What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 345

#345

Gilt Return, A Breath (7)

Liberator….

A title that suits Gaein perfectly. Truly.

“Lord Belial.”

I greeted her brightly.

‘I thought you would look for her first, so I guided her right away,’ Benjamin, who was standing next to me, explained how she had entered.

Many guests in the salon began to whisper as they looked this way.

The ‘Courtyard Romance’ members also looked momentarily lost.

Led by the chairman, who quickly rose from his seat, everyone lowered their heads and greeted her.

Lady Sarah Belial lightly tilted her chin, and at my gesture, everyone sat down with a rustle.

“I see the eloquent Prince Yeser Venetian. It has been a very long time.”

She bowed politely and observed me over her glasses.

As a seasoned journalist, she didn’t openly roll her eyes or scan me up and down.

However, I was familiar with the old woman and knew well her discerning eye.

I succeeded in maintaining a painted poker face and was about to ask how she had been when…

Huh?

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”

A little young master I had never seen before was holding her hand.

His eyes, looking up at me, were full of sparkling curiosity.

As I slowly bent my knees to meet the child’s eyes, the surprised Lord Belial almost dropped her cane.

She whispered urgently.

“Your Highness, to bow to a child without a title!”

“He is also one to throw himself for street performers. And he is serving tea himself here. Please understand,” Lord Johann, who was guarding me, retorted like a gentle breeze.

I smiled awkwardly and looked at the boy again.

The child looked healthy, with plump cheeks and good color.

“Nice to meet you. There haven’t been many young guests today. My name is Yeser.”

“Wow…”

His youthful eyes widened as if he was amazed that I was speaking.

His face, captivated by the purple irises, looked just like a goldfish. I chuckled and continued.

“What’s your name, friend?”

“…It’s Pascal Belial. You can call me Pascal.”

“He is my grandson.”

‘The Prince saved him,’ Lord Belial added indifferently.

My eyes widened in surprise.

When I quickly looked up at the old woman, a warm smile was spreading across her face.

It was very unfamiliar, but on the other hand, it was a heartwarming expression.

Come to think of it, I had heard that Lord Belial had visited the Imperial Palace several times after the ‘Simon de Sarnese case’ was concluded.

However, I didn’t know exactly what had happened to her.

Around that time, we were all busy overcoming the wounds left by Duke Sarnese.

I was fine, but Christel and Isabel were in desperate need of help.

Christel’s nanny, Ellen, also received spiritual healing from a healing priest for a while.

They needed something to help them forget their sadness and shock, and they needed someone to be by their side.

About a month passed by in a daze. After that—

After that, I left for the desert.

“Then this one is…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence and looked back at Pascal.

The boy was holding onto his grandmother’s dress and smiling shyly.

Soon, a welcome realization spread.

That’s right, this child ate the halo grass I gave him back then. That’s why he woke up!

“That’s really great. Congratulations! Does anything still hurt?”

“No. I caught a cold a couple of times, but I’m okay. I’m all better. Thank you.”

You’re welcome. His cute appearance as he answered cheerfully made me laugh.

When I looked back at Lord Johann, he nodded readily as if he had read my mind.

I pointed to the second floor and suggested, ‘There are friends of Pascal’s age in the playroom over there. Would you like to go meet them?’

When the boy looked at his grandmother, she gently stroked his small head.

It meant he could. The excited child wiggled his eyebrows.

“…Do you have any cookies?”

“I’ll take your order, Young Master Belial.”

Sant, from the front table, stood up and said kindly.

The delighted child bowed to me and then trotted upstairs, holding the priest’s hand.

Herrit might make a friend of a similar age.

I got up, feeling a pleasant premonition.

“Congratulations, Lord Belial. There’s been a happy occasion in your family.”

“I am the one who is grateful. The entire Belial family is deeply indebted to Your Highness. And congratulations on your resurrection.”

She bowed to me again. I gathered my long sleeves and bowed back.

When my identity was first revealed in front of the Crown Prince, I thought, ‘This is taking so long, this is a big problem.’

But once I got through one, everything was easy after that.

