What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 363

#363

The Prince, the Saintess, and the Wardrobe (10)

At that moment—

No, perhaps not exactly at that moment.

“My lady, hurry!”

“This way, Sir Knight!”

The village of Mancrans was bustling and noisy, more so than usual.

The villagers all wore excited expressions.

Large individuals carried pots, fabrics, and other items as they headed towards the temple.

Marguerite Diop was, as always, among them, doing unpaid labor.

Regardless of how she felt inside, she appeared outwardly happy.

Along the streets, people were setting up tall ladders, putting up decorations, and arranging flowers.

Their efforts were evident, but to Christel, everything looked lifeless and dull.

Neither the yellow nor the purple colors caught her eye, strangely enough.

Perhaps it was because she knew someone far more beautiful.

The holy stone in her pocket was half empty.

Since receiving it, Gain had added ten more lines to the bedroom wall.

“Alright, let’s enter in an orderly line! In a line, please!”

“Haha, you’re too eager. Your shoelaces are untied.”

“I wonder what good words Etha will share with us today?”

“She’s going to baptize our youngest! My father-in-law is so excited he couldn’t sleep a wink!”

Everyone entering the temple seemed more dressed up than usual.

It was a larger village than Aitz, beyond the Imperial Palace’s back mountain, so when people gathered, they seemed quite numerous.

Christel chewed on a straw, carrying a basket of fried fish (whether it was Kiring or Kibeling).

Come to think of it, she wondered where they got the fish and meat.

There was supposed to be a river nearby, but she hadn’t seen it, and the barns here were all empty.

The only livestock were Doria and Charlemagne, who had come from outside. Both were still healthy.

Could the abundance of ingredients in every kitchen be due to some wicked black magic?

“Stack it here. No, not there!”

“We need to stack it this way to make a tower!”

“······.”

Gain stared intently at the food in the basket as she walked.

Even though it was clearly freshly fried, she felt no appetite.

The savory smell of oil and the rich aroma of the sauce didn’t appeal to her.

But the Prince would enjoy it. He wasn’t picky, except for things that tasted bad.

······He’ll be fine. He’s strong, even without us.

-Clatter, crash!

“Ouch! You made it all fall down!”

“Idiot. Why don’t you listen?”

“Sorry······.”

Christel paused, her attention drawn to the young cries and tearful voices.

She saw children sitting in a circle in the temple courtyard, building stone towers.

They looked about seven or eight years old.

Judging by the ribbons around their necks, they were probably attending the Holy Moon Night ceremony—whatever that was; they never celebrated it in the Empire.

One of the children had done something wrong, and the stone tower was leaning precariously to one side.

“I don’t care, you rebuild it!”

“I’m sorry. I was trying to make it prettier······.”

Her heart went out to the girl with tears welling up in her cheeks. Christel quickly recognized her.

It was the child who had once smeared sparkling blue-white powder on her hand in the backyard and ran away.

After that, she would occasionally hide behind the fence and peek at her.

Well······. The kid was probably trying her best. Both that day and while building the stone tower today.

“Santa Claus will scold you if you fight.”

She didn’t want to interfere with children playing, but since it was no longer a playful atmosphere, it seemed like an adult was needed.

Christel had felt a desire to become a ‘good person’ for some time now.

This was a goal she had set in her heart after becoming Isabel’s daughter.

Or perhaps after becoming friends with the Prince.

If not, maybe it was right after waking up in ‘Christel’s’ body.

In any case, when she lived as ‘Ham Gain,’ she was too busy struggling with reality to even think about such a thing.

Not just taking care of herself, but becoming someone who others saw as good was incredibly difficult.

She didn’t know the standards, and it was hard to set a benchmark. But there was also a clear fact that she could almost grasp.

The Prince would have tried to ease the atmosphere among these children.

He would never have ignored them.

“······Who is Santa Claus?”

“A friend of the Lord.”

It was a lie bordering on a joke, but the children’s eyes widened.

She had stirred things up once to get information, and the wary glances were subtly stinging.

Christel suppressed a mature smile and gestured towards the basket.

‘You can eat it. It’s for you anyway.’ At that, the children hesitantly grabbed some Stroopwafels (roughly waffles) and Speculoos cookies (roughly spiced cookies).

Food always works.

“Why are you only eating cookies and not the fried fish?”

“I don’t like the garlic sauce.”

“It tastes spicy.”

The children mumbled with their small lips.

But the girl who had given Christel the light powder was an exception.

The little one bravely reached out her small hand, dipped the fried fish in the sauce, and ate the waffle with gusto.

The tears on her cheeks quickly dried. Her dignified blue eyes sparkled.

Watching her made a corner of Christel’s heart feel fluffy.

“You know, if you appreciate art, you appreciate taste too. Look, you’ve made a great stone tower.”

“······.”

“Your aunt is from the Empire, you know? And these days, this is what’s trending there. Slightly crooked, a little unbalanced. That’s what’s cool!”

“······.”

The children’s gazes slowly gathered on the girl.

