What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 338

His News

Three days later. The ‘Neutral Zone’ desert.

At the entrance of a village, residents gathered, buzzing and pointing towards the horizon.

“There! I think that’s the Imperial Army!”

“Wow······!”

“Move, Deyan! I can’t see because of you!”

Carefree children tried to run past the boundary, only to be held back by their guardians.

Elderly men with graying hair squinted, leaning on their canes.

It was said that the Imperial Army was well-disciplined and never looted or harassed the residents, no matter what.

However, it was only natural for unarmed civilians to feel tense in the presence of an army.

Those approaching under the desert sunset were undoubtedly soldiers of the Liester Empire.

The Empire’s high flag fluttered in the sandstorm, and the sounds of sturdy horses and clashing weapons could be heard.

Excited children shouted wildly.

“Teacher, they say the Liberator is there!”

“It could be someone else, so calm down.”

“No! You heard the rumors too. They said the one who freed the Beast King is coming!”

“A spiky, huge beast!”

“They said it had fins, a tail, wings, and horns!”

“Shh, shh.”

Plump cheeks flushed red, and large eyes sparkled like glass beads.

Children, dreaming of meeting a hero, bounced around like beans in a pan.

The village had been in an uproar for days due to rumors that the Southern Imperial Army was advancing north.

This place, lacking even a caravanserai [a roadside inn] or a small inn, instead housed a proper ‘school’.

It also served as a childcare center, attracting orphans from the neutral zone.

That’s why the adults were even more nervous.

Surely nothing bad would happen to the children, but given the times, they couldn’t help but imagine terrifying scenarios.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter······!

“Hyah!”

The Imperial Army was approaching with a fierce momentum like a storm.

Fortunately, there were only a few hundred soldiers upon closer inspection.

However, it was enough to intimidate the children.

Upon seeing the armor stained with dried blood and the warhorses breathing heavily, the little ones scurried behind the adults.

Just as fear began to outweigh vague excitement.

“Ah! It’s the Holy Knight!”

A girl shouted, waving her small hand.

A ripple of excitement spread through the residents, starting with the child.

All eyes were focused on a single Liesterian.

A woman with neatly tied pink hair, her ocean-blue cloak fluttering, was riding a horse.

It was said that she was a beauty who could captivate anyone at first sight.

But in reality, she was even more beautiful than that.

Even with eyes half-closed, she was so pretty that it made hearts flutter!

A bright smile quickly appeared on her jade-like face as she spotted the children.

As she raised her hand holding the reins in greeting, the children’s small mouths widened.

“Wow! She’s like a princess!”

“She waved at us! Teacher, she waved at us!”

“Yes, I saw it too.”

“She did it to me!”

“Don’t lie!”

“Don’t fight, you have to greet her politely.”

-Clatter, clatter, clatter······!

‘Whoa, whoa!’ The Imperial Army, which had suddenly arrived right in front of them, stopped their horses in unison.

A rough sandstorm rose, and the children quickly covered themselves with long, colorful cloths.

The adults covered their faces with sleeves and hoods.

‘Thud!’ A light footstep landed where the dust had settled.

The eyelids of the village representatives and others slowly lifted.

“Hello, teachers! Oh, excuse me. It’s hot, but everyone’s out here?”

It was a clear and cheerful voice. The residents were surprised by the unexpected greeting and tone.

She continued her introduction without concern.

“You must be very surprised, I’m sorry. I’m Kristel Rambouillet. We’re delivering goods to His Majesty the Emperor from the south, so we’re moving up bit by bit, taking short breaks. These are my colleagues.”

“Greetings! We are― R.I.E.S.T.E.R. Imperial Army! Nice to meet you!”

The ten fingers moved so frantically that they couldn’t be followed with the eyes.

The jaws of the villagers dropped open.

It was a shocking greeting they had never seen before, and they wondered if this was the latest trend in the Empire.

Hundreds of voices booming were threatening in a different sense.

The Holy Knight smiled proudly, confirming the soldiers’ unified movements.

The soldiers were now waving both hands and flashing eye smiles.

“Ah······. Hello.”

“We, we are······. Linde Village!”

The teachers who came out as village representatives responded awkwardly with smiles.

