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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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To my answer, Leo immediately moved to the end of the training ground and took up his position.
Leo drew his wand and assumed a simple casting stance.
Seeing that brought back a vague memory from childhood of my father and brother's casting forms, glimpsed in passing.
'Our family had its own specific one, if I recall.'
I knew how it was done, but I had no desire to follow the family tradition.
I just nodded my head slightly and readjusted my grip on the wand.
'…!'
Before I knew it, Leo's spell was right in front of me.
Reflexively, I twisted on the heel of my dress shoe and dodged to the side.
Kwaaang—!
The training ground wall partially crumbled from his attack and fell to the floor.
Looking at the damage, cold sweat broke out on its own.
'Impressive.'
A split second later, and I would've taken it head-on.
He wasn't the type to cheat to win. He'd only launched the attack after my salute, yet it was this fast.
I couldn't even fathom the years of effort it must've taken for someone without overwhelming talent to reach this level.
Sparring with Leo was unrealistic from the start.
Luca hadn't properly used magic in nearly a decade. No matter how talented, without honing it, talent might as well not exist. He couldn't compare to someone who'd obsessed over magic alone for ten years straight, even without the same gifts.
But that didn't matter.
I wasn't here to win—I was here to bring Leo to my side.
"Dodge?"
As if he'd expected it, Leo unleashed attacks that surrounded me.
As the blue blasts spread out, it felt like I'd plunged into water.
"Ugh!"
I deployed the bare minimum mana to block, but some pierced the barrier and pricked my skin.
The power was overwhelming, hard to endure…
'But it doesn't feel like he's gone all out yet.'
Come at me properly. That's when I'll unleash mine.
What he wanted was for me to use real magic.
Since I knew his unspoken wish, the true outcome of this match was already decided.
Kwaang—Kwang—!
I barely deflected countless strikes meant to distract me.
I could play into his expectations and overpower him with raw force, but the timing was right.
Just hold out a little longer.
As I only defended without counterattacking, Leo spoke in a voice laced with contempt.
"What's the point of stepping up if you're just going to stall for time?"
Spot on.
I didn't answer, just smiled.
Of course, no answer was needed—the moment arrived soon enough.
Leo spun his wand between his fingers, extended it long, and slammed it into the ground.
Kwaang—!
Thorn vines surged from all sides, hindering my movements. Tendrils wrapped around my jacket sleeve and crept toward my wand.
Was this his finisher? With no escape, a flash blinded me once more.
'Now's the time.'
Wooduk—!
I yanked my arm free with all my strength, aimed my wand at him.
I drew maximum output from my heart. The thorns gouging my flesh as I pulled free neutralized the mana flowing through my veins.
But the spell was already cast.
The time it took to tear my jacket stalled his magic.
Kwaaang—!
A massive boom echoed as our attacks collided. Dust billowed from the shattered wall and floor.
But…
'My counter should've landed ages ago?'
No way…
I swung my wand to clear the dust, revealing Leo collapsed on the ground, clutching his forehead.
"…!"
He hadn't dodged.
A faint metallic scent of blood stung my nose.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
'I figured as much, but to just take it like that.'
He'd called me out from the start just to see me cast magic with everything I had.
I'd assumed he wouldn't care much about the bet's outcome, but tanking it head-on? That was next-level crazy.
"Hey, you okay…."
"…Ha."
Leo let out a dazed laugh as he slowly pushed himself up.
Seizing the moment, I quickly scanned his condition. Luckily, aside from the scraped forehead, he seemed fine.
'My attack must've mostly canceled out his by then.'
"Haha, ha… Yes, this is it. This is what I wanted!"
Leo clutched his bloodied forehead and burst into laughter.
The moment our eyes met, chills ran down my spine.
"What…."
"To think I could see this again…. I've been waiting, how long have I waited for this day…. At this rate, I won't even be able to keep up with your toes soon. You win. You win."
He staggered to his feet, only to flop back down. Yet he kept grinning like it was the best thing ever. The whole scene was utterly shocking.
I wanted to shut the door and bolt, but since I'd done this to him, I couldn't just leave the kid here.
I approached, slipped my arm under his shoulders, and helped him up.
"…Hey. Sorry. You're kinda nuts, but let's get you treated quick."
"No, do more. Show me more."
'Psycho.'
"Sure? I'll hit you as much as you want. Wait, no. Please. I can't believe what I saw was real. So just once more. One more hit, and I'll accept it's reality…."
Kung—!
Chills hit again; I dropped him back to the floor.
Too much passion turns you into this, huh.
The novel did show his obsession with magic was unmatched. I hadn't realized it extended to shrugging off injuries like this.
