What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 27

#027 Curriculum of Pride and Prejudice (3)

And today was another day without classes.

Instead, it was a day with a very important schedule.

“Prince Yeser, how have you been?”

“Hello, Agnes. It’s been a while.”

I smiled brightly at Agnes, the mountain keeper, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.

Agnes bowed deeply, her sturdy frame bending respectfully.

She had come to me for confession, tormented by the thought of harming the Divine Beast. She seemed much calmer and more stable than the last time I saw her.

“Say hello to this one too. I named him ‘Demi.’”

“Ah, hello······.”

– Kki!

Agnes waved her hand slightly at Demi, who was perched on my right shoulder, looking very uneasy.

Demi slowly moved to my left shoulder.

He tilted his head up and down, observing Agnes, as if he remembered her or had forgotten her in the meantime.

“Now that he’s going to a really good place, you can let go with peace of mind.”

I said to her. Agnes nodded, her eyes filled with tears.

I had invited her, hoping that letting her say goodbye to Demi before he left would ease her mind even a little. I was relieved that my guess was correct.

“Your Highness, we are ready to depart.”

Benjamin came to me with the message.

Today, a splendid and enormous carriage stood in front of the Juliette Palace.

It had been specially sent by the Duke Dhiem’s family to take Demi, the Divine Beast. The magnificent crest of the Duke’s family was engraved next to the carriage door, making it seem impossible for anyone to dare interfere.

I walked towards the carriage with Agnes.

Demi, still not grasping the situation, leisurely wagged his tail in time with my steps.

“If you cause trouble, you’ll be scolded. Don’t chew on sharp things, and don’t play pranks where people are working.”

I explained to him gently.

The Lesser Panda [Red Panda] crunched on the fig pieces I put in his mouth, as if he was listening or not.

The sound of the fruit being crushed was audible.

He eats so well, but he doesn’t defecate. I had no idea where all the fruit in his stomach went.

“Greetings to His Highness, Yeser Fenetian, the moon of the Divine Nation.”

I turned my head at the unfamiliar man’s voice.

The one who called me was a handsome man with dark skin and striking features, and a large build.

His attire was the same uniform as Elizabeth, but the decorations were more colorful and he had more medals.

Only then did I realize the identity of the unfamiliar man.

Well, it would have been strange if he hadn’t come on a day like today.

“Commander of the Imperial Guard, Erve Dhiem. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It is an honor to meet you like this. I’ve heard a lot about you from Elizabeth, hahaha.”

The man laughed heartily and extended his right hand to me.

It was the first time I had been offered a handshake since coming here, so it was a bit novel.

I shook his large, thick hand and greeted him.

Erve Dhiem, the second son of the Duke Dhiem family and the commander of the Imperial Guard, seemed less authoritarian and more like a huge physical type than I had expected.

He was considered one of the strongest mages in the Empire, and earlier this year, he was named in ‘s ‘Top 10 Most Attractive Single Men in Liester’ [a popular magazine in the Empire].

Not that I have any interest in such rankings.

“Are you accompanying us, Duke Dhiem?”

“No, I will only escort you to the border of the Imperial City. The Imperial Army and three priest-level clerics will accompany you to the territory. Divine Beasts are certainly important, but my top priority is His Majesty’s safety.”

“I see.”

I nodded at his words, then stopped, sensing a strange feeling of incongruity.

“You said Divine Beasts······.”

“Yes, the other two are in the carriage.”

“The other two?”

My eyes widened, and Benjamin and Ganael, who were standing behind me, gasped in surprise.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard looked at the three of us with a puzzled expression and opened the carriage door.

The three clerics sitting inside stood up abruptly and paid their respects to me.

– Kkiu!

– Kkii!

While responding to their greetings, I was dumbfounded as I watched two Lesser Pandas rolling towards me on the floor of the carriage.

They were definitely larger than Demi, and they didn’t have white tail stripes like Demi.

It was exactly as Sadie had said.

“His Highness the Crown Prince personally brought them this morning. Seeing that all three have stayed only near the Juliette Palace, it seems that Your Highness’s Aether [magical energy] is indeed remarkable.”

Duke Dhiem said with a smile.

Agnes, who had been quiet all along, also confirmed, ‘Yes, these three are the ones I saw in the mountains.’

With a complicated heart, I glanced once towards the Romero Palace.

After leaving my balcony that night, Sadie and the Divine Beasts had not shown themselves at all.

I had naturally assumed that the little one had taken these guys to the Duke’s territory, but now I saw that he had been using his fire-attribute power to keep the Divine Beasts in the Imperial Palace until now.

That would have required much more Aether than usual······.

– Kkiiiii

Demi cried out for a long time and began to climb down my right arm.

I carefully extended my arm into the carriage, being careful not to let him fall.

“It’s a family reunion. Good for you, Demi.”

– Kurur

The guy who had safely boarded the carriage sniffed each other, as if exchanging greetings with the two Lesser Pandas, and opened his mouth wide.

Then, supporting his body with his hind legs, he stood up and covered the head of one Lesser Panda with his body like a blanket.

Then, the other Lesser Panda made a ‘Kkiiiii’ sound and placed its black forepaws on the bodies of the two.

Soon, the three became a bundle and rolled around on the floor of the carriage.

The clerics groaned in agony as they went from this corner to that corner, and from right to left.

“Your Highness, my heart hurts so much······.”

“It’s normal, Ganael.”

Even one was cute, but with three, it was insanely cute.

I quietly watched the Lesser Pandas playing happily, then handed two bundles to one of the clerics.

It was what I had asked Benjamin and Ganael to prepare last night.

“This is fruit, please share it with the Divine Beasts on your way. Even if the others don’t, the one with the white stripes on its tail eats well. And this is a snack for you.”

