What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 219

#219

Faith, Hope, Age of Exploration?! (2)

“Maria, that’s a bit…”

Sir Ervé Duhem broke the silence, his voice troubled.

Maria scratched the back of her short hair and said,

“You’re going to call me simple-minded again, aren’t you? No, listen! We’re practically trapped in the territory right now. Sister says the entire Marquisate might be blockaded soon. It’s going to be a siege! Like in the war history books!”

“……”

All eyes turned to Antoinette. The woman widened her eyes.

“I didn’t say it would be that extreme, little sister!”

“Anyway, the conclusion is similar. Duke Sarnese is trying to pin the blame on us, right? For a huge crime! Shouldn’t escaping the territory be the priority?”

“Duchess, let’s wait and see what His Majesty decides…”

“But until now, His Majesty’s will has been…”

Baron Fabrice Berang, who had been listening quietly, and his daughter Elodie added their opinions.

‘Wouldn’t running away create even deeper misunderstandings?’ Lady Anne Berang cautiously suggested.

Benjamin and Ganael were also exchanging opinions.

While the Duhem siblings began a heated debate, Therese, who had her eldest brother’s head resting on her lap, was busily writing something in a notebook.

In this very serious moment, I found myself thinking about other things while watching the siblings.

“Rather than waiting aimlessly without knowing the outside situation, it’s better to actively find a way out…”

For example, ‘It’s a relief that my brother is at the house I left behind.’

I don’t know how much time has passed there, but I’m relieved that at least one of the two humans called ‘brother’ will be by Eunseo’s side.

Just a sudden, new thought.

“Your Highness.”

I snapped out of my thoughts at Sir Johann’s call. He handed me a paper bishop’s hat.

It looked like it was made from Therese’s scrap paper, but her craftsmanship was excellent, with intricate details.

I smiled at him.

“Thank you. It’s wonderful. Demi, ta-da! It’s something you like.”

-Kkiu.

Demi, who had just woken up, grabbed my sleeve, so I showed him the paper bishop’s hat.

He immediately put on the hat and opened his mouth. It looked like he was smiling, so I chuckled.

As if sensing the moment, the Lesser Panda created a short twig and stood up on its hind legs, holding it with its front paws.

Then,

-Saaa…

He made blossoms bloom all over the cradle.

The earth-attribute Aether [a magical energy or essence] was creating a small miracle.

The little guy’s round eyes were sparkling as if he had never been asleep.

I picked up Demi, who was waddling on his hind legs, and beamed.

“Did you sleep well? Are you showing me something wonderful because you’re in a good mood?”

-Kkiuuh.

“I didn’t know there was a Pope in this continent.”

Sir Johann joked with a smile. Only then did I realize and look down at the Divine Beast.

The little guy put a purple pansy on the bishop’s hat and pushed it towards me, as if showing off.

Suddenly, I remembered him curling up on the cover of . That was probably the last day of the Harvest Festival. Don’t tell me he’s still talking about that?

“…Do you want me to become the Pope?”

I buried my face in Demi’s black belly and whispered so softly that even Sir Johann next to me couldn’t hear.

Then Demi hugged me tightly.

He seemed happy that I was finally understanding his wishes. This is a disaster!

-Kkiung! Kkiung!

“Okay, I understand.”

I forced a smile and straightened my back.

I roughly understood why he had this in mind.

Demi became fixated on the word ‘Pope’ after the ‘Sky of the Heavens’ incident in the Blanquer Duchy.

At the time, the Lesser Panda was guarding the Lord’s Castle, not by my side, but there was no way the Divine Beast wouldn’t have sensed such a massive Aether explosion and flow.

Besides, the gate that opened near our house was…

“Hmm.”

Decisively, it was because the ‘Wishing Star Disc’ within my body had activated.

I vividly remembered the terrible sensation and revulsion of that day.

The pool of blood that dyed my vision red. An ominous fear I never wanted to experience again.

-Kkiueung.

“Even if you act cute, I don’t think it’ll work.”

I muttered while stroking Demi.

