Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family (230)
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Helene Ainsidel looked back and forth between me and Heike.
“Eschet? This person is from the Imperial Second Academy too. What brings you…?”
“Sorry for not scheduling in advance. We’re visiting the families and acquaintances of our Eschet team members to assess their qualification suitability. I know it’s startling, but could you spare a moment for an interview?”
Heike wore a surprisingly proper expression and spoke in an even tone. It was impossible to imagine this was his usual self.
Helene Ainsidel frowned, her face a mix of amusement and discomfort.
“Qualification suitability…? This must be that security clearance procedure I’ve only heard about.”
It might look unusual to run it after recruitment, but background checks were routine even after joining most organizations.
I quickly checked the changeability—it was holding steady at 51.9%. No drop meant no resulting headaches.
Helene Ainsidel’s expressions were already far richer than Heike’s. Confusion and displeasure were plain on his face.
“How did you know I was here…? More importantly, I’m not the child’s parent. Heinrich Ainsidel is the father, so you’d be better off seeing him.”
“…….”
Heike froze, speechless. I shot him a glance and answered for him.
“We’ll be visiting Heinrich Ainsidel too. And since you haven’t met Heike the student directly, it should be fine.”
“…I suppose. But I don’t know much about the child. I raised him until he was five, then Heinrich Ainsidel took him away.”
“That’s all right. We’re here to ask about Heike Ainsidel’s early childhood. Could you answer a few questions?”
“…If there’s anything I know about him.”
Helene scanned the lake enclosed in spatial magic, confirmed no one else was around to overhear, and nodded.
The questions and answers flowed smoothly. We stuck to the manual’s script for the security clearance procedure, and he recounted everything he could remember.
After about twenty minutes, Heike brought the conversation to a neat close.
“Thank you. He’s already on the team, so this is just for reference—this should suffice.”
“I see. Straightforward enough.”
Helene Ainsidel’s face had eased since the start.
Heike, who’d been rubbing the frayed edge of his leather clipboard, asked quietly.
“…Any message? I can pass it on later.”
“No.”
Helene Ainsidel smiled in reply. He started and stopped several times before speaking haltingly.
“Telling him my side now would just unsettle Heike for no reason. We parted when memories are hazy, so he likely has no feelings for me. Staying out of it is the best way to help him.”
Silence settled in. Faint cricket chirps drifted from the far side of the lake.
Heike looked like he wanted to say something. I waited, but he held back.
Helene Ainsidel stared at the rippling lake surface and continued slowly.
“Instead, I have a question for you. Is Heike still as quiet as ever?”
“…Curious?”
“Of course.”
Helene Ainsidel smiled, lost in memory.
“Heike was incredibly quiet from childhood. He’d spend all day casting spells at the sky. The servants had a hard time with him, as I recall.”
“…He was…, ahem, no, why do you think that was.”
“He showed a perfect mage’s temperament from back then. Being able to cast spells is one thing—having passion for magic is another. That child was ready to devote himself to the discipline, in passion and talent alike. To the point where even the little magic school in our territory couldn’t handle him. Ah, did his gifts not stand out much at the Imperial Second Academy?”
“…….”
Heike stayed silent, so I jumped in with a quick reply.
“No, he stood out plenty there too.”
“I thought as much. That’s how he ended up in the imperial court. …Satisfying. Lately, I’ve started thinking handing him off to Heinrich Ainsidel was the right call.”
“Weren’t you sad to part ways?”
Heike asked, his face blank.
With Heike standing there disguised as me, it was a pretty rude question—but I had no intention of stopping him.
True to claims of poor emotional sensitivity, his eyes held no trace of resentment or sorrow. It was purely academic curiosity, nothing more.
The silence stretched long. The air grew heavy. Helene waited quietly, then let out a breath.
“How could I not have been.”
Heike’s gaze dimmed just a touch.
Unlike him, his mother could feel emotions naturally. Undeniable proof.
“But the child’s future matters more than my feelings or selfishness, doesn’t it? If I were Heike, I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up under someone without the wealth or ability to send me to the empire’s finest school.”
“…….”
“Heinrich Ainsidel, on the other hand, is far more successful in society than I am. The world he offers is broader, full of more possibilities than anything I could show Heike. Better a parent who can make any dream come true than one who can’t even support the path their child wants. So what choice did I have?”
“…….”
Heike’s lips twitched on his emotionless face. His throat sounded choked, belying the blank expression. No telling exactly what thought caused it.
“I regretted it at times, but hearing he’d been tapped for the court washed those regrets away. My choice wasn’t wrong. That wish I had back then—for him to fully spread his talents—it came true, didn’t it.”
“…….”
“I’ve clipped every newspaper he’s been in. Haha… Hard to believe a child like that came from my blood.”
“You don’t want to see him yourself?”