The clerics in the carriage were very surprised and bowed deeply to me. I waved my hand in embarrassment.

I had only thought about what to feed Demi, and then belatedly realized and prepared snacks for the people as well, but the reaction was more intense than I expected.

“Elizabeth said that the desserts at Juliette Palace are so delicious, the priests are lucky.”

Duke Dhiem, who had been watching the whole situation, laughed loudly and grabbed the carriage door. It was time to say goodbye.

“Demi, you have to be healthy even after you go.”

I waved my hand at him.

I felt a pang in my nose at the thought that it was the last time, but he had a better environment and a family to return to.

Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere had changed, Demi, who had been rolling on the floor, looked straight at me.

Just as the carriage door was half-closed, I forced a smile and lowered my arm.

It was then.

– Kkiiiiiiii!

With a loud cry, Demi escaped from the carriage with a swift movement.

I was startled and caught the brown cotton ball clinging to my leg.

I was dumbfounded as it was the first time I had seen him move so quickly.

“No, you have to go with your friends.”

– Kurururururururu!

“Why is he being like this.”

Benjamin, Ganael, Agnes, and Duke Dhiem all had bewildered expressions.

I gave an awkward smile and looked at Demi, who had instantly taken over my shoulder.

The Divine Beast had a face full of dissatisfaction.

His white eyebrows, as if painted with paint, were fiercely distorted.

Demi opened his mouth wide as if threatening, revealing a ferocious pink tongue.

My heart was not just aching, it was numb······.

“Demi, there’s a fire-attribute sacred object in Duke Dhiem’s hometown. You’ll like it too.”

I slowly stroked him from the top of his head to the tip of his tail, and carefully lifted his warm body.

I was going to put him back in the carriage.

– Kkiiiiii!

Then Demi twisted his body and landed on the ground.

In a moment of despair, he sprouted vines with pointed leaves from his toes.

Looking closely, there were thorns on the stems.

His face was pouting, and the plants were also sticking out. Could it be······.

“Is it because you don’t want to go?”

“It seems so, Your Highness.”

Duke Dhiem’s voice was filled with delight.

The clerics in the carriage were also in a state of shock.

I was dumbfounded and a little touched, and stood there speechless.

Then Demi raised his tail high.

– Jjeok!

“Your Highness, say you’ll raise him again!”

Ganael was horrified as she looked at the cracked ground.

Demi jumped up and down in place, as if he had just realized his abilities, as if telling us to serve him.

Then······.

– Jjeong!

With a sound, a small sinkhole was created in front of the Juliette Palace.

It was just the right size for Demi to go in and take a nap.

I heard Benjamin muttering, looking for the main god.

It seemed like someone would get hurt by Demi’s protest, so I quickly lowered my body in front of him.

“Demi, hyung [older brother figure] was wrong. I won’t send you away.”

– Kkiiiii

“Really, I promise. I won’t send you away even if you ask me to now.”

– Kkiung

Demi tilted his head. Something still seemed unsatisfactory.

At that moment, the cleric in the carriage suddenly handed me a bundle of fruit.

It was an excellent judgment.

“Thank you. Here, there are blueberries here.”

I held out a handful of purplish-blue fruits as they were caught.

He put his nose out to smell the fruit, and finally began to climb up my arm.

He didn’t intend to eat it, he just seemed to want me to show my will as a steady fruit shuttle.

The thorny vines that had been growing randomly on the ground slowly withered.

What a fuss he made.

“Duke Dhiem, it seems······. I’ll have to keep Demi with me.”

“Hahaha. Yes, I will report directly to His Majesty. I’ve seen a precious sight!”

The Commander of the Imperial Guard laughed heartily as if he was very happy. I stood up with an awkward face.

I saw the servants of the Juliette Palace and Romero Palace gathered around the carriage.

No, it’s really a neighborhood outing······.

“Then let’s say goodbye to your friends. Goodbye, Hae.”

– Kureut

– Kkii

– Kki

Demi cried briefly as he looked at the Lesser Pandas in the carriage, and a similar reaction came from the other side.

“The ‘Monster Subjugation’ [monster hunting competition] will be held soon, so the three may be able to gather again.”

Duke Dhiem, who had been watching it, opened his mouth leisurely.

Knowing that the situation was over, the coachman, who had been standing awkwardly, came and closed the carriage door.

The hesitant Imperial Guards also came, following Duke Dhiem’s words.

“Are you talking about the competition that will be held next month, the ‘Monster Subjugation’?”

“That’s right. My brother is honing his magic, waiting for that day.”

The Commander of the Imperial Guard answered my question coolly and got on his horse.

The ‘Monster Subjugation’ was a spring monster hunting competition held every year in the territory of Duke Dhiem.

It was famous for the fact that Duke Francois Dhiem, the host of the competition and Duke Dhiem’s brother, always offered great prizes, and that the Emperor and the Cardinal always watched the competition directly.

It was even written in that the Emperor had participated directly two years ago and taken the winner’s perks.

“Demi will like it.”

If it was such an event, the Imperial Family would probably take Demi to get some fresh air.

Since Cardinal Boutier, who uses divine power, was there, Demi would not go astray.

I nodded and looked up at him with a question that suddenly came to mind.

“Duke Dhiem, are you coming to my class tomorrow?”

“Class, you mean······.”

“His Eminence the Cardinal said he would invite a mage to teach me.”

Christel’s story was completely left out, but it wasn’t a lie.

Duke Dhiem shrugged his shoulders and gave a hearty laugh.

“Well, I have never received such an offer. But I can guess who the mage His Eminence the Cardinal will call.”

‘The title of the strongest mage in the Empire’ is not mine alone, he added.