'Survival Probability?'
Dawn777—Final Outcome 'Chapter X. Death' in 774 days, 0 hours, 1 minute, 19 seconds—
Probability of Change: 0.3% (+0.1%p)
It went up 0.1%.
'So I'm on the right track.'
Good.
I wouldn't be volunteering answers anytime soon, but at least I knew I didn't have to keep up that pathetic social act from home anymore.
I couldn't live like the old Lucas forever.
To pull off an uprising, to build credibility for my words and actions, I couldn't stay in my current social position. To catch up to my brother—renowned across the empire and neighboring nations—I had to start moving fast.
Of course, my brother wouldn't just sit back and watch me change forever.
Sooner or later, he'd send a watchdog. Or come himself.
Fine. I just had to build up my strength and lay the groundwork to clear my name before that happened.
* * *
The first week of classes went smoothly.
Thankfully, even the practical sessions were just orientation. No need to cast anything.
Better to hold off on magic training until the drug's effects wore off. From Friday evening through the weekend, I camped in the library, burying myself in divine power studies to scrape up some skill points. The weekend vanished in a blink.
Then Monday arrived. First practical magic class.
"Good morning, everyone. Enjoy your weekend? Today, we'll practice a simple offensive spell."
The professor, having gathered all the students in the training hall, guided us with an amplification spell. After the tedious introduction, he called students up one by one to cast.
'They're all pretty good.'
As expected of the empire's top magical institution. The students' skills were flashy.
And then… it was Leo's turn. I retracted my generous assessment.
'…The protagonist's friend isn't just anyone.'
The novel said Leo wasn't the strongest in the protagonist's group, but standing among the other students, that claim was laughable. He stood out completely.
Everything about him was different from the extra who'd die by my brother's hand at twenty. If I had to possess someone, it should've been someone like him.
While I was having useless thoughts, names kept being called. Flashy spells flickered nonstop before my eyes.
Cruelly, the practical class allowed no exceptions. You either showed up or you were absent.
'The old Lucas always came out having done nothing.'
And that Leo guy kept staring only at Lucas.
Then, the professor called a familiar name.
"Next, Lucas Ascanien!"
* * *
"I was shocked. When's the last time he walked around looking so… human?"
Friday, the first day of the new semester.
A student entered the magic department's training ground, words tumbling out in an excited voice.
No subject, but the target was obvious. Other students sitting on the floor, resting, reacted vigorously, chiming in.
"Yeah, I almost fainted."
"I saw his face for the first time today. How long has he been here? It's insane that this is my first time seeing him."
"You just haven't been coming to class properly."
"The hell are you talking about?"
The group burst into laughter.
Undeterred, one student brought Lucas up again.
"But he seemed like a completely different person. Not just the haircut."
"What's the big deal? Probably spent the two-month break relearning how to walk at home. How to open his eyes, too."
"Hah! Guess he's decided to straighten up. I was shocked when he answered in class."
A student who'd been sitting with a dark expression, not joining the conversation, shook his head.
"Doubt it. A mouse who's been hiding at school, suddenly acting normal now?"
The laughter that had been a constant undercurrent to the talk vanished instantly.
It wasn't because criticizing Lucas was new. That was always there.
The silence stretched. Finally, a student tried to lighten the mood, putting on a playful expression.
"That rumor's not true, right? Even for him, that's a bit…"
"Why are you all so naive? If he's been living like a beggar and suddenly shows up clean, doesn't that mean he plans to strut around drinking blood like those other Pleiroma bastards? Why are we having this stupid conversation?"
"Well… honestly, would he do that openly while stuck at school? The imperial family would come for him."
"And when has the imperial family ever succeeded? Why does everyone avoid him? It's because they think he's really one of Pleiroma."
"..."
The rest wasn't important.
*When has the imperial family ever succeeded?*
The other students froze at the words, bordering on treason, exchanging glances.
One student waved a hand, stepping in.
"Hey, guys. This isn't what we meant to talk about. You, calm down."
"Yeah, you go get some air. We were just curious how long he'd keep living like that."
The student's face twisted as he shouted.
"Why are you all so careless? If this keeps up…!"
"Pointless talk."
A cold voice from above made the students look up.
Leo, who had been listening to his friends' conversation without a word, answered with an icy face.
"Changing your appearance doesn't change your essence. He still can't use magic."
It wasn't the kind of remark Leo usually made—he never commented on others.
Yet his friends weren't surprised at all.
Even Leo, who always smoothed things over with a smile, had never looked kindly on Lucas. No reason to find it strange now.
One student laughed casually.
"Hah, true. How can he not even manage the basics? Seems like he can't even activate magic at all."
