What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 764

Under the cool moonlight, Jibril’s voice lowered.

“If it’s Marquis Citron, it must be Hendrika Citron, a close aide of Duke Sneider.”

“Yeah. If our Saint knows about him, he must be a top lackey.”

Gain rolled his water-blue eyes beneath his robe, surveying the surroundings.

Around the Pantheon, various structures like towers and statues were installed, but the most eye-catching of them all was the large and extravagant fountain.

In the center, a saint with a halo—who cares who it is?—was sculpted in a pose of praying to the sky, surrounded by cherubic statues blowing trumpets or dancing.

However, it seemed like it hadn’t been cleaned recently, with all sorts of trash and filth scattered around.

Even the youthful saint’s face seemed full of sorrow. The paladin narrowed his brows in thought.

Did they even sculpt the tears flowing down her cheeks? Or is it just dirt?

“…Well, I guess. With the kingdom’s currency value plummeting, there are stores that don’t even accept gold. With monsters appearing, who has the mind to clean up.”

“They’re hype men [people who promote or generate excitement for something].”

No sooner had Cedrick spoken than crowds began to gather from all directions.

Gain nodded immediately and focused. Half of the crowd had no life in their expressions.

But the other half seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

“Come on, come on! Gather here! Gather all under the grace of Her Holiness Irene!”

“Our war hero, Marquis Hendrika Citron, will say a few words for the beloved people of the kingdom!”

As the young men raised their voices, shop owners just opening for business and customers doing their evening shopping gradually approached.

Some even brought children or pets, showing great interest.

Only then did Gain realize who the pitiful saint in the fountain was.

“Hey, wait a minute. Is that a statue of Pope Irene Sneider? Was she that young?”

Jibril shrugged indifferently.

“I heard her appearance gradually changed before she passed away. Some say she looked about nineteen or eighteen right before she closed her eyes.”

“Really? Reversing aging? Wow, since Hyungnim writes martial arts novels, it’s plausible.”

“Rever… what?”

“Rejuvenated. You said she got younger.”

“That’s just what the rumors say. Groundless tales wandering the desert.”

“It seems there was enough basis to erect a statue, at least.”

The Crown Prince whispered seriously, pulling down his robe’s hood.

*Clink!*

At the same time, someone’s chair was placed on the wide edge of the fountain.

It looked like a lidless palanquin [a covered litter or chair carried on poles] from the Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897], with two burly men actually acting as the palanquin bearers, carrying the person in the seat.

Gain’s eyes widened as he soon spotted Marquis Citron.

The onlookers had similar or even more intense reactions.

“Oh, my goodness…!”

“That person has no legs, dear. Both legs!”

“Shh! Lower your voice!”

“The Emperor of the Empire cut them off all at once! But he survived and returned to the kingdom!”

“Good heavens! I would have died on the spot like a frog with a burst heart. I would have died from the pain before even leaving the battlefield!”

“Lord God. Cover the children’s eyes.”

“He’s such a brave person, we shouldn’t cover their eyes but rather make them look up to him!”

“Waaaaah…!”

The crowd that had gathered like a swarm of clouds buzzed.

There were babies crying in surprise, and some who didn’t know what kind of event it was turned pale and left.

The 33rd Cavalry Division took advantage of the gap to move further forward.

After all, they had to confirm what nonsense those guys were spouting.

-Rustle!

“Here, take this.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man who suddenly appeared through the crowd handed Cedrick a piece of paper.

Before Gain could push the man away for being filthy, he quickly snatched the paper.

And quickly added.

“I’ll take it instead, so go away. Don’t even think about talking to a young master from a noble family.”

“Ah, ah.”

“……”

The middle-aged man, glancing at the gleaming eyes under the robe, hurried away.

Jibril simply snatched a flyer from another person who was pushing through the crowd.

The surroundings were noisy with murmuring voices.

“Take this. Those who can read, read it slowly.”

“What does it say?”

“If you don’t know, ask the person next to you.”

“The, the Princess Consort is about to invade the kingdom, invade the kingdom? It’s written here…?”

“Oops!”

“I didn’t hear anything!”

As the contents of the flyer spread, another group hurriedly left the vicinity of the fountain.

Right at that moment.

“Is everyone doing well? I’m somehow still alive!”

A thunderous shout erupted from above the fountain.

The two paladins and one mage frowned simultaneously.

Marquis Citron, wearing only a rough shirt with rolled-up sleeves, was energetically shouting from his seat, whether it was a chair or a palanquin.

His cheeks were gaunt and his face was pale, but his energy was very lively.

“Even though a war that turned the whole country upside down broke out! I don’t know how some noble lady who doesn’t even show her nose outside the castle is doing! Anyway, this body is living well even after losing both legs!”

“Waaaaah…!”

“It’s so hard to make a living, Marquis!”

“The rations are too irregular, sir! Please increase the frequency!”

“Marquis Citron, I truly respect you!”

The hype men from the alley began to respond in earnest, waving small flags.

Cedrick recognized the pattern at a glance.

“……”

It was the coat of arms of the Sneider ducal family.

“And what about the corrupted ones! Even though they were clearly born as paladins, they have rotted away so hideously! They attack and harass civilians like you, even causing casualties! How could the Holy Nation, which once monopolized the love of the Lord God, become so miserable! Truly, I have no idea, no matter how much I think about it. Aigoo, I don’t know!”

“Wahahahaha!”

The crowd burst into laughter at her playful gestures and expressions.

Gain was now genuinely making an ugly face.

“What the hell. There’s a unit like this here too…”

“Marquis, please tell His Majesty! Please tell him that we are all dying…!”

“This friend here said it well. I also tried! I truly tried to offer advice to the precious one with all my heart and soul! But how can I reach that person who is resting comfortably day and night in the safest castle? Huh?”

