What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 442

Meanwhile, at the tavern ‘Unforgiven Booze’.

-Rustle, rustle…

Marguerite tossed and turned in bed for a long time.

Though a new morning had dawned, her mind endlessly wandered only through the past.

Her long chestnut hair was scattered haphazardly over the blanket,
like a dark cloud obscuring the sun.

“……”

Lying down at night and still lying down after waking up in the morning, she wondered if this was the life of a shut-in.

She had skipped several meals already, but she wasn’t hungry.

She wasn’t even aware of being thirsty, just felt a dull ache around her waist.

There was no need to speak, and no one ever spoke to her, so the room was always silent.

She had never been used to this kind of life, but experiencing it firsthand was surprisingly not so bad.

Here, ‘not so bad’ didn’t mean she liked it or had found a new aptitude.

Marguerite scoffed, self-deprecatingly.

“Hmph……”

This state seemed to suit her quite well.

She wondered if she should have lived like this from the start.

She should have thrown her childish ambitions into the well of the lord’s castle.

If she had, she would surely be much more at ease than she was now.

She would already have a husband, and perhaps even a cute child. A peaceful and simple life in an unfamiliar territory.

It wouldn’t have been bad at all. No, maybe it would have been quite good. Just like her brother said.

-Knock knock

Just then, someone knocked on the door. The princess consort tensed up and wiped away her expression.

It was obvious that the visitor was Elisabeth Muute. She was a prosecutor known for being tenacious and fearsome, and also the widely known and fair vice-captain of the guard.

The viscount seemed to have realized what she was trying to do to His Highness the Crown Prince.

So, the only reason she was keeping her here was to save her.

Her intention was to somehow get a confession and keep her alive in prison.

Otherwise, not only would she face a miserable end, but even the Dioph family, being royalty, would be in danger.

The prosecutor was a very wise person.

But she was not.

-Knock knock

“……”

Marguerite silently hugged her knees and buried her face.

She couldn’t speak with the gag in her mouth anyway.

Soon, the door creaked open.

The scent of warm tea and bread wafted into the small room.

“Princess Dioph, are you awake? Good morning.”

“……”

It wasn’t the viscount.

The visitor was her fiancé and the eldest son of the Kalamar viscount family, Prince Ganael.

The princess consort frowned even more and remained silent.

She was scared of Muute, who cornered her with sharp, thorny words, but she was equally uncomfortable with the boy who tempted her with sweet cakes and greasy fried foods.

The Kalamar family was known for being devout and principled.

Just imagining how the prince was evaluating her inside made her feel suffocated and her heart pound.

Cold sweat began to form on her forehead.

“Aren’t you hungry? I asked the innkeeper to get a lot of delicious things. Please have at least one bite. You need to have strength.”

He carefully removed the princess consort’s gag as he spoke.

Beneath his kind voice, she seemed to hear words mocking and criticizing her.

Marguerite clamped her mouth shut. A familiar headache washed over her.

-Clatter, clatter

“……”

Though her life was not long, she had struggled her entire life in her own way.

She writhed, wanting to be a perfect child and a good successor.

Her jaw hurt from grinding her teeth in secret for so long, and she was always short on sleep.

But her mother, the head of the family, was too busy taking care of her sick father and managing the territory.

The more that happened, the more she believed she had to do well.

-Sreung, seokeong! Ssuk!

‘You are wonderful, Princess Consort!’

After wielding a sword, which she had no talent for, for about twenty years, she was still at a level that others would praise.

But that wasn’t enough.

To replace her brother, who was known as a notorious womanizer, and her father, who had difficulty moving, she had to show a flawless image in social circles.

She attended large and small events whenever she had time.

She was always careful with her words and actions, and showed off her proper demeanor and expensive dresses.

Then everyone thought highly of her.

‘You will be a good wife, Princess Dioph.’

‘Do you see that red-haired prince over there? He will become the successor next month.’

‘He has been looking at the princess consort since earlier. I think he is interested.’

‘Isn’t he handsome? And he is very rich. I heard he even owns a bank in his name. He is not a son-in-law who would undermine the dignity of the ducal family, of course.’

……But no one expected Marguerite to inherit the family.

No one thought she could push her brother aside.

It was because she was born only 30 seconds later than Jibril.

Because her brother was a person with powerful mana, a handsome appearance, and even charisma, and his sister was not.

Because she was relatively less radiant.

‘How good would it be for the prince to marry the princess consort? He would become the son-in-law of the royal family. The family he leads would also become more precious.’

‘His Majesty will also greatly congratulate him. Foolishly, I am excited.’

