What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 317

#317

The Black Prince (1)

I was…

“Angel! Are you okay? We were worried because you came down so late!”

“Oh my goodness, blood on your neck! Titania! Does anyone have a cloth or something?”

“What in the world! Did the Viscount do this to you?!”

“……”

Led by the soldiers, I came down to Honing Village, where pale-faced residents greeted me.

I blankly accepted their help. A rough washcloth went over my skin.

Yoana wrapped an old piece of cloth around the wound to stop the bleeding.

Even with her skillful hands tying the knot, I couldn’t easily come to my senses.

It was only when a tearful Kuhn clung to my waist that I opened my eyes.

I raised my head blankly and belatedly saw my surroundings.

“……Maintain all-around defense! Report anything unusual immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

Torches lit up the darkness in places. Imperial soldiers moving busily.

Mages in familiar uniforms. The crowd and warhorses gathered in the center of the village came into view.

The sounds reached my eardrums a beat late. ‘Aaaaaaah!’ Screams and shouts that cut through the mountain.

The clash of swords and the sound of fire blooming like fireworks.

-Whoosh!

……The Crown Prince was in the middle of the battlefield.

“Angel?”

“Ah… I’m okay. It’s just a scratch.”

From the ‘Comet Sword of Mars’. From the divine artifact that guy pulled from the field himself.

“Just a scratch? Don’t untie it until the bleeding stops.”

I was there that day too.

“Yes, I will. Thank you, everyone.”

He doesn’t know me anymore, though.

“Angel, are you hurting?”

“No, not much blood came out.”

I stroked Kuhn’s forehead and smiled faintly.

The residents looked at me with worried eyes, but they were also happy that the operation seemed to have succeeded.

Although the situation wasn’t over yet, everyone was relieved and shed tears.

They had been anxious that the Imperial Army would be counterattacked by Viscount Trossart, so this reaction was quite natural.

Everyone had taken a step closer to life.

“Um, Angel. I thought this might be yours, so I brought it.”

Only then did Whino cautiously hand me something.

I unconsciously turned my head and was shocked.

My heart dropped, and my mouth widened. It’s my Gaga bag!

“Thank you! Oh, thank you so much! But, why is this…”

I foolishly fumbled all over my body. Of course, I didn’t have the Gaga bag with me now.

Have I finally gone crazy, Jung Ye-seo! When did I drop it?

I remembered confirming the existence of the growth [likely referring to a magical plant or creature she’s nurturing] and the luggage even when we were all knocking over the rainwater storage and running.

So, the bag must have fallen off me after that. How on earth did I lose this important thing—

“Here, if you look here… The shoulder strap is torn. The top of the bag is also a little ripped. It seems to have worn out a lot from living in rough places.”

Whino pointed to various places with a pitiful look.

I must have tripped over a rock and the bag tumbled along with me.

It was a precious item that Ganael had knitted for me during breaks, and seeing it covered in dirt and damaged made my heart ache.

And I felt sorry.

“……Thank you.”

I carefully took the Gaga bag and bowed my head.

The man told me not to do that, but I sincerely wanted to convey my feelings.

Fortunately, all the belongings were safe. I had checked three times, so I was sure.

Seeing the ruined bag, one of the residents got permission from a soldier and quickly went into their house.

Then, they came back with a large straw backpack.

“Angel, put it in here. It’s big, so you can put the whole bag in it.”

“……”

“It’s precious to you, right? Then you shouldn’t throw it away and keep it with you. My husband used to use it, and it’s still sturdy.”

“It would be nice if I could fix it up with some sewing, but the situation is like this…”

Everyone looked at me with pity. I wondered if my expression was that bad, so I tried to raise the corners of my mouth.

‘Thank you so much.’ I even managed to make a voice that was bearable to listen to.

Kuhn, watching my complexion, took Ttuksimi [likely a pet name] out of his arms and handed it to me.

The wren was still fast asleep, oblivious to the world.

Seeing its body wrapped in a holey handkerchief made me genuinely smile.

Everyone was caring for me and helping me like this, so I wanted to only think positively.

I wanted to believe that everything would eventually be alright.

To do that, I had to cheer up.

“Yoana, do you happen to have any sun halo herbs?”

First, I needed to get some to reduce my cooldown [referring to a magical ability].

If I remembered correctly, I had drunk Herrit’s sun halo herb tea for three days and then recovered my ether [magical energy].

And this was land bordering the frontier.

I had been diligently listening and learning that sun halo herbs mainly grew in the border areas of both countries.

This was because many priests were buried there during the terrible war era.

It wasn’t widely known, but sun halo herbs and holy stones grew by feeding on the ether that seeped from the bones of priests.

I didn’t have the luxury to dry them and brew tea, so I had to consume the raw herbs as a matter of urgency.

“That is.”

Yoana scratched the back of her head. A troubled look crossed her expressionless face.

