What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 644

Can’t See You, But Want To (1)

What’s going on? Huh?

What on earth is happening!

“S-Sorry. It’s just not folding right. Cough, cough.”

-Flap! Flap!

“Ugh!”

Jeong Hyunseo! What did you do to my brother again!

I could only call out to my brother in my mind as I tumbled awkwardly on the bed.

The blanket I clutched slipped down with me, and the pillows bounced onto the floor.

It wasn’t the first time I’d had wings, but strictly speaking, they weren’t mine but Jeong Dduk-sim’s power, and he was an excellent pilot.

On the other hand, I was, in common parlance, a ‘ground pounder,’ that is, from the army.

To put it bluntly, it felt like I had a few more limbs, and I had no idea where or how to use them.

No, really! It’s so confusing!

-Thump!

“Oh, sweet heavens!”

“Ouch, my back… Excuse me. This is driving me crazy.”

As I groaned with a hoarse voice, the watching priest didn’t know what to do.

Come to think of it, the face was familiar. Where have I seen this person before?

For now, it seems like this is Riester’s military camp…

“Your Highness, are you alright? I hope your precious body isn’t hurt?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. I just suddenly fell…”

“Can’t you put the wings away? It was hard enough getting you here because of them.”

The man who had been leaning against the wooden wall with his arms crossed rebuked.

I thought someone was waking me up, and sure enough, it was Zibril Dioph.

I think I saw his face last before I fainted, but for some reason, my memories are all twisted and covered in sugar like clothes, and they’re all jumbled up…

I frowned.

-Grumble…

“Ah, I’m hungry.”

Twisted breadstick. Sweet rice donut.

I want to eat spicy and sweet tteokbokki [Korean spicy rice cakes], cool Coolpis [a popular Korean juice drink], and a big bowl of cup ramen.

Boneless chicken feet, explosively hot steamed eggs, and rice balls made with pickled radish and seaweed flakes, just two servings each.

For dessert, a street stall waffle with apple jam and whipped cream, and a cold decaf Americano…

I clutched my empty stomach and slumped against the bed.

Thinking of the food from home that I wanted to eat made all the strength drain from my body.

Suddenly, I lost so much energy that I couldn’t even move a fingertip, my mouth kept watering, and my vision was spinning with hunger and turning yellowish.

Looking at the current situation, it seems like I should move and think about something, but I have no energy, so I really don’t feel like doing anything.

My head is just empty. The priest, who was trembling anxiously, rushed towards me.

I looked up at her weakly.

“Teacher…”

I’m going to starve to death…

“My goodness, Your Highness. Are you able to get up? If you allow, I will dare to help you. I will lay you back on the bed and quickly bring you a meal.”

“Thank, thank you…”

Thank you so much…

“It is said that about two hundred supply wagons came in this morning. I will surely set up so much food that the legs of your bed will break.”

“Thank you…”

The priest put her arms under my armpits and gave a heave.

While Duke Dioph opened the creaking door and spoke to someone outside, I was lifted up at once by the clergyman’s excellent strength.

This time, white feathers fell to the floor. I was really shocked!

“Gasp, cough. Why is this happening? Is there something wrong with my body?”

“Yes? I, this is my first time seeing this either…!”

“Ah, I guess you wouldn’t know…”

“After you eat, I will discuss it with the other healing priests, Your Highness. I will make sure you don’t have to worry.”

“Don’t make such a fuss. Dozens fell on the floor when I carried you here.”

As I sat on the bed, drinking water from a glass, the Duke snapped as if it was nothing.

I rolled my eyes and glared at him sharply.

I sincerely appreciate him flying me here, but he always talks so bluntly that I can’t bring myself to thank him.

It felt a little better as lukewarm water went down my dry throat.

Ahem, it still hurts, but I’ll be better in a few days…

“Can’t fold them?”

“Yes?”

I blinked, not understanding the question right away.

The mage gestured with his chin towards the calmed wings.

“That. You should know how to fold them, shouldn’t you? Unless you’re going to live like that forever. You said you were cold.”

“Ah.”

“Well, then, I will bring the meal. If you need anything else, please call the guard standing outside the door, Your Highness. They will relay the message to me.”

“Cough. Thank you, Agate.”

As I finally remembered her name, the priest with the gentle impression widened her round eyes even more.

She stood there for a moment with her mouth open, then hurriedly bowed and left the door.

Only then could I smile for the first time.

I wondered where I had seen her, and then suddenly I remembered the temporary military camp of the Guild Council of the Holy Kingdom.

‘Your Highness, are you looking for someone?’

‘Um, a priest named Agate. I heard she was coming here…’

‘Ah! I know Agate too. She’s famous. She’s so capable that I received a lot of help when I was in the Navy.’

A round and plump body like a small animal, a sociable personality, and skillful hands.

A Navy priest who fully demonstrated her abilities even in rough seas and received the trust of her superiors.

‘Look at this, Your Highness. Her handwriting is like it was printed in a printing house.’

Agate, the best stenographer in the Empire. She came all the way here.

I looked at the closing door with a happy heart.

The outside, which was briefly visible, was filled with the shadows of soldiers.

Hmm. They must be busy, and there’s no need for so many guards.

I don’t know exactly where this is…

“Wait a minute.”

Crazy.

“Why.”

“You’re crazy.”

“What? Let me at least know the reason before I get cursed at.”

Are you really crazy? Jeong Yeseo?

“…Where is this?”

It felt like my heart was churning and pouring out.

