What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 196

I decided not to be a second male lead, but I was still playing an important role.

Now, I was not just a hostage but also the Emperor’s marquis who received a territory, and I had the Empire’s only cardinal as my teacher.

I was also well-acquainted with the four great noble families of Liester.

Besides, hadn’t I decided to accept and acknowledge my feelings in Serenite?

I liked the people I met here, and I wanted to be with them.

“Hmm.”

To calm the rising unease, I fixed my gaze on the pond.

Sir Johann was teaching Eva something.

“Put it in like this and pull it, young duchess. If you make the circle small, it becomes a clover ring.”

“What if you make it big?”

“Then you can use it as a bracelet.”

“…Sir Haynes is more useful than I thought. Good.”

“Hahaha.”

…So, it really is my mistake.

I was so focused on the tasks at hand that I didn’t think deeply about what kind of existence I would become to others.

I liked Liester, but I also wanted to take care of the prince and introduce him to the sister of the Divine Kingdom.

At the same time, I had to go home.

I was so engrossed in these three mutually contradictory goals that I couldn’t consider external factors at all.

If my friends want to create an intersection with my future self, how should I deal with it?

“Elizabeth, you will inherit the margrave title when your mother retires.”

“Yes. However, I think she will be active for another 20 years.”

“Hmph. If it’s Caroline, she will.”

“Do you have any marriage plans?”

The Emperor also spoke with Elizabeth.

Cardinal Boutier brought up topics like a relative during the holidays.

The young countess blushed and replied that nothing had been decided yet.

Then Christel said in a deliberately loud voice.

“The Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard will wait until her future husband turns twenty. He seems ready to hold the ceremony tomorrow.”

“Oh my.”

“Haha.”

My teacher made a surprised face, matching Christel’s tune.

It felt like I could hear the sound effect of ‘Alnarri Kkalnarri’ [a playful Korean phrase, like ‘Ready or not, here I come’].

I burst into laughter at the two people’s mischievous attitude.

Those who called this place home and their base naturally planned for tomorrow and dreamed of the future.

That was as natural as breathing. I was like that too when I was at home with Eunseo and my brother.

“…Anyway, don’t just stay cooped up in the Imperial Palace and the mansion.”

The Emperor looked around at us and said. The Cardinal added.

“Once you ascend the throne, it will be difficult to go out even if you want to.”

“Go out and wander around when you can, and look after the lives of the people when you can. It is also your job to tell me if I am making mistakes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Crown Prince’s orange eyes calmly sparkled. My teacher gently stroked the back of my hand.

“You’ve done a good job this time too, Your Highness.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Actually, I told Frederick first. To entrust the Madame Victoire case to you.”

I blinked.

I already knew that the Emperor and the Cardinal moved in unison, but I never thought it was my teacher’s idea.

You said it was His Majesty’s sudden suggestion last time. Was it all acting?

“If our guess is correct, it was a very personal revenge. If we pushed through with force, Victoire’s story would not see the light of day. It would end with just a thief running wild and being struck by the Emperor’s hammer.”

“I didn’t want that. Thanks to that commoner woman, I was able to capture the arrogant behavior of the local lords.”

‘I hate owing debts.’ The Emperor grumbled.

In short, she deliberately did not confront Victoire with all her might.

It was no good if the phantom thief was caught quickly, and on the other hand, she wanted her story to be known in a more dramatic way.

However, they said they couldn’t deduce that Victoire was not one but two people, or about Granny Form’s lung disease or the carriage accident.

As the Cardinal said, the two adults couldn’t go to the scene.

“So… Ah, you’ve already finished all the snacks. Are you hungry?”

My teacher looked at Christel and me and asked kindly.

We answered yes with embarrassed expressions.

About that time, Chief of Staff Laura approached the Emperor and said,

“Your Majesty. Dinner is ready.”

Delivering the best news.

Soon, Eva turned this way and perked up her ears.

