What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 519

Dragon King’s Onward March! (5)

“…Guild Master. Please, get up.”

Frantically, Françoise rushed over and helped me to my feet.

He brushed the dust off my clothes, meticulously smoothing out even the edges of my robe.

Grandfather smiled kindly at me.

The Crown Prince finally seemed to regain some composure.

I was in a daze as I received the Marquis’s assistance.

Come to think of it, I was the Guild Master, wasn’t I?

I wasn’t used to giving orders in the first place—as you know, I wasn’t born a prince—and I found it more comfortable to discuss things with my friends, so I hadn’t even considered it.

It’s only natural to seek understanding before making such decisions.

“As the Palace Lord is no different from the Riester Imperial Family, you must not kneel carelessly in front of others.”

“Ah, wow.”

The Marquis quickly whispered in my ear.

This was such an unexpected remark that my mouth formed a triangular shape.

So, that’s why the atmosphere in this family was so strange just now?

Now that I see it, Jibril Diop was cracking walnuts with his bare hands, giving me a look that said, ‘Is this guy really that clueless?’

He looked utterly dumbfounded.

Well, strictly speaking, I’m not a member of the Imperial Family, you know?

It’s just that the adults are treating me as such.

“Then… ahem. Thank you for your cooperation.”

I simultaneously composed my expression and addressed the situation.

Then, Ms. Gain and Sir Johann readily nodded in agreement.

Even Count Sem and Teacher Tess didn’t strongly object. Rather, Tess said this:

“Since childhood, I’ve heard stories of a dangerous cave in this Spruce Forest. I’m not sure if the rumor is accurate, but either way, passing through the forest is the fastest route to the Atzma Cemetery. If so, that fellow might provide useful information. He seemed to frequent the Guild Assembly Hall.”

“I agree as well.”

Hmm, I suppose you could think of it that way.

I silently nodded and turned back to Alain.

In any case, I couldn’t just stand by and watch someone suffer.

I couldn’t bring myself to abandon a patient in this weather, in this place.

No matter how urgent and pressing the situation, I could never do such a thing.

“Ugh, uhh…”

“It’s okay. I’ll make you comfortable soon.”

However, if I were to unleash my power and be discovered by another paladin, it would be troublesome. Instead, I searched through my bag and took out a Sacred Stone.

It seemed like a good idea to have Alain absorb the aether [a powerful, life-giving energy] I had diligently stored here.

The energy contained within the Sacred Stone is difficult to detect from the outside, it seems.

I’m glad I collected them whenever I had the chance.

“…That’s.”

“You said I was the Guild Master, didn’t you? Please yield to the patient.”

“…”

Cedric gave me a dissatisfied look, so I spoke to him as if he were a naive younger sibling.

I’ll fill you up again soon, so don’t worry.

You just got a new Sacred Stone necklace not too long ago, didn’t you?

I scolded him with my eyes, and the man turned his gaze elsewhere.

He really is like Sadie at times like this. But he is Sadie.

“Edelweiss-nim, how was the outside?”

When I handed over the Sacred Stone, Ms. Gain promptly took it and placed it near Alain’s heart.

Saaaaa…. The aether naturally permeated into the woman’s body.

The absorption rate was slow, but thankfully, she didn’t show any signs of rejection or distress.

Sir Johann wiped his bloodied hands with a damp cloth and replied casually.

“It was an ordinary forest with the source of the Winite River flowing through it. There were no particular points of interest, except for a few mercenaries who were found dead at the entrance of a cave.”

“I see. Huh?!”

I was so startled that I dropped the Sacred Stone. That’s a major point of interest!

How can you say that as if you saw a bread stall on the way but didn’t have any cash!?

“Mercenaries? Could they have been the ones who attacked Alain? Who killed them?”

“Goodness. Could there be a murderer in this forest?”

Ms. Gain widened her eyes and asked, and Tess added in surprise.

Toughie, who was sitting on the Crown Prince’s shoulder—having gone on patrol with Sir Johann—suddenly became excited and wiggled his butt.

Duke Diop pointed out, ‘You’ll lose your tail feathers if you keep that up,’ but the little guy even started beeping.

The atmosphere seemed ominous. I quickly looked up at Sir Johann.

He lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“They were all torn to death by the claws of Uruk beasts [powerful, monstrous creatures]. It seemed they had died only a few hours ago.”

It was terrible news. I clenched and unclenched my cold hands as I picked up the Sacred Stone.

“Beasts? Then perhaps…”

“But their energy couldn’t be felt anywhere.”

“What?”

“Yes?”

The Crown Prince and Françoise narrowed their brows simultaneously.

Indeed, it would be strange if there were beasts nearby right now.

We had great fighters here, including Grandfather and Sir Johann, and I also had the Crystal Bell.

There’s no way we wouldn’t have sensed anything.

Besides, aren’t they a Myth-grade group [referring to a group with exceptional abilities]?

What’s going on?

“…”

Did they just deal with the mercenaries because they were annoying and then move on?

No, they ignored even us, who were adorned with divine objects.

Would a horde of beasts, with their eyes set on finding the Pisces of the Four Dragons [a powerful artifact], take the time to kill people unnecessarily?

And it’s not like they were starving and devoured them, either. So what is it?

“Ma, Magic Stone…”

At that moment, a fading voice was heard from below. I doubted my ears and turned my gaze.

Unfamiliar and innocent eyes were looking up at us, filled with fear.

Her chapped lips and swollen cheeks were pitiful.

“My goodness, are you awake?”

Alain had finally awakened!

“Ugh, Magic Stone, the cave… There’s a Magic Stone cave in the forest… Those mercenaries, huff. That’s what they said…”

Sir Johann seemed very surprised by her recovery speed, but that wasn’t the important thing right now.

I strained my ears and repeated each word under my breath.

Her fever hadn’t completely subsided, but there was definitely a light in Alain’s eyes.

“A Magic Stone cave? Is there such a thing?”

“Good heavens. That would explain why we couldn’t sense the beasts’ energy!”

Françoise, who had turned pale in an instant, started rapping [speaking rapidly and excitedly].

Ropi, who had been sound asleep in his arms, also fluttered his ears. Everyone’s eyes turned towards him. Ms. Gain immediately asked:

“Is that how it is, Guinness-nim?”

“Yes. Just as Sacred Stones have the unique property of containing aether and concealing its energy, Magic Stones can also hold mana [magical energy] and hide its aura. Of course, this property weakens as they become lower grade… If a Magic Stone mine forms a vast cave like a stalactite cave, the quality of the Magic Stones is likely to range from high to the highest grade.”

His tone and manner of speaking were uncharacteristically serious.

Then, Alain swallowed hard and groaned.

I wiped the cold sweat from her face and mouthed the words. That means, so…

“That the cave itself acts as a barrier, concealing the beasts’ energy, so we can’t determine how many beasts are inside, or exactly what kind of beasts are there.”

“That’s right.”

“Conversely, it’s highly likely that the Griffin bastards knew about it and hid there. The intelligence of Myth-grade beasts is considerable. One of them has been around for two thousand years.”

“…”

“…”

My friends exchanged heavy glances at my reasoning. Finally, Crown Prince Cedric opened his mouth.

“Then the hypothesis that there’s a laboratory near the cemetery gains strength.”

“Right? They say you can see the cemetery right after passing through the Spruce Forest. They might be hiding in this forest, watching the laboratory’s situation, and planning to attack when the Pisces appears.”

“Hmm. In other words, even they can’t sense the Pisces right now. I clearly felt it when it was flying this way, but why did they suddenly change their attitude…”

Ms. Gain and I exchanged serious words. It was then.

“Hey, if you know something, why don’t you just spill it?”

A terribly unpleasant voice poured out from over there.

I was shocked by the harsh attitude and turned to look at Diop.

His blood-red eyes were shooting a fierce gaze at the young man.

“You flinched when you heard the word ‘laboratory’ just now. Was your name Alain?”

“…”

“You seem confused about whether we’re good guys or bad guys, but that depends on you.”

“Duke!”

Alain’s face turned pale with fear, and I immediately rebuked the man.

He raised his eyebrows as if asking what the problem was and started cracking nuts again.

Before I knew it, a battle mage’s staff was placed on his palm.

…He really intends to attack at any moment. Because that’s his ‘mission’.

“It’s okay, Alain-ssi. I know you’re very scared. You’ve been running alone. You can calm down and then tell us…”

As I tried to soothe him, Alain inhaled and wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand.

