What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 329

와장창! Great Adventures (7)

It was a time when the world was fast asleep.

In the inky blackness of the forest and sky, a crescent moon, thin as a fingernail, cast a faint light.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter…!

“Ugh, ugh.”

“Oh, God…”

The groans of soldiers echoed through the carriage.

Clatter, clatter, clatter! Thump! The urgent rhythm of hooves and the rumble of wheels enveloped the sounds like a dark shroud.

The carriage was large and dark, remodeled to transport the wounded, making it surprisingly comfortable.

Holding a canteen and a medicine bottle, I hurried to tend to everyone.

No one was on the brink of death, but the pain was returning to wounds where the healing priest’s ether [a magical healing energy] had faded.

We had a long journey ahead, so the soldiers needed to rest comfortably.

“Soldier, this is a painkiller with sleep aids. Would you like some?”

“Ugh, please…”

“Good choice. Let me help you sit up.”

I supported the soldier, who had lost a leg, and held the canteen to his lips.

I felt a wave of relief when he smiled gratefully.

The carriage Bakari arranged wasn’t just for me, of course.

It was a way to transport warriors needing rehabilitation or retirement back to the Empire.

Now that I was no longer a prince, I couldn’t expect personal transport during wartime.

In fact, the fact that I, a ‘commoner of the Holy Kingdom,’ was being sent directly to the Empire was a significant privilege.

For nursing purposes, they could have chosen someone from their own country.

I suspected Bakari had exerted some influence. I was grateful.

With that thought, I silently gazed out the window.

“…”

-Clatter, clatter, clatter…

Beyond the glass, it was dark, but I thought I could see the Winite Stream in the distance.

It had been about two hours since we left the Trossart front lines. Where were we now?

Was the desert getting closer? They said Emperor Frederick was there.

“…It was good to leave.”

A troubled murmur escaped my lips.

The sharp, cyan gaze I remembered formed in my mind, then blurred.

‘If you truly care about the Imperial Army, don’t hesitate.’

At that moment, the reason for following the prophet’s words was clear.

I had every reason to leave.

Because of me, Bakari couldn’t see the future there, and such a handicap was fatal in wartime.

Besides, dangerous magical beasts were appearing from the mountains from time to time.

The Martian sword’s influence was present, but thinking about it, I should have left the village sooner.

I was pathetic and foolish for taking so long, absorbed in my own worries.

Putting everyone in danger, turning the Crown Prince into a bloody mess, and realizing it only after several barracks and prisons were destroyed. Crazy bastard…

You’re not in your right mind for many reasons, Jung Ye-seo. You’ve lost your reason.

“Let’s pull back to the rear and calm down.”

The people of Honing Village will be able to meet again. The Imperial Army will protect them, so they will be safe.

First, calm down and look at the situation with a broader perspective…

Huh?

-Tap, tap, tap

I blinked and stared at the window.

A few drops of water streaked down the glass, leaving long trails. Was it raining?

-Pathetic, swish…!

The rain quickly intensified, turning into a downpour of hail.

Thud, thud! The sound of hail striking the carriage roof was deafening.

I wondered if the weather was worsening the patients’ condition.

Instantly, the air became damp, and there was a faint smell of water.

I looked at the ceiling to see if there were any leaks—

-Beep

“Huh?”

It was a very familiar cry. I panicked and placed my hand on my chest.

Wriggle, wriggle. A small warmth was moving. It wasn’t a mistake!

“…Ttuk-shim?”

-Peep!

The wren poked its head out. Its lively, beady eyes caught the dim light.

Even though I knew this would happen, even though I had no doubt he would wake up, I was momentarily overwhelmed.

I was so happy and overcome with emotion that I felt like I was going to cry.

I carefully held him in both hands and met his gaze.

The wren stretched its wings and yawned.

I couldn’t help but smile as he hopped onto my palm, tilted his head this way and that, and rubbed his belly against my skin.

My little, soft friend. I missed you too.

“Did you sleep well?”

-Peerrrrr!

“Shh, shh. Everyone is resting, so let’s be quiet.”

I quickly whispered. Fortunately, most of the wounded soldiers were fast asleep.

The medicine worked well; everyone was exhausted, and it was late at night.

Ttuk-shim looked around with a puzzled expression.

-Peep?

He shook his body and chirped briefly.

Roughly, it felt like ‘What is this?’ or ‘Why are we here?’ More precisely…

‘Where are the others?’ It felt like that kind of question.

“…The two countries are at war right now. Hyung [term for older brother or close male friend] has decided to retreat to the rear for the time being. I was originally in the Holy Kingdom, but I’m on my way to the Empire.”

-Peep peep?

The wren still didn’t understand. It was understandable.

When I was at home, I sang a song about meeting my friends.

