What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 136

The Marquis and the Knight's Travel Essentials (3)

#136 The Marquis and the Knight’s Travel Essentials (3)

“Open wide, Demi. Here comes some fruit.”

-Chomp chomp chomp…

I presented a neatly sliced pear to the Divine Beast.

Only then did the little guy, his anger appeased, grab my wrist and munch away.

The carriage rocked gently, and Benjamin and Ganael were quietly chatting with Christelle.

I calmly reviewed the situation while watching the Lesser Panda.

*It’s okay, Ye-seo. There’s a reason official couples are official. They’re official because they end up together somehow.*

Let’s go back to when I first possessed this body.

1. Christelle was the only child of the Sarnese Marquis.

2. Therefore, Christelle should have been the Marquis’s heir.

3. However, the Marquis, out of loyalty to the Emperor, decided to marry his daughter to Prince Cedrick. He needed the ‘Blessing of the Azure Sea’.

4. Ta-da! Christelle absorbed the Blessing of the Azure Sea. The engagement fell through.

5. Now that the marriage with the Imperial Family is off the table, the Marquis wants his daughter to become the Duchess as planned.

“……”

I wiped Demi’s mouth and whiskers with a damp cloth, becoming serious. There was one thing bothering me.

“Sir Sarnese, if you had been engaged to the Prince, who would have inherited the Marquisate?”

“They were planning to adopt the closest nephew,” Christelle said, pausing from sipping her iced coffee.

Ganael nodded as if it were obvious.

“That’s what everyone does in Liester. It’s rare, but sometimes an only child doesn’t inherit the family and becomes part of another house. Isn’t it the same in the Holy Kingdom, Your Highness?”

I vaguely raised the corner of my lips.

I didn’t know much about the customs of the Holy Kingdom, so I wasn’t sure.

Looking at the boy, I was reminded of the Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard, who would be riding outside.

Ganael is the eldest of the Calamar Viscounts, but he yielded the position of Lord of the Territory to his younger sibling and became engaged to Lady Elisabeth.

If Christelle had a younger sibling, the situation wouldn’t be as complicated as it is now…

“Do you not want to be the Duchess?”

“I’m okay with being the Duchess, but I don’t want to get married,” Christelle replied bluntly to my question. I pursed my lips.

The original story was exactly the opposite.

Christelle shouldn’t have become the Duchess, and she should have been positive about marriage. Because the Crown Princess is a member of the Imperial Family, not her birth family. Hmm.

“Mother tells me to think about it when my memories come back, but Father is firm. He says he needs to bring in a good groom to stabilize the family. He’s got some kind of picture album open, looking for suitable second sons from other families.”

The protagonist said with a sigh.

Come to think of it, the Sarnese Marquis’s tendencies were clear from the start when he prepared for the engagement with the Prince without reflecting her wishes.

His daughter had just recovered from her illness and had memory problems, but he pushed for a national marriage. Aside from loving his child dearly, his mindset seemed close to that of a typical high-ranking noble.

It was a way of thinking I couldn’t understand.

“Since Simon de Sarnese Marquis married at 18, it’s not surprising that he’s worried about his daughter’s future at 19,” Benjamin’s explanation backed up my guess.

I examined Christelle’s profile, which looked troubled.

*Should I just close my eyes and say it? It seems okay just to test the waters.*

“What about the Prince?”

“Why the Prince?” Christelle blinked at my careful question.

Benjamin and Ganael also looked at me strangely. *Why is the atmosphere like this?*

“Isn’t he handsome? Tall, with a good voice.”

“He is.”

“…Is that all?”

“What else do you need?” Christelle replied indifferently, then began to crunch on a thin, golden-brown tuile [a type of baked cookie] like a cracker.

The broken ‘Well of Love’ cookie seemed to have been taken care of a while ago. I was momentarily speechless.

I looked back at the two aides as if asking for help, but Benjamin avoided my gaze, and only Ganael gave me a pitiful look.

*Damn it.*

*

Christelle seemed much lighter just from telling us her troubles.

It was a fatal problem that I had to share her worries, but that was something only I knew.

Therefore, nothing special happened until we arrived at the inn.

We unpacked our luggage at an inn that was smaller than ‘Le Ciffre’ [likely a high-end establishment], but where the staff seemed much freer.

