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Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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As if he hadn't expected me to go that far, Leo's eyes wavered.
"…What the hell is this about?"
"Promise me first."
He wasn't the type to go blabbing other people's stories even without a promise. That's why he'd stuck by the protagonist's side for over ten years.
Still, it was necessary to grasp the weight of the story he was about to hear.
Leo eyed me suspiciously before letting out a deep sigh.
"I promise. In the name of God."
"No need to drag God into it, but fine. I'll explain simply, so listen well."
Leo nodded with a solemn expression.
"I was born with the strongest mana in our family, and my older brother is the one expected to inherit Father's title and become the family head."
"…That's it?"
Even as he said that, Leo's face had already darkened, as if he'd pieced together the situation.
I nodded at him.
"You know succession rights usually go to the one with the strongest mana, right? You can imagine how things played out from there."
"…You're saying you couldn't use magic because of your brother?"
"Yeah. If I did, I'd die."
"Would he come kill you or something?"
Leo had said it rationally, not buying it, but knowing the future where I really would die by my brother's hand, I could only give a bitter smile.
I pulled a crystal vial from the bag I'd grabbed from the dorm at dawn and held it in front of Leo's eyes.
"What do you think this is?"
Leo took the vial, tilting it this way and that in the light, narrowing his eyes.
"A potion? What did you extract to make it glow like this? It looks just like ink."
"It's the medicine my brother sends me every month. Made from ingredients not officially distributed in the Empire, so no wonder you don't know."
Why would the brother so eager to become family head send medicine made from substances not officially circulating in the Empire?
The ominous combination narrowed Leo's brow.
"No way…."
"Yeah. Drink this, and it completely clogs your core. The moment you use magic, shock hits."
"Wait, even so, we're family. Mages die if mana doesn't circulate in their bodies. How am I supposed to live if it's blocked?"
"What else? My brother wants me dead as soon as possible. Isn't it obvious that force-feeding me this stuff means he wants me gone?"
Shock colored Leo's face.
That expression, like he'd never even imagined it.
Raised in a always warm and harmonious family, Leo wouldn't understand.
Wearing a confused look the whole time, Leo uncorked the vial and slowly wafted the scent toward his nose.
"How long have you been drinking this?"
"Since I was ten, I think."
"That's been right through your growth period. The most crucial time for a mage, and this…."
"...."
Leo ground his teeth as if he were more indignant than the one who'd been dosed.
I let out an exasperated chuckle.
To this guy, the biggest issue seemed to be that I hadn't grown in magic.
I had no idea how powerfully the Luca magic he'd seen as a kid had stuck with him to provoke this reaction.
"Couldn't you just refuse to drink it? Your father…."
"I skipped it for a week once at twelve. Next thing I knew, I passed out, and when I woke up, my brother said I'd eaten a werewolf. After that, it was obvious."
"What happened?"
"Every time I showed I didn't want to drink, they locked me in my room. No meals either. Father's and brother's orders."
That's how I remembered it.
Leo clutched his head like he'd heard something insane.
"…Sorry to ask this in this situation, but did you really eat the werewolf?"
"I have no idea. No memory after passing out."
"Might be overstepping, but maybe your brother lied? Honestly, even if you used magic, how could a kid that age eat one? Faking the scene to make it look real would've been easy."
"Plenty."
"Then the rumors about you bloodsucking, being connected to Pleroma… your brother spread those too."
"Yeah."
Leo buried his face in his hands.
He groaned for a while before lifting his haggard face.
"…This is crazy. We should report it to the Imperial Investigation Unit right away."
"You're not going to."
"Yeah, moving rashly now isn't smart. Your brother would've prepared for that."
"You know it."
As expected of the protagonist's friend—different level.
It was convenient how well we clicked.
"What the hell do we do here…. You want to get away from your brother too, right? You've definitely changed. This time… well, cleaned up your appearance, seems like you quit the medicine after seeing you use magic. Honestly, this is the first time we've talked without interruptions."
"Of course. I want to live."
"You holding back your power… you want to change, but scared your brother would notice, right? Yeah?"
"Yeah. But that's ending now. Can't keep it up longer without raising his suspicions."
"…And I had no idea, saying all that crap to you…."
Leo buried his face in his hands again, despairing as he reflected on the past.
Once he started digging through memories, all of first year came flooding back—how he'd constantly watched Luca, wary.
He couldn't help it back then without knowing the circumstances, and it might not be entirely his fault to self-blame… but hearing the story now brought guilt and regret.
'I just… wanted him to use proper magic.'
He didn't want to accept the man he'd admired his whole life, the one who'd changed his future, being trampled by others.
He'd thought he gave in to hardship too easily.
That he was weak despite having the weapon to overturn public opinion.
His face heated up belatedly.
He'd judged someone else's life too lightly.
He'd turned school into a place of suffering for a friend already tormented by family issues.
Even if he wasn't solely responsible since the whole school hated Luca, he'd influenced the atmosphere.
Leo apologized without meeting my eyes.
"Sorry. I had no idea about your situation and…."
"I want to hear exactly what you're sorry for."
"…Treating you like crap all last year without knowing better, picking a fight by dragging you out yesterday— all of it."
I sifted through Luca's memories carefully.
Leo had played a big role in making Luca's school life even more bleak.
