How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 34

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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 (34)

[This is absolutely ridiculous. 250 million pel annually! If we invested that money in regional development, our Empire could gain specialized industrial complexes that would sustain the Empire for 20 years, 30 years, or even longer.]

“Hmm~”

Elias hummed as he replaced the newspaper in his personal filter.

It was a newspaper published in January, when the first barrier installation was being discussed.

The photo moved and the recorded voice from within flowed out just as it was.

Another figure began sharply criticizing the congressman who had spoken earlier.

[Mr. Henning Berend has been pushing for the establishment of a defense materials production complex for several years. Where? Obviously in his estate! I’d like to have a textile industrial complex too. At least it would produce something more than a monster barrier!]

Elias giggled.

“So sarcastic.”

“Just like you.”

“I meant I liked it. Now, who should we look at next?”

At Leo’s words, Elias shrugged his shoulders. Then he pulled out a newspaper that came to hand and inserted it into the filter.

[—Congressman Werner Strauch, do you have an opinion?]

[I simply stand on the side of the people.]

“Werner Strauch had a reason for being absent during the main session.”

“Non-attendance.”

“Same difference.”

Elias pulled the newspaper from the filter and looked around.

“What happened with the mosquitoes?”

“I finished classifying their characteristics. I’ve separated them, so now we just need to send them to the research lab.”

Writing a report after breeding would take too much effort, so I made a reservation with a company for the experiment.

When I mentioned this, I witnessed Melvin’s face brighten dramatically within 30 seconds.

I asked Leo while writing the request form to deliver to the company.

“How long will it take?”

“At least 3 weeks until they mature. To get the report, we need to allow at least 5 weeks even at the fastest.”

It takes far too long.

To organize barrier costs and internal cleanup expenses into a budget proposal and get it passed would easily take two to three months.

Plus one month for the research report.

In the meantime, if Pleroma uses the insects or naturally stronger mosquitoes appear through multiple generations, the damage would increase.

Elias also seemed displeased as he deeply furrowed his brow.

“What? Everyone will die before then. We’ve already spent 100,000 pel on service fees, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm…”

Elias groaned as he leaned back against his chair.

After frowning for a moment, he stood up with a clear expression.

“Let’s double it.”

“…You want to invest 200,000 pel in a middle and high school level experiment?”

“They can make them grow faster but they’re not doing it. Give me the telegram. I’ll negotiate.”

Leo handed the telegram he was holding to Elias.

Elias skimmed through the contents, then muttered while writing something on a telegram application form that was placed here.

“We’ll give you 20,000 pel more, so finish the report within three days.”

“…”

He just said double but only 20,000 more?

Leo looked down at Elias with a shocked expression.

“What’s wrong? When negotiating, you have to start tight. You think of giving more but beat them down first. They also deliberately calculated the period without using magic.”

“…What are you talking about?! Not everyone in the world is like you. Lucas.”

Leo turned around and looked at me as if asking for help.

“Why, it’s fine.”

“…”

I don’t agree with Elias’s words, but it’s true that growth acceleration magic is usually used during experiments.

Ultimately, the other company’s meaning is that they can’t use growth acceleration magic for 100,000 pel, which is equivalent to 10 million won, but since they didn’t specify additional costs, they’re saying they’ll listen to our offer and adjust accordingly.

Since experimental growth acceleration magic is only about four or five formulas anyway, an extra 200,000 won or so isn’t such a bad proposal. It’s just because Elias said it that way.

“…Ugh.”

Leo snatched the telegram application form that Elias handed over and added phrases explaining why quick results were needed and the seriousness of the situation. Since it was technology combined with magic, he could write longer text than regular telegrams.

Leo, who had gone to the post office, returned shortly with a new telegram. He waved the paper.

“40,000 pel.”

“Good, I was even thinking of doubling it, but fortunately we didn’t even use half.”

Elias grinned and tore up a new telegram application form, writing a telegram telling them to start the experiment immediately.

And so, three days passed.

