What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 104

#104 Bullseye (5)

“Your Highness!?”

Cristel’s voice cracked as she spotted me from afar.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of her, Sir Elisabeth, Prince Cedric, and Sir Haines engaged in a serious 3-on-1 battle.

I stood up and waved to show I was okay.

“What is it! What happened!”

She shouted, her voice strained. Even so,

-콰앙!

She burst the underground water vein, obscuring Sir Haines’s vision.

Not missing the moment the man faltered, the Small Lord [referring to Prince Cedric] aimed for his legs.

-쌔애액!

-쿠웅!

Sir Haines, barely dodging Sir Elisabeth’s sword, turned to look at me.

His face reflected guilt, surprise, sadness, and relief.

He looked like he was in turmoil, but he must have been a thousand or ten thousand times more troubled than I was.

As the Small Lord checked on me and took a step back,

-콰아앙!

With a tremendous roar, the Prince’s Hyegeom [a type of sword] struck down the wind shield.

Whirr! Crimson flames erupted from the sword.

The opponent immediately cut off the oxygen, extinguishing the flames.

His orange eyes didn’t waver, but Sir Haines’s arm was trembling slightly.

He didn’t draw his weapon, nor did he attack first.

He seemed to be consistently defending and searching for an escape route.

The Prince unleashed a dazzling attack as if performing a sword dance. My mouth dropped open.

-콰콰콰, 콰앙!

-팔랑

The ‘Bireom’s Ark’ on my back fluttered lightly. It seemed to be an expression of support and admiration.

A moment ago, I was horrified thinking it had pierced my skin, but fortunately, there was a gap of about 5cm between my back and the divine object.

I awkwardly stroked the Ark’s feathers and watched the situation.

Air attribute is not greatly affected by other attributes, and Sir Haines possessed the physical abilities of a Cardinal.

If his only goal was to escape, it wasn’t impossible. However, he had used the Saint Mark earlier.

His mental strength and Aether [magical energy] must have been greatly depleted, so if he continued to use his power like that, capturing him wouldn’t be too difficult.

“Sir Johann Haines, surrender peacefully. You are already His Majesty’s prisoner!”

Sir Elisabeth said calmly. Sir Haines’s expression wavered.

I noticed that he was thinking of someone else.

The Holy Knight was already a prisoner of Werner, the Royal Consort, even before he was the Emperor’s prisoner.

Whether he was caught in the Empire or in the Holy Kingdom, it made no difference to him.

In that moment, his consciousness seemed to transfer to me. My eyes gradually widened.

“No.”

The words slipped out.

If the fact that Sir Haines was imprisoned in the Emperor’s prison became known, the Royal Consort would eliminate his son.

Even if he escaped from here, he wouldn’t be able to kill me in the same way, so he wouldn’t be able to fulfill the Royal Consort’s orders.

Then the Royal Consort would kill his son…

I felt like my blood was running cold. This person, he’s trying to give up.

“Your Highness!”

I shouted. At the same time, Sir Haines shattered his shield.

A jet-black sword tip that did not allow light rushed towards him.

-펄럭!

With the help of the Ark, I soared with all my might. I reached out my arm, but it was too late,

[Stop.]

A flash of light blazed.

-파아아아!

A magnificent circle unfolded, too grand to capture in a single glance.

“큿.”

“윽!”

The Prince and Sir Elisabeth’s shadows were thrown back.

The Ark transformed into a wren. I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet and plummeted.

Cristel quickly rolled over and caught me.

“억!”

“Ugh, ouch…”

-삐르르

She made a painful sound and struggled with me.

I was dumbfounded, not knowing what was going on. Dduk-ssim [a creature or pet] settled on top of my head.

I thanked Cristel, then straightened my aching upper body and looked around.

The Prince and the Small Lord were safe. And Sir Haines,

[You seem very tired.]

“……”

A gentle voice echoed like a divine message. It was Cardinal Aurelia Boutier.

