What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 208

#208

Intermission (5)

Goodness.

“Sir Sarnese, you must go home.”

Seeing our confusion, Sir Johann said calmly.

Baron and Baroness Berang, and Elodie, also looked greatly surprised.

It was news that came without any warning.

The last time I saw Duke Simon de Sarnese was at Andreji’s trial in the Imperial Palace, and he seemed perfectly fine then.

I felt sorry and worried.

“Yes, I suppose I must…”

Christel said in a bewildered voice.

It was strange to see her so shaken, but I could understand.

Even if they maintained an awkward relationship, the Duke was a very important person in her ‘second life’.

He was Christel’s father before her possession, and the husband of her beloved stepmother, Isabel.

It was natural for her to worry and fear.

“Nanny, how did this happen? I heard he was doing well at the Lord’s Castle. Was he injured?”

Christel asked urgently.

“No, it’s the flu… He’s been overworked lately. Then he caught the flu, and, sob, his condition suddenly worsened… He stubbornly refuses to even inform His Majesty. He’s holed up in the castle, only receiving treatment from his personal physician. Even His Eminence the Cardinal can’t see him!”

The nanny cried out, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. Her voice trembled.

Christel held her hand tightly.

Suddenly, the words of the Baron’s chamberlain from the other day came to mind.

‘There are reports that the flu is spreading throughout the Empire, starting from the Imperial Capital and the West.’

And Sarnese was a territory located in the west of the Empire.

“The Lady was waiting at the mansion to go with the young master, but she ended up leaving for the Lord’s Castle just as I was about to depart. You can go straight to your father with me.”

Then Christel turned to us.

The Baron had his attendant bring Christel’s luggage.

My eyes met hers.

“Should I go too?”

It must be hard; someone should be by her side.

“No. The orphanage opening ceremony… I know it means a lot to the Prince. And the Prince’s existence is precious to these people too.”

The protagonist whispered. Her blue eyes were serious.

On the night of March when I was attacked in the Juliette Palace, she woke up from her sickbed.

In short, the first assassination attempt occurred before Gain and I met.

So I knew instinctively.

Christel was now trying to respect a connection she didn’t know about.

She understood my sense of indebtedness to the Baron and Baroness, and my desire to comfort them.

Even in this situation.

“Christel.”

“My mother and nanny are there, so I’ll be fine. Sir, please take care of the Prince.”

Christel asked Sir Johann. Her mint-colored eyes were heavy.

“Don’t worry.”

-Squeak.

-Beep.

Demi and Dduk-shim also added. The situation was quickly settled.

The servants who came running hurriedly loaded her luggage, and I gave Tete water for the Duke’s horses.

Soon, Christel and the nanny bowed and boarded.

I could see their backs were stiff with tension.

“We’ll go to Sarnese as soon as the opening ceremony is over. His Majesty will allow it.”

I grabbed the door handle and whispered quickly. The Baroness added.

“Lady Sarnese, I wish your father a speedy recovery. Thank you sincerely for coming to such a remote and humble place.”

“…I am the one who is grateful. See you again, Prince.”

Thud! The door closed. Our view was instantly blocked.

The carriage galloped north without hesitation.

*

I wondered if I should go straight in after sending Christel away, but I felt too disturbed to rest comfortably.

I also wanted to give Benjamin and Ganael, who were resting in the Lord’s Castle, some space.

So we started walking towards the canal again.

The Baron’s family and servants went ahead, and Sir Johann, the troublemakers [Demi and Dduk-shim], and I followed about ten steps behind.

The night air was clear and cool.

“There are rumors that Marquis Dwiemp is also sick.”

“Is that so? That’s unexpected.”

Sir Johann tilted his head at my words. But his eyes were as calm as ever.

Tete, strapped to his back in a blanket, was stargazing.

“Yes. I hope everyone gets well soon.”

“They will, because His Highness wishes it.”

It was an immediate answer. It was forced, yet strangely comforting. I burst into a hollow laugh when,

“Prince, this way.”

