What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 206

Intermission (3)

There were many things we could do.

If we had worked in Aitz Village to repay the kindness of the village elders, in the Barant Barony, work piled up just by breathing.

It was only natural, as the Baron and his wife were constantly looking after their territory.

Of course, the two of them stubbornly refused our help.

They were adamant that it was unthinkable for honored guests from afar to do chores.

‘These are tasks that the territory’s workforce can handle sufficiently, so please don’t worry. Our earnest wish is for our honored guests to rest comfortably,’ they reassured us.

But…

‘Baron, Young Baron. News has spread that the flu is spreading throughout the empire, starting from the Imperial Capital and the West. His Majesty the Emperor has dispatched physicians to various regions. They are expected to arrive in our territory next week,’ the head butler of the Lord’s Castle whispered in the dining hall. The faces of the Barant couple darkened.

Of course, the Crown Prince and I, who were sitting near them, overheard all the whispers.

Around that time, I was biting into a warm piece of pain aux noix [walnut bread], spread with lemon marmalade.

The coarse bread had a unique, slightly bitter taste of rye.

Juliette Palace’s breakfast of soft wheat bread topped with Roquefort was good, but this breakfast was also delicious enough.

I was crunching on the occasional walnut when the middle-aged man looked at me with a troubled face.

I knew it instinctively. Finally, we’re going to work!

‘Yes, Your Highness. You can proceed in that manner. You have a talent for it.’

And so, currently, in the Lord’s Castle’s cozy living room.

‘······.’

The Crown Prince’s face, guided by the Baron, was very serious.

He was a serious guy in the first place, but now he looked like he was about to burn the knitting needles in his hand with his eyes.

Christel, glancing at him, pursed her lips and swayed.

How long are you going to keep dancing?

‘Sir Sarnes, I think you’ve dropped a stitch.’

‘Ah, it’s like this again.’

She composed herself and retraced the part that Sir Johann had pointed out.

It wasn’t surprising that the skillful Sir Johann was also good at knitting, but I didn’t expect the protagonist, who had knitting experience, to be worse than the Crown Prince, who was attempting it for the first time in his life.

I smiled and focused on my knitting.

I had knitted a scarf before, so it was easy to recall.

I had worried about what to do with the one Eunseo had abandoned, but I learned from YouTube and completed it, and it was quite manageable.

‘These are treasures knitted by the most esteemed people in the empire, so the elderly and children of the territory will spend the winter healthy for a long time. I sincerely thank you,’ the Baron said kindly, putting down his knitting.

The colorful knitted vest he finished in an instant was cute.

Benjamin, Ganael, and David were also focused on knitting.

I felt like I had opened a knitting shop in the countryside, which was enjoyable. The crackling sound of firewood burning in the fireplace was also nice to hear.

The Divine Beasts, along with the cat Coco, were stuck to the carpet like scorched rice.

As the couple struggled to make a living, there were many poor people in the territory.

Most of them received support from the lord to buy winter clothes and firewood.

The territory’s people were also accustomed to helping each other.

However, there were also a small number of elderly and infirm people who had to get through the next month alone.

The Baron’s family made hats and gloves for them from time to time.

Originally, it was something that could be finished by the end of the month, but as the flu was prevalent in the upper regions, time was of the essence.

I was glad that we could be of some help.

‘Is the flu very dangerous?’ Christel asked, stopping to fix a dropped stitch. I was curious about that too.

Is it similar to the flu in the original world?

‘Healthy and young people don’t have a problem, but the elderly and infirm are vulnerable. Those who suffer from overwork are also easily infected… Every year, there are deaths in the territory, so we must pay attention,’ Elodie explained in a small voice, focusing only on knitting.

She seemed shy, but as the young lady of the house, she knew the situation of the land she would inherit well.

The flu seemed to be similar to the flu I knew.

‘Marquis Dhiem is also sick, could he have caught the flu?’ Ganael whispered to me from the next seat. My mouth dropped open.

It was hard to believe that the national MC [Master of Ceremonies], eccentric magical scientist, and capable magician was in bed.

‘Is he really sick?’

‘I heard rumors from the Imperial Palace. He’s not seen around this time every year, and there’s talk that he’s bedridden in the Lord’s Castle. I don’t know the details,’ Ganael whispered, drooping his eyebrows.