Sir Johann must have heard everything from over there and told her. As expected, the air attribute is amazing.

*

Dinner was amazing.

Imperial Palace food is delicious in the first place, but eating it outdoors made my appetite even better.

The servants who were waiting outside were relieved to hear that they were eating at a nearby palace.

A white moon was floating in the night sky, which had already turned black.

The air was clear, so there were a lot of stars.

The tulips bathed in the moonlight cheerfully swayed, holding hands with the wind.

It felt like I had wandered into the middle of someone’s sweet dream.

A mysterious purple flower garden, a few passing clouds….

And an unforgettable glass of after-dinner wine.

“Cough, cough! It’s bitter, Your Majesty. It tastes strange!”

“I told you it wouldn’t taste good.”

“But Marquis Sarnez said, uh. There’s no greater delicacy than this….”

The Emperor chuckled at Eva’s reaction, ‘My stomach is burning. Is it spoiled?’

The young duchess looked back at Christel in the next seat with a resentful gaze.

The protagonist giggled and put a lemon tart in the child’s mouth.

Sir Johann laughed softly as she ate it well.

The servants who were taking away the empty plates also smiled as they looked at us.

Today, Eva tasted alcohol for the first time since becoming an adult.

The child was busy going back and forth between the lord’s castle and the Duke’s residence in the Imperial Capital, receiving heir education these days.

Since she had never received alcohol from her parents even in the meantime, the owner of the Empire personally gave her royal wine.

It would have been fine if it was sweet new wine or beer.

“I don’t think Armagnac [a type of brandy] was a little early, Eva.”

I said, pushing a glass of water to the child. Then her dark brown eyes twitched.

Only one sip of alcohol went in, but her ears were red. Well, that’s a 50-degree brandy!

“I can drink it too!”

“You can drink it, but your head might hurt in the morning.”

“Adults have to get up and go to work even if their heads are pounding. Marquis Mute said so.”

I looked at the young countess with calm eyes.

She tried to avoid my gaze and picked up a pastille that came out as a mouthwash.

Did you teach the truth of life too early….

“If we send her like that, her nose will be crooked, so we should take her for a walk.”

‘Cedric, take your cousin with you.’ The Emperor said with a happy look.

The Cardinal sighed deeply.

I was sure he was pouring out his soul’s nagging to his partner.

The Crown Prince got up gracefully and approached Eva, silently offering his right arm.

I was impressed. Even if I saw it while riding the SRT [high-speed train in Korea], it was like the main character of a romance fantasy.

“Th-thank you.”

Eva was now as red as seasoned chicken.

The young duchess hooked her arm around the Crown Prince and stood up, then slowly began to walk with him through the tulip garden.

I smiled as I watched the backs of the two moving away.

It was a pity that the Crown Prince didn’t show that attitude to Christel, but it was good for cousins to get along well.

The young countess followed the two, worried about Eva.

“Your Highness. I have a question.”

“Yes, Marquis Sarnez.”

I turned my head and met Christel’s eyes.

She shook her glass of wine gently and continued to speak casually.

“Is the command ‘Drop and give me twenty’ only in Venetian?”

“Yes?”

My voice cracked. I almost dropped my fork.

It took me about 3 seconds to accurately understand her question.

Goosebumps rose on my arms and my neck felt chilly.

The incident at the high-end bar ‘Blooa’ where I met Modest Bakari quickly flashed through my mind.

[Stop! Everyone shut up and drop and give me twenty!]

…I had clearly given such a decree to the fighters.

In an instant, my palms became clammy and my lips became parched.

I was a hopeless human being who was extremely *heosul* [a Korean word meaning 허술, clumsy or careless], and if I had possessed the protagonist, I would have ruined a country long ago.

Jeong Ye-seo, why are you spouting such Korean words when you’re angry?

There’s a real protagonist from Korea standing right next to you?

