How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 263

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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 (263)

 

[Your Excellency, please call when you are ready.]

 

At the sound from outside, I put the notebook with things to discuss with Leo into my pocket and stood up from my seat.

 

I stood in front of the mirror in the hospital room and adjusted my appearance one last time. Having escaped from the patient gown and wearing the Eschete uniform for the first time in a while, I surprisingly couldn’t adapt to it. I still couldn’t believe I had returned to this place. I probably wouldn’t believe it until I saw other people.

 

And, also.

 

I touched my empty earlobe.

 

‘Won’t it close up if I don’t wear this?’

 

Whatever the case, it felt good to have light ears after so long. Since removing the earring at the cathedral, I hadn’t put Leo’s artifact back on.

 

Since that artifact was used for safety, we were practically using both as tracking devices. Naturally, when such a function was needed, it wasn’t a very desirable situation. I liked that the current situation was one where I didn’t need to rely on the artifact.

 

When I opened the door and went out, the person from Bavaria National Medical Center who had been waiting outside saw me and said.

 

“Ah, you’re ready. Let’s move together now.”

 

“Yes.”

 

When I grasped the hand he extended, the scenery before my eyes changed. Wind touched my face. It wasn’t the Imperial Central Hospital, but the rooftop of a more familiar place.

 

What I saw upon arrival were Bavarian royal family and government officials lined up on both sides of the rooftop. When they saw me, they saluted.

 

I didn’t hear anything about there being a ceremony?

 

For now, I didn’t show it and greeted them the same way.

 

Beyond the people, I could see the familiar downtown scenery. My gaze didn’t linger there long. The reason for moving to the rooftop instead of the hospital lobby was clear.

 

I looked at the person standing in the middle of the rooftop and opened my mouth.

 

“Your…”

 

“Lucas.”

 

Just as I was about to say Your Highness, Leo beat me to it and called my name.

 

Until now, meeting that guy here had only been when I was in the Nicolaus state.

 

Since this was the first time setting foot in this place under the name Lucas Ascanien, words didn’t come out of my mouth easily.

 

Silence continued.

 

Leo was the first to speak.

 

“Congratulations on returning.”

 

People seem to inevitably be influenced by places. The formal response “Vielen Dank, Eure Hoheit…” that I had uttered countless times in the Nicolaus state lingered in my mouth.

 

I felt the cool wind directly touching my face and confirmed that everyone’s gazes were more rigid than when they dealt with Nicolaus. Only then could I answer as his friend.

 

“Yeah, thanks.”

 

Since this is Bavarian territory, are you dropping the awkward acting I had requested?

 

Since it would only be seen by the people here anyway, this much was acceptable.

 

I approached Leo and lightly embraced his shoulder in greeting. Even if others didn’t know, Leo would have felt it. This greeting carried more meaning of “you’ve worked hard” than “nice to see you.” If I had been in the Nicolaus state, I would have no excuse even if dragged away for insulting royalty, but from the position of equal rank, it wasn’t particularly rude.

 

Taking advantage of getting close, Leo said quietly.

 

“We’ll talk in detail later, but… seeing you standing puts my mind at ease.”

 

“…”

 

There’s bite in that expression again.

 

The last time he saw me, I would have been lying down—since I was on the verge of becoming a corpse—I have nothing to say. I just think I caused mental shock to this guy whose blood hasn’t even dried on his head yet. That’s more the Archbishop’s fault than mine, but anyway, Leo always seems to be the first to see unpleasant scenes, which doesn’t feel good.

 

Anyway, I glanced around, cast a sound-blocking spell, and opened my mouth.

 

“Yeah, thanks. But what’s with you having a ceremony…? This is the first time I’ve seen you going around like this.”

 

“It’s not attached to me, it’s attached to you.”

 

“That would make sense. So I’m asking, did I come here as a state guest of Anhalt?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I see.”

 

I answered like that and looked at Leo’s face. Leo was also just staring blankly at me. I held back a hollow laugh that was about to come out and grabbed his shoulder.

 

“No, you should have naturally told me about that, you bastard… If you had told me in advance, I would have come wearing Anhalt formal wear.”

 

“I don’t want that. Because I hate it.”

 

What does that have to do with me?

 

I almost grabbed his throat at this hopeless royal-like answer, but somehow managed to endure it.

 

Since he’s not someone who would do this for no reason, it’s either because he finds it disgusting to look at due to his antipathy toward Adrian Ascanien, or there’s another political reason.

 

Fortunately, Leo thought deeply for a moment and then nodded.

 

“…Right, it would be better for you to decide. You can change into Anhalt formal wear and come.”

 

“What’s the point now. Never mind. I’m just getting examined anyway, so I’ll just stay like this.”

 

My formal wear probably wouldn’t fit my body well anymore anyway. Since Luca was nothing but bones, now that I’ve gained even a little weight, I need to get new clothes tailored. If I request from Anhalt, they would urgently alter and lend me spare formal wear of my hyung’s, but rather than that, it’s better to just wear this and walk around. I don’t want to borrow the clothes of a future murderer.

