What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 70

#070 There is No Bad Divine Object in the World (4)

‘Look closely. It seems the Divine Object is trying to strangle the Princess.’

I was so shocked by the author’s way of solving problems that I blurted that out to the Prince.

He took it seriously, unaware that I was spacing out.

‘No, it’s not.’

‘Why are you so sure? Are you a sweet potato?’ (Referring to someone being dense or clueless.)

‘What nonsense are you talking about?’

It seemed I was just blurting out random comments, surprised by Christel’s singing.

‘Unfortunately, the Princess will not be able to join us.’

‘Good for her.’

The cool wind of the North Sea ruffled my hair as if teasing me, then drifted away.

‘No… This doesn’t make sense.’

I sat on the mat on the grass, looking up at the top of the bell tower.

I kept sighing in disbelief.

The white cliff was peaceful, as if nothing had happened, as if the Divine Object had never caused any trouble.

Christel, who had actually calmed ‘Biryeom’s Ark,’ didn’t seem to care much about the result.

She was sitting across from me, cheerfully devouring a crème caramel.

What strong mental fortitude. Is this what it means to be the protagonist?

‘You must have been very surprised.’

Cardinal Boutier, who was sitting next to me, took out a glass bottle from the picnic basket and handed it to me.

It was spearmint tea.

‘Thank you. Is Your Highness alright?’

I asked. In fact, I was the most bewildered one here, no matter how you looked at it.

The Cardinal showed composure, even taking the picnic basket when leaving the bell tower.

When we calmed the Divine Object and came down to the ground, he was waiting for the group, having spread out a mat on the grass.

I was nervous that Christel might be seriously injured or have a great awakening, but it seemed I was the only one who was serious.

‘I trusted you two. But I didn’t expect you to bring the Duke and the pirate crew along.’

The Cardinal replied gently. I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

While I was escorting the two adults on a cliff trek, it was an incredible coincidence that the protagonist had an adventure at sea and came all the way here.

But I knew this was the author’s arrangement.

Even though I wanted to spend a vacation away from the protagonists, even though I moved without them, I became entangled in their narrative.

Moreover, their appearance was crucial for the group to safely escape the bell tower.

I was destined to be entangled with them and die someday, but this time I was safe thanks to them.

My heart became as complicated as a maze.

‘…Will the Divine Object be alright like that?’

So I deliberately brought up another question. The Cardinal raised his beige eyes and looked at the bell tower.

The huge wings, shimmering in pale purple, were swaying gently in the wind.

The Divine Object wasn’t a living thing, but it seemed to be in a good mood.

The Ark, which had hugged Christel tightly and then let her go, had been swaying like that ever since.

It showed quite an interest in the Prince, and when I reached out my hand again, it obediently lowered its feathers.

It was an amazing change.

‘Probably. We’ll have to watch it for a few more days, though. That child didn’t choose an owner and stayed on the cliff for so long.’

‘It didn’t have an owner?’

The Cardinal read the unspoken words in my eyes. She took a sip of coffee and continued her explanation.

‘Alexandre was, well, like a friend to the Ark. Neither Frederick nor I fully understood their relationship. How could such a thing exist in the world?’

‘…’

‘The Ark is different from other Divine Objects. ‘The Comet Sword of Mars’ or ‘The Divine Bow of Trees’ also have strict criteria for choosing an owner, but that one is particularly unique.’

I savored the tea and quietly pondered .

If the expression ‘like a free bird’ in the story meant the Divine Object’s free-spirited nature, it made sense.

It seemed to mean that humans could win the Ark’s heart, but could never become its eternal master.

As evidence, the Ark didn’t follow Christel to the ground, nor did it cling to her any further.

‘Still, I didn’t expect it to react to the Princess’s voice.’

‘Yes, it was unexpected. The lullaby could be heard all the way down, but Alexandre sang it better than that.’

‘Are you talking about me?’

The ballad world’s noble lady, who was picking at a baba au rhum [a small yeast cake saturated in syrup containing rum], looked at us with wide, blue-gray eyes.

Yes, the protagonist can be tone-deaf.