In the sanctuary where golden patterns sprang up like fountains, she looked down at the slumped Sir Haines.

Amidst the brilliant and gentle rays of light, the Cardinal’s fingertips touched the man’s hair.

It resembled an act of bestowing a blessing. I blankly stared at them.

[Close your eyes for a moment.]

Then, Sir Haines’s eyes slowly closed.

Thud, his body fell to the side. It was an overwhelming difference in divine power.

“Your Eminence.”

“Thank you, Francois.”

Marquis Francois D’heim, who had escorted her from the Imperial Palace to this place, took something out of his arms and handed it over.

Cristel and I supported each other and got up.

In the Cardinal’s hand was a black and round…

-철컥

She fastened a thick iron collar around Sir Haines’s neck.

The Prince, who was standing on the opposite side, seemed startled. Why?

“It’s an Aether Restraint Collar. He won’t be able to use his power until it’s removed.”

The Cardinal explained.

Her beige gaze passed over the Prince and Sir Elisabeth, and reached Cristel and me.

She smiled bitterly.

“Everyone worked hard against the Cardinal. Come here.”

And she reached out her arms to us.

Cristel and I staggered towards her and leaned on her haphazardly.

The Cardinal, unable to bear the weight, eventually crumpled her clothes and sat on the floor.

Only then did the surrounding noise reach my ears.

Amidst the sounds of birds, insects, and a middle-aged man’s small laughter, Cristel burst into tears.

“Hoo-oong, I was so surprised…”

“Yeah, you must have been.”

“It’s not that I’m crying, I just cry easily at any time. I’m the type to cry even when I’m angry… Hoo, it’s annoying…”

She sniffled and buried her face in the Cardinal’s shoulder.

Feeling sorry for her, I gently rubbed her back.

Sir Elisabeth, who had approached unnoticed, was also hugged tightly by the Cardinal.

It was a little stuffy with three people in one embrace, but I finally felt relieved.

I turned my head and looked at the sleeping Sir Haines.

I hope he can find peace too. Let’s find a way.

“Your Highness, come here too. Why can’t you grasp the atmosphere, hoo-oong…”

Cristel waved her hand at the Prince.

He frowned, but for some reason, he obediently came closer.

He didn’t join the hug, but he stood beside us.

Then, Marquis D’heim, who hadn’t been called, stuck close to me and put his arm around me.

From behind, I heard Sir Michel’s hearty laughter as he examined the soldiers.

He must have been watching what we were doing.

“You know, I’ve really been as fickle as boiling water every day.”

Cristel sniffed and began to speak. We quietly listened to her.

“I want to try everything, but if my memories come back later… I might hate what I did. I might be surprised, ha… So it was hard to do anything consistently. I enjoyed it, but I hesitated. I laughed, but I felt uncomfortable…”

The Cardinal gently stroked her pink hair.

The protagonist continued, her voice hoarse.

“Ugh. But if I don’t do anything, I feel suffocated. I feel anxious… I hate working hard because it’s hard, but I can’t let go… I feel like I’m wandering, for no reason.”

Hmph! Cristel bravely sniffed and raised her head.

I had heard the story before, but hearing it like this, I could once again guess how deep her worries were.

The protagonist and I exchanged a long gaze across Sir Elisabeth.

“But now I’ve set a goal.”

“……”

“I’m going to get stronger. If possible, the strongest on the continent.”

Huh? I blinked. Cristel’s wet eyes were as hard as diamonds.

“Getting stronger is okay, right? It doesn’t matter if all my memories come back in the future. Being strong isn’t a bad thing.”

“Milady.”

“Then my friend won’t have to go through something like this.”

She winked at me. I gaped. So now, because of me…

“I’m going to be the top dog here. That’s enough, right?”

“That’s admirable. It’s a wonderful plan.”

The Cardinal said kindly. Sir Elisabeth nodded.

I looked up at the Prince with a dazed expression.

A new flame ignited in his sunken irises.

