What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 304

#304

The Transcending Heart (3)

It was late March, and spring was already approaching.

Little Haynes, having finished serving tea, stood in the hallway of the Imperial Palace.

“Hehehe.”

Today was the day he would spend all day playing with his handsome Uncle Francois.

The boy held his uncle’s hand, looking around as he spoke with other nobles.

Francois had been very busy lately, but he never left Herritt at the Marquis’s residence.

Even though the family there was kind and it was okay.

The young Marquis had added two more attendants, fearing the boy might be tired, and carried homemade toys in his pocket instead of dangerous magic stones.

He had added five more fluffy cushions to the carriage.

“Yes, the snow has melted a lot. Excavation will be possible from next week.”

“That’s a relief! I will inform His Majesty. Test runs are already underway in other regions, so if we schedule the northern region at the end…”

Francois continued, his eyes shining. Herritt liked him.

Of course, the person he liked most in the world was his dad, followed by Prince Yeseo, but he really, really liked his uncle too.

He was an excellent polo player and a great cook.

To Herritt, he was more dazzling than a musical actor.

Later, after leaving the palace, he was going to eat delicious food with his uncle and learn how to ride a pony.

After naming the geese at the Marquis’s residence, they planned to explore the attic.

His heart was already pounding. He would have a lot to brag about to Aunt Christel.

-Heeheehee!

“Whoa, whoa!”

“Knight, how dare you ride a horse in the Imperial Palace!”

“It’s an urgent report!”

At that moment, it became noisy outside. Herritt widened his eyes and stood on tiptoes.

The boy had particularly good hearing.

Francois and the noble also stopped talking and looked out the window.

Shock crossed the faces of the two adults. The little boy tilted his head, not knowing what it meant.

Meanwhile, the commotion outside spread indoors.

Suddenly, the whole world seemed to be moving too busily.

-Clang, clang, clang!

“It’s a death notice for His Majesty!”

“Everyone, clear the way!”

Knights in armor, who suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway, were running towards them.

Herritt was surprised and hid behind Francois. Aunt Elizabeth had told him.

You must not run in the Imperial Palace, no matter what happens…

That was only okay when the Emperor, the Cardinal, the Crown Prince, or the Prince were nearby.

But they were now running at full speed.

They had black flags stuck in their backs, and their faces were all pale.

It was strange. What was a ‘death notice’?

“It’s okay.”

The Marquis stroked Herritt’s hair and whispered. The boy looked up at him.

The man’s profile was more serious than ever.

-Clang, clang, clang!

“Urgent news! Urgent news for His Majesty!”

“Whose news is it?”

He calmly called out to the knight running at the very end.

The woman stopped immediately upon seeing him.

Francois Dheim was a confidant of His Majesty and a noble with royal blood.

He was also someone who needed to know about the current situation as soon as possible.

The knight opened her mouth, panting.

Sorrow was evident in her furrowed brow and trembling voice.

“Prince Yeseo, Prince Yeseo Fenetian…”

Rustle! Francois immediately covered Herritt’s ears with both hands.

The boy was startled and looked up, but his uncle did not show his expression.

The face of the Imperial Palace servant was visible in the half-covered view.

Everyone who was passing by turned blue.

They covered their mouths, collapsed, and said something with their jaws dropped.

The boy slowly read the adults’ lips.

‘No way… No!’

‘The Prince? What happened to him?’

‘Good Lord! How could this happen!’

“Little Master.”

Suddenly! Francois picked up the boy.

The hallway was instantly filled with ominous murmurs.

Herritt looked at his uncle with confused eyes.

He forced a smile and kissed his little forehead.

The patting was warm, but the boy felt urgency in the adult’s touch.

“I’m sorry. It would be better to go back to the Marquis’s residence first today.”

“Ah…”

“You, take the young master in. Tell Maria to stay with him? Don’t wait for me.”

“Yes, Master.”

The servant bowed deeply and received Herritt.

As soon as the boy hugged his neck, the old man quickly left the hallway.

He also covered his ears with clothes and towels so that the boy could not hear the sound.

However, the passage was already a sea of tears.

Piercing cries pierced Herritt’s eardrums from time to time.

Some adults collapsed to the floor. The boy quickly buried his head.

Even the grandfather holding him had unstable breathing.

His hands were shaking. It was really scary now.

“Ugh…”

The boy already had this kind of memory. It was only one scene, but it was vivid in his head.

The villagers crying in front of the rolled-up stretcher. His dad quickly leaving with him in his arms.

The feeling of his cheek becoming wet.

Herritt had not seen his mother since that day.

-Clang!

“…No!”

“Aurelie!”

Flinch! Before turning the corner of the hallway, a tearing scream was heard from afar.

