What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 106

#106 Operation Verona (2)

“The seamstress will be here this afternoon for a fitting. They would like you to choose the material and length of the cloak you will wear for the investiture ceremony. We have fifteen options, including silk brocade from the South and magical beast leather procured from the Northern Ice Sea region.”

“······.”

“Also, His Majesty has extended an invitation for you to represent the Imperial Family at the founding ceremony of the Imperial Capital Defense Academy. The date is set for October, but it is subject to change.”

“······.”

“Lastly, Countess Kristel de Sarnese has requested an audience—”

Cedric rose from his seat.

David stopped speaking and watched him head towards the balcony.

The prince held a shining crystal glass in his hand.

Considering he usually drank coffee from a simple, elegant porcelain cup, his choice these past few days was unexpected.

“How is the Juliette Palace?”

“That is······.”

He didn’t think the prince was ignoring him.

He was a man skilled at remembering the Imperial schedule and duties.

It was a habit ingrained in him since the days when he could only stay awake for six hours a day.

So, the current question implied, ‘I understand, but answer my question first.’

David continued calmly.

“All the items from the Imperial Treasury have been moved to the guest room and reception room on the first floor. I heard that Prince Yeseo wanted to gift each member of the palace staff, so the servants have been lining up to receive jewelry since yesterday.”

“What?”

Cedric’s eyes narrowed.

He didn’t care how the prince used the nobles’ gifts, but he hadn’t undergone mana inspection, confirming the toxicity of all the treasures, to have them distributed to the lower staff.

However, considering the prince’s nature, this was somewhat expected.

The prince clicked his tongue inwardly and reflected the sunlight on the crystal glass.

There was no response from across the way. It had been three days already.

Did that prince not learn wartime codes?

Just how neglected was he raised?

“According to the children at Romero Palace… everyone at Juliette Palace is soaking their sleeves with tears every day. They say the prince is getting thinner by the day, not eating properly, and has lost his smile, consumed by loneliness and sorrow. He’s locked himself in his room and won’t come out, like a spring flower that bloomed at the wrong time in July and is withering away—”

“Enough.”

It was quite a spectacle. Cedric frowned at the thought.

The prince he knew was gentle but not a weakling.

Although he had been informed that it was indefinite, his mother would eventually lift his confinement.

The prince was well aware that the people of the Imperial Palace enjoyed gossip and embellishing stories unnecessarily.

He once again reflected the sunlight on his coffee cup.

“······.”

Still no response. He couldn’t tell if it was because he didn’t know the code or if he was pretending not to see it.

Even if he was truly disheartened, he couldn’t be freed immediately, especially with Princess Elissa’s visit scheduled.

He had been given all sorts of gold and jewels, so what was the problem? Could it be because of Johann Haynes?

However, the matter of the disgraced paladin was already out of the prince’s hands.

Everything depended on his mother and godmother.

He felt frustrated.

And as the son of Frederick Liester, he was not one to tolerate such things.

*

Day 4 of confinement, 10 PM.

For two days, I diligently read and organized back issues of [a popular periodical], history books, and even old special editions that Ganael had obtained.

I even got a map of the Theocratic State of Fenetian, but it wasn’t helpful since I didn’t know much about the Theocratic State.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that I knew more about the Empire’s geography than the Theocratic State’s.

Instead, the new information I learned about the Vatican was very useful.

It was ironic that I got this from rather than a guide to the Church of the Main God.

I repeatedly examined the roughly torn paper.

「I want to raise my child as a Vatican acolyte! – The latest aristocratic faith education method」

-Squeak

“Oh, sleepy?”

Demi climbed up the leg of the bedroom table and plopped down on the notebook.

It meant to stop looking at the writing and sing a lullaby.

Dduk-ssim was dozing on my pillow, and Leah and Perry had gone out to the balcony and hadn’t been heard from for 30 minutes.

Even though they had played enough in the garden during the day, they seemed dissatisfied, perhaps because I couldn’t accompany them.

I picked up Demi, held her in my arms, and hummed a lullaby.

