[{"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-88":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},1473994,1923,"Chapter 88","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-88",88,"\u003Cp>“…….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian Askanian’s voice echoed in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time I’d heard him speak since that fateful day in the basement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped the desk lightly, a smirk tugging at my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is worth keeping.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing him again reignited the resolve I’d felt on that first day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian’s smile radiated from the filter’s recording:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations. I’m truly happy to see you doing so well.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, have you heard the news about Lucas Askanian?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[That was around the same time one of your team members was seriously injured, wasn’t it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes. My younger brother has always been my “aching finger,” but hearing about his hard work and success gave me strength to do even more for my team.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Aching finger,’ huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a normal family, maybe. A younger brother, seven years his junior, born with a debilitating condition, might indeed be seen that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in reality, that condition doesn’t even exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far from being a cherished family member, I’m a target marked for elimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I expected this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian couldn’t come back to the Empire and actively block my path, not with my achievements now widely known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with my participation in the Experimental Tournament, any plans to keep me confined to the family estate had been ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Imperial Second Academy’s semester had officially ended the day of the competition. I’d already informed the Askanian household that I wouldn’t return home for at least a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a power play.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian knows that I wouldn’t take this as a pure gesture of encouragement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I removed the filter and crumpled the newspaper into my bag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, the door opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo walked in, raising an eyebrow when he saw me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm? You’re already up. It’s only 6:30.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I wanted to check today’s papers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo must have already seen the article about Adrian Askanian. He nodded awkwardly, as though unsure of what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To change the subject, I pointed to the basket he was holding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, letters from the secretary’s office. I only brought today’s batch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed the basket on my desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the past week, Nicolaus had been inundated with letters—just like Elias.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat on the bed and began opening them one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Such dedication.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People of all ages and backgrounds had sent these letters, a thought that made their gesture even more touching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s a shame I don’t have time to reply to them all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reading one letter, I carefully put it back in its envelope and reached for another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One letter felt unusually thick. It was stuffed so full that the envelope looked ready to burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was this all checked before being delivered?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Everything entering the palace gets screened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, no blades, powders, or other harmful substances were inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it paid to be cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What could possibly fill so many pages?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The letter began innocuously enough:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[To the esteemed Sir Nicolaus Ernst,]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first few pages read more like a formal report than a letter. Only after flipping through three or four pages did the sender’s personal thoughts emerge:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Sir Nicolaus, you’re just like me. I’m sure you understand how I feel. We’re both people dedicated to eradicating Pleroma.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I checked the sender’s name, but it wasn’t familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The letter contained nearly ten pages, meaning at least seven were filled with personal commentary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I appreciated the passion, the intensity was a bit unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the content focused solely on me and Pleroma, with no mention of anything potentially incriminating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I read the last page, commotion erupted outside the door, followed by loud knocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang, bang, bang—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, let’s go! Time to start experimenting!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sounds like one of the students from Class 1,” Leo remarked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain of Class 1 hadn’t made it here due to their academic standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, clearly, they were calling for Leo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was amusing to see students from different classes acting so familiar just because they attended the same school. The national stage seemed to foster camaraderie beyond class divisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo chuckled dryly and walked to the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’ve been calling me that for a while….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he opened the door, two students from Class 1 stood there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you’re both awake already. Let’s go. We can’t miss out on those 10 bonus points!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our school had managed to place every participant in the top 50, earning our team an additional 10 points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our academy wasn’t a specialized school for magical pharmaceuticals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While we weren’t novices—we’d been studying the subject for nearly a decade—many students here came from schools renowned for sweeping awards in this field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting practice at 6 a.m. made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo grabbed his bag and headed to the common area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, let’s get to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, let’s begin today’s practice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo tapped the desk at the front of the lab, standing confidently before the blackboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this lab had a more vintage aesthetic than modern facilities, it was well-equipped, with all the tools and safety devices I’d expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Class 1 students whispered to each other, clearly proud of their early start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Man, we’re so diligent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We have to be. If we’re going to beat the Bavarian Magical Medicine Academy, we can’t slack off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did you have to bring up reality?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo raised a hand to quiet them and began explaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. What we learned at school is just the basics. The problems here will be much more advanced, so let’s focus on adapting to their format.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright! Let’s give it our all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay. Anyone here planning to apply to the Imperial First Academy’s medical department?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one raised their hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t surprising. If they had been interested in magical medicine, they’d likely have enrolled in a specialized high school.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the Class 1 students let out a nervous laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh man, I was hoping someone would be, but it’s all general-track students. If we’d gotten the notice earlier, we could’ve prepped properly for this competition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of the students here weren’t familiar with magical medicine—Leo was the exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not surprising,” Leo said. “But we’ve come this far, so we can’t afford to half-ass the exam. Right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course! If we’re capable, let’s grab every award we can!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Let’s start with previous questions. Last year’s 64-team round involved a potion for treating stab wounds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s easy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems easy, doesn’t it? But… what part of the body does the standard potion for stab wounds work on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it just… for all parts of the body?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, does it depend on the location?