What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 199

Purple Tulip (6)

-Clack, clack, clack!

The Imperial Guard marched in step.

*That’s right. Our covert operation was a success. Surprisingly!*

“There are many faces I don’t recognize.”

Using Erbe D’heim, the captain of the guard, as a shield, I moved through the crowd.

Tete and Leah were in my arms, while Ganael took care of Demi and Perry.

Dduk-sim remained quietly perched on my shoulder, not revealing his presence.

Truly, he was the smartest wren on the continent.

“Yes, Your Highness. They are new knights and soldiers trained in Sarnez. They enlisted in large numbers with the support of Duke Simon de Sarnez.”

Sir D’heim explained with a handsome smile.

He seemed surprised to see Ganael and me suddenly appear but was pleased when I said I was out for some exercise after a long time.

He emphasized twice that I should ‘be careful not to lose my muscles,’ but that was it.

The captain of the guard didn’t question our joining and readily agreed to accompany us to Tete’s pond.

Indeed, he was one of the ‘Top 10 Most Attractive Bachelors in Liester’.

A rare case where looks and personality were proportional.

“The size of the guard has increased significantly.”

I said, walking with wide strides.

I wanted to get out of the Juliette and Romero area as quickly as possible.

I could feel the newly arrived guards stealing glances at me.

I never got used to this, no matter how much time passed.

“Hahaha, that’s right. Reinforcements have been steady since last spring, but it’s rare for knights and elite soldiers to come in droves. However, since the ‘Piercing Sky’ incident, the opinion that the Imperial Palace’s forces should be increased has gained traction… And with more people to protect in the palace, it was a predictable step.”

His light pink eyes curved handsomely.

I was about to continue questioning him when I met someone’s gaze over his broad shoulder.

It was a coincidence.

“Gasp.”

I quickly lowered my head. In the distance, that dark figure was burning alone.

*Hey, anyone would think there was a fire in the garden!*

“Is he really angry?”

Surely not. The Crown Prince always has that look in his eyes, even when he’s eating breakfast.

I tried to see the situation rationally.

Meanwhile, Leah was enjoying herself, pressing her paws against my cheek.

‘Your Highness?’ Ganael called me worriedly from behind.

I smiled at the boy and quickly blurted out anything.

“Um, hmm. I saw your brother the other day. He was having an audience with His Majesty late at night…”

“Ah.”

Sir D’heim’s eyes flickered for a moment.

I belatedly realized I had made a mistake.

Even at the Tulip Garden, I didn’t pry when I saw sadness on my teacher’s face, but I mentioned it too lightly to the person involved’s brother.

I quickly added,

“You don’t have to answer. He must have had a good reason.”

“Yes, my brother… will be staying in the Marquisate for a while. But I expect him to come up before His Majesty’s birthday.”

He said, gently raising the corners of his lips.

It was natural for the Marquis to stay in his territory, but it sounded like there was an unavoidable reason.

I nodded, assuming only that much.

I was a little sad that I wouldn’t see the Marquis for a while.

We continued walking, talking about this and that.

Thankfully, Crown Prince Cedrick didn’t come running to hit me or set fire to the nearby bushes.

“There, you can see the pond. The thin ice will be good for the divine beasts to play on.”

The captain of the guard pointed to Tete’s seawater pool.

The harp seal in my arms cried out happily, “Awoo!”

I grinned and rubbed the mochi-like [soft and chewy] fat on his chin.

*

So, I spent all day Sunday playing with the divine beasts,

‘Hyung [term for older brother or male friend] can’t enter the ice water. No matter how desperately you look, it’s not allowed. Sorry.’

-Splash! Splash splash!

‘Ah! Tete-nim [honorific suffix], please don’t splash water!’

‘Run away, Ganael!’

Running around in the winter wind,

‘Leah, Perry! Huff, aren’t you going to put on your leashes?’

-Kkiheung!

I also cleaned up the flower petals that Demi spat on the floor.

-Ptooey

‘The world is strange…’

I learned for the first time that when earth-attribute divine beasts get extremely excited, they spit out flower petals instead of bubbles.

Ganael was shocked, but I found it absurd and cute, so I laughed for a long time.

It was a fun time.

And today was Monday.

