How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 404

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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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The observation room was a place you had to climb iron stairs that looked like a ladder to reach. It was made by surrounding some kind of lift-like structure with fences, and whether magic was cast on it, everything around became pitch dark from the moment you stepped on the first step. It remained the same even after pulling the door open. Only the enormous screen floating in the air beyond the fence in the distance served as the sole light source, emitting eye-piercing brightness. Materials with personal information and blank papers were neatly organized on the table. When the door opened, Adrian Ascanien, who had just dipped his quill pen in ink, didn’t even look back as he alternately looked at the screen and paper, rapidly scribbling down evaluations. Only after the door closed and the sound of heels clicking was heard did Adrian Ascanien put down his pen, catch his breath, and turn around.

 

“You came.”

 

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

 

“When it’s just the two of us, speak comfortably, Albert.”

 

Mecklenburg remained silent before quietly answering.

 

“Don’t you know where this place is, Your Excellency?”

 

It was irritating. Due to the mage population being extremely smaller than the non-mage population, mages had no choice but to hold multiple positions. This was even more so in the field of combat magic. Mecklenburg had never been dissatisfied with this system throughout his life—partly because he himself was a beneficiary of such a system—but now, facing the 89th Imperial Mage Union member who was also Vice Minister of Magic and Prussian Army Major, even though two of these were now synonymous, he couldn’t feel comfortable as a 98th Unit member.

 

Adrian Ascanien looked a bit surprised at his old friend’s stiff response, then made an understanding, gentle face. Then he turned his eyes to the screen where there was a ‘Mecklenburg’ completely unlike Albert Mecklenburg. Adrian Ascanien’s expression remained soft, but determination settled in his features.

 

“Before we talk, Count Betin’s rude words—”

 

“There’s no need to apologize on his behalf.”

 

Adrian Ascanien silently looked at Mecklenburg. Oh no. Mecklenburg bit the inside of his lips and lowered his eyes. Adrian didn’t get angry, annoyed, or think poorly of his old friend’s rude attitude, and rather remained silent considering his friend’s feelings, but Mecklenburg was burning inside. The one who didn’t know where this place was, was Mecklenburg himself.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Truly magnificent skill.”

 

Adrian Ascanien turned around as if nothing had happened and spoke while brushing the evaluation sheet with his hand. He must be talking about Lucas Ascanien, Mecklenburg thought as he alternately looked at himself in disheveled condition rampaging on screen and Ulrike Kleist who remained neat according to the initial mimesis settings. Blood was currently dripping from the second Ascanien’s forearm to his sword-holding hand and elbow after being cut, but Adrian Ascanien still evaluated that skill favorably. Of course, since he was probably using strategy, there was no reason not to evaluate it favorably.

 

Adrian Ascanien now turned around, sat on the edge of the table, and observed Mecklenburg’s expression as he stood by the door. Mecklenburg knew that unavoidable guilt was showing in his eyes due to the fact that personal matters had mixed with official business, so he avoided eye contact. He knew he didn’t need to have such feelings, but when it came to power, the consistent thoughts that naturally arose brought nauseating disgust. As if the atmosphere had relaxed a bit, Adrian Ascanien picked up a crystal glass beside him, gently swirled the cherry-colored brandy, and smiled.

 

“I was going to talk about my younger brother, not Lucas Ascanien, 101st Deputy Captain, so honorifics seem a bit inappropriate…”

 

“I’m next in line. Can’t I go back now to prepare for the next training?”

 

“It would be good to watch until the end before leaving.”

 

Adrian Ascanien gestured for Mecklenburg to come closer, and perhaps noticing that his friend was tense, he handed over the brandy glass. A single word saying he wouldn’t drink would obviously get a response saying that was fine, but at least in this meeting that wasn’t as friends, his mouth wouldn’t open. Even he couldn’t tolerate himself being so rigid in his own opinion. Mecklenburg took a sip of it. The brandy seemed to warm his stomach and raise his body temperature slightly, while simultaneously making him nauseous. Adrian Ascanien probably didn’t drink uncleanly, but still.

 

Adrian Ascanien looked at the screen with reminiscent eyes. After staying like that for a while, just when Mecklenburg was wondering if he should ask what he was called for, he opened his mouth.

 

“My younger brother didn’t have the opportunity to live as freely as he does today. Because of the disgraceful rumor that he could absorb others’ magic power like the 1st generation Pleroma.”

 

“It was a false rumor. The treatment was perfect.”

 

“You don’t know how happy I am.”

