How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 457

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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 place we arrived at was a room of suitable size to be used as a banquet hall. The checkerboard-like floor harmoniously blended with golden pillars, and chandeliers and mirrors reflected light off each other, making the space shimmer softly.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“Congratulations~ Welcome back congratulations~”

Ulrike quickly put a shellac plate into the gramophone on the side table placed in the corner and set off firecrackers. A cheerful song flows. He bowed his arms inward toward the hall like a servant. There’s a cream cake on the small round table in the center. Colorful confetti that Ulrike set off flies overhead. I removed the confetti that had settled near my eyes and muttered to Ulrike, feeling a chill down my spine.

“Welcome back congratulations, Luise. You escaped from there together with me.”

“No. You’re different from me. You and Elias were trapped under the building, but I wasn’t.”

“…”

Does he mean the severity perceived by people is different?

But cake and welcome back congratulations aren’t what’s important right now. I was really grateful for that, but something else was the problem. I looked at the easel and painting tools around the round table and held my head.

“What is this?! The ‘gathering that can’t be revealed yet’ was a painting club? This kind of thing…!”

Ah, no. That won’t do. Painting is not it.

I let out a hollow laugh and turned around. Leo, who was wearing a slightly troubled smile as if he knew he had done wrong too, grabbed my arm.

“Wait just a moment, Lucas.”

“Ah, Lucas! Don’t go. I’ll explain!”

Ulrike grabbed me. Right, I was the one who said I’d go and listen to the explanation, so let me hear it once. When I smiled with half-open eyes, Ulrike spoke rapidly like a machine gun.

“You know what Leo told you before when we were making candy. I was next to you then. You know, right? Anyway, there was talk about a popular painter from the salon coming to give a lecture, and he asked if you wanted to listen too. I wanted to hear that lecture. So I asked Leo if I could listen too.”

“…But why me too? You could listen alone, Luise.”

“Ah, that’s…”

Ulrike licked his lips as if embarrassed. He avoided eye contact and answered with difficulty, frowning.

“Actually, to be really honest, you and Leo just became friends and I was wondering if we could have more sustained interaction… I also wanted to spend more time with you.”

I looked at Leo. Leo avoided eye contact. Ulrike made an effort in his own way, and this bastard was complicit. I only now realized that my friends had come dressed in lighter and more refreshing attire. It was formal wear for painting, but for some reason the colors of the pants and tie were bright. Ulrike aside, I don’t know if Leo came wearing some jacket he got somewhere, even though he can’t even paint because of his injured arm.

“Ah, and there was another reason we wanted to see that painter’s face. No, this isn’t the right order… We brought you here directly because we thought you wouldn’t listen if we suddenly asked you to paint, but we didn’t know you’d dislike it this much. Sorry, Lucas. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”

Ulrike spat out all his words quickly. I gently pushed him back and gestured for him to calm down.

“I don’t dislike it that much, I’m just unfamiliar because I lack experience. Anyway, what’s the other reason for wanting to see that painter’s face?”

“Well, that person only gives lectures to German and British royalty. Even though I’m German, I’m a nobleman so I probably can’t take classes alone. This is just a rumor, but they don’t accept all one-time invitations sent by royalty and choose like they’re selecting their own disciples, so I thought, huh?”

Hmm?

As expected, there was another reason why Ulrike and Leo didn’t just let it pass. Now I’m getting a bit interested. I tilted my head and asked.

“Why? Choosing, you say. That’s a bit unusual.”

“I don’t know. They say after being invited and having a direct meeting, if they don’t think it’s right, they make excuses about being busy with work and refuse.”

“…”

I stroked my mouth with my hand at those words and was impressed. Their reputation must be ruined, right? Of course it’s ruined, which is why Ulrike picked up such rumors.

It’s unusual. A French painter only teaching German and British royalty? And choosing them directly after seeing them?

Let me point this out. A painter popular in the salon – that means with high probability they’re French. The Salon exhibition was a prestigious French art competition well-known even in the 21st century I lived in, and the status of 19th-century Salon exhibitions was even more impressive than in the 21st century, a fact that was similar in this world’s 19th century too. When talking about Western art of this era, whether positively or negatively, you can’t discuss it without the Salon exhibitions – new painters and new movements are born here. There’s backlash that it’s become too conservative, but nevertheless, the authority of the Salon exhibitions remains formidable.