I was going to apologize for deceiving them, solve any problems together, and I was making all sorts of promises.

But now I was alone. I couldn’t even reach the imperial palace, let alone the imperial capital.

No matter how I tried to explain it, it was bound to sound strange.

“…That’s how it is.”

-Bbing

He chirped as if he understood, and baked a round coffee bean bread on my palm.

A bitter smile crept onto my face. It seemed like he roughly understood the time I spent digging.

“I’m sorry. You really worked hard for me. I didn’t know I would be such a sweet potato [Korean slang for someone frustrating or 답답한].”

But seeing Ttuk-shim wake up after leaving that place, it might be the right course of action to be at odds with the Crown Prince.

Since it’s already a different world from the original, I can’t definitively say this is the author’s intention.

I’ll meet you someday, but it’s not the right time yet… Maybe something like that.

“To be honest, I don’t think I was ready. I was so focused on coming back here that I didn’t prepare mentally at all.”

I barely confided my true feelings.

The bustling rain and carriage noise mixed together, and the whispers were only being conveyed to Ttuk-shim.

The little bird breathed quietly, its belly bulging out…

Wait a minute.

“Jung Ttuk-shim. Did you lay an egg?”

I opened my eyes wide. Was that possible?!

-Peerut?

“No, look. It’s bulging out here like it’s carrying an egg. What…”

I hurriedly pointed under Ttuk-shim’s belly.

He flapped his wings unhappily and stepped back. Then—

-Saaaa…!

I was momentarily panicked and breathless.

Ether particles, larger than they had been a few days ago, were soaring up.

I blankly opened my mouth and clenched and unclenched one hand.

Sarr, saaaa…. Like bubbles that Hyung used to blow on the veranda, golden energy poured out endlessly.

It didn’t feel like a dream, but it didn’t feel real.

I focused on the feeling of my heart pumping to see if this was real.

-Paaaa!

The inside of the carriage became as bright as day!

“Whoa, crazy.”

I was horrified by my own power and hurriedly hid my fist.

Fortunately, no one woke up or tossed and turned.

Ttuk-shim was giggling as if it was fun. Seeing the excited little guy, I finally took a deep breath.

The ether has finally returned.

I don’t know if it’s fast or slow, but right now, my heart is swelling with hope and anticipation.

I didn’t have any concrete plans yet.

But I had the naive thought that everything would work out well.

“Hahaha.”

I was happy. Sincerely.

“It seems like there’s more than before. The feeling is a little different.”

At that time.

-Kkirurururu…!

I flinched. A chilling cry echoed from afar.

It sounded like I heard the sound of flapping wings through the rain.

I reflexively protected Ttuk-shim. He hid in my arms.

The carriage shook ominously and sped through the rain.

The bad feeling soon began to materialize right in front of my eyes.

A faint ray of light was leaking from under my shirt. No way, no way?

-Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling…

“Oh my god.”

The beautiful crystal bell was ringing softly.

The moment I saw it, goosebumps ran all over my body, and I snapped to attention.

I got up from my seat in a hurry and knocked on the roof of the carriage. Knock knock! Knock knock knock!

I’m sorry to everyone who’s sleeping, but you need to wake up now.

I didn’t stop, even though my knuckles hurt. The sound of rain and my knocking mixed together terribly.

Knock knock knock knock! Swaaaaa—!

“It’s a magical beast! A magical beast is approaching! Everyone, be on guard!”

-Beep beep!

Oh, I need beep beep [referring to Ttuk-shim’s ether] right now! Please give me a lot!

-Wheeeee…

Flash. Johann Haynes opened his eyes in the darkness.

“…”

Dark clouds hung over the dry air of the desert.

The mint-colored iris flickered like snake scales.

In the opposite seat, Benjamin Girardin and Sant Ross were sleeping side by side.

The water-attribute divine beast in the priest’s arms was shining its clear eyes and watching me.

Clatter, clatter, clatter…! Despite the late hour, the carriage did not slow down.

The paladin sharpened his instincts and straightened his posture.

-Squeak

“Yes. There’s a very dangerous presence beyond the desert.”

Perry cried as he pressed his thigh, and Johann readily agreed.

Leia and Demi approached the man, their tails sparkling.

The carriage that left the Riester Imperial Palace crossed the western part of the continent and the neutral zone in a week with the help of excellent coachmen and fine horses.

Cardinal Aurelie Boutier’s influence also played a part in this.

Thanks to her, the group was able to mobilize all the exhibition portals restored by Marquis Francois Duhem.

It was a journey undertaken by one ordinary person and one ordinary person with ether.

It was close to a miracle to move so quickly while staying overnight in the middle of the chaos.

Johann took a quiet, deep breath.

A different color flashed in his eyes.

