How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 399
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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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40 minutes ago, Bavaria checkpoint restroom.
Mecklenburg raised his head straight and glared at the mirror as he spoke.
“His Majesty the Emperor will summon your brother to that position regarding the Anhalt ducal succession issue.”
“….”
The sound of water pouring from the open faucet interfered with my thoughts. What I just heard was too sudden and absurd. When he said there was information I absolutely needed to know because I was Nicolaus Ernst, I didn’t think it would be ordinary news, but this exceeded my expectations. By far. Why on earth? I quietly opened my mouth to his preposterous reasoning.
“On what grounds. Isn’t this too sudden….”
“Sudden?”
He snickered and asked back with a face that said he’d heard something ridiculous. Seeing that expression, I slowly closed my mouth. The back of my head was growing cold. Mecklenburg’s earlier questions to me, those out-of-the-blue time references were now beginning to form organic connections in my mind. Only now. Mecklenburg just stared at the mirror quietly, then closed his eyes and lowered his head.
“It’s not sudden. Rather, I should say this. …Why so late?”
“….”
“From when you were appointed to the Imperial Court until today, having led countless incidents involving anywhere from a few to millions of lives to consecutive victories, the Anhalt succession rights are now unstable by anyone’s view. Don’t you read the newspapers? You’re currently a rising star in politics. You know that no matter which magazine you open, your story never fails to appear.”
At those words, I closed my eyes.
I’m tired. I wasn’t like this when I was with Emanuel Wittelsbach, but now I’m tired. The deep fatigue and irritation that had been overwhelming me since facing Mecklenburg made my head ache. I don’t want to see him anymore. I couldn’t believe the reasoning he presented. I gripped my neck and took a deep breath, just as Mecklenburg had done earlier when he felt overwhelming pressure due to the scheduled meeting with the Emperor.
‘Don’t I read the newspapers.’
I do. His words weren’t wrong. Anhalt Corporation’s stock prices—the stock prices of businesses related to my brother’s political direction—fluctuated daily, and even more so when news that seemed connected to me hit the papers. Yellow newspapers like Dasrote wrote articles daily, attaching strange nicknames derived from classics, with content and volume that wouldn’t get them censored. The world seemed to have forgotten I was Pleroma, or rather, used that very point as a selling point to praise me as one who ‘overcame Pleroma nature and remained loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, the Empire, and its subjects,’ creating a subtle competitive structure with Adrian Ascanien. Because it was entertaining. The Pleroma Ascanien who survived to this day thanks to his brother’s grace and could serve the Empire loyally actually threatened his brother because of that very loyalty. Who would be the victor? To the public, this was an appetizing story.
Not only Anhalt’s political circles but also the Empire’s political circles were swayed by many things depending on our succession. The same was true for the Emperor, the ruling family, and the nobles beneath them. No one knew what kind of storm the bloody fight occurring in one German duchy might unleash. Therefore, grasping everything as quickly as possible was inevitably their strong interest.
But does that mean Adrian Ascanien would come here?
Even though he wasn’t before my eyes, my throat was constricting. It felt as if all the breathing passages were completely blocked with stones. This wasn’t my reaction. I squeezed out my voice.
“…Fine. Senior, is your basis for judging that my brother will come here simply because we’ve become the talk of political circles?”
“It’s hardly something you could call ‘simply.'”
“I understand. It’s been a month and a half now, and I’ve resolved three major incidents during that time. His Majesty the Emperor would have sufficient reason to want to predict our family’s succession struggle. However, if that were the case, he could have met with me right after the Corbiniano infiltration operation.”
“How could we know His Majesty’s will.”
“….”
“But you already know the answer. …If it were you, you would have immediately understood what I was reasoning. Why His Majesty would want to meet you now, after time has passed since Corbiniano.”
Yes, I know.
My answer remained only in my head, so Mecklenburg continued speaking.
“During Corbiniano, you were also injured. Now you’re injured too. During Corbiniano, no one’s life was in danger. The seniors and peers who were hospitalized in the ICU at that time regained consciousness despite their cores and physical conditions being terrible. But now?”
“….”