‘Still, is he really a popular enough painter to be able to choose his students?’

No matter how popular, this doesn’t make sense. Of course, a renowned painter could receive knighthood honors from foreign countries or become an honorary member of academies, but royalty wouldn’t want to ‘learn’ art that desperately. The opportunities themselves would be rare, yet he kicks them away every time they don’t suit his taste?

There’s also a high possibility the rumors got distorted. I don’t want to hastily believe rumors.

But coming out like this, I’m starting to want to participate once. I had plenty of time left before returning to headquarters anyway. Just then, Leo quietly spoke up.

“I can’t draw directly because I injured my arm. I could listen to theory classes though. So I thought it would be good if you, Lucas, as someone from the same ruling family, could learn together with me. Would it be too difficult?”

“No, not really. Just don’t laugh at me. What about Julia?”

“I tried persuading her, but she told me to go with you, Lucas. She said she’d think about it again if that succeeds.”

“…”

It’s obvious what happened… She didn’t refuse because it was boring or she disliked it, but probably stepped out to push the three of us – me, Leo, and Ulrike – together. Or maybe she plotted this knowing my painting skills. Whatever it was, it seems likely she stepped out for enjoyment.

‘If I ask, she’ll probably say she did it to clear up Ulrike’s misunderstanding.’

That would be a good result too. If I directly show spending long periods with Leo, the misunderstanding could gradually be resolved. As I was thinking with a slightly relaxed expression and crossed arms, Ulrike took off my jacket, hung it on a chair, and pushed my back. I was dragged by Ulrike and Leo to the front of the cake.

“Luise, are we eating this now…?”

Thud—

Ulrike scooped up cream with a fork placed nearby and suddenly pressed it against my cheek. I let out a hollow laugh, squeezed my eyes shut, and narrowed my brow.

“Hey, are you joking around? I was trying to ask if we’re eating now. Don’t play around with food.”

“Hahaha! Since you’re the welcome back protagonist…, huh?!”

I snatched the fork that still had cream on it and tapped Ulrike’s nose. Ulrike, who had been off guard, screamed. I sat down, wiped the cream off my cheek with a napkin, and said.

“Now, let me ask this first. Where’s the teacher? Is he coming today? Looking at how you suddenly prepared easels, I guess he’s coming today.”

Leo answered cleanly.

“Right, he’s coming today.”

“Your execution skills are no joke… You said that yesterday afternoon.”

“We didn’t know we’d come this quickly either. At first, that painter sent word that he wanted to stay in Bavaria temporarily, and since he’s such a famous painter, the royal family invited him. That’s when the lecture talk came up. Before we could even discuss the schedule, he said he wanted to meet us today first.”

“And you accepted that?”

“We were going to return to Munich this evening anyway. Even though there are some days left before returning to headquarters, I didn’t want to drag my feet.”

“I see… But that’s not the kind of attitude an ordinary painter would show.”

But it’s also not an attitude you’d expect from a French Heretic. Even now, countless French people who know nothing are coming and going on German soil. If he’s a painter popular in the salon, he’d have connections with the French Imperial Family that operates the salon, but even having contact with the imperial family doesn’t mean we can definitively conclude he’s sharing information with the heretics – Terminus Yukairya. Why do I think this way? If I were on the French Heretic side, I wouldn’t send a spy in such an obviously suspicious manner.

That said, I have no intention of being lax in vigilance, but there’s no need to pathologically make everything a problem.

When Leo didn’t respond to my words – well, it was a monologue – Ulrike spoke.

“Actually, there are rumors that he has an eccentric personality.”

“…Hmm. So what time is he coming today?”

“After dinner!”

He won’t even eat dinner with us, that’s what this means. Is he really planning to just check the students and leave as the rumors suggest?

“Good. Then why did we come here from broad daylight? The teacher is coming at night.”

“…”

Ulrike closed his mouth and looked at Leo. Leo looked at me and said calmly.

