What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 263

#263

The Kidnapping of the Young Nobleman Under Zero Degrees (2)

I had intended to cause some trouble, but it seems the scale has gotten a bit too large.

-Rustle, rustle…

We were scribbling with quill pens around a large piece of waste paper in the center of the table.

Benjamin, having heard the news from Ganael, sighed deeply and placed new refreshments before us.

He kindly added that he would bring our meals here if we wished.

Suddenly, my hands and feet tingled, and my appetite seemed to return.

I carefully chewed and swallowed a salambo [a type of cream-filled pastry] topped with yellow icing and purple chocolate.

The sweet and fragrant cream danced on my tongue like a feather, stimulating even my nostrils.

Before I knew it, all four pairs of eyes were on me.

“So, to summarize… His Highness is secretly hoping to run away, so we’re going to help by kidnapping him?”

Nod, nod. Cristel nodded vigorously at my whisper.

Her face was glossy and radiant, and her clear, watery eyes were full of mischief.

She looked like a beagle ready to catch even a bear if I told her to!

Tete, nestled in her arms, was also sparkling her chestnut-like eyes.

This seemed more fun than a fairy tale.

Not only Elizabeth and Ganael, but even Sir Johann seemed to be immersed in the operation.

I groaned, trying to stop Dduk-sim from biting the man’s collar.

“Ugh.”

-Beep.

It seemed like a good flow, but also not.

In any case, my friends, except for the Crown Prince, were firmly supporting me.

I was truly grateful that they were trying to fulfill my wish, even if it meant setting up an unreasonable operation.

But kidnapping the Emperor’s son? Am I really going to have to move out after this?

Will I get slapped with Durandal’s scabbard [Durandal is likely a reference to a famous sword in mythology, here implying a severe punishment] and kicked out? Will I even have hands left?

Where will I live if I lose my territory too?

“…What the heck, let’s do it.”

Huh. I blinked in surprise at my own words.

I quickly stuffed a salambo into my mouth to shut myself up and looked around to see if anyone had heard.

But the Juliette Palace staff had been very busy these past few days.

No one seemed particularly interested in our scheme.

During the Great God’s Descent Festival, as many guests visited the Imperial Palace as on the Emperor’s birthday.

Even the great nobles from the provinces, rarely seen, were said to enter the palace to offer New Year’s greetings.

The palace was already crowded with the Imperial family.

Perhaps this was an opportunity given by the Great God.

“I knew you’d say that. You have a personality that secretly likes to go for it, Your Highness.”

Cristel giggled. I clutched Demi tightly. ‘Squeak.’

“Even if the kidnapping fails, we’ll have tried our best, so there will be no regrets. I won’t be bitter even if I get scolded and locked up.”

As soon as I said that, my head started spinning.

Reference books. Friends to get advice from. Routes, maps, layouts.

An operation that had to be checked, tweaked, and fixed perfectly by tonight.

“That’s the spirit.”

Sir Johann replied, narrowing his eyes. The protagonist was excited, grinding his teeth and clapping silently.

Elizabeth had a worried expression, but when Ganael smiled brightly and clung to her, she helplessly relented.

I turned my gaze to the window.

Cristel’s voice rolled like a pine cone beyond my ear.

‘My mother knows all the caravan routes. Once we get out of the palace…’

-Swoosh…

A winter wind swept through the outside. The snow piled up everywhere scattered, scattering a pure white light.

Romero, always blocking Juliette, came into view.

The palace was lavishly decorated in gold and purple.

The neatly adorned garden maze was bustling with busy servants and strolling guests.

A sacred bell rang faintly in the distance.

Crown Prince Cedric, who would be working in his office at this hour, was naturally nowhere to be seen.

I apologized repeatedly in my heart.

I understand your desire to be a good son and your reluctance to go against your mother.

I know your brother is acting too immaturely now that he’s older.

I’m sorry for being disobedient and acting like a rebellious child.

“But.”

…Just this once, please let it slide. I’ll behave myself when I get back.

*

-♬♪♩…

-Clatter!

Frederic noisily put down his knife. It was intentional.

The musicians playing the Great Festival music stopped their instruments at once.

The long table was enveloped in silence.

“Aurelie.”

“Yes?”

“What is it?”

The Cardinal tilted her head and blinked. The Emperor frowned.

It was a magnificent Great Festival Eve Sunday, as perfect as could be.

His partner had invited him to Amitié Palace [Amitié means ‘Friendship’ in French] for a banquet for the first time in years, and the food was excellent.

