What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 889

#889 Faith, Belief, Balance?! (2)

Delicious—!

Really, really delicious!

-Click!

“Your Highness, Prince, and… Princess Juliette. Here are three freshly baked pastilla [a savory Moroccan pie] platters. They are filled with fresh chicken, spinach, mushrooms, and boiled eggs. Before you finish those, I will bring five more bowls of harira [a traditional Moroccan soup], which you enjoyed so much earlier.”

“Thank you. I will enjoy it.”

Harira is the best! Hot and creamy tomato-based soup with plenty of lamb and chickpeas is the best…!

I wanted to express my delicious feelings with all sorts of gestures, like I do in front of Jung Hyun-seo, but I have been living in the Imperial Palace for some time now, so I am trying hard to maintain my ‘dignity.’

I kept my hands under the table, occasionally dabbing at my mouth, and calmly nodded my head.

I’m a little sad that I couldn’t bring kimchi and green onion kimchi from home, but next time I’ll make sure to bring it and share it with Gain and let my other friends have a taste.

I reaffirmed this in my mind and slowly picked up my fork and knife.

Then, Prince Dioph, who was sitting across from me, made a disgusted face.

He had only finished one bowl of tanjia [a Moroccan stew cooked in a clay pot] for a late-night snack and had put down his utensils a long time ago.

I’m glad he seemed to like the sujeonggwa [Korean cinnamon punch] Eun-seo gave him, but I wonder how a combat mage can have such a small appetite.

“Prince, aren’t you hungry? I heard you used so much power that you went into a mana resting period. You only ate as much as a tear of Tite…”

“Eating a bowl of meat dish after 11 p.m. is enough. It’s not that I eat little, it’s that you… Never mind.”

He stopped the sentence himself, watching me eat a piece of pastilla in two bites.

If it looks delicious, you can just eat it together.

It’s not like I wouldn’t leave some for my friend.

Then, Prince Yeseo, who was leisurely tearing bread next to me, smiled at him.

“If you have finished your meal, you may return to your bedroom and rest, Prince. Corneliseo and Iseol are also asleep.”

“Ha, who says so. I’m your bodyguard.”

“I didn’t know you had such an important mission. You ordered alcohol a little while ago.”

“But I didn’t drink it in the end. Why are you picking on me?”

“Yeah, this is the taste… How can they use spices so well…”

I admired the unique scent of desert cuisine that spread gently through my nose and diligently moved my hands.

Following the Prince, I tore a piece of soft bread, spread a spoonful of lubia [a stew of beans, often white beans] with plenty of white beans on it and ate it deliciously (bread and ratatouille go so well together, but thanks to the abundant turmeric, it’s full of unique charm!), and poked the crispy fried makouda [Moroccan potato cakes] with a fork.

Makouda is a dish similar to potato croquettes, so it has a lot of familiar flavors in my mouth. Garlic is mixed between the mashed potatoes, and black pepper and parsley are sprinkled densely, perfectly capturing the aftertaste of the fried dish that can be greasy.

I’m really sad that I can’t enjoy such a sincere and delicious dish with my other friends…

“Awesome…”

-Kkia?

“Yeah, it’s really delicious. Demi doesn’t eat fried food, so I can’t really recommend it. Do you want more fruit?”

-Woong.

I was relieved that everyone was resting well in the next room.

I smiled brightly and gave Demi a large grape.

The divine beast, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, still ate fruit well, and was still energetic and lovely. Our little hero.

I stroked the child’s head and back several times, then got up from my seat to check on Tite in the cradle—she might be flipped over while playing, so I had to check regularly—and returned to the table.

“Your Highness, please try this too. It’s a cookie called shubakiya [a sesame cookie], and it’s really sweet and delicious.”

Seeing the rose-shaped cookie that Isabel especially liked, I naturally smiled faintly as old memories came to mind.

Then the Prince gracefully curved his eyes, saying, ‘Is that so.’

“Ah.”

He lightly bit the cookie in my hand as it was.

I was embarrassed because I didn’t intend to offer it in this way, but I was satisfied that he seemed to be enjoying it.

Zeromin, the innkeeper who brought us the food, hurriedly pulled the cart out as if he had something urgent to do. Silence swirled around the table for a moment.

Whenever the restaurant became quiet like this, I focused all my senses on my eardrums.

However, no sound was heard from the next room. Rather, the external noise was louder due to the crowd outside the building.

“Hmm…”

As expected, the Crown Ether is uncomfortable. It’s hard to be with friends.

I couldn’t help but think that.

The two largest special rooms in Gigolt Caravanserai had been transformed into VIP rooms for our group in an instant.

Imperial knights lined the hallway and stairs where the special rooms were located, and soldiers were stationed in layers outside the inn.

It was late at night, but thousands of Gigolt villagers were still surrounding the building, buzzing.

It wouldn’t be easy to calm down the excitement since they had witnessed the scene directly.

According to the Imperial Knights, there were already groups moving this way from the direction of the Papal States.

Surely Ganael and Benjamin would be among them.

I quietly emptied my soup and suddenly looked at Prince Dioph.

…The Papal States. And…

“Why. If you have something to say, say it.”

“…Duke Wilhelmina Sneider. Not only the Duke’s residence in the Fenetian royal capital, but also his territory must be thoroughly investigated. Please send a message to His Majesty, Prince.”

“Is that something to send a message about? The investigation is obviously underway.”

