What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 247

#247

The Peace of the Main God (1)

“How could that be…”

“Explain.”

The Crown Prince took the initiative.

He curtly ordered Ganael, who was looking up at him. The boy slightly flinched.

“I, cough, don’t know the details either. However, it seems that the letter Your Majesty sent first was delivered normally. Sir Haines used a special route, I heard…”

“Yeah. I heard that.”

I patted Ganael on the back as I replied.

The child’s cheeks were flushed, and he was out of breath, probably from rushing.

Lady Elisabeth, having spotted her fiancé from afar, was approaching us.

The Papal State route was completely blocked.

Emperor Frederick wanted to prevent his country’s clergy from traveling there until internal order was properly established.

The path from the Papal State to the Empire was also completely blocked.

During her reign, all priests who brought Papal State carriages into the country were subject to investigation.

The Emperor was one to follow through, and there were no exceptions.

If the investigation had to go back to her mother, the late Emperor Celine, she was more than capable of handling it.

My teacher was incredibly busy assisting such a partner.

She made time for me, even if briefly, but otherwise, it was hard to see her face.

Soon, a security education course for subdeacons under the direction of the Cardinal would also be established.

Anyway, so…

The letter stating that I was cleared of the false accusation was delivered to the Divine Nation with the help of Sir Johann, not through official channels.

The Emperor did not want any unnecessary misunderstandings to arise between the two countries.

But there had been no response. The transmission was confirmed, but the lack of response was strangely unusual.

‘How odd.’

‘Yes. The Princess Royal doesn’t seem like someone who would commit such a discourtesy.’

The adults talked about it at the Saturday banquet last month.

Since I returned to the palace, the two of them had been having dinner with us every Saturday, and concerns were raised at that time.

I heard that there were established etiquettes for royals and imperial families exchanging letters.

For example, the younger or lower-ranking person had to be the one to end the exchange of letters, and the greetings exchanged each season were different.

There was a strict format for closing remarks, and no postscripts could ever be left.

But Elysee had ended the conversation without replying to the ‘older’ ‘Emperor.’ This was a huge diplomatic discourtesy.

So I was very nervous too. I was worried that a dispute might arise.

Even without that, the Emperor had been openly expressing dissatisfaction with the Divine Nation recently.

Of course. They stirred up another country using spies and then acted like they didn’t know anything!

‘Should I write a separate letter to the Princess Royal?’

‘Prince?’

I carefully asked, sipping the hot, rich matelote soup [a rich fish stew].

My teacher blinked.

‘With content that I’m really okay and doing well. I think it would be good to give her trust.’

Of course, they were the ones who unilaterally broke the trust, and even if the Emperor raised an army right away, there would be no problem with the plausibility…

Anyway, we had to prevent war.

I reluctantly offered my opinion with only such a mindset.

The monarch’s cherry-colored gaze stared at me.

Cedric’s gaze touched my left cheek, making it tingle.

I felt uneasy for no reason and bit my lip.

The white, plump eel meat in the stew didn’t seem appealing.

If you really want to fight, I can’t help it. But still…

‘Grand Preceptor.’

‘Yes, Your Majesty.’

‘Proceed according to the Prince’s plan.’

‘I will.’

Jackpot! I barely suppressed my wildly rising corners of my lips.

I managed to remove the smile and said, ‘Thank you.’

Indeed, the current Emperor was a wise ruler who did not want unnecessary bloodshed.

At that time, I thought that we might be able to avoid a head-on collision.

But now, the letter I sent has been returned.

“Is that even possible? How do you return it?”

“The Divine Nation does not want to talk.”

“No, don’t do that.”

I urgently pulled on the Prince’s furry cloak.

His sharp gaze looked down at me.

He looked like a romance fantasy male lead a moment ago, but now he just looked like a munchkin web novel male lead [a protagonist who is overpowered despite their small size or young age].

I was slightly scared that he would go on an expedition and wipe everything out.

The opponent was not a country that would be easily swept away.

“But Prince…”

“His Majesty must be furious.”

Lady Elisabeth, who had come closer, said.

Ganael took the Duke’s hands in his slightly grown hands.

Before we knew it, the weather outside the window was getting cloudy, and heavy snow was falling.

