How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 297

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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 (297)

 

“…What?”

 

Leo’s eyes wavered. He was someone who would dismiss my words as nonsensical, but once again he was different from my expectations. His sky-blue eyes, unchanged from 12 years ago, held a light I had never seen before in this different situation. I understand the emotions that have become much more complex compared to 12 years ago—the subtle fatigue, hope, and prepared frustration contained within. The world surrounding him is no longer the same as before.

 

“If I could continue going back to the past with you from now on, what would you think?”

 

“….”

 

“Then would we no longer need to prepare for so many things? Would you no longer feel the irrationality of being chosen by me?”

 

We cannot definitively say we won’t face life-threatening crises again in the future. Each time, I cannot leave one Leo behind or make another Leo feel chosen by me. I cannot create more pain for Leo—the relief he feels at not being cut off from me, his contempt for such relief, and the suffering that leads him to call it greed or selfishness. I arranged this meeting to prevent that, and finally found a way in yesterday’s extra chapter.

 

It is also the crucial clue to solving the Duke of Osterreicheste’s jewel theft case.

 

Even if I’m called irresponsible for finding a lead to solve my assigned case but thinking of my friend first and putting the case on the back burner, I have nothing to say. Since I promised Leo before the case, I would rather be irresponsible thousands and tens of thousands of times than forget loyalty.

 

Leo lost his words and stared at me blankly. In that rare blank expression, I could see glimpses of his childhood self. Only after what felt like eons did Leo speak with a cracking voice.

 

“How?”

 

My answer inevitably connects to the extra chapter. However, I am not experiencing problems where I must share burdens with my friend because of that ability, so there’s no reason to tell Leo about the ability first—Leo who used to say ‘why must you be given such an ability’ and ‘your ability is not for you.’ It would only add to his anxiety and fear.

 

I too had no energy to smile, but I no longer wanted to leave him in endless uncertainty. I made the calmest smile I could manage and opened my mouth again.

 

“Just give me a little time.”

 

“….”

 

Now Leo finally began moving according to my simulation, looking at me with narrowed eyes and a disapproving gaze. He didn’t think I was spouting nonsense. He understood exactly that I meant ‘I’ll figure something out on my own,’ but he was displeased with the ‘on my own’ part. It was the expression he always made at such times.

 

I smiled a little more at his usual behavior.

 

“And let’s pierce another ear.”

 

“…? Why, suddenly?”

 

“It won’t be fun if I tell you now.”

 

“Are you going to pierce yours too?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

Leo, with his earlier seriousness gone somewhere, touched his ear and spoke sullenly.

 

“…I don’t want to pierce any more here.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I’ll look like a thug trying to make non-existent skills look real by depending on artifacts. Even if it’s not an artifact, it’ll look like one, won’t it?”

 

“…If you’re like that, what does that make Elias….”

 

Elias’s ears are completely covered in artifacts. Still, rather than using artifacts to cast magic better, it’s more about looking stylish, so he wouldn’t do crazy things like cutting skin to embed artifacts like the past mages Leo mentioned who ‘depend on artifacts.’

 

At my words, Leo shrugged and laughed. The tension remained nearby since Leo’s earlier questions hadn’t been resolved, but we still laughed as usual. Waiting was something we did often anyway. I leaned back against the backrest and said.

 

“Get an earring. One for you to use.”

 

“You get it.”

 

“….”

 

Being a prince, his skill at ordering people around is impressive. Admirable. Of course, I wasn’t exactly pushover myself just now, so I’m not annoyed.

 

‘It’s not that I was trying to boss Leo around, but the royal family gets the best quality items.’

 

No matter how much money you have, individuals find it difficult to access merchants who deal with the royal family. Not because of lacking special qualifications, but simply not knowing the networks. Since he’s responding like this, I don’t even want to ask. I lowered my head and said.

 

“…You’re right. Then I’ll head in now. I need to go find some shiny stone fragments.”

 

“Are you teasing me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“….”

 

Leo looked at me with unfocused eyes, then looked out the window and said.

