What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 7

#007 Her News (1)

“The two robbers, Sinki and Peter, were of similar build to the dead children and me. Crucially, their being twins matched the documents, so there was no reason to arouse suspicion during the interview. The Imperial Guard suspects that someone working for the Berang family received money from the Divine Nation and passed on information about the page candidates.”

“So, the Divine Nation obtained intelligence about the Berang twins, sent suitable replacements, and used them as assassins?”

“Yes. It was planned even before you arrived.”

Money. Selling the lives of thirteen-year-old kids for a mere sum.

I shuddered at the palpable depravity.

Eunseo had never mentioned this side of ‘Toegye Gong’ [a historical Korean scholar and philosopher, often used as a figure of respect and authority].

Is this how the novel originally goes? Or is it just the ‘Sub-Male Lead’s’ surroundings that are so unsettling?

If that’s the case, Eunseo’s constant sympathy for the prince was understandable.

“They were thoroughly trained to become your pages, so they weren’t children who would fail the test. Since they were familiar faces from the interview, the Head Chamberlain and Benjamin couldn’t have suspected anything.”

Cardinal Boutier concluded calmly.

“So, what happened to them? Were they executed?”

“They’re still alive.”

Her gaze towards me was peculiar.

“It’s thanks to your good handling of the situation. A divine decree was placed on them to prevent suicide. In ‘normal’ cases, those caught after failing an assassination attempt would take their own lives to protect their master.”

“Then…”

“Yes. Since they couldn’t die and were caught by the Imperial Guard, they had to reveal everything they knew.”

“Were they tortured?”

I bit my lip.

It’s not like I forgave them for what they did to me.

Just because I spent about a week close to them, it doesn’t mean my hatred and disappointment towards the murderers diminished.

However, there was also a clear limit to the punishment that a 21st-century Korean could accept.

It’s only right for criminals to go to prison.

Questioning is necessary to catch the instigator.

However, I couldn’t easily accept harshly torturing people, especially children in their early teens.

“If I had been absent, that’s what would have happened, but fortunately, I’m quite capable.”

Her beige eyes curved slightly.

“My divine decree is very strong. Cleansing the minds of children who have been brainwashed their entire lives isn’t a difficult task at all.”

That’s a relief.

She assessed my expression and then laughed out loud.

“You’re as kind as I’ve heard.”

“No, punishment is definitely necessary. Even if they are minors, they killed three people and tried to kill me.”

“Yes. Since they targeted a foreign royal staying in the Imperial Palace, they will be charged with attempted regicide [the act of killing a king or royal]. Even if the Berang couple or your mercy spares their lives, they will have to live a life of atonement.”

I nodded.

I barely survived, but my heart ached for the two children and the coachman who lost their lives in a sudden disaster.

“Then, may I ask you a question now?”

“Yes? To me?”

“I don’t think all your questions have been answered. I just want to resolve some of the curiosity I’ve gained over the past three days.”

“…I will answer with all sincerity.”

I’ve been unconscious for three days.

I tried to focus only on that thought as I stared straight into the Cardinal’s mysterious eyes.

She carefully opened her mouth.

“I know that you were… not respected in the Divine Nation.”

Um, I knew that too.

Eunseo had mentioned Yeseo Fenetian’s unfortunate family history, and it was also in the latest issue of [likely referring to a magazine or publication that details character backgrounds].

Unlike the two princesses born between the King and the Queen Consort, Prince Yeseo was said to be the child the King had with a priestess through an affair.

“Everyone in the Empire knows that Royal Consort Werner of the Divine Nation was the one who insisted on sending you as a hostage.”

It seemed the legitimate husband saw the prince as a thorn in his side.

Then, was he also the one who sent the assassins?

I responded calmly. Cardinal Boutier continued to speak quietly.

“It wouldn’t be surprising if he sent assassins after you. If the prince died as a hostage, they could shift the blame to the Empire, which would have been a convenient plan for the Royal Consort. The assassin brothers confessed to this.”

“I see.”

“They planned to disguise it as a suicide after killing you. Since you were being investigated for the temple theft, it seems they intended to pin that on you as well.”

I thought, ‘Sending me as a hostage should have been enough, why try to kill me?’ but this probably has to do with Prince Yeseo being the son of a priest.

In the Divine Nation, the status of a priest is absolute.

Direct descendants of the royal family are baptized as soon as they are born and raised as priests. No matter how weak their innate divine power, they are appointed as bishops at the age of 16.

Whether they grow up as swordsmen or mages, those close to the throne always hold the title of priest.

The only way for someone not of direct royal lineage to become a priest was to be born with strong divine power, but according to history books, this was not common.

In particular, it was said that only one commoner who was not of royal blood became a priest per generation.

Therefore, it was no exaggeration that the Divine Nation’s king falling in love with a priest from a common background and having a child was called ‘the romance of the century that shook the continent.’

The people of the Divine Nation supported the legitimacy of the king’s first child, Crown Princess Elysee, but also showed absolute and fervent love for Yeseo, the son of the priest.

A popular prince with purple eyes, said to appear only in the bloodline of the main god.

It was only natural that Royal Consort Werner, the father of the Crown Princess, felt a sense of crisis.

For reference, this is all information I memorized by poring over books and drawing family trees of other people’s families.

All Eunseo told me was that Prince Yeseo was an illegitimate child with purple eyes and that ‘the family atmosphere is just a mess.’

“However, the Royal Consort didn’t seem to think you possessed such great divine power. The two children were no match for you.”

