What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 322

#322

The Black Prince (6)

The voice was the same.

“I apologize, Your Highness. This is the new servant who will be taking care of Charlemagne from today. He will be in charge of walks, brushing, and bathing.”

‘His name is Heineken,’ David introduced him with a kind face.

Instead of getting angry at the servant, the Crown Prince glared at the unknown man as if he wanted to burn a hole through him.

He held the black horse’s reins with his white hands.

The neat brown hair sparkled in the summer sunlight.

A yellow butterfly landed on the young man’s shoulder to rest.

The light purple shirt collar fluttered in the wind.

This place, designated for the warhorses’ walks, was the Winite riverside, abundant with green grass and wildflowers.

A clear voice echoed across the sound of the water.

“I greet the most noble Crown Prince of the Liester Empire.”

“······.”

The tone, intonation, and even the expression were similar. The appearance was different, but the atmosphere was alike.

Cedric felt extreme revulsion towards a commoner who had no significance in his life.

It felt like his thin neck would break immediately if he reached out.

He knew there was no need to do this, but the embers of his anger were uncontrollable.

His molars clenched involuntarily.

‘Hyung [older brother/term of endearment] told me to take care of my back.’

-Sreung!

The night they first met in the forest, he almost harmed him.

It wasn’t that the Crown Prince disregarded life or that the blood of a tyrant flowed in his veins.

The man spurred his horse without looking back, even at a quiet sound.

And he was repeatedly frustrated.

The fact that he had the same timbre but was not ‘him’ shook Cedric helplessly and enraged him.

‘······Get rid of him.’

He loathed his own reaction.

“You’re doing useless things.”

The Crown Prince glared at David, who was politely bowing.

He knew what the middle-aged man was thinking.

He also knew that he was always the top priority for him.

He felt the weight of knowing his entire life was dedicated to him.

But this kind of measure was useless. This time, the servant was completely wrong.

-Tak!

He didn’t need a substitute. The man brushed off the commoner’s hand and grabbed the reins.

The other man’s face clouded over at the sharp gesture. He didn’t care.

“Wasn’t this guy from the Holy Nation?”

“Yes, he is. How did you know?”

David’s voice was gentle as always.

Tat! Cedric lightly moved and mounted Charle’s saddle.

Then, without even looking at the servant, he ordered.

“Send him away.”

Wince. Hurt was etched in the young man’s eyes. He didn’t care.

The Crown Prince clearly conveyed his intention to dismiss him. He didn’t want to say any more.

His gaze turned forward.

Today was the day of the fourth interrogation of Viscount Trossart.

They also had to discuss measures to deal with the problem of mid-level or higher monsters appearing in Mount Trossart in recent days.

The reconnaissance team sent inland was scheduled to return, and his godmother’s reports on state affairs were lined up waiting.

Preparing the base for the support troops arriving next week was also important.

Even without a battle, his schedule was packed until late.

So he wanted to enjoy his morning ride in peace.

“······.”

-······

But Charle didn’t move. The man’s handsome brow furrowed slightly.

He regained his posture and sequentially applied force to his thighs and calves.

-Pureureung!

······His beloved horse was unmoved. By then, David and the commoner seemed to have grasped the situation.

Today, nothing went as the Crown Prince wanted.

He asked harshly, as if spitting out the words.

“What is it?”

-Heung

“If you have a complaint, express it.”

At his friend’s sharp remark, the black horse snorted and wagged its tail.

Then he turned his head towards David. It was a gaze with a fairly clear desire.

The commoner, who made eye contact, tilted his head with a look of disbelief.

Then he lifted the basket he was holding in his other hand. What is that again?

“······Do you want a snack?”

-Pureureung

It was an affirmation that anyone could hear. The man smiled brightly and looked at him.

Cedric gritted his teeth and turned his gaze to the sky.

He felt like getting off the horse right away and cutting down a bunch of monsters on the mountainside to relieve his frustration.

But he decided to endure it.

Charle was in a sensitive state these days, running on the battlefield.

The warhorse’s diet and health were important.

“Okay. What do you want to eat? Today we have celery, grapes, and melon.”

Whether he understood the silence as permission, the young man carefully approached and held out the basket.

Charle roughly scanned the contents (swearing on the moon, it was ‘roughly’) and pointed to the grapes with his nose.

The man quickly took out scissors and began to cut the large bunch into small pieces and feed them to the horse.

The way he chewed diligently was not funny.

Charlemagne de Liester was not usually fond of sweets.

“You’re eating well. Were you hungry and didn’t want to leave?”

