How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 338

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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 (338)

 

I don’t know what opportunity he’s talking about.

 

‘It’s exactly the same as usual.’

 

It felt like my blood would turn into alcohol. I kept drinking until I felt that way. The small lights in the dark bar blurred in my vision. Elias smacked his lips over his drink, then pulled out a cheap liquor bottle the size of half his palm from his jacket.

 

“If you drink rum and then whiskey, suddenly the whiskey you usually drink tastes twice as good. You have to periodically adjust the taste going into your mouth. That’s how you can appreciate fine food and also not complain uselessly about the world. Nobles get stuck in their ways and don’t even know to be grateful for what they eat, taking it for granted while just complaining endlessly…”

 

“Right. There is that aspect to some extent. From what I see.”

 

I slowly nodded as I felt my brain and eyes warming with alcohol. I’m not even sure what I’m saying. Thinking that and ruminating, I discovered a problem – I realized I had spoken with my 21st century modern person persona at the end and belatedly covered my mouth. Fortunately, since I was with Elias, it wouldn’t be a big problem that I, as a noble, had criticized nobles.

 

“Fine dining starts from gratitude. If your mindset is wrong from the start, whatever you eat is just a collection of nutrients, isn’t it?”

 

Right… After that, Elias’s theories on fine dining continued endlessly. I often found eating food burdensome, so I usually only ate familiar things, and thus wasn’t very interested in fine dining, but I enjoyed hearing what thoughts Elias lived with. It was always like that. Ever since I read about him. I tried to properly embed that information in my head while just nodding habitually.

 

“But there’s a problem that they don’t usually have this kind of rum where we stay, so I always carry it around like this. I’ll give you some too!”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks. I need to use the bathroom for a moment…”

 

“Me too!”

 

‘Stop following me around…’

 

I wanted to give my ears a brief rest, but it wasn’t going to happen. Elias chattered nonstop the entire time going to the bathroom and returning to our seats.

 

“What about you?”

 

“…”

 

At some point I lost track of the conversation due to drowsiness. What were we talking about. We went past fine dining, briefly talked about Ulrike and Class 1 friends, then just now made pointless comments about the bias in the school library’s collection, talked about going to the casino, heard the serious nonsense about blowing up headquarters, hmm… I couldn’t keep track of when we had what conversation, so I answered while pressing my eyes with my hands.

 

“I’m exactly the same as you. …Probably. Even if I’m not the same, you’ll be able to convince me soon.”

 

“Ahahaha! Luca’s drunk~”

 

“Seems like it.”

 

“Ah, no! It’s no fun if you admit to this. Usually at this point people say ‘I’m going to head out now~’ and leave me alone.”

 

“If I don’t leave now, I won’t be able to walk home on my own two feet.”

 

“Even though it’s the dormitory? Even though it’s the next room? Even though I’m lonely?!”

 

“Still. What does the last part matter…”

 

“Today it doesn’t matter because Luca’s here~ You’ll play with me until dawn~”

 

Elias put his arm around my shoulders like a madman and swayed our bodies side to side. I really can’t figure this guy out. The combination of sparkling eyes and a confidently raised corner of his mouth looks like it would boast tremendous arrogance—I now recalled that it actually does to some extent—but what he says when with friends isn’t particularly like that. Other friends, especially the Imperial 2nd Education Institute Class 1 friends, would be dumbfounded seeing this side of him. Of course, I know that arrogant appearance is a defense mechanism. His delinquent act is indeed an intentional act, but the recklessness and temper that make up a large portion of that delinquent act are manifestations of defensive psychology accumulated over a lifetime and his inherent temperament. It couldn’t be defined by any one thing. As I thought before.

 

‘…I’m curious how Elias would have grown up in a world without Friedrich Hohenzollern.’

 

Still, he probably wouldn’t be particularly well-behaved. As I was smiling while thinking that, Elias brought his face close to mine.

 

“Want to go to the casino?”

 

“If we go in this state, we’ll lose everything. My brain isn’t working at all.”

 

“But you seem like you’d never lose…”

 

“Ah, hey guys.”

 

Someone called from behind, so I slowly turned around. Elias, who wasn’t drunk yet, got up from his seat and clapped.

 

“Narke~”

 

“Oh, Lucas’s clothes…”

 

Narke, who was lightly hugging Elias, looked down at me and trailed off. Elias patted my short jacket and said.

 

“I gave him my clothes. Suits him well, right?”

