The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 68

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 68

Evan.

Our connection, you could say, began when he came to the Terra Barrier to mine mana stones. However, due to circumstances, our roles were reversed. Although our relationship as the Magic Tower Lord’s disciple and adjutant wasn’t particularly close, we didn’t harbor any ill will towards each other.

“Congratulations on being the first to cross the wall. I wonder if my greeting is too late.”

“Haha, thank you.”

On the contrary, it was closer to the opposite. We both felt indebted to each other, in varying degrees. In my case, it was gratitude for peacefully resolving the conflict over the distribution of mana stones, which my family was involved in, back when I was just a common magician.

In Evan’s case…

“I never thought I would cross this wall [achieve a major breakthrough] in my lifetime, and it’s largely thanks to you, Great Disciple, that I received the title of Archmage.”

“Is there anything I did? It’s all thanks to your efforts, Adjutant.”

“There must have been something, but what I said is by no means empty flattery.”

It was because he received help in reaching the 6th Circle, which was his lifelong ambition.

“Actually, I was feeling my limits. Despite all the years, I couldn’t move forward even a single step. Perhaps, without a special opportunity, I would still be standing in place. All my efforts would have been nothing more than misguided attempts.”

Process and result. Most magicians valued the process more than the result. This is because the goal isn’t simply to obtain the result, but to achieve personal growth through the process of reaching it.

However, sometimes the result is more important than the process. Even if the result is obtained by chance, if you succeed even once, you can systematically refine the accidental process. Evan’s case was like that.

“I learned it at the Terra Barrier: that my efforts so far were not in vain, but misguided. It was a desperate struggle not to fall behind, not an effort to move forward.

At that time, what I needed wasn’t a groundbreaking idea or a high level of research. It was a series of harsh battles that squeezed the mana out of my whole body. Yes, I neglected the most basic training as a magician, so it was fortunate that I didn’t regress.”

“You were faithful to your role as adjutant. It was inevitable.”

“If you, Great Disciple, hadn’t found the mana stone mine, I wouldn’t have gone to the Terra Barrier. At the same time, I would have been frustrated by unrewarded efforts without knowing what was wrong. I would have thought that my limit was here, that this realm was not allowed to me. Of course, it may not have been your intention, but as someone who received help, I wanted to express my gratitude.”

“You’re giving me too much credit, Adjutant.”

Thanks to that, the atmosphere was friendly. Since we had goodwill towards each other, there was no reason for the atmosphere to be bad. However, when the real discussion began, words were exchanged in a serious atmosphere as if nothing had happened.

“First of all, you probably know that His Majesty the Emperor has lost consciousness.”

“Yes. The problem is that he didn’t designate an heir.”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, the current situation has been created where there is only one seat but many people are aiming for it. They are all watching each other’s competitors, pretending to worry about His Majesty the Emperor on the outside, but inside they are trying to increase their power as much as possible. And in that situation, the Magic Tower is no exception. Rather, it is strongly affected.”

There’s a saying like this: Those who carry swords should not be involved in politics. But how can that be easily separated like water and oil? Magic is an advanced field of study and is inevitably linked to nobles. My arm had no choice but to bend inward [to be influenced by external pressures].

“Many people wanted to see the Tower Lord, but the Tower Lord refused them all, saying that he wouldn’t get involved. Since then, he hasn’t given any particular policy, so from the students below to the elders above, they gather together with the affiliations of the princes they each support to check other forces… It’s just a headache.”

“What about you, Adjutant?”

“I’m just following the Tower Lord’s orders. You, Great Disciple, should also be careful in your actions. I haven’t lived long, but I’ve never seen anyone who got involved in politics and ended up well.”

“Thank you for the advice.”

My teacher, the Tower Lord, and Evan, who was in charge of the Magic Tower’s thankless tasks on behalf of the teacher as an adjutant, both urged me to maintain neutrality without leaning to either side.

‘Are you telling me to hold my breath until the situation becomes clear?’

Like the two said, there was no need to get involved in this political strife. My position was no longer insignificant, and for those who were trying to win me over, it would be good if they could bring me in, but even if they failed, there was no reason to antagonize me as long as they didn’t side with the other party.

Even if the final winner is decided after the political strife, I won’t be harmed as long as I remain neutral. Even the final winner will inevitably have a weak support base after going through the political strife, and he won’t try to kick out those who will quietly come into his arms as long as he doesn’t touch them.

If he’s so foolish that he can’t even think about that, he won’t be able to survive in this political strife in the first place.

‘I should focus on recovering for a while. Anyway, it’ll only be a few years at most. If the Emperor wakes up and appoints an heir, it might end sooner.’