“We don’t report every detail about damage incurred during classified mission operations, but this time, news was delivered to Count Heike Einsiedel’s father immediately after the incident. As you know… you might think there’s hope, but even the hospital can’t find a way to revive consciousness, and only the body remains without rotting. It would be proper to prepare a funeral. Spending final moments with family is the last courtesy to a noble who served the Empire loyally, isn’t it.”
Haike’s father? Heinrich Ainsiedel is his uncle. Spend final moments with an uncle who showed no interest in how Haike grew up? And….
“Watch your words.”
“I’m sorry.”
He immediately apologized in a soulless voice to my cold words. I knew it meant there was no time for word games.
“Previously, Adrian Ascanien also returned to Germany after being injured. I heard this from His Majesty. This time, the news that you were injured is the key point. Through some channel, news that you were a victim along with the dying Heike Einsiedel might have reached Anhalt too. Since Adrian Ascanien is the very person who made you use a double identity, he wouldn’t give up the opportunity to come see you and would have sent a return request to His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty normally wouldn’t permit it, but no, Adrian Ascanien wouldn’t send a request in a situation where he’d be refused anyway. Since the situation is different now, His Majesty’s choice would also be different. His Majesty would want to directly confirm the future of Anhalt’s unstable succession rights, and especially see what feelings you harbor toward Adrian Ascanien.”
He poured out words without pausing for even a moment. Then he swallowed deeply and spoke quietly.
“From now on, I need to think about how to present myself better to His Majesty the Emperor, and what I can do for His Majesty between you two Ascaniens, while you need to figure out how to deal with Adrian Ascanien and His Majesty the Emperor. The ducal succession rights.”
A month and a half since launch, three days since Haike collapsed. Three days…. Simon Sabelli’s weightless answer came to mind. ‘Did it take about two days to get here by train, or no, was it three days?’ I took a deep breath. Deeply. Considering the political situation and Adrian Ascanien, all these factors, Mecklenburg’s speculation had no unnatural aspects. If the Emperor were weak or uninterested in politics, or if Adrian Ascanien had a different personality than now, it might be different, but with the current composition, it was definitely not so. After being appointed to the Imperial Court as part of the 101st class, it was inevitable that Adrian Ascanien would come find me someday, and I happened to be injured. Just like the day Adrian Ascanien returned from the Papal States to Germany after being injured. Mecklenburg’s insight, which usually couldn’t even function properly, was natural today at least. There was no way to avoid it.
As I stared into empty space without saying anything, Mecklenburg also muttered in a soulless voice. As if he had read my thoughts.
“Friends for just a day or two.”
That sound was so small I could only understand it after chewing it over several times. I, who had been casting idle glances at the blue wallpaper of the restroom, moved my unmoving mouth to speak.
“Fine.”
If not that, there would be no reason for the Emperor to summon me. Especially not without even telling me the reason for the summons. He would have wanted to capture in his own eyes the raw reaction when I faced my brother. I felt my back stiffen as I nodded.
“It’s something you won’t lose by believing. Thank you.”
* * *
What I had expected appeared before my eyes. Not content with appearing before my eyes, it was in my arms. There was the scent of perfume that seemed to have been applied long ago. Along with the rose fragrance placed in each luxury train compartment to mask the naphthalene smell of train seats.
I had expected it, and heard about it too. Mecklenburg had warned that the Emperor might bring Adrian Ascanien today. The strategy meeting afterward had been of great help to me, and thanks to that, I could face Adrian with a smile. Smiling when no laughter came, making a smile that seemed more genuine than anything else, was as natural to me as breathing. But….
“Hyung.”
Damn. I cursed inwardly. My voice cracked as I finished speaking. I felt my breath being pressed by the arms tightly squeezing my back, belatedly recognizing my hand wandering around his waist. The Emperor was watching. As if telling us the purpose for which he had summoned us to one place, with a pleased smile. I withdrew the glance I had cast in an instant and placed my hand on his shoulder blade as Adrian did to me, opening my mouth hoping that intended trembling and heightened emotion would be contained in my cracking voice.
“Really… I’m surprised. How did you come?”
“Luca.”
He buried his face in my shoulder and only called my name. The moment moisture touched his voice, revulsion covered my entire body. It wasn’t difficult to know what picture he was aiming for. Due to the awkward embrace causing our center of gravity to shift to an unstable position, I was pushed back a step while pulling Adrian toward me. Mecklenburg stepped aside, moving a chair that had been placed behind us.
