What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 207

Intermission (4)

“Your Majesty Romero was branded a ‘lover slayer’ at the very moment your grandmother stood by his side.”

Baron Fabrice Berang spoke in a low voice.

I sat with Demi and Ttukssim on my lap.

The Baron and his wife also chose a spot on the clean floor of the attic. The story had become lengthy.

“Though they became adversaries, they were once comrades… My grandmother personally collected her body, cremated it, and kept her headdress as a memento.”

Ingrid Berang, the Baron’s grandmother, was a remarkable figure.

Protecting the Emperor amidst the chaos was no easy feat, yet she also managed to hold a funeral for her former friend who died as an enemy.

“But as you know well, His Late Majesty did not cease the battle even after Yuliter’s death. It is said he was like a wild beast wandering the battlefield in search of someone to avenge.”

I nodded slowly. History books described it similarly.

Romero Riester never uttered words like ‘truce’ or ‘negotiation.’

He only desired the complete and absolute surrender of the Divine Kingdom.

Thus, with intervals of a few months to a few years, the two nations clashed incessantly. It was an immense war of attrition.

It was astonishing that the authority of the imperial and royal families remained steadfast even after waging such a war for so long.

Of course, this is within a novel, and such things have happened in Earth’s history as well.

“Then, did your grandmother retire only when the era of war was nearing its end?”

I asked. The Baron gave a bitter smile.

“No. She wished for it, but His Late Majesty dismissed her early on.”

“Yes? Why?”

“After driving Yuliter to her death by your hand… He found it difficult to look at the face of your grandmother, with whom he had shared companionship. He must have had many memories.”

I fell silent. I seemed to understand in my head what Romero’s feelings were at the time.

Seeing Ingrid would have painfully reminded him of the days spent with Yuliter, so he sought to remove even his loyal knight from his sight.

He was barely sane.

“Thus, His Majesty granted her a fief in the southernmost part of the empire, the farthest from the imperial capital, and bestowed upon her the title of Baroness. This is that place.”

“…Your grandmother must have been upset.”

I said honestly.

Ingrid had risked her life to assist the Emperor and had devoted herself to him even before the war broke out.

Yet, to receive only a barony in such a small and remote territory, I would have been disappointed too.

She was practically being driven out.

She might have even felt a sense of futility, wondering if her efforts amounted to only this much.

Then, the couple burst into laughter. Demi and Ttukssim tilted their heads to the left in unison.

“Haha. She probably was. I’ve heard she occasionally expressed her resentment in public. But… My grandmother, born a commoner, caught His Majesty’s eye and pursued her dream as a knight.”

Wow, I didn’t know that. My mouth dropped open involuntarily.

It was definitely a tremendous achievement for a commoner to rise to the position of the Emperor’s escort knight.

“Though it wasn’t a beautiful farewell, he was the one who allowed her to enjoy the best days of her life… She cherished her friendship with His Late Majesty until her death.”

“…”

“Besides, there was much to do here.”

“And still is.”

I took the Baron’s words. The couple burst into hearty laughter once more, seemingly fond of my jokes.

“Yes. Since the day she settled here, we have been living like this.”

I quietly gazed at the couple. People grow up influenced by those around them.

That’s how it was for me, and for Hyung and Eunseo as well.

So, these two middle-aged individuals must have grown up watching and learning from the actions of the adults close to them.

Enough to sell a precious relic, a headdress, to save the territory’s people, and to make the decision to have the lord himself labor.

Enough to steadfastly endure the grief of losing a child.

All of these people’s teachers must have been good people.

“I’m glad we found the diary of such a wonderful person. I’m happy too.”

“Indeed. From today, I intend to read it with my daughter.”

“Prince Yeser.”

At that moment, the Baroness called out to me in a low voice. The Baron and I looked at her.

“If it’s not too much trouble, we would like to show you the work we do.”

I widened my eyes. The flustered Baron whispered.

“Dear.”

“We’re continuing it with the Prince’s help. I believe he has a right to know.”

The Baroness’s voice was gentle yet firm.

Faced with her resolute gaze, the Baron eventually nodded with a smile.

“…You’re right.”

Then, he turned to me. Demi and Ttukssim tilted their heads to the right this time.