 

“If you’re going to make an artifact, you can order directly from the craftsman whose contact I gave you before. You don’t need to go around getting materials first.”

 

“It’s fine. I don’t need to order an artifact.”

 

“…? Then why pierce your ear?”

 

Leo tilted his head with an even more confused expression. Instead of answering, I said something else.

 

“Is it okay if I stay at the Prince’s Palace and leave tomorrow?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Leo answered nonchalantly as if asking what kind of question that was.

 

So I left Munich Residenz and leisurely walked around Munich city, gathering everything I needed to prepare before returning to the Prince’s Palace. Again, Leo was standing in front of the warp point. Unlike when he was five, his complexion showed he felt no cold while waiting. Leo guided me to the room I would use and handed me the key.

 

“You’re not going to hang out today, right? See you tomorrow morning.”

 

“I’d be lucky if it’s finished by tomorrow morning.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t know how long it will take. Don’t come in until I come out of the room.”

 

“Nothing dangerous will happen, right?”

 

“Probably not.”

 

“….”

 

Leo looked at me with suspicious eyes as usual. Then, perhaps remembering our earlier conversation, he turned his gaze somewhere in midair before speaking quietly after a moment.

 

“I’ll wait.”

 

Leo was smiling faintly at me. I nodded while making the same expression.

 

* * *

 

“…!”

 

Upon entering the extra chapter, I bolted upright as soon as I came to my senses.

 

I had just been spending dawn, but here it was morning. It was the same as just before I left.

 

I got up from the cold marble floor and went out to the garden. I could see 12-year-ago Leonard and the Duke spreading a mat under the sunlight and laying out artifacts. Leonard raised his eyebrows when he saw me.

 

“Teacher. Where did you go?”

 

“….”

 

I went to meet you 12 years in the future.

 

I swallowed those words and sat down while stroking Leonard’s head.

 

The sunlight stung my eyes sharply. The still excited Duke handed me a tree branch. Even though I was holding the branch, the Duke’s unique ability was manifesting through it. Water droplets still formed in midair. To obtain such a crucial clue, coming here was definitely the right answer.

 

“You saw it earlier, but look again. This is my new technique! Now I need Count Everett’s help.”

 

“My help.”

 

I smiled while fixing my gaze on the tip of the branch. Meanwhile, the Duke took out a small bronze box from his bag and shook it.

 

“We’re going to try putting divine power into this artifact. More precisely, we’re making an artifact that generates divine power, even if small. We’ll use this to succeed with the ‘finding’ magic formula. By linking artifacts like this, it will become a large machine, right?”

 

“I have a question. Doesn’t only the Papacy have the technology to store divine power? And a technology that ‘generates’ it…. You told me earlier that there’s no formula to continuously use another’s mana.”

 

Leonard couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked.

 

“That’s right. I don’t know that much either. But divine power can be considered a unique ability, right, Your Highness?”

 

“Hmm…. Ah!”

 

Leonard trailed off, then brightened as if he finally understood.

 

Previously, I didn’t completely agree with the claim that divine power was a unique ability since I learned and used it with the system’s help, and opinions are actually divided on this. Some scholars include it in unique abilities while others don’t. However, it’s true that divine power and unique abilities share clear commonalities. Divine power is considered an ability that can only be used if one has the basic ‘aptitude’ that resonates with it, and unique abilities are also in the realm of talent from the start. Being able to expand the scope through learning comes later.

 

Seeing Leonard’s reaction, the Duke grinned and said.

 

“Then it’s solvable with my technique. Since I can put a person’s unique ability into an artifact!”

 

The Duke whirled around to face me and raised his voice.

 

“Now, Lord Everett! Please help me make a divine power generator. But you didn’t leave earlier because my technique seemed fishy, did you?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Good thinking. With this technique I created, you could gather everyone in the world’s unique abilities and become the world’s strongest mage. If you can use abilities you can’t use even after learning them just by having one tool, you’d naturally become the strongest, right? But I’m not particularly greedy about that. Let’s think about counting after we find the treasure box.”