“Hyung, what’s wrong?”
While smiling awkwardly as if I didn’t understand, my nerves were now focused elsewhere. The beating sound that resonated from my heart throughout my entire ribcage. And magical power. Adrian’s magical power collided with mine. Perhaps due to having just used warp magic, his unorganized magical power dissolved and disappeared into mine before reaching my core. This was a moment to be grateful that I had already replaced all the countless artifacts hidden under my clothing with items related to magical power control. No. Is it okay to be grateful? It’s not. What did Adrian Ascanien come all this way for, taking three days? For what purpose…. To learn about the changes that occurred in me after the Ash Wednesday ceremony? To personally recreate what Andrea Friedmann had done to me? To directly show that no matter how much I struggled, the public’s love and protection would turn toward him with just his act of being a ‘good brother’? Contrary to my cynicism, a whisper released in a powerless breath pierced deep into my left ear.
“I’m glad.”
“….”
“That I’m not seeing you in a sickbed.”
Adrian Ascanien slowly released his arms and created distance between us. His gaze went to my face, then down to my neck. I kept my eyes appropriately downcast before greeting him.
“How delightful to see you again in Germany, Hyung. But your face looks much more damaged than when I last saw you. Are you alright?”
Adrian Ascanien showed a slight smile and remained silent. The tension had left him, and he had no strength to answer my words. He was acting like that. I too realized I didn’t even have the strength to sneer at his acting, so I wasn’t different from him. Only the fact that it wasn’t acting was different. I put strength in my neck and drew out maximum stability.
“Hyung. My health has now improved incomparably to before. You don’t need to worry….”
“You almost died.”
He slowly raised his gaze from my neck to my eyes and whispered in a dejected voice.
The neck. I know. Just as when Adrian Ascanien had written to me to ‘live for yourself,’ like during Penthalon, this time too it was the neck. The sorrow contained in the voice of one who claimed to be my brother slowly strangled my breathing.
“As you said, you’ve become incomparably stronger than before. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I, as I conveyed in my previous letter, am amazed that you’re still alive until now.”
“I’m sorry for causing you worry. You came all the way to Germany because of me. I’m more than delighted to see you directly, Hyung, but my heart is heavy knowing I caused you concern.”
I felt the back of my neck grow cold as I crafted my response. Adrian Ascanien, despite having a tired face from the long journey to Germany, deliberately created a stern voice. Still with a voice that scattered words in his breath.
“Sorry? It’s not your fault.”
“….”
“Let’s talk in detail a bit later.”
He affectionately patted my shoulder, then turned his gaze toward Mecklenburg.
“Albert.”
“….”
“I’m happy to see you. Seeing you again makes me really feel like I’ve returned to Germany.”
“…Yes, I’m also glad to see you after so long. It’s the first time since the Vice Minister inauguration ceremony, so it’s been about 2 years now.”
It was an unexpected tone. I looked at Mecklenburg at that natural tone. The ‘acting good’ that Mecklenburg did at headquarters wasn’t here. There was no gentle voice or benevolent smile that made him look good-natured. Mecklenburg laughed leisurely with a firm voice. Adrian Ascanien seemed familiar with such a Mecklenburg and answered with a smile.
“You remember.”
“How could I not, when it concerns my one and only friend.”
“I’m honored.”
Adrian Ascanien maintained his smile with a truly moved expression. His shining irises seemed to convey only truth. Anyone who saw his eyes would think the same. Adrian Ascanien now turned his body and offered thanks to the Emperor again.
“Your Majesty, thank you for permitting my return.”
“It’s only natural. You must have been so worried that you seem to have rushed here without being able to breathe.”
“Now that I can meet my younger brother directly, my mind is at ease.”
“That’s fortunate.”
The Emperor wore a satisfied expression, and soon made a proposal that had become inevitable from the moment this meeting was arranged.
“To encourage the Vice Minister who came all this way here with difficulty, the palace chefs have prepared a meal, so let’s go down now.”
* * *
Clatter―
As before, I put food in my mouth while maintaining a peaceful expression. Adrian Ascanien watched me quietly, then smiled. I didn’t look toward Albert Mecklenburg, but he seemed to have turned off his attention to the relationship between us. No, I couldn’t know what he was thinking. It wasn’t time to think about that bastard now. All my nerves were focused on me, the Emperor, and Adrian Ascanien.
