How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 496

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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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[Burnel Geret finally forced Eugène Ramure into retirement]

[Unable to tolerate the tyranny of artistic rigorists… Eugène Ramure retires after tearful press conference]

[Evil critic forces French master into retirement with the tip of his pen]

[【Black Sea】, originally purchased for 25,000 francs, sells for 120,000 francs immediately after retirement announcement]

[Eugène Ramure Foundation: “We have not heard any retirement plans from Eugène Ramure”]

Mecklenburg saw that the newspaper he was reading was covered with stories about Eugène Ramure and folded it in half with knife-like precision. Mecklenburg was in a carriage chasing after Eugène Ramure’s carriage in the distance. Elias Hohenzollern suddenly shouted to Ascanien with a serious face that he would go ahead first, then disappeared. He, who had been silently looking ahead, spoke to Ascanien in the front seat.

“I still feel wronged.”

“You said you didn’t understand, so what’s so wrongful about it?”

Since they had already exchanged some conversation on their way here, Ascanien also knew that Mecklenburg didn’t understand many things.

“It’s naturally true that I can’t fully understand since I can’t become Eugène Ramure himself. But I also know what went wrong and who was harmed. It’s just that my knowledge is superficial.”

“Hmm…”

Ascanien seemed to be thinking about something but nodded as if to continue speaking, and Mecklenburg, encouraged, sighed and said.

“Public opinion is turning around now. The media is trying to bury Count Burnel Geret. Conversely, they’re deifying Count Eugène Ramure. In the end, regardless of what the critics think, Count Lamour’s sincerity succeeded in completely reversing public opinion. But…”

Mecklenburg continued while hiding the newspaper he had placed beside his seat.

“Just as Count Burnel Geret didn’t treat Count Eugène Ramure as a person, Count Eugène Ramure should have treated Count Burnel Geret the same way.”

“Why do you think that?”

“That’s reality. It hurts my heart, but no matter how ideal ethics and theory may be, human hearts don’t work that way. If someone tries to kill me, I must charge at them prepared to dig their grave to break even and avoid suffering such harm again.”

“Then what are you planning to do about it?”

Mecklenburg didn’t answer. Ascanien would know that no one answers such questions. Ascanien quickly nodded.

“I know what you mean. But that wouldn’t be legal.”

Think what you will. Mecklenburg ignored Ascanien’s words and continued what he was saying.

“As I said before, whether I understand it or not, I’ve recognized that wrong things are running rampant, and I think things can’t continue this way if we want to achieve justice.”

“Hehe…”

Ascanien, who had crossed his arms and leaned against the backrest, laughed unpleasantly. He quickly stopped laughing and looked out the window. Mecklenburg, who had been watching for cues, hesitated before opening his mouth.

“I… don’t properly understand either his artistic convictions or his struggles as a celebrity, but after slowly reviewing everything, I’ve come to understand something.”

“You slowly reviewed it, as if studying Count Eugène Ramure’s press conference.”

“Since it was a field I couldn’t understand, I tried to think about it until I could understand. I couldn’t understand why Count Eugène Ramure was so angry, and I wanted to find out why I felt such profound frustration and injustice without even understanding. So now I know something intellectually.”

“What is it?”

“I do think Count Eugène Ramure would benefit from mental treatment, and I don’t think his personality is particularly good, but that’s separate from the pain he’s endured until now. He has felt pain that I don’t understand well, but it’s definitely pain, yet fellow citizens? Yes, I didn’t understand and didn’t know the reason, but this frustrated me. It’s not even funny. Rather than fellow citizens, each and every one of them would be Count Eugène Ramure’s murderers. Is it right to accept murderers as fellow citizens? This thought was unconsciously underlying me without my knowledge, so I felt wronged by his kindness.”

Ascanien began to look through Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg was swept by the feeling that he was revealing even things he didn’t know about himself. Mecklenburg fell silent, wondering if his discovered understanding was somehow wrong. When no words came, he opened his mouth.

“Other things aren’t insults. What’s the big deal about the curiosity that led to the press conference? ‘Is Eugène Ramure actually an alcoholic?’, ‘Did Eugène Ramure remarry because he’s a womanizer?’ – such lowly jokes are the real insults. I once read speculation that Eugène Ramure’s paintings became irresponsible toward art because he was such a womanizer that he remarried. At the time, I dismissed it as nonsense, but thinking about it now, there must have been others who didn’t. Someone must have believed it seriously, and someone must have spread such speculation as a joke. The person involved might have let slide once or twice what strangers said about him, but it gradually became unbearable, leading to the emotional press conference we just saw. The rude articles I saw must be just a tiny fraction compared to the news Eugène Ramure encounters. In that sense, it’s natural that Eugène Ramure decided to retire.”

