How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 337

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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 (337)

 

“Hehehe~”

 

“….”

 

I swirled the brandy in my crystal glass while staring at Elias’s foolish expression. Even though we had boarded the train heading to Baden, he was still wearing the navy beret and cotton gloves he’d been wearing since earlier. It was obvious why someone who always hated bothersome things hadn’t thrown everything off even when the opportunity to cast aside everything had come. He was in a state like kids who were dying to run out right now. Elias, naturally, couldn’t stay still and kept crossing his legs and leaning his body while continuously downing alcohol.

 

“Good. Luca is drinking with me~”

 

“As if I’ve ever not drunk with you. I’m the one who always goes along with your pace.”

 

Just listening to Elias could easily cause misunderstandings. Actually, I felt this once in the hospital room too, but I was too tired to point it out then, and now he’s spreading false information again. It’s not like I have any obligation to drink with Elias, but I glanced around worriedly, wondering if misunderstandings might arise. Fortunately, none of the friends on the train were paying attention to us.

 

“That’s just how I talk, you know. Earlier when you said you had something to do and would follow later, I thought I wouldn’t be able to drink with you.”

 

“Luckily the conversation ended early.”

 

“What were you doing? Did you talk with that senior again?”

 

“No, it wasn’t that.”

 

At my answer, Elias nodded appropriately. He downed the remaining alcohol and began coveting what was in my glass. I ordered what I was drinking and passed it to Elias, then carefully opened my mouth.

 

“Hey, Eli.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“…Is there anything uncomfortable?”

 

“Is Luca uncomfortable?!”

 

“No, I mean you. I’m peaceful right now.”

 

Elias looked at me quietly then shook his head.

 

“Me too. Oh yeah~”

 

I watched him wave his arms around then closed my eyes.

 

‘…What do kids like.’

 

I definitely went through that age too. No, actually, even considering my age from the 21st century, the difference isn’t enormous, so what friends this age would like and my preferences wouldn’t be very far apart. Even if not the same, if I tried to follow along, it would be a difference I could follow without awkwardness. Yet I couldn’t think of what to do. What should I do, what on earth should I do to win his favor.

 

“Eli. Is there anything you want to eat?”

 

“Won’t we eat at Julia’s house when we get there?”

 

“That’s true… Something you want to have?”

 

“Something I want to have?! I…!”

 

“Ah, among things we can get today.”

 

Elias thought for a moment then shook his head.

 

“Nothing! Just playing today is enough.”

 

“I see…”

 

In the end, I had no choice but to choose this.

 

“Ugh! It hurts. Uaaaah!”

 

“Ah.”

 

I loosened my strength appropriately and patted his back. Only then did Elias relax his body. Giving someone a massage reminded me of the days when I did filial duty because of performance evaluations. Using memories from over 10 years ago, I’m really grateful to the system.

 

“That’s refreshing~ But I feel like the alcohol is coming up.”

 

“….”

 

I stopped and made him stand up, sending him to the bathroom. I could hear Elias dry heaving.

 

‘This isn’t it.’

 

I’m not his parent, and there’s no way this kind of thing would help with friend favorability. Actually, even parents wouldn’t be particularly moved. Right. This really wasn’t it. After handling major incidents, trying to deal with a favorability mission made me feel like my thinking suddenly stopped.

 

‘How can I win Elias’s favor.’

 

It’s a problem. By this point, the train had already passed Württemberg and crossed the Baden border. Since we departed from Bavaria, it didn’t take very long to reach Baden.

 

To raise the favorability of someone whose value is obviously already high. I haven’t checked his favorability yet. First, I didn’t want to view my friends’ hearts as mere numbers, and second, actually, seeing it wouldn’t change anything. Whether his favorability is -10 or +8 or +9, the fact that I need to raise it by 1 point doesn’t change…

 

‘…It’s probably 7 or higher anyway.’

 

At least it’s clear that the difficulty is extreme at this point. Like that, while sitting and playing chess with Elias, the train suddenly stopped. Without even checking outside the window, Elias sprang up like a spring and shouted.

 

“We’ve arrived!”

 

‘My eardrums are going to burst.’

 

I thought that while grabbing Elias’s bag. Elias, who had grasped at empty air, looked at his hand then stared at me with a flustered face. I smiled as properly as possible and said.

 

“I’ll carry it for you. Let’s go.”

 

“Eh~? No way! Luca should rest~”

 

“What rest. I’ve rested enough.”

 

I said that while properly fixing Elias’s disheveled jacket. Elias stared at me doing that then said.

 

“Luca seems somehow kind today~”

 

“Today? I’ve always been kind.”

 

“Hahaha!”

 

“….”

 

Why are you laughing? I ignored his laughter and turned around. When I got off the train carrying Elias’s luggage too, Cheringen, who had gotten off from another car first and was waiting, acknowledged me. When I approached with a smile, he said brightly.

 

“This is the first time coming to Baden together with you.”

 

“That’s right. Thanks for the invitation.”

