What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 110

#110 The Emperor’s Waltz (1)

‘Transformation’ was simple. It didn’t hurt, and I didn’t feel my body changing.

As Cristel explained, it felt like covering my body with a layer of mana.

‘Do I look very strange?’

‘No, Your Highness! You look very handsome!’

‘…I think you should leave. Outwardly, I look fine.’

‘Pardon?’

What kind of reaction is that?

I tried to check my changed appearance in the mirror, but Benjamin and Ganael insisted on stopping me, saying, ‘Don’t look at that,’ and ‘It will cause mental shock.’

I didn’t have time to argue, so I quickly slipped out through the side door of the Juliette Palace, but I felt strange.

I looked down at my white cotton-gloved hands and walked busily through the garden, tilting my head.

I narrowed my stride, thinking that too confident an attitude might look odd.

When I glanced around the flower bed, the guards flinched and turned their gazes elsewhere.

‘Oh, my! You scared me!’

‘Ugh!’

Near the maze-like shrubs, the servants carrying things were horrified to see me.

They seemed to be workers from the Romero Palace. I haven’t transformed into a monster, so why are they acting like this?

‘Hello.’

Come to think of it, my voice is the same. I realized it too late, but the greeting had already come out.

When I smiled as harmlessly as possible, the servants blushed this time.

I can’t figure them out.

‘G, greetings.’

‘We meet a noble person.’

Following that, this answer came back. They even bowed to me.

I guess the servant is also from a noble family?

‘Then, excuse me.’

I nodded and started walking again. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like they recognized me.

It would be strange to be caught by the voice alone by a servant from another palace.

‘Hoo.’

Benjamin had all the servants of the Juliette Palace brought indoors under the pretext of education.

The servants of the Romero Palace were frantically busy because of the ‘banquet.’

Except for the two servants I encountered earlier, I didn’t run into anyone in the garden.

I carefully approached the back door of the Romero Palace.

By the Crown Prince’s order, there were no guards on this side today.

No matter how I think about it, the plan seemed well-crafted.

-Creak

I grabbed the handle and applied force, and the door opened.

I quickly stepped inside, lest anyone see me, and checked Ganael’s pocket watch.

8:14, nice.

‘Left hallway. Go straight.’

I muttered and started walking.

Thanks to David, the Crown Prince’s aide and the general manager of the Romero Palace servants, there was no one in the hallway near the back door.

For some reason, my heart was throbbing. This is why people watch spy movies.

‘The door at the end of the hallway…’

Even I, who am directionally challenged, could easily find it.

I walked briskly and patted my body for no reason.

I heard that the servant ‘Joffrey’ was about the same height as me, and indeed, there wasn’t a big difference in the length of the sleeves or pants.

However, his body was better than I thought, so the arm area felt tight. I guess he works out.

‘Here it is.’

I stood tall at the corner where the hallway bent.

A sweet and delicious smell was flowing out of the end room.

When I knocked five times, David, having confirmed it was me, opened the door from the inside.

The interior was a spacious pantry.

‘David.’

‘Your Highness, huh.’

The middle-aged man stepped back in shock. I was embarrassed this time and blinked my eyes.

I wondered if there was a serious problem with my face, so I touched my cheeks and hair, but there seemed to be nothing wrong.

Perhaps….

‘Um, am I not Joffrey right now?’

‘…I am sorry, Your Highness. It’s all my fault. How could such a thing, such a thing happen.’

David apologized politely with a sound that I couldn’t tell if he was clicking or chewing his tongue.

It seemed that the strand of Joffrey’s hair he had obtained was someone else’s.

He hurriedly composed himself and encouraged me with words like ‘It’s okay’ and ‘All roads lead to His Majesty.’

He had a very professional attitude, but I was worried because the plan seemed to have gone wrong.

‘Are you sure it’s okay?’

‘Yes. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I think this might be better. Because no one in the Romero Palace will recognize Your Highness first.’

‘Then I’m happy, but who am I?’

‘That… It’s better not to know. It will be hard to empathize if you know.’

I wanted to ask, but I didn’t have enough time, so I just nodded.

David pushed a dessert trolley that seemed to have just come up from the kitchen to me and took out a map.