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You use it on limbs—only if the arteries aren’t damaged.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my response, the Class 1 students turned to me with wide, startled eyes. Meanwhile, the Class 2 students gave them puzzled looks, already accustomed to me speaking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense—the Class 1 students had never taken lessons with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s correct,” Leo said. “The potion required for the 64-team round assumes the patient has received a tetanus vaccine, but the arteries are damaged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They already have tetanus vaccines here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I vaguely remembered hearing about it before. Magic really was something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the Class 1 students frowned and asked, “So… what are we supposed to do? We didn’t learn that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True. But the problems won’t require knowledge beyond high school level. Any ideas?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Narce raised his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We could make a vascular growth potion first, then apply the stab wound treatment potion afterward?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. That’s the kind of problem you’ll see in the 64-team round. Manageable, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s not too bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quick thinking and improvisation would be critical in handling these scenarios. Fortunately, both Narce and Leo seemed sharp enough to handle this, so I wasn’t worried about them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real issue, however...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The time limit’s pretty short, isn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you didn’t have the recipe for each base potion thoroughly memorized, you’d run out of time even if you knew what to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked quietly, “What’s the time limit for this problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For this one… seven minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, one of the Class 1 students gaped in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?! When are we supposed to heat anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heating only takes five minutes. Two of you focus on making the potion to control severe bleeding, and three work on the stab wound potion,” Leo explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, this requires perfect teamwork.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Class 1 students shook their heads in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo smiled wryly at their reactions and continued, “Here’s another thing to consider. How long does it usually take for a standard stab wound potion to take effect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About 30 minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right. But in last year’s first round, you needed a potion that worked within 60 seconds to pass.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell over the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Class 1 student finally managed to ask, “…Those aren’t sold commercially, are they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nope,” Leo replied. “And for good reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he skillfully mixed and heated ingredients, then grabbed a piece of experimental skin from the lab bench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using an awl, he pierced the synthetic skin, and artificial blood began to flow freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After extinguishing the flame, he poured the boiling potion onto the wound. Within 10 seconds, the damaged tissue began to close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It worked?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait a second.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students recoiled as the surface of the skin began to bubble violently, the epidermis swelling unnaturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A small miscalculation can cause severe side effects, making this potion too dangerous for general use. But the competition requires you to make these without any side effects—from the 64-team round all the way to the finals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since most competitors could make standard potions easily, the organizers introduced non-commercial recipes to raise the difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is starting to feel like a dark mage training program….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, this was just another part of the competitive system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As standards continued to rise, the problems grew more bizarre and difficult each year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo addressed the group again, scanning their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, just making it to the 64-team round is a miracle for us. Up until last year, every team that advanced to the 32-team round was from Bavaria’s specialized magical medicine schools.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So this is the first time non-specialized students are participating?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pretty much. That’s why our goal is simple—make it to the quarterfinals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone nodded earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching the quarterfinals came with substantial support from the Royal Bavarian Academy, making it a coveted milestone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my goal as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To maximize the final week of the tournament and earn the Royal Academy’s special training during the break, we had to reach the quarterfinals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood from my seat and said, “Let’s start right away. It’ll take time to get used to this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. Everyone, put on your safety goggles and gloves. I’ll time you,” Leo instructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the topic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same as this problem. I’ll sit out for now—let’s see how you all handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo held his hand over the stopwatch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ready… go!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s making the vascular potion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll work with Lucas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Narce poured the base potion into a beaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The layers need to separate, so let’s start with the outer membrane and work inward. Ugh, these ingredient names are so confusing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For the outer membrane, use tissue duplication potion and a bit of induction agent,” I said, reading the labels aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it. Thanks! For the inner membrane, I’ll use the 1.5 cm variant—it’s the widest we’ve got.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within three minutes, we finished our potion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Argh, we’re supposed to be heating it by now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh no, should we just crank the heat? Let’s set up two alcohol burners.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean, huh?! We’re already at four minutes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo interjected with a dose of reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even without his reminder, the Class 1 students were visibly panicking. Their earlier playful banter had vanished, replaced by guilt-ridden expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…For 100 mL at 3%, how much do we need to add?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Are you seriously asking that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! Right! 3 mL!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their panic was understandable. The ticking clock made them freeze up, unable to think clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even their hands hovered uncertainly over the ingredients.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the recipe was covered at the beginning of the semester, it made sense that they’d forgotten it after several months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a strong foundation in magical medicine—and without being in a related major—memorizing such details long-term wasn’t easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t fair to call it negligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I get it, but this isn’t good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I’d let them handle things at their own pace. But not today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, guys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?! What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Class 1 student flinched, expecting criticism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not here to scold you. How’s your math?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh… decent, I guess?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You couldn’t figure out 3% of 100 mL a second ago. Should I trust that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-sorry! I was just too nervous, okay? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think reviewing the recipe will make you less nervous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The student’s eyes grew serious, a stark contrast to their earlier demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good—that’s the response I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded and gestured toward the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll read it out. Let’s go through it step by step.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2178,"2026-06-06T03:11:08.303Z",1,"novelbin.me","fb8ea31cadb3b05e0aa13f4cbb29fd40aa4e7090e8175ae95a889e0da24f1dad","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-89","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-87",367,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-cover.jpg"]