The Juliette Palace garden, which everyone loved, turned white like a blanket.

The knight’s gray eyes sank heavily.

“To return the letter… That’s a firm refusal.”

“Maybe the address was wrong, or, ah. Sir Johann wouldn’t make such a mistake. Could there have been some kind of error in the middle?”

Christel tilted her head and added. I had a similar thought.

It was strange to go through the trouble of returning a letter that had already been received, let alone just reading it and ignoring it.

Joan, who was looking back and forth between us, trying to figure out the situation, frowned.

“Pink Princess, that can’t be. I may not know the etiquette of the nobles, but I know what returning a letter means on the continent. It means ‘I don’t want to talk to the likes of you.’”

Christel and I gaped. Then what the Prince had said earlier was true!

“The Duke is right, Lady Christel. Furthermore, the fact that a royal family has rejected another royal family’s letter means something very blatant. There is no reason for the two adults of the Imperial Family to interpret this in a good way.”

“……”

Lady Elisabeth neatly summarized the situation.

Then she exchanged meaningful glances with the Prince.

Christel and Joan’s complexions darkened as they heard the explanation.

In the meantime, I carefully held Demi and Perry, who had run to my feet, in my arms.

I wanted to believe that the slight trembling in my fingertips was just tremors.

*

Today was Saturday, so another banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.

Since the attendance of the troublemakers was also allowed, it was busy all evening preparing to go out.

As a result of my hard work in teaching table manners, there were no problems with the children’s basic attitudes.

They don’t put their front paws on the plate or groom their feathers while eating.

However, they still needed attention because they would arbitrarily answer the Emperor’s words (“Beep!”) or run around the restaurant when they were in a good mood (“Screech!”).

“The two of them will be having a serious conversation when we get there. The situation is really unusual.”

-Awoo

“I’m not worried about Tete. Our youngest is so gentle. It’s your brothers who are the troublemakers.”

I said, wrapping the harp seal lying on my lap in a thick swaddle.

Leia, excited about her outing in a week, was wriggling up Benjamin’s leg.

Ganael was having a hard time wiping Perry and Demi’s paws.

Clatter, clatter. The carriage moved peacefully along the cleared road.

Tooksim, sitting on the windowsill, looked at me and moved his chest up and down.

“Tooksim. Can you know?”

-Beep?

I asked in a whisper, and the wren tilted his head as if he didn’t know what I was talking about.

“You were the one who brought us together in Cheboim. I had no choice, but I know you led Christel and the Prince there.”

I lowered my voice even more. Tete was already sound asleep.

“Do you also see the future? Did you sense the will of the Main God? Or just…”

Or was it just that the ability of the great divine object judged that it was most reasonable for the group to gather in Cheboim?

Too many possibilities came to mind at once, making it difficult to form a proper question.

Tooksim stared at me for a while, then fluttered and burrowed into my arms.

I chuckled, wondering if he was trying to get away with it by acting cute.

Of course, it was impossible for me to communicate smoothly with him in the form of a bird.

‘Nikki’ also had limited information that she could tell me.

I gently stroked his little head with my fingertips.

-Kieeuh?

“I’m in trouble, Perry. This is my gift. Ah!”

“……”

Watching the divine beasts playing pranks on Ganael made me think all sorts of things.

The Main God Church’s scriptures stated that what the divine beasts do is no different from the Main God’s work.

Then, is it also the Main God’s will that the troublemakers are helping me?

Concealing some of their abilities from me and creating tremendous productions, and making sure that no one could belittle me?

But the one who put me in danger was also the Main God.

At least, Nikki, the guide of the Ark, said so.

In her deep blue eyes, filled with warm concern.

‘It seems that the Main God has something prepared for you.’

If that was true, she was too fickle.

Is it okay for the only god of a world to be so capricious?

Repeatedly protecting and endangering people.

Of course, if we assume that she is a god and another being at the same time, all questions are easily resolved…

No. Is that really the case?

-Kiee!

I flinched. I woke up from my thoughts at the healthy cry.

Demi, who was kneading Ganael, was sticking out his tongue at me.

My strength drained from my body, and a sigh and a laugh came out together.

“Okay. It’s good if you grow up healthy.”

Then the little one ran over and clung to my arm like a cicada.

