What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 47

#047 Living Twice (5)

-Whoosh!

“What in the world…….”

Claudine Green mumbled blankly.

The inn she cherished like family and loved like her own flesh and blood was burning fiercely.

The sudden and absurd event seemed to have frozen her mind.

“Is there really no one left inside?”

“Maurice, calm down! Everyone was out seeing the Prince off. It’s okay!”

Then, she snapped to her senses at a familiar voice. Claudine quickly turned her head.

She saw the inn employees holding back Maurice, who looked ready to jump into the inn, and the townspeople standing there in a daze.

She also noticed the children and their guardians who had taken refuge on the opposite side of the square.

Only then did a fiery emotion surge within her chest.

“What are you all doing! Quickly, fetch water and put out the fire!”

Claudine screamed at the top of her lungs.

At her thunderous shout, people flinched and began to look around nervously.

Some retreated a few steps, while others took a few steps forward, creating chaos.

“Do you want to see the inn disappear? Are you going to throw away all the gifts and tips? Move quickly!”

A fierce look filled the woman’s round eyes. Every word she said was true.

But strangely, no one stepped forward to take action.

The atmosphere was subtly different from ten years ago.

Feeling suffocated, she stamped her feet.

“Maurice! Don’t just stand there like an idiot, go get water!”

“Auntie…….”

“Stop tormenting your nephew.”

Just then, someone stepped in front of the young man. Claudine recognized her.

It was one of the town representatives.

“Marie.”

“Maurice and the rest of us won’t listen to you anymore. We mean it.”

Unlike her trembling voice, Marie’s eyes were unwavering.

Claudine gritted her teeth.

“Are you people crazy? If there’s no Le Ciffre [the name of the inn], Luyka Village is finished, finished!”

“It won’t end. The horticulture is doing well, and we have stored grains.”

Marie replied calmly.

Claudine stared at her with a look as if she had been struck hard on the back of the head.

Frustration welled up, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

It was them. These guys must have set the inn on fire.

“Ungrateful…… Those who don’t even know the grace of being fed and clothed! Are you even human!”

She shrieked. Then, she began to stride towards the well.

Wherever she stepped, people retreated like the tide.

Blood flowed from her bitten lip, and a faint madness flickered in her enraged eyes.

“You’re worse than beasts! Even the stray dogs in town have more conscience than you!”

Claudine poured out curses as she drew water.

Water splashed on her elaborately dressed dress, and her shoes got dirty, but she didn’t care at all as she carried the buckets.

People trembled with fear of the future and fear of Claudine.

But they gritted their teeth, closed their eyes tightly, and endured.

It was okay because they were all together, and tomorrow would surely be okay too.

“If I can just save the inn, just you wait! From now on, 80% of the gifts……”

-Splash!

Claudine poured water on the first floor of the inn. Then, an unbelievable thing happened.

“Huh……?”

The water she had drawn scattered into droplets before it even touched the flames.

The water droplets floating in the air moved back towards the well as if returning home.

The children who witnessed the miracle exclaimed in amazement.

“What, what is this!”

A piercing voice filled the square.

Claudine huffed and puffed as she carried the bucket back to the well.

“Claudine, stop it.”

At someone’s plea, she whipped her head around.

Teddy, the eyesore town representative, stood blocking her way, protecting the elderly and weak in the square.

“Shut up.”

“Your father and you must have suffered in your own way for a long time. But the ones you two have been kind to aren’t us.”

“I said shut up!”

“It’s the inn. You took our money and cherished the inn.”

“What do you know!”

Claudine screamed, veins bulging on her forehead.

She grabbed the second bucket she had quickly filled and ran towards the inn.

Then, she lifted it up to her chest and poured it out with all her might.

-Splash!

Floating, floating…….

Large bubbles adorned the air. Still, they didn’t touch the flames.

Claudine staggered with a dazed look.

She didn’t know what tricks they had used, but it was clear that the wicked residents were determined to kill the inn.

At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to put out the fire. She slumped down in front of the inn.

“Who are you to ignore my father’s achievements! Who do you think you are!”

And she roared. The veins in her neck stood out, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Her red face convulsed as if it would burst at any moment.

“How did my father and I raise this inn!”

“A child raised by tormenting other people’s children isn’t raised. It’s ruined.”

At that moment, a clear and distinct voice rang out.

Claudine and the townspeople simultaneously turned to look at the source of the sound.

The duchess in the blue jacket, Christel de Sarnes, stood in the square.

-Whoosh……

“Wow……”

I had heard about it beforehand, but it was even more amazing to see in person.

I hugged Demi tightly and watched the spectacle before my eyes.

The lesser panda stretched out its two front paws and gestured towards the flower fire.

“Oh my gosh, how……”

“It’s the will of the god, the will of the god……”

The townspeople murmured incessantly.

As soon as Christel appeared like a protagonist and delivered lines like a protagonist, the flames of the Le Ciffre Inn disappeared in an instant.

It was more like the fire ‘vanished’ than being extinguished.

The scattered fire demon, like a mirage…….

“Good heavens!”

“Oh!”

Didn’t even leave a bit of damage! Successive exclamations poured out from the people.

The inn, which should have been charred black and left with only bones, was intact except for a little soot.

Even the flower beds had no burnt parts.

I, who accompanied Christel, was just as surprised.

“Duchess, why did you buy such magical tools?”

I could accept the ‘magical tool that makes a loud noise without exploding,’ but a ‘fake flame magical tool’?

Both the purpose of sale and the purpose of purchase seemed impure.

I was seriously worried about whether ‘Leigh Go General Trading Company’ should be left as it is.

