What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 367

#367

Connection (4)

The day had long since dawned.

The northern soldiers under Karolin’s command were generally quick-tempered and efficient.

They were just the kind of people I needed right now.

“Leave this side clear as a passage. Take all the display cases and shelves outside!”

“Yes!”

“Make sure Marquis Dhiem can come straight to the bedroom when he arrives. Huh? Clear away all the clutter on the floor!”

“Yes, sir!”

Dressed like some peddler from a fantasy game—with a ceremonial robe over my shoulder, a large blessed sword at my waist, a treasure chest on my forearm, a satchel slung like a crossbody bag, and a sacred stone in my hand—I wandered around.

If Benjamin saw me, he would nag, ‘Your Highness, you must maintain the dignity of the Imperial Family,’ at least twice.

But I was too anxious and uneasy to care.

I never knew waiting for something could be so difficult.

– Creak

“It’s okay, Demi. François said he could come on time.”

That was even more true when the lives of many people were at stake.

If they were my friends, and there was a time limit, the situation became even more urgent.

I was waiting for François and Lady Elisabeth, who had gone to Honing Village to retrieve the ‘Sword of the Gods.’

I wondered if there wasn’t a sword closer by, but Riester said he had collected them all and gathered them in one place.

It was for the prevention of misuse and abuse, and for research purposes.

That place was Honing, where the Imperial Army had been stationed for a long time.

Emperor Frederick was indeed a thorough man.

‘Honing is here. It’s a border village near the neutral desert, and the Unite River is right in front of it.’

I said, pointing to the map.

Around midnight, I met François in his nightgown in the barracks.

He looked somewhat tired from examining the remains of the Theocracy’s army all day.

Moreover, it was not long after he had exhausted a large amount of mana.

Lady Elisabeth, who had joined us after hearing the news, was also in her sleeping attire.

Feeling sorry for them, I gave them each a cup of warm honey milk. They smiled handsomely.

‘How long would it take to go back and forth with the fastest horse? Since the rift itself is small, we won’t need many swords. Sending just one person should be enough.’

‘…Marquis, all the fast horses are currently being used as a means of communication with His Majesty and the Imperial Palace. I am sorry, but it will take at least four days, no matter how short we make it.’

Lady Elisabeth said in a troubled voice, looking at the map.

Then, she swept back her hair and sighed deeply.

She was just as worried and scared for her friends. Then….

‘Don’t worry, beautiful Marquis and lovely Elisabeth. Don’t you have me?’

At that moment, François stepped forward. I quickly shook my head.

‘No. I’ll ask Sir Johan. It’ll be fine if I promise not to approach the rift. François has been overdoing it lately, so he needs to rest.’

‘The reason Sir Haines stayed in the Imperial Palace was because His Majesty ordered him to defend the Imperial Capital, Marquis. The Empire has been pierced through the heart once before, after all.’

He suddenly whispered something else. I blinked blankly.

The warm light of the candle flickered in his cherry blossom-colored irises.

‘And the reason he left the Imperial Capital was because he received an order from Prince Aurel to protect the young Princess.’

‘…’

‘As one who serves the Imperial Family, I prioritize the orders of both of you above all else. Therefore, Sir Haines must stay by your side, Marquis.’

At that moment, I knew I couldn’t break François’s stubbornness.

His expression was exactly the same as when my brother became serious.

‘Don’t worry. I came all the way here from the caravan serai [a roadside inn] at the end of the desert by carriage, so I can move to Honing in an instant. It’s not a long distance, so I won’t faint. Elisabeth, will you accompany me?’

‘I will. I can’t send you alone anyway, old man.’

That was how the two of them ended up leaving for Honing.

I begged them to please rest until morning, since I understood.

I even promised to let them sleep soundly without any dreams.

If François stepped up, it would be resolved within a day anyway.

So now, their health came first.

– Step, step, step….

– Tap, tap, tap….

I sat on the old dresser, then wandered into the kitchen for no reason, then returned to the room with the closet and paced in front of the ‘rift.’

Each time, Sir Johan greeted me with a stern smile. Demi, Leah, and Ferry followed closely behind, asking questions or offering comfort.

I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but I answered sincerely, assuming that’s what they meant.

Doing so calmed me down a little.

“What time is it?”

“It’s been 7 minutes since you last asked, Marquis. It’s 3:43 PM,” the prophet said, looking at his pocket watch while sitting on the living room sofa.

Fortunately, he didn’t enter a mana hibernation or get seriously ill.

He didn’t even go near the room with the closet, but after a good night’s sleep, everything, including his eyes, returned to normal.