The company kept their word precisely and warped the report to the school post office.

We also immediately sent a warp mail to the Imperial Security Bureau, but they refused to receive it and it was immediately returned to us.

Elias tapped the yellow envelope that students who had stopped by the post office brought, and laughed.

“I knew these bastards would do this.”

“Elias, please…”

Leo sighed and glared at Elias.

Then, one student quickly flipped through the thick report and gasped.

“Wait, didn’t we give them three days? They bred up to the 3rd generation in this short time?”

“Worth the 140,000 pel.”

“Right. I didn’t know we’d have to spend 140,000 on an experiment topic from 3rd Education Institute textbooks, but money really does make a difference.”

Elias added with a laugh.

The student who kept turning pages of the report frowned.

“Did you read all this? Half of the surviving 3rd generation shows five times the power of the 1st generation.”

“Disgusting.”

“It says they’ll survive even in sub-zero temperatures due to magic power, so those mosquitoes will be flying around in two or three months.”

“That’s right.”

“This is serious… Are there photos of the experiment results?”

Other students crowded around that report.

The student opened the last page to show the photos.

The skin color of the experimental mice contaminated by mosquitoes had turned completely black.

Elias added a comment.

“But look at the mentality of not even accepting this and sending it back.”

“Exactly.”

Another student agreed.

Anyway, the Security Bureau’s behavior isn’t that surprising.

It was the same in the novel.

To submit a supplementary budget bill to the parliament, the Security Bureau, which is the responsible department, needs to know the situation and plan additional budget primarily. But in the novel, the Security Bureau blocked all contact from anyone who wasn’t a government official, citing safety reasons.

Of course, that’s still fine.

This is all just activity for the justification that ‘we did everything we could.’

With the atmosphere now heavy, I brought up the topic to the students.

“We talked up to this point before. Now we need to target the Federal Committee members.”

“Now we’re talking to the parliament?”

“Right. But that doesn’t mean this agenda will pass in parliament.”

The students looked at me with puzzled eyes.

* * *

“Did you send the letters?”

“Yeah.”

Several students waved receipts they had received from the post office.

We sent the same letter and report to the Federal Committee chairman and about 60 members.

As expected, that evening we received telegrams from several members.

The response stated that while they take the problem seriously, it would be difficult to immediately address the issue due to problems with fact-finding investigations and budget shortages.

However, it also briefly mentioned that if they urgently discussed the budget proposal with the Security Bureau, they could bring it to a Federal Committee departmental meeting within half a year.

“Half a year…? At this rate, all the people in Meppen will die. Isn’t this just saying they won’t do anything?”

“…You’re really right, Lucas. It’s not even the main assembly, just a Federal Committee meeting.”

Not surprising at all.

It’s the same situation as when Elias sent a letter to the parliament in the novel.

Back then too, just like now, they only sent a perfunctory reply while having no intention of actually doing anything.

Elias made threat after threat to push it up to within a month, but it ultimately fell through.

‘That’s why he resorted to threatening the media as a last resort.’

Of course, we can’t wait half a year.

Both personally and from a safety perspective.

In three weeks to a month, an entire generation would already be replaced. The insects in that region would become even more aggressive going forward, and they want us to wait half a year?

Not happening.

* * *

‘Should I check my status window for the first time in a while?’

The next day, while attending class, I organized the things I’d need going forward in my notebook.

It would be good to level up the charm trait around now. I’ll have use for it.

The last time I checked my status was the night before midterms, so it’s been a little over two weeks now.

Lucas Rene Ascanien

Title: Count Nicolaus

Stamina: +1.1 (+0.2) [+4.1]

Mental Power: -2.6 (+0.6)

Magic Power: ?

Skill: +2.45 (+0.3) [+5.45]

Impression: -9.9 (+0.1) [+2.0]

Luck: +0.05 (+0.95)

Traits: Dawn777, Divine Power, Charm (Lv.1)

My title changed.

My scores also rose decently in the two weeks.