The sound of breaking dishes was also heard. What followed was clearly His Majesty’s voice.

As if it were a signal, the workers rushed towards the tearoom.

Herritt struggled to push bad thoughts out of his head. But it was too difficult.

He had never learned this yet.

“Hurry!”

Meanwhile, the servant grandfather moved quickly and got into the Marquis’s carriage.

‘Hyah! Hot!’ Soon, the large wheels rolled on the floor.

Herritt looked out the window, terrified.

Saaaah…! A storm-like wind shook the trees.

The green spring sprouts that were rising up were torn and fell helplessly.

Dark clouds were rolling in from beyond the sky. The boy squeezed his eyes shut.

The Prince’s face flickered in the black and red background.

Then, sorrowful tears fell.

“Sniff, uh-uh, uh-uh-uh…”

“Oh my, young master.”

-Rumble!

Thunder struck in the sky of the Imperial Capital.

Thud, and then sharp raindrops like blades began to scratch the window.

“…Is this the end?”

I put down my phone with a complicated face. Black letters were crawling on the white screen.

I don’t even know what emotions I’m feeling right now. I just let out a hollow breath.

「…and could not finish his words.

It was a moonless day.」

Latest episode of . Prince Yeseo Fenetian is dead.

But this had nothing to do with what I had experienced.

He jumped into the war between the Liester Empire and the Fenetian Holy Nation, and sacrificed his life there to protect Crown Prince Cedrick.

In his last moments, he thought of Christel and his younger sibling. That was all. The original story had not changed at all.

Just in case, I skimmed through from episode 1, but Ms. Gain, who had just possessed the body, was in a position to be engaged because of the ‘Blessing of the Sea’.

The Sarnese Duke and Duchess awakened their daughter by wishing with blood on the ‘Holy Grail of Wishes’.

This meant that the water-attribute divine object in the original story was intact.

The world I lived in was different from the very beginning.

As if my experience was just a fleeting dream. It’s like someone is playing with me.

“Why… No, is it right that it stays the same? Should nothing change? …Is it?”

I was confused. Then what about the year I spent there?

This wasn’t a matter of ‘feeling’ like I wanted to be recognized for my contributions (I didn’t even have any achievements in the first place), or wanting any results.

It was literally a question that came out of absurdity.

What the hell was that time? Why did I have to go and live there?

It was hard enough to say goodbye to my friends like a bolt from the blue, but if it had nothing to do with the original story, then I—

“Ha…”

For what on earth. The target of such questions that constantly beat me was ultimately me.

I pressed my palms hard against my eyelids.

A sense of futility washed over me, and I didn’t even have the energy to read more.

Maybe it’s because I didn’t binge-read it with a plan, but I felt more pity for the Crown Prince than for the Prince.

I’m sorry to Eunseo, but honestly, that’s how I felt. From what I could see, the Crown Prince seemed to have grown fond of the Prince…

What was he thinking as he watched the breath fading away in his arms? How sad and painful must he have been?

He was still a child with wounds from losing his father that were still bleeding.

There was no need to lose a friend so cruelly.

Whether it’s this guy or that guy.

-Ding!

Flinch. An alarm rang from my phone.

It was definitely my thing, but it felt awkward because it had been so long since I had heard such a sound effect.

I looked at the pop-up message that appeared on the screen. It was from another app.

‘Fallen Blossom Sword Dance – No update today. Sorry.’

“Huh…?”

I widened my eyes. I was so flustered that I didn’t even think about grabbing my phone and quickly left the room.

I saw my brother heading towards the front door!

“Hyung [older brother]! Are you taking a break today? Are you sick?”

My brother was serializing a martial arts novel called under the pen name ‘Baekgeon’.

Now that I see it, he was the one who needed to rest, not me.

He seemed strange since I yelled earlier, but seeing how haggard he had become in a few tens of minutes, my heart sank.

My brother had never taken a break except for Eunseo’s graduation or entrance ceremony.

What’s wrong?

“I’m not exactly sick, but I can’t concentrate, so I can’t write.”

“So where are you going? Exercising?”

“No, I’m going to meet the PD [production director/editor]. He came out for a meeting and happened to be near our house. I’m going to have a cup of tea and talk for a while.”

“Okay. If you’re going to eat lunch and come back, let me know in advance.”

“Okay.”

My brother, wearing a thick fleece, grabbed the doorknob.

Then, he stared at me for a long time and sighed deeply. My neck tilted involuntarily.

He doesn’t seem to be blaming me. My brother wouldn’t do that. What is it?

“Rest up.”

“Okay.”

-Click!

…And the door closed. I turned around with a strange feeling.

I felt stuffy, so I thought I’d feel better if I washed a mug of citron tea.

*

And so, the next day came.