I couldn’t help but follow them. Just how much work are they going to show me?

*

To the readers of Toegye-gong [a renowned Korean scholar and politician known for his simple life and dedication to public service], returning to the countryside is this difficult!

‘One, two, three, and we’ll push! One!’

-Thud!

The wheel, deeply mired in the mud, quickly rose onto dry land.

Christel grimaced and turned to look beside her.

The Crown Prince, having completely ignored the timing, was looking down at her with a triumphant expression.

He seemed so happy and proud of pulling the carriage out by himself.

I chuckled and mediated between the two.

‘You’re going to fight again at this rate. We need to finish the deliveries before sunset. Let’s get going.’

‘….’

‘You did a great job, Your Highness. Thank you.’

I didn’t forget to offer appropriate praise and gratitude.

Only then did Crown Prince Cedrick raise one eyebrow and get on board.

I wonder if I should give him a snack soon.

Thus, we delivered firewood made from disassembled waterwheels to various parts of the territory.

It was challenging due to the unkempt roads, but it was rewarding work. By the way,

‘Yo, Your, Your Highness! Heok!’

‘Elder! Are you alright?!’

The Crown Prince’s face was not good for the elderly’s mind and body.

In the end, only Christel and I got off and delivered to the doorstep. And….

‘Ta-da!’

Surprisingly, our protagonist had neatly repaired the cowshed!

Of course, he had help from other servants, but it wasn’t like he had no skills at all.

He was praised for being good at hammering nails and adept at cutting boards straight.

Was it that he had difficulty with tasks that required sitting in one place for a long time, like knitting?

‘Wow, it’s like new!’

‘Princess Pink, you’re amazing!’

The little ones being cared for by the Baron’s family flocked around, applauding and praising.

Christel snorted triumphantly and looked up at the lord’s castle.

The Crown Prince was standing by the window. Sigh.

Tite played a big role in the subsequent work.

-Swaaaaa!

-Mooaeae

Before entering the remodeled cowshed, the Baron and Baroness’s cows took a bath.

Whenever Tite in my arms flapped his flippers, clean water poured from the air.

There was no need to draw water from the well with difficulty.

‘Good heavens!’

‘Divine Beast, you are great!’

The servants prostrated themselves and worshiped Tite.

The harp seal folded his black eyes like hotteok [a Korean pancake filled with sweet fillings] and enjoyed it.

Sir Johan skillfully brushed the cows and soothed the calves so they wouldn’t be startled.

After leading them to the cowshed, he even milked the cows with the young Baroness Elodie.

‘There’s really nothing you can’t do. I need to seriously dig into your past.’

‘Hahaha.’

Even at Christel’s heartfelt words, he only smiled gently.

Working all day made all the meals and snacks taste delicious.

Even a short nap allowed for a deep sleep.

The next day, taking care of the children was added to the list.

The Baron was still apologetic to us, but by that point, the Baroness seemed quite accustomed to working alongside royalty.

We sat around with the little ones who didn’t even reach our waists and had a good time.

‘Jane, what are you saying!’

Ganael, holding one side of the magazine, exclaimed,

‘I mean exactly that. I think Catherine is too good for Grand Duke Heathcliff.’

David, supporting the other side, replied solemnly.

Christel and I struggled to hold back our laughter.

The Crown Prince wiped his mouth with a gloved hand.

The story we ended up reading to the children was the latest installment of , released on the 15th.

They said they had read most fairy tales until they were tattered, and the books in the study were too difficult for children, leaving no choice.

‘RED is really fun, but isn’t it too stimulating for kids?’

‘What’s next? So what happened, teacher?’

‘The next part hasn’t come out yet.’

Benjamin replied kindly.

‘Then does Priestess Catherine run away with Lady Jane?’

‘Do you leave Grand Duke Hippo alone?’

The children keenly pointed out the core.

The love triangle melodrama was indeed heavily seasoned with MSG [monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer, implying the story is overly dramatic] for children.

I need to take the magazine back with me when I return to the palace….

-Heeheeing!

“Whoa.”

Somehow, the morning of the 18th arrived. We finished our fulfilling three-day winter retreat.