They had expected a tense and harsh atmosphere, but these people were completely different.

In a good way, of course.

Judging from the splendid crests and armored horses, they were definitely not a band of thieves or grave robbers.

In fact, since the Imperial Army had entered the neutral zone, criminals had become extinct.

The story that the Emperor had caught and punished all the false priests and gangsters who had flowed in from the Holy Nation had circulated several times around the vast desert.

“We······. Is there anything we can help you with?”

An old man carefully asked, observing Kristel.

The spring flower-like hair color and water-colored eyes were clearly the same as ‘that person’ in the rumors.

The navy whip stuck in her waist also looked expensive.

It was a village of those with relatively long learning in the desolate desert. They were familiar with the orderly atmosphere unique to the regular army.

Decisively, it seemed unlikely that there would be two such beautiful people in the world.

Kristel opened her mouth brightly.

“Ah, could we set up a temporary camp near the oasis behind the village? The horses are very tired, so we’re planning to rest for about two days. We have enough military rations, but I’m also wondering if we can exchange food and gold coins with the residents if needed. If you’re uncomfortable, we’ll move to the next village or caravanserai immediately.”

The teachers widened their eyes and looked at each other.

They couldn’t believe what they had just heard.

“······An overwhelming condition, Knight.”

The Imperial Army’s ironclad protection and even gold coins!

“Welcome!”

As the faces of the residents began to brighten, Kristel also turned around with a relieved expression.

‘Our Captain did it again!’ The soldiers following her shouted playfully, raising their spears.

Then, a burst of laughter erupted. Their camaraderie seemed strong.

The Holy Knight’s star-like gaze turned back to the residents.

“Thank you so much! And one more thing. I’m wondering if you’ve heard anything about the recent war situation in the Empire, the front lines, or His Majesty’s barracks······. As you can see, we’re focused on advancing north, so our information is a bit blocked.”

Then the soldiers quickly chimed in to support their captain.

“We heard that a swarm of monsters appeared on the front lines!”

“Actually, we’re not just any Imperial Army. We’re, what was it.”

“‘Unit’. You called it a unit, Captain.”

“Yes! We’re a naval unit composed of people from Corleone! We left our colleagues below, and now we’re carrying out a special mission among ourselves.”

“We came up from fighting at sea, so our information is a few days late! Because we keep moving.”

Thanks to the soldiers eagerly adding a word each, the village entrance quickly became noisy.

The residents, who had relaxed to some extent, smiled and looked at each other.

People from the Corleone fiefdom were said to have loud voices and good sociability, and indeed they did.

Information. Let’s see, what was there······.

“His Highness Prince Yeser Venetian has been resurrected!”

Suddenly, a girl said. Kristel’s face hardened like a stone statue.

“That’s right! That’s what it was!”

“Yes!”

“Goodness, why couldn’t I think of that right away. It was a big deal!”

“Have you gentlemen heard?”

The entrance to Linde Village quickly became as noisy as a war zone.

The residents, without exception, began to clap their hands, wave their canes, and express their excitement.

The village had already been greatly shaken by the recent rumors.

Not just the village. By now, the entire desert must be buzzing.

The soldiers hesitated this time at the residents’ completely changed attitude.

What is all this about?

“Who’s being resurrected······?”

“His Highness Prince Yeser Venetian! Why, the one who was killed by Werner, the Duke······!”

“Hey, watch your mouth!”

“The Empire’s moon, I mean. Rumor has it that he has returned!”

The girl who spoke first raised her voice.

Kristel recognized the youthful face at a glance.

“India······?”

The little one, peeking out from behind a teacher, smiled brightly at her.

Kristel knelt down as if collapsing to meet the child’s eyes.

Then, another girl appeared from the opposite side of the teacher’s leg.

The Holy Knight blinked blankly. It was India’s older sister, Marion.

She saw the familiar braids and the unique two-colored eyes of the minority.

In an instant, all the noise faded beyond her ears. A dreamlike scene flashed through her mind.

‘India is my family. My only one!’

Chaum Caravanserai. The desert lodging she had visited for the first time.

‘Please! If His Highness the Prince leaves like this. Now no one high up, heueong······.’

