What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 296

The Border Temple (4)

Since arriving at the Border Temple, Elysee’s mind had been incredibly busy.

She was managing state affairs from a distant land while constantly worrying about her family and her country’s safety.

With Count Loserharder and herself out of the country, the roles of her father and other nobles at home were crucial.

Although the conflict with the Empire had subsided, there were still many details to oversee.

She needed to distribute healthy seedlings throughout the country for the spring and control the epidemics that recurred with the changing seasons.

By now, countless ships would be entering the East Sea.

She also had to send troops to suppress the pirates…

-Saaaaaa…!

“The ether flow is stable. The vessel is healthy as well. However, since it’s the early stages of awakening, you should monitor her closely for the time being and avoid bringing any unfamiliar priests or holy knights nearby,” the Papal Healing Priest standing by the bedside said.

The Healing Priests from the Venetian Royal Castle had given the same diagnosis earlier.

However, Werner distorted his handsome face as if he had never heard of such a thing. He stroked Cornelia’s cheek, who was sleeping as if dead, whispering, ‘Our dandelion, our dandelion.’

Elysee looked back and forth between her father and youngest sibling.

At first, she was shocked by his sudden arrival without any prior notice.

She felt her blood run cold and her insides boil, wondering how he could be so irresponsible. But—

‘Crown Princess, please look at our youngest. It seems the child has undergone ether awakening!’

Her father’s voice was trembling.

His disheveled hair and red eyes were completely unlike him.

He was holding their youngest tightly, and his hurried appearance was unfamiliar.

Standing on the temple steps, he frantically poured out the story.

‘She said she wanted to see her sister before collapsing.’

‘…’

‘There’s no guarantee that ether awakening will be successful one hundred percent of the time, but as a father, how could I not grant my child’s one wish with her eyes closed? So, I rushed here to see my eldest daughter.’

‘Father.’

‘Don’t worry about state affairs, Crown Princess. I’ve entrusted them to Duke Sneider and the court nobles. Venetian is strong. Even if you can’t trust your father, you can trust the system that has endured for a thousand years, can’t you?’

His words were very fast. There was a hint of weeping mixed in, and it sounded like a plea.

There was no trace of resentment towards his eldest daughter, who didn’t trust him and wouldn’t hand over the royal seal.

Elysee hurriedly ran out of the temple, trying to organize her thoughts.

In short, the reason her father came here was not to interfere with the talks between the two countries, nor to demand the return of the royal seal.

He was just…

‘But we don’t know what will happen to Cornelia. If she fails to awaken like this,’

‘That won’t happen.’

Elysee replied sharply. With a calm hand, she took her youngest into her arms.

All holy knights gained true power through ether awakening, but some occasionally died during this process.

The Crown Princess closed her eyes, kissing her sister’s forehead. The young body was damp and cold.

But to her, it was the warmest and most pleasant water in the world.

The soft ivory hair and flour-like cheeks were just as they had been on the day they parted.

Aminth. Lovely child. The only blood relative who was her support.

‘Please let her stay by her two daughters’ sides.’

Werner pleaded. Elysee suddenly opened her eyes and was shocked.

Her father was kneeling at her feet, begging.

‘Father!’

‘Please! Don’t you know what that child means to me!’

‘Please rise. The Papal officials are watching. How can you do this!’

‘I won’t let anyone know that her father is here. I don’t want any special treatment! I have no intention of interfering in the talks or agreements. I will be as if dead. So, until the child wakes up!’

A tear fell from his left eye. His blood-stained lips were trembling.

Her heart sank. The Papal soldiers lined up bowed deeply.

As if they hadn’t seen anything.

‘Don’t send her back to the royal castle until it’s confirmed that she’s healthy. Please…!’

‘Your Majesty!’

The Royal Consort grabbed Elysee’s ankle and prostrated himself.

Elysee was flustered and called her father by the title she used in her childhood, but he didn’t budge.

The Crown Princess couldn’t send her father back home in the end.

Until Cornelia woke up and could eat with a spoon on her own… he said he would stay in the temple.

Knowing what her youngest meant to him, she couldn’t be cruel any longer.

Elysee endured the nausea with composure.