The horse couldn’t speak human language. But the young man was persistent.

Cedric decided to think about something else entirely.

“You like expensive things, don’t you.”

······.

“Then do you dislike raspberries?”

-Puheung

He was stupid. There was no way he would have eaten such a thing.

“You don’t know because you haven’t tried it? Then I’ll bring it tomorrow. Try it once.”

He flinched. The Crown Prince only rolled his eyes and looked down at the man.

The white face was shining healthily. The shadow from before was nowhere to be found.

Charle wagged his tail vigorously every time the commoner stroked him.

Cedric frowned belatedly. Tomorrow? ‘Tomorrow’?

“Hehehe.”

David, who was watching the situation, cleared his throat.

The man gripped the reins so tightly that his gloves made a squeaking sound.

He was an impudent commoner.

*

The next day, dawn. Liester Imperial Palace.

-Kkiing!

“Yes, it will open soon. Please calm down.”

Rea struggled to climb the Imperial Palace gate.

Johann Haynes supported the plump belly of the divine beast with both hands.

The short arms and legs flailed in the air.

Once he put one down, the next two were causing trouble.

While Perry clung to Johann’s knees and whined, Demi quickly flew up and began to climb the iron gate.

‘Chalkang [onomatopoeia for metal clanging]!’ It was a so-called pincer operation.

The knights in silver armor looked at the divine beasts with troubled expressions.

The precious beings that they couldn’t dare to touch were actually hard to take their eyes off.

From the moment they woke up, they were causing a ruckus, saying they would leave the Imperial Palace······.

-Kkiiii!

“Oops.”

If they had their way, they would have opened the gate right away.

But unfortunately, they had to wait a little longer.

“Oh, there’s His Highness Aureli coming. We’ll just greet him and leave.”

-Kkiheung!

The divine beast cried out as if saying, ‘I’m going to die of frustration.’

The paladin smiled wryly and put Demi in the carriage.

Benjamin barely grabbed him as he tried to come down again and put him on his lap.

He patted him and fed him watermelon slices, and only then did he get his mind off things.

When Herrit held out his arms, Perry also reluctantly accepted the boy’s help and got into the carriage.

Sant, sitting across from the servant, hugged Rea and blocked the doorway with his whole body.

Tite in the basket shone his big eyes brightly.

He seemed to know exactly where he was going.

Johann and Herrit smiled at each other. Their clasped hands were warm.

Today was the day the group left the Imperial Palace to find hope.

-Dagdak, dagdak, dagdak [onomatopoeia for horse hooves]······

Soon, a splendid imperial carriage stopped in front of them.

The coachman, who found those waiting, hurriedly knocked and opened the carriage door.

The servant Natalie was the first to get off and escort her master.

Herrit followed his father and greeted politely.

“Good morning. Have you been waiting long?”

Aureli Boutier spoke kindly.

She was still a little gaunt, but her complexion was better than last month.

She had been steadily improving since the divine beasts woke up.

“The divine beasts were more anxious than us.”

Johann joked.

Aureli made eye contact with Benjamin and Sant, who couldn’t get out of the carriage because they were holding the divine beasts.

The two bowed deeply to show their respect. Eva was not there today.

She couldn’t stop her from saying she would follow them no matter what, so in the end, they left the palace early in the morning as if running away.

It was too dangerous a path for that child, a young duke, to accompany them.

“You’re finally leaving.”

-Awoo

Tite cried out as if answering. A smile formed at the loveliness.

The middle-aged man recalled the commotion that had taken place in the Imperial Palace over the past two weeks.

-Kkiit!

‘Oh my, Divine Beast!’

-Dodododo [onomatopoeia for running feet]······!

‘Lord God!’

The children, as soon as they woke up from their long sleep, wanted to run somewhere.

They acted as if they had a clear destination in their heads and had to go there.

And they actually did.

They broke through dozens of guards and ran to the stone wall on the east side of the Imperial Palace, and struggled to grow tall sycamore trees to climb over the wall.

Tite, unable to follow his brothers, cried in Eva’s arms all the time.

According to the young duke, he even shed tears of seawater.

‘Heave-ho. Divine Beasts, where are you going in such a hurry?’

-Kkureut!

-Kkieo!

If it hadn’t been for Erve, something terrible would have happened.

On the first day of the escape attempt, the three troublemakers were confined in the broad arms of the captain of the guard and taken to Juliette.

The man’s uniform, which had been thoroughly beaten, was covered with glorious fur and pollen.

-Jjaenggang [onomatopoeia for metal clashing]!

