What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 133

#133 The Table Where the Moon Rises at Noon (3)

His birthday had been four days ago, so I was probably the last person to give him a gift.

Who would even think of celebrating the Crown Prince’s birthday ‘late’?

“My birthday gift should be given next year, or I’m gonna die! Giving it the day before my birthday is still considered on time, right?!”

Cristel shouted, doing squats. Her legs trembled.

Sant and I worried she might fall backward, but Sir Johann remained calm.

After hearing about Cristel’s strength training in Aitz Village, he’d become obsessed with her core muscles as soon as classes resumed.

“Pierre, hang in there!”

“My thighs feel like they’re dead…”

Thanks to her, the outdoor training ground was noisy even without Cedric.

The Juliette Palace maids who came to watch mimicked Cristel’s posture, shaking like vibrating bells.

The Lesser Panda Trio, Dduk-sim, and even Chestnut, who visited the Imperial Palace with Agnes, were all there.

“Ah! I feel like my leg is giving out. Ehehehe.”

“Keep your posture straight. You’ll hurt your knees if you do it wrong, Lady Cristel.”

Cristel screamed, then laughed and staggered.

Sir Johann corrected her posture with a gentle but firm expression.

Cristel followed his instructions to move only her muscles without using Aether [magical energy] without complaint.

She was diligent, even taking off her blue summer jacket and cravat and rolling up her sleeves.

“Lady Cristel really likes using Aether, so it’s surprising to see her follow so well,” Sant whispered. I nodded.

I could guess why she didn’t mind physical training.

From the beginning, Cristel lacked the strength to use a sword, spear, or bow.

The only thing she could manage was a magical whip with special functions.

That was natural, since she hadn’t exercised for 19 years, and had been ill for 3 of those years.

Currently, she was compensating for her physical limitations with the power gained from absorbing the ‘Blessing of the Azure Sea’.

Cristel probably knew her limits best.

She must have felt it while sparring with the Crown Prince. Last time…

‘I’ll get stronger. If possible, the strongest in the continent.’

She’d even said something so grand.

I smiled, holding Leia and Perry, who were begging to be held.

I wondered what the others were doing, and it turned out…

-Chirp, chirp!

-Squeak!

-Pitter-patter!

The roe deer Chestnut was carrying Demi on its back, and Dduk-sim was on Demi’s head, strolling under the shade of a tree…

I’m glad they all looked happy.

“Are you preparing a birthday gift for His Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness?” Sant asked carefully. I stopped Perry from spilling the teacup and answered.

“Yes, the commissioned piece is scheduled to be finished today. But I feel like just giving that isn’t enough.”

First, I succeeded in cutting the Sacred Stone given by the Emperor.

It was thanks to Agnes, the Imperial Palace caretaker, who introduced me to Frank, the Imperial Palace blacksmith this time!

Frank was a veteran who had worked in the Imperial Palace smithy for 40 years, and despite it being our first meeting, he greeted me warmly, saying, ‘How could such a noble person come to such a humble place?’

I placed an order with him a few days ago and paid a generous advance.

“You’re not just giving it away. You said you’re going to fill it with Aether,” Ganael said, looking up from his book to my right.

Sant cheered, saying it was a great plan.

“Well, yes. It’s just that I received something so extravagant, so it feels insincere in comparison.”

“The crystal paperweight that His Highness gifted is as wonderful as a national treasure, but wouldn’t Your Highness’s Aether be even more beautiful?”

The boy defended me. I’m grateful, but I heard that’s his father’s keepsake…

“A birthday gift is 80% successful if it’s just thoughtful, Your Highness. Do you know what I gifted him? Ack!”

“Let’s stop the lower body workout here,” Cristel and Sir Johann said at the same time.

Cristel, who collapsed like a failed Jenga tower, rolled on the dirt floor.

I quickly checked on her.

“Lady Cristel, are you alright?”

“Of course! I, huh. I sent him 25 handkerchiefs. I custom-ordered them so that the flame color would be different each time he burned one. I told him to enjoy burning his own instead of throwing away other people’s handkerchiefs.”

