What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 258

Believe me, hyung. (2)

Berenice blinked, a strange sensation fluttering in her chest.

*Thump, thump.*

“······.”

Her heart, usually so steady, was now beating with an unfamiliar rhythm.

A voice, as melodious as a celestial harp, continued to weave its spell beside her.

“Will His Majesty convene the Assembly of Nobles?”

“It doesn’t seem to be in his immediate plans. However, should he leave the palace…”

Sir Haines replied. The Duchess slowly turned her head, observing the members of ‘Courtly Romance’ [a social club dedicated to romantic tales].

The president, clutching a high-quality notebook, was recounting the story of His Majesty the Emperor and Sir Christel. Their faces registered surprise at the sudden appearance of a guest.

They seemed pleased to have met the renowned Grand Master, but their reaction didn’t go beyond that.

No one else seemed to share the strange, tickling sensation that Berenice was experiencing.

With a somewhat detached expression, she glanced back at Johann Haines. Instinctively, she tightened her grip on her bag.

He exuded a captivating maturity and sensuality. A peculiar thirst stirred within her. He was simply too… wonderful.

“······Then let’s make preparations for your departure right away.”

“Thank you, Sir Johann.”

The Prince, like an angel who loved humanity and descended to earth, replied, his purple eyes shimmering.

Sir Haines bowed gracefully and stepped back.

Berenice struggled to tear her gaze away from him. She had never felt anything quite like this before.

She still felt a surge of happiness whenever she saw the Prince, and gratitude for his beauty that brought tears to her eyes, and a sense of fullness even without food…

But this was an entirely different feeling. She was utterly confused.

It felt as if her lungs were filled with early dandelion seeds, light and airy, yet strangely unsettling.

“I’m truly sorry, everyone in Courtly Romance. Something unexpected has come up, so I must leave.”

Her Prince spoke with an apologetic expression.

“Ah······.”

Berenice shuddered, jolted out of her reverie.

The sweet dream was cruelly short-lived.

She had only been in his presence for less than an hour, and already she had to relinquish her Grand Marnier soufflé [a metaphor for the delightful experience].

The young lady fought back tears. Her eighteen years of life felt like a series of tragicomedies.

“No, Your Highness. We are simply grateful that you allowed us into Pashion Palace.”

The president, looking relieved, closed the booklet and bowed.

The other members also offered polite greetings, saying, ‘Don’t worry about us,’ and ‘We hope to see you again if fate allows.’

As the tulip-like royal priest rose from his seat, a servant approached and pulled out his chair.

Eva Blanquer, the Duchess, looked momentarily embarrassed but quickly regained her composure, allowing the Prince to escort her.

Berenice couldn’t help but feel envious.

How wonderful would it be if she could be like the Prince’s younger sister?

How could the Prince’s name be Yeseo?

“I have reserved this space for the entire day, so please feel free to stay as long as you wish. We will also arrange for meals to be served at the appropriate time.”

The president, stepping forward, kissed the back of the Prince’s hand.

Berenice desperately wanted to say something, anything, to him one last time.

She longed to become someone he would remember, somehow.

But at the same time, she feared saying something foolish and being remembered as an oddity.

Her heart burned with regret and frustration. *What should I do…?*

“I hope you have a pleasant and rewarding time.”

“Are you feeling unwell, Mademoiselle?”

The Holy Knight addressed Berenice, his voice like a gentle breeze.

She was so startled that her mouth fell open.

Her heart pounded once more at the unexpected concern.

She worried that he might hear her racing pulse.

His gentle, drooping eyes were fixed on her.

“No, it’s not that······.”

“Shall I summon a royal physician?”

The Prince turned to her, speaking with kindness. For a moment, her vision blurred.

The miracle of the Great Holy Day of the Lord’s Advent was unfolding. At this very moment, right here.

And it was happening to her.

“I’m fine. Really. It’s just that I’m so overjoyed to see the Prince, I’m a little overwhelmed.”

She blurted out without hesitation. She had said everything she wanted to say!

“Hahaha. That’s a relief. I was also happy to meet the Duchess.”

‘If you feel unwell, please ring the bell at any time. I will leave a request before I go.’

The Prince offered an unbelievably innocent smile, bestowed the kindest words and eye contact imaginable, and slowly walked away.

Berenice felt as if her soul were departing her body, and she carefully watched his retreating figure.

*How can a person be so…*

“Then.”