Friends and acquaintances immediately recognized me and easily adapted to my changed appearance.

Just like now.

‘Once you know, you wonder why you didn’t realize it.’

That’s what David said. Is it that obvious?

“I am also grateful that you came like this. I know you are busy, but this is about promoting the interests of the Liester Empire through writing, so I definitely wanted to get your help.”

“Oh. You have become more flattering, Your Highness.”

‘You’ve become quite the royal.’ She lowered her glasses and replied as if scolding me.

However, she seemed to be enjoying it rather than disliking it.

I smiled and immediately got to the point.

This wasn’t a story to leisurely enjoy with tea and spread out beautifully under the sunlight.

People were still dying on the front lines, and I had a desire to minimize all that damage.

“If you and your husband are okay with it, I would like to borrow the Belial Printing House and its staff for a few days.”

“…I roughly expected it. But you’re coming in even stronger than that. You do know that the magazine publication date is just four days away.”

Her tone was fluctuating. I briefly looked around.

Bustling, murmuring. The guests gathered next to the fancy chandeliers and lights were having heated conversations.

Eva was sitting in the highest seat among them, receiving feedback from the guests.

Her noble expression and determined attitude were exactly like her mother and cousin.

The nobles who had adapted to the unique atmosphere of ‘Salon de Victoire’ didn’t care if there was a merchant or a farmer right behind them.

The young duke smiled at me when our eyes met. I sincerely respect that child.

I have no doubt that a power greater than simple authority resides in the hands of seventeen-year-old Eva.

This place was the starting point of rumors that would spread throughout the empire.

It was also a place with the potential to be a ‘center of gravity.’

“I heard that can print so many copies in a few days thanks to the advanced magical equipment and staff that the printing house has. I heard they are all lower-level mages who operate mana. The difference in speed and quality is on a different level from manufacturing by manpower in small businesses.”

I poured out words like a waterfall.

The excellent technology of the Toegye Gong worldview was mainly replaced by magic, not science.

The old woman raised her eyebrows.

“That’s not wrong.”

It wasn’t an active response. I didn’t give up and continued to persuade her.

“The start can be about 10,000 copies as a test, Lord Belial. I will cover all the costs. Including the bonus.”

“10,000 is the ‘start’? Good heavens, Your Highness.”

*Tak, chareureu!* She elegantly unfolded her fan. And she covered her mouth without making it obvious.

“Please don’t misunderstand. I also want to help Your Highness. However, our printing house is already publishing war newsletters and cooperating with the Imperial Family. Two revised editions have been released since the start of the war, and special editions are being published in between. Free distribution is being carried out in small local territories and remote areas. We are printing as much as we can as soon as the paper comes in. I’m not trying to show off, but I’m saying that the physical conditions are insufficient. I can’t expand the printing house now, so how can I—”

“What if we hire additional wizards? Mainly intermediate wizards who didn’t go to war this time. I don’t have talent in magic, but I know that intermediate wizards are better than lower-level wizards and have more mana in their bodies. The printing speed will be incredibly fast.”

The reporter sighed at my words.

“…I was wrong. You’re so innocent that there’s a joke going around in social circles about Amitié and Charpentier Palace.”

“Yes?”

I blinked. I heard Lord Johann sigh softly behind me.

Benjamin used to do that.

“You probably know that wizards are mainly born into the Imperial Family and noble families. The same goes for priests.”

“Yes, I know.”

“However, there are rare commoners who show talent in mana and ether [magical energy]. They usually stay at the level of 1st or 2nd class wizards or priests. They don’t receive a good education, and they don’t have a history of special bloodlines, so their talents are not great. Anyway, those who work at our printing house are like that.”

“Are you saying…”

I trailed off. The old woman’s gaze sharpened.

“Yes. Would noble children who are intermediate wizards want to work with commoner printers? The Liester upper class has pride that pierces the sky and values ​​honor more than life. Even if you find a few people here right now, most of them will refuse to work. Even if they are empty-shell nobles with only titles as assets.”

…Oh.

“I thought it was something else. Lord Belial, I will solve that part.”

When I smiled and whispered, the old woman’s eyes went blank for a moment.

