What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 376

-Kkiiiiik, Kwagwagwang—!

Isn’t this really too much? Did it have to be this realistically evil?

“…I’ll do it.”

At that moment, a firm voice came from behind me. We all turned to look at Carme.

Her lips were bleeding bright red, as if she had bitten them too hard.

Her irises, which had lost their color, were brown, common anywhere on the continent. Like mine.

“I just need to know the location of the mana core. It would be even better if you could take it out and give it to me. Oh, and all the restraints have to be removed. Honestly, I feel like I’ll die trying to control something that big, but what else can I do?”

From her trembling voice and eyes, I could read her sincerity.

The anger that had grown like weeds was overcoming her primal fear.

Lesser pandas ran to me, crying pathetically.

I breathed ether into the unconscious cat (presumably) and said,

“Thank you sincerely. I’ll support you with whatever you need. How do you know the core’s location?”

“It’s made of mana, so I’ll know it with mana. If you pour in a huge amount of magic power, there will be a reaction. The area where the core is will glow red, right? But you absolutely can’t attack it. You just need to soak that thing with pure mana to get the answer.”

“If we do that, won’t the golem absorb the mana and become even stronger?”

“Of course, honey pot.”

Françoise asked, and Carme answered, her eyes twitching. So…

“Someone’s magic power is exhausted to find out the location of the mana core, the golem gains power from it, and all we have to do is cut off the core of the strengthened thing and put it in front of you. Simple.”

Simple my ass! I said it, but my vision was already darkening.

If the core was in the golem’s hand or foot, that would be fortunate, but if it was in its belly or back, we would have to fight it until its mana ran out.

Or we would have to bet everything on Sir Johann.

I exchanged glances with my friends busily.

The Crown Prince had only recently returned to his original form, and the Marquis had been pushing himself too hard for the past few days.

Carme was a mage, but she needed to conserve her energy in case she had to secure the core.

So, if the two men were to join forces—

“We’ll only have one chance, Your Highness.”

The Marquis smiled handsomely and turned to the Crown Prince. He nodded silently.

They knew each other’s condition well.

-Kuung! Kuung! Kuung…!

“It’s coming this way! It must have destroyed the castle!”

‘Even if you two fall, don’t worry, we’re here!’ Christel made a terrifyingly reassuring statement.

Françoise took off his red coat and stepped forward in his shirt.

I looked at the Crown Prince one last time and moved my lips.

‘I believe in you, good luck.’ Unfortunately, that was all I could say.

Above the backs of the two men, the shadow of the golem, as majestic as a building, loomed.

With each heavy step, the rocky ground groaned and cracked.

Soon, the two figures began to emit red mana.

-Uuuuuung!

-Paaaa…!

‘Kkiiii, kkiiii.’ I comforted the Divine Beasts, who were teary-eyed, and bit my lip.

What on earth was the reason such a magical beast was lurking inside the castle?

Was it sealed there?

What did this cat do to deserve this?

The people who died there without ever coming out, their families…

-Kwareureu!

“Watch out!”

I flinched and turned my head.

Some of the ruins of the collapsed castle were rolling down the hill, thumping and thumping.

It was a ‘harmless’ disaster that the holy ground could not stop.

Sir Johann, who had warned me, quickly moved his hand blade to fire a blade-like wave. Papapat!

-Oreureureu…!

The rocks, instantly turned into fragments, tumbled onto the dead grass.

While the Cardinal was destroying Carme’s restraints, I glanced at the stone that had rolled into the holy ground.

The broken, moss-covered cornerstone had ornate relief—

“Wait, that.”

A thrill ran through me for a moment.

I blinked several times, wondering if I had seen it wrong.

I frantically rummaged through my head, wondering if I was misunderstanding something or if it was mixed up with other memories.

But no. No matter how many times I thought about it, only one scene came to mind.

A beautiful smile. Hair as clear and blue as a lake holding moonlight.

The woman who was crying and breaking into pieces.

「My mother’s ambition was so great and vast that it would desecrate even God. Such a heart cannot easily rest.」

Ulitter Statia.

On the sleeve of the luxurious priestly robe she wore, there was definitely the same pattern as that embroidered.

The coat of arms of the Statia County.

“Good heavens, it seems to be the lord’s castle of the Statia County!”

“Yes?!”

I shouted, and my friends turned around in surprise.

“After Ulitter’s death, the Statia Plain was said to have passed to the Sneider Duchy. If this is part of the vast plain, and that is the Duchy’s property today, then everything makes sense! So Ulitter—”

I stopped speaking for a moment. The blue-gray eyes widened. I see.

