What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 525

#525

Dragon King’s Onward March! (5)

“Yes. Her name is Francisca. She’s fifteen this year.”

“Francisca… That’s a lovely name.”

That was the name of the Baron’s daughter, who had been quite ill until three or four years ago.

I swirled the unfamiliar pronunciation in my mouth as I picked up my water glass.

I had heard quite a few rumors about the young lady since coming to the Guild meeting hall, but come to think of it, I didn’t know her name at all.

The family portrait I saw in the hallway briefly flashed before my eyes.

The Duchess, sitting to the Baron’s left, sliced her food with a knife and added,

“She is blessed by the gods, just like the priest.”

“Like me?”

I reacted quickly.

She raised an eyebrow and bit into the bloody meat. Whew.

Another piece of advice from Ms. Gain was, ‘Latch onto what the other person says.’

This was a technique to re-ask the questioner’s words when there was nothing to say or in an awkward situation.

Since I had a lot to hide and a lot to dig up, ‘Oh, really?’ and latching onto the end of words were essential to drag out time while conversing as naturally as possible.

That way, you could get an effect similar to answering even though you didn’t actually give any answers. Anyway, that’s what our protagonist said.

Seeing as we’ve been eating for almost an hour without any problems, it seems her strategy was effective.

Ahem. Then, should I slowly start asking personal questions?

Because the goal of this dinner isn’t just to buy time for my friends.

“Perhaps the blessing your daughter received…”

“How did a priest as devout as you are, to the point of not enjoying alcohol, end up being chased all the way to this northern region? I heard you’re from Yeriho.”

Suddenly, the nameless Duchess asked me.

I swallowed the sentence that was cut off and blinked.

I wondered how she knew I abstained from alcohol in a place where it wasn’t served, and then I realized there was a raisin dish soaked in brandy right in front of me.

She must have seen me smell it a little while ago and put it down.

It was just a brief moment, but that person’s observation skills are extraordinary.

As I was choosing my words, Tessa took some raisins and opened her mouth.

“As you both know well, Yeriho has fallen into the hands of the Riester Empire.”

“Aha.”

Even the teacher herself fell backward when she first heard this news, but today she was calm as if it were someone else’s business.

The Duchess tilted her head as if she had heard something very interesting.

What kind of reaction is that? There’s no way she didn’t know that, and it’s not like she looked like she didn’t know.

Is she just showing her distrust of us?

Due to the tension, I had only eaten one plate of each dish that had come out so far.

I calmly took over the baton.

“As I mentioned earlier… I am from a humble family near the capital. Due to family discord, I became independent early and lived alone, then I was assigned to Yeriho and served the Chief God for several years. I became friends with Tessa, a tobacco merchant, there. But when the Imperial Army pushed in, I had no choice but to flee,”

“I know the capital and the families around it quite well.”

She cut me off again. My heart pounded as if it had hit a speed bump.

“Pardon?”

“I’ve never heard of the Heineken family. Excuse me, but what is the title of the head of your family?”

“Duchess Isenia, that’s enough. The priest is my guest.”

Baron Atsuma said firmly.

At this moment, it was a supportive and reliable statement, but I momentarily doubted my own hearing.

My hand lost strength, and I almost dropped my fork.

Who did you say this person was?

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just that my job makes me a bit sensitive. I’ll ask God for forgiveness before I go to bed tonight.”

“……”

The woman laughed and then focused on her food again.

She didn’t care whether I answered or not, as if the questions she had thrown out so far weren’t important at all.

Every time she cut the tomatoes braised in wine and butchered the demon beast meat, red juice seeped onto the plate.

I watched the scene and moved my lips in shock.

For a few seconds, all the operation details were completely forgotten, and my mind felt bleached white.

‘Isenia’?

“Mr. Heineken?”

“It’s nothing. This is so delicious.”

Tessa quickly read my expression, and I hurriedly shoved some food into my mouth without knowing what it was.

I had to eat no matter what, because I didn’t think I could manage my expression right now.

Duchess Isenia, could it be ‘that’ Isenia?

The one who appeared in the Riester military newsletter’s editorials or in the war arc.

Tessa, who had lived her whole life in a remote area, might not know the detailed names.

The only water attribute of the six cardinals—’Pleiades’ [a high-ranking religious figure]—and the Fenetian king, who protects the continent’s faith, with deep symbolism.

“And the name Heineken… is obviously an alias. I abandoned my original name when I left home.”

When I barely managed to make a calm voice, the Duchess smirked and waved her knife in the air.

I flinched reflexively. I thought she was throwing it and got scared.

“That’s welcome news to hear. Here in the North, anyone without ties is unconditionally welcome. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”

“……”

‘Rin Isenia.’

A member of the Fenetian royal family’s collateral line, and the holy knight who had a bloody close combat with the Swordmaster Crown Prince in the original story.

If Count Carolin hadn’t been there that day, Cedrick might have lost his right wrist forever.

As I recalled the Duchess’s identity, goosebumps rose and my concentration wavered.

“So, do you plan to settle here? I’m sorry to the Baron. I spoke before you could finish your story.”

“……”

“Even though it’s weak, this person’s ether is quite erotic. Come to think of it, the voice sounds familiar too.”

Why is this person here? What impact will this have on our future operations?

In an instant, the gears in my head began to twist.