The anisette [an anise-flavored liqueur] served with the meal was also fragrant and rich in sweetness, which was satisfying.

Stories of state affairs were exchanged from time to time, as usual, but tapestries commemorating the invited religious partner were hung everywhere, creating a reverent atmosphere.

The gold candlesticks on the table were also works with intricate carvings of the symbols of the Great God’s religion, and the flowers from the tulip garden were placed like crowns between the long candles.

Arian Licester was a woman of cruel purity.

Enough to grant a palace named ‘Friendship (Amitié)’ to a man who had loved only her all his life.

“You’re hiding something from me.”

“Of course not.”

“Who would believe you if you locked the door and denied it?”

When the Emperor pressed her, Aurelie quietly cleared her throat. It was true.

Since receiving intelligence that the children were plotting to kidnap Cedric, she had tightly locked the doors of her soul.

She was worried that she might unconsciously leak information to the Emperor. Of course, the vessel connected as one was not separated.

However, the Emperor, the master of the covenant, could no longer hear the partner’s inner thoughts.

Unless it was a very intense resonance, the information leaking through the cracks was extremely limited.

Frederic poked the air with his fork. It was his own warning.

“Don’t think about deceiving me.”

“Don’t you trust your partner too much? Philippe lived like this with Arian all his life, I heard.”

The Cardinal softly curved her beige eyes under her monocle. The Emperor frowned again.

Even when her husband was alive, he had given in to that smiling face countless times, but since he had passed away, Aurelie had teased him several times more with it.

She could never win if the two partners conspired to plot a cute scheme.

Perhaps she didn’t even want to.

“You didn’t want to show me your rotting insides. So you’re planning to keep rejecting me?”

‘If you have complaints, say them.’ Frederic grumbled like a child.

Aurelie smiled slightly, looking at Frederic, who was dressed more neatly than usual.

She didn’t like hiding something from her only partner either.

The belief that the neutral zone was too dangerous for the prince was still there.

So she wasn’t actively in favor of the children’s actions this time. However…

“I read your article during the day.”

“What article?”

The Emperor asked sullenly, slicing a magret de canard [duck breast].

No matter how sulky she was, she had never ignored Aurelie or her husband’s words. Like now.

“The one from a long time ago. When you kidnapped Alexandre.”

“To be exact, I helped him escape. He wanted to be kidnapped.”

‘If he becomes a small duke, the state marriage will be off the table.’ Frederic corrected shamelessly.

Aurelie ended up bursting into laughter. Yes, that’s how the incident ended.

Duke Alexandre de Blancair testified that he had left his family ‘on his own accord’.

He said that it was not the Crown Princess who had kidnapped him, but that everything was of his own will.

‘I dare to love Her Highness the Crown Princess. So please refrain from speculation.’

He had no words he couldn’t say in the presence of the late Emperor, in the audience hall watched by the great nobles.

It was a shocking statement even now.

Aurelie remembered the scene at the time as vividly as yesterday.

‘It’s so romantic, dear. I’m proud of our daughter.’

‘…The National Secretary should be quiet. Are you crying now?’

‘I can’t live because of you.’ Celine Licester scolded, holding the hand of her husband, who was like a stone.

Thanks to the late Emperor and Empress acknowledging their relationship that day, the lovers were not branded with a disgraceful label.

However, the Empire was constantly noisy even until the two married and gave birth to Cedric.

It was because the trio, including Aurelie, roamed east, west, south, and north, causing accidents.

Even though they knew that the Queen Mother was suffering day and night to repair the damage after the war, the three could not control their youth and recklessness and constantly caused trouble.

It was the same behavior as before the engagement.

“We got scolded a lot back then.”

“We still ran around even after being scolded. It was only after Sadie was born that we became a little more mature.”

“I still remember you catching demons when you were heavily pregnant. If it weren’t for the Prince, I would still see it in my dreams.”

“Hahahaha.”

‘It was crazy. I can’t do it twice.’ The Emperor said, raising his glass.

Just a moment ago, he had been sulking about why she was hiding her feelings, but soon he was immersed in the memories of the past and had a happy face.

Aurelie moistened her throat with wine and continued.

“When we were all standing in the hallway being punished, I actually reflected a lot.”

“You pretended to be nice after acting the biggest among us?”

“Yes. A person should know how to repent.”

“Oh, please.”

