What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 148

#148 What I Like the Most (1)

“Fish from the sea are falling from the sky!”

“Oh my god. I’m seeing a Divine Beast for the first time!”

“It wasn’t a monster. The Guardian Deity is watching over the Empire.”

The venue became noisy enough to burst. The auction was as good as over.

The auction house turned into a vibrant fish market. The auctioneer and head of the Merchant Guild, Emil, was in a miserable state, and Joan’s live painting broadcast continued on stage.

I sat between Christel and Crown Prince Cedric, watching her painting.

Benjamin and Ganael, who came down with me, handed me the *pain perdu* [French toast].

They made it themselves in the Merchant Guild’s kitchen in a hurry, and it was warm and really delicious with milk.

“Then this place looks a little empty… Paint it lightly, with the feeling of the first snow falling. It’s easy, right?”

“Good heavens!”

I’ve heard that line a lot.

The nobles were in awe as they watched Joan’s painting being created right in front of their eyes.

Demi on my lap rolled around as if fascinated.

As I smiled, Christel stroked the harp seal in her arms and whispered.

“Marquis, I’m sorry.”

“Yes? About what?”

“About being in such a state on stage earlier… I didn’t expect you to be down there with this little one.”

She drooped her eyebrows. I smiled and shook my head.

Since becoming my official partner, I knew that Christel and the Crown Prince were consulting with each other and showing respect in many ways.

They only said that the harp seal was a Divine Beast, but they didn’t say where I would be, so the two of them must have been quite surprised to see me on stage.

Besides, the little boy splashed water on me because he was scared, not to harass me.

Her face brightened when I said it was okay.

Christel tilted her head and looked at the Crown Prince over my shoulder.

“I’ll take some credit. I apologized on your behalf.”

“······.”

The Crown Prince on the left was silent. Dduk-ssim, sitting on his shoulder, was also quiet.

I chuckled and took a big bite of bread.

Putting the harp seal up for auction was his trap after all.

“Why are you admiring it like an idiot? I’m telling you that I conspired with my sister to trick you! I’m doing this to show you the evidence of fraud. It’s not for you nobles.”

“Hahahaha!”

When Joan burst into anger, the nobles laughed and enjoyed it.

I was surprised because I didn’t expect this kind of reaction.

Joan is certainly an unprecedented character, but I thought the noble aristocrats would point fingers at the As siblings and be angry first.

But the Riester nobles were much more… what should I say, relaxed than I thought.

Is it because most of the people who came here are rich and live comfortably?

It’s okay to get a refund for a fraudulent auction item, and it felt more like they had found new entertainment.

The fact that the Crown Prince left them alone like Emperor Frederick also contributed to the excited atmosphere.

“Get up. You are now His Majesty’s criminal.”

“······.”

“I will charge you with deceiving His Highness the Crown Prince, insulting the Imperial Family and the Royal Family, and fraud for profiting by covering artworks with false information. I’ll deal with the rest later.”

Elizabeth spat out at Emil, who was kneeling.

Since the Free City of As is the Emperor’s land, the criminal will also go to the Imperial City.

As the Imperial Guards grabbed him and pulled him up, the cloth wrapped around the man’s head fell to the floor.

However, no one paid attention to it.

“Did you see the brush moving just now?”

“I didn’t see it, the head of the Merchant Guild was blocking it… Ah! What a wonderful color. I always liked Jansen’s lemon color.”

Some nobles’ voices were heard. Emil was quickly pushed out of their interest.

I looked down and stared at him being dragged away for a long time.

The man did not rage until the end like Duke Robert Blanquer, nor did he struggle like Claudine of the Le Ciffre Inn.

He didn’t glare at us and curse us.

His handsome face was covered in despair, futility, shrimp shells, and fish scales.

His yellow buzz cut looked somehow cold.

“He lived believing he was a prince of As.”

Christel muttered. I turned to look at her. Her clear eyes quickly met mine.

“There is only one prince in the Empire.”

The main character smiled dazzlingly at me.

The harp seal cried, ‘Awoo, awoo,’ as if agreeing.

The next day dawned. For reference, the Crown Prince’s 200 million francs were safely recovered!

We rested in the castle all morning and went outside in the afternoon to bask in the sun.

“Wow, it’s so pretty! You really chose the territory well. Jackpot!”

-Squeak! Squeak!

-Woong!

Christel couldn’t help but admire it.

The three red pandas and the harp seal cried cheerfully and rubbed their backs on the grass.

Dduk-ssim also seemed to be in a good mood, circling widely over our heads.

I chuckled as I helped the servants spread out the picnic mat.

If you climb to the highest spire of Serenite Territory Castle, you can see the large lake and small hill behind the castle.

It was a territory with few forests, but there was quite a bit of vegetation around the lake, which was charming.

The place we went on a picnic today was also near the lake.

I was worried that the water breeze would be cold, but it was moderately refreshing because it was in the south.

“Lady Elizabeth, thank you for your hard work yesterday.”

I said to the viscountess as I opened the picnic basket.

She fluttered her well-groomed bob and raised the corners of her lips.

“I was just doing my duty. Lord, your food expenses must be burdensome because your family has grown.”

Seeing her making mischievous jokes, it seemed like she had a lot more work to do in the Imperial City.

I smiled wryly and thought of those who were temporarily imprisoned in the basement of the territory castle.

Emil and the Merchant Guild employees who helped his fraud, and Joan and his gang who were imprisoned again.

Even if the Emperor takes care of the younger sibling, the older sibling’s disposition was still up to me.

I’ve been thinking about something since yesterday…

“Your Highness, Marquis, we’re thinking of taking a walk around the lake.”

Then I heard Duchess Isabel’s voice.

When I looked up, I saw her and Duke Sarnese looking at us, asking for permission.

