What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 381

#381

Red-spotted Catamount (4)

I blinked, momentarily flustered.

My friends stopped their lip exercises and quickly exchanged glances.

Though we were a good distance away, it was definitely not the sound of wind or crickets.

Besides, it was clearly coming from beyond the curtain. What was that? Was the Crown Prince snoring?

-Goro ro rong…

That couldn’t be. Shouldn’t romance fantasy male leads *not* snore? Is that a prejudice?

“…….”

“…….”

And the room fell silent as if a lie.

I hurriedly glanced at Empress Frederica. No, I had no choice.

Her red eyes were shining fiercely as she gathered her energy.

One wrong move, and I’d be watching Durandal’s [her sword’s] dinner show here!

“Sir Johan, what is in here?”

I asked quickly. The paladin, who had been leisurely savoring the wine’s aroma, gave a smiling look.

“Well, I don’t sense anything other than a soundly sleeping fire-attribute ether [magical energy].”

“…….”

I busily looked back at Christel and Elizabeth, but neither of them seemed to sense anything special either.

The main character shrugged and popped an anchovy canapé into her mouth.

The sound of her firmly crunching the baguette made my friends’ vigilance melt away.

It seemed they had decided it was just snoring (no way…).

The Empress let out a short sigh and instantly dispersed her energy.

She didn’t show it on her face, but I knew she was very worried about her son inside.

Her only child, who had been sick since he was a baby, had returned after being missing on the battlefield for over a month.

Moreover, he had been unconscious the whole time, so they hadn’t even had a proper greeting.

His only companion, his teacher, couldn’t be by his side because she was taking care of the Empire.

This must be why she left her spacious tent and was handling meals and official duties here.

She didn’t want to ‘hear’ the news that her son had woken up.

“……I am sorry for not being able to rescue the missing soldiers, Your Majesty. I never imagined they would be swept away by the Moonrise Grass fog. I was short-sighted.”

I stopped stirring my spoon and offered my apology.

Listening to Elizabeth’s story made my heart sink to the depths.

The Empress raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t you say that your party was the only one who witnessed it in Mancrans? Then the rest must have slipped away to a place out of your sight. The Empire’s commanders also did not foresee this situation.”

“Still, if I had looked more closely,”

“The fault lies solely with Yuliter Statia. Why try to share it?”

“…….”

I looked up at the Empress. The middle-aged woman’s gaze was unwavering.

“A sinner from the old era has once again committed an unforgivable crime against the Empire, and he even did it to satisfy his own selfish desires. No matter how the soldiers disappeared, the fact that it is a casualty of war does not change. So this is entirely my responsibility. Taking care of the wounded soldiers and the bereaved families, and listening to their resentment for the rest of my life.”

“…….”

-Goro ro rong…

“I will not share that with you either. I am very greedy.”

She slightly raised her lips and sipped her wine. I forced a smile in response.

What kind of education and what kind of life does one have to live to become such a strong and steadfast person?

A normal human like me would never be able to imagine it until death.

“Has there been any progress in the research on Moonrise Grass in the past month?”

Elizabeth calmly tore a palysch [a type of bread] and changed the subject.

The Empress tilted her head and opened her mouth.

“We have learned a lot about the herb. But the identity of the fluid flowing from the paladin’s remains is still a mystery.”

“Ah.”

-Goll goll…

“It is definitely not ordinary corpse water, but the mages and priests have not come to any meaningful conclusions. It has no smell and no special effect on anything. Since it cannot be easily tested on the human body, I sent a sample to your father a while ago. Soon, when François wakes up, there will be noticeable progress.”

“I see. I understand.”

The vice-commander nodded.

The Empress glanced at Sir Johan, who was stealing wine, and then looked at Christel and me.

She steadily ate the food I had offered.

“I heard that a person named Karme made a great contribution to defeating the golem.”

That’s right, it’s time for Karme’s story to come up.

“Yes. He escaped during the chaos of the battle… and was swept away. Looking back, it seems that Yuliter’s goal was Karme from the beginning.”

-Goro rong, goro goro rong…

“You said he was a level 2 mage and a priest-level paladin?”

“Yes.”

“Even if he has merits, he is someone who has been trafficking people back and forth between the desert and the Holy Kingdom. There are clear victims and it is an irreversible serious crime. I heard that he even tried to kidnap you once.”

“……That’s right.”

