How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 245
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (245)
Crash—!
Suddenly, a sound like a door being torn off its hinges rang out. I, who had been catching some sleep until Leo arrived, snapped my eyes open.
Leo, wearing Bavarian royal ceremonial clothes as if he had come from the Royal Palace, was breathing heavily while looking down at me. His face was completely pale.
I looked at him and spoke expressionlessly.
“…You remembered, I see, Leo.”
Before I could even finish speaking, Leo sat on my bed without permission with a face that looked like his soul had left his body, then muttered.
“…Alive….”
“….”
“You didn’t die.”
“Right. I turned back time in front of you.”
“You’re alive.”
“Yes. Yes.”
Leo now stared at his own hands in silence. Then he pulled me close and buried his face in my shoulder. His expression just before that had changed to look like he might cry, so I was inwardly shocked that even Leo could make such an expression, however slight, and patted him comfortingly.
“Why is this bastard acting like this….”
“I came back from the dead and you’re not even happy? No matter what situation you face, your emotions always converge to zero.”
Leo seemed relieved by my words and chuckled, then slowly sank back into dejection. I couldn’t see his expression, but I knew what he must be feeling right now, so I could guess what kind of face he was making.
And honestly, I felt a bit guilty. Compared to people of this era, I do have significantly fewer emotions. Even in modern times, I was quite criticized in that area, so I just feel sorry for my friend.
‘Come to think of it, he’s still a teenager.’
I keep thinking of his age from the later part of the novel.
It hits me again that he’s still young and green. I didn’t realize it because he responded so skillfully in the field, but at this age, it’s okay for him to be a bit salty.
Now that I think about it, his birthday hasn’t even passed yet, so he’s 17….
‘…17 years old. The other kids are all 18 now, but anyway….’
I think once again that I can’t keep making these guys do things. I can’t dump burdens on kids whose heads aren’t even dry yet. If I recalculate my age according to this place’s standards, to the Professor or anyone else, I’d also be a kid whose head isn’t dry yet, but anyway, it’s all relative.
“Leo.”
“What.”
“Hurry up and grow up.”
“What?”
So I can work you without guilt.
I patted his shoulder a few times for comfort and made him sit up straight.
Leo was looking down with a dark expression. Right after the suicide incident, when moving people to Brandenburg New National Park or during Special Task Force meetings, he seemed so calm, but now he’s showing his shock without filter. It seems to be the difference between being in action and not. He must have been in this state all along.
Or else….
‘There’s another reason.’
I handed Leo one of the whiskies Elias had sent and pushed forward an orange that had come as a snack.
The owner of the infirmary—though its practical use is as a prison—is me, but I’m offering him various things.
Leo, seeing the orange and whiskey at the same time, looked up at me with a puzzled expression.
“What’s this… combination? Do you eat like this?”
“….”
Even in this situation, seeing him worry about fine dining makes me realize again that this guy is royalty. Of course, whiskey with orange as a side dish—I wouldn’t eat it like this with whiskey either.
But he needs to eat something right now to release the tension from the terror attack. I’d like to give him time, but there are things I need to discuss with him.
“I eat like this, so you eat like this too.”
“Okay….”
Leo surprisingly obediently ate the orange and took a sip of whiskey.
“Is it good?”
“Would it be good?”
“You’re really honest.”
“Ah… this won’t work. I need to eat them separately.”
‘Picky bastard….’
I stared at him intently and spoke quietly.
“Leo.”
Leo, who was stabbing the orange with his fork, only raised his eyes to look at me.
“It’s good to see you again.”
Leo was about to say something but closed his mouth and smiled faintly. Then he answered briefly.
“Me too.”
I didn’t say more and just looked at him. Perhaps because I kept staring intently, Leo stopped using his fork and looked at me with eyes asking why, but I just shrugged my shoulders.
Leo said reluctantly.
“…No, explain. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden.”
“Nothing. Just eat.”
When I gestured toward the plate, Leo asked again.
“What is it.”
“Eat.”
At my curt answer, Leo seemed to give up on responding and shook his head, continuing to just stab and eat the orange. I crossed my arms and watched him until Leo silently emptied the entire plate.
When he put the plate down on the side table and looked at me, I nodded and slowly asked.
“Do you remember what happened earlier?”
“…I remember. There was a terror attack.”
“From beginning to end, can you tell me everything you remember?”
Not expecting such words, Leo’s lips twitched with a flustered expression.
“…Why should I do that.”
“What else can’t you tell me?”
“….”