After a generous dinner together, I thanked the Marquis and his wife as they left the dining room.

“Thank you again for accompanying us.”

“Not at all, Prince Ye-seo. My child is always in your care. We are happy to help with this much at any time,” Simon de Sarnese Marquis replied politely.

He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, and unlike Marquis Francois D’Heim, who was of a similar age, he exuded a dignified atmosphere.

His impression wasn’t bad, but he always felt difficult to deal with whenever we met.

Even though we could go to the free city of ‘As’ in half a day using the portal, the Marquis readily accepted the Imperial order and set out on a long journey with me.

From my perspective as someone being guarded, it was unconditionally appreciated.

“Then, have a good rest, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“I hope the Marquis has good dreams as well,” I replied. The Marquis bowed in a picturesque manner and stepped back.

Duchess Isabelle, who was standing next to him, gestured to her husband and remained in her place.

Christelle, Lady Elisabeth, Benjamin, and Ganael glanced at us and went up the stairs first.

Demi and Ttuk-ssim were hopping around at our feet.

“I pray that the Duchess also has a peaceful night.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Um… I sincerely thank you for the last time,” the Duchess said, her black eyes glistening with moisture.

It took a moment to understand the meaning of her words.

She probably meant the time I listened to her confession at the Spring Ball.

I smiled slightly.

“I was just doing what I had to do as a priest.”

*I was trying to stand out at the time, but let’s just go with that.*

“No. Thank you for forgiving my impiety and giving me warm advice… I was able to resolve the difficulties by talking with my husband,” Isabelle said, adjusting her shawl and smiling. She looked much better than before, so I was relieved.

I was about to let her go when a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I opened my mouth.

Christelle said that at least her mother was on her side.

“Duchess, I heard about the marriage from your daughter.”

“Ah, that child finally confided in Your Highness. I expected it to some extent,” she said with a troubled face. I calmly chose my words in my head.

I lowered my voice as much as possible so that no one could hear.

“As a friend of Sir Sarnese… I think the person involved should make the decision on such an important matter.”

“Oh my.”

“Of course, the two of you may have different thoughts. I apologize for rudely adding my opinion to the family’s important affairs. I was just worried that my friend’s voice was not being heard enough.”

“No, you’re right. I was just a little surprised…”

Isabelle replied with a flushed face.

She stroked her arm and pondered something, then looked up at me and asked.

“Your Highness is a close friend of my daughter.”

*Close… I thought I could say that.*

It’s true that we’re friends, and now we’re also official priest partners.

“Yes, I am.”

“Christelle easily confesses her secrets and worries to Your Highness. I have a rough idea of how my daughter feels about Your Highness,” she whispered. That was probably true.

Even though Christelle was awkward with her new parents, she seemed quite weak to her mother, who was like an older sister.

In fact, wasn’t the reason I first met her to convey her request for the Duchess’s confession?

It seemed that there had been constant communication between the mother and daughter.

“By the way, Your Highness also received the Marquisate today. Congratulations on becoming an aristocrat of the Empire.”

“Yes? Yes, thank you.”

The topic suddenly jumped.

I didn’t know why the story of the Marquisate suddenly came up when we were talking about Christelle and my relationship.

Then, Isabelle looked at me with very pleased eyes.

I felt a sense of déjà vu, and when I traced my memory, I thought that Cardinal Boutier had often given me this look.

*Was I unknowingly doing commendable things?*

“I will talk to Simon about it,” she said.

*Jackpot.* My mouth dropped open.

“That’s great. Your daughter will be happy.”

“Yes, she certainly will be if it’s Your Highness,” the Duchess said before bowing gracefully.

The last sentence sounded strange, but I was too busy trying to stop Demi from eyeing the hem of her dress to ask.

I greeted her back and quickly cleaned up the Divine Beast and Wren rolling on the floor.

-Peep peep peep!

Ttuk-ssim chirped cheerfully. *Well, it seems the author has some thoughts.*

*

John Haines neatly tied back his white hair and bowed before the Emperor.

The Holy Knight’s information was faster than any spy she had planted in the Holy Kingdom.

Frederique sat with her chin propped up, tapping the end of the armrest with one hand.

No other noise existed in the office.

