[{"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-33":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},1473939,1923,"Chapter 33","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-33",33,"\u003Cp>Leo furrowed his brows, his expression clearly questioning what Elias had just said. Elias shrugged nonchalantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to change the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elias, I heard you've been traveling through the restricted zones a lot. I'd like to hear what you've discovered. We need new data.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, I'd be happy to share. I've been itching to talk about it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias glanced around, then picked a map from a stack piled in the corner and spread it out on the table. He grabbed a stray piece of graphite with his bare hand and circled a spot on the map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The barrier is the problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barrier?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The barrier suitability is low. Although currently classified as lower-grade, there are now seven places that need a mid-grade barrier. See?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A student stood up and bent over the map, following Elias's lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly. The absurdly high number of 15 lower-grade barriers is due to budget constraints. Maintaining barriers is incredibly expensive, as you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maintaining a typical lower-grade barrier costs around 10 million won per day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's 300 million won per month, and 3.6 billion won per year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With 21 restricted zones all having lower-grade barriers, the annual maintenance cost is approximately 76.6 billion won, a sum the government could manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the moment it upgrades to a mid-grade barrier, the daily cost shoots up to 50 million won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Elias’s survey, there would be 12 mid-grade barriers. Maintaining these for a year would cost 219 billion won. Additionally, if mid-grade areas are surveyed, some might require high-grade barriers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the novel, Elias's standards were not excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could have set stricter criteria, but he only targeted areas that were non-negotiable for improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the problem is compounded by the lack of internal cleaning of the barriers. Areas that could have been maintained with lower-grade barriers now require mid-grade ones just to hold because they haven't been cleaned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, too, was a budget issue. Specifically, the pride of imperial mages prevented appropriate budget allocations for such menial tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melvin hesitated before asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The imperial family wouldn't endanger people like that... Could it be because of a lack of money...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They have the money,\" Elias said firmly, snapping his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But they need to fill their own pockets, so there's no money left for safety.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Why do you think that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Passing bills like the ‘Law on Using Family Names as Surnames’ while neglecting barrier maintenance due to a lack of funds? It's ridiculous. They wasted a session on this nonsense and took a budget to overhaul nameplates and administrative records across the regions. These kinds of pointless laws are just an excuse for everyone to get their share.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elias...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo sighed at Elias's harsh words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expression was coarse but true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shortly after the empire's establishment, a nonsensical law was enacted emphasizing magical traits over ruling territories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, some people's surnames now include family names instead of place names or national names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this has led to an odd situation where more people have detached the place names from previous customs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias had criticized the federal committee and imperial parliament in the novel for allocating budgets to such useless endeavors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hearing it in person is refreshing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Leo seemed worried Elias might say this outside the meeting, I knew he wouldn't be killed for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, Elias criticized the federal committee for the barrier suitability issues he discovered while investigating the restricted zones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, he publicized the beast attacks and incorrect barrier suitability through the media.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Typically, the media wouldn't carry negative stories about royalty, especially the imperial family, but Elias had a significant leverage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As public opinion flared up, the federal committee hastily passed a law mandating monthly internal cleaning of all barriers within the empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This significantly reduced the number of people affected by beast attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias, seemingly trying to hold his tongue at Leo's call, mumbled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The imperial parliament is... just a lackey of the federal committee. Forget them, we also need to deal with the Security Bureau.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, let's do that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo nodded absentmindedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the urgent matter isn't them. It's the federal committee. They need to know one thing: they must pass the budget to overhaul all those damn barriers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This part was proceeding exactly as in the original.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This much is sufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded at his words and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eli, which zones did you say you’ve been to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Too many. I've been to all the lower-grade ones except Mepen and one other. I went to the high-grade zone the day I broke my leg. Now it's time to check the five mid-grade ones. Oh, Leo, how was Mepfen?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ordinary, except the insects were contaminated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Insects?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias's face hardened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students also looked shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Insects can get contaminated? There haven’t been any such cases.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did it spread to other animals?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Thinking about it, there's no reason it shouldn't be possible theoretically.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias muttered to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Insects are contaminated? There definitely weren't any where I've been,\" Elias said, implying that none of the 14 places he visited had contaminated insects. This detail matched the novel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias, lost in thought with a hardened face, shook his head before asking, \"But why are you asking where I've been?