“Hic. Ah, no. The, the angels saved me… I want to be of help too. And, and my niece… sob, I really want to see her again…”

‘Brandy…’ Along with that murmur, a faint breeze tickled my hair.

I wondered if it was just my imagination, but Sir Johann’s eyes suddenly turned cold.

It wasn’t his power. I swallowed hard.

Wow, Alain is also an air elemental [someone who can control the element of air].

I’ve seen statistics that air is the second most common of the four elements.

“Is your niece’s name Brandy? You kept calling for her in your sleep.”

When I asked in a gentle tone, Alain nodded with a crumpled face.

Then, he let out a long breath…

“Deep beneath the Guild, Guild Assembly Hall, there’s a secret laboratory. I…”

He made a shockingly outrageous statement.

Everyone’s eyes widened like saucers. What did you say was where?

“I escaped from that place, the mortuary. They thought I was dead, the lords put me there… Already, with the neighbors who had closed their eyes…”

Count Sem covered his mouth with his large hand.

Alain bravely wiped away his tears and continued.

“Ah, that. They offer unimaginable rewards to the commoners in difficult circumstances… To get them to participate in experiments. No one knows what kind of experiments they are, but this place is so hard to live in during the winter. And our Brandy has a disability… I also heard rumors and asked the administrator, and after a few months, I finally got in touch…”

“…”

A silence that seemed to suffocate the air flowed.

The young man, who had been catching his breath for a moment, turned to us and blinked.

He seemed to realize that he had forgotten the subject.

“Ah. Our… The Lord. It’s his experiment.”

*

The next day, when the sun opened its eyes, early guests had arrived at the office of Baron Atzma Edda.

“…Is everyone ready?”

“Yes, of course.”

It wasn’t even before breakfast, but no one seemed to feel hunger or fatigue.

A cup of black tea was not placed on the huge agarwood table [a type of fragrant wood] that filled the room.

No one asked for anything or expressed any discomfort.

Edda, the eleventh apostle of Duke Sneider, was seated at the head of the table, and next to her sat the third apostle, specially dispatched from the capital to help with ‘technology transfer’.

The young face of the princess made all the other guests secretly stick out their tongues [a gesture of disapproval or mockery].

However, the lord Edda was an exception.

Such things were not important to Baron Atzma at all.

She could no longer be shaken by the crude standards of reality.

“…Then let us listen to the words of our Lord.”

A delicate voice flowed from a throat so thin it seemed about to break.

Edda reached out her emaciated fingers and caressed the Magic Stone crystal ball in front of her.

She was as careful as if she were dealing with the most precious thing in the world.

-Jiiiiing…!

Then, a thick dark green mana flowed out of the Magic Stone, wrapping around her fingertips several times and advancing towards her heart.

The baron accepted the series of processes with an emotionless expression.

It was a procedure that was now more welcome than familiar.

The moment it was confirmed that the one kneeling in front of this crystal ball was none other than the Lord’s faithful servant.

-Uuuuuung…!

Finally, the inside of the crystal ball rippled greatly, vaguely capturing the appearance of the other party.

Then, a voice like a blessing echoed through the room.

《…The Third Apostle and the Eleventh Apostle.》

“My Lord.”

The baron felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy.

She bowed deeply and paid her respects in front of the crystal ball.

The princess in the next seat and the believers wearing red robes also bowed in succession.

Soon, a heavy sentence flew in.

《It is good to see you again. I am always informed of your hard work and dedication. If there are any resources you need, please feel free to speak up at any time.》

“Your grace is boundless.”

《Also, the fact that you are targeting deeply faithful commoners who are not from noble or paladin families… I still find it interesting. I have no intention of stifling the adventurous spirit of the apostles.》

Wilhelmina Sneider in the crystal ball could barely see her lower face and upper body.

Baron Atzma listened to the Duke’s words with a humble attitude.

《There was a small commotion in the secret chamber.》

“…”

《I heard from the Third Apostle that an experiment participant escaped from the mortuary. What happened?》

It was a question that was seemingly as soft as vanilla cream, but hid a blade and poison beneath its tongue.

Edda turned to look at the princess in the next seat with a piercing gaze.