 

“…”

 

“That my younger brother has not only become a healthy member of this society but is showing such excellent skills… I still can’t believe it. Even though he’s right there before my eyes.”

 

Certainly inappropriate. Having a conversation about family here. Mecklenburg stared at the screen, waiting for Adrian’s words to continue.

 

“Those who like to gossip say a curse has fallen on Anhalt.”

 

“…”

 

“How absurd that statement is. The curse clinging to our family is not Lucas Ascanien’s temperament. The atmosphere of this world that cannot accept and rejects that child, only that is the curse given to us. I believe Count Mecklenburg knows well that my top priority during my teenage years was my younger brother’s happiness.”

 

“…”

 

“As you know, I don’t have time to conduct individual interviews. I also don’t have time to convey thanks separately. So please forgive me for expressing gratitude in such a setting. Before that—”

 

You have to have strategy meetings with the higher-ups instead of playing with us small fry, so naturally you wouldn’t have time. Mecklenburg deliberately tried to erase the thought by being sarcastic as he swallowed. His throat was bitter. The question he had expected from the time he was called was right in front of him.

 

“Have you ever taught magic to Lucas Ascanien?”

 

Mecklenburg’s breath caught. Before Adrian Ascanien, who always wore an incomprehensible gentle smile, Mecklenburg’s eyes sharpened.

 

What made you think that. An empty, pointless question lingered on the tip of his tongue.

 

No, what was the definition of ‘thinking that’? Adrian Ascanien hadn’t just claimed that the proposition that Mecklenburg taught Lucas Ascanien was true. His long intuition as a friend was telling him. This wasn’t proof that he had been fooled by Lucas Ascanien’s schemes like others. He was just asking ‘have you taught him’. He shouldn’t act hastily.

 

“What if I have?”

 

At those words, Adrian slightly raised his eyebrows. Mecklenburg knew the reason. He had gone unnecessarily aggressive.

 

Soon Adrian Ascanien smiled with the same refreshing smile as in his school days, rolled up his shirt sleeves that had come down a bit, and sat on the edge of the table. Looking at Mecklenburg who was looking down at him with his hands behind his back, he opened his mouth.

 

“I’m saying this because my younger brother isn’t here.”

 

“…”

 

What was he going to say? Mecklenburg looked down at his friend who, unlike himself, flexibly crossed between official and personal matters even at this moment—while never being blamed by anyone but rather regarded as a person of good reputation—and clenched his hands behind his back. I don’t think you’ll tell a friend what you hide from your younger brother. Nevertheless, now that he knew Nicolaus Ernst’s identity, whatever came from Adrian Ascanien’s mouth was important.

 

“Will you be on my younger brother’s side no matter what happens?”

 

“…”

 

“Albert.”

 

His energy completely drained. Adrian Ascanien’s eyes, holding the screen’s light beneath his irises, were drawing Mecklenburg into the abyss with their characteristic winter sea-like tranquility. What remained in those eyes was no different from the purity felt when looking at Christ’s cross hanging on the confessional wall. A strange, silent voice spread transparently through the air.

 

“The world is noisy over the succession issue. The pens of the press and the sword points of our generation are all directed at me and my younger brother.”

 

“…”

 

“Can you help my younger brother, who has just begun to face the world, not to collapse under society’s turmoil?”

 

All sounds seemed to echo. ‘Unlike people like you and me who had to face the entire nation from childhood. Lucas…’, Adrian continued speaking, but it sounded distant as if submerged in water.

 

“—As a newly appeared face, he can be politically used by anyone, and the happiness he has just achieved can disappear like a midsummer night’s dream. This isn’t about being nice to a junior as a senior. I want to create a trustworthy adult for my younger brother, even if I leave Germany soon.”

 

Mecklenburg froze and couldn’t say anything. Adrian Ascanien also didn’t look at him. The two looked in different directions and remained silent in the noisy stillness. Adrian was the first to speak.

 

“This is something I’ve never told you.”

 

“…”

 

“Our father can’t be on Lucas’s side either. Though that child doesn’t tell me everything, I can fully sense how the situations he faces unfold.”

 

“You’re asking me to…”

 

“I’m not asking you to become his godfather, haha.”

 

I know! Is this the time for jokes? He knew that laugh was a bitter one, but anyway, Mecklenburg clenched his molars and furrowed his brow in difficulty.