Cardinal Boutier didn’t even bring up the ‘religious partner’ during the morning class.

But in the afternoon, there was a Holy Knight class led by Sir Johann, and I had to do my duty as the protagonist’s priest partner.

-Clatter, clatter

The carriage heading to the indoor training ground crossed the Imperial Palace.

With Emperor Frederick’s birthday just a month away, December 31st and January 1st were also major year-end and New Year’s festivals in the Toegye Gong universe [the fictional world].

There were more people than at the Spring Ball, carrying furniture and decorations everywhere.

Everyone was walking briskly in thick clothes.

It was amazing to see colorful fresh flowers in the cold weather, but they said they used expensive magic tool pots to maintain warmth and vitality.

It was an enormous luxury.

I muttered, looking out the vibrant window.

“I really can’t avoid it anymore.”

-Bwee…!

Dduk-sim received the words solemnly. I exchanged heavy glances with the little guy.

“I’ll show a mature twenty-nine-year-old’s way of handling things. This time, for real.”

-Bwirrrr

Then, Benjamin, who was checking the list of supplies across from me, smiled.

Ganael also had a look that said he couldn’t stop me.

Both of them seemed to have noticed that I was avoiding the Crown Prince.

It was even more embarrassing that they didn’t ask why. I silently pursed my lips.

The Imperial Palace wasn’t a kindergarten, and I seemed to be acting too childishly.

Next month, I’ll eat rice cake soup and be thirty years old in Korean age.

No matter how confused I was, unilaterally avoiding the other person wasn’t the right approach.

-Knock, knock, click

While I was lost in thought, the carriage stopped. The coachman escorted us politely.

I barely moved my feet, which wouldn’t budge.

*What’s the big deal, Jung Esseo. Just act like nothing happened.*

*It’s not like I actually had that kind of conversation with him.*

“I’ll open the door, Your Highness.”

When I came to my senses, the training ground was right under my nose. I nodded calmly.

Clunk! The sound of the door opening echoed through the wide hall.

Soon, the figures of three men appeared.

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

“Prince Esseo, good to see you!”

Sir Johann and Sant greeted me happily. I gave a Figi salute [a formal greeting].

Then, I met eyes with the problematic man. I swallowed hard involuntarily.

…I’m doomed. That guy is about to explode.

“Crown Prince,”

“Your Highness? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

At that moment, a clear voice rang in my ear.

Like someone who had found an oasis in a blazing desert, I hurriedly turned around.

As always, pastel pink hair swayed beautifully, and blue-gray eyes shone like stars.

Christel, wearing a thick robe, was tilting her head.

“Why is your ether so unstable? Did something happen?”

“Sir Sarnez.”

*Is my ether flow bad?*

The protagonist easily caught something that even I couldn’t detect.

Not wanting to worry her, I gave a rough smile, and Christel’s gaze instantly sharpened.

She blocked me as if to protect me, then looked back and forth between me and those in the training ground.

Sant, feeling the grim atmosphere, fidgeted, and Sir Johann was as calm as a windless zone.

The Crown Prince was glaring at her with eyes like a furnace.

Christel grabbed my wrist. It didn’t hurt at all today either.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

I asked back like an idiot. The Sarnez estate attendant who followed her opened his mouth wide.

“You’re having a hard time right now. I don’t know why, but I’ll protect you. Let’s run away together.”

Ta-dat! I didn’t even have time to answer.

Christel, who had kidnapped me in an instant, ran down the road.

I couldn’t resist, and maybe I didn’t even want to, so I ran with her.

Dduk-sim created wind from behind to increase the speed.

Still, I couldn’t shake the anxiety, so I hurriedly looked back at Benjamin and Ganael,

“Hehehe.”

The middle-aged man was smiling kindly with his hands behind his back.

The boy standing next to him had flushed cheeks and was grinning. I felt an instinctive sense of crisis.

*Hey, don’t misunderstand, both of you! It’s definitely not some kind of escape!*

-Kwaaaang!

At the same time, a huge explosion occurred inside the training ground. I was startled and turned my gaze forward.

The hem of a blue robe fluttered. Christel was looking back at me, smiling brightly.

The cool winter air burst into my chest.

A hollow laugh erupted.

*

Johann Haynes was delighted every day these days.

