How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 401

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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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This is not the time to remain at the mansion. Is there any reason I should wait until my throat heals?

 

‘Though it seems I won’t be able to go to the Papal States for a while…’

 

Going outside, that alone is enough. Several minutes have passed since I drank the wine, but drowsiness doesn’t come. I only touched it to my lips just enough not to arouse suspicion. The bitter grape wine went down my throat.

 

“It’s delicious.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

Adrian Ascanien rested his arm on the armrest, propped his chin, and spoke quietly.

 

“It’s alcohol I occasionally drink when in the Papal States. Just enough not to get drunk.”

 

“I see.”

 

He blinked in response, and after that, only silence remained.

 

“I didn’t expect Hyung to say such things to me.”

 

That he had to give up innocence for his love. That he had to abandon purity to remain pure. It’s a confession I cannot help but understand. He became more sincere as he brought up emotions that everyone has experienced at least once, thoughts that no one speaks of but buries deep in a corner of their heart. I watched him quietly, and Adrian Ascanien was also looking at me. For his sake, I put on a tense expression.

 

“I want to go out and spend time with Hyung.”

 

“…”

 

Adrian Ascanien’s eyes widened greatly.

 

If you’re going to reach for my heart to assert your innocence, then I shall do the same. Though I don’t believe such an attempt of mine will succeed.

 

“Haven’t I been at home my whole life? Not inside the house, but outside—I want to have new experiences with Hyung.”

 

I smiled at Adrian Ascanien and continued speaking.

 

“Since I’m healthy now.”

 

Adrian Ascanien’s face contained multiple emotions simultaneously in that instant. His irises trembling finely, his lips parting slightly, the muscles near his Adam’s apple pulling upward… it called up memories of the tiresome acting I’d done my whole life. What would it have been like if I’d met him in the 21st century? Not as 18 and 25, but as originally intended, with just a year or two age difference. In reality, I’ve fallen into a completely unknown body and don’t even know what happened to my original life where my true self and lifetime had melted together. Ironically, while Adrian Ascanien is the eternal nemesis of this body, he made the me inside think of the outside of this insane world.

 

“I’d like you to rest absolutely until you’re completely healed, Luca.”

 

He expressed his joy and wonder through his expression before giving a rational answer. Even while doing so, his expression was flushed with ‘hearing such words for the first time from his sick younger brother.’

 

“I won’t invite anyone either, so I hope you’ll just rest well for a few days. When you’re fully recovered, then let’s spend time together outside. That will happen soon.”

 

It sounds like a suggestion but isn’t one. If I say I’m fine and want to go outside, he’ll ask what I want to do, and fumbling without an answer, avoiding with other topics, making roundabout excuses—all of that would give him good information. Though I wouldn’t fumble or avoid in the first place, that’s beside the point. When every word must be careful, I shouldn’t have conversations that give important information in front of him.

 

“Is there anything you’re curious about?”

 

“…”

 

“I occasionally hear information from the Papal States. If there’s something you’re curious about, I wonder if I could resolve it for you.”

 

I called to him, lowered my eyes, and fell into thought. The question I should ask isn’t predetermined. From the most intimate to the completely unimportant, tens of thousands of possibilities float around. However, the question that allows me to maintain a reserved attitude like now is already decided. I took a sip of alcohol and spoke quietly to Adrian Ascanien, who was looking at his own glass.

 

“I’m curious about methods to discover Pleroma’s bases.”

 

* * *

 

It was a mood-killing remark, and naturally I have no regrets.

 

Adrian Ascanien tried hard to tell me many things. When I entered my room, I saw the warmed bath water and stood silently before it. There are no traces of magic.

 

‘This reminds me of Narke.’

 

I don’t know what kind of debt Narke felt toward me then. No, even if I knew, I’d rather not know. I slowly looked around to check if there were any objects containing magic. Since checking for surveillance was tiresome and I didn’t particularly want to bathe—I wanted to sleep for about 777 hours—I put my feet in the water while still clothed and slid diagonally underwater just like that. The bathroom light I’d left on spread and rippled beneath the surface.

