What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 203

Purple Tulips (10)

At that moment.

“No!”

Eva blurted out. All eyes turned to the young duke.

Unlike Christel and Sant, who seemed to have missed the nuances of the conversation, the child seemed to grasp the content clearly.

“I, I have a lot to do, and the Prince needs to help me. You can’t go.”

The approaching dark brown eyes sparkled with determination. I was at a loss.

I wanted to help Eva with whatever she needed, but I also wanted to attend the orphanage opening ceremony.

The croquet game naturally came to a halt. The servants murmured amongst themselves.

Sir Johan, who had approached unnoticed, asked in a gentle voice.

“Young Duke, I apologize, but is that matter more important than your cousin’s prior commitment?”

“Well, that’s…”

The child took a step back, glancing at the Crown Prince. She looked dismayed.

I hurriedly turned to the Prince.

The handsome orange eyes were gleaming with competitiveness.

Hey, thanks for putting it on the schedule, but you shouldn’t be competing with a sixteen-year-old!

“Eva, what’s going on?”

“…It’s nothing. Compared to His Highness’s precious time, it’s just trivial.”

“No. It’s equally important to me. Christel probably feels the same way.”

I said, looking at Christel. ‘Crack!’ The sound of firewood popping in the fireplace seemed unusually loud.

Then she openly giggled and began to coax Eva.

“Of course. I’m so curious too. What kind of plan did our Eva come up with all on her own? Huh?”

“It’s not a big deal, just… I’ve decided to take over that bar.”

The young duke’s voice was muffled as she nestled into Christel’s arms.

We tilted our heads, wondering what this meant.

Sant, who had been listening quietly, asked Elizabeth.

“Isn’t that the high-end bar we all went to last time? The place where you saved Commander Modeste Bakari…”

“Ah. ‘Blua’?”

The viscount’s gray eyes widened. Our gaze turned back to Eva.

That place was a tavern formerly run by the wealthy drunkard, Baron Zan Tillier.

The self-proclaimed information broker and ‘fist king’ of the Central Region had become a criminal of Emperor Frederick for illegal taxation and assault.

Since the owner went to jail, I was curious about what would happen to the place, but Eva bought it? Really?

“That’s right. I… I told you I wanted to have power.”

“Yes.”

That’s right.

Since her days as a duchess, Eva had wanted to rise to a high position, which is why she coveted the title of young duke.

She said she was confident she could do well. It was such an innocent attitude that I wondered if she even knew what power truly meant.

But the nobles here inherit titles at a young age, personally experience the real economy and political arena, and grow into leaders.

So Eva just had to learn little by little.

She would be a much better duke than someone like Robert Blanquer.

Eva, whom I had watched so far, was a smart girl with clear goals.

“But last week, my mother said that wielding power arbitrarily is violence. She said that power that is recognized by the people is true power.”

“Oh…”

We exclaimed in unison.

“So I’ve been thinking about how to gain true power.”

“Yes.”

“My current friends aren’t enough. I need to build up my influence.”

“Pardon?”

I blinked. Crown Prince Cedric tilted his head.

“There are many noble children like me in the Imperial City. Those who have nowhere to turn because their families are strange… Or those who are still young but have a mountain of worries because they’ve become the head of their families. Anyway, weary souls?”

The child said in an unsure voice.

Christel stroked her red curly hair and elaborated.

“You mean you want to gather people in similar situations to Eva and create a social club. The Imperial social circle is the center of power.”

“Well, similar. Yes.”

The young duke leaned on her shoulder and muttered.

Elizabeth and the Prince exchanged glances.

“But I don’t like the social circle. I can’t hang out with Herrit. He can’t drink and needs to rest early. He’s taking a nap in the next room right now.”

“…”

Sir Johan looked at Eva with surprised eyes. The child continued, counting on her fingers.

“Even if they only drink herbal tea like the Prince, or if they’re younger than me, they can stay comfortably, and even if commoners come and go, no one will talk behind their backs… I like that kind of place.”

‘But there’s nowhere like that outside of Juliet Palace,’ Eva concluded quietly.

