What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 159

#159 The Magic Tower Lord’s Forest (1)

A few warm and harmonious days passed.

In the Juliette Palace, there was the scent of autumn and marron glacé [candied chestnuts].

Although the Crown Prince was known for his fiery temper, King’s letters weren’t burned thanks to Christel’s efforts.

Even if the letters meant little to me, they could become precious to Prince Yeseo when he woke up in the future.

After much deliberation, we placed the scrolls in a large chest, loaded it onto a baggage cart, and transported it to the Juliette Palace.

When I said it was food ingredients for me, even the passing workers seemed convinced.

It barely fit in my vault when stood upright. Thankfully.

“······.”

By the way, why did he try to burn the royal letter? Does he hate the Divine Nation that much?

I glanced at Prince Cedrick next to me.

The curtain by the window, catching the autumn breeze, tickled his hair.

Feeling my gaze, the Prince paused his quill.

“Now, I will explain about the head of our family.”

Eva’s voice rang out in the drawing room, or rather, the makeshift classroom.

Yesterday and today, there were lectures on ‘Blanquer Culture and Traditions’ conducted by the young lady.

The Blanquer family was known for being reclusive, with little interaction with the Imperial Family or other great nobles.

It was a crash course right before leaving for the Duchy, but the information taught directly by Eva, the Duke’s daughter, would be quite beneficial.

“My mother, Duchess Cecile Blanquer, is one of the most powerful mages in the Empire. Of course, she is an 8th Circle mage [a mage of very high power], and her specialty is ‘Light.’ She has directly controlled numerous border conflicts and is called a deterrent in herself. I don’t really know what that means, but······.”

The young lady, holding the chalk, trailed off.

Sir Johann, who was holding the blackboard as an assistant, smiled gently.

“It means the opponent doesn’t dare to attack because they are afraid of the Duchess’s retaliation. How wonderful.”

“I didn’t mean I needed an explanation!”

Eva’s eyes sharpened. The Holy Knight tucked his white hair behind his ear and backed away.

The Juliette Palace servants filling the classroom burst into laughter.

Christel, sitting on the left, also chuckled.

She glanced at the young lady teacher, then reached over to my desk and played with the quill.

Letters began to waltz on the white paper.

‘There’s a pop quiz later’

My mouth dropped open. There was no such thing, really?

‘Professor Eva is so strict’

Her handwriting was a mess. I laughed silently and scratched with my pen.

‘Who are you going to the masquerade with?’

‘It’s a secret’

‘Is the rumor that you have a partner true, then?’

‘Your Highness’s handwriting resembles Your Highness’s’

Christel digressed. She giggled as our eyes met. Is this an insult?

-Kkiing

At that moment, Demi, who was patrolling the students’ feet, stood on my calf.

The little one seemed bored with the class and had tears in its eyes.

Leia and Perry were busy chasing their tails in the back.

I put Demi on my lap, patted it, and continued our silent conversation.

‘How is the Duchess doing?’

It was a simple greeting, but it also had another meaning.

It had been five days since we witnessed Duke Sarnese’s… at the Imperial Palace.

I carefully watched Christel’s expression. She wrote an answer as if nothing was wrong.

‘Yes, my father ran off to the Duchy that afternoon’

I put down my pen and read the continuing sentence.

‘He’s very busy’

‘My mother doesn’t know the situation, I wish she wouldn’t know at all’

‘······Are all nobles like this?’

‘But both of them are going to the masquerade, it’s ridiculous’

Her expression slightly frowned at the last words. Christel shook her head.

Then, as if she remembered something, she widened her eyes and scribbled with her pen.

‘Marquis Francois Dhuem is also attending! I heard it from Lady Elizabeth earlier’

It was unexpected news. I glanced at the viscountess sitting in the front row.

She was diligently taking notes on Eva’s explanation.

The Marquis, whom I met at the Imperial Palace on the day of the investiture ceremony, seemed very busy and was quite serious when he said he would not attend the masquerade.

But somehow, he managed to make time.

It seemed like it would be an event where many friends would gather after a long time.