"Snap out of it. This was just the result of my spell canceling yours. If you don't even defend and take it like before, your life's in danger—don't you get that?"
Even my exasperated tone didn't faze him.
Leo, sprawled limply on the floor, rose like a zombie and mumbled.
"…You can use it. I wasn't wrong. The adults wouldn't believe me, and after ten years, I thought maybe I'd imagined it. But everything's just like that day."
"...."
Come to think of it, he'd muttered something earlier about 'seeing this again.'
In the original story, he never told a soul until the end, spilling it only to the protagonist…
'Is it okay for him to blurt it out to me like this?'
He seemed too hyped to even realize what he was saying.
Or maybe he just didn't care.
Better safe—might as well try stopping him.
As I went to sit beside him, he let out a snicker.
"What's this? Even the rumor about you being with Pleroma was fake, huh? If it was true, you wouldn't let me live right now. So you… how many years have you wasted on crap like that…."
His voice trembled harder.
It hit me bittersweetly too.
Especially since he'd started magic because of me. Even though I wasn't really Luca, I felt every bit of Luca's emotions as my own.
Leo, who'd been mumbling at the floor, suddenly snapped his head up, eyes gleaming with madness utterly unlike before.
"What do I have to do for one more spell? If I attack you again…!"
"Grow up."
What was this, a roly-poly toy?
The touching moment vanished.
He wasn't staying down even after I dropped him, so I just zapped his nape with a sleep spell as he wanted.
I plopped down beside the now-sleeping Leo.
Better rest before hauling him to the infirmary.
Through the transparent training ground ceiling, a pitch-black night sky stretched out. It'd been similar to my old world so far, and the sky was no different.
Thinking of my old world right after slinging spells brought a wry chuckle.
No idea how I ended up in this world blocking an extra's death, but…
"It's over."
I'd pulled the most useful guy to my side.
'Strictly speaking, he's not fully on board yet.'
But after seeing me cast, he wouldn't act the same as before. Calling it a win early was fine.
Might even get annoying with all the attention.
Though even that was welcome.
With Leo secured, it was time to boost my own power.
Of course, not by openly practicing magic.
That'd just scream, "Kill me quick!"
But…
'Sitting idle isn't an option.'
Unable to move freely myself, I had to exploit those around me at 200%.
And I'd already figured out how to use this one.
I glanced at Leo's sprawled form.
His face, tension finally gone after ten years' obsession fulfilled, slept peacefully.
'Clueless about the future, sleeping soundly.'
Let's get along from now on.
I laughed out loud.
* * *
I had the dream from childhood.
Always the same scene, the same magic.
But tonight felt different somehow.
'…The magic seemed more vivid than in the usual dream.'
Opening my eyes, blinding white sunlight filled my vision.
This was way past morning.
Leo turned his head, squinting. His forehead tugged painfully.
"Ugh…."
"Awake?"
At Lucas's curt question, Leo rolled his eyes to stare at him, then weakly closed them.
"…A dream…."
"Nope."
"Then everything I remember…."
"Real."
Leo bolted upright and scanned Lucas. Then he clicked his tongue.
"Tsk."
What was that tsk for?
His eyes still held distance; the human gap hadn't closed much.
As Lucas pondered how to react, Leo frowned and spoke.
"…I've got a ton to say, but no clue where to start."
"Take your time. We're already skipping class—plenty of time."
Silence stretched.
Leo took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"You don't drink blood."
"Makes me puke."
"So the rumor about not using magic because you can't drink blood was fake too. The kind of excuses Pleroma always spouts. Has nothing to do with you."
"Yeah."
"The rumor that Ascanien's second son was born without talent as a mage is wrong. I saw it with my own eyes, so I knew it was bullshit already."
Lucas nodded.
Leo, his face complicated, furrowed his brow deeper.
"The magic you used yesterday wasn't ordinary mana. No way. You know that, right?"
"Yeah."
Lucas answered simply.
Honestly, seeing it firsthand, only an idiot wouldn't know.
Of course, he'd been shocked at first. His instinctive thought was, 'Brother will never sit as family head.'
"Why haven't you used magic until now?"
"...."
As Lucas just stared, Leo's voice rose.
"Why bow to stupid rumors? Why live like that with this kind of talent?!"
"Wanna hear?"
"Obviously?"
Lucas chuckled lightly at Leo's sharp retort.
Good, this is how you should be.
Yesterday, hyped from confirming real magic, he'd fixated on it alone. But now, calm and thinking straight, it was time to dig into the core issue.
Lucas leaned forward from the backrest, closer to Leo.
"Then promise. You won't breathe a word to anyone. This is life-or-death for me."
Come on, take the bait.
From this moment, the original story would veer off completely.
In a good way, of course.