For him to tell me to become the Pope, it’s probably an invitation to become the ‘true owner’ of the Star Disc.

It might be speculation, but that’s the only reason that keeps coming to mind.

Putting aside the process or the results, if I only consider the perks of being the Pope, there would be nothing bad for me.

If I could freely control the Star Disc, I might be able to open gates without the pain I felt that day.

However, the problem is…

“That seems almost like a divine calling.”

-Kkieng?

The Pope in the Toegye Gong worldview was, of course, different from the Pope in the real world.

The highest-ranking cleric of the Church of the Main God was born not by the election of cardinals, but by the choice of the Main God.

The sign that she had been chosen as the Pope was only the purple smoke rising from the ‘Temple of the Boundary’ chimney, and that was also the work of the Main God, not something humans created.

Like the miracle of the purple tulips ascending when making a covenant.

In short, it’s something unrelated to the sub-male lead character who dies in the original story.

The content may have changed a lot, but that’s a bit much.

Honestly, even the background without a Pope seems like a setup to make fighting easier.

“How do I explain this?”

But I didn’t want to shatter Demi’s innocence. What did I say to Eunseo back then?

That Santa doesn’t ride dinosaurs, and that Rudolph isn’t an abbreviation for Rudolphosaurus…

“What would Your Highness like to do?”

At that moment, Sir Johann asked gently. I quickly snapped back to reality.

Wow, everyone in town! Look at Jung Yeseo. He’s living the good life while there’s talk of rebellion!

“Well, hmm. Duchess Therese’s words seem to make sense.”

I quickly said, repeating what I had heard.

Sir Johann drooped his eyebrows as if he was disappointed. Is this not it?

“As I said, it’s difficult to push forward, and the Imperial Capital Defense Force has blocked all portals and land routes. But we can’t just waste time here. We don’t know what additional schemes the other side might be planning. I’ve been thinking about it, and…”

Everyone’s eyes were on me. My neck immediately felt hot.

I patted Demi and chose my words carefully.

“There seem to be two main reasons why Duke Sarnese would do this to me. The first is… a religious consort.”

“Indeed.”

Marquis François Duhem muttered in a dramatic tone.

Antoinette reacted like an opera audience.

I can trust the people here, so I can talk about it, right?

“I don’t know about the Crown Prince, but Her Highness Aurelia is considering me… as a candidate? Considering? For that position?”

My tone came out strangely. What’s even stranger is that no one is surprised by what I said.

The nobles of the Empire are skilled at keeping a poker face, and it’s true. Sir Johann has become an Imperial person too.

“If Duke Sarnese plans to install another priest as the Crown Prince’s religious consort… he has a reason to kill me or tarnish my reputation. Of course, I have no intention of taking such a position at all. Are you listening?”

Everyone was murmuring seriously. The Paladin opened his mouth.

“Your Highness, then Lord Sarnese would also be hurt as Your Highness’s friend and partner. I heard the Duke loves his daughter very much.”

“Yes, he cherishes Duchess Isabelle and Christel. That’s what’s bothering me too. So the second reason I came up with is…”

I hesitated for a moment.

Once words are spilled, they can’t be taken back, and this was too big.

I thought about it three more times before I could barely string together a sentence.

“Werner Venetian. I have a feeling that this might be the Queen Consort’s scheme. That guy… has been trying to kill me since I came to the Empire.”

The room froze. I swallowed hard.

Sir Johann’s white hair slipped down.

The Marquis slowly rose from the sofa.

“Prince, does that mean…”

Our eyes met.

The pink eyes were shining the sharpest I had ever seen.

There was no smile on his neat lips.

“That he is a spy receiving orders from the Royal Family of the Divine Nation.”

“…Yes. I know that too.”

I felt like only he and I were left in the spacious living room.

“Simon de Sarnese is a key figure in the Aristocratic Council and a confidant of His Majesty. Until recently, he was also the person I discussed state affairs with.”

The Marquis continued. Suddenly, the Andreji trial in the Imperial Palace came to mind.