Rather, that would have been a great charm for the majority of ‘Toegong’ readers.

My head was throbbing, but there was no Jeong Eun-seo here to listen to my complaints.

‘We were just saying that the Princess’s singing was excellent.’

‘Hehe. I hear that often. Thank you.’

Christel looked a little embarrassed and asked for an iced Americano.

She didn’t even seem to know she was tone-deaf.

I quietly nodded and looked back at the bell tower.

According to the Grand Duke’s book, the Ark had been there since the beginning.

The bell tower was a structure built belatedly by the Empire to enshrine the Divine Object after a long time.

The temple next to it was also built at that time.

There was also a legend that the Ark, pleased with human prayers, chased away pirates or enemy soldiers approaching the Empire with storms.

So, if it wasn’t as fickle as a chief god, it could calmly fulfill its former role in that spot.

‘Anyway, it worked out well.’

I muttered.

The Divine Object, who had closed its heart for a long time after a close friend passed away,

struggled in surprise at the approach of a stranger after awakening with my ether,

and finally calmed down after hearing a lullaby with a similar tone to its friend.

Bearing the title of the chief god’s power, it acted just like a puppy or a child.

I felt a little sorry for it.

I picked up a profiterole [a small, filled French pastry] and popped it into my mouth.

The crispy and sweet taste made my mind even clearer.

‘Where did Demi go?’

Only then did I realize that a lesser panda was missing.

I carefully looked around.

Emperor Frederick and Lady Elizabeth had left earlier to deal with the pirate ship.

In particular, the viscount had to report how the pirate ship drifted and crashed into Evelyn, and how the Duke of Evelyn ended up on board.

The protagonist who caused the accident was separate, but the explanation was being given by his close aide.

The few knights who were on the ship together were also dragged along like sausages.

‘Not there…’

The two protagonists’ teacher, Sir Johann Haynes, was lying on the grass far away, sleeping.

I turned my head to the opposite side. Leah and Perry were near the forest with the Prince.

They had been bothering him since earlier and seemed to have finally gotten some entertainment out of him.

What is that, just a ball?

‘You can even make toys with fire.’

Christel said in admiration.

She said she had always been attacked by him, so she didn’t know he had such skills.

The Prince, who was checking for traces of monsters around his father’s tomb, threw two fire bouncy balls at the lesser pandas and then focused on what he was doing.

The Divine Beasts often showed friendliness to the Prince like that.

It seemed they had good memories of traveling to the Sarnese Duchy together.

‘But why is the Prince wearing fur during his vacation?’

I asked abruptly.

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t even a Grand Duke of the North, so why was he being so faithful to the concept?

‘It’s Alexandre’s keepsake. He was very sensitive to the cold when he was alive.’

‘That’s cool. I even want to have one.’

I quickly added. The Cardinal laughed out loud.

‘When you stay here, call him Duke Evelyn. That’s the promise.’

‘I see. Understood.’

I took a small breath.

I had thought once that Alexandre, the Prince Consort, might be the Grand Duke of Evelyn, so connecting the Prince and Duke Evelyn wasn’t too awkward.

It was a little embarrassing, though.

‘Then will the Duke ascend to the Grand Duke position in the future?’

‘No, he won’t.’

The Cardinal smiled as she accepted the profiterole I handed her.

‘He won’t?’

‘The Empire only has one Grand Duke, Alexandre. Frederick decided that.’

‘…’

Christel and I stared intently at the Cardinal.

I had a rough, very rough idea of what was going on.

Because had described the Grand Duke as ‘a man who abandoned his dukedom and chose love.’

He may have abandoned his family and become the Prince Consort.

‘The Blancarte Ducal family is a historically deep-rooted wizard family in the eastern Empire.’

The Cardinal, who couldn’t bear our gaze, finally opened her mouth with a smile.

A customized lesson for the hostage who was ignorant of the Empire’s affairs and the princess whose memory was not intact followed.