Baron Fabrice Berang said from the front. We turned our heads at the same time.

He was pointing to a dark and lush area without any magical lighting.

I observed carefully, but I couldn’t see any path leading to the canal.

I tilted my head. Demi and Dduk-shim also craned their necks.

“Unfortunately, there is no path. However… You will understand the reason when you see it.”

Baroness Ann Berang explained quietly.

I exchanged glances with Sir Johann and nodded calmly.

They are definitely not suspicious or bad people.

Above all, I am an Archbishop-level priest, and I have a Cardinal-level paladin by my side, so it’s okay.

-Rustle, rustle.

So we started pushing through the dense bushes and vines with our bare bodies.

Demi tried to clear the way, but Elodie carefully stopped him.

‘There’s a reason why it’s difficult to access. Please understand…’ Her freckled nose twitched.

There seemed to be a secret reason, so I nodded obediently.

The Baron’s party moved silently, so we also held our breath.

-Swish, swish.

“…”

-Rustle!

Finally, the Baron at the front stopped moving. Everyone lowered their backs at his gesture.

The bushes were very short. Even without straining our ears, we could clearly hear the sound of the river flowing.

When I peeked out, I could see the canal shimmering bluish in the moonlight.

However, the waterway was narrower than I thought. It was only wide enough for two or three small boats to pass.

On the other side, densely planted reeds were dancing.

“We will wait here now.”

“Wait?”

“Yes, Prince. They may not come… But it has been consistent since ‘Sky of the Heavens,’ so there will definitely be guests today.”

Guests? I blinked at the Baron’s explanation.

Leaving us in doubt, the Baron’s party rummaged through their pockets and took out blankets.

Then they handed us one each.

They weren’t thick, but they were carefully woven items.

I didn’t know what it was, but I thought we might have to wait a long time, so I wrapped Demi and Dduk-shim tightly in blankets.

Sir Johann looked at me with a troubled expression and handed me his share of the blanket.

“No, I’m fine. It’s warm enough holding the kids.”

“Your Highness is very sensitive to the cold. I’m fine.”

-Whoosh!

At the same time as his answer, the surroundings became as silent as a密室 [a sealed room]. Elodie opened her mouth in surprise.

The Baron and Baroness and the servants stared at us with wide eyes.

It was the result of Sir Johann completely blocking out the surrounding wind and noise.

“Wouldn’t this make it more comfortable to wait?”

The drooping corners of his eyes curved kindly.

The young Baron, who had been staring blankly at the paladin, nodded hastily.

For a while, we quenched our thirst with the warm water Tete made and sat around chatting.

The lesser panda and wren fell fast asleep thanks to the increased ambient temperature.

I wasn’t sure because I didn’t have a watch, but it felt like more than an hour had passed.

It was around the time I thought Ganael and Benjamin would be worried sick.

“Sir, I see a light over there.”

The servant urgently pointed to the other side of the waterway. Everyone’s eyes lit up.

“…That’s right, it’s a guest. Dear?”

“Yes, I’m ready. Elodie?”

“Me too.”

All three families became bustling at once.

A guest coming by boat with a light, I was curious because I didn’t even know the circumstances.

I craned my neck and looked upstream.

-Creak, squeak.

“Ah…”

A small figure was riding in a rickety boat that was tilting from side to side.

Relying on a single, precarious lamp for the voyage.

“The sound is unsettling. Is it leaking water?”

“No, the children are calm. It seems the boat is just old.”

The Baroness answered calmly to the Baron’s question. I was horrified and picked up the little ones.

Sir Johann blocked me with his strong arm.

“Sir Johann, there are children.”

“Let them do the saving. I respect Your Highness’s heart, but I cannot send you to a dangerous place.”

The gaze I met was cold.

I fully understood his position, so I could only bite my lip and stand there.

Meanwhile, the Baron’s party moved in an orderly fashion.

The Baroness took out a red pouch from her coat pocket, and the Baron and the servant each held a pole they had hidden nearby, waiting for the boat to drift over.