Frederic shook his head and put a piece of duck breast in his mouth. It was good to see him eating well.

“But when I think about it, the trouble we caused wasn’t all that bad.”

“Why? Because we beat up the bad guys?”

“That’s also true. There were people who dreamed of the future while looking at us.”

The Cardinal softly raised the corners of her mouth and concluded.

The Emperor stared at her for a long time, then chuckled and focused on the food.

Looking back, it was true.

The three were always together, and they shared the lives of the Licester people, traveling to the bottom of the Empire and the remote countryside.

So they were always popular.

They were also the center of gossip, but also the object of affection and hope.

Those who would become symbols of a peaceful land where no one would die or get hurt anymore.

“It was fun.”

“Yes.”

Aurelie wanted the children to live as such beings once again.

She was ready to fix any failures.

She would embrace the shortcomings and encourage the strengths.

So that they could continue to jump into adventures, gain genuine respect, and sometimes break and fall…

To move forward without limits, day by day. To prove that all her worries were unfounded.

To fearlessly cross that line that Eve had drawn in the name of protection.

“Shall I give you a divine message so you can sleep well tonight? Tomorrow is the Great Festival. It’s also the day before the trip.”

“You’re being generous. After putting a lock on my soul.”

“Yes, it’s the price for me going on strike for a day. Do you hate it?”

“I didn’t say I hated it.”

The Emperor quickly replied, grabbing his glass.

Aside from the fact that she slept comfortably thanks to the Prince, she was born with little sleep.

Even if she wanted to sleep in, she would naturally wake up at six o’clock.

She could officially rest on the holiday of the Great Festival, so it was a good thing if her partner gave her a divine message.

She had to leave early the day after tomorrow. If she had her way, she would want to be in bed all day tomorrow.

She sharply opened her cherry-colored eyes and said.

“Don’t go back on your word.”

“I know.”

The Cardinal burst into a hearty laugh. Laura and Natalie filled their glasses.

The musicians began to create beautiful melodies again.

*

February 22nd, 0221 hours. I stood bravely in front of the bedroom balcony.

Blurry, vague, sloppy.

That would be the most accurate way to describe our operation. There was no other way.

It was a battle with a set time, and we couldn’t afford to rehearse or inspect the site.

There were many eyes watching, and the opponent was none other than the Crown Prince.

There was only one chance, so it was right to proceed as it was.

Once the Emperor left the palace, we would have to stay put and guard the palace.

I couldn’t run away alone for thousands of miles, leaving the Crown Prince, who was supposed to be my partner.

Besides, he had political roles to play.

…Kidnapping and running away are the answer after all.

-Click.

At 0221 hours, Benjamin, who had been hiding in the shadows, quickly opened the door.

Whoosh! A cold wind wildly scattered my hair.

The thick robe fluttered like a wave, and white breaths sparsely dyed the darkness.

Immediately, a familiar, sweet voice tickled my eardrums.

-’Juliette’, this is ‘Charlie’. Respond if you hear me. Over.

“This is… Juliette. I hear you loud and clear.”

-Confirmed. Move out.

“Confirmed.”

My earring went silent at my reply. Ganael, who met my eyes, nodded.

I glanced down at the garden at night.

There were more guards than usual on the ground, and torches were lit here and there, so it wasn’t dark.

There were no servants or noble guests. It was natural since it was a late hour when everyone was asleep.

Therefore, we concluded that it would be difficult to infiltrate as Romero Palace’s servant Joffrey or Marquis François.

‘I have infiltrated the Crown Prince’s bedroom before.’

I raised my hand and offered my opinion.

The Viscount seemed shocked, but I continued to explain anyway.

‘At that time, Dduk-sim and the divine beasts made a cloud bridge. There are many guards tonight and it will be bright everywhere, so it will be difficult to apply the same method. It’s also a lot of work to clean up the vines. So I was wondering if we could apply it a little…’

‘Oh, oh. Applying it is good.’

I sat on the balcony railing, dangling my legs precariously.

I slowly closed the ether faucet so that the Crown Prince wouldn’t notice.

No light was leaking from my dark room.

The tips of my toes were gradually being dyed the color of the night.

“Please be careful, Your Highness.”

“I’ll be waiting quietly. Good luck.”

Benjamin and Ganael cheered me on kindly. Strength entered the hand holding the Gaga bag.

I looked back at them one last time and smiled brightly.

“Yes, I’ll be back.”

-Thud!

And without hesitation, I jumped. This was our ‘application’.