Reflexively, I started singing the ‘Toegye Gong’ OST [original soundtrack] that Eunseo Jeong streamed every day.

A Christel theme song sung by a very popular idol.

“It’s a masterpiece. The lyrics are so poignant.”

-Koo

“Those two should have this kind of romance soon······.”

I muttered as I organized the scattered scrap materials.

「To celebrate Prince Yeseo Fenetian’s birthday, Biweekly Liester has prepared a list of the Theocratic State’s national holidays. The way they worship the royal family is not much different from the way we love the Imperial Family. They celebrate his birth, commemorate his accession, and never forget the glory of victory and the wounds of war.」

This came out at the end of May.

「This is the full story of the attempted assassination of Prince Yeseo by the twin priests. But the noble reverse scale [a metaphor for something that angers a dragon] was not broken. On the 27th, His Imperial Majesty urgently convened the Aristocratic Council and reportedly said the following: ‘I express my strong regret for the arrogant and atrocious behavior of Werner Fenetian, the Head of State. The same thing must not happen again.’」

This was an article published on March 31st.

I wondered why I didn’t remember it, but Benjamin reminded me that I had been suffering from nightmares every other day at the time.

I had unconsciously avoided all related content.

There was also a follow-up article that came out much later.

「On the 10th, Werner, the Head of State of the Theocratic State of Fenetian, celebrated his 51st birthday. He reportedly showed off his bold remarks and charm at a party attended by dignitaries from the Vatican. An aide to a cardinal who was present at the event said, ‘The Head of State mentioned the attempted assassination in March. He said that the emperor’s letter arrived at the royal palace, and he was so surprised and wronged that he couldn’t sleep for days. He joked that his skin was damaged by the baseless accusations. The prince pointed out that he should clarify the ‘Temple of Vigilance’ theft case. He showed an attitude that he did not believe the general opinion that he was innocent at all.’」

It was a short report from May 15th.

When I figured out why the article was unfamiliar, it was because the timing overlapped perfectly with the ‘Great Magical Beast Subjugation.’

I didn’t know if the Head of State was aiming for that and released his statement at the right time.

However, at this time, the Empire was heated up by the subjugation, and no one paid much attention to the story of the Head of State of the neighboring country.

Even I was so exhausted that I couldn’t think straight.

“Anyway, the final judgment is over.”

-Kurreureu

Demi purred in response. I wrote down the conclusion in my notebook.

1. A rough plan to help Sir Haynes has emerged. – It’s over if even one thing goes wrong.

2. To realize this, I must meet Princess Elissa. – I’m going crazy!

3. However, since I am confined, I must persuade the Emperor to meet her.

4. But the Emperor says he won’t meet me.

“Ugh.”

A groan came out involuntarily. I remembered what Benjamin had said this morning with a dark face.

‘Your Highness, His Majesty has officially rejected the audience. And he sent a message.’

‘What did he say?’

‘Stay quietly in your nest. This is not a place for you to interfere.’

‘······Were you perhaps doing an impression?’

‘I’m sorry.’

The fact that it was not a place for me to interfere meant that she and the cardinal would resolve the matter on their own.

I couldn’t understand it.

I was the one who almost died because of Sir Haynes, and I was the one who knew his circumstances, so I was puzzled as to why they wouldn’t listen to the person involved.

The Emperor might be hot-tempered, but he was not a tyrant or a stubborn person.

There was no way that testimony would not be needed to judge a criminal….

Suddenly, a premonition flashed through my mind.

“They’re trying to negotiate with the Princess. And the Vatican Cardinal is coming with her.”

-Kureut!

Demi opened her mouth. I looked at her with a serious expression.

“It doesn’t matter what I say or do. Sir Haynes’ custody will be handed over to the Vatican, the fact that he concealed his position will also be protested to the Vatican, and Princess Elissa will be held responsible for the attempted assassination. The Head of State’s fault is ultimately the fault of the Theocratic State.”

-Kkiiii!

Shinsoo pressed down on my upper abdomen.

“Then Sir Haynes will remain….”

I trailed off.