“No, not a normal investigation.”

I gulped down the sweet mint tea.

The feeling of fullness that had been filling my head for a moment cooled down, and my vision became clear.

“…With the determination to completely eradicate that family from the root, all the land, wells, and ports, including the residences of the territory’s people, must be dug up. Only then can the long tragedy be ended.”

Then it will never be rebuilt again. Forever in the future.

Because we won’t let it.

“Is that all you want to do?”

The Prince, who was cutting the meat with a knife, asked softly. I quickly shook my head.

Meanwhile, the Prince called a knight outside the door and ordered him to bring paper and a quill.

“No. I would also like to meet the alchemist grandmother who cooperated with my friends’ operation. I want to check on her condition and help if I can help her recover.”

“Again?”

“I also want to meet Areum and the other horses in the stable. They are kind and pretty children, and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen them. I brought sugar cubes from home to give to Areum.”

“Hahaha.”

The Prince smiled slightly and nodded, as if he hadn’t expected such words.

But I was quite serious.

“And I would like to prepare a residence for you to live in, Your Highness. A place where you will live with Corneliseo in the future.”

“…”

Then he slowly turned to me.

Prince, who was drinking sujeonggwa like alcohol across from me, suddenly stopped and looked this way.

“Of course, I think His Majesty the Emperor will take the lead first. Even if I don’t say it, he will already have plans to thoroughly protect you and Princess Corneliseo. But I think that…”

“…”

“…Um. I hope that the wishes of the three of you are clearly reflected in it.”

I was worried that it might sound presumptuous, or like the arrogant words of a fool who doesn’t know diplomacy.

But here I wanted to convey my will clearly.

I came back to meet my friends, but at the same time, I also came back for your happiness and the happiness of Corneliseo and Eliseo.

“…I’m looking forward to it.”

I have never forgotten my promise with the three of you, not even for a single day.

“Really?”

I widened my eyes and asked again. I could tell instinctively.

The Prince’s answer just now was not empty words.

“Of course. I respect Yeseo and Yeseo’s story.”

“…”

“If you are with me…”

‘It will be fun. Whatever it is.’ He tilted his head like a golden tulip and whispered.

Even without Ether, his amethyst-like eyes flowed with a mysterious light.

“Wow…”

Huh, did I just exclaim out loud?

I was lost in thought for a moment, then hurriedly nodded my head.

I heard someone clicking their tongue across from me, but I desperately pretended not to hear it.

Um, this is not the time. I have to eat dessert quickly and go meet Grandma Anpeta!

*

The next day at dawn.

“…Are you ready?”

I looked at the man in front of me with a very serious expression.

Then he also tried to hide his laughter and faced me.

“Yes.”

-Swish…

“Listen carefully, Your Highness. Now is the chance while Prince Dioph is washing up. We will quickly explore the situation in the next room and come back.”

“Ah. I didn’t know my new adventure would begin so quickly…”

-Kkit!

He was drooping his eyebrows with an expression mixed with embarrassment and pleasure.

Peri, who was passing by, was pressing down on the Prince’s calf as if to say, ‘Are you going to go on an adventure with that kind of mentality?’

Meanwhile, I quickly looked around.

The special room in Gigolt Caravanserai was a suite with four bedrooms with bathrooms and a spacious living room. Corneliseo and Iseol, and the two children’s guardian, Martier, were staying in the opposite room.

The Prince and I used one room on this side, and Prince Dioph used the room next door alone.

-Ssaa…

“That was the Prince’s weakness. He probably never imagined that I would do something like this as soon as I arrived.”

He seems to be getting up early to wash up to keep an eye on us before we even open our eyes, but I knew that and woke up early first.

Hurray for cell phone alarms.

“I can’t say anything either.”

“Shh, shh.”

I put my finger to the Prince’s lips and looked around again.

“But, isn’t it really strange? Herit is not affected by the Crown [likely refers to a magical artifact or power], so we should be able to exchange short notes through him… It’s strange that I haven’t heard from my friends at all. If something is happening in that room…”

“There are four paladins, including Karme, so nothing will happen.”

The Prince whispered.

He was diligently wrapping Leia’s vines around his waist while talking about other things.

I led him to the window and quickly checked outside the window.

-Chuck, chuck, chuck, chuck…

“Oh my gosh, there are so many guards even at this hour…”

“That’s right.”

I was secretly scared, but the Prince answered calmly and sat down with one leg out of the window frame.

No, this person’s execution is amazing!

“…Anyway, no priests are allowed in, and everyone doesn’t touch the meals or late-night snacks, and I don’t even hear Gain yelling at Cedrick, which is suspicious.”

“Indeed. That makes sense.”

He agreed with me for the first time.

I put on an indifferent expression to meet the Prince’s expectations and took my body out of the window frame.

Yes, let’s keep showing a cheerful side in the future.

“Ugh!”

-Kya!

Waaaaaah—! I almost fell to the first floor!

-Grasp!

“Be careful.”

‘Don’t forget that you have wings.’ He whispered in my ear.

Ah, right. I had wings. I smiled roughly with a face that said, ‘You’re stating the obvious!’

It was at that moment.

-Ppoooooooo!

Oh my gosh!

“The Papal States! I have come from the Papal States—!”

“I have come to escort His Holiness the Pope-elect! The manager of the Caravanserai, open the gate!”

…A very, very strange shout was heard.

We in the window frame looked at each other and blinked.