What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 721

Leopold Lasso’s face paled at my explanation.

“…What, what does that mean?”

Well, actually, he hadn’t looked too good from the start.

Having accompanied Sir Johann, he might have witnessed some rough scenes along the way (there were torn curtains and door panels scattered in the hallway).

Still, Head Knight Herritt is usually good at taking care of those with delicate hearts, so could it be that returning home after a long time is weighing on him?

I hurried up the stairs of the lord’s castle with the two men.

I didn’t forget to take the single flower that I had received unexpectedly.

His Majesty seemed disgusted—he must dislike picking plants—but Tete quite liked it.

-Awoo woong.

“What remained in that underground passage was evidence of black magic. Remember? Lilianer Venetian sacrificed countless innocent people to use it to achieve her goals. A massive magic circle.”

I peeked my head over the upper hallway and spoke.

It was desolate and chaotic, as if something had swept through it, but fortunately, there was no one in this passage either.

I quietly calmed my eyes, which were involuntarily blazing.

Should I praise them for their quick evacuation in times like these?

They’re like people who are only good at fleeing, indifferent to the suffering of the territory’s people.

“Of course, I remember. How could I ever forget such a terrible curse…”

“But it seems the Duke’s mother already knew about this. At least, most of the Lasso family members after Lilianer did.”

“…Good heavens…”

Whether he lost strength in his legs momentarily, the staggering man barely managed to stand by holding onto the wall.

His dark skin had completely lost its color, making him look pathetic.

‘Tsk.’ Leah made a sound as if clicking her tongue.

I turned to the Duke and Sir Johann and whispered quickly.

“Listen calmly. There is a large underground shelter beneath this lord’s castle. A ballroom, a dining hall, a guest room, and even a prison…”

“I’ll take you this way, Princess.”

“Ah. Thank you, Sir Johann.”

Whoosh…. The Cardinal created a gentle breeze to aid my flight.

Thanks to his thoughtful consideration, I was able to cross the hallway with minimal flapping.

The short fur of Leah and Tete fluttered in the breeze.

Duke Lasso, who witnessed Sir Johann’s gentle smile, looked even more haggard for some reason.

“In the deepest part of the shelter, there’s a hidden space called the prayer room. And the divine language inscriptions we saw at the entrance to Lilianer’s underground passage were also engraved on the doors there. The phrase about ‘Morte’ or something. ‘So that you may avoid death.'”

Sir Johann tilted his head as if intrigued. I lowered my voice even further.

“If the Lasso family knew about the late King’s scheme, then creating such a grand shelter is somewhat understandable. They must have anticipated that Lilianer’s actions would lead the kingdom to ruin or something close to it. So, they prepared their own sanctuary and family tomb.”

“This can’t be. I, I had no idea. How could such a thing…”

“Micah Lasso clearly didn’t cherish you as a son.”

“…”

I looked him straight in the eye as I spoke.

The Duke met my gaze with eyes that seemed to shatter, but he nodded his head with difficulty.

Like someone who had finally swallowed a bitter pill.

Like someone whose tongue was cut, unable to speak easily.

“…Never. I never felt that my mother was family…”

-Whoosh!

At that moment, a bird-like sound came from the end of the hallway.

I was startled, wondering what it was since Dduksoomi wasn’t here.

The Duke and I quickly turned around.

“Princess! Come this way!”

Uh?

“…Swallow Duke?”

“Hey, that’s a nickname only allowed for the Madams. Who did you learn that from?”

“Cedric!”

As soon as I spotted the child, I hurriedly flapped my wings.

Seidi didn’t seem to mind me either.

Leah and Tete cheered, and the Gugus successfully reunited in a miraculous family reunion.

A sigh of relief escaped me, realizing that everyone was carrying out their missions safely.

Sir Johann, who had been watching us, let out a soft, laughter-filled sigh.

Still, meeting again like this makes the joy twofold!

*

Now, let’s connect with Reporter Ham Ga-in and Ms. Isabelle Rambouillet, who are at the Lasso Lordship’s zoo. Reporter Ham Ga-in?

Yes, this is Reporter Ham Ga-in! I am currently in front of the zoo, which is the talk of the town. The scene is now past sunset, and darkness is descending from the western sky.

But wait a moment?

-Rumble rumble…

“This is… a zoo?”

Gain muttered, staring blankly upwards.

At the same time, her solo act came to an end.

Seriously… This is? A zoo?

-Krrr릉!

“Aaaah! Run! Run at full speed, quickly!”

“Hyaaak, Mom! Dad! Sister!”

-Thump! Crash bang!

In a scene that was virtually no different from a war zone—if Gain, a war hero, could say this, you could roughly guess how serious the situation was—Gain and Isabelle stood there dumbfounded.

After all, the concept of a ‘zoo’ didn’t exist on the continent.

So, the fact that it takes this form might be natural for people from this family…

No, but still.

“Fire! Bring fire! Bring fire arrows and oil barrels!”

“All the torches over here! Hurry!”

“Oil! Even cooking oil is fine! Oil, quickly!”

“That’s an order!”

-Krrr릉…!

The Gyu, who had perfectly transformed into its true form without even a few Gugus [small dragon-like creatures], was creating a threatening atmosphere, opening its house-sized mouth wide.

Demi, Perry, and Ropi, who were riding on the dragon’s neck, were also roaring bravely.

The roar of the dragon, disguised as a ‘mythical beast,’ turned the crowd pale and sent them fleeing like unripe persimmons.

-Kkyaaaa!

-Kkaetkkatkkwalk!

-Kugugung, kugugung…!

