What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 261

#261

Do you trust me, brother? (5)

“······.”

At that, my legs stiffened beneath the carriage.

The only person I know who strolls around the Imperial Palace carrying a bag of freshly baked bread like that is the leader of the Fleur-de-lis [likely a group or organization].

Though they don’t seem to know it, rumors about it have spread even to Juliette.

It definitely looks like Bakari, but who’s that next to him?

“Commander, step forward and pay your respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

David, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.

It seemed he was sure the child was the prophet.

Soon, all my friends’ eyes were fixed on them.

Even the troublemakers perked up their wings and tails.

Unable to watch any longer, Herrit scurried to the back of the carriage.

Judging that they weren’t a threat, Sir Johann simply watched with a smile.

“Heeheeheng.”

“Please, let go.”

The little one, playing the tagger in hide-and-seek, grabbed the prophet, who was hidden like a pheasant, and brought them over.

They were also carefully holding a bread bag that was as big as their torso in one arm.

The fougasse [a type of French bread] on top seemed to have touched the ground slightly, so I quickly dusted it off.

If it was baked by our Royal Janggeum [a reference to a skilled cook, possibly from Korean culture], even bread crumbs were precious.

Crown Prince Cedric looked down at me with a ‘no way’ expression.

Hey, it’s okay. You can eat it if you pick it up within three seconds of it falling.

“······Greetings to the little sun of the Empire and the moon of the Divine.”

“Greetings······.”

I was receiving the flustered Bakari’s greeting when I opened my mouth at the unexpected person who came out behind him.

It was Berenice Mendy!

“Hello, everyone. What a coincidence to meet you here.”

Our protagonist cheerfully greeted us, shaking her pink hair.

Berenice blushed and lowered her head.

It was a normal reaction, given that Christel was so popular.

Sant and Sir Johann also exchanged greetings with them.

The young lady’s face turned as red as a peach.

But what connection do these two have? Do they know each other?

“How did you end up here together······.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing.”

The answers came out at once, as if they had rehearsed it. I blinked.

The Crown Prince frowned, and Christel narrowed her eyes. This is suspicious.

“If, if I’m interrupting a good time, I’m sorry······.”

“That’s not it.”

“That’s not it!”

When Sant cautiously brought it up, the two cut him off in alarm.

I was thinking the same thing, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

Bakari’s cyan eyes showed a look of disgust, and Berenice had a very wronged expression.

The two glanced at each other, and then nodded slightly, as if they had reached some agreement.

The Duchess looked like she was about to cry, but she seemed to have agreed anyway.

Soon, the prophet handed me a white envelope. It was the one I had dropped earlier.

Huh?

“It’s for the Prince.”

“For me? Did Bakari write it?”

Is it about thanking me for the bread? I didn’t even bake it, but I was touched.

“No. The Mendy Duchess wanted to give it to the Prince through me.”

“Ah.”

“I was just caught on my way back to the office and asked for a favor.”

A sharp answer came back. Bakari haughtily gestured to the other side.

Following his gaze, I saw a building that looked like a square book near the main gate.

Benjamin explained quietly.

“It’s where the Empire’s high-ranking officials commute to work, Your Highness. Bangsel Palace.”

“I see.”

No wonder so many people were going in there.

I handed the bread bag back to the prophet and stared blankly at the Duchess.

Berenice was now one with her red dress.

Her face was so flushed that it was pitiful.

Her trembling gaze was fixed on the ground and wouldn’t come up.

Christel, having grasped the situation, playfully jeered at me. ‘Eyyy. Your skills are amazing! Dreams do come true!’

‘Your Highness, you’re daebak! [Korean slang for ‘awesome’ or ‘amazing’]’ Ganael, who had only learned things like this, applauded along.

But it didn’t make sense. Did such a clumsy plan really work······?

“The, the age gap. You know.”

I stammered like a broken robot.

I had to refuse firmly, but I had never done this before, so I didn’t know how.

How do I avoid hurting the child? Next time······. No.

See you in the next life? Is that okay?

“Send the mail to Romero Palace.”

“Yes?”

I immediately looked up at the problematic Crown Prince.

He was raising the aura of a prosecutor against an ordinary eighteen-year-old.

I was so dumbfounded that my jaw dropped. What are you doing?

“Juliette is under my jurisdiction. The Duchess lacks refinement.”

“Ah, well. That’s······.”

Berenice’s eyes instantly welled up at the Crown Prince’s harsh words.