 

Leo was silent for a moment, then looked at the scenery behind me and said quietly.

 

“You came to Bavaria.”

 

“Yeah. I abandoned everything and came here first.”

 

“It’s an honor.”

 

Anyone can see it’s not something to say to that extent, but this is the way royals speak. It’s always hard to adapt to. I had nothing else to say, so I just smiled in response.

 

If I did interviews with Prussia and Anhalt first, the time to meet my friends would be pushed back quite a while. I needed to find out about the outside situation too, but I wanted to greet the friends who moved with the same intention and assisted me first. Officially, Bavaria had no grounds to request a meeting with me, so to meet my friends, I had to choose to go to the hospital first.

 

“What. Why did you say to come to Bavaria after the opening ended? I should hear it now.”

 

At those words, Leo suppressed his smile, maintained an expressionless face, and said.

 

“Mm, I’ll tell you after you get examined and finish the interviews with Prussia and Anhalt first.”

 

“You’ll tell me after the interviews are over?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Several among the Kingdom of Bavaria government and Wittelsbach figures lined up on both sides were now looking at us. We had been standing in one place too long. I gestured toward the door leading below the rooftop and said.

 

“Then let’s go now… let’s go. Since we need to have a brief meeting with you guys before the interview, let’s not waste time here and quickly get examined and finish.”

 

“Right, but…”

 

Leo could no longer hold back his laughter and said with a smile.

 

“Didn’t you have a really hard time using formal speech with me at first? I think I was the only one speaking formally to you.”

 

“That’s right. It’s already been several months, but you’re bringing it up now.”

 

“After seeing the end, everything becomes new.”

 

“…”

 

How could I not know what he meant? I clearly knew why he was trying to have a long conversation with me, unlike usual.

 

I patted his shoulder and smiled appropriately.

 

“That’s right. Let’s meet again after it’s over.”

 

* * *

 

The examination took place over 3 hours.

 

The results would come out later, but for now, since there were no particular problems with activities, I could meet my friends right away.

 

“Luca!”

 

Had it been about a minute since I came over to the royal-owned building next to the hospital and was waiting? The door opened immediately.

 

The first friend I saw was Elias. He ran over at an impossible speed and clung to me. I was quite surprised because he really hung on like a sloth.

 

“Didn’t you do this before too?”

 

“I did. I felt this before too, but you’ve been working out hard.”

 

While I was surprised by Elias’s sloth-like behavior, Elias seemed surprised that I was standing without falling over. If there was even a slight chance the other person might fall, he shouldn’t have rushed over, but here he is admiring after already doing it—this recklessness alone is praiseworthy.

 

And…

 

Since he didn’t bring up topics about terrorism or health, I felt at ease. Elias was probably also deliberately not bringing up topics that would make me feel burdened and talking as if we had met and played just yesterday.

 

Cheringen, who had come in together and was watching Elias’s antics, smiled and greeted me.

 

“I’m glad you woke up safely, Lucas.”

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

“Indeed. It must have been for you, right? I’m really happy you returned safely.”

 

Since he had entered the world of Pleroma together with Bavaria, he knew well about time distortion. Of course, Elias and Narke would know that too.

 

“Where are Ulrike and Haike?”

 

“Mm, wouldn’t it be better to see them after the strategy meeting ends?”

 

Cheringen said that and sat down.

 

Narke and Leo came in late and greeted me. Narke stopped as soon as she saw me.

 

“Lucas.”

 

She, who had only been blinking, quietly continued speaking.

 

“Knowing through abilities and seeing directly are really different. Seeing you directly puts my mind at ease~ Are you feeling okay?”

 

“I’m fine. I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?”

 

When I said that and smiled, Narke smiled gently. Leo next to her was obviously treating my words like complete nonsense. Since I understood that it might not be convincing depending on perspective, I didn’t bother to argue.

 

Instead, I took out the notebook I had brought earlier and held it out.

 

“Well, I have some things I need to ask you first, so I organized them. First, it seems the spatial magic and the Archbishop’s core were connected, so we need to strictly distinguish between mana and cores. Connecting cores with spatial magic must be one of those bastards’ new technologies. Right?”

 

“…You had doubts about even this in that situation?”

 

Leo said incredulously as he took the notebook.

 

“Let’s do this later. I’ll write my thoughts and send them to you.”

 

I had lost consciousness in that situation, so I didn’t have doubts at the time, but I did have them later.

 

There was a lot of free time from when I woke up and decided to go to Bavaria until I actually came to Bavaria, so I just organized my thoughts.

 

We had to discuss their new technologies at some point anyway.

 

Anyway, since Leo took the notebook, I sat down and asked my friends what I needed to know.

 

“I don’t know how the political situation outside is flowing right now… but the Penthalon terror was resolved well.”

 

I mean, in terms of casualties.

 

Even if we put aside the political matters that followed.

 

I had free time, but the hospital wouldn’t let me read newspapers for stability reasons.

 

Leo nodded.

 

“Yes. There were some people who were harmed because time ran out while we were dismantling the curse magic, but no one died.”

