How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 63

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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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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (63)

“…?”

“What kind of question is this?”

“Ah, no… Esther asked me to ask you earlier.”

Esther was one of the three students who came looking for Leo earlier.

I wondered what it was when she looked back at the end, but this was what she wanted to ask.

So, she’s asking if I became 10th in the department through short-term memorization.

If I said yes, she’d want me to take the role of Faust.

“No.”

I’ll just answer what she asked for now, but it was a decent idea.

Although I didn’t cram, it’s true that I could easily enter the top school ranks thanks to my good memory.

Even so, I’m surprised they’re thinking of entrusting it to me. They must really want to put on a proper play somehow.

‘They’re really desperate.’

“Got it. Thanks for the answer. And… Elias!”

When the Vice-Class Representative rubbed his hands together and sent a signal to somehow memorize it, Elias lay down on the lounge sofa and flipped through the script cover.

“Well, fine. Let’s just read this, Luca.”

“I’m reading. I’ll go look for Narke.”

“Oh, the kids said they went out looking for Narke and Oswald earlier.”

“Really?”

Come to think of it, Narke wasn’t in the Class 2 practice room I peeked into earlier either.

“If he was here, the rabbit would have jumped over first, right? He’s always looking for you.”

That’s true.

Fai knew well who was where even without seeing with his eyes.

He might secretly warp into my clothes pocket or jump onto a windowsill somewhere, but since he didn’t, it seems like they really went outside.

Crackle—

[We are looking for Amalia Kastel, a first-year Class 2 student in the Department of Magic. I will announce once more…]

Then, an announcement was heard.

Since it mentioned a first-year in the Department of Magic, it seemed they were looking for that student from earlier.

‘The word did get to the school.’

Now the response is the school’s responsibility.

Personally, I’m concerned that similar cases happened on the same day at similar times, but I don’t know how the school will actually perceive these two disappearances.

‘No matter how I think about it, it feels unsettling, so should I talk about it?’

I went outside and found a school security guard.

After asking him to report it to the Investigation Bureau, I returned to the Student Union Building and sat on the sofa where Elias was.

“Where did you go?”

“To report the missing students. I’m all done now.”

Fortunately, the security guard didn’t show any reluctance toward me and readily agreed to do so.

The school might have also classified it as a disappearance and reported it, but anyway, even if duplicate reports go in, it’s better to take some action than do nothing.

“Really? Then now use that Special Class memorization ability of yours to save Class 2.”

I told you I didn’t cram…

I responded to Elias’s joke with laughter and opened the script.

I wondered why he was reading so quietly for so long, but when I was starting to yawn, Elias suddenly sat up and whispered in my ear.

“…Is this the first time you’re giving false testimony? Look into your inner self. Do you really know more about yourself than about Schwertlein’s death?”

“…”

Suddenly?

He must want me to respond.

I answered with whatever came to mind.

“…You are an utterly irredeemable sophist.”

“Oh, so you did cram for midterms after all~?”

“No.”

I wasn’t trying to memorize it on purpose, but maybe because of the situation, I found myself reading the script like I was studying without realizing it.

Elias muttered even more quietly.

“Luca, you’re perfect for this. At this point with 1 hour and 30 minutes left, you’re the only person who can memorize a 40-minute script entirely. I knew it when you said you jumped from 98th to 10th place at once.”

Before I could answer, Elias immediately continued.

“It bothers you, right? Your hyung would hate you becoming Faust.”

“Rather than hate it, he’d find it unexpected.”

“Then, what about you? Do you want to do it?”

“I don’t have any particular thoughts. Still, seeing the kids like this makes me feel sorry for them.”

They really worked hard for two weeks.

I remember it because it was noisy and interfered with my divine power studies.

When I saw Narke after finishing our conversation earlier, he seemed quite excited too, but now that things turned out this way, I don’t feel very good about it. Though I suppose no one would feel particularly good in this situation.

“How kind. Still, if it’s a situation that bothers your hyung, I can’t recommend it further either.”

“Well… I won’t volunteer first, but it’s not like I can’t do it.”

“Hmm?”

Elias looked at me with wide eyes.

‘…Now that I said it, it sounds a bit strange.’

I didn’t bring this up because I wanted to be in the play, but because I need to start sharing my plans.

When I gestured, Elias cast a sound-blocking spell.

“Thanks. Eli, did you hear Strauchi’s recording?”

“I heard it. I was curious about what on earth he said.”

“Then you’ll understand quickly. I need to change the impression on this side too, not just Nicolaus.”

Elias narrowed his brow for a moment in thought, then nodded.

“You changed strategies? Yeah, continuing with this current image would be a bit much.”

“Right. I thought I should let you and the kids know.”