‘As you know, the continent’s property and title inheritance are prioritized for the eldest child. Alexandre was the firstborn of the Blancarte family and a promising wizard. The word that he was a genius who would elevate the Ducal family was widespread in high society. When the fact that he was secretly engaged to Frederick was revealed, even the collateral lines of the Ducal family rose up to oppose it.’

‘They were in a position where they couldn’t have a valuable talent taken away by the Imperial family.’

‘Yes, but Alexandre was a very stubborn person. He packed his bags and ran away the day before he was to become the Duke.’

‘Wow, how romantic.’

Christel said. The Cardinal smiled bitterly.

‘He was young, too. After that, Frederick urged the late Emperor to hold a royal wedding. What could we do when they liked each other?’

‘Then what happened to the relationship with the Ducal family?’

I asked. It was fascinating.

There was a reason why the protagonist of the series had the surname ‘Blancarte.’

‘The Blancarte family has maintained a good relationship with the Imperial family for a long time. Since their territory borders the Holy Nation, the Imperial family’s support and backing were essential. The Duke and Duchess at the time were not foolish enough to forget that. So, after the royal wedding date was set, they didn’t put up much resistance. However…’

The Cardinal took a sip of coffee.

Christel and I waited for her next words with the feeling of being stuck in a YouTube mid-roll ad.

‘They kicked Alexandre out of the family. They completely cut off ties. They erased his name from the family tree and forbade him from exchanging letters with his family.’

‘Why…’

‘Well. Was it a matter of the family’s prestige and pride? I don’t know. I wouldn’t have done that.’

She murmured softly. A feeling of pity washed over me like a tide.

No matter how important the family’s authority was, making a beloved family member an outcast was a punishment I would never understand in my life.

‘So Frederick gave Alexandre his land as a gift. He gave him the most scenic and beautiful place among the Imperial family’s private lands and gave him the name ‘Evelyn.’ He didn’t hesitate at all, even though it was a place where the Divine Object was enshrined. After ascending to the throne, he called him Grand Duke and declared that no one else would become Grand Duke while he was alive.’

‘Wow…’

Christel and I opened our mouths at the same time.

Christel had a half-惚 [infatuated] face.

‘So Cedric will not be able to become Grand Duke. For the time being.’

The Cardinal finished speaking. I looked back at the Prince with a strangely new feeling.

That was why he was called Duke, not Grand Duke, even though he had inherited his father’s territory.

-Kkeueueueung

At that time, Demi’s voice was heard from right behind me. I quickly turned my head.

‘Demi. Where did you go, huh?’

He spat something out of his mouth. It was even moving.

My body froze for a moment.

-Bbirrit, bbiriririt!

I stared at the tiny creature until my eyes hurt.

The round brown cotton ball was crying with its chest rising and falling.

‘Oh, Demi caught a bird?’

-Kkiiiii!

Christel said soothingly. Demi roared proudly at me.

‘Demi, did you catch a bird to give to your brother?’

-Kkiiit

‘I see.’

‘Your Highness, you have to praise him first. If you panic or reject him here, he might get hurt.’

Christel whispered quickly.

Isn’t that a cat? Those words rose to my throat and then sank back down.

Demi had never hunted anything before.

The Divine Beasts were beings who could live with just ether, and Leah and Perry didn’t eat human food.

Demi liked fruits and flowers in particular, but he had never eaten meat.

What is this all of a sudden….

‘Oh, good job. Our Demi is the best. You’re awesome.’

‘You have to hug him, please hug him.’

‘Come here.’

Following Christel’s advice, I quickly opened my arms.

Demi wrinkled his nose and hugged me tightly.

I stroked his white ears and observed the ‘prey.’

It looked a little like a sparrow, but it didn’t seem to be a sparrow. Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be hurt.

It was strange that it didn’t fly away and kept tilting its body, looking at Christel and me.

Could it be a Divine Beast?

‘It’s a wren.’

The Cardinal, who had been silently watching the situation, said softly.

Unlike the lesser panda, it seemed to be a creature that originally existed here.

Then Christel confidently stated.

‘Let’s name it Ttukbaegi [Korean for ‘earthenware pot’].’

No way…. Because it’s a wren [sounds like ‘Ttukbaegi’ in Korean]?