Suddenly, I remembered the voice of Erbe Dhiem, the captain of the guard.

‘My brother… will be staying in the Marquisate for the time being.’

Come to think of it, Frederick the Emperor’s words in the Tulip Garden also bothered me.

‘Tsk. Has that period already come?’

Could that have meant the period of illness?

Is that why my teacher looked sad? I don’t know what’s going on at all.

He doesn’t seem like it at all, but I wondered if he was secretly weak.

I should send a box of red ginseng to the Dhiem family soon… I wonder if they have ginseng here.

‘Lord.’

At that moment, the Baron’s servant approached and bowed. I reflexively perked up my ears.

It was clear that it was another job.

‘The Lady wishes to dismantle the old spinning wheels in the attic to make firewood.’

‘Good idea. Do so.’

‘But there are not enough hands to move them… She is looking for the Lord.’

The Baron got up without hesitation. I was faster. 벌떡! [Baldeok! (Sound of jumping up)]

‘I’ll go.’

‘No, Your Highness. It’s a dusty room, so it’s not a place for a noble person to go.’

‘I’m strong. My respiratory system is also healthy.’

I smiled and replied.

Compared to Christel or the Crown Prince, I was weak, but I was also quite fit and strong.

It wasn’t a boulder, so a spinning wheel would be easy. Besides, the knitting room needed a reliable leader.

The Crown Prince, whose eyes met mine, looked displeased.

At the perfect timing, Christel, who had risen to her feet following me, pushed her knitting towards the Crown Prince.

Wrinkles finally appeared on the handsome man’s brow.

‘I will help with outdoor activities. Knitting doesn’t seem to be my aptitude.’

The light blue-gray eyes sparkled with overflowing enthusiasm.

I would have kept her indoors if possible, but the Baron couldn’t deny her words.

-Miyaak

Coco cried loudly and yawned. Ganael stroked the cat’s belly.

*

-Eummeee

The sound of a cow mooing was heard from outside the open window. The smell of fodder wafted through the rising dust.

‘Yeah, just wait a little. Your sister will remodel it into a brand new house!’

Christel’s energetic voice followed. The children who went out to watch giggled.

She wanted to do outdoor work, and the protagonist really ended up helping with the winter barn repairs.

I helped with the attic work, using her live broadcast as background music.

Baroness Anne Barant was shocked to see me come all the way up here, but she raised both hands in surrender when she saw my support troops.

-Kkii!

‘Our Demi is an angel.’

-Bbii!

‘Thank you for coming to cheer me on too.’

I stroked Ddukssim, who was sitting on my shoulder. Today’s MVP was Demi, no matter what anyone said.

Even though the other Divine Beasts were sleeping day and night like newborns, he proudly resisted his desire for sleep and accompanied me.

And then, as soon as he entered the attic…

-Kking

He put strength in his eyes and grew vines quickly,

-Wajikkeuntteokttak! [Sound of something breaking]

-Ojikkeuntokttak! [Sound of something breaking]

He started to break the piles of spinning wheels with a cracking sound.

It was a sight that made my heart feel clear just by looking at it.

The horrified servants prostrated themselves and praised Demi, and the Baroness was greatly surprised, calling it a miracle of the Divine Beast.

It was rare for ordinary people outside the Imperial Palace to have the opportunity to see the power of the Divine Beast up close.

Anyway, everyone was able to reduce their labor thanks to him.

‘I will continue to serve you, Demi-nim. I will peel tangerines until my fingertips turn yellow and offer them to you.’

-Kkitheung [Snort]

The lesser panda snorted triumphantly. He must have learned it from the Crown Prince in the meantime.

While I was busily sweeping the dust and debris on the floor, the servants neatly packed the broken spinning wheels into sacks.

The Baroness admired as she organized the remaining space.

‘The power of the Divine Beast is truly wondrous. To tame such a being, the royal family’s shaman is indeed different.’

‘No, the little ones are kind and help me,’ I replied.

It was 100% true, but she just smiled elegantly, thinking that I was being modest.

A comfortable silence flowed for a while.

I diligently swept the place where Ddukssim was pecking with his beak, and the Baroness looked around at the scattered old books and ornaments.