“Yes, please feel free to go.”

“Yes. I hope you two have a comfortable time as well, Christel.”

The Duke politely bowed to us, greeted his daughter, and left with his wife.

The couple seemed to be in a very good mood.

I glanced at Christel, who was laying a support cloth on the mat.

She had also been smiling brightly since earlier.

“Lord Sarnese, is there something good going on at your house?”

I asked carefully. Christel looked at me with sparkling eyes as if she had been waiting for it.

“I don’t have to get married right away.”

“Really?”

Lady Elizabeth asked back in surprise.

Benjamin, Ganael, David, and Chantal also stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on her.

Only the Crown Prince sat like a sculpture, looking at the lake.

He’s been sitting there without moving a finger since earlier, well.

“That’s good. Arranged marriages aren’t all bad, but they don’t guarantee happiness.”

“How did the story unfold?”

Benjamin and I said one after another. Christel wiggled her lips as if she was so happy.

“Actually, I was scolded a little after meeting the head of the As Merchant Guild separately the day before yesterday. So this morning, I spoke first. Instead of talking about my lost memories, I confessed that I was happy when I was with the Marquis, Lady Elizabeth… and His Highness and my friends.”

The precious ‘Your Highness’ part passed by too small and quickly. I almost missed it.

“I said that if I got married, I would have to be faithful to my family and husband, and I wouldn’t be able to hang out with you like yesterday, and then I would be unhappy. Then my father agreed for some reason.”

Christel smiled and handed me a walnut tart.

“You’ve only encountered what I’ve done with you through magazine articles or words, but seeing it in person must have been a different feeling. He said he didn’t know we were such a good match.”

I felt proud for no reason. I handed a cup of coffee to the Crown Prince next to me and looked at his face.

There was no movement. It’s not like there’s a camera anywhere, but he’s taking a pictorial with a blank expression.

“So, I’ll be the head of the family soon, but I’ve decided to think about marriage slowly. My mother also told me to do as much as I want with my friends.”

“That’s a relief. They are good people.”

I replied. Then everyone offered their congratulations.

It was funny to see words of blessing being exchanged not for the news of the marriage, but for the news that the marriage had been called off.

We ate, drank, and chatted for a while in a lively atmosphere.

The Crown Prince didn’t say anything, but he didn’t return to the castle either.

He seemed to like the lake scenery.

“Ah, good. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve had such peace.”

Lady Elizabeth was the first to lie down on the mat.

When Ganael covered her with a blanket, Christel playfully booed.

Benjamin, David, and Chantal were already enjoying the scenery by the water.

I was enjoying the awkward silence while rubbing the sleeping red pandas, and Christel, who was sitting next to me, was rustling something.

The harp seal flapped its flippers as if curious.

“Marquis, close your eyes.”

“Now?”

What is it?

“Yes. You absolutely must not open them until I say it’s okay.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

The Crown Prince sharply cut off her words.

I thought he wasn’t listening, but he had excellent hearing.

Christel glared at him with her eyes wide open and turned her head away.

The Crown Prince also took a small breath and stared straight ahead. Uh?

“Did you just fight with Aether [magical energy]?”

“Did you feel it?”

“No, the priest can’t do that… I just thought the atmosphere was like that. Please get along.”

I gently scolded the prospective couple.

Unless the pressure was extremely strong, the priest could not sense the flow of the paladin’s Aether.

But since I see them often, I think I know the timing when they are having a war of nerves.

Christel ignored my words and opened the basket she had brought.

Is she going to eat something? That looks delicious.

“I feel bad just giving it to you… I got it at this auction to give to the Marquis. Ta-da! It’s so pretty, right!”

“Wow!”

Ganael and the viscountess exclaimed. My eyes widened.

My jaw dropped so much that it hurt. It looked like a huge treasure to anyone who saw it sparkling, and I couldn’t help but look at the Crown Prince’s expression because I wondered if I could receive something like this.

I was worried that he might have unnecessary misunderstandings or be jealous.

As expected, his orange eyes were full of dissatisfaction.

But he didn’t say it couldn’t be done.

“Really… Thank you, Lord Sarnese. I will cherish it. This is the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful necklace.”

I bowed my head and accepted the jewelry.

I had a lot of fun reading the book she gave me as a birthday present, and I didn’t know I would get such a precious thing again.

“I felt bad that I could only give you a book on your birthday. It’s not a necklace, it’s a hair ornament.”

“Ah.”

I stopped the hand that was touching the necklace. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

This thing decorated with numerous diamonds on a sky-blue platinum ring is not a necklace, but a hair…

Wait. The catalog I skimmed through on the way to the auction house flashed before my eyes.

Christel and I made eye contact.

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes, it’s Yuliter’s hair ornament. Genuine! Here is Baron Berang’s certificate of guarantee.”

She showed me a platinum-plated card. I opened my mouth.

“Then this is really…”

Not only the price but also the famous relic of Yuliter Statia was in my hands.

Christel explained with her unique, confident face.

“It’s supposed to make the mana flow better, so it greatly reduces the physical burden when using the portal. It will be much better than Marquis Dium’s motion sickness medicine. Now that you have this, you can go anywhere you want quickly.”

“······.”

“No matter how far away… with us.”

Her blue-gray eyes sparkled like jewels.

The wind scattered and ran away with her cosmos petal-like hair.

I was speechless and looked back and forth between her and the hair ornament.

I knew that Yuliter’s belongings would be auctioned off, but I didn’t know it was such a great item with such great abilities.

I was truly grateful that she had thought of me so much, even though she was distracted by Emil.

I felt somehow choked up.

“······Thank you.”

I barely answered and smiled brightly. It was then.

“Get rid of your vain dreams.”

A voice as cool as autumn cut between us. Christel and I turned to look at the Crown Prince.