 

“Hmm~ It does.”

 

After blurting out those childish words to him in the hallway, I stopped by Elias’s room. That’s when Elias said he needed to organize his suitcase and turned everything upside down, then started handing me his clothes. Elias’s clothes weren’t my taste, but just in case, I went along with it… Obviously, as you can see from me being drunk here, my favorability didn’t increase.

 

I actually changed one artifact too. Elias insisted that silver suited me better than jewels, so I did that. Even if Leo, who values prior consultation according to his FM tendencies, came up here right now, I’d have nothing to say.

 

“I thought you didn’t really like Lucas wearing clothes like this. Actually, you don’t really like it either, do you?”

 

At Narke’s words, Elias didn’t answer for a while, then smiled.

 

“It’s okay because they’re my clothes. And most importantly, he’ll be taking them off soon~”

 

“Change clothes again? Fashion shows are annoying now…”

 

“What do you mean change clothes again! Of course now we have to go get dirty! We can’t keep drinking here forever~”

 

“Ah, that’s what you mean. I’m not going. Have fun.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I won’t go in the hot springs. When you guys go, I’ll be in the lounge, so let’s meet again then.”

 

“What?! Why won’t you go in?”

 

I pondered how to make excuses, but since Narke was there too, I thought it would be better not to lie and spoke honestly.

 

“I don’t like showing skin.”

 

“…”

 

Both Elias and Narke froze at the truth I’d pondered before blurting out. Elias rolled his eyes with his mouth open, then raised his eyebrows.

 

“Um, you do wear pants going in, Luca.”

 

“I know.”

 

When I answered that way, Narke laughed briefly, then lightly covered his mouth with his hand and turned his head. Elias grabbed my shoulder and shouted.

 

“You know but you still don’t like it?! Then how did you do that Primlo… no, that Italian-American acting?! I couldn’t imitate that appearance…”

 

“Did you forget what you did at school this year? I can still clearly see that disciplinary committee from that day.”

 

“Haha~”

 

Being able to act slovenly and uncivilized during the Jeremaiah incident was possible precisely because it was acting. What can’t you do while acting? What was important now was that no situation or person was requiring me to act. Elias asked with tilted eyebrows.

 

“But we’re only with the seven of us anyway. We rented that whole hot springs building so no one else comes! Won’t that work…?”

 

“What does that have to do with it? I don’t like exposing skin even when I’m alone.”

 

“So you won’t go in…? Really?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

At my firm answer, Elias’s shoulders drooped.

 

“Ah, that’s disappointing… I was only thinking about drinking alcohol with you and geological thoughts…”

 

“Why do you keep babbling? I know it’s a natural hot spring, but is it that hot?”

 

“I don’t know. Going in alone isn’t fun, but Narke, want to come drink with me later?”

 

“Hmm, I can’t drink until I’m drunk, but…”

 

Narke glanced at me and smiled gently.

 

“If I burn it off with divine power, I can keep drinking with you. Sure.”

 

“…”

 

Thunk—

 

I grabbed the arm of Elias who was about to get up. Elias said in a puzzled voice.

 

“Why? Luca.”

 

I rolled my eyes while holding his arm.

 

“…Wait. Wait a moment.”

 

* * *

 

“Are you really okay~? You said you didn’t like it.”

 

“I said it’s fine.”

 

When I muttered bleakly at Elias’s question, Narke laughed lightly. There were no people coming and going in this huge Renaissance-style building. Because the Cheringen family had temporarily rented the hot springs building. So, unlike the banquet hall and bar from earlier, only the seven Eschete members come and go here. If there had been other people, I might have given up on going around with Elias.

 

Narke seems to already know that I’m trying to get close to Elias. Looking at his expression, the words “I’ll keep drinking” were definitely said on purpose. But Narke was really someone who could play with Elias until the next morning, so I couldn’t let Elias go there. I only had about half a day left, and I needed to settle things with Elias alone.

 

‘…Did Elias also deliberately bring Narke along?’

 

Knowing everything? Such a question suddenly crossed my mind. Elias’s humming, more excited than usual, sounds suspicious. But that suspicion couldn’t last long.

 

I came to the hot springs entrance and faced a huge problem. This place had two entrances leading to the baths, and both connected to one space. I recalled that this place was classified as a bathhouse, not a modern spa or swimming pool, pondered briefly, then realized what I saw was correct and grabbed my forehead.