#

After finishing the long conversation with Evan, I headed downstairs. After that, there were also conversations about the current political situation: the three princes are the most promising candidates and are actively campaigning, some princes have voluntarily entered under their banners, but more princes are greedy for the throne, and it is still possible that anyone can become the winner.

I wish one of them was overwhelming, so it would have been better in many ways for me, for the future, and for the empire to help him and finish it quickly.

“Nothing changes by complaining.”

I thought about trying to treat the Emperor with dragon’s blood, but soon shook my head. It is true that dragon’s blood is a panacea, but it is by no means an elixir of immortality. Also, if you are not careful in handling it, it wouldn’t be strange if it acted as a poison. Even in my case, I almost died.

Anyway, it was a problem that would have erupted someday as the Emperor was old, so it wouldn’t be bad if it erupted now that I have something to do alone.

Buzzing, buzzing-

When I arrived downstairs and reached the shelter where Armin was waiting, the shelter, which was usually not noisy, was bustling with several voices. The fleeting feeling of annoyance and the senses honed in all kinds of battles did not lie to me.

“Where are you shouting so presumptuously?”

“You have big dreams. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘Don’t even look at a tree you can’t climb’?”

“Get out of here right now. This is not a place for the likes of you to come!”

Several men and women gathered around one person, spewing abusive language and threatening him. The people around them were just watching with interest, and didn’t seem to want to stop them. However, the problem was that the one person who was receiving everyone’s attention was a familiar face.

‘It’s chaotic inside and out, even in a place like this…’

A wrinkle forms on my forehead. It’s not a difficult task, and it’s not a dangerous task. However, I’m just a little annoyed that problems arise even in such minor matters when I’m already having a headache with external matters.

“Did you think we would back down if you used the name of the Great Disciple? Where did you dare…!”

“I think my name was mentioned. What’s going on?”

“Who… Great Disciple!”

“Can you explain what happened?”

#

After Renil left the shelter, Armin sat quietly in his seat and waited for Renil to return. However, unlike his body, his heart felt like it was about to scream at any moment.

‘This is the Magic Tower…!’

A place that is like a sanctuary to the magicians of the Empire. It wasn’t his first visit, but that experience was only a brief moment to check the number of people before leaving for the Terra Barrier. The feeling was bound to be quite different from now.

‘From now on, my splendid rise will begin!’

However, that imagination did not last long. There were those who suspiciously regarded the unfamiliar face of the stranger sitting quietly.

The Magic Tower is a very closed space. Even magicians are not allowed to enter unless they have a clear reason for visiting, so the faces they encounter are the same. But since there was an unfamiliar face in the shelter, they couldn’t help but be interested.

So, the magicians of the Magic Tower investigated Armin, and in the process, Armin answered that he had come to the Magic Tower following Renil, as Renil had told him. Armin thought that they would back down as Renil had said, but what Renil had not thought of was that Renil’s status in the Magic Tower was high, but not low enough to be mentioned by a magician who had barely shed the beginner’s tag.

Renil had served in the Terra Barrier with Armin, but he was a nobleman and the Magic Tower Lord’s first disciple, and an Archmage who had the title of Archmage before he turned thirty.

Also, as he had made his name known by succeeding in numerous studies while staying in the Magic Tower, the feelings that young magicians had for Renil were close to admiration. But a third-rate magician he had never seen before brought his research with Renil saying that it had potential, so there was no way they would accept it willingly.

“You’re talking nonsense. What kind of person is the Great Disciple that he would be impressed by your research? There’s a limit to how much you can talk nonsense.”

Armin, whose lifelong research was dismissed with a blatant insult, was also angry and raised his voice, and that’s how the current situation was created.

“That’s what happened.”

“Haa.”

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t know that he was someone the Great Disciple brought.”

It wasn’t a big deal. It was just a series of misunderstandings. The basic fault was with the other party, but considering the gap between Armin and them, it was right for Armin to be careful.

‘I must have lived in this place for a long time. When I see myself naturally judging right and wrong according to my status…’

I’m twenty-eight years old. Now that my current life is longer than my previous life, no matter how firmly the roots of my previous life are planted, there is no way it can’t have an impact.

“I’m sorry. If I had been more certain, this misunderstanding wouldn’t have happened.”

“Ah, no! We should have checked it several times since the Great Disciple was involved, but it was our fault for being hasty. I’m really sorry!”

I ended the small commotion well and came out of the shelter with Armin. Armin, who had been suddenly branded as a liar, was making a face as if he didn’t like the current ending, but he would soon realize it: that a rosy future is by no means waiting for him.

“From today, this is your room.”

I led Armin to an ordinary room where most of the magicians residing in the Magic Tower stayed. Unless the Titan Project is successful and a dedicated research lab is built, or he returns to the Terra Barrier, his home was here.

“And from today, I’m going to tell you what you need to do, so open your ears wide and listen.”

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 68 – End