Although his disciple made a huge hole in the perfectly fine training ground, well.

His feelings remained unchanged.

“Move.”

“That’s difficult.”

The Crown Prince threatened, but Johann did not waver.

The opponent was a prodigy chosen by the divine object, a 7th-level mage and an 8th-level swordsman.

But he was a cardinal who had awakened the stigmata at the age of twenty-seven.

There was a clear difference in power between master and disciple, so there was no reason to yield.

Johann was rather concerned about the safety of the innocent priest.

His lord would not want Sant to get hurt.

The man raised an arm and gestured, and the pure young man’s body floated in the air.

“Ugh, Sir Haynes!”

“It’s okay. Sit over there and rest safely.”

“Yessss!”

The priest flailed and flew to the sofa in the corner of the training ground.

Johann carefully checked Sant, who was hugging a cushion.

That young master has definitely become more daring than before.

He no longer ran away or shed tears when he saw such a situation,

-Kagaang!

The Hyegeom of Mars [Crown Prince’s sword] aimed at him from the front.

-Kkigik, kkigigigik…

The cardinal slowly turned his head and stared at the crimson eyes.

Between the two crossed swords, the Crown Prince’s iris narrowed like the sun obscured by the shadow of the moon.

He seemed resentful that he had received his attack without even looking at it.

Johann’s weapon was always a white, opaque blade of air.

The two men’s arms vibrated as they competed for strength. Crack, crack…

“Why are you interfering?”

“Because Sir Sarnez is right.”

He replied quietly.

“Because my master is in a state of confusion. I cannot send Your Highness right now.”

Johann had a look that knew the reason for the confusion. Cedrick bit his lip.

-Kuoong!

The bottom of his black boots sank in, and two divine figures flickered and disappeared.

-Kwaaaang!

-Chaeng, chaechaeng, kagaang!

And appeared on the other side of the training ground.

The sword blades collided so quickly that they could not be followed by the naked eye.

They had never dueled so fiercely when the prince was watching.

The hair, resembling the sun’s black spots, scattered wildly. The man spat out words between his teeth.

“The prince didn’t explain to me.”

“Then you have to wait.”

“Why.”

“Because Your Highness always waits for Crown Prince Cedrick.”

Admonishing voices, relaxed eyes, everything was annoying. His teeth ground.

Johann knew exactly how to handle such Cedrick.

‘If you’re lucky.’ He opened his mouth.

“Someday, you will shake hands with Princess Elysee again.”

“……”

“If you can’t beat me, she’s out of the question.”

-Hwareureureuk!

Flames soared from the Hyegeom. Mint-colored eyes drew a pleasant arc.

Wheeeeing! The north wind rushed in from the gaping wall.

*

“Huff… I can’t run anymore, cough!”

“There aren’t many people here. Let’s go to that palace!”

Christel led me for the last time.

Even in the midst of it, she was careful not to bruise my arm, gently changing her grip.

I was grateful for that consideration, and my lips kept loosening.

I don’t know how far we ran, but it was definitely less populated on this side of the Imperial Palace.

I looked around.

*This is also my first time here. Is it an empty palace? Or for guests like Stroda Palace? I don’t know its purpose.*

“Back door, back door. It’s open. Luck is amazing.”

Christel rattled off lines that could identify her nationality in one shot.

It was just like Jung Eun-seo’s 말투 [manner of speaking]. I barely held back my laughter and caught my breath.

The protagonist winked at me with both eyes in turn, then quickly opened the door and pushed me into a palace.

It felt like I was back in my student days.

“Cough! Haa…”

“I’ll take you inside. It’s humble, but no. It’s the Imperial Palace, so it would be blasphemy to say it’s humble, right?”

Christel, who was laying a handkerchief on the hallway, quickly corrected herself.

I chuckled and accepted the favor, taking out my handkerchief and spreading it on the seat next to me. Christel sat down with a smile.

For a while, no words were exchanged between us.

Once or twice, I heard the voices of attendants and servants from outside the window, but for the most part, it was a very leisurely atmosphere.

Whether it was a palace without an owner, no one was checking the back door or coming in and out.

As my heavy breathing subsided, a kind voice reached my ear.

“You can talk now. I’ll listen to everything.”

I turned my head. Her lovely face was very close.