Sir Haines gave her a final, fleeting smile before turning away. She felt another jolt, a strange tremor within her.

She had a feeling that she had stumbled upon a dangerous emotion, one she shouldn’t have known.

Even as everyone else settled back into their seats and the servants rearranged the chairs, Berenice stood transfixed, staring at the entrance.

A hazy afterimage swirled in her mind. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably.

“Duchess. Is there anything you require?”

*Huh.*

“No. Thank you.”

Berenice waved her hand at the kind servant and sat down demurely.

She resolved to write in her diary as soon as she returned to the mansion.

*No, should I commission a painting to commemorate today?*

If she combined her allowance with her pension, she might be able to afford a work by Baron Joan de As.

But if she commissioned him, she would have to endure a year-long wait, even with a waiting list…

“This is a special edition that is currently being distributed outside the Imperial Palace. We will be providing one to each of our honored guests.”

*Flap.*

Berenice was startled and looked at the paper placed before her. A brief explanation followed.

“This is also being posted on Claire Square Breaking News.”

She wondered why they were paying attention to such matters within the Imperial Palace, but then she remembered that this was Pashion, known as the ‘Emperor’s Salon’ [a place for intellectual gatherings].

As a venue where various small gatherings and banquets were held with His Majesty’s support, it made sense that they would be attuned to outside news.

In the hallway, copies of [a fictional periodical] and the latest cultural books were neatly arranged.

There was nothing particularly strange about it.

“······Goodness. All sorts of things are unfolding.”

“What are your thoughts, President? Will His Majesty cross the border in person?”

“Well. He is diligently working to stabilize the political situation, so I doubt he would leave so readily…”

The members who had already scanned the contents were buzzing with conversation.

Berenice retrieved her glasses from her bag and eagerly began to read the article.

The yellowed paper was densely packed with large and small letters and illustrations.

‘Extra! Extra!’

‘Ronald Lüpert, Vicar General of the Vatican, steps up to ease tensions between the Empire and the Holy Nation.’

‘Proposes groundbreaking peace talks!’

‘Temple without a Pope, virtually ‘defunct’… Lack of coercive power.’

‘Vicar General Lüpert (68) is a cardinal from the Venetian Holy Nation and a high-ranking clergyman who currently oversees the Temple of the Boundary and the neutral zone in place of the vacant Pope. As a leader elected through the cardinals’ co-option, he leads the Council of Saints and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith······.’

‘······An official from the Liester Episcopal Council whispered, ‘The Vicar General seems to be desperately trying to prevent a conflict. There has never been such a long vacancy for the Pope. If another war breaks out like this, it will be difficult to guarantee the existence of the Vatican.’ It is interpreted that the Vicar General has rolled up his sleeves to protect the last dignity of the Temple.’

Complex vocabulary and serious sentences flowed in abundance.

However, the members of the *Gungyeon* [Courtly Romance] were, as they say, ‘children from well-educated families’.

Most of them possessed a clear understanding of the content.

The Duke seated to Berenice’s left whispered with a frightened expression.

“Duchess, do you think there will truly be a war?”

“I don’t know. His Majesty detests fighting. His Excellency the Vicar General also seems to be attempting mediation.”

“But my mother says that we should retaliate at least as much as we have been harmed. That is how the Empire maintains its dignity.”

“That’s right.”

A gentleman who had been listening to their conversation chimed in.

Before they realized it, the topic of the *Gungyeon* had shifted from secret affections to political matters.

The man stroked his beard and spoke gently.

“My grandmother was a magician who fought directly on the battlefield. She used to say: ‘If you are too patient, you will lose face.’ If you simply endure everything, you will appear foolish.”

“Hmm······.”

“I sincerely hope there won’t be a battle. We are just ordinary people without any power, but there are many magicians and swordsmen among our close family members. They would be immediately dispatched to the battlefield.”

A Duchess spoke timidly. The social hall fell silent, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it.

It was all true.

Berenice recalled the autumn of the previous year when a large hole had torn open in the eastern sky and golems had rampaged, causing widespread chaos.

At that time, she had experienced ‘military preparedness’ for the first time in her life.

The streets were deserted, resembling a ghost town, and a curfew was imposed throughout the Imperial Capital.

The Imperial Capital Defense Force patrolled even the high-end residential districts, maintaining a vigilant watch over security.

For a time, she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of an outsider.

Even though she had remained within the confines of the mansion, she vividly remembered the tense atmosphere that had permeated everything.