Handing over the Empire’s criminal to the Vatican was, at first glance, a very generous act.

It could be interpreted as a manifestation of faith, not punishing someone who received the power of the Main God with human power.

However, the Emperor’s intention was clear.

She intended to pressure both the Vatican and the Theocratic State at the same time.

The Empire, the Vatican, and the Theocratic State maintained a delicate balance.

In terms of national power, Liester was overwhelming, but Fenetian produced a large number of paladins and priests, dominating the Vatican’s power.

The Vatican did not distance itself from the Empire, but based on what I read in books, it was not very friendly either.

She would use this opportunity to speak loudly to the Vatican and give a proper warning to the Theocratic State.

To never touch me here again.

“Damn it, this is a disaster.”

I jumped up from my seat and circled the bedroom with Demi in my arms.

The Head of State dismissed the twin assassins targeting me as a ‘baseless accusation.’

That meant he wouldn’t leave any evidence that was unfavorable to him.

The moment Sir Haynes arrived at the Vatican, his and his son’s lives were in the hands of the Head of State.

There was no way Werner would leave living evidence alone.

‘The Imperial Guard suspects that someone working for the Berang family was paid by the Theocratic State to pass on information about the servant candidates.’

Suddenly, I wondered what had happened to the person who sold information to the Head of State from the Berang twins’ house.

If he had been caught by the Imperial Guard, Elizabeth would have told me, but it had been quiet so far.

A chill ran down my spine.

“What should I do, Demi? The Head of State is such a bad guy, but Toegye Gong is not easy.”

-Kkiing, Kkii

I groaned with Demi. I was naive.

The Emperor was well-disposed towards me, but before that, she was the leader and politician of the Empire.

Of course, she would not see Sir Haynes from the same perspective as me.

The fact that he had not been tortured and had been allowed to sleep until now was probably an act of generosity in consideration of Cardinal Boutier.

“I have to meet the Emperor before the Princess arrives. I have to at least say something.”

I was anxious. I wish I had something. An invisibility cloak or Marquis Diem, something like that.

Even though I knew that magic couldn’t be used inside the Imperial Palace, I felt desperate.

“Writer-nim [term of endearment for the author], if you give me any item now, I will pretend I didn’t see it and accept it.”

I muttered like a madman, looking at the ceiling. At that time,

-Tok, toktok

A sound of knocking on the open balcony door.

It was about time for the lesser pandas to return.

“Leah? Perry?”

-Kieung

-Kkiing

Even though I came out to the balcony, I could only hear crying, and the two were not visible.

I put Demi down and looked under the railing,

“Ugh, crazy.”

“Quiet.”

A deep, dark voice like a summer night landed in my ear.

I was so startled that I grabbed my chest and staggered.

Cold sweat ran down my spine because I was so surprised.

I felt like I had seen a ghost, but I couldn’t ignore the face, so I eventually looked down again.

The orange eyes under the moonlight shone with a light resembling the sun.

The man was holding onto the vines in a pose like a Renaissance painting, looking up at the Juliette Palace balcony.

This is possible. No.

“Your Highness. What are you doing here—”

“I am not a prince.”

“Huh?”

Why…. Why did you give up that good position?

I accepted Leah and Perry, who were crawling through the railing, and asked back.

“Isn’t your name Cedric Liester?”

“Not anymore.”

“······.”

What kind of concept is this? Do I have to guess? I was dumbfounded because I couldn’t understand.

Judging from the fact that it’s not Sadie’s appearance, Ether is not urgent….

“Could it be that you came to help me?”

I asked. A bright smile naturally appeared on my face.

It seemed that the writer was not abandoning me.

Then the prince frowned slightly.

“For someone who needs help, you didn’t respond to the code.”

He climbed over the railing with a smooth movement and landed lightly on the balcony.

My head started spinning.

Even if he abandoned the name of Liester to infiltrate, he was still a son.

You have acquired the item, ‘Blood Ties’.

“Last time, you said you would let me go out again as I pleased. Depending on the destination.”

I whispered. He looked down at me.

“Can you take me to my mother?”