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wanted to know if you've seen contaminated insects elsewhere. Since you haven't, let's move on. There's something important I need to say.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is it? I'm curious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think the restricted zones were used as experimental grounds. Narce and Leo agree with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the students looked at each other, unable to immediately grasp the idea, Elias's eyes widened in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That's an astonishing shift in perspective.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you talking about, Lucas? It feels like I've just heard something shocking,\" a student said, laughing incredulously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias faintly smiled, stroking his chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We're not just talking about the suitability of barriers anymore. Barriers, initially set up to protect people, might have inadvertently created perfect places for unrestricted experiments.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While considering barrier suitability, I waited until Elias finished organizing his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He focused his eyes and drummed his fingers on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It makes sense. There's no reason it shouldn't. If I were Pleroma, I'd exploit that separation policy to my advantage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his gaze to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the problem is this: How do they continuously breach the barriers? Unauthorized objects or living beings above a certain size trigger alarms and are subjected to severe shocks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What if the 21 restricted zones were all their habitats to begin with? Or maybe there were passages there even before the barriers were set up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melvin's jaw practically hit the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias's previously stern expression twisted into a slow grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you're saying there's a traitor in the imperial family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone's eyes turned to Elias as he shifted his tone. Then, he returned to his usual manner of speaking, furrowing his brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if it's not the imperial family, it's definitely someone high up in the imperial government, right? They push for barrier installations by claiming those 'minor' experiments pose a threat. Then, once the barriers are up, they can conduct their experiments freely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo pulled out the prepared documents and spread them out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right. So, I looked up who initially advocated for the barrier installations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, when did you find this out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before I visited your hospital room. The top names are Florian Amalie, Albert Ernst, and Winfred Hintz. These are the people who pushed the agenda aggressively.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias nodded, asking, \"Are they all federal councilors?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. Then there are Esther Friedrich, Wiltrud Albrecht, Sander Ludovica, Werner Strauch. They abstained.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The upper house doing this, not even the unpaid lower house? Whether they are connected to Pleroma or not, they’re typical tax thieves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...True, but... Rudolf Heinrich, Henning Berend, Trude Leopold. These were the main opposition figures. They all argued that the costs were excessively high.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These guys are also a piece of work...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo pretended not to hear Elias and turned to the next page of the dossier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Among journalists who actively covered the barrier issue, there's Astrid Metzler and Dietmar Peschke. Among scholars, Friedrich Schuller.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We'll need to consider these people's connections to the imperial family too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias grinned as he skimmed through the list Leo handed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is getting interesting. Lucas, is this how you plan to stick it to the imperial family?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't remember saying it like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whatever. So, what are you planning to do now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We thank His Highness Crown Prince Leonard of Bavaria and Sir Nikolaus for their efforts on behalf of Mepen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron handed over the plaque with a confident smile, his lips firmly set, while extending his other hand for a handshake. The camera shutters clicked and flashed from the journalists invited by the baron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After answering the journalists' questions briefly, we quickly left the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s your schedule like for the rest of the day...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’ll be returning to school.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo replied with a smile and moved to the warp location prepared by the baron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the baron sending a telegraph to the school immediately after yesterday's event, we returned to Mepen today, on Tuesday. However, since it was a weekday, we couldn't skip school and had to make a brief visit in the early morning for a quick greeting before heading back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why was the end-of-month evaluation postponed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Um... that's still classified.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today is the last day of October, but with the sudden postponement of the end-of-month evaluation, we had to attend classes at school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was somewhat fortunate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, I was carrying a jar of contaminated mosquitoes in my bag. I had collected them early this morning before arriving at the baron's mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I wish I could just throw it away.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, this gave me enough time to bring it to the meeting place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time early morning came, I placed the collection jar on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias showed visible interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow, what's this? The color is amazing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The mosquitoes we talked about yesterday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melvin and some other students nervously licked their dry lips as they looked at the jar filled with mosquitoes. Melvin pointed at the jar, gathering his courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wh-why did you bring this, Lucas?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's start breeding mosquitoes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melvin looked at me with eyes that seemed to say he'd been struck by lightning out of the blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why...? Why...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why? Because we need to propose a new bill.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1733,"2026-06-06T03:11:08.023Z",1,"novelbin.me","b4bff4413ce556b55ee8380072279a525c00618c45d9a6b10b8006fe12e12afa","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-34","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-32",367,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-cover.jpg"]