“…”

“At least I vaguely understand the process by which Count Lamour said it would be better for him to die today and appear in tomorrow’s obituary. When I thought of it as someone else’s business, I couldn’t understand, but anyone who became the person involved couldn’t bear this situation. Those who seriously criticize him or throw jokes as pranks or simple curiosity may feel close to Lamour because they consider themselves potential customers of Eugène Ramure, but in fact, to Eugène Ramure, they are strangers. A group of strangers armed with education and pens, and fortunately for Lamour, he must be talked about by tens of millions of French citizens whose faces he doesn’t even know.”

Strangely, no answer came. Mecklenburg continued speaking, strangely perceiving the night where only the sound of carriage wheels rolling, the wind, and his own voice could be heard.

“So Eugène Ramure had no choice but to retire. He must have felt that showing his paintings to people who spout nonsense after looking at his oil paintings would only damage his character. For instance, in a situation where the longer you work at a job, the more you have to hear not stories about work but strange rumors about yourself, no one would want to remain employed there.”

After affirming the retirement, Mecklenburg felt somewhat bitter and rested his chin on his hand, turning his head.

“Really… I did want to purchase one at least once.”

“Even thinking about it again, I never knew Senior liked paintings.”

“A nobleman without artistic knowledge is not a true nobleman.”

Then Ascanien laughed. Mecklenburg glared at him, and Ascanien raised an eyebrow. Mecklenburg turned his head and said.

“I don’t understand. Understanding too many things isn’t good for oneself either. Count Eugène Ramure seems to need to lower his comprehension ability to live properly.”

“That kind of judgment itself must be what Count Eugène Ramure didn’t want. Right now, Senior is trying to understand Count Lamour to resolve your own frustration.”

“…I was hasty.”

Mecklenburg frowned.

“Then even if it couldn’t be helped, regardless of personality, his nature must be good. Frankly speaking, to Count Eugène Ramure, Count Burnel Geret was a stranger. Count Burnel Geret knew Count Eugène Ramure through his works, but not vice versa. Despite being insulted by strangers, he still acknowledged them as fellow citizens – what kind of people are these fellow citizens? No matter how Count Eugène Ramure expresses his anger accumulated over ten years through press conferences like today’s, someone among his fellow citizens will misunderstand Count Lamour’s intentions again. Someone will think he held the press conference to show off his money, someone will think he held it to gain petty sympathy, and someone will think it was hasty and that they could have supported him more if he hadn’t said such things because it doesn’t suit their taste. Count Eugène Ramure says he’ll embrace even that, which is inevitable but frustrating. If what Count Eugène Ramure wanted was recognition of his wealth, empathy for his situation, and support… it would be completely the opposite. He announced that he could no longer bear it and wished for his own extinction. As he said, he was hoping everyone would forget him.”

Ascanien, who had been closing his eyes with his fingers pressed against his temples and eyebrow bones, slowly opened his eyes. His pink pupils were eerie. Mecklenburg held his breath, wondering what he had done wrong. Under the dark lighting of the carriage reflected in light and shadow, Ascanien fixed his pupils on Mecklenburg and moved his lips.

“You said ‘announced.'”

“Ah, this is…”

Mecklenburg hesitated before speaking.

“Was my expression a bit strange? It’s just my analysis.”

“Please speak. I’m curious.”

“Count Eugène Ramure said that whether he lives or dies, strangers will continue to make him a topic of conversation, so he cannot escape from his shackles. In short, I don’t think Count Eugène Ramure will continue to live.”

“Why?”

“As can be seen from the tone of the press conference and the retirement declaration, Count Eugène Ramure was already feeling tired, and by declaring retirement, he lost the only brake that had prevented him from leaving this world. Even if that brush gave Count Eugène Ramure fame and drove him to this state, it was the last barrier and responsibility. If continuing to paint despite the pain was the last courtesy he could show to people waiting for exhibitions, now that he has broken his brush, he no longer has any responsibility as a professional to uphold. He might be happy now that he can escape from the public, but in the long run, I wonder if that’s really for Count Eugène Ramure’s benefit.”

Ascanien quietly looked at Mecklenburg. Mecklenburg said.

“…I feel sorry for stating my speculation even after hearing Count Lamour’s pain, but I’ve compiled only his official interviews and press conferences that I’ve read, excluding personal opinions. Because I didn’t understand, I had to do it that way. I’m not a psychology expert, but… I’m not stupid either. The fact that his statements were approaching death is somewhat natural since the person himself said it, so now I have a premonition that Count Lamour might be in a graveyard a year from now.”

The carriage continued rolling in silence. After a long while, Ascanien spoke.