Wait, why are you feeling competitive?

“……Umm.”

I slowly lifted my eyelids.

The summer sunlight at dusk, streaming through the window, tickled the bed curtains.

My head slowly started booting up like an old computer.

So this is the Imperial Palace, my bedroom in the Juliette Palace.

Until just now, I was having a group hug on a forest path,

“Gasp.”

I shot up.

-끼잉

-끼으

-끼우

The three lesser pandas that had been on my chest rolled off like chestnuts and were buried in the blanket.

I quickly gathered them back together. I didn’t forget to touch foreheads with each one.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you guys were there again. I missed you.”

-꾸르르르

Demi replied softly and tugged at my pajama button. Huh?

“It’s pajamas.”

I muttered in confusion. It wasn’t just my clothes that had changed.

Looking at the mirror on the side table, my face was unscathed.

I rolled up my sleeves and pants to check, but there were no injuries on other parts either.

Cardinal Boutier must have taken care of it herself or sent me to a healing priest.

It seemed that I had fainted as the tension in my shocked body was released. I had also lost my memory.

“The bell. The bell is here.”

The crystal bell that I had cherished in my arms until a few hours ago was neatly placed on the side table.

I hurriedly opened the second drawer.

If I lost consciousness and couldn’t change my clothes myself, Benjamin and Ganael would put my notebook here.

“The notebook too… It’s fine.”

The object that had protected my heart from Sir Haines greeted me with a pristine appearance, as if nothing had happened.

I clearly saw the center caved in, but the cover was shiny as if it were a lie.

It was definitely a magical tool, but now wasn’t the time to argue about that.

“Let’s go see their faces first.”

I put on a gown, took the divine beasts, and got up.

If the notebook was there, it seemed that Benjamin and Ganael were also safe, but I still wanted to check their condition myself.

I also had to ask what happened to Sir Haines and there were many things to sort out.

Dduk-ssim, who was sitting on the sofa, flew up and baked coffee bean bread on my crown.

“You should talk to your brother later too.”

-삐삐삐?

The wren chirped nonchalantly. I chuckled and opened the bedroom door.

And I encountered far more people than usual. An awkward silence flowed through the hallway.

“Oh… Have you all had your meals?”

In the end, I was the first to ask how they were doing. The maids, servants, and soldiers were shocked and bowed.

“Your Grace, you’ve awakened!”

“Prince Yeser!”

“God be praised, thank you…”

Your Grace? I received the pouring greetings with a bewildered expression. Some of them had tears in their eyes.

The atmosphere seemed excited and depressed at the same time.

It was certain that something was going on, but did everyone know that I was almost attacked by Sir Haines?

“You’ve been lying down for a whole day. Ganael and Benjamin were so worried.”

“A day?”

I calmly calculated the time.

It wasn’t that I had fainted in the middle of the day and woke up around evening, but that I had been sleeping like the dead for more than 24 hours.

Peri, who was hanging on my shoulder, started to fuss because there were so many people, but I couldn’t go back into the room like this.

I soothed and coaxed him and continued the question.

“Where are those two? Are they safe?”

“The two of them are fine. It was Your Highness who was carried in unconscious yesterday.”

That must be why everyone was so surprised to see that.

“Your precious clothes were all torn and covered in dirt, even the gardeners were horrified and rushed over. They said you wouldn’t be able to open your eyes for several days, but to think you would wake up so early… It’s the grace of God.”

One of the soldiers took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes.

It wasn’t the first time I had fainted, but I felt so sorry for making them worry like this every time that I was speechless.

It’s not like I wanted to faint, it was without me knowing…

“Oh, I heard you became the Archbishop. Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

The tension suddenly rose again. I smiled diligently and looked around the hallway.

Is Ganael very busy?

“Her Eminence the Cardinal was very worried, but on the other hand, she was very happy. It would be nice to have a meal together…”

“That’s right, how could she be confined.”

What?

“Pierre, watch your words.”