Lea, who was lying at my feet, rubbed her cheek against the young duke’s dress.

I watched the scene and opened my mouth.

“That’s a great plan.”

“Really?”

The girl’s eyes widened. A smile naturally formed on her lips.

This child must have thought a lot during the Emperor’s Andreji trial last week.

After learning about the count’s cruel history and the stories of the victims,

And then listening to the monarch’s political lessons in the Tulip Garden, followed by her mother’s teachings.

She had been thinking about what she could do.

“Yes. I also want to contribute to Eva’s shop in a small way. I’ll help even after I come back from the orphanage.”

I was grateful for that.

I was proud that Eva had grown up well on her own and had begun to care for the vulnerable.

I also respected the fact that she wanted to gather them and listen to their stories.

‘Influence’ might not be something grand, but it could be meaningful.

“That sounds fun. Should we redo the wallpaper and flooring? How about going to the trading post to look at materials after croquet?”

Christel suggested, kissing the child’s head.

‘What’s flooring?’ Eva asked innocently. I laughed out loud and turned to the side.

The Prince chuckled softly, the viscount nodded, and Sant grinned.

Finally, Sir Johan bowed to me.

*

A lord’s castle with a very long history.

The boy who was the heir to the Andreji Count family repeatedly bowed his head before the ‘man’.

In his hand was a pebble-sized medicine packet.

“Thank you. Thank you so much…”

“I admire your courageous decision. I pray for your soul.”

The lord said solemnly. Then the boy’s eyes flashed with madness.

As expected, the whole family was not normal.

Having grown up under such parents, it was obvious what kind of religious education he had received without even seeing it.

However, the man had no intention of correcting it. Rather, he intended to use it thoroughly.

The Blanquer family’s fool was not a bad card, but it was not enough.

Double operation was the most basic of basics.

“I’ll be going.”

“Return carefully.”

As the lord bid him farewell, the chief servant who was guarding him escorted the boy out.

Soon, only the man remained in the spacious reception room.

He had been very busy lately.

He diligently took care of the territory and digested state affairs, while all the servants who were not close aides were sent on paid leave.

This was because it was wise to regard those who could not be completely trusted as potential traitors.

Also, no matter what the outcome of the ‘plot’ was, the fewer people around, the better.

Even if it failed, it could minimize the victims other than himself, and if it succeeded, it would be easier to prevent the word from spreading.

“…Haha.”

He sat down on the sofa as if collapsing and laughed self-deprecatingly. Everything was as simple as a glass of wine.

He was famous as a competent great nobleman, but he himself did not know that he had a talent for this kind of thing.

His brain, as if born for betrayal, was constantly spinning and plotting, as if waiting for this opportunity.

The blood of a spy flowing through his veins surged with impure joy and guilt.

He had not drunk enough to get drunk, but his fingertips were tingling. The man clenched and unclenched his fists and looked at the desk.

A blank piece of paper was waiting for his ink.

‘It was a choice for survival. So don’t be ashamed.’

The haunting voice of his tiresome great-grandmother echoed in his ears. The man gritted his teeth.

It was a ghostly sound that would disappear if he just endured it for a moment.

These days, the frequency had definitely decreased, and it no longer tortured his eardrums as loudly as before.

So it was okay.

For the honor and prosperity of the family. And to protect his family in the Imperial City…

“Huff, cough. Cough cough!”

He could endure this much. The man jumped up from his seat and walked to the desk.

Now that he had finished the tuning, he had to report the situation to the one who held his leash.

-Scribble, scribble…

He grabbed the quill and scribbled madly.

It was a very disrespectful act considering that the recipient was the head of a country.

However, the man’s hand movements were unhesitating. He was not running, but his breath was coming out in gasps.

The beads of sweat on his forehead poured down on the paper and wood grain without order.

‘A purple tulip bloomed at Arian’s feet.

Alas, the Emperor’s hunting dog was blind to color.

He spat on the leaves and bit the flower.

She blamed the innocent cat.

The tenth month, the nineteenth year.’