“I have. I went to the launch ceremony. Ah, you know that’s not a contract breach? We didn’t actually meet.”
“You were at the launch.”
Heike latched onto those words, murmuring dreamily, Helene’s defensiveness beneath them ignored.
“If you could go back thirteen years and change your choice, would you?”
“You mean, would I have raised him myself instead of handing him to Heinrich? Didn’t realize you were so inquisitive, Mr. Ascanien.”
Was this a hint to drop the rudeness? But Helene didn’t seem offended, just kept smiling.
“…Tempting. But no, I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Like I said, I didn’t have what it takes to raise a child with that kind of potential. Someone destined for greatness needs a vast pond—not a small bucket. If I’d raised Heike, he wouldn’t have made it to the court like he has. He’d be studying at some ordinary high school, despite having the skill for the Imperial Academy and beyond.”
“…….”
“That’d be the real crime against my own child, wouldn’t it?”
Heike gave no reply. Wind swept in from the lake. Willow leaves fluttered and clashed in the breeze, sounding like falling rain.
“…I don’t think so.”
Heike’s voice cracked. Helene stared straight at him and nodded.
“I’d like to think you’re right.”
Helene Ainsidel glanced at the distant clock tower and spoke.
“Well, time for me to go. Got to prepare for tomorrow.”
With Heike rooted silently, I stepped in with the farewell.
“Thank you for today. You can’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”
“Of course. It’d just stir up needless trouble if word got out I was seen with people who know Heike.”
Helene paused in place after saying that.
“Not the most fitting thing to say, but I enjoyed it. First time talking about Heike in thirteen years.”
He smiled and extended a hand to me. We shook briefly, then he offered one to Heike.
Heike stared at it before slowly taking hold. Helene gave it a light shake, drew his wand from his belt, shattered the spatial magic, and vanished.
Heike gazed at the empty spot.
His legs didn’t seem to ache as he stood there awhile before finally turning to me. The face of mine he wore still betrayed no emotion.
“You okay?”
Heike nodded.
We backtracked the path Helene had taken to rejoin Lichtofen.
On the opposite walkway, Lichtofen—who thankfully looked human—was playing with some nameless little dog. He spotted us and rose.
“You’re back. How’d the talk go?”
Heike, silent the whole way, finally spoke.
“Yes. Thanks for your help today.”
“No big deal.”
Lichtofen gestured toward me.
“I owed this junior one anyway, and it’s not like it doesn’t hit close to home. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Yes.”
Lichtofen had been adopted into his family too, so he got it.
From declining lesser nobility but with ample mana, taken into the Junker house.
We headed back to the dorms.
Lichtofen to his room, Heike and me to Heike’s.
Heike never let go of my sleeve, so it was more like tagging along.
I worried his roommate Cherlingen might question why we were entering together, but luckily, Cherlingen was out.
Heike sat me on his room’s sofa, dug out two beers from somewhere, and plopped down beside me. No one spoke; the room stayed quiet. I took the beer from Heike’s dazed eyes and sank into thought.
‘Hmm.’
It was past midnight now.
The proposal would wrap up at noon today.
Still no favorability given… Well, disappointing, but fine.
I’d given it my all, but he had no obligation to reward that. Naturally, I wasn’t disappointed or upset with Heike over it.
The real problem wasn’t Heike withholding favorability—it was this system, forcing me to extract emotions half-coercively.
More than that…
I studied my face. More precisely, Heike wearing it.
With no expression, who could tell if he was okay? He faced the risk of a worst-case future, and this was an unforgettable shock—his state mattered more than the proposal. I had to hope it didn’t derail him.
‘If any sign of that, rewind time right away.’
I checked the changeability window.
It had ticked up 2%p to 53.9%p. Seemed like yesterday it started at 0, and now it was over halfway.
‘Up after meeting his mom… Guess I can breathe easy for now.’
Though I’d stay vigilant for any issues.
That’s what I was thinking as I looked at Heike. Wondering how my face appeared to others, I poked his cheek with a finger on impulse.
“…Huh?”
“What’re you thinking.”
“You pull stunts like that?”
Heike finally cracked a faint smile.
I didn’t usually, but having my own face right there made it too tempting.
He took the artifact off his neck and handed it over, so I dispelled the spell on him.
Heike stared down at his hand.
“Mom’s different from me.”
“Yeah.”
“We look alike, though. If I get curious about her, guess I’ll just check a mirror.”
Heike, saying something like that?
But it didn’t seem like a joke. At least he wasn’t downhearted about their differences.
“Thanks.”
Heike murmured low.
“Thanks to you, I got to see a mom I figured was gone forever, right up close. Even talked to her. I’ll never forget it.”
“…Yeah. You feeling okay?”
“Not sure how to put it. It’s not like my heart’s completely at ease with zero hard feelings—but after seeing her, I can’t help thinking things might’ve turned out a bit different if she’d raised me.”