I’m working this hard. Really, no one.

“Hmm hmm, hmm, hmm hmm♪”

Flustered, Marguerite woke up from her reverie at the unexpected humming.

The prince with sky-blue hair was wiggling right in front of her, raising the corners of his lips.

He didn’t rest for a moment.

With skillful movements, he poured tea and cut the plump sandwich into bite-sized pieces.

After folding the napkin neatly, he placed the fork and knife in an orderly manner.

The princess consort stared at him with a dazed look.

The boy seemed happy all the time, wondering what was so good.

-Squeak, squeak

“Ah, Demi-nim [term of endearment]. I’ll peel the tangerines for you later. You said you’d spill juice everywhere if I just gave them to you.”

-Kieung?

“Yes, the Palace Master. Please wait a moment.”

Even though he was only doing such things.

“……Is that so satisfying?”

“Huh! Yes? Princess Consort, are you talking to me now?”

Ganael was startled and turned to her when a muffled voice flowed out from inside the blanket.

When did he ever tell her to take a bite?

It was absurd.

“Isn’t it just a chore that anyone can do?”

“What do you mean……”

“Isn’t it just a trivial task that even a passing commoner or someone who doesn’t know how to read can do? Taking care of a precious person. Preparing their washing water. Attending to their clothes……”

“……”

“I don’t know why you seem so happy doing such common and ordinary things.”

Why does she feel like she is the only one in the world who is unhappy? It was pathetic.

“Uh……”

Then Ganael frowned. Marguerite thought.

His impression, which had already fallen to the bottom, must have finally reached its worst.

“Um…… I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand what you just said.”

“I see. It was a slip of the tongue, so please forget it.”

“No, it’s not that. Um…… It’s natural to be happy even when doing ordinary things. I haven’t really imagined any other cases.”

The boy scratched his cheek.

Around that time, a divine beast with black tips on its ears began to climb up his leg.

Ganael smiled brightly and hugged him. Marguerite had an astonished look.

“It’s not just about what I do. I myself am an ordinary person. I’ve never learned swordsmanship like the princess consort, and I probably don’t have any talent for it. I wasn’t born with Aetherna mana either. So, as soon as I turned sixteen, I volunteered to be a servant without hesitation.”

“But why……”

“But I know I’m helping special people.”

His golden eyes shone brightly. The princess consort blinked slowly.

“Our Palace Master always praises me. He always thanks me and tells me how helpful I am to him. My superior, Benjamin-nim, is also very generous.”

“……”

“So, in conclusion, I don’t think I’m doing ordinary things. Um, does that not make sense?”

The servant smiled bitterly and tilted his head.

That expression resembled Prince Yeser Venetian, whom she had seen at the Imperial Palace someday.

He busily finished setting the table and soothed the divine beast in his arms.

A pleasant, melodious voice continued.

“I am entrusted with the important task of protecting the daily lives of special people. It looks ordinary on the outside, but it’s not really.”

“……”

“Even very outstanding and wonderful people have ordinary faces. For example, when I was five years old…… I met a brave prosecutor. She saved the rabbit I was raising from being bitten by a low-level monster. She hurt her left hand, and there was a lot of blood. I was so surprised as a child that I burst into tears. But the noble person didn’t bat an eye and left, saying she was okay.”

The boy’s eyes were tracing back to the distant past.

Marguerite suddenly felt an inexplicable envy for Ganael.

“I walked around the mansion crying the whole time. I was really worried about her. Then I found the prosecutor on the swing deep in the backyard……”

‘Fool. I told you I’m okay, why did you come all the way here by yourself, whining.’

‘But, Muute Princess Consort…… You’re crying too……’

‘I’m sleepy. It doesn’t hurt anymore because I’ve been treated. Call me Elisabeth.’

It was at that moment.

Ganael remembered that fleeting emotion very clearly.

Even Elisabeth’s youthful face, who was only thirteen years old.

“That’s when I first thought. I want to embrace this person’s weak side.”

“……”

“This person will become the most wonderful prosecutor in the world, and then I want to be by this person’s side. If that’s too much to ask, I want to help this person from behind.”

“……”

“I don’t care if I’m a shadow. Because I’m going to be the happiest shadow in the world.”

The boy smiled dazzlingly. Marguerite squeezed her eyes shut.

Her lips trembled, and tears filled with countless emotions poured out.

Everything was so sinful that she couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Sniff, ugh…… Waaah……”

It seemed like it was really time to pour everything out now.

The day to pay the price for not listening to her brother and betraying her mother.

“……It tastes best when you eat it warm.”

Ganael said kindly and slowly helped her sit up.