Then, he explained in detail the route from the pantry to the banquet hall.

Honestly, it was difficult, but I thought I could manage somehow because there was a picture.

‘I would love to guide you myself, but I have to go to the wine cellar.’

‘Don’t worry. Thank you for your help.’

When I smiled brightly, David shuddered as if he had seen something very ominous.

Then, he grabbed my hand with difficulty and said.

‘If things go well, please give His Imperial Highness a good opportunity…’

‘Pardon?’

‘No, it’s nothing. I’ll step back first.’

He quickly bowed and left the pantry.

Alone again, I alternately checked the map David had drawn and the clock.

The time for the dessert to come out was 8:30, and the current time was 8:20.

I can definitely go in 10 minutes. It’s a piece of cake, Jung Yeseo.

*

Cristel de Sarnes thought. Whoever wants to live will die, and whoever wants to die will live [an idiom meaning that sometimes the best way to survive is to take risks].

After all, this was the Crown Prince’s home ground, and today’s banquet was a secret that even the Sarnes ducal couple didn’t know.

If she delayed her answer without someone to help, she would only be exposing her weaknesses.

She couldn’t dare pretend not to hear and look away in front of the Emperor.

She had to start with a heart bleeding [meaning she had to speak truthfully, even if it was painful].

‘Th, the Crown Prince’s… body…’

Cristel trembled and began to speak.

It wasn’t even a word that would be recorded in history, but each word was heavy and burdensome.

The Emperor was spinning around.

‘You like the Crown Prince’s body?’

‘Yes. His limbs… are intact, so I’m satisfied.’

There are many places to stab… Cristel swallowed the last words.

She didn’t know anything about the Crown Prince’s body except that it was big and thick.

When sparring, she was busy driving him, and there wasn’t much conversation between them in the first place.

She could grasp most of her emotions through the flow of Ether [a magical energy], so she didn’t feel the need to mix words.

For reference, currently, the two men and women’s Ethers were happily falling into the abyss of despair.

‘Unique. Cedric, what about you?’

Cardinal Boutier, who had been listening quietly, passed the ball to the Crown Prince.

Cristel was so moved that she almost shed tears. Damn it, Dobby is free! [a reference to the Harry Potter series, meaning she felt liberated].

‘…His energy is clear.’

At that time, the Crown Prince was talking nonsense.

Cristel opened her mouth wide and turned to the side.

Her orange eyes were staring into the air as if recalling something.

‘Being near him stabilizes the Ether.’

‘Hoo.’

The Emperor put down her fork as if she was interested.

On the other hand, Cristel’s eyes narrowed. The unfilial son is scamming his parents.

How can those words come out one after another? Is it written on the bowl? [meaning is he making it up as he goes along?]

‘Again?’

‘His generosity to his subordinates is also an exemplary attitude.’

Only then did a firebolt fall on Cristel’s head [meaning she was shocked].

She opened her eyes wide and glared at the Crown Prince. It was the first time she had seen such a fox [a sly person] in her life.

You’re talking about the Crown Prince as if you’re not!

‘Cristel had such a side to her.’

‘Hahaha…’

The noble lady barely smiled at the Cardinal’s friendly response.

Your son is now filming [a reference to a Korean romantic comedy film] alone, and she had an urge to shake off her indignation and split the walnut table.

‘When did you two first meet? Was it at the ‘Spring Ball’?’

‘Yes.’

The Crown Prince answered shamelessly. There was not a slight tremor in her handsome profile.

Cristel sarcastically recreated a scene from the movie in her mind.

You should never let Yeseo drink alcohol. She’s a faithful person.

If you go to a tea house, don’t drink coffee or black tea, drink flower tea….

‘What about the Sarnes kid?’

‘Pardon?’

Cristel raised her face.

The Emperor swept back her short silver hair and looked at her.

She had a smile on her lips as if she was having a lot of fun.

‘I heard that only the Crown Prince has feelings for you. Don’t you have anything more to say?’

Is it my turn again? Cristel bit the inside of her mouth and glanced down.

The clock on her leg was pointing to 8:40. Her heart was getting anxious.

Why isn’t the Crown Prince coming? Is he really lost?

‘I…’

She swallowed her dry saliva.

