What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 740

Memphis of Moonlight (8)

–…And so, the tale of this humble one flows from valley to valley, and this body remains with the virtuous.

“……”

“……”

As the windows of the annex were dyed red with the light of the sunset, the words of His Majesty Hanan Lumayan came to an end.

To be precise, the days of the past that he remembered had dried up like a well in the equator.

The rag doll standing alone on the chair shrugged once and then sat down.

Clap, clap, clap. As Ms. Gain began to clap, the others nodded and gave heartfelt applause.

None of us took this lightly. I felt truly grateful to the elder for sharing his painful past.

“What are your thoughts now? When you think of His Holiness Pope Rozeharder?”

Ms. Gain asked cautiously. The doll paused for a moment, choosing his words, and then replied:

–I still resent him, and I think he was foolish. A desert thunder-like rage remains in one corner of my heart.

–But…….

I patted Tete, who was asleep, and listened to his words.

–I miss him.

“……”

–A feeling of longing finally rises. For all the days I spent with him.

“……”

Isabel, sitting next to me, smiled softly and reached out her hand.

The rag doll gently leaned its shoulder against the back of her hand.

His Majesty, the youngest and strongest cardinal of Unio at the time, was truly a strong person.

During a brief silence, I wondered if now was the time to raise my hand.

As I fidgeted with my fingers without saying a word, Francois across from me raised his hand brightly.

“As you may already know… I would like to tell my story as well.”

The man’s beautiful, smiling eyes turned to me.

The moment I realized he was trying to buy me time, a corner of my heart tingled.

*Thank you so much.*

“Great. I’m ready to listen!”

Ms. Gain led the applause once again, and Lynn busily moved her tiny hands in her arms.

Francois traced back to a distant time and told his past story.

The magic bead he developed as a distress signal at a young age, the experiences of failing several times and suffering from it.

His twin siblings who were only four months old.

His parents who took the two children on a picnic.

And the monster. A family that never returned.

“…Only Therese survived the disaster. I dared not tell my younger siblings… but after that day, I had bad thoughts several times.”

“……”

“After scattering my parents’ ashes in the ‘Sea of Tranquility’ [a region on the Moon]… I even climbed the highest spire of the land I inherited.”

“Oh, Marquis…”

Isabel comforted him with a painful voice.

Sir Johann silently stared at his profile.

“It was His Majesty, the current Emperor, who caught me. I didn’t want to think about anything, and I was reluctant to even go out for a simple outing, but he frequently summoned me to the Imperial Palace…”

‘He gave me a constant stream of work.’ Francois smiled faintly and looked back at the Crown Prince.

Cedric quietly listened to the story.

“There were so many fruits presented that they were about to rot, so take them to the Marquis’ residence and feed your family. There are not enough people to teach etiquette to the imperial children. You come to the palace and correct their manners. Cedric’s magic teacher is looking for an assistant. You come and help… The imperial orders changed every day. I spent so much busy time that I couldn’t even open my eyes.”

“……”

“Looking back after a few years, he saved me in that way.”

The magician smiled brightly, looking at somewhere on the floor.

“He not only presided over my parents’ funeral, looked after our territory for a while, and sent the imperial governess and reliable tutors to my young siblings… but he also saved my life.”

“…How is it now?”

The question came from Sir Johann. I was a little surprised and looked at him.

Francois had a similar expression.

“What do you mean…”

“I thought you might have felt guilty. Do you still think the incident that day was your fault?”

“Oh.”

“Gasp.”

“Teacher.”

Sant gasped, and Ms. Gain was anxious, not knowing how the question would be received.

Cedric was just watching Francois with a quiet gaze.

Finally, the Marquis faintly raised the corners of his lips.

“That feeling hasn’t completely disappeared. But the fact that it was a day of many misfortunes… I am now accepting it.”

“That’s a relief.”

Sir Johann calmly accepted the words, and I let out a breath I had been holding for a few seconds.

After that, Francois readily answered the facts that everyone was curious about.

