[{"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-17":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},1473923,1923,"Chapter 17","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-17",17,"\u003Cp>Creak―\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten minutes before the first class, I entered the classroom at a time when most students had already arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What the hell?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo, who was sitting in the classroom, looked at my face and asked incredulously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, realizing belatedly that we had agreed not to acknowledge each other, he turned his head and began to curse at me with his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring his face that seemed to ask what had happened, I looked elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made eye contact with those students from yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked and gestured towards them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Left you behind, but you got here on your own just fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students stared straight ahead, but when I approached and tapped one of them on the shoulder, he trembled and looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do I have to make you come here myself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N-No... I, why...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guy's eyes trembled madly as he looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They probably remembered calling me out to bully me, but they wouldn't recall hitting me this visibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something had obviously happened, but all that lingered in their minds was a vague sense of fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled and grabbed his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grab your bags and come over here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sit next to me. All four of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guy, with a frozen expression, slowly stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with a face that couldn't understand why he had to follow my orders, he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why should I sit next to you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I returned to my seat and silently tapped the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged glances and sat beside me with confused expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I casually asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What class is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Basic Biology... I think.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Great, open your notebooks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guys, looking bewildered, hesitated before pulling out their notebooks. Just then, the professor entered the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good morning, everyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the professor was checking the attendance list, I spoke to the students next to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's your rank?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"36th... and these guys are in the 40s... why do you ask?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Out of 50 students, you're in the 40s? Can't expect you to grasp the key points.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But, weren't you 48th as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luca was. He even missed the exam day. Always in last place, he barely avoided it in the final exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't bother to answer and pointed at the notebooks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Write down every single word the professor says from now on. Don't try to summarize, write everything from start to finish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I said, write everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything? The student frowned, looking puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But why should we listen to you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't want to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I looked at him with a smile, he averted his eyes and hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, writing everything down is a bit...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then don't. It's your choice. No one forces you to study.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don't do it? That easily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Really don't have to? The student's face showed more confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the professor, looking around the students, noticed my face and tilted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucas, what happened to your face?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, I... early this morning...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood up and opened my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang―\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of the desk reverberated through the quiet classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The student next to me, pale, grabbed my hand tightly and whispered urgently in a small voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I'll do it...! I'll do everything!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Early this morning?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The professor alternated his gaze between me and the student next to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, Leo let out a deep sigh, as if realizing what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other students in the classroom had similar expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down at the student clutching my hand, I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...It's nothing. Just a little argument with friends.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it's a violence issue, we need to hold a disciplinary committee.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, it's not that serious. We've resolved it amicably.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The professor, not wanting to escalate the matter, thought for a moment and then nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm... If you need help, tell any of the professors. It's okay to do so later as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I will. Thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled and sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then I took out a thin book with a cover from my bag. It was a book I borrowed from the library to study special magic using divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened the book and slipped it under my textbook, gesturing to the students next to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you doing? Start writing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students stared blankly at my book, then hastily started writing as the professor began to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, see you next week. Make sure to review.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The professor packed up his materials and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students next to me jumped up from their seats, gasping for breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huff... It's over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucas! We wrote everything down!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their tearful cries reached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly glanced over their notes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were blank spots, but since several of them were writing, they covered each other's gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I handed the notebooks back to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good job.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Aren't you taking them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seriously... Do you only study in the first period? Does school end after just one class?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces darkened at my words. I patted their shoulders with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hang in there until six.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After regular classes ended, I collected all the notebooks. The students handed them over with weary faces, rubbing their sore arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at this messy handwriting. Can't you write properly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One student, hesitating at my scolding, finally spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...But, are you going to report us...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I shook my head, the students' faces brightened. Watching them, I continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you keep this up, you know. From what I understand, a report on a violence incident can be filed anytime before graduation. Right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? No... then...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled at the students who couldn't finish their sentences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already gone to the hospital and obtained a medical report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, I slowly read through the notes and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting through a high school class I already knew was extremely tedious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With lecture notes, I could finish in 30 minutes what I had to sit through for an hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the curriculum wasn’t the same as reality, so I couldn’t entirely ignore the classes, which was a bit of a dilemma...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This works well.