“So, you’re not going to be in the play~?”

Elias raised one eyebrow and looked at me.

“It’s fine if I’m pushed into it, but nothing else.”

If I resolve this situation, it could certainly become the first means of changing Luca’s impression.

‘But at the same time, there are things I’d lose.’

For the few days after the news gets out, hyung will pay more attention to my situation.

Of course, that’s also why there’s no need to adamantly refuse when the opportunity arises.

With the premise that I’m someone students avoid, if hyung hears that I was pushed into it, the situation becomes complex.

‘…Isn’t this actually… bullying?’

Anyway, the various factors needed for that decision are more important than the fact that I ‘participated in an event,’ so the degree of crisis hyung feels will vary depending on what process led me to that position.

“Being pushed into it is fine… Then I have no choice but to push you? It would be interesting to see you as Faust too.”

“No, there’s no need to push me first.”

“You’d definitely draw an audience too?! Hey, wouldn’t all the students come?”

Why go that far.

I just laughed off his words.

At 9 o’clock, Leo returned.

Now it was time for Class 1’s performance, so all the Class 1 students moved to the Performance Hall and the Student Union Building was quiet too.

The script I was reading now had only three or four pages left.

Elias asked with a sigh.

“Why are you coming back?”

“That’s harsh.”

Leo sat down heavily in a chair with a tired face.

Elias relayed the Professor’s words to Leo.

“The Professor said they couldn’t find them at other schools either.”

“I figured as much. I went there and they were broadcasting looking for Oswald. If they still don’t show up after going that far…”

“Either they don’t want to do it anymore, or something happened. I’m voting for the latter.”

Leo answered with a dark expression.

“Yeah, I think the same. That’s why I requested an investigation as soon as I left.”

“Class 2, move to the performance hall waiting room by 9:30!”

Just then, someone shouted while walking through the hallway.

Even though there were clearly Class 2 students everywhere, the hallway was as quiet as a tomb.

Leo looked toward the hallway with a complicated expression and stood up from his seat.

“Let’s go too. There will be kids over there as well.”

* * *

“Did you find the protagonist?”

As we entered through the back door of the performance hall, several Class 1 students looked at Leo and Elias and asked. Slightly annoyingly, their faces were full of smiles. Seeing how they acted familiar right away, they seemed to be friends who had known the two since the 3rd Education Institute.

Leo shook his head and passed by them.

The Class 1 student shouted at Leo’s back.

“Leo, we have 113 people gathered now!”

“…So what…”

Leo muttered with an unusually disgusted expression.

‘113 people is quite a gathering.’

Considering the total student body is about 1,000, that’s a considerable number.

“Oh, so you can say things like that too.”

“I have no idea what you think of me.”

At Elias’s words, Leo gave a hollow laugh like he had during the day and opened the waiting room door.

As we entered the Class 2 waiting room, I immediately felt the atmosphere was depressed, unlike outside where students were moving around energetically.

A student suddenly spoke up as soon as Leo entered.

“…Leo, what do we do? There are only 40 minutes left.”

“…”

Leo could only bite his lips without giving any particular answer.

Narke, who made eye contact with me, nodded in greeting.

Meanwhile, a student offered an opinion.

“Should we make the audience into Faust? How about it?”

“Mephistopheles acting alone?”

“Right.”

“If all the supporting roles are missing, there won’t be enough content.”

After a brief exchange of opinions, silence fell.

The gloomy atmosphere continued again.

‘Hmm…’

They’re really down.

They prepared but it looks like it’ll go wrong before they even start, so everyone’s mood wouldn’t be good.

‘Should I help a little?’

I do have one idea.

If I’m going to bring it up, I should test it out first.

I tapped Elias’s arm and left the waiting room.

About 5 minutes after I left, Elias came out of the waiting room looking for me.

I gestured to him and then activated my divine power without opening my mouth.

―”Can you hear me?”

“…?”

Elias looked at me with wide eyes.

—”Looks like you heard me.”

“What…!”

Elias now opened his mouth as if his jaw was about to drop.

This was the magic Narke had used on me when we went to investigate Daslotte interview photos before.

Back then, I thought it might be useful so I should learn it.

It was worth studying divine power instead of listening when the students were talking about the play.

‘Though I never thought I’d use what I learned to help the kids with their play…’

—”It works, so that’s good. Are you confident in improvisational acting? Since you read the script, you know the flow better than before, right?”

Elias, who had been listening with a confused expression, nodded.

Then he whispered quietly.

“The length.”

—”Even if we finish around 35 minutes, I don’t think they’ll complain much. I’ll help you match that timing.”

“…Ah, so this is how you’re helping.”

The corners of Elias’s mouth curved upward.