「Be careful of the Venetian royal family, you who are loved by the Main God.」

That’s why you said that.

‘Are you saying that the Venetian royal family is involved in the decline of the Statia County?’

‘It would be strange if they weren’t involved. Ulitter was the daughter of the Count and the source of the war between the two countries.’

‘Almost no one properly knows the story of the fallen Statia family, Prince.’

So… You led us here.

Deliberately placed the Statia lord’s castle at the end of the interdimensional space, beyond the rift.

To show what the royal family was plotting at the time.

And perhaps to let us know that the current Sneider might be carrying on that legacy.

Without asking for forgiveness until the very end.

“He intended this and sent us here. I don’t know if he even knew about the golem’s existence!”

“Wow, no wonder we ended up in a place I’ve never even heard of!”

Gain said with a surprised face.

Around that time, the giant in front was having a mana shower, soaked from head to toe.

-Swaaaaa!

-Uuuuuuu…!

The golem, without facial features, was openly ‘enjoying’ the clean power pouring in from all directions.

Red energy burst from various parts of its massive body.

The magical beast, intoxicated with joy, stood with its arms open, neither wary of us nor attacking us.

But the two men who had pleased the golem seemed to be at their limit now.

“Ugh.”

“Françoise!”

The mage collapsed first, and I rushed to catch him.

Next, Christel supported the Crown Prince, who had lost consciousness—“Ugh, I hate this so much!”—and laid him on the ground with her whole body.

The precious darlings, worried about the cat Divine Beast, grew sturdy tree trunks to help me.

Meanwhile, an amazing thing happened high above.

-Saaaaaa!

“Ha, really…”

From the body of the golem, which was almost pickled in mana, a dazzling crimson ray was being emitted.

It was a brilliance that did not suit the terrifying being that judged humans.

Kwang—! Christel and Sir Johann immediately jumped out as one.

Sitting down, I hugged the cat and my friends and gritted my teeth.

The mana core was located at the ‘crown’ of that thing!

“Carme! Are you watching?”

“Even if I don’t want to see it, I can see it way too well, honey!”

“The two of them will soon cut off its head and drop it! It’ll try to reattach to the main body, so quickly run over and grab it!”

“I’ll try! It’s the first time I’ve ever seen such a big core!”

“Don’t worry. You can do it! Maybe your ancestors were the ones who sealed that golem!”

“…What!?”

The surprised woman’s voice cracked.

Ssaeeeeek, Kuung! In the air, the two holy knights’ cooperative operation was in full swing.

I’m sorry for revealing the secret of your birth like this!

“You are a descendant of the fallen Statia County! I don’t know for sure, but it seems to be a family with a talent for magic. So have confidence!”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! My feelings are so complicated right now!”

-Kwakakakakang—!

At the same time, a rough and sharp noise like sandpaper tore through the air.

I quickly raised my head.

A whip wrapped in sharp wind gears was moving like a scythe, cutting off the golem’s neck.

It was the result of Sir Johann infusing his power into his disciple’s weapon.

Then Christel’s ice created a large ‘fake’ head on its neck to prevent regeneration. Jjeojeojeok—!

Then the head, as big as a house, slowly tilted like a collapsing building.

Our eyes widened as if they would pop out.

-Kkiiiiik…

“It’s falling, Carme! Get ready to run!”

“Did I become the executioner of the County?!”

“Calm down and focus!”

Hwiiiiik! The head, unable to resist gravity, fell at full speed.

The direction was very good. We’re almost there, if we can just catch that…!

-Uuuung!

About 5m above the ground, the golem’s head stopped, scattering blood-colored energy.

Damn it, the recovery is too fast!

-Uuuuuung…!

“No, no, no.”

Then it started moving towards the body again.

Sir Johann pressed down with air to stop it, but it was resisting with considerable magic power.

I busily moved my eyeballs and did the math.

With the mana that had been stagnant in that body for so long, the Cardinal’s normal power might not be enough to suppress it.

In the worst case, he would have to use the stigma.

But that would be too hard on him, and the military camp is far from here.

If Sir Johann gets tired, the safety of all of us could be threatened—

-Beonjjeok!

At that moment, lightning struck the sky. I was startled and hugged the Divine Beasts,

-Kwareureureung! Jjeojjeojeok!

The lightning, like divine punishment, struck the golem’s head.

-Tak!

The appearance of a man I was seeing for the first time was a bonus!