 

‘Water…’

 

It shouldn’t touch. Though I was worsening the wound when I should hope for my throat to heal even a day sooner, it was still okay. Because I have a plan. Since Plan A was expected to be rejected, now it’s Plan B’s turn.

 

Crash—

 

I moved my foot to strike the bottom of the bathtub and closed my eyes.

 

I’d already removed the earring and put it in my pocket. I could put the earring back on while waiting for a response after hitting Leo’s core, but it’s dangerous. I simultaneously clenched my fist tightly and crushed my magic powers that would be somewhere in this world. Yes, magic powers—plural. I also hit Mecklenburg’s core. Now Leo will try to contact Narke, and Mecklenburg will plan my escape as discussed beforehand. Together with Narke.

 

Contrary to my wish to just sleep, the next morning I woke up about 30 minutes before the servant who came to wake me. I was itching to get outside as soon as possible. I’d done all my preparations, and now all that remained was for the suspect to lend me a hand. The servant entered the room with a water glass and a letter and stood beside me.

 

“Good morning. Did you sleep comfortably?”

 

“Yes.”

 

I replied roughly with a hoarse voice and set down the water he handed me nearby. The servant paid no mind and held out the letter to me.

 

“This is a letter that came for you, sir.”

 

“For me? To this address…?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The servant handed me the letter and tried to turn and leave. I asked him a question.

 

“Hyung didn’t open it?”

 

At those words, the servant turned around with a puzzled expression and answered.

 

“…That’s right. It belongs to the younger master, so it wouldn’t be right for Adrian Ascanien to check the letter.”

 

“…”

 

I slowly nodded.

 

“You’re right. I just woke up and I’m not thinking clearly.”

 

“Please rest more, and call if you need anything.”

 

“I’ll go down to the kitchen now.”

 

“Ah, meal preparation…”

 

“I’ll just have soup.”

 

I left the room sluggishly with the letter. Adrian Ascanien, wearing his uniform as if going to work at the Ministry of Magic even during vacation, was coming out of the study on the lower floor with his bag. When he saw me, he smiled with crinkled eyes and waved his hand.

 

“Luca. Good morning.”

 

“Yes, Hyung. Good morning.”

 

Didn’t he say he’d stay with me sometime? Well, yeah. He mentioned in a letter that he might not be able to stay long. I walked toward the kitchen. Then I heard a bell sound from the lobby.

 

Ring—

 

Someone is at the front gate outside the garden. The servant glanced at Adrian Ascanien and me before going outside. Then he quickly returned with a troubled expression.

 

“Master, someone from the Ministry of Defense is here.”

 

“For what reason?”

 

“When I asked, they said they’d like to see you briefly.”

 

“Hmm… Tell them to come in.”

 

Adrian Ascanien still had a calm expression. When I entered the kitchen, a servant who was helping with cooking approached me quickly with a surprised face. I gestured to him that I didn’t need service and drank a cup of lemon juice instead of soup for breakfast.

 

Creak—

 

[Good day, Vice Minister Adrian Ascanien. It’s an honor to meet you.]

 

[What brings you here?]

 

The conversation between a stranger and Adrian Ascanien can be heard faintly. I downed the juice in one gulp and went out to the lobby. At some point the corridor became quiet, and only my footsteps echoed on the ground floor.

 

The blue dawn sunlight was streaming directly into the lobby. Spring breeze rushed in through the wide-open door and brushed against my collar. Adrian Ascanien and the servant, who were making troubled expressions, and two Human civil servants I’d never seen before looked at me with calm faces. They looked at me and spoke in solemn voices.

 

“Lucas Ascanien, you’ll need to come with us.”

 

I had to suppress the smile that was about to form on my lips.

 

* * *

 

Adrian Ascanien isn’t someone who would just let me go when Ministry of Defense staff say to come with them. He’ll definitely ask why they’re trying to take me. Even if it were someone else, it would be the same, but unlike others, Adrian Ascanien would try not to send me away for just any reason, and the only difference is that he has the power to do so.