 

“What, I’m the one who’s grateful. I hope the time in Baden will be an enjoyable time for you.”

 

Then Elias, who was beside us, interjected.

 

“What about me~?”

 

“Elias, you’ve come often.”

 

“You should come rarely so you’ll know my preciousness.”

 

I looked around. The remaining four except us seemed to have already boarded the carriage heading to the palace. We got in the carriage guided by Cheringen and his head servant, heading to Baden’s palace, Karlsruhe Schloss. Like when I went to Anhalt, I could see numerous servants standing here. I briefly greeted the Baden nobles employed in the royal palace and entered the castle’s reception hall, meeting the Duke of Baden.

 

“His Highness Duke Wilhelmina Cheringen enters!”

 

As soon as the servant’s announcement ended, the door opened and the Duke entered the reception hall. Cheringen first put down his wine glass, went before him, and spoke.

 

“I greet His Highness the Duke.”

 

“It’s good to meet you. It’s nice to meet again in good health. I’m especially grateful that Count Ascanien and Count Wittelsbach are present here.”

 

The Duke greeted Cheringen with a gentle face and smiled at us who approached behind him. He gestured to his friends and spoke to me first.

 

“Count Ascanien. We’ve met a few times before, haven’t we? As always, I’ve heard many stories.”

 

We have met before, but it was always brief. This is the first time properly facing each other.

 

“You must have suffered greatly being involved in this incident. I’m glad you destroyed the Pleroma Brandenburg Archdiocese and returned safely like this. The Grand Duke has talked about Count Ascanien a great deal. Though I already knew well, I’m pleased to confirm your competence once again through this incident.”

 

At those words, I made eye contact with Cheringen. He smiled at me. I responded with the same expression and continued with polite responses. The Duke briefly greeted all seven of us and moved to the dining area, opening with these words.

 

“I know the situation is serious and you don’t have much time allowed. Though it’s a short time, I hope you can stabilize and recover your mind and body here.”

 

The words about not having much time allowed were true. The incident where only those from ruling families were attacked by Pleroma stimulated the government and Imperial Court. The four who were dragged to Brandenburg Archdiocese that day were victims of the incident, so they received some leisure time for recovery, but even that had to end by the morning after tomorrow. In other words, we could only rest until tomorrow. There are many things to think about regarding what comes after, but for now I need to focus on Elias’s favorability.

 

At the dining table, Elias emptied his plate much faster than others. I pushed a water glass toward him at an appropriate time and said.

 

“You eat well.”

 

Ulrike, who was sitting to my right, said sourly at those words.

 

“I’ve been watching since the train, but today Lucas is really like Elias’s parent.”

 

“Good~”

 

“Good…”

 

At my words mixed with a hollow laugh, Narke for some reason just giggled and pushed meat into her mouth, and Leo was looking at us strangely like Ulrike. More precisely, he alternately looked at both of us with eyes asking what wind suddenly blew to make us do things we didn’t usually do. Haike was just observing intently. I cut bread appropriately, spread cheese on it, and offered it to Elias. Elias received it eagerly as if he would eat my fork too. When I handed him a napkin, he nodded to me and wiped his mouth without much thought. At that moment, my core tingled.

 

“…!”

 

I bit my lips hard and tensed my body. Thanks to that, fortunately no mishap of drawing attention occurred.

 

‘This is really…’

 

If he had been sitting right across from me, I would have kicked Leo’s shin, but I couldn’t do that, and hitting my core the same way was clearly meant to tell me to mind my manners in front of adults, so I couldn’t really object either. I think I was being too forceful due to the tight 24-hour time limit. Just as I was about to accept Leo’s criticism and eat my own food, Elias said quietly.

 

“Anyone want to play board games after finishing the meal and before going to the spa.”

 

“….”

 

You’re saying this here?

 

This was a statement that made even me, crazy about achieving proposals, break out in a cold sweat. I reflexively checked the Duke’s face. However, no one was shocked by his nonsense. Only then did I remember that the Cheringen family members had been watching him for a long time, so they had probably built up immunity to his nonsense long ago. At the mention of board games, Narke laughed and shook her shoulders.

 

“Ugh… I’ll pass.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I’ve studied strategy games so much that I don’t want to see anything similar anymore~”

 

“What about Leo? Julia?”

 

“It’s okay, Elias. I’ll pass.”

 

“I’m good too. Let’s do it next time.”

 

“What about His Highness the Duke?”

 

“I’ll pass as well.”

 

“….”

 

Treating another country’s ruler like a friend’s parent… It’s true but really amazing. The Duke began talking about why he couldn’t play board games, about the work he had to go handle soon, and Leo listened to this then asked.

 

“I see. So you’re saying you have no plans to expand military forces within this month.”

 

‘Right, this is the kind of conversation that should be happening, not some random board game popping up.’

 

“That’s now for the Senate to decide, but fortunately the Senate is also negative about that proposal. It would be better to use that budget to support the Papacy. However, since Prussia, the leader of the German Empire, is Protestant and already has a history of strongly oppressing Catholics, we can’t be sure how effective our friendly policies toward being tied to Germany will be.”

