What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 112

#112 The Emperor’s Waltz (3)

I put on a troubled expression. The eyes of the four people, including the Emperor, were on me.

“······.”

“I’d like to leave only the princes in your care, but since the two have already agreed, I can’t break it. I also want to stop hearing the news that the Sarnez brat keeps rejecting the archbishops.”

The Emperor languidly opened her cherry-colored eyes and drank wine.

I instinctively knew that it was a gesture to give me time to think.

I had to give an answer before her glass was completely empty.

“I have no intention of taking away what those kids want. So, you choose.”

I barely managed to suppress the twitching of my lips at the Emperor’s words.

I tried hard to make a serious face.

“I understand,” I replied. So far, it’s going as expected.

So, today was already the 8th day of confinement.

Even though I spent the first day sleeping like a log, I had been confined to the Juliette Palace for a week.

There wasn’t much a person who wasn’t allowed a simple walk could do.

I emptied the largest reception room to play catch with Ganael, watched the servants’ bowling games, strolled through the corridors with Benjamin, and played with the divine beasts….

The rest of the time was spent studying, organizing my thoughts, and coming up with new ideas.

I had been too lax in my study hall life.

“Your Highness, you don’t have to make a decision as if you’re being pushed….”

“Christel, give the prince time to think.”

I heard the voices of Christel and Cardinal Boutier.

I silently stared at one side of the table.

I had very few cards in my hand, but they were all effective.

Among them, what I had planned regarding ‘becoming the official divine partner of the protagonists’ was as follows.

First of all, Prince Cedric and Christel wanted me as their top priority.

This was certain as it had been publicly announced at the last annual prayer meeting.

I was angry at the two men’s unilateral decision, but eventually agreed to help them as an ‘temporary partner’.

At the time, I was notified as if it were a punishment, but if I thought about it a little, it was the result of me taking a step forward.

From ‘ether assistance’ that only observed classes, I became a partner who covered daily life.

And the reason for making such a decision was simple and clear.

Because they were the protagonists of the Retired General’s novel.

I spent the last few days going back and forth between the bed, terrace, dining room, and balcony, trying to understand their thinking.

Since I didn’t know much about the content of the novel, I was trying to analyze the tendencies of the main characters to prepare for the future.

Even though I had consistently expressed my intention to refuse based on various situations, the two men didn’t seem to want to let me go.

Instead of giving up, treating me like ‘sour grapes’ they couldn’t eat, they seemed to be burning with greed and acted boldly.

I also had to consider the setting that I was the ‘sub-male lead’ in the story.

Due to the author’s mischief, even in the moment I was struggling to avoid the two, I ended up facing them.

If the author still had no intention of excluding me from the main story, and the protagonists consistently wanted my ether, the conclusion was obvious.

Whether I wanted it or not, I would inevitably become the divine partner of that couple someday.

Then it was better to use it from my side first.

It was obviously more advantageous for survival to lead the situation rather than being dragged along by a huge current.

“Or are you thinking of opening the ‘birthday present’?”

The Emperor asked suddenly. I raised my head sharply and met her gaze.

I knew she had guessed that too.

“No. I’m going to keep that for the future.”

“Hoo.”

Her eyes narrowed.

I remembered receiving an early birthday present from her at the end of May.

‘Your Majesty gave me the opportunity to ask for anything at the recent celebration.’

‘That’s right.’

‘If you allow me······. I would like to make that request at this moment.’

Even though I was dazed from the heat, I succeeded in getting what I wanted from the Emperor, and it was currently kept in the safe in my room.

The birthday present was definitely one of the cards I had.

But since the Emperor had offered the partner condition first, there was no need to go that far.

Because that was the last resort.

Then I just need to solve one more thing.

“There will be concerns if I become a formal partner. I am a prince of the Holy Kingdom and a hostage here.”

“I know that’s why I suggested naturalization.”

The Emperor replied immediately and put her lips to the glass. The wine was already less than a third full.

She was the type who hated repeating the same conversation.

So I didn’t beat around the bush either. Naturalization, I’ve been agonizing over it, losing sleep.

“Naturalization is difficult. So please give me a title.”

“······What?”

The first to question was not the Emperor but the Cardinal.

She looked at me with her beige eyes wide open. I continued without hesitation.

“I heard that there were quite a few precedents before the war era. I heard that the family of my servant, Ganael Calamar, was the first. The first head of the family, Baron Emmanuel Calamar, was a Venetian noble priest, but he caught the eye of the imperial family and received a Liester-style name and title. He gave up his Holy Kingdom nationality just before his death and incorporated his family into the Empire.”

It was entirely thanks to Ganael that I found this.

The boy, who discovered that I was not sleeping because of the naturalization issue, told me the story of his family, saying, ‘If it’s too difficult, there’s this way too.’

Only then did a long-standing puzzle come together.

‘Of course, the Calamar barony, which produced martyrs, and our Girardeng barony wanted a family member to be assigned to the prince.’

That was what I heard from Benjamin about a week after I possessed the body.

The Calamar barony of the war era refused to kill an unarmed priest of the Holy Kingdom and was killed by Emperor Romero and revered as a martyr.

I didn’t know that the background and Ganael’s deep faith were intertwined with his origins.

Anyway, I had no intention of wasting the precious card the child had given me.

“Naturalization is a difficult issue for me to decide alone. Even if I discuss it with Princess Royal, it could lead to friction between the two countries if His Majesty the King is displeased. But if I have an imperial title, I can maintain my Holy Kingdom nationality and be loyal to Your Majesty. There will be no major opposition from the aristocracy and religious circles.”

I added.