She loathed herself for being able to do this, knowing what her father had done to Yeser and what he had done to the Holy Nation.

But at the same time, she felt sorry for him.

She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him being so alone that he relied entirely on an eight-year-old child who knew nothing.

Because even his eldest daughter didn’t give him her heart.

“…Father.”

“Yes.”

“Have you eaten?”

She was disgusted by her own duplicity.

She felt relieved, sensing Yeser’s ether spreading through the temple, while losing her composure when looking at her father.

She was thinking of ways to save her sister while pitying the relative who was trying to kill that child.

How could the Crown Princess of a nation be so weak and ridiculous?

Could it be that she was the one who was broken?

How long could a mere human keep up this tug-of-war?

…It would be better if she could just abandon one side.

“The pea soup was delicious.”

He smiled, looking like he would break as he replied.

The hands that wiped her wet body with a dry towel were full of affection.

Elysee frowned.

“…”

She hated her subconscious for having such terrible thoughts, and she didn’t like her father’s answer either.

She became even angrier when she worried that soup wouldn’t be enough for a meal.

The only reason she had come to the desert was because of her father.

It was because he had pretended to be sick, deceiving everyone and disrupting the situation.

Perhaps even that attitude was an act.

However, it was true that Cornelia couldn’t wake up, and it was true that the child had awakened to ether.

It was also true that someone close to her had to stay by her side instead of her, who was of the fire attribute.

She finally said only this:

“…Do not leave the room.”

“I will. I need to change the sheets. Prepare them.”

Werner hugged his youngest daughter, not caring about the cold words.

At the same time, the room became busy. The servants pulled back the bed curtains and carried new towels and mats.

The Crown Princess silently watched their movements and left the room. Step, step, step…

She didn’t look back until the resolute footsteps had completely disappeared.

“…When did they say they would meet?”

Werner, having confirmed her departure, asked in a faint voice. The head of the servants immediately replied.

“They said tomorrow evening. But…”

“Speak.”

“A banquet is not being prepared. There were no orders from the Chief Delegate regarding this. I suspect they will be meeting directly in front of the Holy Relic.”

“…”

The old servant whispered. A shadow fell over the Royal Consort’s eyes.

Clearly, the Chief Delegate had made such a proposal.

He had suggested gathering in the secret chamber at the end of the underground labyrinth and swearing peace in the presence of the Holy Relic.

It was an absurd suggestion, but Elysee was serious.

Seeing that the dirty bastard had even lured the Crown Prince to bring him along, it seemed that the Empire was also taking it seriously.

Werner’s mind raced.

“To pass through the labyrinth, one must survive the guardian spirits.”

“So I’ve heard. But Your Highness…”

“There is no next time for me.”

His voice cracked. The servant bowed. The Royal Consort knew very well.

His sister was always ready to abandon him, and Elysee had finally fully possessed the royal seal.

In this situation, no noble would protect him.

The man was more certain than anyone that their infatuation was with his glamorous appearance.

So, this journey was the last chance that Cornelia had given him.

He trembled as he embraced his daughter.

“…This time, I will end it all.”

He would do it without anyone’s help.

He would be forever free from the existence that had tortured and tormented him for nearly thirty years.

Even if it was something close to impossible.

*

Thus, it was arranged to meet Elysee in the underground labyrinth tomorrow evening.

Chief Delegate Ronald Lüpert would mediate.

He wanted us to talk directly in front of the Holy Relic and promise peace.

He didn’t offer any other unnecessary details.

It was so swift that I wondered if it was okay.

‘He’s always one to prioritize the main point.’

‘I see.’

Sir Johann explained.

‘He wouldn’t want to create another opportunity for things to go wrong or for the conversation to go astray by setting up other meetings.’

Contrary to his gentle voice, contempt occasionally flashed in his eyes when he mentioned the Chief Delegate.

I felt bad because it seemed he had suffered a lot here.

‘The Chief Delegate will do anything to maintain the current Papal State. He’s very obsessed with a state that doesn’t get better than it is now, but doesn’t get worse either.’

I frowned, listening to his words. It was strange.

‘Why… would he do that? With his power, he could do so much more. The problems with the desert grave robbers and historical site management, and the village security, could be much better than they are now.’

