching the splendid opening event from afar had only smiles. Small magic lamps hung in rows on the bare winter tree branches along the street, making it look just like Christmas in the 21st century.

Perhaps nothing had changed much from earlier. Unlike before the opening, I now had no officially assigned heavy duties, and thanks to properly getting through the first hurdle up to now, an hour after the opening, the world I was seeing might have become more vibrant.

Still, my nerves were entirely focused on checking the magic in the air and ground, but at least it was better than earlier when millions depended on my hands.

“What a nice day. Have a good day.”

A human I’d never seen before handed flowers to Leo and me before leaving. Just how much had they been distributing? Countless people on the street were holding something similar to what I received.

This must have been the ‘flower that blooms in summer’ that Elias mentioned. The thick, bright orange flower that looked like it would grow in tropical regions was unfamiliar, even in winter.

I silently blew magic into the flower. Perhaps I blew too hard – when the magic faded, the flower wilted slightly. I could feel Leo looking at me incredulously.

“What’s wrong with that? Better to be careful, just in case.”

“I haven’t said anything yet, Lucas.”

“Get your newspaper here~”

I took the Imperial Newspaper that the vendor suddenly thrust toward me.

The entire front page was broadcasting the Penthalon opening ceremony in vivid color. A sound-producing filter was attached.

Of course, even without looking at it, I could see the opening scene just by lifting my head.

Giant screens placed throughout the venue were emitting magical light, broadcasting the opening ceremony.

I folded the newspaper and asked.

“So where are we going?”

“The observatory. The kids are there.”

There’s an observatory at the end of the Penthalon venue.

Due to terrorist risks, general spectators can’t enter – only officials like Leo and me who have our identities mortgaged to the government can access this space.

When I nodded to end the conversation, Leo started talking.

“Did you rest well at the hospital?”

“Yeah. I read all the books you sent.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah.”

It’s not like I just played around – I read them after making plans and finishing code decryption. But Leo seemed to think I had lazed around as he intended, wearing a fairly satisfied expression.

We briefly watched a play being performed in front of the Spree River and passed through the park in front of the art museum where countless people were still enjoying themselves. During this time, the flowers in my arms had already grown enough to make a small bouquet.

“This is your achievement.”

It was a sudden comment from beside me. Leo said this while watching children across the river spread out mats and look at the sky.

I understood why he called it my achievement. I cast a sound-blocking spell and answered without much thought.

“I suppose you could see it that way to some extent. But I don’t know if you realize, I only suggested freezing the building and putting on a fire show.”

“Hahaha!”

Leo laughed heartily for once.

He continued in a low voice, using the tone he usually employed in the royal palace.

“If you reduce everything like that, anything would seem ordinary.”

“…”

“Since the Minister of Magic told you about low-cost, high-efficiency, you already know well, but countermeasures don’t need to be complicated. If a countermeasure is so difficult that no one can understand it, it becomes a high-cost plan that consumes time resources. In a situation with only an hour and a half left, wouldn’t you agree?”

“That’s true.”

“It’s true that the emergency committee was also putting their heart and soul into this magic lamp terrorist incident before calling you. It’s also true that they were almost close to the correct answer. But even so, if your two suggestions hadn’t been there.”

Leo looked at me and said.

“Do you think they could have handled this matter quickly and safely? If their plan had been going smoothly all along, why would they have bothered to call you? Were they thinking of giving a high school student some observational practice?”

“…”

“His Highness called you because they requested a suitable person, and ultimately the emergency committee and the millions of citizens here, and all the nobles here including myself, needed you as a strategist.”

“Right. But why are you suddenly saying this?”

“Well, you’re acting like someone who just went for a neighborhood stroll. I’m not saying you should be arrogant and conceited, but…”

Leo chuckled softly at my tone and smiled gently.

“Their laughter is a result you brought about. How about having a bit more pride?”

I understand why he’s saying this.

These words are encouragement, but they’re also something he says because he’s royalty.

In places where humility isn’t a virtue, nobles and royalty don’t need to hide or minimize their achievements.