-Squeak!

Demi cried loudly and pulled Johann’s hair. The man smiled faintly.

“That’s right. I can feel Prince’s power too.”

-Kiya!

The excited divine beasts began to jump around inside the carriage.

The man suppressed the joy that was rushing in like a storm.

Agitation only blurs the senses and reduces control.

Instead of being relieved and joyful, he thought of his beloved son’s face.

He thought about the desperate news he wanted to deliver to the child, and he pondered the reason why he shouldn’t be shaken.

If he was impatient, he would hurt the two people here. The carriage was still very fast.

The cardinal-level paladin had been blowing a tailwind for a week, so it was inevitable.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter…!

“Oh.”

The man’s eyes darkened in an instant.

“But there’s one more. Is it a rat?”

-Woo woo

Tite fluttered as if he was displeased.

Sant, who woke up groggy, blinked as he looked at the paladin and the divine beasts.

Then, with his hair like a magpie’s nest, he looked back and forth out the windows on both sides.

Of course, he had no idea what was going on.

The grimace on his face predicted that he would fall asleep again in 3 minutes.

Johann smiled gently and said.

“It’s nothing. Go to sleep.”

“Yes…”

The priest answered in a sleepy voice and closed his eyes.

The paladin carefully covered him and Benjamin with blankets, then drew scarred fingers in the air.

-Woo woong!

A sharp, translucent sword wrapped around his fist.

Demi, who made eye contact, stuck out her pink tongue.

The paladin replaced his answer with a gentle smile.

The following whisper was so secret that only the divine beasts could hear it.

“Whether it’s a rat or a lion, it’s enough to get rid of it, right? Will you join me?”

-Kieung!

Leia raised her two front paws sparklingly. I agree!

This is a real mess.

-Kwaang! Kwaaaang!

It was terrible. A powerful shock was reverberating from above the carriage roof.

The wounded soldiers, weakened by the medicine, were bending over and sobbing here and there.

The coachman, who I had led into the carriage, was trembling, soaked like wet cotton and pale with fear.

I wrapped a blanket around his back and constantly emitted ether.

-Saaaa—!

A huge golden sanctuary swirled around the floor, protecting everyone.

However, there was nothing I could do about the fact that the circle shook slightly every time there was an impact.

The situation was no different from a horror movie, and the reality was much scarier. Koong! Kaaaaang!

-Krureoreo!

-Swaaaaa…!

A fierce and loud roar that seemed to burst my eardrums. A shock wave that resonated throughout the carriage.

On top of that, a torrential downpour was pouring down. I was naturally scared and clenched my teeth.

“Heueueueue. Heueueuk…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s okay because the priest is here.”

“The divine object of the Lord is protecting us…”

A few elderly knights looked at me while embracing their subordinates.

They were not in good condition either.

A swordsman with his entire upper body wrapped in bandages, and a magician whose whole body was swollen and difficult to recognize his original face.

How could they be, since they were being sent back because they couldn’t fight on the battlefield?

I met their gazes with a determined look.

Thanks to Ttuk-shim spreading his wide wings in his true form, the patients were surrounded by a double barrier of my sanctuary and Biryeom’s ark [a protective magical barrier].

Nevertheless, the primal fear did not go away.

It was natural because the magical beast that appeared outside was of unimaginable size.

It was dark, but I couldn’t mistake it.

-Kkirurururu—!

“Eheuheuk…. I’m going to die like this…”

That must be a legendary class or higher.

“I will stay here with the divine object! It is clear that he is aiming for us. Please move on. I heard that the desert is right in front of us, so even if you can’t reach the rear, you will be able to receive help from His Majesty.”

-Keuroaaaa!

“No way, priest.”

The knights immediately shook their heads. I smiled while holding the tinkling bell.

“I don’t know because I’ve only been volunteering, but I’m quite strong. It’s really okay to leave me behind. Patients shouldn’t lose their energy in a place like this.”

“No.”

-Kwaang! Kuaaang! Kaang!

“Didn’t you say reinforcements would come? Surely they would have discovered that magical beast even at the front line. I will hold out until then.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe in the abilities of a precious person. There will be no one who doesn’t bow down even after seeing the purple eyes you have revealed now.”

No-woong said with a firm look.

I still couldn’t check my eyes. Then,

“Aren’t you the volunteer who has worked day and night for us?”

“…”

“Under no circumstances will the Imperial Army abandon its comrades. That is the teaching of the first Emperor.”

“…”

Flutter, the ark flapped its wings as if satisfied. I was speechless and opened my mouth.

Still, this is not it!

-Ssaeeeeek!

-Kuuuung!

Oh my gosh! I was startled and clung to the window.

It was ominous that the world had suddenly brightened up. That was definitely not lightning or thunder.