“From the position of someone who remembers what you said to me right before you went back, I can’t just stay ignorant of everything.”
When that topic came up, Leo’s face stiffened slightly.
“I definitely told you to forget….”
“To forget. Sorry, but there’s nothing I can forget, Leo.”
I wasn’t being sarcastic.
Fortunately, Leo looked at me calmly and expressionlessly.
I continued to look at him as well.
“I need to know to either solve it or not. What’s the point of avoiding conversation?”
“I was about to die, so I couldn’t distinguish between what I should and shouldn’t say to you. It was purely words I said because of my selfishness at that time, and they were words I shouldn’t have said to you.”
“That’s exactly why I need to hear it. I only learned that there was something you were hiding when you were driven to the brink of death, and when it’s related to my ability, how can I not address it?”
“….”
Leo quietly opened his mouth.
“I don’t know much either. What you’re guessing right now, that’s all there is.”
“If you think I’m already guessing, then say it with your own mouth.”
“….”
“My guesses are useless. I’m not even sure if they’re right or wrong, and it’s uncertain whether acting for you from my perspective based on guesses alone would truly be for your benefit. Even if I’m lucky and the solution I independently thought of this time benefits you, if you don’t trust me and tell me your story directly, then I—no, we—will inevitably drift apart someday.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
Leo unexpectedly readily nodded. After choosing his words for a while, he rubbed his face with his hands.
“Lucas. If there was something you could do, I would have told you anything long ago. Besides, that was… really something that came purely from my selfishness. You don’t need to know such things, and I don’t want to tell you everything in detail either.”
“….”
Ah, now I properly understand how he must have felt when I hid my retries. At that time, I was thinking similarly. It’s not much different now either.
He had the same expression as I did back then, and though I can’t see it, I probably have the same expression Leo had back then. He’s avoiding my gaze with the kind of face that would want to warp anywhere just to end this conversation.
There’s no way? Since there’s no way anyway, better to just keep quiet? I know what he’s worried about. But when did he tell me to share my burdens with him, speaking like that, and now he’s telling me to just stay still?
Says who?
I looked at his darkened eyes and slowly opened my mouth.
“I know you’re a cautious person. Yes. Sometimes there are things you can’t say because you don’t want to miss anything. I also know what you’re worried about that makes you not tell me anything.”
“….”
“But if you do that, if I continue to turn back time while knowing nothing like this, would that be beneficial for you?”
“Whether it’s beneficial for me or not, there’s no such thing. It depends on how I think about it. As I said again, you don’t need to worry about such things….”
“Earlier, I said I know what you’re worried about that makes you act like this.”
Leo looked at me silently.
“Let’s talk about that. This might seem sudden, but you’ll understand why I’m bringing this up. I can’t be the righteous person you think I am. What I can change here is more than you expect, but what I’ve actually accomplished isn’t much. I’m not someone who has the capacity to implement things solely for the happiness of all people.”
At those words, Leo’s face contorted as he spoke.
“Who am I hearing this from right now?”
“Listen to the end. Unlike what you said, I’m someone who can’t move solely for a greater cause, and I’ve never actually considered the greater good. What’s driven me so far wasn’t fighting spirit and resolve for a cause, but simply not wanting to die unjustly, and simply because these things happened right before my eyes.”
“….”
“So if turning back time causes something bad to happen to you who’s right in front of me, I can’t pursue ideals based on your misfortune. Unlike you, I don’t have firm political convictions – I prioritize what’s in front of me, get swayed by interests, and I’m not free from personal feelings either. Even if you keep quiet about retrying now, I don’t have the capacity to ignore that and pursue the greater cause. Are you disappointed? You’re keeping quiet for Nicolaus’s sake, but I’m not actually the Nicolaus who pursues the greater cause?”
“No.”
Leo looked at me with frighteningly sharp eyes, then answered with a faint smile and an unreadable expression.
“It’s the first time hearing such words from you, so I don’t know how to express it, but that aside. Everything you’re saying now seems to be telling me… that I’m not fit to be a ruler.”
“….”
“Do you understand what I’m saying? Do you know what I’m thinking?”
“No.”
“Your injustice is justice to me.”
Leo’s gaze was cold, unlike before.
“And to all people as well. The world calls that justice, and the world wants a leader like you.”
“Right now….”
“Don’t argue. No, I won’t allow it. The royal family pays respect to all of Nicolaus’s deeds, so you know that devaluing his achievements in any way would be tantamount to insulting the royal family.”
That damn Nicolaus again….