Marguerite did not resist and trembled as she raised her body.

Her dry lips gaped as if she wanted to say something.

-Kkia

Around that time, Leah, who had been quietly sitting, pointed to the boy’s calf.

Ganael turned around as if possessed.

“Ah.”

“……”

His fiancée, who he didn’t know when she had arrived, was standing at the door, looking at him.

Her large, gray eyes were moist.

Soon, a drop of tears fell with a flutter.

It was so short that it could not be noticed without concentration, but Ganael saw it clearly.

And he knew what it meant. There was no need to ask or confirm with anyone.

“Good heavens. Ganael, I……”

“It’s okay.”

The boy smiled even brighter than before.

Only for his lover.

“Welcome, Elisabeth.”

That evening, the underground black market.

One of the abandoned houses at the entrance of the Salt Pillar District.

“Ah, Prince Heineken! Duck your head!”

“Sorry!”

I hurriedly crammed my body under the window frame.

At the same time, Ms. Gain quickly leaned against the window, and Crown Prince Cedrick stretched his thick neck and observed the alley.

Just then, high-level black mages were passing by in a group.

We held our breath as if we had planned it and eavesdropped on their conversation.

The tattered curtain fluttered nearby.

-Thud, thud, thud……

“Then what are you going to do with the airship?”

“Of course, we have to leave it as it is. Isn’t that the core of our business?”

“Hmm. Then the root……”

“Yes, anyway, the source is……”

-Paaat!

……But that was all!

They quickly disappeared into the end of the alley and disappeared, and now not even the sound of their footsteps could be heard, let alone their voices.

I was horrified and quickly raised my head. What was that just now?

“Wow, when……!”

“I told you yesterday. This whole area is under black magic, so the roads change crookedly every day. People disappear as they are. Black mages who can undo the spell can easily get out, but people who go in with bad intentions can never come back.”

Kina, who was nestled in Ms. Gain’s arms, explained chirpily.

The group became quiet as if cold water had been poured on them.

-Oooooooo……

An unpleasant green energy fluttered outside the window.

As the dim light like a gas lamp illuminated the alley, the floor and the bricks of the buildings were all covered with dark moss.

It was hard to even guess where the ground was and where the wall started.

I brushed off Willem’s knees and swallowed.

This is really serious. It’s like a back alley in a fantasy movie.

……Well, this is a fantasy novel, but.

“We have two mages on our side, can’t we just break through that magic and go in?”

Ms. Gain suddenly whispered. Then Sir Johann made a troubled expression.

“You two are level 7 and 8 respectively, so it’s worth trying, but the problem is what happens after that.”

“We don’t know how skilled they are over there, Pink Princess. You might just cause a commotion and not be able to completely destroy the magic. Besides, this place is said to be old, so it must have poured in a lot of mana so far. Lastly, aren’t you trusting me too much?”

Jibril Dioph replied with a sly look.

Our protagonist frowned at the title ‘Pink Princess’.

The Crown Prince also chimed in.

“There is also a possibility that the royal consort will run away in the chaos. As always, the Duke is short-sighted.”

“No, I can’t say anything. Pilsner-nim [honorific] seems to be living in peace because you have long thoughts. Especially with my partner?”

Ms. Gain shot back softly.

I naturally stepped in between the two who were facing each other.

I’m watching the kids, so no more!

“Calm down. There must be some way. For example, Sir Johann can fly around the neighborhood and come back……”

“That’s difficult. I don’t know what kind of magic they have cast in the air,”

“We shouldn’t fall carelessly in a place like this. Yep.”

I quickly finished the sentence. The Cardinal stamped ‘Well done’ with his eyes.

Then what should we do……

“We came here without thinking, were we too hasty?”

“No, Heineken-nim. It’s impossible to investigate data or conduct inquiries right now. It’s not like there’s a library here. And people aren’t friendly. Except for the babies, everyone is just gloomy.”

“Um. That’s right.”

Ms. Gain clearly summarized the situation. I nodded along with the children.

Speaking of libraries, I suddenly thought of the information dealer, Noe, but this was a black market.

It was said that the work here rarely leaked out.

It didn’t seem like that person, who wasn’t even a mage, could help us. This is difficult.

“Should we just close our eyes and go in? Honestly, we’re not the type of people who think carefully about the aftermath.”

“I admit that, but this time there are children. Even if we leave them behind, there are many things to worry about……”

It was then.

“Gasp!”

I grabbed Ms. Gain and the Crown Prince and pulled them down with lightning speed.

With the addition of the children and Ropi, six people instantly became one lump.

It’s fluffy and hard and a mess!