But…

‘What’s this.’

My impression stat went up by 0.1 points.

Originally when it was negative, the increase was large, so this might seem like no increase at all, but that’s the story for other stats – for the impression stat, this is amazing.

And what’s that [+2.0] next to impression?

My impression score could become positive?

‘No way…’

It’s not impossible, but quite surprising.

I pressed down the corners of my mouth that had unconsciously risen and composed my expression.

It’s too early to get excited. I have my suspicions about something, but since there’s no explanation written, I can’t be certain.

For now, let me think about how to level up.

Charm Lv.1

—’I want to get close to you!’ Increases favorability with certain targets by 2 points

—’If you say so, it must be right.’ Increases persuasiveness by 20%

—2.0 points until next level

* Available Points: 4.0 points

* 0.95 luck points until next point acquisition

‘Wait.’

Available points?

I’m sure this category didn’t exist before.

After reading the text below, I went back to the top.

Now I see that my luck value had risen to positive.

‘+0.05 points.’

Did I gain points to use on traits by escaping the negative? I finally found the purpose of that meaningless stat.

I briefly closed the window and looked at the guy next to me.

Same as before, the guy who punched me in the face. He was filling his notebook line by line until his arm would fall off, then opened and closed his mouth at my gaze.

“…Why?”

I waved my hand dismissively, meaning stop fooling around and hurry up and write.

Philip Goering

[Favorability -5*]

Did this bastard develop some kind of affection in the meantime? Why is it only -5? Even with my trait applied, it should be -8.

For some reason, intense displeasure washed over me.

Anyway, seeing that asterisk, it seems like my trait is reflected in that -5…

I should compare before and after.

I opened the trait window again.

Charm Lv.1

—’I want to get close to you!’ Increases favorability with certain targets by 2 points

—’If you say so, it must be right.’ Increases persuasiveness by 20%

—2.0 points until next level

* Available Points: 4.0 points

* 0.95 luck points until next point acquisition

‘How do I use these points?’

Do I just think about it?

Then, light flashed and the window changed.

Charm Lv.2

—’I want to get close to you!’ Increases favorability with certain targets by 3 points

—’If you say so, it must be right.’ Increases persuasiveness by 30%

—3.0 points until next level

* Available Points: 2.0 points

* 0.95 luck points until next point acquisition

Philip Goering

[Favorability -4*]

‘…!’

It really went up.

Actually, since it was written that way, it should have gone up, but seeing the difference directly is amazing.

Anyway, since I kept looking at him with pathetic eyes, Philip glanced around nervously, looking back and forth between his notebook and me.

“Why, why…?”

“It’s nothing. Just do what you’re supposed to do.”

“But, but class is over.”

“Then stretch your arms or something, man.”

“Lucas.”

I almost showed my surprise.

The person who said that wasn’t Philip.

Leo stood in front of my desk, looking down at me expressionlessly.

Fortunately, he wasn’t acting familiar, but Leo had rarely called my name openly in front of other students.

Other friends from our class who were in the group also stopped what they were doing with surprised faces, then returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

“The professor asked me to tell you. There’s someone at the main gate looking for you right now.”

“For me?”

Looking for me?

Who?

No matter how much I think about it, there’s no one outside school who would be looking for me.

“Who.”

“Sorry, I haven’t heard anything about that part.”

Fortunately, Leo was faithful to his class president role.

If it had been just the two of us, he would have answered simply with something like ‘I don’t know.’

I nodded at Leo’s strangely incongruous class president persona and stood up from my seat.

“Thanks. I’m heading out now, so please let the Professor know.”

“Alright.”

Someone’s looking for me?

An ominous feeling somehow wrapped around my body.

I walked slowly to buy time to think.

After walking for quite a while, the Main Gate finally came into view.

An elderly man in uniform with a familiar insignia stood there, holding a black box with handles.

He was someone I knew well.

When he spotted me, he smiled and greeted me.

“Have you been well, young master?”

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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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