What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 100

#100 Target (1)

For the next five days, the Imperial Palace was very peaceful. Actually, my surroundings were generally like that.

Unless I was suddenly caught up in something involving Kristel or Prince Cedrick, my daily routine of eating, sleeping, studying, and confessing was always pretty much the same.

With the addition of playing with the Divine Beasts and attending the protagonist’s classes, my schedule was quite packed.

And today, the Juliet Palace and Romero Palace were bustling for the first time in a while.

Benjamin and Ganael, David, and the servants were loading luggage onto the carriages.

Mostly picnic baskets and simple props.

The sunlight was lovely, and the garden was beautiful, naturally lifting my spirits.

“Your Highness, my mother came to the Duke’s residence yesterday! She had many thoughts after receiving my letter.”

“Really?”

Eva, who was accompanying me to Duke Dhiem’s polo match, fluttered her dress and shook my arm.

I widened my eyes and looked down at the young lady.

Kristel and Lady Elizabeth also seemed to be hearing this for the first time, focusing their attention on the child.

A few days ago, Grand Duke Blanquer returned to his territory, and Eva had left Count Mute’s residence to live in her own ducal residence in the Imperial Capital.

I didn’t expect a response so soon.

“Is your mother positive about Eva becoming the Grand Duchess?”

“I don’t know. My mother is a great lord, but… we haven’t talked much. I’ve only been able to greet her so far.”

Eva’s curly hair drooped.

It seemed the Duchess was a stern mother who only took care of the basics.

It’s true that she doesn’t have much affection for her children.

“Still, the fact that she came in person means she’s willing to talk. It means she wants to understand the situation.”

At my words, the child’s head popped up.

Kristel gently stroked Eva’s hair.

“His Highness is right. It will work out, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes!”

Her quick recovery and cheerful demeanor made her look like a little poodle.

It reminded me of the face she made when she waited for my praise after finishing cleaning the temple for two weeks.

I smiled slightly and approached the garden.

Demi, Leia, and Perii, who had been tormenting Sant to their hearts’ content, ran over and clung to me, chattering.

“I can’t take you with me today. I’m sorry.”

– Squeak, squeak.

“They said the horses are too sensitive, so there’s nothing I can do. Let’s go somewhere better next time.”

I soothed the lesser pandas, who were clearly disappointed, by petting them a lot.

I wanted to take them if possible, but I was told it would be difficult because the horses at the stadium were nervous.

I hugged Demi tightly one last time and stood up.

Sant bowed politely to me.

“Please take good care of the little ones, Teacher. You don’t need to give them much Ether [magical energy]. They’re just being fussy.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I know.”

The young man smiled innocently and replied.

Sant had a kind and caring personality, but he was shy and awkward with Lady Elizabeth and Eva.

He also struggled with crowded places, so he didn’t join us for the polo match.

I lightly stroked Dduksoomi, who had flown onto my shoulder, and turned around.

Sir Haynes was smiling at me.

“You have many precious friends, Your Highness.”

“That’s… how it turned out.”

I raised the corners of my mouth ambiguously.

Hearing his words, I was slightly embarrassed as I remembered my resolution on the first day of possession.

I was sure I had loudly declared that I wouldn’t get involved with the protagonists or interact with the nobles.

Today, everyone had gathered because I was the one who wanted to see the polo match first.

“The Sarnese ducal family of the West, the Mute baronial family of the North, the Dhiem margrave family of the South, and the Blanquer ducal family of the East. They are the four most famous noble families of the Empire, even in the Holy Nation.”

What is this? Was I collecting pieces of the Shikon Jewel [a powerful artifact from the anime *Inuyasha*], author?

“Your Highness is friends with all of them, and even close to the Imperial Family. You’re amazing.”

Sir Haynes’ words sounded like praise, but strangely, they felt like sarcasm.

Perhaps it was because I was mocking myself.

It’s only been four months since I was possessed. You’ve managed to get involved with major families quite well, Jung Yeseo.

“You’re late.”

Then, my eyes met orange eyes. The Prince complained briefly.