“I searched the warehouse hoping there might be even one root left, but it seems we sold them all off this spring due to the drought.”

“……I see.”

“I’m sorry. Sun halo herbs are precious, so we can’t afford to stock up on them.”

“No, it’s alright. I’m the one relying on you. Thank you for looking.”

Honing is a poor village where they sell anything if it means bread for the children.

It’s a land of people who launch small boats to distant foreign lands to keep their children alive.

No matter how much I looked around, it wasn’t an environment where they could cherish valuable medicinal herbs like sun halo herbs.

Didn’t Johan suffer for a long time to earn Herrit’s medicine money?

I was too short-sighted.

Hugging the backpack and Ttuksimi, I tried not to show any signs of anxiety.

What should I do? How can I let Crown Prince Cedrick know that it’s me?

“For tonight, everyone will stay in the plaza! It’s easier to protect you when you’re gathered together. We’ll provide drinking water and food. It’s dangerous, so don’t go outside the village, and the soldiers will stand guard, so get some rest!”

“Thank you, thank you!”

An Imperial Army knight announced loudly. The residents bowed their heads in gratitude.

I was no exception. As I lay flat on my stomach, looking around, everything looked new.

The soldiers stationed in Honing were busily building barracks and lighting bonfires here and there.

I peeked out and rolled my eyes.

“All lower-ranking combat mages, assemble!”

“Yes!”

Those wearing light armor rushed to one place.

Some looked exhausted, while others still seemed energetic.

However, they were all commonly focused on their work.

There was no one playing around or wandering aimlessly.

Over there, the first barrack was already revealing its frame.

“The beds are horizontal, that’s right. Arrange them in three rows! Secure a passage for the priests to move in and out in between!”

“Yes, Captain!”

“Shall we carve a magic formula?”

“No, let’s start with the cold preservation magic first—”

……It wasn’t a space for the Crown Prince or superiors to stay, but a ward for the injured.

I stared blankly at my dirt-covered palm.

It had been six days since I woke up, and the ether was still quiet.

If I didn’t have sun halo herbs, how long would it take to recover?

I thought I had grown a little coming over this time, but was it still too much for my vessel?

“……”

I clenched my fist tightly and swallowed a sigh. I hoped I could regain my strength soon.

*

The first morning of August. Dawn was breaking. Mount Trossart was dyed red with blood and the morning glow.

-Thud!

“Keuh-ahk!”

-Clang, clang, seogeong!

“Aaaaaaah!”

Over the past few days, Viscount Pyke Trossart’s resistance had been fierce.

Among his soldiers were three bishop-level priests.

Thanks to the priests who had received combat training, there was no shortage of ether.

In the end, the Empire’s paladin had to take the lead and remove his gauntlets.

Soldiers who had received secret orders fought by scattering saltpeter and sulfur powder into the enemy camp.

Cedrick waited for the right moment.

The man’s transparent holy stone necklace swayed beneath his shirt.

It was once the most beautiful ornament in the Imperial Palace.

But now it was cracked and empty.

It was a wound from ice.

‘Now is the time, Your Highness!’

-Click!

The noble man flicked his fingers, and

-Whoosh—!

-Kwaaaang!

‘Aaaaaaah!’

‘Oh, Lord!’

One-third of the Theocracy’s army died on the spot. It was the dawn of the second day.

-Heeheeheeing!

“Giddy up, ha!”

“You will pay the price for insulting the Empire and dropping the moon!”

-Clang! Clang! Chaechaechaeng!

And currently.

Even the veteran knights had hoarse voices, and the excited warhorses lifted their front hooves with their last strength.

‘Kagagak! Kiging!’ Swords clashed, scattering bright light.

‘Poo-ook!’ ‘Keoheok!’ Blood splattered everywhere, and the stench of burning corpses filled the air.

Screams and noise, fear and thrill, had engulfed the battlefield for three days.

Smoke rose to the sky, and bodily fluids poured down below.

There were more corpses than rocks underfoot.

The green of summer was covered in a gruesome red light. It was truly a hellish sight.

There was a reason why the Emperor had dissuaded his son from going to war until the very end.

This was why Orelly Boutier had stopped her godson with tears.

“……”

But Cedrick Liester remained unshaken.

There was already no light in his eyes, so he wasn’t surprised by the darkness.

Red drops of blood splattered on his white cheeks.

The man sat proudly in his saddle, overseeing the battlefield.

Then, flicking off the flesh stuck to the Comet Sword, he raised his right hand.

‘Ssaeeaeaehk!’ The swords and spears circling in his sky simultaneously pointed in one direction.

The aerial weapons of the Sword Master did not distinguish between those made by the Empire and those made by the Theocracy.

From the tips of the blades that received the morning sunlight, dark red liquid dripped.

It was the blood of those who were already dead.

“Heo-eok!”

“No, no, no, no……!”