It was a look that said, ‘What have you been listening to me say?’

I didn’t care and turned around to find my friend.

“Francois! Would you come over here for a moment? I found something you might be interested in.”

“Ah! The moon of the Empire is calling me. As much as you want!”

The Marquis swept his hair up in a dramatic pose and strode over.

The man, holding a glass of rosé wine the same color as his eyes, already looked very excited.

I had never been so happy and grateful for his existence as I was today.

“Can you help me? This time, you may be working with commoners.”

“Innovative! I’ve never received such a proposal in my life, but I like it.”

That was the answer I expected from him.

Of course, our Marquis is an unstoppable eccentric inventor, a genius magic scientist who is crazy about new technologies, and a whopping 8th-level non-combat mage.

He almost became a great wizard, ahem!

“Your Highness, by any chance…”

Lord Belial’s wrinkles deepened.

“Ganael, can you hand me that silver tray? Thank you.”

At my request, Ganael, who was helping the small group, brought a covered tray.

Lord Belial seriously folded her fan and looked at me.

I quickly responded to her expectations and opened the lid. Ta-da!

“These are all invitations. Laura, the chief of the Imperial Palace, guaranteed that they include all the major gatherings of this social season. I plan to attend most fundraising events without fail.”

“……”

“At a place prepared by everyone hoping for victory, I will personally recruit intermediate wizards who will help the development of the Empire’s magic science. It’s not a lifelong job, it’s a short-term job, and it’s wartime now. If there is a good hype man, it won’t be difficult to set the mood. Marquis Francois Duhem here will set a good example. Perhaps new technologies that will help your business will come out.”

“That’s right (C’est ça)!”

“Oh my.”

The woman groaned, touching her forehead with her fan. I know what this means too.

I’m about 90% over!

“Lord Belial, I ask you like this. Please lend me the printing house for three days, and my friends and I will help you in every way so that there is no disruption to the magazine publication.”

I took a step closer to her and whispered.

The green eyes facing me were filled with embarrassment as they looked behind me.

We quietly turned our heads.

“Grandma! Look at this, it’s a polo player doll! Herrit gave it to me!”

From the second-floor railing, Pascal was waving his arms with the happiest face in the world.

Herrit, wearing Pascal’s coat and smiling brightly, was also with him.

Lord Johann rumbled softly in his throat.

Lord Belial sighed as if the ground was sinking.

*

Four days later.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter…!

“I can’t dance. All my talent is in painting. What about you, Priest?”

“I, I only know basic social dances…”

“Your Highness, Benjamin, I see Blanquer Manor!”

“Wow! It’s still great. It’s good to come back.”

“Even if you say that, the Prince will lock you in the bell tower! Don’t even dream of going on outings.”

“Hahaha.”

The 10-seater carriage heading to the eastern part of the Empire was bustling and joyful.

It was a road I had already been on once, but it was fun because the team composition was quite different from then.

The cargo carriage that followed contained 10,000 copies of leaflets for the New God propaganda.

Everything was thanks to the full support of Lady Sarah Belial and Baroness Alain Belial.

So far, it has been ‘mostly’ smooth.

The only remaining hurdle is the New Palace. Probably.

“Herrit, shall we take medicine and eat fruit before getting off?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Thank you, my son.”

Seeing Lord Johann kissing his son’s forehead made my heart feel strangely touched.

There was even a moment when only my friends were about to reach this place without me.

That’s because my teacher wouldn’t allow me to go on a long trip until the very end.

I was only able to leave the Imperial City after promising that I would never, no matter what, swear on the sun of the Empire, leave Lord Johann and my friends.

He was about to get a promise on the spot, but Natalie politely stopped him.

I looked back at the seat next to me and smiled brightly.

The lady who attended this ‘social tour’ as my partner was very nervous.

“Don’t worry too much, Princess. We will do our best to help you do well. Thank you for accompanying us this far.”

“Ah, no. Rather, it is the glory of the Mendi Duchy. I will do my best… I swear on my grandfather’s honor… I, I will do my best!”

Berenice declared with flushed cheeks. It was a very unconventional greeting.