 

“…I’m not the right person. I don’t understand why you’re making such a request to me. I’m…”

 

Was he hoping to extract information about Lucas Ascanien this way? Mecklenburg prided himself on no longer being at an age to be helplessly fooled by Adrian Ascanien’s pretenses. He already knew well his artifice in dealing with adults, friends, and seniors and juniors. Because the time he hadn’t spent with Adrian Ascanien was shorter. But if the other party was family, indeed…

 

Confusion dominated his mind.

 

He had called Mecklenburg here but didn’t interrogate him about Lucas Ascanien or subtly conduct leading questioning to get the information he wanted. Why?

 

Conversely, what about the possibility that Lucas Ascanien was someone with misguided ambitions? Even so, he couldn’t agree with the public opinion that Adrian Ascanien was the sage of this turbulent era. The fact that Nicolaus Ernst was a hero who had saved millions of lives remained unchanged. But what about the possibility that he himself was carrying out a scheme whose purpose he didn’t know, caught between the crazy brothers? The thought crossed his mind that this might be the possibility Lucas Ascanien had been wary of, but the confusion didn’t fade.

 

“I know. You rarely write me letters and are always blunt, treating me coldly even now. Even if I ask you to tell me about Lucas, you as the 98th Unit representative are too busy to do so. But…”

 

Adrian Ascanien’s bright hair flowed down to his forehead as he slightly lowered his head and laughed. The more free-spirited appearance reminded him of their school days. All his words and appearance brought self-destructive disillusionment to Mecklenburg. He couldn’t tell if his request was sincere and had no desire to think it was, but if it was sincere, then Mecklenburg himself would once again remain alone in the position of the worst friend. That made both of them standing here sick of it. Always. Adrian Ascanien raised his head straight to look at Mecklenburg and continued his unfinished words.

 

“I know that in some ways, you’re more affectionate and reliable than anyone.”

 

Mecklenburg looked at his irreplaceable friend and slightly pulled up the corners of his mouth.

 

Crash—

 

The sound of someone being strangled came from the screen, followed by a countdown. Adrian Ascanien didn’t hear the noise from behind as if only two people remained in the world at this moment. His gaze was directed only at Mecklenburg’s eyes.

 

“Can you promise me, Albert? To be on my younger brother’s side no matter what happens.”

 

* * *

 

2 minutes ago.

 

‘Ah, damn, running out of stamina.’

 

Nepomucena Betin was charging at me while wearing Mecklenburg’s face. Meanwhile, judging by the visible condition of my arms and the facial structure I briefly touched to confirm, I had clearly become Ulrike.

 

‘But…’

 

As expected.

 

A skilled person isn’t skilled for nothing. The captain position of Team 98C wasn’t given for nothing, and his coveting of representative Mecklenburg’s position or trying to bring him down wasn’t born from baseless pride either. If it had been some ordinary small fry, I would have thrown them down and gotten them out in one minute, but this time that was impossible. Rather, looking at experience alone, I was at a level where I should be immediately out.

 

‘Haha…’

 

It’s amazing just to be evenly matched. I should always be like this, but to not immediately fall when facing 20 years of experience, I should give thanks to our Bavaria master instructor.

 

Clang—

 

I parried Betin’s sword as he moved behind me in the blink of an eye and muttered.

 

“Senior, you’re bleeding.”

 

Slash— Bang!

 

“I know.”

 

Betin, who had retreated far away, treated the nosebleed dripping from his chin as if it didn’t exist and grinned with flashing eyes. Such a strange person being part of the Union… I twisted the corners of my mouth and aimed for a chance to change my sword to a staff, but I had to parry again this time. Betin’s heavy sword seemed to strike down from above. Just as I was about to push it aside, that sword was suddenly striking up from below.

 

Clang—! Zing—

 

My wrist stung. Feeling that momentary disruption, Betin’s sword was filled with magic power, and my arm flew into the air. Scrape— I quickly retreated, but blood flowed from the cut temple skin. How many minutes had this exhausting standoff lasted? Now my limbs were trembling. It was fortunate that when I first took the mimesis, Ulrike had neatly swept back her hair and fixed it perfectly, so my vision wasn’t obstructed and I could respond quickly.

 

However, this was just repetition. To avoid taking the weight, I had no choice but to keep deflecting and retreating. The weight itself carried by the sword was on a different dimension, and since advancing was difficult due to swordsmanship skill issues making it impossible to strike weak points, and above all, my sword was made only to fit my physical conditions, not manufactured to withstand excessive weight. Draining my magic so I couldn’t use it was everything. That would be the opponent’s goal.

 

‘Ah, damn. Really…’

 

Betin’s face, who had leaped stepping on air, came right up to me upside down. The arm blocking was numb.