Her eyes were gauging whether there was anything worth selling.

-Bbippo!

Suddenly, Ddukssim jumped up and down in front of a short iron skewer.

I hurriedly sat down and scanned him.

‘Why, did you get poked by a spindle? Are you bleeding? Are you suddenly sleepy? No, I guess not.’

‘This isn’t very sharp in reality.’ I muttered, moving the spindle away.

Ddukssim was just excited to see something sparkling in the dust pit.

He had even stolen Crown Prince Cedric’s insignia, so I thought that was the reason.

Is this what Sleeping Beauty was pricked by and fell asleep? It wouldn’t have been easy.

-Bbiiii!

But the wren grabbed my sleeve and tugged. It was a gesture that it wasn’t.

Looking again, there was a square object covered in gray dust near the fallen spindle.

I calmly swept the top with a broom. An old writing case appeared.

The Baroness, who had approached in the meantime, read the letters written on the cover with me.

‘Knight Ingrid Barant, Records of the War Era’

…We exchanged wide-eyed glances. Are you going on now?

*

Unfortunately, the TV show was canceled!

But the notebook we found was clearly a precious item.

The Baron, hearing the news, hurriedly climbed the stairs, and the servants who were moving the spinning wheels retreated.

I stood awkwardly and stirred the dust with the broom. It looked serious, was it okay to keep being here?

‘Shall we go down too?’ I whispered, sending Demi and Ddukssim down. It was then.

‘Thank you very much, Your Highness, Divine Beast-nim. Thanks to you, we found a precious heirloom,’ the Baron said.

I shook my head and broom at the same time.

‘No, you would have found it today even if we weren’t here.’

Then the couple smiled gently. I was glad that the two of them were happy.

If it was a record of the war era, was it like a war diary? Ingrid Barant was the Baron’s ancestor?

‘This is my grandmother’s diary. I had heard since I was young that she had left this, but I thought it had been lost somewhere. It was right under my nose…’

‘That’s good.’

‘This person collected Yuliter’s headdress.’

My jaw slowly dropped. That was now my property. The Baron continued bitterly.

‘My grandmother was a knight who served Emperor Romero, the previous emperor. She had been trusted by His Majesty since before the war broke out. She was also friends with Yuliter. She watched her relationship with His Majesty… from as close as the head butler.’

I swallowed hard.

This was not only new information, but also the most sensitive issue in the relationship between the Empire and the Divine Kingdom, and a matter of extreme secrecy for the Imperial Family.

The next sentence became desperate and my heart pounded.

‘Do you know why Yuliter betrayed him?’

The question popped out of my mouth.

I was so surprised that I almost ruined the sack. The Baron’s eyes widened.

‘I’m sorry for asking such a difficult question suddenly.’

‘It’s okay. I just thought you might know. But… it’s probably difficult to access the past unless you’re the heir to the throne.’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

I nodded creakily. He slowly began to speak.

‘From what I heard from my grandmother, Yuliter mentioned her mother before she died by His Majesty’s sword.’

The Baron’s gaze deepened as if tracing back to the distant past. I listened intently, mesmerized.

Romero Claire Liester was attacked by the Divine Kingdom’s Holy Knights at the Imperial Palace portal, where he was waiting for his lover.

The Empire was strong enough to withstand both the sudden strike to the heart and the Emperor’s madness.

Filled with betrayal, shame, rage, and sorrow, he immediately declared war.

He even issued an imperial order that he would kill Yuliter himself, and that no one could lay a finger on her.

However, there was no order to capture her. It was because he was worried that she would be subjected to the anger of the enraged imperial army while being dragged away.

Finally, the two men met in the middle of the battlefield.

The Emperor’s golden hair was soaked in blood, tinged with crimson.

The ruby-like red eyes were blackened by death.

‘Why did you betray me?’

The last person the despairing young man saw was only one person.

‘I wanted to be recognized by my mother. So I deceived the Emperor of the Empire. I planned it for a long time and moved meticulously. Everything was a lie from the beginning.’

‘······.’

‘So I never loved you, Your Majesty.’

Yuliter smiled as she shed tears and seemed to collapse. It was a dazzlingly beautiful sight.

The Emperor’s sword, Durandal, roared fiercely.