“Senior is not the representative of the 98th Unit for nothing.”

“You seem to think the same as I do?”

Mecklenburg was in the middle of wondering whether he had failed to learn Eugène Ramure’s demands despite hearing the press conference, so he answered immediately. Feeling depressed, he looked out the window and continued.

“I’m pleased to receive Count Nicolaus’s recognition.”

No one speaks. Mecklenburg opened the window and muttered while looking at the carriage Eugène Ramure was in and the night scenery.

“It was good that we came to provide security. Count Lamour probably didn’t enter the country with a gun. If he has one, we need to take it away. Now is the right time for suicide.”

“You seem to really like Count Eugène Ramure.”

“Not personally… no, I don’t even know him personally properly. Never mind. But it’s clearly true that I respect him as a painter. However, that has no meaning now. I can’t just let an innocent civilian die.”

“It’s refreshing to hear from Senior. More than that, are you saying you’ll prevent that person from putting himself in a coffin?”

“Of course.”

“Would Count Eugène Ramure want that?”

“You’re crazy… Of course I have to stop it, what crazy talk are you spouting, are you really insane?!”

“No.”

Ascanien paused once before speaking.

“I am not insane.”

Wait. At some point, Ascanien’s attitude had changed. His somewhat relaxed face might be the same, but my intuition wasn’t good. When did it start? Since I had been talking alone mostly, it was difficult to grasp the change.

Ascanien suddenly changed the subject.

“The godmother of Count Eugène Ramure’s patron is a member of the French imperial family. Having someone from the French imperial family two steps removed – it might be excessive worry, but ah, this makes me a bit uncomfortable. Moreover, there are other problematic points that you might not know about.”

“…Just tell me.”

“Senior must know enough, so why should I?”

“Are you teasing me?”

“Could you convince me a bit now?”

Ascanien’s tone was strange, so Mecklenburg swallowed. What was he asking to be convinced of? Ascanien must either disagree with Mecklenburg, not understand, be trying to understand, or be trying to prove himself right.

“If the French imperial family weren’t connected to him, I wouldn’t stop Count Eugène Ramure.”

Mecklenburg grasped the situation with the feeling of being struck.

“What did you say?”

“Senior, why do you think you should stop Eugène Ramure’s decision?”

Why should I stop Eugène Ramure’s decision, please convince me of that? Why – it’s something you can know without being convinced. Mecklenburg felt confusion dominating his consciousness. Ascanien looked toward the car window.

“Count Eugène Ramure must have been very happy when he debuted. Before his wife died, when people focused on his works instead of the painter, he could live reasonably well as a professional. After his wife died and his painting style changed, some viewers became uncomfortable and began criticizing Eugène Ramure beyond his works.”

“…That’s right. So what?”

“There are still countless people who support his activities. People who encourage him to continue acting… to continue painting are still probably grateful to Eugène Ramure. But Eugène Ramure is probably being overwhelmed. Experiencing various and lowly insults from people whose faces he doesn’t even know is truly no different from being beaten by strangers on the street. An academic approach without empathy can surprisingly choose the right answer, so what Senior said is correct. However, if there’s one wrong point, the revenge and victory that Senior wants are impossible. In that case, since there’s nothing I can do, I end up hoping to someday escape from that shameless abyss. I live holding onto hope until just before realizing it’s macroscopically impossible, but after realizing it’s an impossible wish even if I endure the shamelessness, all that time of hope overwhelms me, so I become afraid not only of seeing the faces of those who insult me but also those who support me. Seeing my name written on screen becomes the most terrifying thing in the world. So this leaves behind a byproduct of extreme guilt. To escape guilt while seeing nothing, I can use only one method, but that’s not a way to be forgotten, and I will live among strangers even after that day. The moment I intuitively realize I might never escape even after ten thousand generations pass, I start thinking I want to turn back Earth’s time axis to before those people knew my name. Why did I step into the art world knowing nothing? What am I showing people for?”

For unknown reasons, Mecklenburg felt his heart gradually beating faster. It wasn’t because he could understand his words, so he couldn’t know the reason. A vast mental image dominated them as if nothing existed in the world except this carriage. He felt the voice he was hearing now was hollow.

“Some hatred and light insults are so powerful and destructive that they cover abundant love. Professional responsibility isn’t holding his ankles either. Eugène Ramure has become unable to be forgotten whether he lives or dies, but it’s clear what the better choice is to reduce all rudeness, insults, and fatigue. Then what reason should he, already a celebrity, have to decide to prolong his life even after welcoming the freedom of no longer having responsibilities?”

The emotionless expression that couldn’t be distinguished didn’t turn toward Mecklenburg. He spoke to the car window.

“If you still think he should, could you give me some explanation?”

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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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