Elias snapped his fingers to activate magic. It seemed like he was trying to prevent others from detecting the flow of my magic.

—”Right, listen carefully. I’ll tell you how much and what content to expand on. With that much, you should be able to match the length even with improvisational acting.”

“That’s right. What about timing? We need to consider the time lag for you to check the script and relay it to me.”

—”It’ll be a bit unnatural, but we’ll have to accept that. Still, I’ve memorized all the necessary lines, so the delay time on my end should be minimized.”

“You memorized it all?! Then… it should be fine.”

Elias stroked his chin and whistled.

“Tell your friends directly, Luca. You can say you’re giving me tutoring on memorization techniques.”

Remembering the plan I mentioned earlier, Elias said that and waited for an answer.

I hadn’t planned to completely step back anyway.

If it’s an opportunity to improve my negative impression even a little, it’s good to use it while I’m helping.

“I will.”

“But wait a minute.”

As I was about to leave, Elias blocked my path and cast a sound-blocking spell.

“Hold on. Don’t you think something feels ambiguous?”

“Hm?”

“Your brother’s informant is that Professor Traut or whatever from magical swordsmanship. And Narke is relaying information to that professor.”

“Right.”

“Of course, since you like to prepare thoroughly, you’re definitely considering other informants besides that. Am I right?”

That’s correct.

I nodded.

“But for you to benefit, you need to advertise that you helped me. Like the memorization technique tutoring I mentioned.”

Elias emphasized the word “advertise.” Then he tilted his head and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Ah! Wait. Let’s not say you’re helping purely out of goodness. Honestly, it would be a waste to throw away this opportunity. It’s a chance to become a Class 2 hero.”

That’s going too far…

That’s a very Elias-like way of expressing it.

Anyway, I hadn’t planned to say that either.

I smiled to signal him to continue and listened to what Elias had to say.

If it were anyone else, maybe not, but if the protagonist was saying it, it was worth listening to.

“Then wouldn’t news that you actively helped with the play reach your brother?”

“…”

It would reach him.

I shook my head slightly.

“That much isn’t a problem. Since the kids connected memorization ability to the midterm exam story, that’s how it’ll reach my brother too. It’s not an unreasonable deduction, so it’s fine.”

Actually, I thought my brother would know his younger brother’s characteristics, but until now there hadn’t been opportunities for my brother to know about Luca’s traits like memorization.

My brother had been attending school all along, while Luca had been stuck at home.

Originally, Luca had been quite bright as a child.

Memory and intelligence don’t seem to be completely proportional, but most people don’t distinguish them much, so it doesn’t matter.

“Right, I think that much isn’t a big problem either. Then… listen.”

Elias spoke to me with a smile, unable to hide his mischievousness.

“Whether I go out with your help, or you get pushed to go out directly, the news reaching your brother is essentially that you saved Class 2 from crisis. This is an opportunity, Luca. Rather than putting me forward, your image will definitely change when you stick your face out there directly.”

That’s right.

At that moment, Elias waved his hand dismissively.

“Wait, let me correct that. This one thing won’t change your image all at once. But it could serve as a foundation, right? Lay that foundation now. There aren’t many opportunities to lay a foundation of this scale.”

‘Isn’t this guy a ghost…’

I was just about to say it wouldn’t change all at once anyway, but he’s quick on the uptake.

“Hmm…”

Since this wasn’t part of my plan, I hadn’t tried to expand the scale, but Elias’s words weren’t wrong.

If the situation could be safely arranged, it would be an unparalleled opportunity.

Since I had experience in this field in reality, participating in this kind of event wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.

Just as I was about to respond, Elias brought his face close to my ear and whispered.

“And if you go out there, 500 people will gather in one minute.”

“…”

Was he also concerned about the audience competition…

Now that he’s in Class 2, it seems like he’s thinking about Class 2 in his own way.

I nodded my head.

“Alright, then.”

“Ah~ This should be fun. I’ll enjoy watching the play~! I noticed you’re good at acting when I saw you playing poker.”

Though that and theater aren’t the same thing, it’s true that it’s not completely unrelated to me, so I didn’t bother saying anything.

More importantly, if I’m going to appear in the play, I’ll need to start acting from now on.

“Then I need your help now, Eli.”

At those words, Elias confidently gave a thumbs up without even asking questions.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. Just trust me. I’ll leave them completely speechless.”

“…Leave them speechless?”

That gesture of his, saying he didn’t need to hear an explanation, bothered me for some reason.

And I could understand why Elias had been so confident the moment we entered the Waiting Room.

Elias fixed his crutch with magic, grabbed my shoulder tightly, and shouted loudly.

“Hey, everyone. I brought the Protagonist!”

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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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