The air was thick with the feeling that something terrible could happen at any moment. The anxiety had kept her awake at night.

“Yes. Perhaps that tragedy will be repeated.”

The president said in a heavy voice. Berenice desperately hoped that such a time would not return.

Many people celebrated it as a symbol of a bountiful year, but she had heard that the poor commoners had suffered greatly during that period.

She had heard that if His Majesty had not provided support so swiftly, the situation would have been far worse.

Her father had said that was the tragedy of war.

“Then······. His Highness the Crown Prince and Sir Christel will also be sent. The Grand Master as well. To confront the Holy Knight Order of the Holy Nation, they will have to be deployed to the front lines.”

“Goodness.”

Everyone turned pale at the Duke’s words.

They had not considered that possibility. But upon hearing it, it seemed inevitable.

The three were archbishop-level Holy Knights, second only to cardinals.

They were too powerful to simply command from the rear, and similar forces were essential to counter the Holy Nation’s divine power offensive.

Berenice gripped her bag tightly, her face paling. Suddenly, she found it difficult to breathe.

If those three were to go to war, so would Prince Yeseo.

He was the pair of the two Holy Knights.

“······I hope we can prevent the war.”

She said resolutely. Everyone in the *Gungyeon* turned to look at Berenice.

She possessed no special abilities, but she wanted to do anything that might help.

Her dad, mom, her sister who would become a Duchess in the future. The people of the territory. And the Prince, whom she cherished more than anything.

If she could only ensure their safety, she was prepared to offer dawn prayers for a hundred or a thousand days.

She was willing to undertake even more arduous tasks than that.

“Yes, Duchess Berenice. I agree.”

The president nodded with a bitter smile.

The contrabass in the next room played a faint minor key.

*

‘The Holy Grail of Wishes.’ He’s going to reveal that.

“The most important thing right now is······.”

As soon as I returned to Juliet Palace, I frantically rummaged through my notebooks and books.

To be honest, when Sir Johann first told me the breaking news, I was skeptical.

I wondered if my friends were joking to get me out of the social hall.

But it wasn’t.

When I returned to the operations room, Sir Elizabeth had already been summoned by the higher-ups.

Of course, the Crown Prince and Marquis François were also absent.

Only Christel and the other friends who were left looked very surprised. In other words, it was a real situation.

Our plan had fallen apart without a hitch!

‘Your Highness, will His Majesty go to the neutral zone?’

‘I don’t know. I heard the Temple is very far from here······. He said he would focus on the domestic situation for the time being.’

‘I see, right?’

Christel scratched her forehead and frowned.

Eva and I took the actual special edition from her and read it calmly.

Sara Belliar’s unique, neutral yet sharp sentences were easily noticeable.

‘The Temple of the Boundary is the Pope’s house and virtually the headquarters of the Lord’s Church······.’

‘······Attention is focused on whether the imperial and royal families of both countries will be able to hold a historic meeting.’

The Vatican.

The reason why I hadn’t considered such a huge variable until now was clear.

A vacancy of the leader for as long as 100 years. Their attitude that had been quiet no matter what happened.

And······.

“Your Highness, take it easy.”

“I’ll take off your bishop’s hat.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Benjamin and Ganael followed me around, receiving my gown and helping me undress from my priestly robes.

The lesser pandas and Dduk-sim followed behind them.

I stood by the window with the special edition in one hand, and Pierre helped me carry Tete in a swaddle.

The harp seal said ‘Awoo’ to greet me. Yeah, hyung is very busy today, right?

“Taking classes in the morning. Eating lunch and receiving confessions. Going to a small gathering instead of attending class.”

I muttered and stood by the window. The winter sunlight shone brightly on the large piece of paper.

‘Meanwhile, the announcement of the release of the Holy Grail of Wishes has sparked interest among the clergy. It is known that some of the Holy Grail was lost after the theft in March last year, but Vicar General Lüpert attracted attention by stating in this statement that ‘the sacred object is with us’.’

‘For a very long time, it has been said that the sacred object can only be received by those who pass through the underground labyrinth of the Temple and enter the sacred chamber. This is why the theft last year remains a mystery. There was no trace or record of anyone entering or leaving the underground, and no traces of the maze’s guardian spirit committing murder were found.’

“······Now I’m thinking about going to the desert.”

A sigh-like word flowed out.

The source of the power bestowed upon me. The nasty thing that possessed me.

If I can touch the Holy Grail, maybe this time I’ll get a clue to go home.