It sounds similar to the idea of having dual citizenship to 21st century Koreans, but that’s all it was.

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t throw away the good offer of naturalization.

But it was also difficult to suddenly naturalize and break the prince’s family ties.

Then what other way is there but to have a foot in both camps? I’ll do anything to survive.

“It sounds like you’re saying that you’ll receive my protection by receiving an imperial title, save Johann Haynes, and help the prince and princess at the same time.”

The Emperor saw through me at once.

Being guaranteed safety as an ether assistant or temporary partner was on a different level than receiving the Emperor’s protection as a person with an imperial title.

In the latter case, the Duke could never touch me in the same way as before.

Even if I wasn’t a citizen of the Empire, I would have one foot firmly planted in the Empire.

“Anyone would think I’m making a covenant with my son.”

“······.”

“No, if you ask for a covenant, will you ask me to give you the Charpentier Palace?”

She emptied the last wine in her glass and stared at me.

Her red irises shone brightly. Even her probing attitude was sharp.

“Now it’s Your Majesty’s turn to choose.”

I replied without wavering. The Emperor opened her mouth and laughed, making a ‘ha’ sound.

I must look presumptuous.

“Aurelie.”

The Emperor put down her glass and called her contractor.

The Cardinal did not answer, but simply stared at her.

And a few minutes of silence followed. They seemed to be talking through their souls again.

It was so amazing. After a long time, the Emperor opened her mouth as if to be heard.

“······Tsk. To make a commoner the prince’s teacher.”

“I know you don’t mean it.”

I replied immediately. She turned her gaze from the Cardinal to me.

“I read an article that the founding ceremony of the Imperial Capital Defense Academy is scheduled for the fall. Aren’t you establishing the school to prevent commoners with talent in swordsmanship and magic from rotting? Your Majesty does not value background as much as other members of the imperial family.”

Then the Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

I wasn’t very close to the Emperor, but I could tell that she had a fleetingly pleasant expression.

“That’s quite something. You don’t give in a single word, just like my husband.”

“······.”

Is that a compliment? I guess it’s a compliment?

“I accept the conditions. Let’s proceed as is. Don’t forget that the Princess Royal will be entering the palace the day after tomorrow.”

Frederic Liester said. My mouth dropped open.

I eventually failed to keep my poker face and smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I will not disappoint you.”

“Yes. It seems like there’s someone else who’s disappointed.”

Huh?

Before I could understand what he meant, the Emperor tidied her mouth with a napkin and stood up.

We stood up in a flurry.

“Sarnez brat, you should show your face at the lord’s castle from time to time. Your father is very worried.”

“······Yes, Your Majesty.”

Christel’s voice was heavy.

I tried to read her face, but I was busy greeting the Emperor as she left the banquet hall.

The Cardinal grabbed my hand tightly before following the Emperor.

“You’ve buttoned the first button well.”

“It’s thanks to Your Highness for persuading His Majesty.”

“The prince was also studying hard.”

Then she whispered.

“But it will be difficult for me to help soothe the children.”

“Yes?”

I blinked, wondering what this meant. The Cardinal smiled kindly and left the door.

“Congratulations on becoming an archbishop, my disciple.”

“Thank you.”

I answered blankly and looked back at the table. I immediately met the eyes of the two men.

······Why do you guys look so bad?

Thanks to Cardinal Boutier entrusting me to the Imperial Guard as she left the banquet hall, the way back to the Juliette Palace was easy.

None of the things Benjamin and Ganael were worried about happened.

The Emperor didn’t get angry at me, didn’t wield a sword, and didn’t reject all the proposals.

Rather, everything went very well. It was worth digging through all sorts of books.

I definitely thought so.

“Why is that?”

I muttered as I came out to the balcony.

Demi, who was circling around my feet, looked up at me with a ‘squeak’. It meant he wanted a hug.

I held him and sat down in front of the table.

“Demi, Christel and the prince are weird.”

-Kieung

“They seemed very upset. Christel broke two wine glasses.”

-Kking

“The prince went straight to his room.”

Demi in my arms floundered and then stood up, holding his chest.

I supported his warm back.

Then the lesser panda pressed my cheeks once with his two front paws.

-Kureureureu

“Hey, I didn’t do anything to Auen.”

I really didn’t do anything.

It was unfair that the divine beast, who wasn’t even at the scene, was blaming me.

I was just trying to save Sir Haynes and his son, and I responded as planned when the Emperor offered the expected conditions.

I also got my seatbelt while I was at it. But their reaction was cold.

Didn’t they say they wanted to be partners with me?

“Did they suddenly change their minds?”

-Kku

Demi opened his mouth and cried softly. His pink tongue was so cute that I laughed.

I scanned the books and magazines scattered haphazardly on the table.

One of them stood out in particular. .

“Or were they uncomfortable and got indigestion while eating?”

It was a book David gave me yesterday.

Thanks to it, I learned that the guy who tormented me with sunlight in Romero Palace was the prince, and that Morse code also exists in the Retired General’s worldview.

Although it is called by the alias ‘War Era Code’….

I was lost in thought for a moment, then rummaged through my pajamas and took out the crystal bell.

Then I checked the page that connected the letters and symbols, and slowly reflected the bell in the bright moonlight.

I’m using everything here that I didn’t learn in the military. I’ll just ask once and go to bed.

‘Are you angry?’

There was no response from the window of Romero Palace.

“······He must be asleep.”

I took the bell and got up from my seat. Sleepy Demi clung to my shoulder.

Flash.

At that moment, moonlight pierced through from across the way. I was startled and turned my head.

The flash was very short and concise. It was almost as if I had misseen it.

I hurriedly looked at the page I had opened a little while ago.