‘Marion. We’ll be back. So don’t worry.’

The place where she and the Prince’s party had left for the ruins to find Mia.

Our last adventure.

“Marion, India. Why are you here?”

“Monica and Grandpa Scotty sent us. Because there’s a school here!”

The young voice sounded muffled as if it were underwater.

She was so out of her mind that she couldn’t even greet the children properly.

But now there was no Isabel to support her or Emma to laugh at her.

There was no Crown Prince to provoke her, no teacher to guide her.

The soldiers were busy having heated conversations with the residents.

Kristel painfully pulled at her sideburns to barely regain her senses. Ouch!

“We go to school here for two weeks, and then we go to Chaum for a week to rest. The Serenite Duchy is paying for the carriage and driver. That······. Someone named Chantal!”

“They also send books to the school every two weeks. A lot. My sister finally understands what the commentary says!”

“Be quiet, India!”

“Um, sorry. I’m so happy and relieved that you’re doing well······. But Auntie is in a hurry right now. Can I ask what that was about earlier? About the Prince being resurrected.”

Kristel whispered quickly and desperately.

The two children looked up at the teacher at the same time, and the middle-aged man nodded with a troubled expression.

Only then did Marion open her mouth.

The Holy Knight heightened all her senses amidst the commotion.

To not miss a single moment of the girl’s small voice.

“I’ve only heard rumors······. Until recently, the sky of the Holy Nation was torn for a long time, and a scary thing called ‘God’s Sword’ was falling from there. That suddenly stopped one day. The sky also became clear as if it were a lie.”

“Yes.”

“But on the day the hole closed, they said an angel fell from there.”

“······.”

Kristel slowly moved her lips. And she recalled a very familiar image.

With half a lavender wing······.

“He had a very large wing, and his eyes turned purple when he used Aether [a magical energy]. They said he took care of the injured soldiers day and night. His Highness the Crown Prince acknowledged that he was the deceased Prince.”

What?

“He also caught a very, very big monster on the front lines, and they say it’s mythical! Hearing that, everyone said the Empire would win!”

“India. You have to be careful with those words.”

“Yes, Teacher. They said it even rained fish. All the divine beasts follow him!”

“I heard that the Imperial Army headquarters is already in a festive mood. I don’t know if it’s true, though.”

The short-haired girl jumped up and down, and the child’s teacher added a word with a slight smile.

Kristel looked at the middle-aged man and struggled to create any sentence.

“······.”

She had been running constantly until now.

That was the only way to maintain the spark of hope.

Taking a break led to idle thoughts, and idle thoughts led to ghostly pain.

It was even harder when the side pain was added on rainy days. But she didn’t give up.

As soon as she confirmed that the Crown Prince was acting like a human, she left for the sea.

Just looking at him made it hard to breathe.

Suffocating at the sight of him struggling in pain, fading away with self-reproach, and eventually becoming empty like a bubble.

She had desperately tried to break down that fence, but it was useless.

The Crown Prince was more miserable when she was by his side. He refused to spar, let alone talk.

The crimson eyes that avoided her gaze were filled with guilt towards her.

Knowing him, she broke up with him.

And she never rested even once.

“Auntie is······.”

This time too, as soon as she obtained the Ice Silk, she ran.

On land, she helped her mother and His Majesty Hanan lead a great victory.

She achieved the feat of occupying a county.

Isabel advised her to stay in the lord’s castle for at least a few days. Kristel didn’t listen.

“I, I.”

She knew what she was worried about. But she couldn’t stop right now.

Stopping was harder than running.

Right now, she just wanted to burn it all. Only then would hope appear bright.

“Hehehe. Heheuk.”

“Heueu······.”

Kristel blinked abruptly. The two children in front of her were crying. They were laughing at the same time.

That precious bond that we had saved together that day.

“······Come here.”

Kristel gently whispered, opening her arms.

The sisters, with faces like crumpled red bean bread, hugged her.

The sound of sobbing mingled among the noisy crowd.

Those small drops of tears were gradually extinguishing her great flame.

The Holy Knight kissed the children’s sideburns and looked up at the abode of the gods.

The color was dazzlingly clear.

Perhaps it was the most beautiful sky since she had possessed this body.