Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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I found myself taking a deep breath without realizing it.
The professor must have noticed my surprise and chuckled as he spoke up.
“Heh heh, the practical exams have been dragging your average down quite a bit. You got perfect scores in most subjects last time too, didn’t you? And now, perfect marks across all six this time.”
Perfect scores?
Of course, I’d gotten full marks in seven out of ten subjects before, so from the professor’s perspective, this probably wasn’t all that shocking.
‘…They say backing is what matters most, but I got lucky.’
I’d focused my studying on those six subjects, but I could’ve easily made a mistake somewhere—and I didn’t. All I could say was that luck was on my side.
“What? So…?”
A few whispers rippled through the room.
They were probably wondering why I, who usually placed first or second in the class, had been called up instead of their usual top contenders.
“Next, Leonard Wittelsbach. Second in the department.”
“Huh?”
A wave of confused reactions swept through the students.
Leonard, on the other hand, simply nodded without a change in expression.
“Finally, Julia Cheringen and Narke Farnese are tied for fifth in the department.”
Narke put on a show of mock surprise.
After a few months around her, I could now tell real expressions from fake ones pretty well. This time, it seemed like she’d expected the tie.
“Unfortunately, the potion competition is a five-person team event, so one of you will have to sit it out.”
“I’ll forfeit, Professor.”
Narke replied with a relaxed smile.
“Hmm, you sure that’s okay? You can discuss it with Julia by tomorrow morning if you’d like.”
“I have no plans to go into potion studies anyway. And I think it’s only right to give the spot to my friend from the Imperial Second Academy.”
That was when Julia raised her hand with a troubled look.
“Professor, I’m weak in potions. It’s not a field I’m pursuing either. I’ll forfeit.”
“Hmm, then settle it between yourselves by tomorrow. Very well. Now, I’ll announce the special class roster after finals.”
With the practicals factored in, Leonard ended up first in the department.
‘So that’s where his confidence came from when he asked how I thought it’d go.’
“That’s it for now. Participating students, depart for Bavaria tomorrow morning. You’ll all warp with me, and I’ll return to head out by train with Leonard.”
“…Train…?”
“Ugh…”
Several students whipped around to stare at me in horror.
Elias had a grin on his face like he was wondering how I’d handle this—and he had good reason.
‘It’s an eight-hour train ride there…’
I could warp too, but I couldn’t exactly say that.
I just smiled back at the students’ stares.
* * *
That evening, we quickly changed into our outfits for the banquet scheduled at seven and left the building.
With grades announced, we only had an hour and a half left.
It’d look odd for Nicolaus to be leaving school like this, so we moved to the nearest inn to finish preparing.
“Do we really have to rush out like this? Can’t we just warp?”
“Oh, everyone thinks that. But no, we can’t.”
Elias laughed as he strode quickly toward the front of the school.
Just then, a kid who looked like a student from the Third Academy timidly approached with a letter.
“Um…!”
“Ah, thanks~”
Elias snatched the letter and planted a kiss on the envelope.
We got countless letters like this already, so the situation wasn’t weird—but his attitude was new today, and it threw me off.
Even while practically jogging, he noticed my twisted expression, cast a soundproofing spell, and burst into giggles.
“If I stop, they’ll grab me. No time to chat, so gestures it is. Best to ignore a friend’s social life, right~?”
“If you call that social life, tell them to come see me…”
As we approached the Hohenzollern carriage, the coachman bowed and opened the door.
I tipped my hat in greeting and sat across from Elias.
Once the door shut, Elias closed all the windows and cast another soundproofing spell.
“No family in the country uses carriages this often.”
“Between saying warp won’t work and insisting on carriages for imperial banquets…”
Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered reading something like that in passing in the novel.
“Yes, you absolutely must arrive by carriage~ Warp magic is a hard no, even on pain of death.”
Elias shrugged sarcastically.
“They say it looks undignified. This obsession with empty rituals over everything else just won’t die.”
He was serious for once?
With his messy hair neatly combed and imperial formalwear on, sitting there with earnest eyes—it showed a side I didn’t usually see.
“I’d buy five more wild boars with that money.”