No one receiving hate from a popular student could have a normal school life.
'Of course, even without Leo showing it, Luca would've had the same image here….'
A hollow laugh escaped at the harsh reality.
Leo's open disdain for Luca had poured oil on the fire.
But that fire had been blazing spectacularly since day one of enrollment.
'Doesn't mean it didn't hurt at all, though.'
Watching Leo quietly, he bowed his head.
"Sorry. Even if it's late, I'll help with anything I can."
"Hmm, can forgiveness wait?"
I'm not Luca. He's the one who's eaten shit his whole life, not me.
If I ever leave this body someday, he'll have to live on his own after that.
So if nothing else, I wanted to leave the choice of forgiveness to Luca himself.
Leo nodded at my words.
"Of course. You don't have to accept it. It wasn't an apology meant to burden you. Just… no matter the situation, you must've had no choice but to live like that… I'm sorry for showing I hated it all this time."
I watched quietly as Leo's words grew more jumbled.
Truthfully, this apology was supposed to come ten years later, during the brother-handling process.
Thanks to changing the flow, Luca got to hear a sincere one while alive.
All sorts of emotions now, sure, but better than apologies at a grave—spilling your heart while the other's alive is better for Leo too.
Above all, feeling guilty enough to apologize despite blending into the school's vibe showed he wasn't a bad seed.
I examined Leo's face closely.
He looked too sunk for too long.
Time to lighten the mood a bit.
"Enough. How could you know if I didn't tell you?"
"That's why— even without you saying, anyone living like that obviously has reasons, but I let my emotions lead and…."
"…I get it, man. I said stop overthinking."
I'd noticed from yesterday's rambling, but does this guy have no idea what he's saying?
Suppressing the urge to smack him, I nodded.
Even after giving him time to think alone, Leo's face stayed ashen.
'This won't do.'
Digging this deep puts not just you but me in a bind now.
Didn't want to bring this up, but no choice.
"Don't beat yourself up over it. Class attitude or whatever, I just wanted to see your real magic. Right?"
Leo looked slightly puzzled at that, then nodded.
"…To some extent. It pissed me off that you could use magic but took everyone else's crap. Truth is, I saw your magic as a kid. Thought if you used that, everything would be solved…."
"That's not how I remember it."
"Hm?"
"Something like… 'To see it again, how much I've longed for this day…'"
"Me?"
His eyes shook wildly.
'As expected, I wasn't in my right mind then.'
"Guess I misspoke. Not that much…."
"No, you said you started magic because of me."
"Huh?"
Silence stretched on.
Leo, mouth agape, stammered in panic.
"Wait. Who, who told you that…."
"…If you're gonna freak out this much, why not just deny it outright?"
Even tossing it out myself, his shocked reaction drew a mix of hollow laugh and pity.
Denying wouldn't have worked anyway.
Can't say I read it in a book. I opened casually.
"You said it right before collapsing yesterday. Was it a secret?"
Blood drained from Leo's face at my words.
Leo shook his head, trying his best to act normal.
"No, it's fine. You can know. Just don't tell the others."
"Won't. Anyway, what an honor. You started magic because of me."
Wish Luca could know this.
What reaction would real Luca have?
Smiling at the thought, he snapped, mistaking it for mockery, face flushing.
"Not going to class? And precisely, it was your magic, not you. Didn't even remember your face. Just recalled from the name."
Wanted to ask if my magic spawned from thin air, but let it slide lightly.
"Yeah, got it. Now, dropping that— two requests. Need your help."
"Even counting them? Just say it."
Leo replied curtly.
Ignored the tone clashing with the content. Good sign he was willing to cooperate actively.
"There's medicine I need. Get it for me."
"From the Empire?"
"Yeah."
Pulled a note from my pocket and handed it over.
Couldn't remember the exact novel medicine name, so I'd flipped through the book whenever possible. At least found a familiar herb name in the herbal tome.
Leo took the note and nodded.
"Common stuff—should get it in a week. I'll tell home. What's the second?"
"Spar with me every day."
"Huh?"
Leo's face lit up instantly.
Realizing it, he schooled his expression, but too late.
I couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"…Kh…."
"…Keep seeming like you're mocking me. Just haven't had a level match till now, got it?"
"You think you're my level? No excuses. So, you'll do it?"
Leo averted his eyes and shut his mouth.
Truthfully, even empty words couldn't call us level. Strong mana, sure, but not superior magic skill.
Leo recalled last year's memories.
Training with the one who'd set him on this path.
He'd hoped for this since hearing the guy enrolled here.
'No, maybe since ten years ago.'
How hard he'd worked since seeing Luca's magic to match shoulders.
So this wasn't a favor he owed— really, I should be asking him.
Leo nodded.
"Yeah. Obviously."
Ding—!
With Leo's reply, pure white text sparkled before my eyes.
Congratulations!
Proposal: Make 'Leonard Wittelsbach' your companion. Success!
'Chapter 2. Help yourself, and God will help you (2)' Complete!
Confirms 'Route 1 — [Chapter 3. Dripping water hollows the stone (1)]'
「Chapter 3. Dripping water hollows the stone (1)」
'Hm.'
Good, satisfying.
Foundation's laid.
This proposal seemed high priority. Anything changed?
I called up the status window.