I quickly punched his arm with my fist.

“Ouch!” A scream burst out involuntarily, but thanks to that, the sound of Christel muttering ‘Trash······’ was drowned out.

I glared at the male lead, clutching my tingling fist, and he tilted his head.

It was a question of what was wrong. Are you ever going to get married like that? Huh?

“It’s not, it’s not that kind of content. You don’t have to worry······.”

“Yes?”

Berenice cautiously interjected. Christel and I reacted at the same time.

She was startled when Sir Johann handed her a handkerchief, then carefully took the cloth and continued speaking.

Her voice trembled slightly.

“I, I admire the Prince, but I would never dare to harbor disrespectful thoughts. I just thought you seemed very upset last night······.”

‘I wrote this in the hope that it would be of some help, however small,’ the Duchess said in a barely audible voice. My eyes widened.

Last night meant the banquet where my request to go to the neutral zone was rejected several times.

I remembered Berenice looking at me with great pity at that time.

To think that she was so concerned that she even wrote a letter.

Besides, she even came to the Imperial Palace to deliver it.

Even if there was nothing in it, it was something to be grateful for.

“······Thank you very much, Duchess. I’ll read it carefully.”

“Yes, yes.”

When I replied with a smile, Berenice’s face brightened a little.

Christel playfully added.

“Don’t worry, I won’t show it to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“What?”

He asked back irritably, but we all pretended not to hear.

Even Herrit pretended to read his father’s palm. Only then did the Duchess’s lips curve up slightly.

It was then.

“Darling. Are you done? Shall we leave?”

A gentle voice was heard from over there. Our eyes moved.

Not far away, the Duke of Mendy’s luxurious carriage was parked.

The face looking out through the open door was familiar.

The unique expression of being so proud was the same as I had seen last night.

Duke Florian Mendy was sending us a polite bow.

Berenice was startled and grabbed the hem of her dress. Suddenly, her behavior became hurried.

“Ah, that’s my father. Excuse me, I’ll go first······.”

“Do you have a lot to talk about? Daddy can wait longer.”

“No! Let’s go!”

The Duchess shouted as if she was dying of embarrassment (I had never seen her like that before), bowed politely, and hurried away.

Her breath was much whiter than ours, she was so flushed.

Everyone’s heads followed her.

‘The Duke has a lot of time.’ ‘Be quiet!’ The Duchess shouted again.

I ended up laughing like an idiot. The Duke seemed to be an incurable daughter-fool.

What an incredibly affectionate father and daughter.

“They look good together.”

“Yes.”

I answered casually to Christel’s words, then suddenly turned to look at her.

Her blue-gray eyes shone faintly.

As if to say she was okay. Or that she would be.

“Well, then I’ll be going now.”

“Right! We came out to see Sant off. We almost ended up disbanding like this.”

“That’s right.”

Christel quickly changed the subject.

While I was taking Berenice’s letter, Benjamin and Ganael were putting various travel snacks into the priest’s luggage.

The young man didn’t know what to do, but he happily accepted the gifts.

He hugged Herrit and the divine beasts tightly one last time, bowed, and then boarded the Imperial carriage.

Until the moment the door closed, we were noisy with all sorts of requests.

Numerous nobles and workers glanced this way as they passed.

“Sant, there are many poisonous creatures in the neutral zone. Be careful of scorpions and centipedes!”

“Yes, Ganael!”

“Be careful of vengeful spirits too.”

Sir Johann added gently. Sant’s face turned pale.

“Yes······?”

“Hahaha. It’s not a joke, but it’ll be okay if it’s the priest.”

He smoothed things over with a smile.

No, wait a minute. It doesn’t seem to be smoothed over? He’s not taking back his words?

“I, I’ll be back!”

-Click

The priest waved his hand with his eyebrows furrowed. Then the door closed.

The Imperial coachman who had been waiting for us joked, ‘Anyone would think you were saying goodbye forever.’

Herrit giggled and clung to Christel’s waist.

I stared at the rear of the departing carriage for a long time.

Until the black gate opened wide and then slammed shut like an iron cage.

“Heave-ho!”

-Clatter, clatter······

In truth, I was envious. Very much.

*

Huh?

-Rustle!

Back at Juliette Palace, I hurriedly hid the letter I was reading under the table.

Then, as if caught doing something wrong, I looked around.

It was disconcerting that Berenice had written it. No one saw······.