“Right…”
Now I understood why Leonard always nitpicked Elias’s speech.
“So, how’s it feel without the crutches?”
“Ah, it’s refreshingly good—can’t even put it into words. Still, I need to take it easy for a week. They said if I mess up, it might never heal right.”
“Sounds like it was broken bad.”
“Yeah~ By the way, your mask is new. Like it?”
Everyone seemed used to it by now—no one batted an eye when I notified them I’d attend masked.
I’d chosen a different style this time since I’d be eating.
It felt a bit unfamiliar, but with the perception-distorting spell powered by divine power, no one would recognize me.
When we arrived at the annex used for the banquet hall, escorts fell in behind us.
I let Elias lead by half a step as we entered.
“Ready, Your Excellency?”
“Ready for what?”
“Your first court party roasting…”
“Understood.”
I cut Elias off.
The guards and servants at the door pretended not to hear and opened it.
“His Highness Duke Elias Hohenzollern and His Excellency Nicolaus Ernst have arrived!”
Every noble in the vast hall turned to stare at us.
The reception to mingle and put faces to names before dinner had begun.
“Right this way, please.”
A servant led us to the head table.
No sooner had I picked up a champagne flute than a short, stocky old man approached.
“First time meeting, Your Excellency Ernst.”
“Duke Heinrich, I presume. An honor to see you here.”
The Imperial Chancellor.
A few months ago, he’d invited us to the Federal Council assuming victory was his.
In other words, pro-emperor faction—and that incident likely left a poor impression.
The Chancellor smiled kindly.
“I was impressed by the courage you showed this time. With proactive men like you, it’s a great relief as a nation’s chancellor.”
“……”
‘As expected…’
If Elias had said it, it’d be praise. From the pro-emperor Chancellor who didn’t welcome us, it was anything but.
He’d called it “courage.”
Sounds fine at first, but it’s a way of not acknowledging merit outright.
His next words were just as obvious—no need to dwell.
“The feeling’s mutual. I’ve learned much from Your Highness’s governance. Please continue serving the realm.”
“…Of course. I shouldn’t monopolize your time, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Until dinner.”
The Chancellor vanished from before me, smile intact to the end.
While greeting guests like that for a while, a familiar face appeared.
“Good to see you.”
I nearly said your name but swallowed it.
Leonard grinned and offered a handshake.
―“What are you doing here?”
“I figured you’d guess. Here on behalf of His Majesty the King of Bavaria. Congratulations.”
I could see Elias rubbing his arms like it gave him chills, chuckling away.
Leonard ignored him now, just smiling faintly.
“See you at dinner. We’re at the same table.”
He really was a politician.
His handling of Elias’s jabs was worlds apart from school.
About twenty minutes later, someone entered the hall late.
“His Highness Duke Georg Ascanien has arrived!”
“…….”
Elias shot me a sidelong glance.
I’d wondered if I wouldn’t recognize him since I’d never seen his face—but that doubt vanished instantly.
A man far sharper-featured than my brother scanned the room coldly from afar, then approached Elias and me at the head table.
“…….”
He glanced my way before greeting the imperial Elias first.
He finished quickly and stepped up to me.
“Excellency Nicolaus Ernst.”
The voice was etched vividly in Luca’s memories.
Luca’s instincts or not, I had to fight the urge to shrink my shoulders.
“I’ve heard much. An honor to meet like this.”
Utterly mechanical tone, mechanical movements.
His face held only a perfunctory smile.
Not very human, but Luca’s memories held no such smile at all.
Suppressing my instinctive revulsion, I clasped his hand.
Then, I immediately opened the status window.
No urgent info needed, but who knew when I’d get another chance.
Georg Ascanien
Favorability: -2
Title: Lord of Anhalt
Stamina: +9
Mental Strength: +1.5
Mana: +7.5
Technique: +10
Impression: +5
Luck: -7
Traits: Can’t Hear (Lv. 10)(!), Tenacity (Lv. 10)(!)
‘…Interesting.’
Usually, high stamina, technique, and mana types keep other stats in line—but mental strength and luck stood out.
Those weird traits too.
I raised an eyebrow as if asking what the issue was and greeted him.