I turned to look at Dioph, my eyes wide as if they would pop out.

Suddenly my tongue became stiff and my mouth was a mess.

I had something to say, but my throat hurt, my language function was malfunctioning, and my brain was just buzzing black like a broken TV.

The sentence that came out after a long time was full of unpleasant squeaks.

How could I forget this?

“Duke, where are my friends? Where are Gain, no, Sir Langbue, the Crown Prince, and Sir Johann? And where are my kids? I mean the Divine Beasts. Are they all okay? Everyone was definitely unconscious then. The weather was so cold and there was so much hail, ugh!”

-Thump!

“Hey, calm down.”

My foot slipped on the blanket that had fallen as I got up in a hurry.

The surprised Duke clicked his tongue and looked at my state.

But I couldn’t afford to worry about my body right now. I couldn’t even feel the pain.

My fear-filled lungs were fluttering as if taking their last breath.

It wasn’t working properly, and my chest started to feel stuffy.

Come to think of it, everything was strange.

The fact that I was lying alone in a place like this, and that my precious children were nowhere to be seen, was all scary and unsettling.

Even more so because I couldn’t infer the intermediate process because my memory was completely gone.

“Did I lose them? I don’t remember well. I’m sorry, but I really don’t remember anything. Please say something. If something happened to them, please honestly say so…!”

“Everyone is safe. Thanks to you.”

Huh!

“Ah…”

From the direction of the doorway, a voice as benevolent as ever reached me.

I looked towards it with a dazed gaze.

The warm beige eyes were curving softly towards me.

No way. Lies.

“And you were safe too.”

“…”

“I’m grateful and proud, my child.”

My teacher, who came closer with her arms open, lowered herself and hugged me in her arms.

The rustling of her clothes and her unique scent were so vivid.

But it felt unreal, like I was dreaming.

I was afraid that if I moved and touched her like this, my teacher would disappear like a bubble.

The warmth was clear, but I couldn’t bring myself to be brave.

Then, a warm touch brushed against my trembling wings. Flinch.

“You saved your friends, and you saved the children.”

“…”

“How hard it must have been to come back. Our Yeseo.”

“Ugh…”

I couldn’t bear those words, so I finally buried my face in my teacher’s shoulder.

The many incidents I had experienced flashed before my eyes like a panorama. It wasn’t all a dream.

I hugged her for a long time.

Until the priest Agate came back with a pot of simmering consommé.

*

The wings were roughly stuffed in.

I just imagined closing the newly installed wing faucet, and somehow it worked.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a big deal.

-Clatter

“…Excuse me? I can’t see them?”

-Kyaa?

I was about to put a spoonful of spicy and sour eggplant gratin on a large piece of batar [likely a type of bread] when I was surprised and looked up.

Demi, who was sitting on my lap and waving broccoli, also tilted his head.

So, the wings weren’t the problem right now.

Thanks to Her Highness Oreli, the Empire’s only cardinal-level priest and the Emperor’s consort, I was able to meet my precious children not long after.

The children were all carried on Agate’s back, and Rofi was a bit sensitive, but overall they were in good condition.

I thought of my brother and mother and offered a prayer of gratitude in my heart.

Tete had been buried in the pillow and humming since earlier.

It was a song he only sang when he was in a good mood, so I let the baby play alone and worked hard to fill my stomach.

But the words that my teacher had difficulty saying were ominous.

I can’t see my friends for a while?

“What do you mean, Teacher? Are they all badly hurt? Did they have major surgery or something…?”

“It’s not like that. Everyone is resting well. The injuries were just scratches or bruises, but they were treated well without a single scar.”

“…”

“Frederic visited each and every one of them in person. He’ll be coming to see you soon too.”

Her Highness gave a bitter smile and handed me five alouettes en brochettes [larks on skewers].

Seeing the skewers with red and yellow vegetables between the meat made me feel hungry again.

Questions sprang up like a spring, but I had faith that I could get answers from my teacher at any time.

“…I’ll eat well.”

So, for now, I just kept eating whatever I could grab.

Dioph watched me with a disgusted look.

Eating spicy food right away on an empty stomach was strongly opposed by the healing priests, including my teacher, so I had no choice but to start my meal by emptying six bowls of mild consommé.

Come to think of it, I haven’t had any symptoms of gastritis since some time ago, so what’s going on? I thought about that for about 1 second.

But I was so hungry that I quickly forgot all about it.

After the consommé, I lightly finished three plates of endive grilled with thinly sliced ham like clothes, and I drank four glasses of a drink made by grinding strawberries and ice together without even thinking it was a waste.

The braised demon beast meat hunted nearby tasted almost exactly like Korean braised chicken, so I cleaned a washbasin-sized plate, leaving only the bones.

Next was the eggplant gratin.

When I said that I wanted to eat spicy and filling food if possible, the chef of His Majesty’s kitchen came up with a dish made himself.

It was also full of well-cooked barley. I gratefully scraped the Beaufort cheese and barley and put it on a spoon. The scorched rice stuck to the bottom looked very appetizing.

It looks so delicious.

“Actually… Your ether flow is unusual.”

“Eh?”

The spoon stopped halfway into my mouth.

Duke Gongja [a respectful title, here used sarcastically] gave me a look that I was disgusting.

My teacher seemed to be trying to make a calm voice.

“You were the first in history to succeed in double ignition and explode the Crown Ether. So… It seems that all the holy knights nearby are being affected by you.”

-Paladak!

One terrified wing popped out from behind my back.

…Yeees?