 

So what should have been done?

 

“Phew…”

 

The dawn air is cold. To think the day would come when this feels so sweet—truly, you must fight fire with fire and beat problems with problems. Something’s strange but it can’t be helped. My head isn’t working. I’ve been in a prone position for an hour now.

 

‘Esper stamina…’

 

Amazing. Are they even human? I’m going crazy though. My shirt collar is damp with sweat. After breathing through my mouth for a while because I was short of breath, my tongue became parched.

 

“How should we 98th Unit accept one of our peers refusing to handle a Rampage because his friend is in the hospital?”

 

Mecklenburg’s worried voice mixed with sighs can be heard from far away. Memories from early March resurface. With his annoying hair neatly swept back just enough not to violate regulations, and with an equally neat voice, and likewise displaying properly conventional concern on his expression, he asked me whether I would shoot the Rampage or not. Instead, the boots of the 98th A vice-captain, who acts as the action leader, moved sideways in front of my eyes.

 

“Stand up.”

 

I cursed inwardly, grateful that I could now send the blood that had rushed to my face down to my legs, and stood up. The sweat that had formed on my chin flowed down to my neck. I thought about just wiping it off and getting scolded, but I decided not to create trouble in front of Mecklenburg, who bites into every trivial matter. The vice-captain raised his hand and pointed at Ulrike.

 

“Ulrike Kleist.”

 

“…”

 

“Please answer.”

 

I glanced sideways at my friends standing in a line next to me. Despite all receiving collective punishment, their faces didn’t look particularly wronged.

 

I felt the same way. I never knew I could miss the ground of headquarters this much.

 

That’s right.

 

You must beat problems with problems. If I can’t go out, I just need to make it so I can go out. The real problem was that we had no grounds for disciplinary action, but fortunately, problems can be created. I was summoned to headquarters from dawn today for ‘Ulrike’s refusal to handle Rampage.’

 

Naturally, it’s a fabricated problem. Everyone heard the news from Narke and coordinated their stories. Ulrike probably doesn’t know that I have one-sided animosity toward my brother, so I don’t understand how this operation is unfolding around him.

 

“Count Kleist.”

 

98th A Vice-Captain Erich Reichenau slowly approached and stood in front of Ulrike. Then, I saw someone’s silhouette approaching from far away.

 

“Bringing an injured person to punish them.”

 

Bang!

 

Along with the voice came the sound of heels striking the ground. Mecklenburg stood up from his seat, saluted, and stood at attention. In contrast, Adrian Ascanien’s footsteps weren’t rigid, didn’t take the same actions as him, and were rather leisurely as if strolling through his own mansion. He looked toward me with a gentle smile and raised the corners of his mouth a bit more as if to reassure me.

 

“…”

 

The 98th A vice-captain, who turned around a beat late, saluted in the same manner. Several banging sounds followed. Our 101st Unit also saluted Adrian Ascanien in the same way. Mecklenburg, with none of the gentle voice he showed when acting nice to his juniors, produced a disciplined voice.

 

“What brings you here, Your Excellency.”

 

I unconsciously bit the inside of my lips. Good. With that one sentence, I understood a little why Mecklenburg disliked me so much.

 

“I was handling urgent business on my way. I saw with my own eyes that the 101st Unit, who should be recuperating, was summoned to headquarters for disciplinary action before reporting to the Ministry of Magic.”

 

“This is a restricted area for authorized personnel only. Do you have a permit?”

 

“Ah, haha.”

 

Adrian Ascanien burst into clear laughter. He seemed slightly surprised, and there appeared to be no intention to ignore or mock his counterpart. Mecklenburg’s question wasn’t wrong. Even as a grand senior of the Imperial Mage Alliance, Adrian Ascanien wasn’t part of headquarters personnel, so he couldn’t enter this place. However, he had somehow passed through the main gate and barriers to get here, and more fundamentally, he was the current Vice Minister of the Ministry of Magic. What did that mean.

 

The sound of paper being taken out could be heard. Adrian Ascanien answered calmly.