It doesn’t mean you should go around directly bragging everywhere, but it’s about the attitude that naturally comes from your thoughts.

He’s probably pointing this out because I belong to the Kingdom of Bavaria. Well, it’s only Nicolaus specifically, but anyway.

I nodded and answered roughly.

“Alright, I understand.”

“Lucas.”

Leo suddenly called my name. When I nodded for him to continue, he said something not particularly special but with seriousness.

“Let’s go to Bavaria when the opening ceremony ends.”

“Why Bavaria? We go there all the time.”

Leo didn’t answer and just smiled.

The way he increasingly acts like that without speaking is just like Haike or Cheringen.

I hit Leo’s back once as he acted indifferently and stepped on the observatory stairs.

* * *

When we climbed up to the observatory, I could see our friends as Leo had said.

Only our team friends were here.

Unfortunately, Narke was still being held by the French representative team, but at least the other four were all here.

“Lucas, hello~ It’s been three days.”

Cheringen, who spotted me first, smiled and waved at me. Then Elias quickly turned his head.

“Oh!”

Elias had a blue flower stuck in his ear.

Having tidied up his usually disheveled hair and put it all under a hat, I was a bit surprised to face this new dress code violation. Moreover, since he looked quite insane, I gestured at the flower and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“A kid passing by gave it to me. Jealous? Kids like me.”

“Sure. More importantly, I read your letter well.”

Elias looked at me silently.

I smiled and answered about the letter he wrote.

“Of course I agree. Whatever you bring, I’ll agree.”

Elias raised the corner of his mouth.

“Ah~ How reassuring! I feel like if I cause trouble, Luca will clean up after me.”

“Leo will do that.”

“What?”

I waved my hand at Leo who was following me up from behind and sent the guy away. Fortunately, Ulrike started talking to him.

“I’m glad you’re participating in my plan. Honestly, I want to tell you all the plans I’ve made over the past three days right now, but…”

Elias put his arm on my shoulder and looked down at the ground below the railing, where the entire Penthalon venue was visible.

“Let’s enjoy this for now. It’s the peace you’ve achieved.”

“You’re saying something similar to someone else. But it’s not time to relax yet.”

“That’s true. I absolutely can’t relax until the opening ends. I feel like buying a time-moving clock and changing it to tomorrow.”

Elias spoke seriously for once and whispered to me.

“But if you’ve done everything and there’s still another problem here… That terrorist too, really, it’s not like they’re a roly-poly toy. And the Imperial Court and government should honestly block it themselves now. If they can’t block it, then that’s…”

Elias shook his head vigorously and changed his expression seriously.

“In my opinion, our dignified…”

Thinking he was about to directly say we should behead the Emperor or Crown Prince, I hit his mouth with my hand. Elias stepped back and said.

“Right, let’s talk about the details after the opening ends, when we get to the lodging. And Julia made a suggestion to us earlier.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s take a vacation and travel when the opening ceremony ends! How about it? She suggested going to Baden-Baden.”

“…”

Travel sounds good, but I have bad memories of Baden-Baden. Plus, isn’t the Freiburg Archdiocese the diocese that includes Baden?

“If we just change the location to somewhere else.”

“Haha, you seem to feel that way too, Luca.”

“I suppose I do feel that way.”

“Then if we just change the location, you’ll go?! For however many days?”

“Yeah.”

As soon as my agreement fell, Elias smiled mischievously and turned around, running to Cheringen.

Then Haike, who had been staring intently at us from behind, suddenly appeared.

“Lucas.”

“Oh, Haike.”

“Where were you? I’ve been looking for you all day.”

“Really? I see…”

Setting aside Haike’s direct way of speaking—since that was normal for him—it seemed like the other friends, except for Leo and Elias who had heard from him, didn’t know what I had been doing.

“I had some other business to attend to. Why were you looking for me?”

“The guys said they wanted to go on a trip after the opening ceremony ends.”

“Right.”

“Before that, want to come take photos with me and my team members? At that photo shop we went to before.”