Thud. He put the pen down as if throwing it. He did not even have the energy to reread what he had written.

But he had a feeling that this would be enough.

These were sentences that Werner Fenetian would understand at once, but would appear as simple folktales to those who knew nothing.

The man got up, chewing on the date of the last sentence.

Now he had to deliver this to the spy in the Imperial Palace…

-Knock knock

“Come in.”

He put on an indifferent expression and tone, and quickly put the letter in an envelope.

“Master. Archbishop Eugene Kessie has arrived.”

The loyal eighty-year-old chief servant did not add a word of complaint even after seeing his master drenched in sweat.

The man forced a smile and wiped his neck with a handkerchief.

Kessie was a person who played a crucial role in his plan, and unlike the snot-nosed kid he had met a little while ago, he was not easy to deal with.

So far, he had worked well with her, so he had to continue to do so in the future.

The man calmly cleared his throat.

“Thank you. I’ll see him in 10 minutes.”

“Yes. Shall I prepare a carriage to go to the Imperial City?”

The old man was quick-witted. He recognized the envelope in his hand.

“No, I plan to stay in the lord’s castle for the time being. I’ll see my family later.”

“Understood.”

He bowed and retreated without saying a word. The man took a deep breath.

It was fortunate that he could finish everything before the beloved Emperor’s birthday.

*

A week later, December 15th. It was so early in the morning that everything looked blue.

-Squeak!

“Oh, it’s so cold. No joke.”

Every time I spoke, white breath billowed out.

I wrapped three lesser pandas around my chest and left Juliet Palace.

Ttuksimi buried himself in the Prince’s fur coat, and Tite looked excited in Christel’s arms.

I was glad that the little one was not cold, but the problem was me.

“Wow…”

I’m going to freeze to death, really!

It was no use even though I was wearing the thickest clothes in the Imperial Palace.

My teeth were automatically chattering and my shoulders were shaking.

Prince Yeser’s body did not betray my expectations.

Following the summer when I had to go to Ivelyn for summer vacation, I was extremely sensitive to the cold in the middle of winter.

Why is the perceived temperature suddenly becoming Seoul? Wasn’t it okay until last week?

Give me back the ‘mild Imperial City’ setting!

“Your Highness, are you very cold? You also get hot easily.”

Christel approached with a worried look. I instinctively took a step back.

It was not because I disliked her, but because a subtle chill flowed from the water-attribute paladin.

I squinted at her and sulked, then approached the warm pillar.

Sir Johan smiled at us.

“…”

I wondered why and turned around, but it was not a pillar but the Prince.

He’s a human hot pack. He even looks like he’s in good condition, like he just opened it!

“It seems that the southern schedule was set at an appropriate time. The Berang Barony will be like early autumn by now.”

“It’s like summer in the middle of the day, Your Highness!”

Benjamin and Ganael, who were loading luggage into the large carriage, said.

I nodded with the hope that it would be so.

As the preparations for departure were completed, Eva, who was wrapped up tightly and only showed her face, opened her mouth with dissatisfaction.

She was holding Herrit’s hand tightly.

“You have to leave as soon as the opening ceremony is over. Okay? You can’t stay one more day because you’re having fun.”

“Yes, I promise. See you on the 20th.”

I smiled and replied.

Eva and I had a good time for the past week.

I ordered a painting to hang on the wall of the store from Joan, and also inquired about the production of a sign from Frank, the Imperial Palace blacksmith.

I heard that she chose the wallpaper with Agnes on the weekend, so all that was left was to match the furniture after returning.

“We have to look at the lighting too.”

“I almost forgot about that.”

I hugged Herrit and quickly added.

“Uncle will buy you something delicious. Listen to Sant and Eva. Take your medicine well. If anything happens, tell Aunt Elizabeth. Okay?”

“Your Highness, that’s what I’ve already said five times.”

“I said it too.”

Sir Johan and Christel joked. Herrit nodded with a sleepy face.

I checked several times to see if the child’s ears were worn out and got on the carriage.

I thought the kids would go in and sleep better if we left quickly.