 

“I received temporary entry permission. I also have documents to deliver.”

 

“…”

 

This meant he could obtain such permits anytime. Since he was at the Ministry of Magic. Even without bearing the name of Ministry of Defense or Defense Department, the Ministry of Magic was already sharing half of that role. Mecklenburg returned it to Adrian Ascanien and spoke in a cold voice.

 

“Your Excellency has no authority regarding the disciplinary action of 101st Unit’s Lucas Ascanien and his resulting return.”

 

“Of course. Since the direct seniors of the 101st Unit within headquarters are the 98th Unit, I have no intention of interfering with the 98th Unit’s autonomy.”

 

“…”

 

“However, I would like to hear why such methods are being used.”

 

Adrian Ascanien looked around at us. He surveyed our disheveled appearance and looked back at Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg stared at me with emotionless eyes and said to Adrian Ascanien.

 

“Our 98th Unit uses only very moderate methods for education.”

 

“It certainly appears so.”

 

Adrian Ascanien slowly expressed his thoughts in a firm yet gentle voice.

 

“The 98th Unit’s response is correct. The 101st Unit’s refusal to handle rampagers should rightfully be reprimanded. However, didn’t an accident occur just 4 days ago where two members of the 101st Unit suffered serious injuries? All members are bearing psychological burdens due to the accident. Given the timing, I find myself thinking whether interviews might have been used instead.”

 

For a moment, though it quickly returned to indifference, I could see weariness flash through Mecklenburg’s eyes. He only looked at Adrian Ascanien without opening his mouth. I knew well when such expressions appeared. He had much he wanted to say right now but was deliberately keeping it all inside. Soon Mecklenburg answered coolly and leisurely with a face showing no displeasure.

 

“Is that what Your Excellency thinks. I understand.”

 

Understood, that was all. Deputy Captain Erich Reichenau, reading the atmosphere between the two, blurted out.

 

“Thank you. We will take note along with the Captain, Your Excellency Vice Minister.”

 

For the first time, I wanted to offer comfort to Mecklenburg. All three of them were probably friends in private, but he’d had a hard time with one tactless person mixed in. Erich Reichenau glanced at Mecklenburg then shouted toward us.

 

“Dismissed!”

 

My friends saluted once more. Mecklenburg led the 98th Division A into the building. Adrian Ascanien approached me. He made eye contact with each of my friends as he spoke.

 

“Nice to meet you all. I wasn’t able to meet you when the 101st Unit was launched.”

 

“Yes…! It’s an honor, Your Excellency.”

 

Ulrike’s eyes lit up as she greeted him, then remembering her earlier concept, she finished speaking with extreme propriety. Judging by her initial reaction, he indeed hadn’t heard about my family circumstances. Adrian Ascanien smiled at Ulrike and asked about her mother’s well-being.

 

“Count Ulrike Kleist. How is General Kleist doing?”

 

“Yes, she is well. Thanks to His Majesty’s grace.”

 

“That’s fortunate.”

 

Adrian Ascanien answered with a smile, checked his watch as if pressed for time, and gestured to me.

 

“Well then, Count Ascanien. Let’s go back.”

 

“…”

 

So he really did come to get me. It was natural. If he had prevented the 98th Unit’s jurisdiction from the beginning—if he hadn’t sent me to them—while not impossible with his position, it wouldn’t have been courteous to the 98th Unit, so he sent me to them, handled his own business, then came directly to the scene to stop the 98th Unit. It was his way.

 

If not for the conversation we had last night, I would have opened my mouth today saying ‘I don’t need to recuperate, didn’t you just see me endure that?’ That had been my original plan. But not now. I was willing to deliver appropriate lines on the stage he had chosen.

 

“No. I’m grateful for Your Excellency’s consideration, but I hear there’s a headquarters meeting scheduled shortly. Please allow me to return after fulfilling my assigned responsibilities.”

 

“…”

 

Adrian Ascanien raised his eyebrows slightly, then smiled and spoke calmly.

 

“Let me see for a moment.”

 

Elias and Ulrike’s gazes reached me. There was no reason to refuse. The beginning is difficult, but not the end, since we were almost there.