 

“…It’s mixed bathing?! No matter what, is this sane in the 19th century?”

 

“Why? Mixed bathing? Is that a Human term?”

 

“…”

 

Elias seemed not to understand what I was even talking about and kept asking. Right, the concept itself doesn’t exist. It’s also strange for Espers of all people to be particular about that now.

 

“…You’re sure we wear pants going in, right? I know, but since this is Germany, I feel like I need to hear it once more.”

 

“Of course~ We don’t usually go in wearing nothing anyway. I’m not sure about commoners, but we’re a bit different. Thinking about meeting here and then going back into parliament or government buildings or headquarters to work together… Hmm. I don’t know why, but I want to punch someone. No, I suddenly thought of Uncle and got really pissed…”

 

Narke lightly covered his mouth and turned his head while trying to take something out of his jacket.

 

“Don’t worry~ Of course they wore pants going in during the 17th century too. Want to see the hot springs guidebook?”

 

Right, anyway, there probably wasn’t a need to distinguish places among Espers. I convinced myself of that and entered the changing room.

 

“You really came all the way here wearing a robe… I’d be fine just going as I am.”

 

“You wear one too.”

 

“Right. I wore one too, Lucas.”

 

Narke smiled lightly and pointed to his clothes.

 

I entered the hot springs wearing the hot spring shorts and robe that Elias had prepared. It seemed like a good choice. However, seeing that appearance, Elias became dejected.

 

“Guys, do you think just soaking our feet makes sense?”

 

“Good blood circulation in the legs. Now let’s drink.”

 

“Ahhh! Luca, it’s not actually about the clothes, you hate water! Though I can understand why, but still!”

 

“It’s fine as long as no one sprays water from above or makes me dive.”

 

“Ah, it’s fine? Then why are you wearing a robe! You too, Narke!”

 

Elias caused a commotion in the water, splashing us thoroughly before diving underwater. There’s no rule against diving, but to dive immediately upon arrival without staying still – how impressive. Ignoring his words, I clinked glasses with Narke and drank first.

 

Then, from far away came the sound of someone choking on water. Something that had been underwater shot up and shouted.

 

“Cough… Hey, hey guys!”

 

“What, you scared me.”

 

Ulrike emerged from a separate pool somewhere at the edge, flailing and waving her arms.

 

“I accidentally swallowed water. That’s not it – the temperature here is perfect for diving. If you guys are going to dive, come here and do it!”

 

She was diving too? How are these two exactly the same… I swallowed those words and asked.

 

“Where’s Haike?”

 

“Probably drinking. I was bored without Haike anyway, so good timing. Anyone want to eat snacks outside? Seeing you in robes, it doesn’t look like you plan to go in.”

 

“Mm, let’s go together.”

 

Narke glanced over me and Elias before getting up. I caught a glimpse of my two friends passing by me and felt a cold sweat. As expected, Narke had roughly figured out my objective. When the two friends left, Elias looked around the empty spacious hall and grinned wickedly. That smile felt ominous, and just as I tried to escape, Elias went back underwater. I looked at him and laughed.

 

“Your face will get cooked.”

 

“I protected it with magic.”

 

Elias said while resting his arms on the marble edge of the pool. He tilted his head and observed my artifact.

 

“The artifact earring suits you well.”

 

“Does it?”

 

“Yeah. My clothes suited you well too. Though you look better dressed like yourself~”

 

Elias, who had been leaning against the marble, stared at my face intently before returning to the topic of artifacts.

 

“Can’t you change to the other side?”

 

I shrugged. Since earlier, Elias had been excited about the fact that I’d play with him all day, trying to change everything from head to toe according to his will. In other words, that was his idea of ‘playing together.’ Nobles tend to play in less active ways, and this reminded me again that he too was a 19th-century noble youth, which was refreshing. At the same time, remembering that Elias, despite being a nobleman, couldn’t treat anyone according to his will, I complied with his requests without complaint. Even so, Elias didn’t give me any affection points.

 

“Don’t you like it?”

 

When I didn’t answer, Elias asked with a face devoid of playfulness. It was an ordinary question, simply asking whether I liked it or not without much thought. However, seeing Elias of all people make such an ordinary expression left me speechless. I rolled my eyes for a moment before answering seriously.

 

“No? It’s cool. Looking at it again, it has that perfect balance, or something like that anyway.”

 

“…Balance…?”

 

“I don’t know either. I like it. Believe me.”