‘Well, perhaps it’s because he thinks of himself as a butler, not a leader?’

The Cardinal answered with a smile.

‘Butler.’ The person who manages his house while the Pope is absent.

If he saw himself that way, then his actions so far were not incomprehensible.

The Chief Delegate never made any political statements and remained neutral under the guise of neutrality, no matter what happened between the two countries.

He was obsessed with saving the budget and even neglected the people in the neutral zone.

…Should I see it as the Papal State’s way of surviving in an era without a Pope?

But I thought that if it were me, if it were us, we wouldn’t do it this way.

I must talk about it tomorrow. I will strongly suggest especially regarding Chaum Village and the ruins.

“Prince. Are you perhaps deliberately releasing ether everywhere?”

Huh?

“Ah, yes. I wanted Crown Princess Elysee to know that I’m safe. Is it uncomfortable?”

I asked, startled and straightening my posture.

We were enjoying a deep rest after a long time.

I was releasing ether to my heart’s content so that Elysee somewhere in the temple could sense it.

I must have been spacing out for too long.

“Not at all. I asked because I liked it. It’s like adding bath salts to the air!” Christel, who was lying on Isabel’s lap on the long sofa, grinned.

I was embarrassed and just fiddled with my teacher’s growth [a magical staff].

I wondered if the other holy knights felt the same way, but Sir Johann had the same expression as usual, and Crown Prince Cedric was reading.

As expected.

Hanan, who was sitting next to the Crown Prince, stretched out her arms.

-Demi, come here and carry me.

-Kkii?

-Yes. The young one’s antics are noisy.

Then the Lesser Panda walked over and placed the cloth doll on its back.

I would have taken a video if I had a phone. I chuckled and stretched.

In the distance, beyond the courtyard, the Baron and his wife were enjoying tea time.

“Ugh.”

The spaces provided by the Chief Delegate were all so big and wide that even though everyone was out in the living room, it felt empty.

It was a bit chilly, so Christel’s ice ring wasn’t even needed.

The workers of the Rambuillet Caravan were also resting comfortably in the Papal lodgings.

The camels and horses that had suffered were provided with expensive feed and special meals.

We had all gone to see the stables a little while ago, and fortunately, they weren’t as bleak or bizarre as the inside of the temple.

They were ordinary barns, so the animals quickly adapted.

-Awoo.

“This? A staff?”

-Woong.

“Yeah. If possible, I want to be recognized before returning to the palace, but I don’t know what will happen.”

I talked to Tete, who was showing curiosity about the growth.

I still didn’t know the language of the divine beast very well, but I did my best.

I had kidnapped my precious godfather and even ran away from home, so I wanted to show my teacher the grown-up appearance when I returned.

It would be great if I was chosen as the owner of the growth!

The staff had been quiet ever since it emitted light in the ruins.

I smiled awkwardly, looking at the pitch-black crescent moon.

Tete was slapping the stick with its flipper feet or twitching its whiskers, enjoying it.

“If I get good at using this, I’ll be able to have more fun with Tete.”

-Aeuk!

“Hyung [older brother or a term of endearment] will try hard. It won’t be easy because it’s a task given by Her Highness.”

-Aeu!

-Take it to the labyrinth.

At that moment, Hanan suddenly spoke.

She got off Demi’s back with a graceful movement and strode over.

It takes her a long time to walk 30cm, hahaha.

“Are you talking about the underground labyrinth?”

-Yes.

The Queen raised her head and declared in a resounding voice. Then everyone’s eyes turned to her.

Her charisma is amazing.

“Is it because of the guardian spirits of the labyrinth?”

I asked cautiously.

Sir Johann couldn’t tell me much about the ‘guardian spirits’ either.

It was because he had never been able to enter the labyrinth. However, he said there were such rumors.

The ghosts guarding the place were very old…

“I heard they devour the souls of intruders who harbor malice. They have the appearance of terrible monsters.”

-Tsk! You’re just talking nonsense.

I was scolded by an elder. I was a little disheartened and waited for the next words.

The Queen shook her veil and declared in a resounding voice.

-Didn’t you make your staff the root of the temple? It will surely be helpful.