The last thing we saw before leaving the audience chamber that day was the Duke and the Marquis seriously discussing something.

He wouldn’t want to accept my hypothesis.

Because there must have been trust between them. Surely, there must have been a long friendship that I didn’t know about.

“But big brother, if the Prince’s words are true, everything makes sense…”

Therese grabbed his arm. The Marquis blankly looked back at his youngest sister.

“Trying to humiliate or kill the Prince, and not stopping at the Prince but also dragging in Baron Berang and our brothers… If it was simply aiming for the consort position, there’s no reason to go this far. If they had bad intentions, it would be enough to just keep harping on the Prince’s nationality.”

“Therese.”

“If little brother hadn’t noticed, they might have easily harmed the Prince. But because he resisted, they immediately sent the Defense Force to pressure us. Maybe they even predicted this flow. They planned to shift the blame from the beginning… because their own faults are too great.”

“……”

To cover up the great evil of being a spy, they wouldn’t hesitate to fabricate a treason charge against an innocent person.

The Marquis lowered his gaze. Antoinette approached and wrapped her hand around his.

Therese said in a sad voice.

“If big brother surrenders to send the Prince away to clear his name, that’s the end. The Duke will definitely… before the Prince reaches the Imperial Palace…”

“That won’t happen. The Prince is someone who receives the Imperial Family’s trust and affection. Therefore, we must protect him.”

The Marquis cut her off. I blinked in surprise.

His siblings nodded and looked at me.

“Yes.”

“That’s what we are!”

“Of course. He guarantees my faith.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness.”

Therese, Maria, Antoinette. Finally, Sir Duhem smiled handsomely and said.

I didn’t know how to respond. I couldn’t even manage my expression, so I pursed my lips.

I know it’s not my fault, but I felt sorry.

Even though I know that I’m the most wronged one here, that’s just how people’s hearts are.

I can’t help but feel guilty towards my friends who are going through so much trouble, being wrongly accused, and even getting hurt because of me.

However, the word ‘sorry’ doesn’t fully express me. I am…

“Your Highness, we will also help with all our might.”

“Because the children are waiting in the territory.”

“And we have to take care of Coco’s meals.”

At that moment, the Berang family added their words.

The story of the calico cat Coco made my expression crumble on its own.

Ganael and Benjamin, and even Sir Johann, smiled. I finally smiled brightly.

Right. I just need to do my best. Even if I’m lacking and clumsy, just like I always have.

“Thank you so much. And I’m sorry for making you go through so much trouble. I’ll try my best too. So that we can safely see His Majesty.”

“Then are we really going to a feudal state? To the twin islands of decadence and pleasure?!”

Huh?

“Maria, we decided to reconsider that.”

The Marquis hurriedly dissuaded her. Therese tilted her head and pointed to her notebook.

“Big brother, reconsideration is unnecessary. There’s no way to get to the Imperial Capital. And relying on other local nobles is a nuisance for now…”

The Duchess only stated the facts in a quiet and timid manner.

She was like the Marquis family’s stealth fighter.

“But if we go to Serenité, Your Highness’s territory!”

“It’s far… Look, we still have to go through a wide-area portal. We’re bound to run into the Defense Force. We can’t go to Baron Berang’s territory either.”

The youngest sister easily subdued her eldest brother.

I wondered what she had been writing so diligently, but it seemed she had been searching for various routes and possibilities using the Imperial portal map and the Marquisate map.

She’s a brain in a different sense than the Marquis.

“But we can’t just enter a feudal state like it’s our own home without prior notice!”

“Why would we need that? Big brother is Admiral Emma Corleone’s plaything!”

Excuse me?!

-Clang!

“Maria!”

“Good heavens! Who did you learn such words from?”

The living room instantly turned into a mess. Tite cried at the sound of the teacup breaking.

We gaped. Even Sir Johann looked at the Marquis with a shocked expression.

He quickly waved his hand at us.

I don’t know if that’s sweat from being surprised or sweat from being in pain.

“Your Highness, it’s a misunderstanding.”