‘Good Lord······.’

Aureli, who received the report of the commotion, was so shocked that she broke her favorite coffee cup.

She was happy about the miracle of the divine beasts opening their eyes, but it was only for a moment.

The news that these beings, who had been quiet until now, had attempted to escape was enough to turn the palace upside down.

She wrote a letter to Cedric, who cherished the divine beasts, but for several days, she was confused about how to accept it.

Whether to let them go freely as they wished, or······.

Whether to keep them in the palace forever and protect them.

‘The sky hole of the Holy Nation is closed, Your Highness.’

One day, Francois said, stroking Demi in the cradle.

Aureli, who was sitting on the sofa, quietly turned to look at the marquis.

She already knew it through Johann’s report.

By now, the news would have spread to the countryside of the Empire.

‘The divine beasts woke up on the same day. Is it really a coincidence? It could be.’

-Kkia!

The divine beast was enjoying himself, rolling his body as if his hand was a toy.

He didn’t seem like the child who had tried to escape from here a while ago.

Rea and Perry were hugging Tite and sleeping.

‘Let’s think in reverse? On the day the divine beasts fell asleep, Prince Yeseo left us.’

‘······.’

‘And from that day on, the eastern sky began to collapse. It is said that the Lord God’s sword fell and caused many casualties in the Holy Nation. It’s a terrible thing.’

‘······.’

‘Four months have passed since then. Voilà! Finally, the sky hole has been restored on its own, and the divine beasts have returned. But these small and sacred beings······. They have no interest in the prince’s body. They don’t try to wake him up or show affection. All they show is a desire for the East.’

‘Francois.’

She called the marquis in a low voice. Her light pink eyes were sparkling with energy.

The man of this day was never wrong.

Whether it was magic or science, whatever it was.

‘Is it still a coincidence?’

‘······.’

‘I know why you’re afraid.’

Francois approached Aureli with an elegant step.

And he carefully knelt on one knee and held her hand.

The beige eyes trembled endlessly.

She sent her beloved disciple to a distant land and could never see that child again.

She had been blaming herself every day without fail.

If she had caught that child back then. If she had taken away his freedom like a caged nightingale······.

Wouldn’t he have been safe then? Wasn’t it all her fault?

‘You know how I lost my parents, don’t you.’

‘Francois, please.’

Aureli shook her head and stroked his cheek.

The man responded with a melting smile.

‘My siblings want me to get rid of my guilt. Maybe it’s an impossible dream.’

‘······.’

‘Around that time, the two of you pushed me on the back.’

‘······.’

‘For the remaining love. To receive the remaining love. To live while giving the remaining love······. That’s what you said.’

‘Do you remember?’ the marquis whispered. Aureli shed tears and pressed her forehead against his.

Francois reverently kissed the back of her hand.

‘Please don’t give up on the possibility you’re thinking of, Your Highness.’

‘······.’

‘Don’t you already know what I know?’

It was true. Since that day, the cardinal had never cried.

And she regained her courage. She suppressed the instinct that she didn’t want to despair.

She set up her long-honed heart like a shield and prepared to send her loved ones to a distant land.

She put her hope in a sliver of possibility rather than a boulder of fear.

She sent a letter to Frederick in a hurry.

‘Johann said he will cross the border with the divine beasts. Benjamin and Sant have decided to follow him. I have a belief that we may be able to find the prince’s traces. Maybe that child will come back. Everyone is looking east. I’m sorry for causing trouble at this time.

-Adan’

The reply was as fast as lightning.

Aureli smiled faintly as she looked at the words that the emperor had scribbled in anger.

‘Don’t do anything you’re sorry for.

Don’t even dream about it.

Don’t skip meals.

The Holy Nation is too humid. I don’t see a place to build a villa yet.

-F. R.’

It was a clear sign of opposition, but Aureli was greatly satisfied.

Once she had notified him, she had fulfilled her duty.

Since when had she been seeking her partner’s consent before acting?

“Please take good care of Herrit.”

The cardinal returned to the present with a start.

As soon as Johann finished speaking, Herrit hugged her waist tightly.

The woman hugged the small warmth and joked.

“Your father will be sad, Herrit. Don’t you like me too much?”

Then the boy laughed and looked back at his father.

Johann said goodbye to his son with a soft smile.

“I love you. I’ll be back soon.”

It was a familiar sentence. The child nodded with a bright face without worry.

The young eyes were shining with a belief as solid as a star.

When his father returned, the prince would surely be with him.

Because that’s what he promised.