I was concerned that Christel might be trying to start a revolution in her second life.

A red taste that melts more and more when you bite it…….

“Oh dear, I suddenly feel dizzy after using ether [a magical energy source].”

She changed the subject. Ah, that’s right.

“Give me your arm.”

Christel smiled brightly and quickly held out her right arm.

She had been using her power to finely control the ether from afar to block the water Claudine poured on the inn.

With one arm, I grabbed her elbow and began to transmit ether through contact.

Judging by her complexion, she didn’t seem to have such a severe deficiency, but is she the type who doesn’t show it well?

“Thank you for your hard work. Huh?”

Suddenly, I felt like the ground beneath my feet was sinking.

I staggered, feeling a strangely familiar sensation of ether rapidly leaving my body.

At the same time, someone grabbed the back of my neck.

No, did the ether leave after my neck was grabbed?

I turned around in confusion.

“Your Highness.”

“……”

Why is this guy so pale? Was he afraid Christel would really blow up the inn?

“Please let go. Why do you grab people by the neck when they’re struggling?”

The Prince released my neck from his hand as if pushing it away. Following that, Christel quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I think I absorbed too much ether because I was tired.”

“It’s alright, please be careful next time.”

I said.

Since speed was important, it had already been agreed that ether would be supplied through physical contact.

It must have been difficult for Christel to control since this was her first time using this method.

Wait, did I just take the ‘next time’ for granted too easily?

“No! Viscount Yeo!”

A loud voice suddenly rang out. We turned our heads to find the owner of the voice.

The eyes of the townspeople were already fixed on that spot.

“Claudine Green. You will become a criminal of His Majesty Emperor Frederick for insulting the Imperial Family and extorting money from the residents of Luyka Village.”

“No, Viscount Yeo! I’m being framed!”

Claudine, who was in a disheveled state, was being held by soldiers and struggling to stand up.

After the luncheon yesterday, the Prince had contacted the lord’s castle to request additional manpower.

The soldiers, who had been hiding on the outskirts of the village since dawn, brought a carriage for escorting prisoners and tied Claudine with ropes.

“Evidence, you don’t even have evidence!”

“We do have evidence. Here, the fee payment ledger that your nephew, Maurice, has been keeping.”

“……What did you say?”

Claudine’s eyes widened.

Lady Elisabeth, with a face devoid of any smile, took out a pile of old papers from her bosom.

Her gray eyes were as cold as the tip of her sword.

“It’s a record of the past ten years. The handwriting needs to be verified, but it will be yours.”

“Why, why is that……”

Claudine’s lips trembled.

Her face, which had always been smiling kindly, turned red and blue in an instant. It was eerie.

“Maurice! I told you to burn it right away!”

“Auntie, this wasn’t the right thing to do. You know that……”

“You, who only wasted food, are you holding me back until the end? Are you even family!?”

Claudine spat at Maurice. However, before the spit could reach Maurice’s face,

-Splash!

A large water droplet covered Claudine’s face faster.

Claudine, who was instantly drenched in her own spit and cold water, stared blankly ahead.

“Sister, why are you trying to live exactly like our father?”

Christel, who had already stepped between them, said with a look of pity.

The inn owner looked at her, water dripping from her hair.

“I know the small world your father created is precious. I understand it’s familiar too. But it’s a little sad that you can’t break free from it. You’re thirty-two, right?”

“I, I……”

Claudine’s voice trembled.

She probably had never heard such words in her life.

“I couldn’t help but laugh when I heard what you were doing at the night market the other day. It made me realize that people are all the same. Moreover, it’s a hereditary thing. Why are you using your one and only life like that?”

“Our father……”

“I think you also have a second chance this time. I hope you’ll become a new person when you get out of prison.”

“……”

Having said that, Christel turned around without any regrets.

Lady Elisabeth quickly came to her senses and gestured to the soldiers.

As the carriage for escorting prisoners stopped in front of the inn, the soldiers prepared to take Claudine to the lord’s castle.

The face of the person who had been the inn owner was as pale as a blank sheet of paper, showing the feeling of having lost everything.

The guards pushed back the crowd and realigned the imperial carriage.

Christel approached this way.

She smiled brightly at me and the Prince, who were standing there blankly.

“You want me to go to His Highness with you?”

“Well, if I have to say it…… Yes. Please.”

I blinked for a moment.

Christel, standing in front of my carriage, was saying something incredible.

Claudine had been arrested, and the townspeople were crying and bowing to us.

There were still inn management issues and political issues left, but I couldn’t do anything about that.

Anyway, the big issue had been resolved safely, and I thought we were just about to leave for the Marquis of Dium, but the protagonist says she has something to say to Cedric.

“……I understand.”

I gestured to Benjamin and Ganael that it was okay, then got out of the carriage with Demi around my neck.

If it were before, I would have refused and told her to go alone, but after coming to Luyka Village, Christel and the Prince seemed to have gotten quite close.

If I helped a little, they might become a couple, so it wouldn’t be bad for me.

The two of them walked around the inn’s backyard yesterday and discussed today’s operation, and it was really nice to see them moving without me.

Five stars.

-Knock knock

“Your Highness, Prince Yesser and Duchess Christel are requesting an audience.”

Without having to go far, the Prince’s carriage was right in front of my carriage.

As the door opened, orange eyes stared at me as if they had been waiting. Calm down, not at me.

“Your Highness.”

Christel bowed gracefully. Only then did the Prince turn his gaze to her.

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, um. About my story……”

Christel opened her mouth with difficulty. I looked at her with a nervous gaze.