“How is the work in the Papal States?”
Between servants taking away plates and bringing out new dishes, the Emperor’s question was heard.
“Recently it’s been peaceful. Due to regional characteristics, security is maintained at a much higher intensity than Italy’s general administrative districts, so enemy infiltration attempts aren’t frequent. When attempts to steal the Papal States’ information and resources occur, the danger is great, but thanks to excellent colleagues, I’ve always been able to complete missions and return.”
When the Emperor nodded with a satisfied expression, Adrian opened his mouth with a gentle smile.
“I’ve heard much news of my younger brother during this time. I’m truly glad that Lucas could enter the Imperial Court and serve loyally for the Empire and Your Majesty.”
“Indeed. Count Lucas Ascanien has become one of the indispensable mages for our Empire. To have two such excellent Ascaniens as loyal subjects, it seems heaven is supporting the Empire and Hohenzollern.”
“For Your Majesty to say such things is truly an honor.”
“Count Lucas Ascanien is also doing much for Anhalt. His performance in taking charge of the Vice Minister’s vacant position is excellent.”
“….”
For a moment, it felt as if the air had stopped. I fixed my gaze on the Emperor at his words. Observing Adrian Ascanien’s expression would be a mistake. There would be no asking which of the two would become Duke Ascanien at this gathering. Ducal title, succession. These two words were taboo at this meeting, and only naturally flowing conversations, expressions, and gazes would become evaluation indicators. I smiled at the Emperor and answered in a gentle voice.
“You’re too kind. I merely always remembered with respect how my brother devoted himself to the welfare of the Empire and Anhalt, and tried to follow his example.”
I now looked at Adrian Ascanien, who was watching me with wide eyes, and created a gentle expression.
“When Hyung returns, I wanted to help Father lay a solid foundation for Anhalt, to repay the grace you’ve shown me all this time. Just as Hyung shaped me into who I am today through good governance, there’s still so much I want to learn from you.”
“To think the day would come when I’d hear such words from you.”
I could see Adrian Ascanien’s cheeks flush with joy. His eyes gleamed quietly under the chandelier light.
The light beat down harshly like a warning signal. A natural-born actor. I could sense it instinctively. That was all. I maintained my smile while feeling a chill run down my spine. His voice flowed smoothly without a single jarring note.
“I merely followed the destiny given to me. It’s your heart that thinks of His Majesty and the people that created today.”
Of course. That’s how he would respond.
Despite my wariness, he wasn’t opening his mouth. Not about the Duchy of Anhalt. About Pleroma. About childhood scandals. About temperament. About blood, about the bitten neck… About the Ash Wednesday ceremony. Whatever he knew—even though this should have been a moment filled with countless subtle implications in our words, no veiled hints were directed at me. Unlike how the Emperor had earlier struck near the heart while avoiding it.
Rather, it was the Emperor again who brought up that topic first. The Emperor, who had been watching, opened his mouth with satisfaction.
“Despite the severe storms, it’s quite moving to see how well you’ve grown.”
The judgment wasn’t difficult.
Adrian Ascanien’s goal would be to act innocent. Right now, at least in this setting, he had no intention of revealing his true nature. Even when the Emperor gave him an opening to speak, he answered with a gentle expression.
“I’m simply grateful to my younger brother for enduring those difficult times.”
That was all.
He stood before a piñata. Waiting for what was inside the piñata to swell.
Until the meal was nearly over, he only talked about politics. Whenever the Emperor brought up the past, he quickly changed the subject. He showered me with praise, and did the same for Albert Mecklenburg.
White wine was served as an after-dinner drink. The Emperor, who had been conversing actively with the three of us throughout, instead brought water to his lips and asked Adrian Ascanien.
“Where do you plan to stay once you return?”
“I plan to stay at my manor in Berlin before returning. I should visit Anhalt once soon, but I don’t intend to live there. The Magic Department has requested my assistance this time, so I need to remain within Prussia.”
“Hmm. A good choice.”
The Emperor replied simply. At those words, Adrian Ascanien smiled slightly and continued.
“And since I plan to stay with my younger brother until his neck heals, I want to remain somewhere it’s easy to call a doctor.”
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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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