Personally, I agreed. He did feel emotions far less vividly and genuinely than others, more like learned responses, but as far as I could tell, Heike wasn’t incapable of emotion altogether.
To put it precisely: he was immature. Stuck in a childish state because he hadn’t learned what he needed at the right times.
If his uncle hadn’t viewed him as a money-making tool and actually tried raising him right, or if his mother had done it—with therapy or efforts to build proper relationships—Heike might have normal emotional capacity by now, just as he wanted.
Late as it was, the right environment now might shape the Heike ten years from today into what he hoped for.
“Truth be told.”
Heike’s voice grew a shade clearer.
“I get it. People despise someone like me—loose screw and all. They think I’m oblivious, but lacking emotional depth isn’t the same as low cognition. How could I not know what they think of me?”
“…….”
At the very least, the Eschet team didn’t see him that way.
But not everyone was like us. Just as Philip’s crew looked down on and tormented Luca, there’d surely been groups in Class 1-A who hated Heike.
Sure, Heike wasn’t exactly soft—blunt to a fault, zero regard for mood, says what he dislikes outright—and his grades earned faculty trust, making bullying tough. Unlike Luca’s overt harassment, I don’t think Heike faced anything that bad.
Still, no one could be blind to how they were perceived.
“I don’t get mad at them. In any group with a standard, outliers break the rules. No one picks their starting conditions; even if you’re just born that way, the moment you draw breath, you’re a criminal. Group power justifies the punishment, so theoretically, I fully grasp why people freely despise anyone not averaging out like me.”
He “understands”? Whatever gut reaction hit, it didn’t justify crushing others.
His detachment—to treat it so clinically—that’s only possible because emotions don’t hit him hard.
“So I’m not afraid of being hated. Wanting emotions isn’t just to dodge the weirdo stares. What scares me… not even sure ‘scared’ fits. The one thing I wondered: did I have other possibilities?”
“…….”
“If Mom had raised me instead of Uncle, in a world where I could feel everything I can’t—how would I have lived? That one thing nagged at me. If I had a fairy-tale mage’s power to turn back time, I’d probably try age five.”
Heike gave a small laugh.
“Can’t, so… maybe live with Mom someday instead. That’s what I wondered.”
“I see.”
“But not anymore.”
Not anymore?
I was the shocked one now, staring at him.
Heike looked down at the carpet and apologized.
“Sorry, Lucas.”
“…Why? What for.”
“I know dumping family drama on a friend we’ve barely known must feel awkward. My personal tutor drilled that in. We should’ve just hung out for fun, but because I dragged it out, you stayed up past midnight helping me.”
What was this now?
I deliberately hardened my expression.
“No need to apologize. I helped because I wanted to.”
“…….”
“And if I hated that kind of talk, I’d have said so. I was grateful you trusted me enough to open up.”
“That’s you.”
Heike grinned faintly. His eyes stayed fixed on the carpet.
“I was happy today, thanks to you. Still am.”
“…Good. I worried you’d get hurt meeting your mom.”
“No—the happiness now isn’t from her.”
Heike lifted his head from the floor to meet my eyes.
Stubbornness had melted from his gaze. The moment puzzlement hit me, my vision flashed white.
*Ding—!*
Favorability +6
Congratulations!
‘Proposal 3: Eschet Favorability +12 within deadline (13/12)’ success!
‘Route 1 — [Chapter 6 Special Reward]’ confirmed.
My breath caught.
What was I seeing?
No matter how many times I checked, the window floating before me spoke of Heike’s favorability.
“I’m grateful you helped because you were thinking of me.”
“…….”
“Thrilled someone would go out of their way for me. No idea how that sounds to you, but it’s a first for me.”
Heike continued with firm eyes and precise words.
“Thanks. This one’s sincere.”
“…….”
Yeah.
I could tell it was genuine. Who declares it like that? In his own way, the tension drained from me.
I smiled at him.
“Thanks to you too.”
Not just for hitting the proposal mark.
Heike smiled back, then dropped his gaze to the carpet again.
“Now I don’t need to see Mom.”
“Why?”
At my question, Heike smiled softly.
“You’re here.”
“…….”
Had I become his mom?
The thought flashed, but nah. He just phrased it bluntly per his nature—decoded, it meant he’d felt true emotion now, no need for Mom to validate his path.
What he’d called “wanting to live with Mom” boiled down to craving real emotional bonds. With no true friends or family, it was natural.
In the end, I’d created the environment he’d longed for.
‘…Not on purpose.’
Amazingly, the moment it clicked into place, Heike felt genuine gratitude toward me. Me, sparking real emotions in him—complicated feeling.
Good was good, though. Double-checked survival odds—no drop.
Yesterday and today had netted +5%p total from Heike; plenty positive.