For example, I heard that monsters are born from mana in their natural state, but what were the monsters raising their young here—Francois’s guess after examining the ‘zoo’ remains was that they seemed to have repeatedly bred by extracting and synthesizing some of the mana cores of several adults. It seems to be an act to meet the demand of customers who prefer young ones, which is naturally illegal in the Empire and the feudal states—What is the most difficult thing in preparing for the monster subjugation—”It is definitely preparing my clothes. I have to change from head to toe twice a day.”―Do you have any plans to have a religious or political partner as a member of the imperial family someday?

“……”

“……”

“……”

After all those questions and answers were over, silence flowed back into the circle of friends.

I carefully looked around and raised my hand.

Ms. Gain looked at me as if she had been waiting.

“Yes, Palace Master.”

“I… I also have a story I want to share.”

“Great. We want to hear it.”

Francois, who became the head of the family at the young age of nineteen after losing three families.

His Majesty Hanan, who was betrayed by his friend and prime minister, died in a fierce civil war, and only after a thousand years did he learn the whole story.

Isabel, who was almost caught up in treason after being betrayed by her trusted husband, and still carries the scars.

And of course, Ms. Gain, Cedric, and Sir Johann’s circumstances…

Compared to the hardships my friends have gone through, what I’m going through now might sound like nothing.

“I… My name is Jeong Yeseo, and as you know, I came from another world. To be precise, I came from outside this world. But that’s…”

But I want to say it. Because I sincerely like my friends.

“That sometimes feels lonely.”

Because I don’t want to be alone. When I say it out loud, all my emotions become clearer.

“No, actually, I might be quite lonely. It’s a little scary too.”

“……”

“Of course, it’s not my friends’ fault, and it’s not because my friends are lacking. And personally, I don’t think I’m too weak either. But I think I’m still about average.”

“……”

“Honestly, aren’t I doing pretty well for someone like me? I sometimes think that. I don’t know what you guys think…”

“Palace Master is the strongest among us. That’s what I think. Really.”

Ms. Gain said, holding my right hand tightly.

A smile naturally appeared in the eyes that met.

*Thank you.*

After whispering that, I turned my head to the left, and Cedric was also watching me.

Thanks to that, my heart felt much stronger.

“After thinking hard, rationally, and using my head in my own way… I thought this was a more fundamental problem.”

“A fundamental problem?”

“Yes. I think I… feel like I don’t belong anywhere.”

“……”

I had been agonizing over it alone all day today, and this was the only conclusion.

I am floating between worlds. Indefinitely, alone.

“So, in other words. It’s not that I’m lonely because I can’t fully belong here…”

“Hmm. A feeling of getting lost in the middle?”

“Yes, exactly.”

A bitter smile flowed out. I looked down at Tete in my arms and continued to speak quietly.

“I’m not always lonely, and I’m not always afraid. Of course, there are more happy and good days. There are far more grateful and happy moments. But I can’t completely erase that feeling… and sometimes it feels overwhelming.”

“……”

“Around lunchtime, I briefly had that thought. I wish I had the certainty that I could go back, or the proof that I couldn’t go back. Then I would eventually make up my mind one way or the other. How long do I have to waver?”

Isn’t this also a kind of torture?

“Ah……”

Sant, who had been listening to the story with bated breath, dabbed away tears with a handkerchief.

Even though I, the person involved, wasn’t crying, seeing him sobbing made me feel strangely cozy.

Then, Ms. Gain’s cold left hand firmly clasped my hand.

*I’m here, Palace Master.*

As if whispering that.

I shared a gaze with Sir Johann and briefly met eyes with Djibril Diop.

He was crossing his arms and making an expression that was hard to read.

“…What added to the anxiety here was the plan to kill God that was recently revealed here. Last night’s seizure was probably due to the fear caused by that. It’s an unprofessional opinion, though.”

I added playfully. Ms. Gain and Cedric’s eyes were on my profile.

It was true that I was a little nervous, but now I wasn’t afraid of the moment of revealing the truth.

Because I believe that those two will support me no matter what happens.

Now we know each other better than anyone else. It’s okay.

“Because my brother and I… speculate that the main god of this world is our mother.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

And for a while, I really thought time had stopped.

The friends sitting in a circle looked only at me without blinking an eye for dozens of seconds (except for Sir Johann and His Majesty Hanan).

Since everyone had the same expression as if they had planned it, if Gu-gu hadn’t been flicking his tongue, I would have suspected that the child had created a harmony of no time [a state where time seems to stand still].