 

“Yes.”

 

* * *

 

My friends went into the building first, and Adrian Ascanien and I moved to the back of the building.

 

“Are you feeling alright? Your face is red.”

 

Adrian Ascanien showed no great emotional disturbance, maintaining a face like calm waters from when I was dragged out by the civil servants until now.

 

“It’s just blood rushing to my face, so it’ll return to normal with time, hyung.”

 

Adrian Ascanien slowly nodded.

 

“Your stamina has improved a lot. To endure that training.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Certainly, if it had been Luca, he would have collapsed out of breath in the first minute. Even as an Esper. The weight I’d gained through gritted teeth during that time was double digits, so there was no way an Esper body couldn’t endure it.

 

Adrian Ascanien lowered his eyes in thought and opened his mouth.

 

“Please allow me to return after fulfilling my responsibilities.”

 

“…”

 

“What wonderful words. I can’t help but think of what you said last night.”

 

“Will you permit it?”

 

“Those words mean you want permission to return to headquarters.”

 

Adrian Ascanien looked at me. Only the sound of wind remained between us. After exchanging gazes for a while, he smiled brightly.

 

“I often forget that my younger brother has grown this much. In my eyes, you still look like a child. It would be a lie to say I don’t want to keep you home until you recover, but it would also be a lie to say I wasn’t moved by seeing you act with such deep passion and sense of responsibility.”

 

His quiet smile contained satisfaction. He answered with a face tinged with gentle joy.

 

“Do as you wish. That would be happiness for you.”

 

* * *

 

Mecklenburg was calmer than usual. Whether that calmness stemmed from anger, fatigue, shame, or perhaps it was just the basic calmness that settled when Adrian Ascanien was present—even without the presence of Adrian Ascanien’s younger brother and junior Ascanien (that detestable guy)—I couldn’t tell.

 

Following him up to the upper floor of the building, I cast a sound-blocking spell as soon as the door behind us closed and spoke.

 

“I’m sorry, Senior. It seems my escape plan somehow brought up unpleasant memories for you.”

 

“It’s fine. It’s not your fault.”

 

Mecklenburg continued speaking while looking elsewhere, not at me.

 

“More than that, you really do look exactly alike.”

 

“We’re not that identical.”

 

“No.”

 

“…”

 

Having this conversation reminded me of standing before high school student Mecklenburg in the extra chapter after changing colors. Back then he showed obvious signs of disliking me, so I thought he’d be the same with Adrian Ascanien, but there seemed to be a difference that a ‘real human’ provided. From yesterday until today, he hadn’t shown a intimidated attitude toward Adrian Ascanien. He hadn’t acted irritably either, just remained calm.

 

Creak—

 

“…”

 

Moving to the meeting room I’d been told about in advance, I found an empty seat in the meeting room packed with familiar faces. Only silence lingered.

 

The headquarters meeting was truth, not lies. To be precise, it was a follow-up meeting involving only the 101st Unit friends and the 98th Division A Captain, Mecklenburg. I clasped my hands together, interlocking my fingers, and opened my mouth.

 

“Why is everyone so quiet?”

 

“Luca!”

 

Elias, who was sitting next to me, suddenly stood up and hugged my neck.

 

“Escape successful~ Oh yeah.”

 

Elias shouted loudly right next to me. Narke had a slightly worried face, yet also a relieved face as she smiled, and Leo sitting next to her just watched me intently without saying much. Cheringen observed Elias, who was hugging me tight enough to break my neck, with interest. Contrary to my thoughts, Mecklenburg held out a booklet with no particular expression.

 

“Read this. It’s yesterday’s meeting minutes.”

 

Meeting regarding Ishmailov and the Pleroma leadership negotiation team.

 

After the negotiations, they held a meeting to anticipate Pleroma’s movements. I couldn’t participate, and only representatives from the 91st, 98th, and 101st Units attended. Mecklenburg opened his mouth.

