What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 142

#142 The Greatest Show on Earth! (1)

Just looking at their faces fills me with warmth.

The fact that they’re both here gives me such a sense of stability.

This is why readers dislike it when the main characters in movies or novels are separated.

It’s why supporting characters declare, ‘I believed in you!’ when the hero finally appears.

I grinned at Prince Cedric, who sat across the table.

He set down his coffee cup and glanced at Lady Elisabeth beside him.

“Is the Marquis drunk?”

“Impossible… He’s simply overjoyed that his friend has arrived.”

Elisabeth, initially surprised by the unexpected visit, exchanged a few words with David and quickly regained her composure.

Apparently, the Crown Prince had come to Serenité to unwind after completing his royal duties.

A wave of inexplicable pride washed over me as I sipped my sunflower tea.

Cristel truly is a captivating main character, worthy of attracting the Crown Prince’s attention.

Eunseo Jeong would have bought all the Cristel-related merchandise.

-♬♩♪······

The musicians Chantal hired played a delightful serenade.

In the salon, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, I opened my notebook and reviewed my tasks.

Having the main characters together was incredibly motivating.

∙ Serenité Schedule

– Greet the people of the Lord’s Castle ○

– Sign various documents ○

– Inspect the territory (Chantal’s schedule) ○

– Sacred Stone Stabilization Experiment △ (Still failing)

– Attend the As Merchant Guild banquet ○

– Visit the As Auction House!

I wouldn’t have considered going to the auction alone, but now everything had changed.

With Cristel having caught the eye of the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince himself visiting Serenité, attending the auction was inevitable.

As the largest and most prestigious event hosted by the As Merchant Guild, the Duke’s family was expected to attend.

My mission was simple: find a plausible reason to bring the Crown Prince along.

“Alright.”

-Squeak

-Squeak

Leah and Perry responded instantly to my determined words.

The two divine beasts, who had traveled in the Crown Prince’s carriage, demanded affection even more insistently than usual.

I chuckled and stroked their fur.

Demi was asleep on the Young Count’s shoulder, looking like a piece of laundry, while Dduk-sim occasionally chirped happily from the Prince’s palanquin [a covered litter carried on poles].

– Second meeting with Joan de As

I stared intently at the last item on the list.

Cristel would return before dinner.

The Duke and Duchess, having seen the Crown Prince, had dispatched a messenger to the city, so her return was certain.

I needed to meet with Joan beforehand to gather information about Emil and the Merchant Guild.

As I nodded, Benjamin and Ganael, seated on either side of me, refilled my teacup and piled meringue cookies on my plate.

I felt energized. I must work hard to film in the future.

*

Cristel de Sarnes, or rather, Ham Gain, had never worked in sales.

However, she had spent all four years of university working part-time at a cafe near the station.

She had encountered every type of person imaginable.

She had dealt with difficult customers in countless ways.

After that, she worked at a company for seven or eight years, confident that she had her fill of dealing with crazy people.

But she had never met anyone quite like this. In a way, it was refreshing.

“You began studying the Merchant Guild at the age of nine? That’s incredible.”

“My sister refused to become the heir from then on, so I had no choice. In a way, she’s the amazing one. She decided on her career at the young age of thirteen.”

Emil de As replied with a smile.

He possessed a face that would leave most people speechless, but Cristel remained unimpressed.

She found Prince Yeseo’s smile far more captivating, and even in terms of pure looks, the Crown Prince outshone the Guild Master.

She hated to admit it, but it was true.

Having seen the two men so often, ordinary handsome men no longer caught her eye.

Besides, Emil was young and handsome, but it was clear that his upbringing had been restrictive.

“It must have been difficult to make friends. You must have been very busy.”

Cristel said kindly as they strolled along the Merchant Guild’s sponsored promenade.

It was beautiful here, but the Juliette Palace garden with her friends was far superior.

She realized she hadn’t visited the Prince’s palace greenhouse yet.

“Books were my friends. They taught me a great deal about the world.”

So, he had no human friends. Cristel’s lips curved into a smile.

“Have you read many novels? I’m currently obsessed with .”

“Yes, novels have played a significant role in expanding my imagination. They allowed me to dream of a world beyond the sea and sparked my curiosity about trade…”

Hey, calm down. You’re acting like a twenty-year-old at their first job interview.

She only grumbled inwardly.

Emil was a fresh twenty-three, but Cristel found him irritating.

He only studied as a child, learning about human relationships through books, and this is the result?

He’s skilled at selling, but lacks the ability to win people over, is that it?

That was absurd. Not all model students grow up to be people who slander others.

Especially while engaging in low-quality, fox-like behavior behind her back.

She didn’t care how much romance literature he had read; Cristel had no reason to indulge Emil.

She didn’t want to. She wasn’t a prince.

“But there don’t seem to be many novels that focus on the lives of commoners. Most revolve around the romance or politics of nobles, right? The you mentioned is also an adventure story about a powerful clan.”

She probed gently.

She recalled what Lady Elisabeth had told her before leaving Serenité Lord’s Castle.

‘I’m not certain of its accuracy. However, according to Joan de As’s testimony, the As Merchant Guild Master aspires to rise in social status. Keep that in mind.’

As far as Cristel knew, there were two primary ways for a commoner in the Empire to elevate their status.

The first was to receive a title for making significant achievements in a particular field.

However, this was rare in stable times, except during wars.

There was no guarantee of receiving a title, and corrupt nobles often stole the accomplishments of commoners.

That left only one path.

Marriage to a noble.

“That’s correct. I’ve always been disappointed by that, and I’m glad you agree.”

Emil replied with a sorrowful expression.

Oh, this is it. Cristel clicked her tongue silently.