“Aaaah! The dragon is moving! The dragon is walking!”

“Get out of the way! The tower will collapse!”

Unlike the vicinity of the main castle, which had a relatively organized atmosphere, this place was a complete mess.

The Lasso family’s castle was old but very large, and inside, there were not only slopes and hundreds of stairs but also several intricately intertwined annex buildings.

As a result, information did not reach the zoo at the very rear quickly.

Frightened workers, merchants who had come from outside the castle, and soldiers who had not received accurate orders.

With even bewildered knights mixed in, nothing could function properly.

There must have been a senior knight in charge of them, but whether the other friends had dealt with them appropriately, there were only mid-level or lower small fries here.

The Sarnese Lordship’s castle, where Gain and Isabelle had stayed in the past, was also quite large, but the roads there were straight and small carriages often traveled, so there was no such confusion.

“Ah, shit!”

Gain shook her head vigorously to shake off her stray thoughts.

There’s no need to think about Sarnese right now, Ham Ga-in. Focus on that damn building!

Her water-colored eyes flickered coldly like ice again.

-Whirr륵!

-Kieeee엑!

-Kkuweee엑…!

-Keheoeoeong…!

“…”

That’s right.

The ‘zoo,’ which had finally caught fire, was four ancient towers that were dizzyingly high like cliffs.

“Seriously, fucking crazy…”

To make matters worse, the buildings, which faced each other in a circle, were connected by a dozen rusty cloud bridges—a truly amazing prison structure.

Under the blood-red evening sky, the beasts that had inhaled the fumes were screaming in the windowless towers.

It was clear that the arrows and firewood that the soldiers had mistakenly shot up were burning the moss caught in the dense stone crevices.

The flames would quickly spread inside, scorching the pillars and beams.

Melting the roof and scorching the rocks, and finally cremating all the beasts trapped there alive.

Gain retched as she watched the knights coming out of the first floor covered in wet blankets.

“Ha, bastards who have given up on being human. Even if they are beasts, how could they…”

“Lord God… How can it be so cruel?”

“…”

Isabelle’s eyes, looking up at the tower, were wet with sadness and compassion.

Gain, who had been seething, finally regained her composure as she looked at her profile.

The blue energy of the water attribute began to swirl around her body like fireflies.

‘Squeak,’ a pale frost formed on her tightly clenched fist.

‘Kkyaaaa!’ The dying screams of the beasts chained up pierced her ears like needles.

…That’s right, this is not the time.

I have to evacuate Isabelle and save the animals trapped in that building.

This is easy for me.

“Isabelle.”

“Christel?”

“Go back down again. Far away, to the safest place possible. Leave it to me here!”

“What are you talking about? Mom will go with you,”

-Saaaaaaa…!

Before she could finish speaking, a misty drizzle poured down on the four towers.

It was Gain’s power.

-Chwaaaaa…!

“Oh my, rain! It’s raining!”

-Kiiiiii!

The water that had begun to extinguish the fire turned into a large amount of steam, and soon the surroundings were covered in a hazy mist, making it difficult to secure visibility.

Those who had not yet escaped the zoo area screamed in terror.

But Gain had no problems. This much was okay.

She repeatedly encouraged herself and bit her lip.

Then, she desperately grabbed Isabelle’s dry shoulder.

-Kyaaak, Kehaaaak…!

“You have to go down right now. I can’t use the water strongly here.”

“Ollie.”

“As you know, beasts are weak to both fire and water. I have to put out the fire to save those guys, but if I pour too much water, they’ll die because of the water! So, if you just step back for a moment—”

“Ollie, those towers are too old. If Gyu keeps moving like that, the foundation stones will shake and they might all collapse. I heard the story on the way here. You’re not going inside, are you?”

“I’m a paladin. Don’t worry. Even if I get crushed by the tower, I’ll survive.”

“Oh, please!”

“They’re beasts, though?”

Just then, the baby, who had been quiet until now, joined the conversation.

Gain and Isabelle were surprised and looked at Lynn.

“They’re beasts, though. Can’t we just let them die?”

“…”

“Oh, Lynn…”

The child’s expression was very innocent. Of course, she wasn’t asking maliciously.

She was really asking because she didn’t know, because she didn’t understand the situation at all.

Gain chuckled as she looked at Lynn’s strange eye color.

It was a futile reaction that even she couldn’t understand. Why is this?

Why can’t I hate you, even though I’m uncomfortable with you?

Could it be because you inherited my ‘blessing’?

“Hey, little one. We can’t let them die.”

“…”

“Unless the beasts attack us first and kill us. In a building where they’re caught and locked up like that, where they can’t even see the sunlight, where they’re abused for decades, and where they’re left to die first when something happens… In a building like that, we have to save them.”

“…”

“Even if we have to fight afterward, we have to rescue them in a place like that. That’s what people should do.”

“…Uung. If they’re people.”

“Do you understand now?”

“Eung.”

When Gain asked with a smiling face, Lynn pouted and made a shy expression.

Isabelle stared blankly at her daughter’s face.

“Go. Wait in a place that’s even a little safer.”

“Ollie.”

“I’ll be right there. Really soon, I’ll solve this and come right back. I’ll become a proud daughter again. I’ll teach you other things from time to time later. Promise.”

When Gain held out her pinky finger, Lynn awkwardly wrapped it with her small palm.

‘Yasso [promise].’ Gain smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time.

She still didn’t know why.

“I’m okay, so go quickly!”

-Koong!

With a leap that shook the ground once, Gain’s body soared up.

“Ah…”

Only then did Isabelle shed tears and hug Lynn.

Her closed eyelids were trembling.