And you’ve forgotten about it until now?

“I asked Elizabeth, and she said that there are no such commands or actions in the Empire. So I was secretly surprised to see Your Highness scolding the nobles.”

‘I was surprised too. You’re so charismatic.’ She added playfully, squinting her eyes.

She seemed a little drunk, and the end of her words was a little drawn out.

Christel didn’t seem to care much, but I didn’t know how to answer.

I wanted to lie and say I saw it in the Divine Kingdom,

“….”

Sir Johann was across from me. I’m going crazy!

“Perhaps it’s the Venetian Royal Castle’s soldier training method.”

At that time, the white-haired knight opened his mouth. I was so surprised that my jaw dropped.

“I’ve never been inside the Royal Castle, but I’ve heard rumors that the training there is particularly difficult and there are many dropouts. Instead, the level of refined soldiers is said to be on par with lower-ranking knights.”

The mint-colored eyes curved towards me.

I nodded like a broken machine and gulped down mineral water.

If I left this mouth alone, I would have said something like ‘Thank you for your help’ to Sir Johann.

Christel smiled and buried her lips in the round Armagnac glass, saying ‘So that’s what it was.’

Thank goodness she’s drunk….

“I’ve also heard rumors that the Divine Kingdom works its soldiers hard. Interesting.”

The Emperor added to the story of soldier training. This was an unexpected flow.

I was worried that he would ask me something, so I was scooping up the plum sherbet that came out for dessert when Laura quietly approached and leaned over to her master’s ear.

The Emperor, who heard the Chief of Staff’s report, rolled his eyes and looked at the entrance to the garden.

Everyone’s eyes were directed at the same place.

Huh?

“It’s Marquis Francois Dhiem.”

“Tsk. Has that period already come?”

The Emperor clicked his tongue and got up. She reached out and stopped me when I tried to get up. That period?

“I’ll go talk to him.”

“Give him my regards too.”

“Okay.”

The Sword Master’s firm hand rested on the Cardinal’s shoulder and moved away.

I was curious about what kind of conversation they were having, that the Emperor was going out to meet the marquis instead of the marquis coming.

However, my teacher didn’t particularly add to this situation.

The face, subtly illuminated under the magic lighting, looked somehow sad. It seemed like a personal matter, so I decided not to ask.

The Emperor, who had strode away, was already patting Marquis Dhiem’s arm.

-Thud

I flinched and shifted my gaze.

I saw Christel, who had fallen asleep with her head on the table and was snoring softly.

It was amazing that she had endured until now after drinking with the Emperor with such strong alcohol.

It wasn’t cold thanks to the magic hanging on the pergola, but the kind Sir Johann took off his coat and covered her back.

I laughed in vain when I saw her mouth wide open in a triangular shape. The protagonist is pretty even when she’s drunk.

“Did you have a good time?”

Suddenly, my teacher asked me. Her wrinkled beige eyes were gentle.

I smiled and took another spoonful of plum sherbet.

“Yes, it was informative and fun. In particular, His Majesty gave me a lot of good advice. When implementing new policies, when investigating or digging into something, I was impressed by the advice to always be mindful of my power so as not to become a tyrant. Of course, I will never ascend the throne….”

“You can become another being.”

She gently cut into my words. I slowly swallowed the sherbet.

Only then did I realize that the Cardinal’s ‘good time’ didn’t just mean this evening.

“Your Highness, I….”

“I hope Your Highness will continue to have a good time here in the future. I mean it.”

A warm touch caressed my cheek. Yes, that was the problem from the beginning.

“If you want.”

If these friends of mine want a part of my future, how much can I give them?

“Purple tulips will only bloom at Your Highness’s feet.”

My teacher finished speaking in a whisper.

Beyond her shoulder, I saw a man standing tall in the center of the purple garden.

A pair of small suns stared straight at me. My eyes slowly widened.

No…. What did I just hear? Writer, come down here.