I clenched the faucet of my heart tightly to hide even the slightest ether [magical energy].

Then the Duchess smacked her lips with a bitter smile.

As far as I knew, Isenia was a cardinal in her late thirties, at her prime.

She was also the infamous human weapon of the Holy Kingdom, who disarmed and murdered countless enemies with a face that looked more than ten years younger.

Even Sir Johann under my chin didn’t recognize her existence, so her divine power must be undeniably enormous. Then…

-Rustle

“Hot.”

Just then, Ttuk-sim, in my stomach, pulled on my shirt. Only then did I come to my senses.

I checked the time as if nothing had happened and ate about five spoonfuls of stew.

-Clatter, Click

Okay, Jung Ye-seo. Calm down, eat, and hold on to your reason.

What’s important now isn’t Isenia. Don’t get bogged down in that.

“…Of course, I am also considering settling down. There is a temple nearby, so if they would accept me…”

Rather, it’s a huge hint.

The fact that such a great person is in a place like this, not the capital or the battlefield, and that she is working with Baron Atsuma.

This is proof that a tremendously important experiment is being conducted in Atsuma.

Let’s digest it with a hot stomach and think about it with a cold head.

‘Pleiades’ has a total of six members excluding the king with strong symbolism, two of whom are Elissa and her handsome spy.

Then, of course, there will be cardinals fighting on Wilhelmina Schneider’s side.

Isenia is one of them. Maybe she’s a great ‘Apostle’ [a high-ranking religious figure].

She must have been dispatched from afar to oversee the divine object here, even in the midst of the chaos.

The hidden meaning of that proposition is…

-Tingle!

In an instant, a sharp premonition lit up my mind like a fluorescent lamp. That’s it!

“If they accept me, I am ready to serve Atsuma and its people at any time. If my healing power can be of help to the people here, I will not spare myself. However… Since I am a foreigner, I have a few questions.”

I cleaned my mouth with elegant movements—just like the Crown Prince does—and straightened my back as I spoke.

The Baron, who had been listening silently, looked at me with sharp eyes.

“Healing priests are rare in the North, so I would be grateful if you would join us. Please feel free to ask anything.”

“Thank you. First is the demon beast horde. I heard that terrifying creatures passed through the sky here a few days ago. And today, the mercenaries of the meeting hall were attacked by demon beasts and returned as corpses. I am very timid and have no strength… To be honest, there are parts that I am worried about.”

As I showed the aspect of a representative chewy noodle of the Somaek Guild [a metaphor for being easily swayed or manipulated], the Baron and the Duchess nodded as if they expected it.

I was a little sad.

“Well, there has been such a thing recently. Things don’t always go according to plan. But it will be fine in the future.”

“Is that really true?”

“Duchess Isenia.”

When I asked with a bright face, the Duchess folded her eyes softly.

The Baron showed an uncomfortable expression, but she did not stop talking.

“Yes, that’s right. I am here… And by the time I leave this place, there will probably be a lot of holy knights in Atsuma.”

“My goodness. It seems the Baron has a grand plan.”

-Clang!

I naturally took the words, and the Baron dropped his glass as it was.

As the surprised Tessa looked around, the side door quickly opened.

Servants rushed in to clean up the glass shards and drinks, but I did not take my eyes off Eda Atsuma and Rin Isenia.

Fierce lightning was sparking from the two people’s gazes that collided.

The Baron’s fingertips holding the fork trembled slightly.

“Are you alright, Baron?”

“……”

“……”

Indeed, that’s right. The two of them are not in a relationship where they can open up to each other.

Wilhelmina Schneider doesn’t completely trust the Baron, so she sent Isenia.

And Isenia is not considerate of the Baron enough to rashly talk about the results of the experiment in front of us, who are complete strangers.

No, that was almost like a tease. They are temporarily cooperating, but…

“Baron?”

“I’m fine. I must have been a little tired.”

When Tessa asked repeatedly, the Baron barely made a calm voice.

However, judging from his white cheeks turning red, he seemed to feel great shame.

Isenia looked back at me with a joyful smile.

“Ask again, Priest.”

“Yes?”

“Didn’t you say you had something you wanted to ask? I’ll answer anything. The Baron also looks curious.”

“Ah, then… About the story you told me a little while ago. That Duchess Francisca received God’s blessing…”

“Oh. There’s an interesting backstory to that too.”

“Stop.”

Isenia spoke with a smile, and the Baron warned her in a boiling voice.

Tessa and I quickly rolled our eyes to check the time.

8:53. 7 minutes left until the ‘Military-Father-One-Body’ team starts moving in earnest.

Of course, our goal is to keep the two of them here even after 9 o’clock.

-Thump, Thump, Thump

At that time, a knight knocked on the entrance door, not the side door, and came in.

We simultaneously gritted our teeth and looked at that side. Could the operation have already started?

The sooner the better, but it would be a problem if they found out about it too quickly…

“Baron.”

“What’s going on.”

“Barun Territory has sent another secret letter. It’s urgent.”

“…At this hour. The lord is out of his mind.”

The Baron muttered like a sigh.

Knowing the contents already, Isenia shrugged lightly and bit into the fruit.

The knight glanced at me and Tessa for a moment and said this.

“That is… This time, it’s not a letter sent by the Lord of Barun. The royal signature is written on the envelope.”