“What’s the problem now?”

“Prince Yesuh?”

What need to ask? All my friends are gathered here!

“It’s nothing. It’s just that the content is unique.”

“Hmm.”

When I awkwardly made excuses, Christel gave me a very suspicious look.

Lady Elisabeth, who was off duty today, sat side by side and tilted her head.

Ganael whispered to her, who had entered the palace late due to her county’s affairs, about what had happened earlier.

The Crown Prince (‘Juliette’s great chief, Romero Palace’s Master’) who hadn’t returned to his palace was staring intently at me.

Since when did that guy not go home after his business was done?

“Continue drinking.”

I gestured to his espresso. He clicked his tongue and lifted his coffee cup.

I immediately lowered my eyes.

When I gently unfolded the letter, the round handwriting came into view.

Every letter was written so clearly that there wasn’t a single hard-to-read character.

‘A letter dedicated to Prince Yesuh Fenetian, who will be forever blessed.

It is February, with spring not far away. Are you doing well?

Since the esteemed Prince came to the Empire, this place has been transformed into a land of miracles where purple tulips bloom even in the cold, and the first snow and phoenix descend on the same day······.’

Certainly, it was fine up to this point.

There were many embarrassing words, but I could understand since it was being sent to someone of high status.

But as I went down, the atmosphere changed.

‘My aunt, Chief Maid Laura Mendy, has cherished me very much since I was young. At one time, she even hoped that I would become the Chief Maid who oversees the Imperial Palace like her. In fact, she still harbors such a wish. Thus, thanks to His Majesty’s grace, I watched and learned the duties of the Chief Maid from my aunt until two years ago. I stayed in the Imperial Palace for about three months and learned various things.’

‘I sincerely hope that my shallow knowledge will be of some help to the beloved Prince······.’

It was a preface that felt somewhat tragic. And a little further down······.

‘4:30 AM: The Imperial Palace’s side gate opens. Cargo carriages carrying fresh ingredients come in. Because those with confirmed families and identities have been in charge of the duties for generations, the inspection of people is relatively lax. They check the goods once when they are first unloaded. And once they completely empty the cargo hold. After that, no one opens it until they leave the Imperial Palace. This takes exactly 50 minutes of work time.’

My dry saliva went down.

This, to anyone who sees it, is information to help escape.

‘5:20 AM: All cargo carriages leave the Imperial Palace at the same time every day. Most of them go to wide-area portals in the east or west. Rarely, there are vehicles heading to the Leugo General Trading Company, so you should be careful. To get to the border, you must take a carriage going east. At the public garage of the wide-area portal······.’

‘If you want to leave late and meet up with the Rambouillet Caravan, you must take a shortcut······.’

I folded the letter as quietly as possible. The information was chillingly specific.

It was a leak of secrets that would be punishable by law if I had bad intentions.

I was genuinely worried about Berenice.

There were several sheets of paper, and there were maps and the movements of various personnel that anyone could read. The time was also recorded in minutes.

Finally, a 3-headed character in a priest’s robe was waving his hand at the end of the map. This is probably······.

Me.

“Everyone.”

I called my friends seriously.

Those who had been absorbed in matching words with their foreheads touching each other looked at me with a sparkle.

The Crown Prince was reading indifferently, but he immediately gave the correct answer when Lady Elisabeth asked (“Oberon.”).

The lesser pandas, who had been gnawing on dolls in the corner, crept closer.

This was a secret that absolutely could not be leaked. I whispered in a voice close to ASMR [Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a relaxing sensation].

“What if······. What if I said let’s cross the border together, just us? What would you think?”

“Yes?”

‘Don’t tell me you’re thinking of running away?’ Christel whispered with a look of dying of fun.

The young Count was flustered, but more than that, he seemed to pity me.

He seemed to see me as a prince who had decided to commit delinquency to see his sister.

My heart was pounding as I suddenly tried to suggest something bad.

“I know it’s reckless. His Majesty would be furious if we were caught. But there’s already a way, and······. What if we just supplemented it a little?”

Honestly, I felt guilty.

I was now trying to move for my own desires.

I was trying to entice the precious children of other people’s families to leave the safe capital and go to a dangerous place. I felt like I had become a truly terrible friend.

But I was sure that they would be with me.

Christel smiled dazzlingly and nodded. Her hair and mine softly mingled together.

I looked back at the Crown Prince desperately.

What about you?

“······.”

Do you trust me, brother?