 

“Externally, they know there was a negotiation meeting with Pleroma. However, they don’t know about Ishmailov’s existence. Among the dozen or so negotiation items, only that was intentionally excluded. It’s not written in any documents.”

 

That ‘externally’ referred to Adrian Ascanien. Including him and other administrative officials. Anyway, if discovered, the repercussions would be significant, so there was no choice but to not make it readable to everyone.

 

“I’ll summarize quickly. This was a meeting between government ministers yesterday evening. After negotiations with Pleroma, nationwide rampage incidents dropped by 63.1%. The remaining rampages appear to be cases beyond Pleroma leadership’s control, or rampages from drugs that cannot be recovered. For example, spreading tons of rampage drugs on a riverbed. It’s not the main point, but since 70% of nationwide rampages occur in Berlin alone, there was talk of investigating around water sources. About a hundred magical scholars returned alive to the Empire, and we also returned 50 civilians each from Munich-Freising and Brandenburg.”

 

Mecklenburg recited up to that point quickly and closed the booklet. Ulrike was rolling her eyes with an expression wondering why that person was mixed in here, while other friends just gave me brief glances and focused on Mecklenburg’s words. Once this meeting ended, there would be time to talk openly with my friends.

 

‘I should have one last strategy meeting about the Hermetic Society and the holy relic.’

 

Having successfully escaped from being half-confined to the mansion, the holy relic theft incident was also nearing its end. I thought about several things simultaneously and spoke what Mecklenburg was trying to say.

 

“Everything has been smooth so far.”

 

“That’s right. But this isn’t the end.”

 

Mecklenburg glanced at me and continued.

 

“I understand some of you have questions about why Pleroma sent Ishmael Prophet. The government feels the same way.”

 

The government too? How unusual?

 

I exchanged glances with Narke and looked back at Mecklenburg.

 

“The government concluded that the possibility of Pleroma betraying us in the near future cannot be ignored.”

 

Their betrayal of us was already a predetermined future. Since the distance between what we pursue cannot be narrowed. The important thing was ‘near future.’

 

“Therefore, our Special Operations Command will resume anti-Pleroma training starting today.”

 

“….”

 

This isn’t surprising news. He already came to my infirmary and told me about it. What’s more surprising is how the government came up with such an obvious idea of ‘in the near future.’ Mecklenburg looked at his watch and spoke.

 

“Now, in four hours, orders have been issued for all members from the 91st to 101st generations to move to the Grand Assembly Hall. The Chief of Staff will also be participating in this meeting. After that meeting ends, you will all move back to the training ground. We’ll discuss the details of future training then.”

 

The Grand Assembly Hall, huh. What are they planning to announce now? I asked without much thought.

 

“What for?”

 

“I haven’t heard any details about the specific content.”

 

Mecklenburg replied simply with his usual expression, then organized his documents and stood up from his seat.

 

And I think that ‘usual expression’ wasn’t a very good choice.

 

Four hours later, we all arrived at the Grand Assembly Hall, which was no different from an auditorium. Each generation and team was seated there, and we too occupied one spot among those countless seats. The Chief of Staff spent a full hour stretching out the statistics that Mecklenburg had recited earlier, then adjusted his glasses. Sitting in attention for an entire hour made my back ache. Though it was still better than being at Adrian Ascanien’s mansion.

 

The Chief of Staff drank some water and cleared his throat. He began speaking again in his characteristically slow voice, gesturing as he talked.

 

“I believe you have all heard in detail about headquarters resuming anti-Pleroma strategic training. Our headquarters needs more special strategies and mobility. I don’t think anyone would disagree with this view. In that regard, our headquarters has decided to conduct joint training with the Magic Department.”

 

“….”

 

Hmm.

 

I narrowed my eyes at those words and looked toward Narke.

 

In this situation, he should have avoided looking at me, but at that moment Narke was also looking my way with his mouth agape. A chill ran down my spine. The Chief of Staff adjusted his glasses again and spoke in a solemn voice.

 

“Starting today, Adrian Ascanien, representative of the 89th generation of the Royal Mage Association, will oversee the training and strategy of the Special Operations Command.”

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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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