The moment I turned my light blue eyes,

-Fwoosh!

“Crazy.”

A fist-sized fireball came down from the right!

As I was startled and moved my body, the flame shrank and soon fizzled out.

Neither the paper nor the wooden furniture was scorched. I frowned and looked at the Prince.

His orange eyes were full of dissatisfaction. What was he so proud of!

“What are you doing?”

“Your Highness, were you doing something else in the back?”

Eva’s voice flew in. I was momentarily stunned. I felt like I was really back in high school.

“That’s······.”

I trailed off.

I was having a silent conversation, so I couldn’t lie that I wasn’t doing anything else.

Christel pretended not to notice and buried her face in her desk, and Lady Elizabeth bit her lip and looked back at me.

Soon, the young lady’s eyes turned sharp.

“Tell me about the specialties of a mage.”

“······A specialty is a magical talent that shows a mage’s innate mana sensitivity. Usually, the discovery of a specialty is how it is known that a child is a mage. An ordinary mage has one specialty in their lifetime, and a magic formula is not needed to activate it. In Your Highness’s case, you have a metal specialty.”

I answered slowly. Exclamations of ‘ooh’ flowed from all around.

Sir Johann said, ‘Excellent.’ I didn’t expect this reaction, so my cheeks flushed.

Then Eva had a truly sulky face.

The child looked at the paper on the tea table and read it out loud.

“In the Venetian Divine Nation, there is a tendency to despise mages, comparing them to clergy. Describe the tendencies of the Divine Nation, focusing on the ecology of magical beasts and the impact of magical beasts on our lives. 4 points.”

······Is it an essay-type question?

Eva was also flustered and whispered to Sir Johann, ‘What is this?’

It seemed like it wasn’t a question she had prepared.

Christel and the viscountess, as well as Benjamin, Ganael, and David, looked at me with expectant eyes.

I calmly organized my thoughts.

I felt like I knew who had provided Eva with the questions.

The words were a bit difficult, but the question itself was easy. It was all content I had learned a few months ago.

‘Mana recorded in the Bible is ‘the power left over by the Lord God.’ That’s the original text. Not water, fire, air, or earth, but the remaining miracles.’

Cardinal Boutier’s voice rang in my ears.

‘But some clergy interpreted this as mana being the power abandoned by the Lord God. Unlike ether, it is also belittled as a vulgar and dirty energy.’

“······It has also been belittled. Moreover, the authority of priests is absolute in the Divine Nation. Since there is a perspective that looks down on the profession of mage in the upper class that has seized power, it is not strange that they have had such a tendency for several generations.”

I calmly continued.

“The same goes for magical beasts. They are born from mana in its natural state and unconditionally harm humans. Since magical beasts, which are byproducts of mana, act in a chaotic and evil manner, mages who handle mana will not be viewed favorably from their perspective.”

Then I quickly added.

“Of course, I don’t think so.”

Liester had expanded its territory and defended its borders by relying on the military power of swordsmen and mages, without a single Holy Knight.

Most of the high-ranking mages in the Empire were famous and respected as much as any archbishop.

I had no intention of coming to such a country as a hostage and spouting nonsense that priests were superior to mages or that mana was filthy.

As I ambiguously raised the corners of my mouth after finishing my words,

“Wow!”

This time, applause poured out from the students.

Sir Johann smiled, and Eva poked him in the side with a frustrated look.

I was embarrassed and my ears turned red, but I was glad that the two seemed to have become close in the meantime.

The Prince, who had heard the answer, snorted.

When I looked back, he was looking at documents related to state affairs that were unrelated to Eva’s lecture.

I put my arm on his desk. I happened to see scrap paper.

‘Your Highness is the one doing other things during class’

Then the man frowned. I fixed my gaze on Eva and only moved my hand.

‘I won’t leave you alone and go out to play with everyone, so take your time’

‘Don’t treat me like a child’

He seemed quite angry, and he even added an unexpected comment and glared at me.

I chuckled and scribbled.

‘If it’s not important, can I help you? I can read and write too’

Then the Prince’s movements stopped abruptly.