It was quiet outside, so it didn’t seem like there was any commotion, so the two of them had to buy time.

Cristel took a deep breath with a determined look. He was the one who started first.

She always did her best when facing anyone.

Even if it’s a twenty-four-year-old.

‘I like that Your Majesty is kind. She smiles a lot and is kind to children and animals.’

-Clang

The half-broken spoon head fell weakly on the table from the Emperor’s hand.

It felt like her side face was on fire, but Cristel continued to speak without paying attention.

‘She doesn’t want anything from me politically and she is polite. Oh, and her eye color is pretty too.’

The Cardinal was amazed.

‘Unexpectedly.’

‘That’s right. When I think about it, marriage seems okay too. With the feeling that friends are having an exclusive and exclusive cohabitation.’

Sister won, kid. Cristel looked at the Crown Prince with a Joker-like smile.

Sparks that could only be seen when welding flew from the corner of the man’s eyes.

The tablecloth in front of Cristel began to burn black from the end.

With a cracking sound, the surface of the Emperor’s wine froze.

The Cardinal opened her mouth with a troubled look.

‘Friend, a little while ago, you clearly…’

It was then.

-Knock knock

‘Come in.’

The Emperor responded to the knock as if she had been waiting.

Soon the door opened, and a familiar handsome man entered the banquet hall, pulling a dessert trolley.

He apologized with a heavy breath.

‘I’m really sorry for being late.’

‘…Francois?’

The Cardinal raised her monocle and asked. Cristel and the Emperor were both stunned at the same time.

No, how can you transform into Francois Diham?

*

‘Excuse me, what did you say?’

I asked back stupidly. I was so dumbfounded that my head wasn’t spinning quickly.

Who am I, you said?

‘A servant who looks exactly like Francois.’

Cardinal Boutier said gently. I tried to calm my breathing while looking at her.

The only person the teacher called Francois was Marquis Diham.

So, this is why I’ve been going around in circles for the third time, and no one is helping me, but instead, they’re watching me like a crazy person?

Is this why the guards left me alone even though I was pulling a cart in ill-fitting clothes?

What kind of life is the Marquis living?

‘Hahahaha.’

Emperor Frederica burst into laughter, breaking the awkward silence. I flinched.

It was the first time I had seen her laughing out loud, so I was surprised and scared.

Naturally, Benjamin’s advice lingered in my mind.

If you reach for the scabbard, you have to jump out the window. That’s safe, he said.

‘I’ve been busy these days, so I haven’t had any fun. I had an interesting sight.’

‘…’

‘Aurelie, good acting.’

‘Who do you think I am?’

At the Emperor’s words, the Cardinal smiled softly and answered.

The two adults silently moistened their throats with red wine.

I turned my gaze to our protagonists.

Are you guys screwed?

No, no.

Cristel, who read my eyes, shook her head with innocent eyes.

‘The reason I came here today is because I highly value your ability to create such a scene.’

The Emperor, who had emptied her wine glass, blurted out.

She was looking straight ahead, but it didn’t seem like her son, Crown Prince Cedric, was at the end of her gaze.

I held my breath and listened to the ruler’s words.

‘You have a lot of public support. Not only my son, but also the little ones from the Mute family and the Sarnes ducal family, and you sold your feet [worked hard] to Duke Blanquer’s residence with letters. Not to mention the priest of the Vatican who is in exile.’

‘…’

‘It was quite a thought to come up with the ‘banquet.’ It’s admirable that you showed such action even when you were trapped in a narrow cold palace.’

She slowly turned her head.

I met the Emperor’s eyes for the first time since entering the banquet hall.

Sharp cherry-colored eyes pierced through me. Goosebumps ran all over my body.

‘Your downfall was thinking that I wouldn’t know what was going on in the Imperial Palace. But it doesn’t matter.’

It wasn’t the first time I had talked to her, but an unfamiliar sense of fear washed over me.

It was a clear Sword Master’s pressure. My lips were dry.

I reflexively barely held on to my legs, which were trying to take a step back.

The Emperor loosened her cravat and said in a low voice.

‘I’ll listen to the story. So get rid of the ridiculous disguise, Yeseo Fenetian.’

It was an imperial order. I tried hard not to tremble and took off my eyepatch.