“Well, that’s not bad. But you go there to take photos quite often.”

“Right. I went there five times this week too.”

Huh?

I suppressed my confusion and smiled.

“You must have replaced a door or something there…”

“I replaced all the furniture there.”

“Haha, right.”

“Really. I did that in my first year.”

I doubted what I had heard and asked again more precisely.

“Um, right. So Haike. You actually replaced the furniture? Not metaphorically?”

“I bought it directly. They asked if I knew a place that made good furniture, so I just paid with that instead. From my second year on, I gave them cash.”

“…”

No wonder it was such a shabby shop that you couldn’t even tell it was a photo studio, yet somehow all the furniture was made of expensive wood. This guy really had been supporting the whole place.

“Right, anyway, sounds good. But I’m surprised you brought this up first. Unexpected.”

“Is that bad?”

“Not at all. Please feel free to speak up like this in the future too.”

At my words, Haike smiled faintly and nodded, looking down.

Divine power rain began falling from the sky again. It seemed they were preparing since the second part was about to start. Haike tried to catch that light in his hands as he spoke.

“I’m relieved that nothing happened during today’s opening ceremony. Maybe that’s why I found courage I don’t usually have.”

Though he didn’t say it, he must have been quite nervous too. Considering the white phosphorus matches, he had good reason to be nervous. It seemed to be targeting me as well, but wasn’t it originally something that came under Haike’s name?

I nodded and leaned against the railing beside him.

I still couldn’t and wouldn’t let my guard down, but this kind of atmosphere was still comfortable.

* * *

[No abnormalities detected.]

Midnight transitioning to February 25th.

So far, no problems had been discovered in the arena.

Then a notification sound announcing the shift change with another team came through the artifact.

Now it was time for the second major program in the opening ceremony’s grand framework to begin.

The International Friendship Tournament that Haike had mentioned was about to start.

When the preliminary notification for the shift change had already sounded, we all returned to the arena.

Elias and I stood in one of the arena’s competitor corridors, using magic to collect the Imperial Newspapers scattered on the floor and throw them into the trash can placed in the corridor. Since there were Imperial Newspapers with filters scattered everywhere, the hallway was twice as noisy.

Why was it noisy when the program hadn’t even started yet?

‘Because the Imperial Newspaper is conducting interviews.’

“I want to do an interview too.”

Elias said randomly while picking up newspapers.

I nodded and checked if there was anything suspicious among the newspapers scattered on the floor, using magic to pull only the newspapers confirmed to be safe.

The newspaper’s filter happened to be broadcasting a new interview audio from another player.

[This is your first appearance in 3 years since the last Imperial Championship! Your fans are going wild. I heard you’ve been preparing for a really long time and there are rumors about your passion. Before asking about the tournament participation, first, what’s your mindset going into this first Penthalon?]

[It’s wonderful.]

‘Huh?’

Why is the answer like that?

I chuckled and checked the script being written in real-time for foreigners.

They asked about his mindset and he said ‘It’s wonderful.’

Seeing him give somewhat irrelevant answers, he must be quite nervous. Looking at the newspaper, his expression didn’t look too good either.

I mentally sent him encouragement as I moved my hand to the filter.

[It’s really wonderful. I worked like crazy for this day today.]

‘…?’

I stopped my hand that was about to remove the filter.

The player was almost sobbing. It was a face where you couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying. Others must have been as confused as I was, as I could feel the voices from the audience seating beyond the wall of the competitor corridor falling silent.

Sensing something strange, Elias stood in place and peered at the newspaper.

The reporter also seemed flustered and didn’t know what to do for a moment, then tried to smooth over the situation.

[Well, it seems I’ve put too much pressure on the player right before the match. Let’s stop here…]

[I’m sorry.]

[Excuse me? No…]

[I can’t do it. No, I won’t. I can’t do this.]

He shook his head while crying.

The player pulled out a gun from his pocket and held it to the side of his head.

At the same time, the screen shook. Before the broadcast was completely cut off, a gunshot was heard.

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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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