 

He wouldn’t know that there’s a Vatican Cardinal disguised as a theological school student beside him. Narke pretended not to hear the Grand Duke of Baden’s words and drank his wine. When our eyes met, he smiled. While the three of them had a serious conversation with Julia Cheringen joining in, Elias looked at me with eyes searching for prey.

 

“Luca?”

 

“….”

 

* * *

 

What choice could I possibly have.

 

I took a black chip and placed it in front of me while thinking. I was playing the game as he demanded. And naturally… the proposal completion window didn’t appear.

 

‘This won’t work.’

 

This is the kind of game we play all the time. I pushed the chip with my finger to knock it over and said.

 

“Eli, let’s go back to the banquet hall and play billiards or…”

 

“Let’s go out!”

 

Fortunately, Elias had the same sentiment. I quickly stood up and dragged him outside. Then Elias grinned.

 

“Haha, Luca’s playing with me so well today~? Usually by now you’d go to Narke or Julia.”

 

I felt a pang of guilt and closed my mouth.

 

“…Hmm, did I? It wasn’t intentional.”

 

Elias was already uninterested in my words. He didn’t seem to take it to heart either. Instead, he arrived at the huge hall with a small orchestra and tilted his head looking at the empty center.

 

“The first floor is empty. If there were humans, people would have danced here. You know, that thing we learned as liberal arts at school.”

 

“Dancing?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

I said it without much thought, but his answer was so cheerful. I realized I’d never danced with such a tall person and almost had a reality check, but it was fine. Right now I had 5 points at stake, and… even if that wasn’t at stake, if Elias enjoyed it anyway, it wasn’t such a bad thing.

 

“Which steps are you familiar with?”

 

“Actually I don’t know that either. I only know how to do it like this.”

 

Elias stepped and raised his hands toward his head. From the fact that he didn’t spin around, I knew what he’d learned and stepped the opposite steps.

 

A few minutes later, after trying it once and realizing it was nothing special, Elias had a refreshed face and triumphantly went up the stairs to the upper floor. Then he suddenly started talking.

 

“I actually don’t like banquet hall halls.”

 

“….”

 

I nodded. He doesn’t like being there or doing anything there. Having read his novel, I knew the reason. Leo would know too. Elias, who had been going up ahead, suddenly turned his head. A bright smile was on his face.

 

“But today is fun~ I told you everything’s fun when I’m with Luca.”

 

“That’s good. Me too.”

 

8 hours since departure and the affection window still hadn’t appeared. I wasn’t particularly thinking of checking it, but I felt some concern and muttered thoughtlessly.

 

“I wonder why. Maybe because I’m in the same situation as you, so I feel more comfortable?”

 

At those words, Elias hesitated then nodded.

 

“That’s right. But now I think it’s more than that…”

 

Elias, who had been saying that, grabbed the railing and turned around again. Then he spotted someone and shouted.

 

“Ah! It’s Haike. Luca, aren’t you tired? We have to drink at the hot springs later, so save your energy for now. I’ll go have a drink with Haike.”

 

“What? Wait, Eli!”

 

Elias ran up the few remaining steps to the 2nd floor in one breath. I’m not even going to set foot in the hot springs though? Of course, the more important problem was that I couldn’t let Elias go right now. While urgently following behind him, Leo, who had been talking with Cheringen on the 2nd floor, spotted me and grabbed me with an expressionless face.

 

“Ah, good timing. Lucas.”

 

“What. Say it quickly.”

 

“There’s something I need to tell you in advance about the new unit the headquarters is organizing. You remember the test we took, but you and I this time…”

 

My gaze was fixed behind Leo’s arm. I could see Elias taking the paper Haike offered and about to snap his fingers. He was planning to warp.

 

“Wait, tell me later. Eli!”

 

“What? Lucas!”

 

Leo called me with rare confusion. The moment he firmly grabbed my arm, I sent mana through his arm to shake him off and ran toward Elias.

 

“Huh.”

 

I heard a cold sigh from behind me as if he was dumbfounded. Sorry, but I can’t listen to that right now. Elias looked like he was about to follow Haike. I rushed toward them, gave Haike an apologetic look, and dragged Elias to the hallway connected to the hall.

 

“Wow~ What’s with Luca? You’re looking for me so much today?”

 

“What do you mean what’s with me.”

 

I tried to speak as cleanly as possible while catching my breath. I don’t avoid playing with Elias enough to hear this kind of thing. Could today’s proposal have been made hoping I’d play with Elias all day? I dragged him to where other nobles couldn’t see and said quietly.

 

“Actually.”

 

He smiled and grabbed my cheek.

 

“Yeah. Actually~?”

 

“I want to play only with you today.”

 

“….”

 

What am I saying… I’m saying something even elementary school kids wouldn’t say. I don’t even know if Elias could give me affection points for this. Thinking whatever happens happens, I sighed deeply, and Elias, who had widened his eyes, grinned.

 

“This is an opportunity.”

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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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