 

“…”

 

“We didn’t need to exert that much effort to begin with. Only about 25,000 out of 600,000 people didn’t hear your voice at that time.”

 

“That means 575,000 out of the 600,000 who were under the curse were focused on your match. I wonder if the Ministry of Magic knew something when they put you in that position…”

 

Elias pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders.

 

It was coincidentally a good choice for the Ministry of Magic to ask me to participate in the match. They probably just intended to create a distraction.

 

Leo silently looked down at the materials he was holding, then looked at me and said quietly.

 

“It’s your achievement.”

 

“It wasn’t something I could have solved alone. Thank you for being there with me.”

 

“Haha.”

 

At my words, Cheringen laughed and tilted his head. He spoke to me with a gentle face, yet seriously.

 

“Lucas. We only handled the aftermath of an incident you solved from beginning to end.”

 

Elias nodded vigorously beside him.

 

Only after Leo frowned at him did Elias quiet down.

 

Cheringen smiled at them and continued speaking.

 

“The current political situation isn’t very good. In such an extremely unstable situation, you should rather criticize the rest and demand recognition of your achievements. That way you won’t get caught up with those trying to escape responsibility by sacrificing you.”

 

How could I not know that?

 

Starting with advice so suddenly was a bit unexpected, but I’m just grateful that he’s saying this for my sake. Such words wouldn’t come out unless he truly cared about me.

 

I nodded and smiled.

 

“Yes, I already know that well enough. Of course, I’m only saying this because I’m in front of you guys.”

 

“I see. Thank you. My words might have sounded a bit startling, are you okay?”

 

“…”

 

Being so textbook-like is truly the epitome of royalty. I feel the same bewilderment here that I felt with Leo.

 

Of course, Baden ruled by the Cheringen family is a grand duchy, not a kingdom, but anyway.

 

“Of course. Your advice was exactly what I needed to hear in this situation.”

 

I answered that way and looked around at my friends as I asked.

 

“Now, I need to properly understand the situation. Does anyone have the Imperial Newspaper?”

 

No one answered.

 

The way they either strangely avoided my eyes or deliberately stared only at my eyes seemed somehow ominous.

 

Now I noticed that Cheringen alone was looking back and forth between the Imperial Newspaper he was holding and me. I saw Elias shaking his head at him.

 

I smiled and stood up from my seat.

 

“No one has it? I guess I’ll have to go buy one.”

 

“Nooooo! You can’t!”

 

Elias grabbed my arm and clung to me.

 

“Why can’t I? There must be something there, so if you’re going to stop me, tell me the reason properly.”

 

“I can’t tell you.”

 

Elias unusually seriously shook his head and continued.

 

“That’s not urgent right now. There’s nothing important in today’s newspaper.”

 

“There’s no way that’s true. What is it?”

 

When I half-seriously frowned, Leo also calmly intervened.

 

“At least it’s not important to you right now, Lucas. What’s important now is that Prussia is trying to avoid responsibility by using you somehow.”

 

“…”

 

“Even if it means framing you as an accomplice to the terror at this point, they can do that.”

 

That’s true. I had already expected this since I was at the Archbishop’s manor.

 

More than that…

 

‘This is maddening.’

 

Did I make some enemy of newspapers? I feel like similar situations keep happening.

 

Anyway, there must be a reason they’re stopping me, so I should just drop it. Even if I insist, I don’t have confidence I could shake off all four people here and leave.

 

“…Fine. Then tell me what happened to Freiburg first. There are several things I need to know from the newspaper…”

 

“If you’re asking in preparation for the interview, they won’t ask deeply about that in the Prussian government interview. What’s important is this.”

 

Leo continued.

 

“Where you received the code ‘The Diocese of Osnabrück is looking for you.’ How you, the Diocese of Osnabrück, and the Catacombs are connected.”

 

* * *

 

“As I said earlier, you must maintain an attitude of superiority no matter what. You have the right to do that now. You understand, right?”

 

“What are you worried about? I’m going to do that.”

 

I smiled and said my final goodbye to Julia before entering the reception room.

 

The reason Julia came with my friends earlier was because Bavaria and Baden were in charge of media play. Of course, rather than getting directly involved, they decided to respond when negative public opinion emerged, but how am I supposed to know what to do when they won’t show me the newspaper and only tell me this…

 

Anyway, it’s not a big problem for me. Julia didn’t need to worry because I had no intention of taking a submissive stance.

 

Moreover, since I had already finished preparing for political maneuvering, there wasn’t much to worry about.

 

Indeed, the questions proceeded smoothly. After a few pointless questions ended, the Minister of Interior’s aide who came to interview me asked if I had anything to tell the citizens about the terror.

 

Even up to this point, it was extremely smooth.

 

“Resolving this terror was something I rightfully had to do. As a mage of Hohenzollern and of Ascanien bloodline, I have a duty to do my best to ensure the Empire’s citizens don’t fall into danger. It’s an honor to be able to serve loyally for His Majesty the Emperor and for all of you citizens.”

 

When the other employee who was taking notes finished writing down my words, the aide looked at me and said gently.

 

“Now I’d like to move on to more serious questions. Would that be alright?”

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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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