Elodie neatly collected the blankets draped over everyone’s shoulders.

I took off the Shinguk-style gown I was wearing and gave it to her along with the blanket.

Sir Johann sighed and put his coat on my shoulders. This wasn’t what I meant.

-Clunk!

At that moment, there was a sound of wood colliding. All eyes turned to the water’s edge.

“That’s it, keep going straight…”

“Yes.”

The two men slowly began to pull the boat, which was hooked on the end of the pole, to the shore.

As the lamp got closer, the faces of the passengers became clearer.

Two pale children who looked no more than thirteen years old, and…

“Good heavens. There’s a baby. Elodie!”

“Yes, Father!”

Elodie ran out to receive her mother’s pouch [likely containing warming magic stones].

As the Baron and the servant hugged the staggering children and helped them disembark, the young Baron immediately wrapped them in blankets and coats.

Cloth warmed by human body temperature, a high-quality magic stone pouch that generates heat, and…

Children in costumes rarely seen in the Empire.

“They are the poor of Shinguk. They risked their lives on a boat from a very distant place…”

The Baroness looked back at us slowly and said.

I was stunned and engraved her sentence in my memory.

The voice I had heard just a few days ago rang in my ears.

‘We would like to show Your Highness what we do.’

“Thanks to Your Highness, we were able to build the canal and divert the rough waterway, increasing their survival rate. So I wanted to show you.”

“…”

“Thank you for your grace.”

She bowed. Without thinking any further, I paid the most respectful respects.

With all my heart.

*

The morning of December 19th was refreshing.

Orelly Boutier walked lightly as she got out of the Imperial carriage.

No one knew yet that she had come to the Juliette Palace.

Although many servants attended her, she had not informed Frederick, so it was as if no one had seen her.

“Where is Cedric?”

“I heard he left the palace early.”

“He is young.”

She answered as if singing to the report of the servant Natalie. Those who followed her laughed softly.

The Crown Prince had returned to the Berang barony late last night.

I told him not to come to say hello because he would be tired from riding the carriage all day, but he insisted on stopping by the Imperial Palace to ask how I was doing.

His handsome face shone even more than usual, as if he had had a good time.

There was not even a shadow of fatigue.

Then today, he got up early in the morning and seemed to be preparing for the founding ceremony of the Imperial Capital Defense Force Academy.

He was a commendable and lovely godson.

“I have to try too. To win our Prince’s heart for sure.”

“You are already deeply respected, Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

But because I don’t want that child to go back. She naturally swallowed the last words.

Natalie was holding a large, long wooden box.

It was Orelly’s gift to secretly leave in the Prince’s room.

She had not been able to create a proper celebration since her promotion to Archbishop, so she wanted to convey her blessings, even belatedly.

He was not a child who would accept bribes, but he was not a person who would ignore sincerity.

-Step.

At that time, someone came out of Juliette with a large bag of bread.

His beige eyes widened.

“Oh my, there was a guest already.”

“…Your Highness.”

The cheeks of Modest Bacary, the first guest, were flushed.

His eyes, alternating between the bag of bread in his arms and the Cardinal, were shaking wildly.

Orelly thought that the prophet looked his age only then.

Bacary quickly bowed his head.

“I greet His Eminence the esteemed Cardinal. This is just, forcibly received from the servant here…”

The other person’s face had now turned as red as a tomato.

The Imperial Palace servants let out a soft laugh at the superior’s mischievous attitude.

Orelly raised the corners of her lips and continued.

“What brings the busy Fleur de Lis commander all the way here…”

The middle-aged man’s face hardened in an instant.

“Kuh, heok.”

The prophet’s condition was unusual.

Crash! The bread spilled and the teenager’s body rolled on the floor.

Red veins stood out on his red neck and forehead, and blood flowed from his nose.

The Cardinal hurriedly approached him and hugged his head.

Then she flinched. She was horrified by the sight she had never seen before.

“The whites of his eyes…”

In the middle of the prophet’s blackened eyes, a blue-green vortex was swirling.