 

The Duke said this to somehow draw me to his side.

 

His claim of having no greed seems to be true. His demonstration of the new technique was perfect, but I had never heard of such technology 12 years later. Such stories probably weren’t known to most members of the Hermitische Gesellschaft, which would later expand into a huge club. No matter how secretive, if there was such a beneficial technique, it would inevitably leak out. Especially with 12 years of time.

 

‘And indeed… it seems Leonard and the Duke didn’t have much occasion to meet in the actual 12 years ago.’

 

This technique was probably a secret between the Duke and Emmanuel. Leo 12 years later doesn’t know such a technique exists. Just like me and everyone else in the world.

 

I kept my gaze fixed on the bronze box he held and said.

 

“Then will you let me join the treasure box finding group too?”

 

“You’re already in it, aren’t you? We’re the Hermitische Gesellschaft!”

 

“Do you have to say that out loud….”

 

The Duke didn’t notice the goosebumps rising under my rolled-up shirt sleeves and nodded vigorously, speaking enthusiastically.

 

“Now, let me tell you what I call that treasure box first. And the map Emmanuel and I found, and the book that became a clue….”

 

“Good. But wait a moment.”

 

I closed the box lid and looked into the Duke’s eyes.

 

“Please tell me first how I can transfer my unique ability here.”

 

* * *

 

Leo checked his watch.

 

Naturally, he hadn’t slept a wink. He never thought he could sleep soundly after such a conversation. Just confessing the truth to Lucas brought an unknown fear washing over him.

 

Again….

 

Lucas had said something strange to me, so I couldn’t fall asleep.

 

‘…Right. I did say back then that knowing would lead to solving it.’

 

Previously, he had said he needed to hear my story to find a solution, but even so, I didn’t think Lucas was really considering a resolution. This was a problem with no answer. No matter how capable Lucas was, he could only solve problems using limited conditions; he couldn’t create something from nothing.

 

Yet I had hope. I couldn’t help but hope. Every moment Lucas had shown me so far proved his confidence and ability, and I couldn’t help but feel infinite stability from him, who had turned the impossible into the possible. It wasn’t just me—Elias would feel the same way, and Julia and the other Eschete team members would all vaguely sense something similar. Lucas’s dry, stiff tone and curt responses that barely qualified as answers weren’t enough to block the mental stability he provided us.

 

Whether Lucas knows my thoughts is unclear. Perhaps if he heard such talk, he’d find it burdensome or absurd. Or maybe this time, he threw out those words just to reassure me despite having no practical solution.

 

But I had already found comfort in his words through everything he had shown me over time. Even if something like the Penthalon terror attack happened again, and I, facing the crisis of death with him, was erased from my memories, that was something I had already prepared for, and I was satisfied just sharing memories with him. And above all, if you just change your perspective, it’s not really a problem. Concepts are just concepts; my physical body remains alive even when time is reversed. Just the intention to help me was enough.

 

‘And… he was supposedly away solving the jewel theft case, so why did my problem suddenly get dragged out instead of the theft case?’

 

“Your Highness. You must eat.”

 

A servant who had been pacing at the end of the hallway approached and spoke carefully. Leo smiled gently and replied.

 

“I’ll eat later.”

 

He wasn’t in the mood to eat right now. Leo leaned against the hallway wall and stared at the door.

 

It was almost lunchtime, but he still hadn’t come out.

 

About two hours after he entered the room, whatever he had done caused the core connection to feel half-severed, and since then, even flicking my finger brought no response, as if the connection was completely cut. Usually when I tapped Lucas’s core, Lucas would tap back the same way, so I could tell immediately.

 

Yesterday’s lack of response was similar, but at least yesterday there wasn’t the shock of feeling like the connection was half-severed.

 

“….”

 

The person inside that door might be dead. Should I open it? But I said I’d wait—would it be okay to do what Lucas told me not to do?

 

It didn’t take long to conclude that I should open it.