Christel next to me shook her head, muttering something like ‘humanity’s terrible duplicity’.

Umm. Accurate.

“On the other hand, I heard that he put the Holy Kingdom’s famine victims on a ship and sent them to the Empire.”

“Ah, yes. That’s what the residents of Honing Village testified. They must be the children Duke Fabrice Berang collected from the Unite region.”

“……Tsk. It is rare to find someone whose sins and good deeds are so intertwined.”

‘There will be no medals or pardons.’ The Empress declared sharply, pointing at the air with her fork.

I swallowed the raisins soaked in stew and nodded my head.

I encouraged Karme to get a medal and start a new life, but it turned out to be a complete lie.

…Should I just call it even since he tried to trick me with lies too?

“However, I will not rush to decide on the disposition. There are more than one or two things that need to be resolved right now.”

-Goro ro ro…

“Yes.”

We answered in unison and focused on the meal again.

No, that’s what I was trying to do, but suddenly another thought came to mind.

I had missed the flow here for a whole month, and there were so many things I was curious about!

“Then, is there still no news from Princess Elissa and the Grand Duke?”

“I have sent news of the Crown Prince’s return. We will have to wait and see what kind of response the Holy Kingdom sends.”

“Will the truce be maintained until then?”

“To be exact, one week from the time one side returns.”

One week… I slowly moved my knife, pondering the adult’s words.

If Elissa does not return within 7 days, the Empire will have the legitimate right to resume the battle according to the agreement.

Her Majesty’s goal is a quick advance into the royal capital and the capture of Werner Fenetian, the State Secretary.

To avenge Prince Yeseo and the Empire as she intends, it would be advantageous for us if the Princess never returned.

But at the same time, I have a promise to keep.

‘You told me to take care of your sister and brother. I wish you didn’t have to.’

‘I’ll reunite you.’

…I said that to the Prince, but if Elissa can’t come back.

If she too is trapped in Yuliter’s artificial space and has disappeared—

“Yeseo. Stop picking at your food.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

I suddenly came to my senses. From then on, I really focused on the meal, I think.

Meals are important, and listening to adults is also important.

There was nothing I could do about Elissa’s disappearance right now.

“Wow. It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

I finished three bowls of Vol-au-vent à la financière [a French puff pastry dish].

Whether the rumor that I like rice had already spread, a heaping bowl of fluffy white rice was also served.

It was a little dry, but it was really okay.

I mixed the rice with the savory broth and neatly cleaned up the meatballs and vegetables.

Ms. Gain generously sprinkled her personal chili powder topping on it again today.

Elizabeth tried to imitate the amount we ate, and her eyes widened, saying it was really delicious.

It seemed that Sir Johan’s taste wasn’t bad either.

Her Majesty scolded me for ‘why a young one eats so spicy’, but she ate everything Christel offered without leaving anything behind.

Oh, and she lightly finished four plates of demon beast meat steak. It was a peaceful time in its own way.

-Goro ro rong…

-Clatter, clatter

As the main course was roughly cleared, David smiled softly and brought out the dessert.

It was three slices of verabeka [a type of cake] filled with spices and dried fruit.

He explained that it was distributed to the entire army in commemoration of the Crown Prince’s return.

Rooibos tea was also served to match the number of people.

The Empress completely loosened her cravat and handed it to the attendant, waiting for the tea to cool.

“……That ‘artificial space’.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I immediately turned my gaze. The middle-aged woman’s face still had spirit.

She didn’t seem to be drunk or feeling sleepy.

“You said that it was created more easily by damaging the World Tree?”

“……I’m not sure, but I think so.”

“Then something similar to this could happen again until that tree heals.”

“……Maybe.”

As I answered nervously, the Empress chuckled and added.

“Cause accidents in moderation.”

It was a splendid and strong smile. A reassuring face.

Only then could I barely raise the corners of my lips.

Christel nudged my side with her elbow and smiled.

-Tssss…

At that moment, there was a strange noise and a burning smell.

We blinked in surprise, and David, horrified, checked the trolley.

But neither the smell nor the noise was coming from there.

There was nothing flammable around the fireplace.

Clunk! Her Majesty and Sir Johan immediately jumped up from their seats. Uh?

“Your Majesty?”

“Annoying.”

Muttering that, she grabbed Durandal and strode towards the curtain.

We followed the adult in a rush.

David was calmly restless, and at this point, I was a little scared too.