“Please wake up the sleeping Majesty! Marquis!”

“Oh dear, what if the royal sword flies over? I already have no legs, so I have to protect at least my arms!”

“Ahhh!”

“Euhahahahaha…!”

Whether she was a natural clown or a noble, her ability to captivate people and control the atmosphere was extraordinary.

The Marquis Citron’s wife, sitting demurely beside her, was waving her hand, sending kind eyes to everyone.

Around that time, Gain felt a physiological nausea.

“Now that the kingdom has reached this state, various rumors are circulating. In fact, there are too many grounds to call them rumors! It’s already widespread in high society, and look at this! I seem to be the only noble left in the kingdom, but did everyone know?”

“Ooooooo…!”

When some made jeering noises, other groups were swept away like reeds in the wind.

Cedrick sighed deeply and looked back at the people.

“Unfortunately, our Princess Consort, who inherited His Majesty’s madness, is said to be rushing here with a golden spear!”

“Lies!”

“That’s impossible, Marquis! She wouldn’t do that!”

“Then what did I see with my own eyes on the battlefield? Huh?”

“……”

The Marquis pointed to his thighs. Then the front of the fountain became as silent as a mouse.

Because none of the kingdom’s people knew the reality of the battlefield.

“Then why is our Holy Nation army retreating? Answer me! Why did Duke Sneider, who is responsible for your rations, send me a message saying, ‘Lead the poor people and run away.’!”

-Rustle!

“Heok…!”

When the Marquis took out a letter from his bosom and shook it, the shocked people looked at each other and murmured.

Citron did not miss the gap.

“Our Holy Nation has been cursed by the Lord God! The paladins have lost their blessings and are collapsing, the owner of the castle has never shown even an inch of shadow, and the one who will succeed him is not in his right mind today…!”

“Shut your mouth, Marquis!”

-Sreung!

At that moment, someone drew a sword and jumped onto the fountain.

The three people from the Empire blinked. This was another unexpected development. What?

“Heuaaak!”

“A fight broke out! Run away quickly!”

“Princess Herarda Valentine! What kind of rudeness is this!”

The Marquis’s wife jumped up from her seat and shouted.

However, the woman who suddenly appeared did not back down at all.

Jibril immediately noticed that there were more than ten knights following her.

“Everyone, disperse! Disperse!”

“Isn’t the rudeness being committed by my husband’s spouse? How can a man who is called a marquis of the King shamelessly utter words insulting His Majesty and the Princess Consort with his gaping mouth, and how can he incite them recklessly with vain words instead of comforting the hearts of the people! This is no different from treason taking advantage of the war!”

“Listen, Princess! Watch your words! What about incitement and what about treason? Are you, a youngster who hasn’t even participated in the war, slandering me now?”

“Sneider is providing rations? The Marquis, who is an informant, truly didn’t know that half of the supplies that are keeping the current kingdom alive come from the royal treasury!”

The woman’s golden eyes were burning hotly.

As the knights of the two families began to confront each other, the ranks of the assembly collapsed in an instant.

While the crowd was losing direction and stirring, Gain stared intently at the unfamiliar swordsman.

Where else have I seen those colored eyes?

“Langbuye [Lackey].”

“Hey, let’s go now. It’s a closing atmosphere.”

“Ah. Okay, okay.”

There was no time to have leisurely thoughts.

He roughly crumpled the flyer he had received earlier into his arms and hid himself among the scattering people.

While the person named Princess Valentine continued to refute the Marquis’s words, Gain finally checked the atmosphere of the people.

Excluding the hype men who had thoughtless faces, ordinary people had a somewhat uneasy but ‘that’s how it is’ expression.

Of course, there were more than one or two people who seemed to have been swayed by the Marquis’s incitement.

“Hey. I heard that if you take this and go to Duke Sneider’s residence, they’ll give you free food, a place to sleep, and weapons to fight against the corrupted ones?”

“That’s tempting.”

“Should we go just the two of us? Surely a marquis wouldn’t tell such blatant lies.”

“…The state of this country is amazing. It’s amazingly disgusting, really…”

Gain muttered and moved his feet. It was then.

“D, don’t go! Absolutely don’t go to the Duke’s residence!”

-Poosuk!

“No, what are you doing?”

A woman wearing a tattered robe with a foul smell began to snatch flyers from passersby and tear them apart.

The surprised people avoided her or burst into anger.

Cedrick’s dark gaze scanned the woman for a while.

“D, don’t go, I said! Going to the Duke’s residence means death!”

“Hey, I know, so let go of this!”

“Oh, what bad luck. What a crazy person…”

“Absolutely don’t go to the Duke’s residence! Absolutely! Absolutely!”

“I know, don’t come any closer! Kids, let’s follow grandma. Hurry!”

Shaking arms, several broken fingernails with blood stuck to them. Skin that was bruised and blue.

“D, the Duke’s residence is no good! The Duke’s residence is… The Duke’s residence is…”

And two eyes that were clearly consumed by fear.

“……”

The crimson irises of the Crown Prince were permeated with oily moonlight.

*

The next day.

“It’s really amazing. We also saw a person named Princess Valentine in front of the fountain, but the Palace Lord also saw Princess Valentine here?”

“Yes. The one I met was a little kid.”

I answered, estimating the height with my hand.

Gain, who was biting into a hard bread, was surprised, saying, ‘That person had such a young daughter.’

We were going to be very busy today as well.

Since we roughly obtained information about the vicinity last night, we decided to go near the castle this time.

Regarding the Valentine family, we will continue to be alert…

“I’m seeing that rag again.”

At that time, Cedrick muttered, looking out the window of the multipurpose room.

I suddenly raised my head.