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed the notebook filled with lecture content and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, I'll borrow these.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after Lucas left his seat, a student sighed and rubbed his face with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's a thug, that bastard...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A thug who steals notebooks?...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whatever, it's still extortion! Isn't the notebook my property?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a student shouted angrily, another shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Calm down. He clearly said he was borrowing them. Let's see if he returns them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If he doesn’t return them, we should report him immediately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He will return them. If he wants us to take notes tomorrow, he'll have to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a sudden silence among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a depressing thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dropped by my room to stack the borrowed notebooks on my desk and headed to the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened yesterday?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I lifted my head, I made eye contact with Leo, who was sitting on a bench in the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, I figured he'd ask. It would have been stranger if he didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment's thought, I gave a short answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I got hit a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he was probably asking how the whole incident unfolded...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to explain how they mentioned Leo or how I made them eat dirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better not to provide any room for mistakes by explaining anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If I say something unnecessary, it won't even make it halfway.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not the dirt part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my mouth shut, remembering Leo's proper conduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo looked at me incredulously, then shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, fine... That's not important. Did you get checked out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah. Just bruises.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's a relief.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo nodded, then suddenly asked a strange question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, did you win?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't help but laugh at the absurd question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the novel, I remembered Leo stopping the protagonist from getting into fights, not asking about the outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He already assumes I used magic.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo wouldn’t be asking about winning or losing a fight unless he thought I used magic. I replied lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think they'd listen to a loser?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo burst out laughing at that answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, that makes me feel better. Yeah, who taught you? There's no way you’d lose to those guys.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's amazing you just assume I used magic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those guys don't know any limits. The only way to get out of that situation was by using magic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to make me eat a live animal was definitely crossing the line. If I hadn’t used magic, I might have actually ended up with it in my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How are the students reacting?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They think you got beaten up. And they're guessing those guys accidentally hit your face and got caught.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's a very reasonable reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s hard to believe that someone who can’t use magic could beat several mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, this means my use of magic hasn’t spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only got a reward of divine power and self-taught a mind-control spell using it...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'For self-study, the effects are solid.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The special magic using divine power is worth continuous investment in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I should focus on more fundamental things first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I need to raise my Health stat quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If using divine power is hindered, it means Mental Power is also hindered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's the fourth week of September, and after next week, it'll be October. It’s already been a month since the new semester started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So... It's time to speed up the improvement of my status window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three hours into training, Leo put his wand in his waistband and checked his watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's ten o'clock. Let's head in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, wiping off sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike me, Leo, with no sign of exhaustion, smiled and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today’s training was more intense, but you did well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, you too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is why I need to quickly raise my Health stat. Whenever I try to improve, my health becomes an obstacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Let's see how much it improves with one day of training.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I summoned my status window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas Rene Askanian\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Title: Hunter of ???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Health: -3.3 (+0.1) [-0.3]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mental Power: -7.6 (+0.1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic Power: ?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skill: +1.065 (+0.05) [+4.065]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impression: -10\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luck: -6.385 (+0.1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Traits: Dawn 777, Divine Power\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>0.1 per day, 1 point every ten days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last week, it was 1 point per week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher the value, the smaller the increase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, if I estimate generously, I can escape the negative within two months, so it's not a problem yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem is after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the Skill category.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only positive score, Skill, is rising more slowly than the other categories. It looks like once it goes positive, the speed will be incomparable to now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Since the tasks will take longer as time goes on, it's best to get through the negative phase as quickly as possible.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a limit to time, but there’s so much to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I should cut back on sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While thinking about this and packing my bag, Leo called out with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, Lucas.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The herbs you mentioned have arrived. Today’s the fourth day, as you said.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo held up a box that had been under his bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, if I have to make that throughout the exam period, I’ll really need to cut back on sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I thought about that, I heard a familiar notification sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding―!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 3. Constant Dripping Wears Away the Stone (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quest 2: Achieve 'Health' Score 0 (0\u002F1) (167 hours 59 minutes 58 seconds)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Route 1 — Chapter 3 Special Reward\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Route 2 — Chapter 4. One Swallow Does Not Make a Summer\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"......\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucas?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You want me to raise 3.3 points in a week when it's currently going up by 1 point every ten days?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, I figured this kind of quest would come up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a title like that, I was wondering why it was so quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scoffed at the unrealistic time limit.\u003C\u002Fp>",2009,"2026-06-06T03:11:08.023Z",1,"novelbin.me","b4f19d365dc19f86c67192b5565ca1f1268e3c66ae1a6d892bc75397a26de828","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-18","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-16",367,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-cover.jpg"]