“Wow.”

I was impressed.

I was touched that she had put so much thought into the Crown Prince’s gift, and I liked that the gift itself was a reference to their shared memories.

The Crown Prince was the son of a family with all the wealth and power in the world, so expensive gifts were meaningless.

As expected, the protagonist’s wit was exceptional.

“If you don’t have any afternoon plans, how about taking a break and doing some upper body exercises?” Sir Johann said, his eyes narrowed. Cristel shook her head.

“You’re trying to kill me on the first day… Oh! I gave you tickets to , isn’t that today? You should go see it with Herrit.”

“Come to think of it, there was that.”

She found an escape route, her eyes shining. Sir Johann smiled, resigned.

My lips also curled up.

I knew that many people were being considerate so that Sir Johann and Herrit could adapt well, but the protagonist’s thoughtfulness was special.

“Your Highness, the costume room attendants will visit Juliette Palace in an hour,” Benjamin, who was sitting to my left, reminded me of my afternoon schedule while I was watching Sir Johann.

“Yes, I remember. We’re just taking measurements today, right?”

“That’s right. Clothes to wear in the territory, the Archbishop’s vestments, formal wear…”

There were many new clothes to make.

In particular, becoming a Marquis of the Empire was not as simple as it sounded.

It was said that it was better to wear Imperial clothes, not the clothes of the Holy Kingdom like now, when inspecting the territory.

The reason was that it could create a sense of alienation among the territory residents, which was quite plausible.

In addition, I heard that it would take time for the Imperial Family to issue the Marquis’s coat of arms and the name of the territory.

It was also necessary to give the people of the Marquisate enough time to prepare to welcome guests.

So, for the time being, it seemed that I could enjoy the same peace and comfort in the Imperial Palace as usual.

“Then after that, I can go to confession,”

Huh. I opened my eyes wide.

“Prince Yeser?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No… I just remembered something. I’ll be back after visiting my room for a moment!”

I quickly put down the divine beasts and headed to Juliette Palace.

Sant and Cristel’s eyes widened.

Instead of Benjamin, who was cleaning up, Ganael hurriedly followed me.

I quickly opened the back door of the palace and ran up the stairs to the bedroom.

I quickly got hot and sweaty because of the August weather.

“Ganael, stay there, it’s a difficult climb. I’ll just check the bedroom drawer and come back!”

“Your Highness?”

Not only the boy but also the people passing by in the hallway looked at me in surprise, but I rushed into the bedroom.

I certainly don’t remember throwing it away. I think I put it somewhere on the side table…

-Click!

“Found it.”

It was in the last compartment where souvenirs were stored.

I smiled and picked up the item next to Cristel and the Crown Prince’s ‘One-Day Dating Contract’.

The cut-off decoration string from the confessional.

It was the part that the guy damaged with a dagger the day I first met ‘Saydi’ that I had taken.

My sewing experience is limited to sewing the uniform buttons of our three siblings…

The head of the costume room will be here soon, so if I learn quickly, I can do it somehow.

*

“Hoo…”

Martier Jielstra wandered the hallway as if in a daze.

Having been ordered by Princess Eliser to take responsibility for Herrit Haines’s rescue, she was only able to return to the royal castle almost a month after leaving Venetian.

The knight, who had not rested properly, was given a fifteen-day vacation, but Martier unpacked the gift placed on her bed and ran out of the accommodation again.

A bundle wrapped in silk was held at her side.

The person she had to meet was always the same.

However, the Princess’s escort knight was just wandering the passage like a lost bird.

Even though there was something clear to report, even though the place to go was clear, she didn’t have the courage.

She clenched and unclenched her fist, acknowledging her condition.

I’m scared.

She, who had wielded an ax for decades to catch demons and saved young Prince Yeser from a death crisis, was afraid.

For the sole reason that she didn’t want to convey a terrible assumption to the Princess.

“Martier?”