He even raised his plump tail to keep his balance.

Under the white eyebrows that looked like they were covered in snowflakes, his black eyes, dipped in squid ink, were more sparkling than usual.

He had a face that smiled just like a person. As if there was nothing to worry about.

“Who am I going to beat?”

-Kieung! Kieung!

I ended up smiling back and hugging Demi.

I don’t know what these stubborn troublemakers are thinking and staying by my side, but the affection we share now is real.

So it was okay.

“It’s good to see. We’re here, Prince.”

-Heehee!

-Purrrr, purrrr

Around that time, the carriage stopped moving.

I put a cranberry in Demi’s mouth and slowly prepared to get off.

Benjamin was also looking at us with a happy face.

*

On the way to the banquet hall, I happened to meet Duke Fabrice Berang and his wife!

“Prince Yeseo.”

“I see the Moon of the Main God.”

They seemed to be coming out after seeing the Emperor.

Even though it had been almost a month since they became the new Duke, the couple’s clothes were still plain.

They were just as polite to me as they were at the end of last year.

The troublemakers recognized the two and smiled brightly. I greeted them happily.

“Hello, you two. I didn’t know you were still in the Imperial Capital.”

“Elodie went down first to take care of the territory. We…”

“There are many things to take care of here. It is an honor.”

Duchess Anne Berang bowed her head and finished her words softly.

I was surprised to receive a more precious title than I had expected, but compared to the confusion the Duke’s family was experiencing now, it was nothing.

I shouldn’t be doing this, but a small laugh leaked out.

After the incident ended, it was somewhat expected that Baron Berang would receive a higher title.

Marquis Francois had predicted it first, and the Prince did not express any objections. At that point, it had to be considered certain.

I also thought that it was unfair that the Baron’s grandmother had received the barony.

As I read in the history books, the aides who accompanied the Emperor on the battlefield received at least the title of Count.

They also became spouses of princes or princesses.

‘You should emulate the Berang Baron family’s utmost devotion. Their loyalty to Liester and their love for the people of the territory are more genuine than any lord I have ever met.’

This was also a sentence from the Emperor’s birthday celebration last month.

Her eyes holding the glass were full of conviction, and her voice was full of firm belief.

I stared blankly at the middle-aged man’s profile.

‘Above all, what moved my heart was their kindness in rescuing and helping the refugees of the Divine Nation without hesitation. It was a sacrifice that did not care about their own deficiencies.’

‘……’

The Baron family, who were sitting at the same table as us, bowed their heads.

They looked embarrassed and ashamed.

They didn’t do it to be praised, so I understood their embarrassed and ashamed feelings.

Christel smiled as she looked at them.

She held the young Baron’s hand tightly to relieve his tension.

‘Compassion is short, and pity is common. On the other hand, the act of saving the weak at the risk of one’s own danger is as rare and precious as a spring in the desert. If such good deeds have been passed down for generations, it is not an exaggeration to call him sublime.’

The Emperor paused for a moment. Clapping! Gentle applause immediately filled the banquet hall.

‘Therefore, I would like to give high praise to the Baron and his ancestors.’ Such a sentence cut through the noise.

Francois turned to me without warning and sent me a dazzling wink. What suddenly…

Ah. Is it ‘Marquis’?

‘Fabrice Berang will be my Marquis.’

‘Wow!’

Exclamations and applause poured out like celebratory gunfire. I looked at Francois with a surprised face.

The Marquis smiled handsomely, saying, ‘There is a way to know everything!’

The man’s fever had miraculously subsided and he was back to normal as the Emperor’s birthday approached, and I heard that this happened every year.

I willingly loosened my lips as I looked at his face.

I was sincerely happy that he was no longer in pain and that the situation in the barony could improve.

And around that time,

‘May Your Majesty be blessed forever. Your Majesty’s grace is boundless, but…’

Fabrice, the person in question, politely declined the marquisate.

It was a bold statement that could only be made by a nobleman from a remote area who did not deeply know the temperament of the serving monarch.

The banquet hall became quiet enough to be chilly.

Everyone looked at him with their mouths open or covered.

The man’s face showed a belated ‘Oops’.

Well, what followed was as expected. The Emperor asked and doubled down.