Strictly speaking, everyone except the Crown Prince was scheduled to stay one more day, but since the group had disbanded, we considered the retreat over.

All the members of the Baron’s family came out to see the Crown Prince off.

“The knitting turned out well, Your Highness. Thank you for your hard work.”

“….”

“Thank you for coming with us. I know you’re busy.”

I said with a smile. The man’s orange eyes burned with clear stability.

I was glad he didn’t look tired.

In the meantime, we gathered nuts and picked mushrooms in the forest, and extensively repaired old farming tools.

The paladins also caught several wild boars and deer to use as provisions.

The Baroness was very pleased, saying the leather was in good condition. There were many things to laugh about together.

Regarding all the activities mentioned above, Christel left a one-line review: ‘This is true rural activity.’

“When I return, I will look into what can be done for your territory.”

Before getting into the carriage, the Crown Prince said to Baron Berang.

The couple, who were showing their respects, were startled.

“Your Highness, you have already shown us immense grace….”

“Rest assured, I have no intention of infringing on your autonomy.”

He added briefly and boarded. David, who followed, laughed silently, and the couple, unsure of what to do, bowed even deeper.

He’s a good guy after all.

-Squeak

“Okay, go ahead first. Listen to the Crown Prince.”

-Kkiwoo

“Don’t bite the desk in the office. It’s very expensive.”

Leia and Peridot, who exchanged nose greetings with me, also boarded.

What can I do if the earth attribute likes the flame hyung [older brother or close male friend], I have to send them.

“Please take care of the children’s shoes and snacks, Your Highness. It would be nice if you could send dried fruits and such for them to eat for a long time. See you on Monday!”

Christel clearly conveyed her requests. David nodded in her place.

I used gestures and lip movements for the last time.

‘Necklace. Use it if it’s hard.’

The man frowned. Click. At the same time, the carriage door closed.

*

You don’t know when someone is there, but you can tell when they’re gone, and that’s exactly how it was with the Crown Prince.

It was strangely empty, perhaps because the tallest guy was gone.

Sir Johan and Christel seemed to feel similarly, though they didn’t show it.

It would have been nice if he could have attended the orphanage opening ceremony as well.

“Well, he can come again next time.”

-Woong

Tite, being carried by Sir Johan, cried as if agreeing.

The winter sun is short, so it was as dark as midnight even though dinner had just ended.

However, there were many stars in the sky, making it good for a walk.

-Thud, thud….

-Pitter-patter, pitter-patter….

Calm footsteps embroidered the dirt path.

I spent the daytime having tea time with the Baron and his wife, listening to old stories from around the time the lord’s castle was built.

Of course, I also did chores from time to time.

Doing labor that I couldn’t do or didn’t need to do at the Juliette Palace made my body heat up.

On the third day, Baron Berang finally seemed to accept us as fellow laborers.

(Position only) We are high-quality manpower, please take good care of us.

“Are you going to feel the river breeze?”

“Yes… I was going to show you the canal that was built with the Prince’s help.”

Elodie replied shyly to Sir Johan’s question. I didn’t know, but this seemed to be the way to the canal,

-Heehing!

It was then.

“Giddy-up, giddy-up!”

-Clatter, clatter!

Loud hoofbeats and wheel noise struck our ears.

We were startled and turned our gaze.

A carriage with a large and ornate crest urgently stopped at the entrance of the lord’s castle.

Then, a woman who appeared to be a servant quickly got out.

Demi put Ttukssim on his back and stood guard. I barely managed to read the letters in the darkness.

“…Sarnez?”

“Nanny?”

Christel’s voice rang out. We exchanged bewildered glances.

The middle-aged woman, who had remarkably captured the clear voice, ran towards us with a tearful face.

Her eyes were sore from crying all the way here.

“Oh, Miss Chris!”

“What brings you all the way here? Is something wrong at home?”

“Our young lady, still so young, it’s so pitiful….”

Christel’s nanny grabbed her white hands and began to sob.

The protagonist calmly soothed her.

“Nanny, you need to tell me so I know. What’s wrong?”

“The Lord… Huk, the Lord is gravely ill. Your father!”

The nanny said as if screaming. Christel’s face hardened coldly.

It was the evening of December 18th.