 

“Ah! I should believe you~”

 

Elias grinned mischievously and tilted his head as he asked.

 

“Want me to give you one to wear around? Or it might be nice to pierce another hole above.”

 

“…”

 

Pierce another hole? Could it be that I’d get affection points if I said okay? But I didn’t want to draw blood here again. Let me try this 5 minutes before the proposal ends.

 

“Later. I’ll just think about it.”

 

“Ah~ you’ll think about it. What an honor.”

 

Elias grinned wickedly. Then he downed the drink he was holding.

 

“Luca, are you still drunk?”

 

“How could I be sober after drinking that much? I’m still drinking continuously because of you.”

 

“Mm~ that’s right.”

 

Whoosh—

 

The moment Elias finished speaking, the sound of wind brushed past my ears. The water that had been up to my calves surged upward. I belatedly realized that Elias had used magic to pull my legs.

 

“…!”

 

The moment I squeezed my eyes shut, something supported my back. Elias laughed heartily.

 

“Hahaha~”

 

I looked at the barrier that had spread behind my head to block the water and slowly exhaled. Though the water-soaked robe weighed down my shoulders, relief that water hadn’t poured over my face came first. The fact that this friend, who could have easily thrown me completely, did this instead was because he already knew everything about what I had experienced. I was grateful for that consideration, but…

 

I tried to grab the collar of the grinning Elias above me, then realized he wasn’t wearing clothes and swung my fist instead.

 

“Ugh!”

 

“…Are you kidding?! It’s all wet. When am I supposed to dry this!”

 

“Ah~ too bad, Luca.”

 

Elias’s mouth gradually curved into a round shape as he said those words. Even in the face darkened by backlighting, his eyes shone brightly.

 

“Now there’s no choice. Right?”

 

It was 30 minutes later when I escaped from Elias’s water pranks. After dealing with Elias for a while, I was completely drained. I barely managed to get out of the pool and collapsed on the floor.

 

‘Ah…’

 

High school students are hard to handle. This was more a matter of mental strength than physical stamina. Of course, even if Elias were thirty, he’d probably act the same way, which made me feel momentarily hopeless. As I let out a hollow laugh, I opened my eyes at the sound of Elias climbing out of the pool.

 

“I’m hungry.”

 

“So what.”

 

“So cold~”

 

Elias, who had been giggling to himself, looked at the outdoor pools attached to all sides of this building and said.

 

“Want to go outside? That looks like it would be breezy and cool. We can dry the robes there.”

 

I looked down at my wet robe once and nodded.

 

When we went outside, I was captivated by the dim dawn approaching in the night sky. Stars were scattered densely across the vast sky spread above our heads. Below that cliff, the moonlit city center of Karlsruhe was visible. This place, decorated in Greek temple style thanks to the Romantic movement trend, filled one’s heart just by looking at it. I sat with my feet in the warm water, feeling the spring breeze.

 

“Elias.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Before coming here, do you remember the conversation Leo and I had in the infirmary?”

 

“Uh, what? The artifact?”

 

“After that.”

 

Asking Elias ‘what do you want’ wasn’t the right answer. That was my duty to find. From now on, I would think about what Elias needed, so this question was the first one I asked for that purpose.

 

The conversation with Leo in the infirmary was based on time. Especially, ‘since you, who never waste time, found the best world within the worst this time too’ – I needed to know what thoughts Elias had when he heard Leo’s words. Elias squeezed his eyes shut and stroked his chin, pondering for a long time.

 

“Mm… You always move rationally, so I understand all your challenges that seem reckless. Honestly, it stings a bit inside, but I won’t say anything~ Leo was really showing off.”

 

“What?”

 

He interpreted those words like this? Yes, essentially correct. I was amazed that he skipped accepting superficial elements as they were and went straight to the essence. Of course, I had read almost all of that long novel containing his dozen years, so I knew how quick-witted and brilliant he was. Beneath his mischievous smile were traces of a lifetime of struggling for survival and cold reason. It wasn’t surprising that he didn’t take Leo’s words at face value but spoke of their essence first, yet it was still a bit bewildering to hear him speak properly after seeing him making strange laughing sounds and grinning. He quickly realized what point made me hesitate and shrugged as he explained.

 

“Leo is very… how should I put it, poetic. He always talks like Patroclus whenever he opens his mouth. I always have to think about what he means once more.”

 

I had never particularly thought of Patroclus as a representative of poetic figures, but I understood well what impression he had of Leo.