But it wasn’t the kind of look that blamed or criticized her like before; it was more like a ‘I see you in a new light’ kind of feeling.

The expressions, as clear as a stream, were so cute that she couldn’t help but smile.

Christel asked something she hadn’t asked anyone here.

“What’s your artist friend’s name? I’m Christel.”

“······Yulrus.”

“She lives with Grandma Annemarie!”

“Yulrus can read the Bible. She’s really smart!”

“You called her an idiot earlier, you idiot.”

The children chattered again.

She knew that Grandma Annemarie was her guardian, but she didn’t know that Yulrus was such a prodigy.

Christel listened to the children’s chatter like sparrows and glanced at the temple entrance.

From over there, the priestess Etha was walking gracefully.

Her figure was like a moon rising in a harmless fog sea without celestial bodies.

Beneath the sensual gown that revealed her shoulders and arms, a long priestly robe rustled.

Her hair was still carefully covered with a black hood, but otherwise, she was adorned as beautifully as a goddess.

Her cheeks and lips were red, and her white hands were as smooth as marble. She looked just like a bride getting married.

The man she was arm in arm with was a man of beauty that was by no means inferior.

“······.”

“······.”

Cedric had been staring at Christel since earlier.

Judging by the expression that looked like he was about to kill someone, he seemed to be in his right mind.

Christel quickly made walnuts on her chin [a gesture of disbelief or shock] and averted her gaze.

Heavy footsteps and light footsteps passed indifferently behind her.

It was hard to suppress the rising emotions.

“Cough······.”

Don’t laugh, Ham Gain! Don’t shout that it’s so refreshing.

Don’t make comments like, ‘Our Benz is alive!’ Absolutely not!

“Aunt Christel······. Do you want to build a stone tower?”

She widened her eyes and lifted her head. Yulrus smiled brightly and handed her a small pebble.

“If you carve the first letter of your name here and also write the first letter of your last name, and then put it on the tower and pray hard, the moon will grant your wish.”

“We’ve already done it! I did two!”

······Huh?

“The moon? Not the Lord?”

“Yes. Etha said so. The moon’s power is needed for the Holy Moon Night.”

“······Then it’s just called a ceremony, but it’s not an event for the Lord?”

Christel asked quietly. No wonder the villagers weren’t answering her.

It wasn’t just for a day or two that they had been ambiguous about her questions, but this time, she felt particularly uneasy.

The Prince had said that Etha was preparing only for today.

He hadn’t had many conversations with her—what could she expect—but he had also speculated that her purpose would be revealed during the Holy Moon Night.

Christel silently furrowed her brow.

It was certain that Etha was a priestess of the Lord.

She had seen her praying at the temple countless times.

But the ‘Holy Moon Night’ was not an event to worship the Lord.

Then why was the whole village preparing for it?

What was it, indigenous beliefs? Was it a combination of those?

“The sun is the Lord’s western eye, and the moon is the Lord’s eastern eye.”

Yulrus whispered as she carved her letters with a sharp stone. Christel blinked her blue eyes.

“Oh······. You could see it that way.”

“The sun doesn’t rise at night, so He closes His western eye. But if there’s no moon, that means He’s closing His eastern eye for a moment too. He’s resting because He’s tired.”

“Ah.”

“She said that the day when He closes both eyes is a good day. Etha said so.”

The girl’s chubby cheeks moved cheerfully.

The sound of children laughing like a slide went up and down her ears.

Christel blankly stared at the pebble lying in her palm.

Another child handed her a sharp stone for her share.

‘You have to finish the tower before the ceremony starts, Auntie!’ The urging voice was clear.

······Why are these people celebrating the moment when the Lord closes both eyes?

Didn’t they like the Lord’s gaze?

“······.”

-Poke! Poke! Tap tap!

Gain carefully carved the letters into the pebble.

The children waited for her creation with sparkling eyes.

This was just the beginning.

*

In the Mancrans village square, temporary barracks were quickly set up.

A messenger heading to the Margrave was riding at full speed.

“Squads 1 and 2!”

Elisabeth Mute, the pillar of the Empire who had inherited both her mother’s drive and her father’s prudence.

The gray eyes of the knight swept over her subordinates with precision.

Her bobbed hair was like a well-honed blade.

“You will fill the provided sacks with as much Moonlit Grass as possible. This will undergo research by Marquis Francois Duhem and the mages, and the results will be reported to His Majesty the Emperor. So be careful to keep the leaves and roots intact and to avoid mixing in other plants. It is deadly to humans, so do not ingest it by mistake!”

“Yes, Commander Mute!”

The Imperial soldiers, lined up as straight as if measured with a ruler, shouted resoundingly.

Around their white masks, red mana rippled like a curtain.

“Squads 3 through 6! You will divide the village into four areas and search them. Search every inch of the well bottoms, the temple basement, and the windmill roofs. If you see any trace of His Highness the Crown Prince or the two others, report it immediately!”

“Yes!”

“Squads 7 and 8! You will dig under the Moonlit Grass colonies on the outskirts of the village. If any artifacts or remains are found, you must stop work and report it!”

