[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil":3,"chapter-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-120":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1474026,1923,"Chapter 120","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-120",120,"\u003Cp>Even after Adrian’s response, Lucas remained unfazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been neglecting you, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Neglecting me? Don’t push yourself. There’s no need to think like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian’s smile was as steady as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the chamberlain’s voice rang out again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Duke, Georg Askanian, has arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he entered, both Lucas and Adrian rose from their seats and greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, his eyes settled on Adrian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is your health?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve improved a lot since before I arrived. Being home brings me peace, and I almost forget that I was ever unwell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words held no trace of emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though this was the first time in over a year that the three of them had gathered, Georg Askanian showed no sentiment whatsoever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fleeting, sardonic smile flickered across Lucas' face as he observed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the servants poured aperitifs into their glasses, Georg recited a prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bless us, O Lord, and these gifts which we are about to receive. Through Christ our Lord, we pray.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was devoid of any gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he gave a short command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a while, only the sound of cutlery against plates filled the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they neared the end of their appetizers, Adrian finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been a long time since the three of us last shared a meal. Being here makes it feel real that I’ve returned home. How have you been, Your Grace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was nothing out of the ordinary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the response was curt and stiff, no one at the table found it unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Georg Askanian was a man of few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of the time, he simply gave an icy stare to silence others. It was rare for him to engage in conversation at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a privilege that only Adrian Askanian could expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s good to hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian replied with a perfectly polished smile before seamlessly shifting the conversation to Anhalt’s political situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the discussion continued, the servants began to feel a sense of ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Georg Askanian excelled at commanding submission, but he never inspired true loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time they saw him in action, it became clear why he held such a firm standing in the Imperial Court and across the Empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Adrian wrapped up his discussion with Georg, the suffocating tension at the table had eased considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Adrian turned his attention to Lucas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s also been a while since I’ve had a meal with my dear brother. I heard you placed second in the Bavarian Magic Potion Tournament.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was quite surprised when I heard about your excellent grades at school, and you’ve impressed me yet again. I’m truly pleased to see your consistent achievements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s all thanks to your faith and support, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas offered a polite smile before continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More importantly, I heard you had an accident. What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servants, though they didn’t show it outright, were clearly taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just last year, he could barely muster a response when spoken to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he was looking Adrian straight in the eye and asking questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Adrian Askanian showed no sign of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression remained as warm as ever as he regarded his younger brother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not a particularly pleasant story, but you should know. I was attacked by magic set up by Pleroma and lost consciousness. At first, I didn’t think the injuries were serious, but the diagnosis suggested it would be best to receive treatment in the Empire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of Pleroma, the servants exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As trained Askanian household staff, they quickly suppressed their reaction, but Adrian had already caught that brief moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression stiffened slightly, but Lucas only smiled enigmatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian must have been curious to see how his Pleroma-born younger brother would react upon hearing that Pleroma had attacked him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas glanced at the bowl of soup placed before him before speaking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been through a lot. I heard Pleroma has been making bolder moves lately, but to think a close family member would be harmed… That is truly shocking. I will pray wholeheartedly for your swift recovery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian smiled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soup was cleared away, and a plate of bread was set in front of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conversation had shifted several times by now, mostly revolving around politics between Georg and Adrian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, at a natural pause, Adrian turned to Lucas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Luca, could you pass me the butter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas, who had just taken a sip of wine, casually rang the service bell on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Georg stopped speaking and looked at Lucas, effectively ending their conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A servant quickly composed himself and approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How may I assist you, young master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Make sure it’s placed conveniently for my brother to use.