I answered without making any expression.
“I’ll do that.”
Perhaps it sounded sarcastic, as Leo’s eyebrow tilted slightly. Since I was being sarcastic, I had no intention of arguing back. Still, without smiling, I slowly continued speaking.
“But as an Ascanien, I can’t help but say this. I don’t know what’s happening to you right now. But if the greater cause can only be achieved through your silence, then as I said before, I’m even more unsure what justice is, so I can’t accept your silence as if nothing happened and continue moving the way I have been.”
“…Wait, you….”
I cut off Leo’s words and spoke.
“Promise me.”
“….”
“Tell me after this is over.”
Leo’s mouth gradually opened. At the same time, his brow furrowed. But it wasn’t a negative signal.
Leo spoke quietly with a face that was neither smiling nor frowning.
“It’s not a serious problem, Lucas.”
“I’ll judge that after hearing it myself.”
“….”
Leo laughed with a deflated expression and just exhaled.
This guy needs a little push. I held out my pinky finger toward him.
Leo just looked at it and asked puzzledly.
“What’s that?”
“Ah.”
It seems the culture of making promises by hooking fingers hasn’t spread here yet.
It’s modern knowledge in its own way, but at times like this, it’s right to brazenly push forward. I waved my hand to indicate he should copy the gesture. Leo looked a few times then made the same hand shape.
After I hooked fingers and completed the ritual as I remembered it, Leo made a puzzled expression.
“There, done.”
“What does doing this accomplish?”
“This makes it a promise. Now you have to tell me when this is over.”
“…? I never said I would…!”
“You were already half-convinced by my words anyway.”
“….”
Leo looked at me with an enlightened smile, his face saying ‘what is this guy talking about.’
When I tapped my palm, Leo finally turned his head and let out a hollow laugh.
“…Such a childish method….”
If he really hated it, he could have said no. He didn’t refuse and went along with it, yet calls it childish.
And I did it because the guy in front of me is a kid. I just shrugged my shoulders.
Since it’s a sensitive topic and he might change his mind, I should immediately move to the plan so he won’t bring it up again.
“I’ll take that as you agreeing to tell me. Now, this isn’t the time for this. I said ‘earlier.'”
When I stood up from my seat, Leo’s expression changed from the face of someone who felt deceived.
He nodded with a serious face again.
“Right. You said you’d tell me your plan. Tell me. How can I help you.”
* * *
“I’m curious why I’m involved in this.”
Richthofen said, looking around at us.
Elias, Narke, Leo and I are currently at Leo’s building in Bavaria, that is, the Prince’s Palace.
And while we were at it, we dragged Richthofen along too. Due to his aversion to Richthofen’s human form, a crooked smile appeared on Elias’s face.
Before coming here, I held out a paper where I had written down a review of the contents to Richthofen.
“We need Senior’s help. Here, please take this first.”
“Just like that?”
Richthofen still seemed incredulous and let out a hollow laugh. However, there’s no time to explain everything slowly.
Richthofen’s face hardened as he took the paper I offered.
“…Wait, how do you have this…?”
“Do you recognize it?”
“I asked how you have it.”
Richthofen’s face hardened stiffly.
“….”
Right, since it contains information about Catacombs’ classified technology, I expected this kind of reaction. He himself came running to find me desperately when he was on the verge of death, trying to tell me this, but he doesn’t remember any of it.
Actually, it’s a natural reaction. This is the past now, and everything that happened then became erased time.
Since I can’t explain in detail, I have no choice but to naturally deflect.
I looked at Richthofen and shook my head.
“I’ll just say I have it because of the Penthalon terrorists.”
“Terrorists?”
“What?”
Not only Richthofen but Elias’s face also crumpled. Narke, having been called here, seemed to already have some idea, sitting with a tense expression.
“How do you know that…? What does that have to do with this.”
“The terrorists plan to cast a curse over the Penthalon grounds using technology far beyond our capabilities. It’s curse magic that won’t break no matter what dispelling techniques you throw at it. As Senior might have guessed, the paper I gave you contains methods to counter the technology being used.”
“….”
Richthofen still looked at me with tension in his brow.
I don’t know what his feelings toward Catacombs are, and I have no intention of saying anything about that.
More importantly, there was confusion in those eyes, so there was no need to say anything. He’s not completely dismissing my words about the possibility of such terrorism. It seems like I’ve built good trust with him, even though I don’t think I’ve ever acted properly toward this person.
“It must sound crazy. It’s information from a reliable source, so you don’t need to doubt it. The problem is that we need to implement that magic within two days.”