I nodded and leaned out the window, waist-deep.

I was curious about where François was coming from.

Then, the lesser pandas hung on my back as if they had been waiting.

Fabrice, who was writing a letter to his family, smiled at us.

“…Marquis Serenite. Even if you are called the moon of the Empire, you cannot postpone the moonrise in that way.”

“I know, Bakari.”

Today is the day of the full moon. The relentless autumn sun was already setting in the west.

I wished I couldn’t see it, but the weather was so clear that the passage of time was too vivid.

My mind was full of thoughts of my friends, so I don’t know how I got through my meals.

I desperately hoped that the two of them would bring the sword back safely without getting hurt, and that they would come even a second sooner. Please….

– Buzz!

– Woooong…!

“Jackpot!”

A familiar noise caught in my ear.

Hundreds of thousands, millions of mana particles were scattering like pollen.

I clearly recognized the Imperial carriage that had reappeared at the starting point!

“They’re here, Duke! The two of them have returned with the sword!”

– Squeak, squeak, squeak!

“Good heavens. Marquis Dhiem is truly an amazing person.”

The prophet and the Duke hurriedly went out the door.

I also hurriedly stepped away from the window and looked for Sir Johan—

– Clatter!

“Oops, sacred stone.”

I dropped something important in my haste! I quickly picked it up and tried to stuff it into my satchel, but

– Swish….

“Huh?”

I stopped dead in my tracks. An unbelievable thing was happening before my eyes.

I wondered if I was seeing things, so I spaced out for a long time.

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them three times. Was I finally experiencing hallucinations due to lack of sleep?

– Swish…!

“Gasp. Ugh.”

I covered my mouth with the back of my hand, afraid I would scream.

I bit the back of my hand hard, but the shock in front of me only became clearer.

I couldn’t believe it.

The ether [a hypothetical medium formerly believed to fill the universe] of the sacred stone was decreasing.

– Rustle….

“What…!”

I didn’t take it out, and Sir Johan in the room didn’t take it either.

It wasn’t leaking into the air, but just… The transparent mineral was slowly emptying on its own.

I was horrified by the unprecedented mystery.

My fingertips trembled, and the commotion outside the window faded into the back of my mind.

This couldn’t be happening. It was as if a transparent priest was standing in front of me—

Hmm.

“…Your Highness?”

A thin whisper flowed from between my lips.

I desperately held the sacred stone, which was gradually losing its light.

When I looked up, I met the mint-colored eyes.

The knight, who had already come out of the room, was watching me.

My mind was dizzy with swirling anxiety. My heart was pounding like it was broken.

Could this be connected to that side? Did you need to use this?

– Rustle….

“…Is that really you?”

*

The Holy Nightly Rite proceeded surprisingly, really surprisingly, normally.

It was so different from what I expected that it was honestly boring.

Christel opened her slowly closing eyelids for the thirteenth time. Ah, sleepy!

“The Main God has two eyes, just like us. The sun that guards the day and the moon that watches over the night are just that. With this, He always looks down on us and diligently examines the continent. He always thinks of us while staying in a world we do not know. Infinite love for creation….”

Eta continued her sermon in a nightingale-like voice on the platform.

It’s been thirty minutes already, but everyone was focused, perhaps because her face was so pretty.

Princess Marguerite Diop, sitting in the front row, seemed ready to give her everything.

Indeed, beauty wins over even boredom. No, but still.

If you’ve set the stage this much, shouldn’t there be something dramatic?

Everyone dressed up and just ate and finished? Gain grumbled to herself.

Well, sacrificing a human (Princess Diop seemed the most likely) on the altar as an offering.

Or cutting their palms to draw blood.

Or sprinkling salt water as holy water, or decorating the coffin with garlic….

You acted like you had a huge purpose for this event, didn’t you?

“However, there is also a moment when the Main God closes both eyes. It’s only one day a month, but He takes a short break before and after that day. Showing His humanity….”

“Ugh.”

Christel stretched out her legs and looked around.

The Crown Prince, who seemed to be the main character of today, didn’t even show his face from the beginning of the rite.

According to Yulrus, he went to pick up the foul-mouthed grandmother, Annemarie.

The old woman occasionally stared into the distance and stood for hours (Gain had witnessed this), or went out alone to the thorny vine barrier and didn’t return.

Since it was dangerous near the barrier, she urgently asked him, and unexpectedly, he readily agreed.

…Surely he wouldn’t leave us behind and run away alone, would he? If he dares.

“Keheong….”

On the left, Karme was shaking her head, awakening the rock within.

Gain recalled her college days.

“Christel Auntie. I’m sleepy.”