 

The moment I stepped toward the door, I heard the sound of someone grabbing the doorknob.

 

Click— Creak—

 

“Oh.”

 

Lucas, who looked like he’d lost 10kg overnight, opened the door and stopped. His irises wandered around before finally focusing belatedly. He seemed unable to collect himself, as if he’d just woken up after sleeping for two days. Upon seeing Leo, Lucas, who had been frozen, waved his hand weakly.

 

“You were here again. Perfect.”

 

“…Again? More importantly, have you been drinking?”

 

“Come in. We need to experiment.”

 

Lucas gave an irrelevant answer while leaning against the door. Then he gestured with his eyes for me to come in quickly. Leo stood still for a moment, then brushed his finger. The feeling that it was only half-connected wasn’t wrong. It was accurate. Leo followed behind him and asked.

 

“Why is your core in this state?”

 

“What’s wrong with it?”

 

What’s wrong? He must know. There’s no way he doesn’t. It’s surprising he’s even conscious and standing right now.

 

“Something’s wrong. What did you do?”

 

“What did I do.”

 

Lucas collapsed onto the sofa. Rather than sitting down, he practically fell, and it was obvious he wouldn’t answer even if asked about it. He pressed a handkerchief to his sweating forehead and threw a box that had been on the side table.

 

“Try it on. If you’re going to get a new piercing now, take out your earring and put this in.”

 

“….”

 

Is this what he mentioned last night?

 

Leo opened the box with questioning eyes. The moment he saw what was inside, he grabbed his throat. It looked similar to what he currently had, but the color was far too intense.

 

“…It’s too conspicuous. Are you joking? I gave you something almost transparent…!”

 

“That’s why I told you to go get it yourself.”

 

Lucas laughed playfully while lacking the strength to hold up his head, resting it against the backrest. He pointed at the box Leo was holding.

 

“Look at that color. Something with that much color is the most expensive. You know?”

 

“…Expensive or not, royalty doesn’t wear such intensely colored gems. Unless they’re family heirlooms.”

 

“Right. You’re new humans.”

 

“Are old humans different?”

 

“Don’t know. Not interested.”

 

Lucas gave an incomprehensible answer and fell asleep. No, he closed his eyes, but it felt like he was barely breathing.

 

Leo deliberately spoke up, driven by instinctive anxiety.

 

“So, what is this thing?”

 

“An artifact.”

 

“You said you wouldn’t leave it to a craftsman.”

 

“Right. I made it myself.”

 

Himself? How?

 

It was puzzling, but that wasn’t the important thing. Lucas’s voice was getting quieter. His strength to speak was fading. When I approached to use healing magic, Lucas opened his eyes.

 

“Hurry up and try it on. I’m curious.”

 

“….”

 

Leo cast a simple healing spell and removed one of his existing artifacts. When he put on the new one, he could feel Lucas’s mana circulating.

 

“What kind of artifact is this?”

 

“Want to experiment?”

 

Lucas muttered while looking somewhere as if reading something in midair.

 

“Leo. Six hours ago on a day like today when nothing happened—that’s not enough time for you to consider yourself a different being, right?”

 

“…Right. If there weren’t incidents like terror attacks, such a sense of disconnect wouldn’t be significant.”

 

“Good. But if this fails, we’ll need to have a serious conversation again, right? I, who took your fragment and gave it to you from six hours ago, will have to apologize.”

 

Lucas, who had grown even paler than before, threw out a joke that didn’t sound like a joke. Seeing the cold sweat continuing to flow, it would be right to send him to the hospital. As Leo thought this and took another step closer, Lucas raised his hand and waved it.

 

“I’m not going to the hospital. Just wait a little.”

 

“You’re like a ghost.”

 

“Don’t you have something to do today?”

 

“…I do. I have to go to Berlin.”

 

“Then go now. I’m sorry in advance for the extra work you’ll have to do.”

 

“You want me to go?!”

 

“Yeah. And….”

 

Lucas said with a smile.

 

“See you later. For real this time.”

 

“….”