“Air raid! Retreat! Retreat!”

“No! Protect the Viscount! Protect the Viscount!”

A desperate order cut through the air.

The last warriors guarded Viscount Trossart in a circle.

Some knights, their faces pale, began to run away, limping.

Some soldiers burst into tears, threw away their weapons, and fell flat on their faces.

Those who surrendered were immediately accepted, so if they wanted to live, now was their last chance.

“There is only the Lord’s curse for those who flee! The Lord will punish you!”

It was a voice torn to shreds. Blood and saliva splattered from the Viscount’s mouth as he warned.

But the battle was coming to an end. All the priests who could open the sanctuary had been captured by the Empire.

The Viscount himself was also a bishop-level priest, but he was also on the verge of fainting from exhausting his ether.

Half of the paladins were dead or crippled, and the other half were taken as prisoners.

Now they had no shield. No—

A mere shield could not stop the bloodline of the Sword Master.

The orange eyes looked like they were possessed by a murderer.

-Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

“Block it! Everyone, raise your shields! Aaaaaaah!”

“Viscount! Duck down!”

-Ssaeeaeaehk!

The long blades flew in without stopping.

‘Long live the Venetian Theocracy!’ The knights screamed and raised their swords, spears, and shields.

It was a useless act.

-Thud, thud! Poo-ook! Peo-eok!

“Keoheok……!”

Time seemed to stop for a moment.

They maintained the pose they had taken for the last time in their lives like sculptures.

Until blood gushed out beyond the armor pierced by the blades, and everything collapsed.

“Ugh. Euh-heuk……”

“Keut, heok…… Keulleok, Viscount……”

-Thump! Teolpeodeok, thump!

The knights fell to the ground one by one. And they could no longer move.

The formation that had drawn a circle with the master in the center was now creating a round pool of blood.

Ttinggeureong, teong! Shields that had been pierced as futilely as blankets lay scattered here and there.

The man standing in the center of them began to tremble all over.

With an expression of disbelief, he rolled his eyes and looked up.

“Ha, ha…… How……”

An Imperial dagger with a cheap handle was floating in the air, aiming for the young man’s forehead.

Blood trickled from his bitten lips. The Viscount very slowly raised both hands.

It was a face complexly intertwined with anger, shame, agony, and futility.

-Thump!

And he knelt down. At the same time, cheers as loud as thunder poured out.

“Waaaaaaa—!”

“We won! We won! We won!”

“Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“Long live Liester!”

‘Long live! Long live! Long live!’ The soldiers raised their arms and cheered.

This was not their first battle, but it was certainly one of the fiercest they had ever fought.

Nimble high-ranking mages put ether restraints on the Viscount.

Jjaenggeureong, jjaenggeurang! Those who threw their swords to the ground and shouted, and those who clashed their spears in celebration, were all mixed together.

The Imperial Army all hugged each other and shouted.

Most of them were crying with the joy of survival and victory.

A couple of knights who were assisting the Crown Prince rode out to begin cleaning up the battlefield.

-Hwiririk!

Cheok, the dagger was caught in Cedrick’s grip.

In the midst of the vortex of emotions that shook the heavens and the earth, he was alone and still.

He felt nothing. He didn’t want to feel anything.

‘Don’t only think in sad ways. The Prince is… not someone who would go like that. You know. Even if others don’t know, weren’t you and I the ones who knew, Your Highness?’

‘Get a grip, seriously! Why are you pushing everything away when you don’t have enough time to live harder!’

‘Just lash out at me instead! It would be refreshing to make a mess and fight like back then!’

‘You stupid bastard!’

Christel Rambouillet poured out a torrent of abuse on him and left for the sea.

She even left a warning that she would be back, so don’t even think about doing anything foolish.

It was irreverent, unpleasant, and outrageous to the point of being treasonous.

It was the moment when Cedrick felt the only emotional wave since ‘that day’.

But in the end, he didn’t react and let it pass. What meaning was there in it?

“Your Highness.”

“……”

He had received enough education to become a good ruler.

He would continue to learn diligently. He would faithfully fulfill his duties.

That was enough. No more stimulation was needed.

All the man wanted was revenge.

“Your Highness, there’s an urgent message from the Imperial Palace.”

“What is it?”

He turned his horse’s head and asked bluntly. Before he knew it, the Crown Prince’s rear was in disarray.

Those with flags stuck in their backs were catching their breath.

Judging by the armor covered in white dust, they must have crossed the desert without rest.

“There was a message from His Eminence the Cardinal. ‘My beloved child. The divine beasts have awakened from their slumber. It seems that the Lord’s gift is descending upon us.'”

“……”

“That is all. Keulleok!”

The knight bowed respectfully and took a step back. The Crown Prince silently stared at the daytime moon.

Strangely, the face of the man he had seen in the forest flashed before his eyes.

It was only for a moment.