 

It was absurd that Mecklenburg would charge with a sword while smiling like that. He was someone who would move with a more serious demeanor than anyone. Above all, he wasn’t someone who would insist on swords like this.

 

‘The staff…’

 

The noise of clashing swords was loud. My head was dizzy. I needed time to use the staff, but it wasn’t time to worry about the staff when there was a bigger problem in front of me.

 

Suppressing the pulsing that followed from the smell of blood required much strength from me. He must not sense this. Copying Mecklenburg, suppressing my ‘nature’, and parrying attacks. My strength was divided in three directions.

 

“This is a bit…”

 

Betin’s arm struck again. The effort to drain my energy was tearfully repeated. However.

 

“…!”

 

This time there was no sword. I didn’t lose my center of gravity, but in the 0.1 second it took to respond, Betin’s magic power wrapped around my shin.

 

Crash—!

 

My head hit the ground and rang. Weight began to press on my neck.

 

“It feels like you’re not giving your best effort—do you think I’m a joke?”

 

[10.]

 

“Or are you giving your best but heading in the wrong direction? You’re not a novice, are you, junior?”

 

“Gack…!”

 

Betin strangled my throat while crushing my thigh with his knee. Due to Betin’s mana and grip strength pressing into my neck, I couldn’t release the pain transmitted to my leg muscles. It felt like my muscles would tear. The fortunate thing was that since his center of gravity shifted forward while strangling me, if I truly intended to attack, regardless of the pain, his legs were nothing but a feint.

 

[9.]

 

“Haha, no, why are you giving me ten chances? When I have your head pressed to the floor like this?”

 

It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your statutes. As he said, I couldn’t waste this opportunity, so I drew my remaining breath to cast a spell while taking in Betin’s appearance. With Mecklenburg’s face, he wasn’t keeping his eyes clearly open like Mecklenburg would, but instead kept his eyelids half-closed while grinning during ‘combat.’ His hair, which had been pulled down to default settings whenever things didn’t go well, had been tugged until it fell over his forehead, and amber eyes glinted between the strands. He was doing everything the teachers told us not to do, which was impressive, but let me think. What does that signify?

 

[8.]

 

The answer was simple, but unfortunately, Nepomucena Betin had just personally proven that he could fight well no matter what covered his eyes. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. At this point, call him the supreme authority on magical neutralization. Everything was blocked—magic wouldn’t work.

 

“Cough…”

 

Tears from the pressure interfered with my vision. Nevertheless, my gaze moved further downward. His training uniform turtleneck was properly fitted to his body, and there was no tie originally. The belt that crossed his waist and shoulders to secure the double jacket tightly to his body and the holster on his right leg had long been removed for mobility. Betin smiled as he followed my gaze.

 

“What are you staring at so intently?”

 

“Ggh…”

 

[4.]

 

His thumb pressed firmly against the pulse below my jawbone, and mana seeped in. The mana traveled up my throat, tearing through my own mana as it penetrated. The multitude of nations that fight against Ariel, all who fight against Ariel and her fortress and distress her—. I could see blood vessels turning red in Betin’s eyes. His nosebleed dripped onto my face. —will be like a dream, like a vision in the night. Now, what could I utilize here… from that outward appearance that would have made Leo declare he’d fix my mind first if I had sparred with him in this state.

 

A grateful circumstance. Thanks to not managing my condition at all…

 

[2.]

 

Crack—

 

[Be strong and courageous.]

 

I had found something to utilize beyond magic.

 

Whoosh— CRASH—!

 

I grabbed Betin’s loose training jacket and twisted it firmly in my grip, then pushed all my strength into my waist pressed against the floor and the legs extending from it. The moment my mana exploded, the weight on my legs disappeared and someone flew far away.

 

Beep— Swoosh—

 

Right after the kind notification sound indicating the countdown would be nullified, the moment I stood on both legs on the ground, Nepomucena Betin, who had flown far away while lowering his body, twisted up one corner of his mouth and drew in a sharp breath. Panicked, crazed laughter—or perhaps a voice that seemed rather delighted—could be heard.

 

“Ah… aha, well this is…”

 

Blood that burst forth from his mouth, which curved upward in an arc, stained the floor. The wand Betin had been holding transformed once again into a blade with a gleaming edge, but now wasn’t the time to respond. CRASH— The sound of kicking off the ground. Before the rushing wind, I smiled and spun my wand between my fingers, transforming it into a staff and striking the floor.

 

[There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.]

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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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