 

Before I could say anything more, Lucas kicked me out. Leo stood dazedly in front of the door, then told a servant to send Lucas to the hospital and went to Berlin.

 

The first person I encountered upon arriving in Berlin was Elias. Elias teased without knowing the situation.

 

“What’s that on your ear? I thought it was bleeding.”

 

“…Right. I think so too.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Elias giggled, then realized Leo’s response was lifeless and looked at him. Leo continued while staring into space.

 

“So… I should get a new piercing inside. Or just remove the gem and make it into a necklace.”

 

“Really? I was just saying that. But it’s scary when someone who doesn’t talk to themselves starts doing it, you know? Haha.”

 

“….”

 

When Leo didn’t respond and just looked ahead, Elias fully realized something was wrong.

 

Even though Elias spent the entire day next to him, talking into his ear for dozens of minutes, Leo didn’t chase him away as usual and instead just watched the clock all day.

 

Like that, six hours passed.

 

‘…What did Lucas say.’

 

I roughly know. Could it be that he’s turned back time right now and I’m here without knowing anything? And then I’ll receive Lucas’s letter or see his face and only then receive his memories.

 

Leo changed his staff to a wand and looked into space. The world was red as the sunset was setting. Elias’s playful voice could be heard.

 

“Hey~ We sent back ten victims today too.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Let’s go to the dorm! I worked six and a half hours today. This is high school student abuse. We have to take entrance exams next year too, what are we going to do! Of course, I don’t study anyway~”

 

“I see.”

 

“….”

 

Elias hit Leo’s shoulder.

 

“Why are you like this today? You’re supposed to tell me that’s not when to use that phrase.”

 

“….”

 

“You’re supposed to ask me why. Ask me!”

 

Elias grabbed Leo’s arm and hung on.

 

At that moment, a sensation like electricity flowing through Leo’s core continued. Leo hurriedly grabbed near his heart.

 

“…! Lucas.”

 

“Luca’s not here. He took sick leave.”

 

“That’s not it…!”

 

Leo quickly tapped the communication artifact hanging on his ear.

 

But at that moment, everything went black, and before he could even notice it, the light returned.

 

“What’s that on your ear? I thought it was bleeding.”

 

“…”

 

Leo looked at Elias in front of him. He glanced once at the Imperial 2nd Education Institute behind Elias, then looked around like someone who had lost their mind. Only when Elias waved his hand in front of him did Leo open his mouth.

 

“Why are you saying the same thing again?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Leo was certain at that moment. He frantically looked around again and checked his watch.

 

12:30 PM.

 

An unbelievable scene was before his eyes. A hollow voice naturally flowed from his mouth.

 

“We worked for six and a half hours.”

 

“When…? We need to go out when reports come in. Are we only working six and a half hours today? There should be more reports coming in these days.”

 

Elias examined Leo with confused eyes.

 

The core was quiet. The communication artifact was also quiet. He hadn’t received any contact from Lucas, nor had he seen his face. But…!

 

Leo immediately warped to the border and retraced his steps.

 

Crash―!

 

He didn’t even know how he had passed through. When he came to his senses, he was at the Prince’s Palace.

 

Two or three servants were arguing with Lucas while taking him to the warp point. In the previous timeline, they would have gone to the hospital.

 

Lucas raised his eyebrows.

 

“You came first this time.”

 

“Now, surely… you…”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Lucas mimicked clock hands with his fingers, then turned them backward and smiled. Leo dropped the hat he was holding to the floor. Whether it fell or not didn’t matter. What was important now was…

 

“…Even me…”

 

Leo stood there blankly, staring ahead.

 

Everything I did is in my memory. I spent the whole day listening to Elias’s nonsense while sending victims to the hospital with him. I clearly know what magic I used and where I warped to, and I remember all the names of the ten victims I saved. That’s something Lucas couldn’t know. It’s definitely my memory, not his.

 

Lucas looked at Leo’s dazed face, then tapped his ear and smiled.

 

“Right. I told you I’d see you later.”

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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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