I didn’t know when he had been leaning against the carriage, striking a pose.

Being the handsome main male lead, he looked like a pictorial no matter what he did. Doesn’t his back hurt?

“There are many people and a lot of luggage.”

I answered as I approached him.

After confirming that Sir Haynes was moving away, I lowered my voice.

“Did you hear the test results?”

He tilted his chin with a displeased expression.

High-ranking mages and healing priests had performed several experiments with the blood they took from me, but there was no reaction to poison at all.

It was a celebration that I was healthy, but I felt strange because he looked displeased.

You told me to get tested, so I did, but what are you unhappy about now?

His sharp gaze reached Sir Haynes, who was talking to Kristel.

“Where are you planning to go next?”

The Prince asked.

He must have heard me say, ‘Let’s go somewhere better next time.’ He has good ears.

“I don’t know. Am I allowed to go out again as I please?”

“Depending on the destination.”

A sharp, low voice returned. I chuckled.

There was no way I would head towards danger first.

The reason I said I wanted to see the polo match was because I knew I would end up going there anyway.

Perhaps even if I had stayed quiet, I would have been dragged along to fit the existing plot in some way.

So this time, I decided to make a preemptive move and do what I could.

Others might scoff and say, ‘He’s just trying to avoid one kiss,’ but I was serious.

In a world where I knew almost nothing, moving one step ahead was a big adventure for me.

“Your Highness.”

At that moment, Cardinal Boutier’s voice rang in my ears. I was surprised and turned around.

The Imperial Palace was quite far from the Juliet Palace, so her carriage was supposed to join us at the Imperial Palace gate.

But the Cardinal had turned her direction and come all the way here.

The Prince took her hand and escorted her.

Perhaps sensing that the situation was serious, Kristel and her group, who had been chatting in one place, also approached.

“This is something Your Highness needs to know first, so I came to tell you. I just received the news myself.”

The Cardinal reached out a hand and stroked my cheek.

Calm beige eyes looked into mine.

“Princess Elysee of the Holy Nation will come to the Empire. As a Cardinal, she will be reviewing Cedrick and Kristel’s knighting ceremony. Will you be alright with that?”

… What?

The Cardinal ultimately couldn’t leave the Imperial Palace. They had to discuss the Princess’s protocol.

I couldn’t remember how I got to the Duke Dhiem’s residence, located in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital.

Even after getting out of the carriage, being guided by the Duke’s servants, and entering the green stadium, I was dazed the whole time.

I came to my senses thanks to a familiar voice.

“Prince Yeseo! Thank you for coming like this.”

“Hello, Duke.”

“I heard that Your Highness recruited the main audience and even prepared the seating arrangement. I didn’t know you loved polo so much. Francois Dhiem, I am deeply moved by Your Highness’s grace and consideration!”

The Duke waved his arms wildly and bowed to me.

In his other arm, he held a player’s hat with a brim. I was secretly glad that he was chasing away my worries.

The pink vest, long-tailed coat, white pants, and black boots suited the Duke very well.

He always wore excessive outfits, so it felt new to see him in a restrained attire.

Only then did the appearance of the stadium come into view.

Horses and players were out on the short-cut lawn, getting used to it.

On the opposite side, there was a low, white wooden fence, seemingly arranged so that servants and commoners could come and watch comfortably.

On this side, there was a seating area with about 50 seats.

It was decorated with blue magic stones and zinc, making it look fancy, but surprisingly, it was a modest scale.

The Duke escorted us with elegant movements.

“The beauty’s face is dark. Was the journey uncomfortable?”

“Are you talking to me?”

The line was so cheesy that I almost scolded the Duke.

When I became serious, he stepped back and said shamelessly.

“I’m glad nothing happened. Everyone seems to be watching Your Highness, so I just added a word lightly. This way.”

He gestured towards the central VIP seat. Only then did I look at the group standing beside me.

The Prince was expressionless, but everyone, including Kristel and Lady Elizabeth, was looking at me.