“Likewise, Your Highness.”
At my response, he gave another faint smile and melted into the crowd.
Not even the courtesy of a few exchanged words.
He was here only at the Emperor’s invitation, no interest in the banquet itself.
After enduring thirty more minutes of guests, we finally escaped to the cloakroom just before dinner.
I entered the room assigned for the head guests and collapsed onto the sofa.
It wasn’t meant for lounging, but I couldn’t help it.
“Phew…”
“Bwahaha! Wonder what society chit-chat you heard. Gonna have to pry it out of you late tonight.”
“Not drinking with you, Your Highness.”
“Huh? Why?!”
As if I’d listen to you narrating head-smashings in real time…
“By the way, how was he?”
“No idea.”
My father.
Or rather, he had zero interest in anything.
No intent to learn about me, no flicker of vague familiarity—he made that clear.
It wasn’t just me. His eyes held no emotion for people or things.
‘At that level, no wonder he lets his brother abuse his sibling.’
How would someone like that know family affairs?
I sat up and asked.
“Speaking of, is His Imperial Majesty not here?”
“He’ll arrive on time for dinner. Quite rude, but bear with it. Probably plans to brag about handling state affairs on party day.”
I couldn’t help a chuckle at the unamusing remark.
Everyone danced around it, but hearing it straight made me feel like I could breathe.
“Come on, let’s go.”
We couldn’t hole up in the storage room forever, so we headed to the banquet hall.
Right on cue, a booming voice rang out.
“His Imperial Majesty Emperor Friedrich has arrived!”
“His Imperial Highness Prince Adelbert Hohenzollern has arrived!”
“…….”
I heard Elias click his tongue softly. He muttered just loud enough for me.
“Why’d that punk come?”
Fair question.
Elias wasn’t close to the Emperor’s children.
Especially Adelbert, the prince—who openly despised Elias as a villain.
As the hall’s nobles bowed, the Emperor stood before the table with a faint smile.
“Pleased to see you all. First-timers and familiars alike—enjoy yourselves.”
Dinner was easy.
Thanks to Luca growing up watching his brother’s every move, my table manners were flawless.
After a light aperitif, the seated Emperor gave me an eye-nod before asking Elias.
“Doing well, Duke?”
Elias smiled smoothly.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Thanks to your constant, thoughtful attention, my days are perfectly peaceful.”
“…!”
‘This guy knows that rhetoric too.’
I had to fight back a laugh.
Peaceful days? What a joke.
Not even a week since the incident.
And Elias and I were right in the middle of it.
Pure sarcasm.
“Ahem.”
Leonard cleared his throat pointedly.
But Elias always lived like this, so his snark wasn’t surprising anymore.
And… in the novel, the Emperor would laugh it off with feigned affability every time.
“Haha, so good to see my nephew after so long.”
“Likewise, Your Majesty. I’ll visit more often.”
“Music to my ears. Pay respects to your father later if time allows. And…”
The Emperor turned to me.
“Lord Ernst. You accomplished something great this time. A few years back, someone like you appeared in our empire.”
“…….”
“Who’d have thought another like Adrian Ascanien, the magical affairs vice-minister, would arise? With men like you, it’s reassuring.”
“Truly an honor, Your Imperial Majesty.”
The Emperor nodded with a gentle smile.
Light conversation flowed smoothly after that.
‘…Hmm.’
As expected, early on—it was so peaceful it almost felt silly to stay guarded.
‘Of course, unlike the novel, there’s one extra stranger here, so a milder approach makes sense.’
As dinner wound down, the Emperor sipped his wine and spoke.
“It’s nearly time to wrap up. Duty calls, so I must leave after midnight.”
I saw Elias exhale sharply.
The Emperor had been all smiles with us, but Elias’s reaction was natural.
The Emperor’s true nature was nothing like this.
And I knew it too, having read Elias’s ten years.
Then, the Emperor looked at me with a smile.
“And, Lord Ernst.”
Elias and I locked eyes for a split second.
Leonard paused with his wine glass mid-air.
I met the Emperor’s gaze calmly.
“Speak, Your Majesty.”
“Before I go, I’d like some private time with you. If that’s alright?”