“If we really end up taking classes, you need to have basics. You’ll receive intensive basic lessons first, Lucas. If you’ll just give permission.”

“…Hehe…”

I rubbed my forehead, held the back of my neck, then smiled and pressed my eyes. Ulrike watches our reactions. Even Leo was doing that today. When my eyes met Ulrike’s, he smiled slightly, but he couldn’t hide it from me.

For basic painting skills? To underestimate my skills like this. Anyway, just because I messed up the checkered pattern on an egg a bit, this guy who saw it as coordinate system arrows has fitting insight. I smiled and asked.

“So are we eating cake first and then drawing, or drawing first?”

“There’s not much time left before the assistant teacher comes to teach basics. Shall we draw first?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

I extended my hand to Leo. Leo grabbed my hand as support, stood up from his seat, and looked at me puzzled. It’s a face that didn’t expect I’d be smiling.

“A good start is half the battle. Come on, let’s give it a try.”

* * *

“Should I call Julia…?”

Ulrike, who had been glancing at the drawing paper on my easel, whispers quietly. I swept back my hair that I had been pulling at and took a deep breath with my eyes closed.

One hour since we started.

Now even the teacher who came for basic lessons was watching my mood. I managed my expression because I felt sorry since he taught so earnestly, but since the result was clearly inferior, I couldn’t change the atmosphere just by managing my expression alone. No matter how positive I tried to be, the others were automatically getting dispirited.

‘Why are they all like this? A person can be bad at drawing.’

It’s fortunate that drawing isn’t essential to life. Thinking about it, art classes had few hours and barely affected entrance exams, and very fortunately, I’ve lived a life where art didn’t hold me back. Even this moment is time spent as a member of a club for rest while I have time left before returning, not a necessary class, right? With a much lighter heart, I cast a sound barrier spell and said.

“Luise. What I’m thinking right now is.”

“Yeah…?”

“Is it okay to do this just out of curiosity? The curiosity about why a French painter is approaching British and German royalty, the challenging spirit of ‘let’s try it once’ – I need to think about whether this might ruin a person. The time has come.”

Then Leo, sitting on the opposite side, said dryly.

“Sodium bicarbonate is here again.”

“Haha! Lucas really gets talkative at times like this.”

“…”

“But Leo, what if we don’t get accepted…?!”

“I’m sorry, guys. If we don’t get accepted because of me, just learn from another painter.”

I said it, but it’s nonsense. In Leo’s case, he would have already learned painting from numerous painters as part of his education, so him sitting here trying to learn painting now is purely because he got the chance to meet a ‘painter popular in the salon.’

Then Leo said nonchalantly.

“It’s okay, Lucas. If it really doesn’t work out, we can call Julia instead of you.”

“…”

When my eyes met Leo’s, he smiled. I twisted up the corner of my mouth.

So this is how you’re going to play it? Ulrike might not know, but if it’s Leo, he’s not saying such things innocently. He’s provoking me.

“…Let’s start again.”

As I straightened my posture, the assistant art teacher beside me placed a new sheet of drawing paper and handed me a pencil again.

“Your Excellency, you need to relax the strength in your hand. If it’s difficult, shall we start from level 10 and slowly work on drawing light lines?”

“Yes.”

I tilted the pencil and shaded one section of the drawing paper that had been divided into squares. Since the darkest part was easy, I filled in the square while asking the teacher.

“Teacher, I have a question. How long would I need to study art before I become decent at it?”

I expected to hear criticism like ‘What kind of question is that after just one shading exercise? You need to draw more to know,’ but the teacher seemed to have made an assessment just from the shading and answered with a smile.

“You’d need to work on basics for about a year.”

“Then what level could I reach?”

“You’d develop the same manual dexterity as other people.”

“Are you saying I’m currently in the negatives and need a year to reach zero?”

“Well, that’s…”

“…”

Ulrike, who had been listening quietly, avoided my eyes. Leo laughed outright. I smirked with one corner of my mouth raised.

Still, after doing about three sheets of shading practice, I was getting the hang of it. The problem was that light lines were still difficult. After ruining the previous two attempts at the light line stage, strength naturally entered my hand. Looking at the last two remaining squares, I swallowed nervously and brought the pencil to the paper. Then the teacher overlapped his hand on mine, pressing gently to make me relax.