I added cautiously.

“I… So, my brother also appeared in last night’s nightmare. Actually, it wasn’t just a dream, and it seems like he visited for discussion.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

At least Ms. Gain and Cedric quickly came to their senses, but the other friends were still frozen like mannequins.

I was worried about whether we could continue the group counseling like this.

The moment a drop of saliva finally flowed down Sant’s chin—

“Tsk! Ehhhhh?!”

“Wait, are you saying you’re the son of God right now?”

“Good heavens! Arian Liester, blessed by the Holy Spirit, good heavens!”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“I behold the bloodline of the noble and holy main god.”

“Uh, wait a minute! Teacher!”

Before I could stop them, Isabel, who had straightened her clothes, got up from her seat and began to bow.

I was so flustered that I didn’t know the counseling would go this way, so I bowed back.

Behind me, I heard Ms. Gain exclaiming, ‘We really never do anything according to plan.’

It was definitely a session that everyone was taking seriously, but I was at a loss as to how it turned out like this again. Then Sant knelt down in front of me.

I pushed away Francois, who was now trying to kiss my hand and even my cheeks—”Stop! You knew roughly!”—and desperately looked back.

He also seemed to sense the seriousness of the situation and narrowed his brows.

*Help me! Male lead!*

“…Shouldn’t we send her back to the Imperial Palace right now?”

“Ah!”

*That’s not it!*

*

That night. Outskirts of Raso Territory Castle.

I had come out for ‘special training’ alone with His Majesty Hanan.

-If you are truly of the bloodline of the main god, it should be considered a foregone conclusion that you will soon become a cardinal. The vessel is also preparing to grow.

“…Is that really so?”

-Exaggeration does not work with this humble one. Today, we will focus on cultivating the soul.

“Yes.”

I stood looking down at the rag doll with a rather haggard face.

I felt like I had lost about 500 grams after being tormented by my beloved party for several hours.

Since I had opened up about being ‘lonely,’ my friends never left me alone for a moment.

No, they had been doing that before, but now it was even more blatant and active.

Just a moment ago, Ms. Gain shared a dessert with me and said this.

‘I don’t want the Palace Master to be lonely, but I can’t completely stop that feeling, can I? Looking at the current situation.’

‘……’

‘We want to solve something cool for you quickly, but until then, you’re lonely for now.’

‘…Very, very occasionally. I’m okay now.’

‘I’m really upset. Then I’ll be lonely with you too.’

‘Ms. Gain, don’t do that.’

‘I don’t want to. I’ll be lonely together. From today, I’m going to be a woman who chews on loneliness no matter what happens in the future.’

‘And I’m going to share a room with the Palace Master.’ The expression she made while insisting on that was like a spoiled girl, and for a moment, I put down all my worries and laughed out loud.

She had a talent for making the same jokes much more pleasant than others.

While I was lost in thought, His Majesty Hanan immediately kicked my calf.

-Thud!

“Ouch.”

-Just thinking about women, thinking about women. Men, regardless of ancient or modern times… Tsk.

“Gasp, how, how did you know?”

I rubbed my cheeks and blinked my eyes.

Then, the rag doll, walking with its hands behind its back, snorted.

-You’re still so young, would you understand even if this humble one told you? Enough, unfold the sanctuary first.

“Yes, yes.”

Come to think of it, it was the first time I was getting proper teaching from His Majesty.

I quickly straightened my posture and focused all my nerves on my heart. Hoo…….

-Saaaaaa……

-Wait.

“Yes?”

‘Should we stop?’ At His Majesty’s unusual gesture, I hurriedly withdrew the sanctuary.

His small doll eyes looked back at the foot of the Memphis Mountains in front of him.

The pale blue moonlight coldly aimed at the crown of the forest like an inanimate object.

Only the sound of insects crying often reached my ears regularly.

-Thrrr, thrrr, thrrr……

-……

Why is he being like that?

“…Your Majesty?”

-…Go and bring the weather vane [Sir Johann].

“Yes? Sir Johann?”

Suddenly?

Surprised, I widened my eyes, and His Majesty looked up at me with a solemn posture.

The words that followed were enough to drop half of my heart.

-Because in that forest, there is another weather vane dying.