“Two days…? Couldn’t we just prevent the terrorism from happening in the first place?”
“Preventive measures are impossible with our technology.”
It wasn’t my words. Leo, sitting across from Richthofen, spoke instead of me.
“They plan to cast the curse through broadcast.”
“Broadcast? How could that….”
“That’s the problem – their technology is that advanced. The bigger problem here is that we have no grounds or anything to propose blocking newspaper audio transmission. Even if we’re lucky enough to deal with newspapers, they could use the arena’s loudspeakers, and if that doesn’t work, they could cast amplification magic directly at the opening ceremony venue and event grounds.”
“…I see. Before that. You’re asking me to implement this when we don’t even have evidence to present to the agency right now?”
“Yes.”
I answered instead of Leo.
“I can’t tell you how I obtained the information right now. If I could have told others about it, I could have canceled the Penthalon before even calling Senior.”
“….”
Right now, we can’t touch anything.
In other situations it might be different, but given that all conditions are currently like this, ultimately if we can’t solve the fundamental problem – the enemy’s existence – canceling Penthalon would just be a temporary measure.
Richthofen pressed his forehead with his hand and pondered for a long while.
“…Very well.”
Then, a welcome sound reached my ears.
Richthofen looked at me and nodded.
“Nothing to lose, everything to gain. I’ll give it a try.”
“…Unexpected.”
“Honestly, I don’t quite believe it, but… rather than not listening and regretting it later, completing even one technique would leave me with something. And this somehow feels like it was written by someone who thinks similarly to me, so I don’t feel much resistance to it.”
Of course it was written by him.
I simply smiled.
“But doing this within two days seems impossible.”
“Yes, so you can’t stay here, and from now on you’ll need to go and do your absolute best.”
“I figured you’d say that.”
Richthofen stood up from his seat.
Leo followed him out to guide him.
Now only Narke, Elias, and I remained in the room.
“Luca.”
Elias looked at me with a dazed expression.
Before I could ask what was wrong, Elias waved his hand dismissively, cutting me off.
“First… I have more than a few questions, but I won’t ask about the terrorism. I want to ask what the hell this nonsense is all about, but there’s far too little time. I’ll hear about that from Leo later.”
“…Right. I’ll hear about that later too. With only two days left until the opening, what on earth…”
Narke, who had been sitting next to Elias, agreed with a dark expression. Narke’s face looked more serious than Elias’s. It seemed he had already grasped more information than what I had told them. Elias looked at me and asked.
“I’ll hold back my curiosity for now, but I need to ask this before we go in. Do you have a plan to stop that terrorism? Or do we need to come up with that plan together?”
Good point. Nice.
I shook my head.
“I already have a plan in place for the terrorism. There’s no need for major revisions to that part, so I want to make a different plan with you two.”
“What kind of plan do you need?”
“It doesn’t end even after the terrorism. For that matter, I need your help.”
At those words, Elias narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.
“After the terrorism?”
* * *
[Are you ready?]
“Yeah.”
The day of the opening ceremony.
I was back in the infirmary.
But this time, unlike the previous timeline, I was wearing an artifact for external communication. I listened to Leo’s connection cut off as I read through the same note as before.
[Your Excellency Ascanien. This is Special Task Force Commander Patrick Einhardt. As you mentioned, we have discovered a ‘new plan’ that penetrates the entire Pentalon Main Stadium and Pentalon Event Grounds. There is no need for pessimism. We still have sufficient time. We will not let our guard down, and we possess various resources to execute defensive plans no matter what problems arise. For a successful opening, we now need Your Excellency’s assistance.]
‘We possess various resources to execute defensive plans no matter what problems arise… indeed.’
Reading it now brings new feelings. Those who were so confident failed to prevent the terrorism and led 1.37 million people to their deaths.
I folded the note and put it in the fireplace. Unlike the previous timeline, the notebook with terrorism-related information had already been burned and disposed of long ago.
Two hours before the opening.
It was 8 PM on the opening ceremony day again.
Like before, various colored magical energies were bursting like fireworks in the dark blue sky. The light of the magical barrier crashing down from the sky that I had seen last before turning back time overlapped in my vision.
This time I had already put on Eszett’s ceremonial uniform and gloves in advance. After adjusting my crooked hat like before and standing in front of the door, the sound of knocking came a little later than before I turned back time.
Once again, the voice of the Imperial guard came through.
“Your Excellency Ascanien. It is time to depart.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