“You must relax, Your Excellency.”

“Yes.”

I said that and took a deep breath. Since I couldn’t easily lift my hand, Leo, who had been leaning over to observe me, asked.

“Lucas. Can I come over there now?”

Not knowing what nonsense he might say to crush my motivation, I had told him not to come near my table easel. I pressed my temples and answered firmly.

“No.”

“I want to help.”

“Don’t come over, just talk from there.”

Then Leo leaned toward me while remaining seated.

“Lucas. Close your eyes.”

“Why.”

“I said I’d help.”

“…”

I looked at him with narrowed eyes, then closed my eyes as he instructed. Leo spoke calmly.

“When you prepare air blast magic, how does the tip of your wand move? Try moving your hand the same way.”

“…Ah.”

The magic he was referring to was one that thinly divided air into layers, channeled magic power through each layer, then delivered a strong impact to create a large explosion. It wasn’t magic for one-on-one combat but used from the rear, and to increase the degree of impact, you needed to divide the air more precisely and channel magic power very thinly, requiring careful adjustment.

Thinking I was holding a wand instead of a pencil, I slowly drew lines where the squares should be. Even after opening my eyes again, I didn’t look at the paper. When I felt I had drawn enough, I looked at the paper again.

“…”

My eyes widened.

It worked.

I had succeeded. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do it at all, but that I needed a different approach. Seeing the smile spread across my face, Leo smiled the same way.

* * *

‘As expected of my sparring teacher.’

Leo would make a good instructor too.

After that, with the help of the two teachers, I spent about five hours just drawing. During that time, Leo gave me advice while practicing drawing with his left hand, and Ulrike, who already had some foundation, diligently followed along with the lessons. I had no idea what we were doing. I wondered whether we were continuing this long because I was bad at it, or because everyone had excess energy.

After two class sessions ended, we returned to the round table where the cake had been, hungry and picking up our forks. Feeling like I had lost about 5kg, I put cake in my mouth. Even though it had been left out in the air for a while, the cake melted in my mouth. So this was what cake tasted like. I muttered in admiration.

“This tastes pretty good. But why does it feel like a meal after working all day…”

“…Lucas hardly ever says food is delicious? Wow, that’s amazing.”

“I should make him draw before feeding him from now on.”

Ulrike and Leo said strange things one after another. I quickly finished the slice of cake and concluded the meal by drinking freshly brewed hot tea.

This was our dinner. With that, we neatly cleared the table and prepared to meet the French painter. Having asked the servants to find last month’s newspapers, I entered another room and aimed my wand at the newspapers while using divine power.

―Seek and you shall find.

“Eugene Lamour.”

Light burst forth from various places. I unfolded the articles about him and read them.

He truly was a painter that France was paying attention to. After the salon opened in March this year, his name was mentioned in every German newspaper that poured out. French newspapers also had articles about him on the front page, and in the first week the salon opened, I found five articles about him in a single newspaper.

The paintings he drew had a faint Fauvist atmosphere. I also found an ID photo showing an expression that seemed completely uninterested in worldly affairs. Then someone knocked on the door.

Knock knock―

“Please come in.”

Leo’s servant opened the door and spoke politely.

“Lord Lamour will arrive within 5 minutes, Your Excellency. Shall you move?”

Though they said he would arrive within 5 minutes, Eugene Lamour was standing in front of the room where I had been drawing earlier in less than a minute. He was about as tall as an Esper, had a sullen expression, and looked extremely sleepy. I extended my hand to the painter who was observing passersby with an indifferent face.

“Good evening, Lord Lamour. I am Lucas Ascanien.”

“The honor is mine. I am Eugene Lamour.”

“You arrived early. Please come in.”

After finishing the handshake, I checked his status window and let him inside. There were no notable problems in Eugene Lamour’s status window. Leo and Ulrike stood up from their seats and shook hands with him. Eugene Lamour looked at Leo and made an effort to open his sleepy eyes wide.

“It’s an honor to meet you like this, Your Highness.”

“The honor is mine as well. I’ve often seen Lord Lamour’s paintings in the press and they were very impressive.”