-Thump, thump, thump

It was the second day of being back, and I was really out of my mind.

Apart from worrying about my friends, feeling a burning sensation under my eyes just thinking about it, and feeling desperate every moment…

-This stop is Yeoksam, Yeoksam Station. The doors will open on the right.

I had to go to work.

-Cheeeee!

“Ah.”

I quickly closed the window I was looking at on my phone and looked up.

The feeling of being pushed and shoved as the doors opened was new to me.

I couldn’t even stand at attention, so I had to move with my phone in my hand.

The crowded Seoul subway on the way to work, especially Line 2.

If I lost focus even for a moment, I would not only miss my stop but also be late by about ten minutes.

I walked, constantly reminding myself of what I had to do.

First, check the memo on the monitor, check the new emails, recheck the contracts I need to review, check the company notices…

It had been a whole year since I last did these things, so it was hazy.

I had been looking at past emails until just now, but honestly, a few of them felt new as if I was seeing them for the first time.

This was a problem.

I had to live this life here too.

No, this was the only one from the start.

“Ha…”

I didn’t want to feel down from the morning, but a sigh burst out from my core.

Slap! I lightly slapped both cheeks and went up the stairs.

Let’s work hard, Jung Yeseo. You said you would do that anywhere. If you don’t have anything special, you should at least be consistent.

“Oh my, this is new too.”

As I reached the dirty end of the stairs, the Yeoksam Station intersection, where countless cars and office workers passed by, unfolded.

It was the first time I was happy to see the scenery on the way to work.

The clear air of the March morning, the blue and large buildings, the streetlights with arms stretched out like seagulls.

The signals flashing busily and the occasional honking.

I smiled wryly and walked towards the company.

It had been a long time since I had used transportation other than a carriage or cart.

The subway was fast, but the portal was much more convenient. Although I had strayed into other neighborhoods.

“…”

The corners of my lips lost strength. I diligently moved my flats.

While I was eating breakfast with my brother and Eunseo in the morning, the thought suddenly crossed my mind.

What if it was just a very vivid dream?

What if I had arbitrarily combined and imagined the stories I had heard from Eunseo…? What if it was a one-night fantasy?

Then what should I define what I’m feeling now?

Should I go to the hospital someday?

“Hoo.”

I silently pushed up the straps of my backpack and moved forward.

As I passed one large block as my body remembered, I saw a familiar building.

The letters ‘Seom Baek’ were engraved in large letters on the top of the tall building.

It was the company I worked for.

It was a mid-sized company known for home appliances, and I worked in the legal team here.

-Step, step, step…

As I passed the flower bed at the entrance—

-Meow

“Huh?”

A cat’s meow came from the bushes. I stopped and stood still.

Only then did one of the memories I had pushed far away light up like an incandescent lamp.

How could I have forgotten this? The cat family in the company’s flower bed. Little Women!

“Ramiya?”

-Meoooowk

Ramiya. It was the name I gave her because she meowed like an alarm when someone she was close to passed by.

As I carefully approached with a heart full of emotion, a mottled calico cat walked out looking at me.

The jade-colored eyes and tiger-like patterns were the same.

Ramiya had four kittens that looked just like her.

So I called them ‘Little Women’.

Today, they were hidden behind her, so I couldn’t see any of them.

When I smiled brightly because I was happy to see her, Ramiya licked her tongue.

“Wait a minute. This uncle is…”

I always carried snacks in my front pocket, so wait.

“Ramiya, why is your front paw like that?”

I became serious. The cat was holding one paw awkwardly.

“Isn’t that a scab? You’re hurt. Did you get it caught somewhere?”

-Meowng

She cried as if answering.

Looking closely, there was blood clotted on her paw, and there were traces of her fur being pressed down.

It was clear that she was in pain, so she didn’t put her paw on the ground at all. This was a big deal.

I wanted to ask the team leader for permission right away and take her to the hospital.

She has a companion cat and a kind heart, so she would definitely understand.

But as far as I knew, the kittens hadn’t been born long ago.

I didn’t think the mother should suddenly leave her territory…

“What should I do? Should I call a center somewhere? Or should I call the team leader?”

I slowly reached out my hand. Ramiya only blinked her eyes for a long time and didn’t avoid me.

She seemed very tired, so I felt sorry for her.

“It’s okay. There are many people who help stray cats these days. The team leader also adopted one from the street—”

That’s when it happened.

-Saaaaah…

I immediately stiffened.

An impossible phenomenon, an impossible and incomprehensible event was occurring.

From my fingertips.

“This. What is this, why is this…”

The hair on my whole body stood on end, and a thrill ran down my spine.

No way. No way, no way!

-Sarararar…!

It was a blue healing ether particle.

‘Meow.’ Only Ramiya was not surprised.