This time, Yulrus, who was sitting on the right, grabbed her sleeve.

The child’s eyes were swollen from crying so much, and she was exhausted from chasing after her grandmother.

Perhaps because she was still small and young, worry outweighed fatigue.

Gain pondered for a moment what to do.

“Can I go to the priest’s room with Karme Auntie and sleep…?”

The girl asked cautiously. It wasn’t a bad idea.

This child had given her a hint and ran away before (she still didn’t know what it was), so she was trustworthy.

Conversely, Karme would act as Yulrus’s protector.

She couldn’t leave the temple anyway because she had to watch Eta.

She also had to keep an eye on Princess Diop.

“Okay. Go and get some sleep. I’ll call you when your grandmother comes.”

“Yes.”

“Karme, Karme. When are you going to get off Jisan [referring to her meditative state]?”

‘Take the child and go to sleep.’ Christel shook Karme awake.

The holy knight ‘sucked’ and straightened her mouth, then roughly nodded her chin and went out the side door with the child.

The residents of the pew seats only glanced at them for a moment and didn’t show any special reaction.

Looking closely, there were one or two little ones nodding off among the adults.

It must be a common occurrence.

“…Next, there will be a confession of faith.”

Eta continued the ceremony with a steady, gentle voice.

‘Ding—’ A clear bell rang, and the believers bowed their heads like gentle sheep.

It was really too boring. This is really not it….

Gain thought that she wanted something, anything, to happen.

*

The wind was getting colder.

A black shadow appeared on the wide, boisterous hill. It was the Crown Prince and his steed.

– Clatter, clatter, clatter….

“Whoa.”

– Neigh!

Cedric slowed down, feeling a strange sense of season—something that shouldn’t be here.

His vision was blurry even on the day he entered the village, but today, his vision was so foggy that he felt like he was walking in the clouds.

The salty smell of water and the scent of withered grass stimulated the tip of his nose.

Beyond the fog, the massive presence of the thorny vines and nettle barrier was vivid.

The man looked around. There was no sign of anyone.

“….”

It should be around here. He got off the saddle with a picturesque movement.

In response to the movement of his black hair, Charlemagne also shook his mane, ‘Purreung.’

It meant that he hadn’t seen anything on the way either. Crimson eyes gleamed greasily.

There was no way an old woman who had never held a sword could erase her presence so perfectly.

Unless she was attacked by a beast or monster….

Suspicious.

– Swish!

The dagger pulled from his boot was instantly suspended in the air.

The Crown Prince slowly raised his momentum. Even if he didn’t use ether, he had mana.

‘Woooong—!’ Then, a blood-colored defense magic circle opened, and

– Rustle!

He reacted like a beast to even the slightest noise.

At the same time as his gaze moved, a sharp blade flew towards the source of the sound. ‘Ssaeeeek!’

– Woooong!

“….”

And the dagger stopped in mid-air. The Crown Prince’s pupils widened slightly.

Between the hazy, spreading vision, he saw a golden shining presence. It wasn’t a mistake.

He wasn’t a man who confused such senses.

That was the sacred stone he had thrown over the barrier.

Someone was approaching him with the mineral in their hand.

– Thud, thud, thud….

The unique warm light dimly illuminated the surroundings.

At first glance, it seemed like a small hand and a priest’s robe were reflected.

Cedric’s lips parted as if to be seen.

The opponent was slowly approaching him.

At the same time, the sacred stone’s radiance was gradually darkening. It was an incomprehensible phenomenon.

He couldn’t feel her clear energy either. Why—

“Serenite?”

– Pat, pat, pat…!

‘Hoo!’ The doll that had suddenly approached broke through the fog.

‘Haa!’ Wrinkled lips parted wide as if delighted.

White hair, neither brown nor gold, spread out like a spider web.

The gaze pouring towards him like poison was a chilling blue.

The Crown Prince immediately tried to take a step back, but the old woman’s reaction was faster. ‘Sssss….’

“Haaaaaa!”

Her face brightened as she absorbed the ether of the sacred stone. Soon after, a dazzling stream of light burst from her whole body.

‘Paaaaaa—!’ Her bent waist straightened, and her tattered clothes instantly transformed into silk.

Long straight hair poured down like moonlight over the sleeves of the large priest’s robe.

The flowing, flowing blue-white hair gathered in a circle on the floor.

Life bloomed on her red lips, and blood returned to her jade-like skin.

In the midst of the brilliant rays of light, cursed blue eyes were staring straight at Cedric.

The Crown Prince recognized her with the instinct engraved in his blood.

Eta, no….

“Yuliter Statia.”

‘That woman.’