“Indeed. It’s unfair that extraordinary commoners are not recognized due to their social limitations and are excluded from important matters.”

She made flattering remarks, observing Emil’s reaction.

She widened her eyes and tilted her head slightly to appear as innocent and charming as possible.

Emil gazed at her with trembling, lemon-colored eyes, as if hearing something unbelievable.

She could see the unique delight of someone seizing an opportunity.

“Do you truly believe that, Lady Cristel? No… May I be so bold as to call you by your given name?”

“Of course. I’m pleased that you find my name pleasant to say.”

Cristel said shyly. The Prince was right.

The Crown Prince’s voice was far more appealing than this guy’s.

He tended to be excessive in everything, including his physical appearance.

“Thank you very much. Please, feel free to call me by my name.”

“I will, Emil.”

When she responded readily, the Guild Master beamed.

Cristel smiled back, completing her calculations.

He was clearly ambitious about his status, and since marriage was the easiest route, he seemed to be pursuing it.

Seeing him wagging his tail at her, it was clear he had set his sights on the Sarnes Ducal family, among others.

It’s good to have big dreams, but it’s not impossible… What a load of crap.

“Oh my!”

Damn it! Cristel pretended to stumble on a rock and fall.

First, she needed confirmation.

“Lady Cristel!”

Emil swiftly caught her around the waist. They were instantly in a romantic pose!

“Oh, my lady! Oh, my goodness.”

The Duke’s family servant, who had been following ten steps behind, quickly covered his eyes and turned away.

Cristel placed her hands on Emil’s chest and slowly looked up.

Her light brown cheeks were flushed, and it was obvious he saw her in a romantic light.

Cristel covered her mouth, feigning distress. No matter how hard you try to act like a fox…

“Thank you. The Marquis has never helped me in this way before…”

“That’s impossible. How could I not offer assistance to someone as beautiful as you?”

You idiot, would a paladin ever fall?

There was a time when the Prince almost fell, and she caught him.

“He… offers a different kind of help.”

Cristel whispered to Emil in a pitiful voice.

She was referring to the ‘slapping incident’ with the Prince. Emil’s expression hardened.

“So that’s the truth. The rumors were accurate. I heard that the Marquis, the Prince, was using Lady Cristel and His Highness the Crown Prince as playthings, manipulating them both.”

“That’s right.”

Who is spreading this nonsense?

Cristel seriously considered the faces of the bishops she had seen at the annual prayer meeting.

It was probably those jealous bastards.

If you can’t say it to my face, then shut up behind my back.

“Good heavens. Lady Cristel, I sincerely…”

Emil’s large hand was about to caress Cristel’s cheek.

She successfully created a moist gaze by suppressing two yawns.

That’s when it happened.

“My lady! The Duke has ordered you to return immediately, oh!”

The Duke’s servant’s voice echoed from afar.

Cristel hurriedly pulled away from Emil as if caught in an embarrassing situation.

The messenger, guided by a Merchant Guild employee, bowed his head, his face flushed.

He then spoke rapidly.

“L, Lady Cristel. His Highness the Crown Prince is at the Lord’s Castle. The Duke and his wife have instructed you to return and greet him.”

“…F.”

Cristel barely suppressed the first letter of the curse.

She had been dealing with a weasel pretending to be a fox, but a real vixen had arrived.

She looked up at Emil with a grimace. He would interpret it as a deeply sad expression.

“My feet ache, and I must leave now. My father dislikes tardiness.”

“Wait a moment, Lady Cristel!”

Emil grasped her wrist. What a rude bastard.

She turned to him dramatically, shaking her long hair.

“When will we meet again? Please, tell me that a reunion is possible.”

“Well, I have the auction invitation you sent, but my parents are wary of bidding on uncertain items. They likely won’t attend. It seemed there was something you desired…”

Cristel trailed off, feigning regret.

“I can’t promise anything. Goodbye, then.”

She fluttered her eyelashes and departed.

Emil weakly released her arm.

Cristel, having turned away, rubbed her wrist against her clothes with a fierce expression.

The net was cast perfectly. Now, all that remained was for that bastard to get caught.

It was time to return to the place where the rabbit-like Prince and her friends awaited.

*

“You could rest in your room… Aren’t you tired?”

I asked, glancing up at the Prince as we walked side-by-side.

He must be exhausted from the long journey, yet he insisted on accompanying me to the underground prison.

He simply looked down at me and raised an eyebrow, offering no explanation.

Surely, he didn’t interpret ‘let’s move together’ so literally.

He simply seemed curious about the castle. The housewarming was proving interesting.

-Clang!

I flinched again as Lady Elisabeth kicked Joan’s cage, just as she had before.

The startled Lesser Panda Trio complained from within my arms.

I stroked their backs, instead of the Young Count, and apologized.

“Wake up, Joan de As. His Highness the Crown Prince and the Marquis wish to speak with you.”

“Ah, give me some warning… I was exhausted from creating art until morning.”

Joan grumbled, pulling up the scarf she used as an eye mask.

I tilted my head, intrigued by the mention of art.

“Gasp!”

“Wow…”

Ganael and I gasped simultaneously.

A large portrait adorned the wall of her prison.

The boy’s face, rendered in white chalk, was so lifelike it seemed to breathe.

I glanced back and forth between the wall and Ganael. It was an exact likeness.

It was an extraordinary talent. Ganael’s cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and shyness.

“Ah, um. Why…”

-Sreung!

Lady Elisabeth immediately drew her rapier.

Her gray eyes were coldly narrowed. I swallowed hard.

“…The Marquisate is more impressive than I anticipated.”

The Prince remarked casually. Don’t add fuel to the fire!