Heike tacked on abruptly, like it just hit him.
“You know I don’t hate her now, right?”
“Yeah.”
I knew it meant he wasn’t so obsessed it defined his life’s wish.
As I moved to wrap up, Heike asked,
“Wanna hang till Yulia gets back?”
“Eh, sorry. Got early-morning work—gotta head out.”
“I see.”
Heike nodded without a change in expression and smiled.
“Today was fun.”
“Yeah, for me too.”
I smiled and waved, left his room, and knocked on the one straight across.
Narke and Elias’s. Luckily, they were still messing around instead of asleep, so I hitched a warp home via Narke, no awkwardness.
And so, that same dawn at 5 a.m.
I’d been playing with Pie on the bed but got up and peered out the bedside window.
We’d parted saying “see you tomorrow,” but the archbishop never showed, even as dawn burned away. I’d broken the spatial magic, but no note waited at home, no missing items. The latter didn’t matter anymore—I’d met him face-to-face, even gotten the ring—but him not coming to see me was downright surprising.
‘What? Playing hard to get?’
Fleeting thought…
‘No way he’d just not show.’
Odds were something went wrong inside Pleroma. If he’d spotted me hanging with Heike and gotten mad, that guy wouldn’t play games—he’d barge in and complain outright.
Their internal squabbles were none of my business anyway.
I got up, prepped, and warped back to the dorms with Narke’s help.
Chatted idly with Elias and Narke, stepped into the hall—and there was Heike, toothbrush in mouth, wandering around. Heike hadn’t slept a wink either; dark circles ringed his eyes.
“Hey, Lucas.”
“Morning. Twenty minutes till we gotta leave—sure you have time to brush?”
“I’m good. But yesterday…”
“Spit it out first.”
“Right.”
Heike opened his door and headed to the bathroom. I followed him into the room, exchanged quick greetings with Cherlingen, and waited for Heike.
‘Cleaner than I expected.’
Maybe because he shared with Cherlingen.
Glancing around, I spotted a box just outside the window.
Stuff left on the sill was usually parcels sent via the postal service’s magic delivery.
‘Matches.’
Palm-sized matchbox, paper string tied around it, Heike’s name on the string.
‘Who’d send Heike matches?’
Sundries weren’t rare gifts, but him as the recipient? Surprising. When he emerged from the bathroom, I kept staring at the matches and asked.
“Heike. You smoke?”
“Nope.”
Candle-lighting hobby, then?
Casually, I said,
“Someone sent you matches as a gift.”
“Matches?”
Heike turned, puzzled.
I fetched the matchbox from the windowsill; he tilted his head at it.
“What’s that? Never got anything like it.”
“Yeah? Your name’s right here.”
I pointed to Heike’s name taped to the paper end.
Heike just blinked, baffled, so I untied the string and inspected the box.
Plain matchbox. Brand illustration on it, product name in decorative script. Large striker strip on one side, just like the ones from our old world.
Cherlingen called from the doorway.
“Guys, we gotta head out.”
“Go on ahead, Yulia. I’ll check this quick and catch up.”
“Ah, then can Heike lock up after?”
“Sure.”
While they sorted that, I flipped the box over.
“Nothing weird about it.”
“Yeah? Who left it? No heads-up or anything.”
“Hmm…”
I opened the matchbox without thinking.
“…?!”
My mouth fell open.
A white match was mixed in among the reds.
Heike’s face drained of color. I let out a hollow laugh.
‘…White phosphorus match?’
The white one was longer and cruder than the rest—straight out of decades past. With that head shape, it screamed white phosphorus match.
Just sitting loose in a matchbox? What kind of lunatic…?
White phosphorus, as the name said—the same stuff used in shells.
Hyper-reactive; stored carelessly, even light friction sets it ablaze. So easy to ignite you could strike it gently on paper, and sometimes it self-ignited from oxygen alone. Safety issues killed production ages ago.
Heike, face shocked, upended his faux-leather pencil case, scooped the white phosphorus matches in haste, and bolted for the bathroom.
“Where you going.”
“Gotta toss ’em. Soak in water… then what? Dry and it relights? No—flush it down the toilet.”
Heike spewed words like during the third exam, flipping up the toilet lid. I grabbed his arm.
“Wait, Heike. Don’t chuck it yet.”
“Huh?”
“Why’s a white phosphorus match in a normal box? Even the regular ones are untouched.”
“…….”
Heike caught my drift and bit his lip.
Someone had deliberately planted it there. There had to be a reason.
I shut the sink’s drain valve, dunked the white phosphorus match in water. Soaked it thoroughly by hand till unusable, pulled it out, and examined.
My eyes locked on the wood’s cut end; Heike snatched one too. Heike murmured quietly.
“…T?”
An alphabet letter.
Mana-carved, it read on the white phosphorus match’s tip.