At that time, a familiar voice rang in her ear.

Zanin, the Princess’s loyal servant, was standing behind her. Martier bowed politely.

The middle-aged man returned the same courtesy and approached.

“What’s wrong? Why are you wandering around?”

“No. I was just wondering where Her Highness the Princess is…”

The knight made an excuse, rubbing her bald head. Zanin smiled gently.

“She is having a simple lunch in the room next to the bedroom. I will take you there.”

“Yes… She must be skipping meals again.”

“Still, she hasn’t missed a single meal since returning from the Empire. Prince Yeser must have asked her to do so.”

Prince. Martier struggled to maintain her composure, thinking of him.

For a while, there was no conversation.

The knight quietly reviewed what had happened in Liester.

‘I hope Your Highness is also healthy and returns safely. Don’t skip meals.’

She thought that the Prince’s tone had changed subtly.

He used the same honorifics, but the way he spoke was different from when he was in the Holy Kingdom.

However, she didn’t find it strange.

Since a certain Lady who seemed close to the Prince also used a similar tone, she just thought that he was resembling a friend.

Above all, his personality remained the same.

His character, which was endlessly generous to the weak and animals and could not pass by someone in need, was the same even now that he was essentially a hostage.

Even if the other person had tried to take his life.

‘Yeser, that person must be executed immediately. Get out of the way!’

‘Your Highness! Please put down your weapon. She is a child.’

It was the same on the day an arrow flew at the Prince while the Princess was watching.

Martier ran in front of him and took the attack instead.

At the time, the Prince was nineteen and the commoner girl who pulled the bow was just sixteen.

The Prince, who was young but not weak, blocked the convulsing girl while staunching the knight’s shoulder.

Even in the pouring rain, his purple eyes shone clearly.

‘Sir Jielstra’s bleeding is severe. This child is also not in good condition. She is shaking intermittently as if she has been whipped.’

‘…’

‘Please, sister. Please call the royal physician and the priest.’

Thinking about that time still made her shoulder throb. As a result, Martier survived.

However, the arrowhead was coated with demon beast blood and poison, and as a result, she could no longer use magical tools for the rest of her life.

This was because the magical tools reacted to the traces of the demon beast remaining in her body and malfunctioned.

Whenever Martier suffered from pain, the Prince would help with the compress with a face full of guilt.

Even though he knew better than anyone that it was not his fault.

‘It’s not a big deal. I thought you were having a hard time assisting Your Highness.’

So, it was absurd for him to give her a magical tool heater when she was leaving the Empire.

“Your Highness, Martier is asking to see you.”

“Come in.”

Martier flinched and woke up from her thoughts. It was already the Princess’s bedroom.

Zanin silently opened the door to the next room.

The knight looked down at the magical tool in her arms with a determined look and took a step.

It’s a terrible and cruel thing. But she had to tell her master.

She had the right to know.

That her precious younger brother may have lost his memory and was left alone in a strange land in that state.

“I gave you a rest to commend your hard work, but why did you come to me on your first day back?”

The Princess pushed away the soup bowl and greeted the escort knight kindly.

Her face, as elaborate as the decorations of the temple, seemed strong enough not to allow even the slightest crack.

Martier bowed and then spoke with a long breath.

“Your Highness, I have something urgent to tell you. The Prince,”

“Princess!”

Suddenly, another servant of the Princess opened the door and came in.

Everyone was shocked by the rude and disrespectful behavior.

The young servant didn’t care and delivered the news, her cheeks wet with tears.

“His Majesty, His Majesty the King has shaken off his madness and awakened! He is looking for the Princess. He is looking for your children!”

“God of God.”

Eliser jumped up from her seat. Zanin covered her mouth with both hands and blushed.

The Princess’s face, who was hurriedly leaving, was full of pure joy.

It was rare to see her smiling so brightly, like in her childhood when she had no worries.

“Martier, can I hear your story later?”

The Princess looked back at the knight with tearful blue eyes and asked.

Martier opened her mouth, but finally nodded.