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, young master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servant obeyed without a second thought, treating it as a natural command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas smiled as he looked at the two men staring at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need it anymore, so please use it comfortably, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them had multiple glasses in front of them, so stretching across the table would have been inconvenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as a noble, the son of a ruling family with over a hundred servants at his disposal, giving orders should have been second nature to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Lucas Askanian wasn’t that kind of person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when it came to a direct request from Adrian—he had never displayed any flexibility before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the servants, still considering Lucas to be below Adrian, anxiously gauged Adrian’s reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Adrian wore the same serene smile as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Lucas, too, remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the next three days, Adrian Askanian never once summoned Lucas to his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At mealtimes, Adrian did nothing more than smile and engage in casual conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only brought up school life, friends, and Pleroma—nothing out of the ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the entire household staff struggled to adjust to Lucas’ transformation, Adrian treated his utterly changed brother the same as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not once did he question the change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an oddly normal and peaceful approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, on the fourth day, Adrian finally summoned Lucas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his request was for me to come alone, I entered the building without any attendants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meeting place was the theater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a ruling family, having facilities like this within their estate wasn’t unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Duke wasn’t the type to enjoy such things, so it was likely built by a previous head of the family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my footsteps, Adrian Askanian turned from his seat near the middle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His goal was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To determine whether he could sense magic from me or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To see if I had the potential to one day surpass him and take revenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came all this way just to confirm that, yet he dragged it out to avoid showing his agitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should have hidden it better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment he willingly injured himself to return here, he had already revealed his unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After analyzing his status window and hearing firsthand how he was injured, I was completely sure—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did hurt himself on purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, after days of waiting, why call me to the theater specifically?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a tone as if we had been friendly siblings for the past eighteen years, Adrian asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We used to come here often when we were younger. Do you remember?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I suppose not. I was ten, and you were three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was well aware of the massive age gap, yet it never troubled him to abandon his brother both socially and physically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How come you called me here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I feel like I haven’t been able to look after you properly since you enrolled in the Imperial Second Academy. And since you mostly stayed in your room as a child, you didn’t get many chances to enjoy yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian spoke while gazing at the empty stage set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are a lot of things I’d like to ask you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about time he dropped the act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t worried about him detecting my magic. I was controlling even the faintest traces in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I wasn’t in the mood to take any chances, so I sat one seat away from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, Adrian didn’t seem to mind. He likely interpreted it as typical behavior for someone my age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the theater troupe he had arranged stepped onto the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The play was Macbeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t expecting much, but since this was a noble family’s hired troupe, it wasn’t completely unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Honor, love, and friendship… All that remains for me is a curse.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I half-listened to the lines while thinking through Adrian’s plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I knew it, the play had reached its final act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had only been counting down the time when Adrian, still staring at the stage, murmured,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how many times I watch, I never tire of it. The lesson is clear—one must never end up like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lesson?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since when did this bastard have the right to talk about lessons?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The age gap between us was a misfortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we had been only a year or two apart, we would have either ignored each other or outright fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would have shown his true nature more easily, and I could have dealt with him more conveniently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I had to put up with this disgusting charade of kindness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Adrian spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, are you still taking your medication?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time he had brought this up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We might be heading straight for the basement soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered without emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian rested his chin on one hand and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it doesn’t seem to be working.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at him in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voices from the stage, the music—everything faded from my awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Processing critical information was already demanding enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t have the luxury of paying attention to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know what you mean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can tell me the truth, Luca.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s nothing more to tell. I’ve already answered honestly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would he say, “It doesn’t seem to be working”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew how to suppress magic in the air better than even Leona or Elias.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I didn’t, people like Traut would have picked up on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a skill I had honed to an unparalleled level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Adrian Askanian smiled and extended his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t say a word, but his intent was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I masked the magic lingering in the air, there was one thing I couldn’t suppress without an external tool—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magic running through my veins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until now, Adrian had no direct way of detecting my magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, there were only two possibilities for why he made that claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either he was bluffing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or he had obtained information from somewhere about me using magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was the latter, I needed to know exactly what he had discovered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to think for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached out my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>",1864,"2026-06-06T03:11:08.303Z",1,"novelbin.me","1125c7b77a60b2b3b15289abe6d0d99ae8d0bd4f940ec49f5c0c97bb610c5667","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-121","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-119",367,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-cover.jpg"]