"Even if he could, we all know he's a donation admit. What would showing off some shitty magic skills accomplish?"
"Didn't they say he can't use magic because he can't drink blood?"
"All Pleiroma bastards can use magic properly without drinking blood. Whatever the process, the result is he can't use magic. Why the hell did he even come here?"
Long past the time they were supposed to start training, the students' conversation couldn't escape slandering Lucas.
Leo had already tuned them out, lost in his own thoughts.
* * *
'…Still, you never know.'
Leo, who had been staring into space half-listening to his friends' chatter, shook his head.
'Changing your appearance doesn't change your essence.'
That's what he'd said, but it wasn't that Lucas had no magical ability at all.
The dazzling magic he'd seen ten years ago was still vividly etched in his mind.
The Ascanien family was one of the top magical houses in the empire, known for their bright, flashy spells, unlike other families.
But the magic he'd seen wasn't just the typical, inherited family trait.
Anyone who saw his magic even once would never forget that moment.
Leo, who had no talent for magic, only began studying it seriously and came this far after seeing Lucas's magic.
The time Lucas turned into the current wreck coincided with rumors spreading across the empire that he'd set foot in Pleiroma.
It happened before his enrollment here, so the details were fuzzy, but the stories said he stopped using magic around the time those rumors spread.
Leo couldn't understand it.
If it were him, he'd use magic even more lavishly. To shut those insulting, unsettling rumors right up.
In this extreme magic-centric society, magical prowess was power stronger than anything.
Why act like you'd committed a mortal sin when you had such dazzling, powerful magic that could shut anyone up?
'…Was the magic I saw an illusion?'
At this point, that was the only possibility that came to mind. Or that he was the biggest fool in the empire and just did nothing.
'But.'
The Lucas he saw during the day was different in every way.
It wasn't just the haircut. His gaze, his walk, how he treated people—everything had changed. He'd even started participating actively in class. As if he'd become a different person.
Maybe he'd changed his mind.
'Maybe… I can see it again.'
A sudden surge of hope made Leo shake his head.
No. He shouldn't get his hopes up.
But even so, his hand gripping the wand tightened instinctively. No matter how much he tried to kill it, that 'what if' feeling wouldn't disappear.
* * *
Monday. First practical magic class.
"Perfect, Leo. Next!"
His turn over, Leo returned to his seat.
The friends gathered around didn't hold back their praise.
"Hey, that was awesome. Seems stronger than last year."
"Yeah."
The empty compliments didn't register.
They were just flattering his family background. They'd been like that since childhood.
Leo's gaze naturally drifted to Lucas.
Sitting apart from the other students—that was the same. But something was different.
If before he'd been cowering in fear, now no emotion seemed to reach him at all.
Honestly, it was surprising he could sit so calmly during a magic class.
'He's definitely changed.'
Leo wasn't the only one who thought so.
Shocked by the change, everyone around was talking about Lucas.
"His turn's soon, right?"
"Yeah. Three more? Ah, just two more now."
Students counting the order debated among themselves whether Lucas would use magic or not.
'Don't get your hopes up.'
Leo took a deep breath, thinking.
Even if he changed, how much could he change?
Maybe he had no intention of using magic.
Maybe, just like the rumors said, joining that group meant he couldn't drink blood and had no magic left.
If that was the case, there was nothing to be done. And nothing more for him to say.
A heavy sigh escaped him.
"Next! Lucas Ascanien!"
Leo's head snapped up.
Lost in thought, it was already his turn.
He walked forward with a surprisingly normal gait, unlike his usual self.
"Begin."
At the professor's dry instruction, Lucas raised his wand to chest level.
'…What?'
Leo frowned, watching him.
The professor, who had been watching idly, also raised an eyebrow in surprise. The student who should have been hanging his head, standing still for a long time, was holding a wand. Unexpected.
From the waiting area, the sound of short, sharp intakes of breath could be heard.
*Crack—!*
At that moment, a red light flashed from the tip of the wand.
And immediately sputtered out.
"…!"
"Huh!"
"What?!"
Shouts erupted from around the room.
Though it was nothing like the magic a mage on the cusp of adulthood should wield, the classroom was thrown into shock by that feeble spell. Several students stood up.
"Did he just use magic?!"
"What? How? Wasn't he supposed to be unable to?"
Leo, who had been frozen with wide eyes, slowly rose from his seat amid the chaos.
'This can't be.'
He hadn't seen wrong.
But the surprise was short-lived.
Lucas gave the hand holding the wand a slight shake, then did nothing more. He just stood there, head bowed deeply.
—-----------
T/N:
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