A strange light flickered in Cardinal Boutier’s eyes.

I swallowed hard. From here on, it was a part I didn’t understand either.

If Prince Yeseo was known to be a powerful priest, it would have been logical to send someone even more skilled to quietly take care of him.

But the Royal Consort’s assassins were helplessly caught up in the ether explosion I caused and obediently followed my oracle.

‘No way… There’s no way you have this much divine power!’

‘Did you really steal a divine artifact?!’

The words the two guys shouted at me came to mind. Their faces were more shocked than I was at the power I unleashed.

It was strange. Prince Yeseo was born and raised in the Divine Nation’s royal castle.

If he had innate strong divine power, there was no way the mistress of the castle, the Royal Consort, wouldn’t have noticed it.

Then, is it divine power acquired after leaving the Divine Nation?

But when? No, is that even possible?

My head started to ache. I decided to be honest.

“I don’t know what happened either.”

“Hmm.”

“I didn’t know I had such strong divine power. I just prayed to the main god with the thought that I couldn’t die like that.”

“And then a powerful ether burst out, enough to break down the walls. The sanctuary was large enough to cover the entire room.”

“…Yes.”

She tilted her head.

Her expressionless face seemed to show a chill.

“Did you perhaps steal a divine artifact from the ‘Temple of the Boundary’?”

“No.”

I answered immediately.

I didn’t know why the question jumped in that direction, but I was innocent, so there was no need to hesitate.

Then the Cardinal slowly closed her eyes.

[May the Main God forgive this child’s lies.]

As soon as she opened her mouth, a huge golden circle spread across the floor of the bedroom.

It was a sanctuary [a sacred or holy place] far more splendid and elaborate than anything I had ever conjured.

While I was overwhelmed by the dazzling patterns and lost in thought, the circle rotated once and quietly disappeared.

Only then did I realize what she had done.

“Just now…”

“I attempted to discern any falsehoods you might be harboring through confession. My apologies for the intrusion.”

She offered a wry smile.

“Those who confess and receive absolution experience a unique etheric reaction. The sanctuary’s silence suggests you bear no sins requiring forgiveness. You spoke the truth.”

Wow, someone using confession as a lie detector. Is that even permissible for a Cardinal to do?

I was genuinely impressed that a sacrament could be employed in such a manner.

I was also secretly relieved to have confirmation that Prince Yeseo had never stolen a divine artifact without my knowledge.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now.”

While I was still stunned, she quickly rose to her feet.

“There are numerous inquiries I’d like to pursue, but I’m being summoned.”

Wait, are you departing already? Is this the conclusion?

Her departure was as abrupt as our initial encounter.

“Are you leaving so soon?”

“Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 AM. My office door will remain open. Feel free to visit and pose any questions you may have.”

Her words reminded me of my academic advisor back in college.

I had intended to extract as much information as possible from the Cardinal, so this was a welcome proposition.

I nodded calmly.

“Oh, and if Elizabeth happens to visit, would you offer her a compliment? She was the first to suspect the twins.”

The Cardinal said as she turned to leave.

“Elizabeth, you’re referring to Lady Mute?”

“Indeed. She’s quite modest and won’t seek praise herself.”

*

“During my youth, I resided at the Berang barony alongside His Highness the Prince. The children of the baronial couple appeared to be identical twins, yet it troubled me that they matured into twins bearing no resemblance to one another.”

“I understand.”

“It’s not unheard of, but it felt more like the gut feeling of the Imperial Guard Commander. Consequently, I urgently dispatched someone to the barony via portal to ascertain the facts. I also sought His Highness the Prince’s perspective. As it turned out, my hunch was accurate.”

Modest, modest, who described her as such?

I took a sip of pumpkin tea, observing Lady Elizabeth as she recounted her heroic tale with a distinctly proud expression.

Seeing Ganael’s face swollen from crying so much because of my worries, and the fact that I had requested it from the kitchen first, the scent was sweet and pleasant.

“The baronial couple had been out of contact with their sons for an extended period, but they were waiting, believing that a letter would arrive by carriage mail since portal mail is expensive. They couldn’t even fathom what had befallen their children.”

Lady Elizabeth wrinkled her nose, as if empathizing with their plight.

My initial impression was that she wasn’t particularly docile, but she seemed far more expressive and animated than I had anticipated.

Was she adopting a serious demeanor solely for the sake of the investigation that day?

“The moment I received confirmation from the baronial family, I led the Imperial Guards to the Juliette Palace. I apologize for the delay in acting.”

“No, I’m grateful. Had Lady Elizabeth not intervened, my life would have been in jeopardy.”

“I was merely fulfilling my duty.”

She smiled brightly, her gray eyes sparkling.

“Juliette Palace is situated in the most secluded area of the Imperial Palace, rendering access difficult. Due to the perceived lack of threat, the guards were kept to a minimum. That will change from now on.”

While she outlined the plan to augment security personnel at Juliette Palace, I contemplated inquiring about the ‘Temple Treasure Theft Incident’.

The Cardinal intervened to confirm my innocence, so it’s no longer related to me.

Frankly, I’m curious about the entire affair, but if Eunseo never mentioned it, it probably isn’t very important, so I wondered if there was any need to show interest.

“Oh, and when you attend the Spring Ball, I’ll ensure you have a strong escort.”

“Excuse me? A ball?”

I was taken aback and repeated the question. All other thoughts vanished like the receding tide.