 

That was enough about this topic for now. Now I needed to ask the second question. I slowly nodded and brought up the topic without being burdensome.

 

“Elias, there’s something I want to ask.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Earlier, what were you trying to say in the banquet hall?”

 

Elias immediately understood what I was asking about. ‘Why do I feel more comfortable because I’m in the same situation as you?’ – it was a question about that.

 

“Ah, that’s embarrassing to say~”

 

This guy… I know it’s not true. I smiled at Elias’s cheekiness and slowly opened my mouth.

 

“What if I weren’t in the same situation as you?”

 

“…”

 

Elias stayed quiet for a moment before speaking.

 

“We are in the same situation. You said you might die because of your hyung. Not Leo, but specifically you.”

 

“That’s certainly true now.”

 

“…Hmm, this is a difficult question. If we weren’t in the same situation, we probably wouldn’t have become close. If you, Luca, had somehow tried to become close to me, things might have been different, but I wouldn’t have reached out to you first.”

 

Elias continued speaking while tapping his fingers on the marble warmed by the heat.

 

“Then let’s suppose you without your hyung had tried to become close to me… Even if it took quite a long time, I would have eventually become as close to you as I am now. What are you asking, Luca? I’m not playing with you now because you’re an unfortunate friend in the same situation.”

 

“…”

 

“Were you worrying about that? I felt you trying to be considerate of me a lot more than usual today.”

 

I didn’t answer this time either. I just smiled and watched the ripples on the water surface that he and I were creating. Along with the waves moving at regular intervals, Elias’s voice reached me.

 

“You asked if I felt more comfortable because I’m in the same situation as you and that’s why I play with you. No, I’m not clinging to that reason anymore, Luca. The reason I enjoy myself every time I’m with you is because you always give me new memories. You always overlay new futures so there’s no room for bad memories to enter. You make that possible.”

 

I quietly looked down at him. Light was captured in his blue eyes gazing at the night sky. His calm voice was buried in the sound of the wind.

 

“That moment when we danced earlier might be just a trivial instant that will be erased from memory among your eventful days, but not for me. You must have heard rumors about me in political circles at least once, so you can guess, right? I’ve had no good memories of banquet halls since childhood, and even less so of standing alone in the center of such places. What always came back to me was unbearable humiliation. But what do you know, you suddenly asked me to dance with you in that very place.”

 

Elias continued speaking quietly while giggling.

 

“It was the first time I felt such joy in the middle of a banquet hall.”

 

“…”

 

“Yes, these are the things that make me cherish you. Not just because our situations are the same. The time when it seemed like the environment and memories I couldn’t choose would bind me forever has passed.”

 

He continued speaking in a calm voice.

 

“I’m sure that in my future life, I’ll feel the memories of my childhood trying to control my actions, and sometimes I’ll move according to them. That’s become a part of me now, inseparable even if I try to tear it away. Even painful memories are mine. But just as you’re lifting the shadow of death that Hyung cast over you, I’m also becoming free from what I couldn’t control. You’ve always shown me that it’s possible.”

 

“I showed you?”

 

I squeezed my voiceless throat and spoke. Elias nodded and said.

 

“You always did. You might think you’ve only saved your subjects through all the countless events you’ve experienced so far, but no. You gave me a future.”

 

Heavy. I couldn’t say anything.

 

Hundreds of eyes viewing a single event contain hundreds of different impressions. I strived for my survival, and it became a meteor that eventually settled in hundreds, thousands of eyes with different meanings for each. Therefore, the one who should hear these words wasn’t me but Elias. I clearly know that it was Elias himself, not me or anyone else, who gave Elias a future.

 

“You’re like, so to speak, a pioneer walking one step ahead of me through the desert. You can certainly move forward alone, but uncertainty dominates your heart. But in such a situation, there are footprints left for me, stamped exactly one step ahead.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you understand? I’m with your present, not your past, Luca.”

 

I smiled in silence. The radiance that still held its breath was already melting into this era’s persecuted high school student. He had always been the master of his own life. An eternal protagonist stood before me. At this rate, wouldn’t he be taking my favorability points? If he could see the numbers, by now…

 

“Look who’s talking.”

 

I drew up the memories I had buried below, memories that were now detached like someone else’s but still clearly part of me. At my words, Elias raised his head. I looked into those sincere blue eyes and said.

 

“If I said that I’m alive until now because I knew you, what would you think?”

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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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