The napkin I had inadvertently brought was shaking like a footless ghost. What on earth is going on?

“Cedric. It’s me.”

-Thwack!

Her Majesty pulled back the bed curtain without hesitation.

Ugh! I hurriedly covered Ms. Gain’s eyes, then lowered my hand at her complaint, and then raised it again when I realized that the Crown Prince wasn’t wearing anything under his gown.

I’m going to die of embarrassment almost every day because of this official couple.

Wear thermal underwear, you imbecile! You should wear sleeping socks too!

-Goll goll goll…

“Good heavens.”

But a smoky haze was rising from the bedside.

Now that I see it, the culprit of the snoring wasn’t Crown Prince Cedric either. Huh?

-Tssss…

“Oh my gosh, a cat on the Holy Sword!”

Ms. Gain, who found something through her fingers, cried out silently.

No wonder the vice-commander was pale, the scabbard of the Holy Sword placed at the Crown Prince’s bedside was melting black.

That’s what Elizabeth gave him as a birthday present, gasp—

-Whoosh!

“Hold on, Your Majesty. It’s still a young divine beast!”

“It’s the one we rescued from the Rock Castle!”

Christel and I dangled from the Empress’s outstretched arms.

We appealed to the little one’s condition with passionate attitudes while minimizing the volume.

‘That child was hurt by people and is very scared’, ‘He is wary’, ‘He ran away in surprise alone last night’, ‘As a divine beast, he will not harm us’, ‘Humans are always at fault…’

The Empress looked at the feline animal with a dumbfounded expression.

Everyone’s eyes were on the palm-sized being.

-Goro ro rong…

The divine beast was hiding its four legs under its body, sleeping with its eyes closed.

The mottled back pattern moved up and down with each breath.

It was a sight that harmonized exquisitely with the quietly sleeping sculpted beauty.

But because it was sitting very firmly on the scabbard, it seemed difficult to pull out the Holy Sword without waking it up.

David hurriedly left to ventilate. I quickly whispered.

“Isn’t the divine beast originally the messenger of the main god who came down to protect divine objects? He must have occupied that place with good intentions. As a result, his body heated up and burned the precious scabbard. Although he almost put the Crown Prince in danger—”

“Milord, the Holy Sword already has an owner, so even Demi didn’t show any interest.”

Damn it, Herrit is too sharp!

“If you entrust it to me, I will supervise it myself.”

“What?”

I suddenly threw out a countermeasure, and the adult grabbed it.

I worked hard to create sentences like a sewing machine, lest she change her mind.

It seems that only my improvisation skills are improving.

“It won’t be difficult to capture him now. But as I said, that kid survived a terrible laboratory, and the resulting emotional wounds are great. Unwanted contact itself can cause another shock. So I’ll stay up all night and watch him. If a big fire seems likely, I’ll put it out, and if the Crown Prince wakes up, I can explain the situation right away. After all, someone needs to observe the condition of the Holy Sword up close.”

“I’ll join you too! I’m water attribute, right? Right?”

Ms. Gain hung on Her Majesty’s arm and gave her an affectionate look.

Elizabeth was silently horrified, and I was a little uneasy too.

I was worried that it would backfire.

“……I can’t live like this. Do as you please.”

‘Surely you wouldn’t kill my son.’ With a sigh, Her Majesty looked down at the Crown Prince and said.

I was so surprised that what I just said worked that my mouth dropped open.

Indeed… Is this the power of the original daughter-in-law?

*

Of course, she wasn’t an adult who would leave us to ourselves.

Sir Johan Haines, our ‘guardian’, was now with us.

Three thick, heavy cotton quilts were placed on the floor of the tent, which already had thick carpets.

Herrit, who had changed into casual clothes, handed us large pillows.

‘Thank you.’ I said that and stole a glance at him.

Even to others, there must be a big difference between Sir Johan’s and our mental ages.

There’s not much difference in actual age though.

“Hehehe. Being like this reminds me of last year. When we went to the masquerade at Lord Blanquer’s estate. We all wore pajamas and slept in the same room.”

Thud! Christel, lying on the thick blanket, grinned.

I looked up at the Crown Prince’s bed, confirmed that the divine beast had completely passed out, and smiled softly.

His small belly was full of the ether I fed him.

He might run away in the morning, but still, the fact that we didn’t touch him…

Maybe we can give him some trust. I hope so.