“I’m very pleased that Your Highness would say such things.”

“You’re fluent in German.”

“My mother is German. She’s from Darmstadt.”

Eugene Lamour answered slowly with an expressionless face. Judging by his expression and attitude, his speech wasn’t formal either.

From what I observed briefly, he was taking an attitude that didn’t seem like a commoner. Of course, if he had won prizes at salons multiple times and gained great popularity, he would have already met various types of people, so status and such might not matter much to him. I didn’t want him to be conscious of status either. I could clearly feel that his personality was unconventional in both good and bad ways, and that Eugene Lamour’s unique works probably originated from such a personality.

As expected, he didn’t bring up any more small talk and went straight to the main point.

“I’m already familiar with Prince’s artistic skills, and I heard that the two people here just received basic art lessons.”

“That’s correct.”

Unlike when we were alone, Ulrike smiled gracefully and answered in a calm voice. Still, I could fully feel that he was enjoying this moment. The image of him getting furious with bulging neck veins in front of Ainsiedel was vivid, but he looked excited as usual yesterday and today. Whatever Eugene Lamour’s personality was like―if the rumors were true, this person might cancel the lecture with some lame excuse after this meeting ended, but still―today’s events seemed to be regarded as an enjoyable adventure for him.

Eugene Lamour nodded while repeatedly clenching and unclenching his hands.

“If you have any paintings you’ve drawn before, could I take a look?”

“Here it is.”

Ulrike presented a canvas he had brought from his manor. It was a decent landscape painting. Eugene Lamour smiled once with an ‘as expected’ expression and returned the painting to Ulrike. Then Leo spoke.

“Lord Lamour. Lord Ascanien is not familiar with painting. You should know this in advance.”

“…”

At those words, Eugene Lamour began to look at me intently. My nape felt chilly for a moment. His bright green eyes seemed to sweep over everything I hadn’t revealed.

Ulrike pushed my sketchbook in front of him. Eugene Lamour didn’t take his eyes off me as he opened the sketchbook. Only when he opened to a page with pencil lines did he look away. He flipped through the sketchbook with indifferent eyes, then closed it without properly looking and pushed it across the table.

“When would be convenient for the schedule, Your Highness?”

“…!”

Ulrike gave me a look while slightly pursing her lips. Leo glanced at such Ulrike and said.

“Let’s make it tomorrow morning. How about that?”

“That’s fine.”

“I’ll send someone to Lord Lamour’s lodging in the morning.”

Leo put down his tea and continued with a smile.

“Actually, I heard rumors that you frequently cancel schedules, so I was a bit worried, but I’m glad to have such a good opportunity.”

“It’s just a rumor.”

Eugene Lamour noticeably frowned, then returned to his expressionless state and stood up. Rather than being annoyed at Leo, it seemed like a reflexive habit regarding ‘rumors.’ Ulrike was secretly chuckling, apparently amazed by Lamour’s personality.

Saying he would take his leave now, Lamour put on his coat and approached the door, bowed politely, then brought up something out of the blue.

“I teach artists. If someone has artistic talent, it doesn’t matter whether they have foundation or not. Moreover, since the Bavarian royal family invited me to the royal palace, I intend to repay that kindness.”

It was out of the blue. Out of the blue, but it was an answer to Ulrike’s question. Then Ulrike narrowed her eyes with a curious expression.

“Artist?”

“What do you mean by that.”

At Leo’s question, Eugene Lamour spread his hand and pointed at me. His languid eyes turned toward me. Again with that gaze that dug into what was inside.

I could feel Leo and Ulrike looking at me with puzzled expressions. Ulrike, convinced that Eugene Lamour had made some serious misjudgment, clarified for the sake of Lamour’s discernment and reputation.

“…Lord Ascanien has little connection to art except for one hobby. He’s more of a natural politician than an artist.”

“Is that so? Not at all though.”

The Frenchman raised his eyebrows with a blunt attitude. Leo stared at me intently. Ulrike was looking back and forth between Eugene Lamour and me, chuckling in confusion.

“…”

Cold sweat broke out. I maintained my smile while running my tongue along the inside of my lips.

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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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