“King Christiana has regained his sanity.”

“Yes. The cycles of his madness coming and going have been inconsistent. This illness, in particular, has been unusually long and the symptoms severe. There were rumors that he was struggling to even see the faces of the Princess and the Second Princess.”

John replied. Considering the relationship between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, it wasn’t bad news.

Although they had severed diplomatic ties, the two countries occasionally exchanged religious interactions through the Vatican.

There were also people from the Holy Kingdom who secretly crossed the border every year.

Therefore, the Emperor wanted her diplomatic counterpart to be able to think properly and wanted someone who would give a reasonable response.

She didn’t want to talk to some monster who was committing outrageous acts under the name of King’s proxy.

*In the first place, why is the King’s son-in-law acting as a proxy when there is a grown-up Princess?*

“Prince Ye-seo’s hostage negotiation was caused by the Princess’s impulsive actions.”

“Yeah,” Aurelie replied to the Emperor’s murmur. It was also Princess Elysee who signed the negotiation document.

Frederique wondered what the King’s opinion was on the current situation, or if he even knew the state of affairs in the first place.

She looked at her son, who was sitting alone on the long sofa on the left.

His orange eyes were heavily sunken.

“He won’t return him for a mediocre amount.”

“……”

Tsk. The Emperor clicked her tongue.

It was a word meant to relieve unnecessary worries, but the Crown Prince’s complexion seemed to darken even more.

It seemed that future discussions would have to be conducted separately with her contractor.

She gestured for everyone to step back.

Cedrick bowed to the two adults and left the office with John.

Click, the door closed behind them.

It was the Grand Preceptor’s words that caught the Prince, who was about to turn around.

“I heard you’ve been looking at next month’s affairs in advance, Your Highness.”

“…Do you have informants in Romero too?” he glared at his teacher with fierce eyes. John did not waver.

“There’s nothing to call an informant. The Romero Palace maids are close to the Juliette Palace maids, and the Juliette workers are close to me.”

David sighed almost audibly from behind.

Cedrick suppressed the flames that surged from within.

The sacred stone hanging near his heart emitted a calm warmth as if to soothe him.

The golden ether that had not yet been absorbed shone brilliantly beneath his uniform.

*So it was bearable.*

“Sir Sarnese was disappointed that you haven’t been coming to class lately.”

“Get to the point.”

“Are you finishing a mountain of work early because you want to be with your friends, but you’re not actually going?” he curved his eyes. Cedrick’s low voice froze even colder.

“Why are you in the Imperial Palace then?”

“Because I am the Emperor’s knight.”

“Nonsense.”

“Yes. I stayed here by order of my lord.”

The mint-colored eyes shone coldly.

The Cardinal didn’t even pretend to wear a mask in front of him.

Cedrick was satisfied with learning from him, and he roughly understood why the Prince cared about the teacher, but that didn’t mean he felt any particularly positive emotions.

Just as the Prince felt no need to continue the conversation and turned his body, a voice like the wind echoed through the hallway.

“They won’t know if you don’t express it.”

“……”

“Sir Mute is a keen inspector. He is a close friend who quickly understands Your Highness’s feelings. But Prince Ye-seo is different.”

“Why are you telling me this personal story?” Cedrick asked sharply.

He, like his mother, was not the type to enjoy Zen questions and answers.

The Grand Preceptor decided to let go of his disciple little by little. It seemed like a good lesson for today.

Above all, he had no intention of destroying the Imperial Palace.

“I am the Crown Prince’s teacher. If necessary, I must gladly offer emotional guidance.”

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

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

SMPU TWSB What Happens When the Sub Male Lead Goes on Strike When the Third Wheel Strikes Back ขอทีผมคนนี้อยากหนีจากบทพระรอง 男配角罷工的話會發生的事 서브 남주가 파업하면 생기는 일 섭남파업
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Imagine waking up not as the hero, but as the second fiddle in your sister's favorite romance novel! That's exactly what happened. Except, this isn't just any supporting role—it's a fast track to a tragic war and an untimely demise. Forget destiny! This second lead is rewriting his fate. He's dodging the main characters, embracing a life of leisure, and counting down the seconds until he can finally go home. Can he escape the predetermined plot, or will he be forever trapped in a romantic fantasy gone wrong?

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