“Yes, Madam!”

“Squads 9 through 11! You have the weighty responsibility of escorting the Palace Lord’s party and us. If the Shin-guk army approaches, you must focus on magical firepower, but if the other side does not respond and raises a white flag······.”

I stood in the middle of a flower garden, watching her sturdy back.

The autumn sunlight was exceptionally clear, and the air, free of fog, was refreshing.

But inside, I was more than uneasy; I felt like I was on a small boat.

‘Understood!’ Soon, the soldiers dispersed in perfect order.

Francois and Elisabeth were seen talking about something.

“Moonlit Grass is very different from Sunlit Grass.”

Sir Johann spoke without warning. Duke Fabrice and I listened quietly to the explanation.

“Sunlit Grass······. It is known as a precious herb to the people of Shin-guk [a fictional country]. Sir Michel Mute also mentioned it.”

“Yes. It has great detoxification and regenerative powers.”

As soon as I answered, the man gave a wry smile.

“That’s right. On the other hand, Moonlit Grass has powerful narcotic properties.”

“Good Lord.”

“······.”

Fabrice ran a hand over his face, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

The divine beasts tugged at my pant legs. As if asking, ‘What’s a narcotic?’

“However, it is only found deep in the mountains, and even then, there are only a few flowers, so there is little chance of danger. Regardless of status, it is treated as a precious painkiller, so it is also traded at a high price.”

“A detoxifier and a painkiller. A subtle balance.”

The paladin nodded at the Duke’s words.

“I’ve never seen a colony like this before. I never imagined it could create such a massive fog······. I really didn’t expect it.”

“Is it fatal to paladins?”

I asked quickly.

My vision was dizzy, and I felt suffocated. The sensation of falling endlessly without a bottom was vivid.

My heart was pounding, and my chest kept sinking.

The scene of blue-white light particles swimming in clear tea water stirred in my vision.

I did my best to grip the Hye Geom [a sword] and the crown and endure.

I thought I had forgotten everything, but damn it.

“What happens if you’re exposed to a large amount of fog like before? Narcotics, that’s dangerous. It can damage your health through addiction, and if something goes wrong—”

“Your Highness, calm down.”

“What if there’s an ether disturbance, and you suffer from tinnitus, headaches, or difficulty breathing and can’t control your body? Is there any solution other than getting out of there? Christel might be okay, but the other two will be different. Especially Cedric, his vessel is,”

“Hush. A strong paladin will be fine.”

A firm voice pierced my ear.

Whoosh—! A cold and soft wind, like ice cream, cooled the heat.

Only then did my vision clear a little. I took a deep breath and looked at Sir Johann.

He looked very pained for a moment.

Oh, I didn’t mean to make him feel guilty······.

“It’s really okay. And both herbs have additional functions for clerics.”

He took the lead just as I was about to open my mouth.

“As you know, if Sunlit Grass helps with pure ether activation and special ether deactivation, Moonlit Grass has the property of ‘mimicking’ ether.”

“Mimicking?”

-Kkia?

Perry, who had been bothering Sir Johann’s boots, fluttered his ears.

The paladin continued to speak in a completely normal tone.

“To be precise, it imitates the energy of pure ether. It can be used as a placebo for paladins who don’t have a cleric and are in urgent need of ether. A strong paladin can sharply distinguish the difference from the real thing······. But it won’t be difficult for even a priest to accept it.”

“Hoo······.”

Fabrice and I sighed in admiration. At that moment,

“That can’t be!”

Elisabeth shouted loudly from over there. We flinched and turned to look at her.

Even from a distance, we could tell that our friend’s complexion and the surrounding atmosphere were unusual.

Francois was holding a wide stone tablet with gloved hands, and a couple of search squad knights stood behind them.

We quickly exchanged glances and strode towards the front of the barracks.

Elisabeth was shaking her head, her face pale.

“That can’t be, Uncle. The children who lived in the village must have been playing a prank.”

“That’s not it, Elisabeth. Calm down and look here. It’s clearly engraved with ‘C. Liester.’ And on the other side······.”

He lightly flipped the stone tablet over. I was horrified by the letters that slowly came into view.

It looked like someone had carelessly carved the stone without any skill.

‘C. Rambouillet’.

“Francois, what is that······. Where did you get that?”

I barely moved my mouth with my head turned white. The Marquis calmly shone his eyes.

“There is a collapsed stone tower in the front yard of the village temple, and it is said to be the foundation of that.”

“Stone tower?”

“Yes. It is reported that each small pebble has letters that appear to be initials engraved on it. The report is that the stone tablet is the only one with the last name fully marked.”

“Then, then here······. That means my friends are nearby. They couldn’t have gone far. Surely, while waiting for rescue,”

“Marquis Serenite.”

Click. Her words were cut off with a strange sound.

Francois turned to look at me, putting a small object that looked like a pen in his arms.

But Tete knew that it wasn’t a normal pen.

The light pink gaze sank heavily.

“······This is a relic from at least the Romero era.”

A chill ran down my spine.

I couldn’t react and stood there blankly.