I wondered if I had made a slip of the tongue and looked over it again, but it didn’t seem like there was anything problematic.

When I watch British dramas, the king also discusses state affairs with his close friends.

“Do you know what your words mean?”

······I guess I shouldn’t do that here. I immediately understood his question.

Of course, not all Western-style things are the same. Above all, I am a hostage.

“Your Highness, you’re doing something else again!”

“I’m sorry.”

Damn it, Eva caught me again. Demi whimpered as if he was gloating.

Lady Elizabeth and Christel high-fived and giggled. One of them snitched.

“I don’t know if you’re listening to the class properly. It’s unbelievable that Your Highness, of all people, is a bad student!”

“I was wrong.”

I straightened my posture and apologized.

I often heard that I was a model student when I was in school, but I don’t know how I got possessed and got labeled as a delinquent.

Eva shook her red curly hair and poured out questions.

“There is a long and tall building in the Blanquer Territory’s forest. It is a tower designed by the first head of the family, who was a great mage. Tell me its name and purpose, who the owner is, and what they are called.”

“Uh······.”

I wracked my brain.

All sorts of web novels and clichés I had read flashed through my mind.

If it’s a tower conceived by a great mage, then of course.

“Magic Tower?”

“Wow.”

“There’s nothing Your Highness doesn’t know.”

The room buzzed. Eva’s eyes became even colder.

“The purpose of building it is for magic research and······. Border defense and surveillance, I guess. The owner of the Magic Tower would be called the Magic Tower Lord, and the current head of the family, Duke Blanquer, would be in charge.”

“I’m really getting annoyed. I hate you!”

Eva shouted.

While I was surprised, the young lady grabbed the hem of her dress and went outside.

To be exact, she was about to leave, but she realized she had forgotten to say goodbye and politely greeted the Prince and me before disappearing.

‘We’ll take a 10-minute break and then have a pop quiz!’ She didn’t forget to warn us. Scary.

“This time, Your Highness made a mistake.”

The viscountess turned around and smirked. Ganael came over and set up snacks in front of us.

Benjamin, with David’s help, began feeding snacks to the servants.

The Prince sighed.

“Is that so? Thank you, Ganael.”

“Lady Eva seems to want to be Your Highness’s tutor. She must be upset that you answer everything so well.”

“If Your Highness knew that, you would have conquered the continent long ago.”

Christel took a big bite of mousse au chocolat.

I paused while slicing the quatre-quarts [French cake] studded with walnuts and tilted my head. Was that also an insult just now?

The next day was finally the day to depart for the Blanquer Duchy.

A long carriage procession once again lined up at the Imperial Palace.

Lady Elizabeth was whistling and gesturing to arrange the Imperial Guards in an orderly manner, and the teacher who came to see us off was stroking the Prince’s head.

I was serious alone in front of the seawater pool.

“Are you really going with me? Even though there are many strangers there?”

-Aeooo

Tete cried, stretching its neck.

Only after confirming with the little one three times did I wrap its white body in a towel that Benjamin handed me.

Dduk-ssim, sitting on the Prince’s shoulder, chirped at me.

It seemed like a reproach, asking how I could think of leaving Tete behind, and whether I was even a temporary guardian.

I smiled bitterly, at a loss for words.

Eva even said the grateful words that she had prepared a water tank in the lord’s castle, but the little one had not been in the Imperial Palace for long.

I was worried that I was making it wander outside for no reason.

-Awoo, aeu

“Okay, let’s go with hyung [older brother].”

The Prince got into the carriage first, and I stood at the gate with Tete and the divine beasts.

The Cardinal said with a benevolent look.

“Have fun, disciple.”

“Yes. I’ll contact you when I get there.”

“I’m glad. Cedrick doesn’t have that kind of charm.”

She smiled so brightly that her eye wrinkles deepened, then kissed me on the cheek.

Then she quickly whispered.

“When you go to the Duchy, it’s best not to take out the hair ornament. It will create antipathy among the people there.”

I blinked. She took her body away with a calm face and did ventriloquism.