They must have been watching my complexion ever since they heard the news about the Princess coming.

I felt sorry for not paying attention to my surroundings because I was so troubled. I smiled bitterly and said.

“I’m fine. I was just a little surprised. Shall we all sit down?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We will sit as you told us yesterday!”

Ganael answered politely. Eva quickly took a seat next to Lady Elizabeth.

“I brought a specialty tea from the Holy Nation. Anyone want to share?”

“Me!”

Kristel raised her hand at Sir Haynes’ suggestion.

I was relieved that the atmosphere seemed to be easing.

“Your Highness, look at this. The tea is glowing!”

“It is, it’s pretty.”

“You can drink it now.”

Ganael and Benjamin, who were sitting on my left, said to me as they looked at Sir Haynes’ specialty tea.

I received a cup of tea from Sir Haynes on my right.

Since it wasn’t food from the Imperial kitchen, Benjamin checked it with silverware, tasted it first, and only after 30 minutes had passed could I also savor it.

The tea had a sweet and pleasant scent.

The color was transparent, but the light blue and white particles floating in the tea were very mysterious.

It felt like drinking something like fairy spring water.

“It’s tea made by drying the leaves of a plant called ‘Moon Halo Grass.’ It’s hard for people in the Empire to come across because it only grows in the forests of the Holy Nation.”

Sir Haynes explained gently. I nodded and sipped the Moon Halo Tea.

I liked the savory and subtle taste.

It seemed to calm the heart that had been swirling with the news of the Princess a little.

“The Duke Dhiem succeeds in scoring at the moment you look! It’s 6 to 1, everyone.”

I heard the voice of Antoinette Dhiem, who was in charge of the broadcast.

I quickly raised my head and looked straight ahead.

The audience applauded politely, and some whistled and cheered.

The Duke on horseback smiled brightly, twirling the mallet a few times.

For once, he looked decent and handsome.

He didn’t look like a weirdo who made portal motion sickness medicine to stick behind his ears, magic stone sprinklers, and crystal editions ahead of his time.

Kristel, who was sitting in the back seat, tapped my shoulder and whispered.

“He looks like an ordinary handsome man like that, right?”

“I agree.”

“I just got a little fluttered.”

“Pardon?”

I was startled and turned to look at her. Kristel smiled.

“He’s handsome, rich, and has decent athletic skills. Should I take him in?”

“Princess.”

“The age difference is fine. We’ll just part a little earlier, that’s all.”

How did I bring you all the way here and put you next to the Prince!

As I couldn’t make a sound and just gaped, she chuckled quietly when she saw my expression.

“You finally look a bit like a Prince.”

Then, she leaned back in her seat again.

I wondered if he had heard, so I looked at the Prince sitting next to her, but he was just focused on the game with his sculpted face.

Absolutely not. I quenched my burning throat with Moon Halo Tea.

They said they would bring in the revised edition to the audience from the 5th inning, so the two protagonists would soon have intense contact.

My heart was pounding for no reason.

“8 to 5! The score difference is narrowing.”

“Wow!”

“Ugh.”

Amidst the voice of Duchess Dhiem and the cheers, I groaned briefly and bent over.

I had been feeling strange since a while ago.

My heart, which had been startled once, was constantly pounding, and my head was aching as if it would break, and my stomach was churning.

I tried to find the cause by rubbing various parts of my palm, but since I had always been healthy since being possessed, I had no idea what it could be.

Is it stress-related? I was worried about how to respond when I met the Princess…

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Benjamin, who was the first to notice something was wrong, whispered as he supported my back.

I groaned for a while and shook my head.

Beeeep-

A ringing sound echoed. No matter how I thought about it, this wasn’t alright.

I had to go back to the Imperial Palace right away and see the royal physician, regardless of the revised edition or anything else.

I tried to recall all the food I had eaten today, but they were all things that Ganael or Benjamin had also tasted.

And the two of them had been fine so far,

“Gasp.”

I gasped as a pain like an awl piercing my brain struck me.

It was a sharp sensation that made me shudder with fear.