What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 389

389. You, Me, Us, and (2)

“Uh…”

I was momentarily lost and disoriented.

Christel and the Crown Prince were silently staring at me, urging me to make a decision.

Both of them had no expression, which made them seem threatening and scary.

Charlemagne [the Crown Prince’s horse] neighed briefly and shook his head.

Seeing this, David sighed.

“What’s the point of all this…”

And then he suddenly lamented.

Sir Elizabeth, nodding in agreement, replied, “Yes. It seems like they’ll just get back together on their own even if we leave them in the barracks.”

All the friends showed agreement in their eyes.

I was the only one who didn’t understand what they meant. I felt uneasy and anxious for no reason.

Even though the weather was cold, I felt like I had to give an answer quickly before someone caught a cold.

So, I hurriedly started to speak.

Seeing them shooting such fierce looks at each other, but only verbally suggesting a ride together, it seems like…

“Wouldn’t it be okay to tie me with a rope?”

“Pardon?”

It means they don’t want to ride with me. Our relationship is at its worst right now.

But both of them are nice, so they can’t show it on the outside.

“You two can pull me. It would be much easier if I were on something like a sled.”

Isn’t that a pretty good idea?

If you don’t like that, there’s also a way for the person who loses in rock-paper-scissors to give me a ride,

“You’re talking nonsense.”

It was rejected without exception!

Crown Prince Cedrick looked down at me with eyes that had discovered the most pathetic creature in the world, then drove Charles a few steps closer.

Clatter, clatter. I was embarrassed and stepped back the same distance.

He pressured me with his crimson gaze that pierced the dawn.

“Are you going to make the Imperial Family wait?”

It was clear that he meant to refuse properly in one go. So I hurriedly answered.

“Th-that, Charles will be heavy.”

This was 300% true.

Even if he is the noble and sturdy Imperial horse, it seemed like animal abuse to carry two adult men.

Then Isabel, who had been quiet all along, opened her mouth.

“Then ride Doria together, Marquis. I can hold the stirrups for you.”

She approached with a friendly smile, her eyes swollen.

The Deputy Commander of the Auxiliary Brigade added in a somewhat cheerful voice.

“That’s a good idea, Madam. Doria has been well-trained since she was young, so it’s okay to carry even young children. She’s so gentle that she’s never dropped anyone.”

Then he patted Francois and buried his forehead on his back.

The slender Marquis staggered like a gas station air doll.

The excited lesser pandas climbed his body like a tree.

I didn’t know what was going on, so I just moved my head from side to side, looking at my friends.

Ms. Gain was twitching her lips with a blunt look.

I thought she was biting her tongue because she hated it so much.

Even though conversation comes first in this situation, it would be uncomfortable to stick together with the person who threw that bombshell.

It’s right to keep a distance now.

It’s a bit much for people from the 21st century to say this, but it’s a bit much for a grown man and woman to ride a horse together…

“Hmm.”

“Come here.”

Christel reached out to me and said loudly.

Her eyes widened as if she was surprised by her own volume.

It looked like a meerkat would make that expression if it suddenly stood up in anger.

She seemed to be very angry.

As I hesitated and approached, she turned her gaze away and glared at the Crown Prince.

I was very concerned about her swollen eyes. I watched the two of them until the last moment.

I’m going to get indigestion from eating breakfast like this.

…A special measure was needed.

“Um, if it’s okay with you, I’ll ride on Doria’s back.”

“You’ve made a good choice.”

Thank goodness. Then—

“Christel, would you like to go with the Crown Prince? It won’t be too much of a burden for Charles.”

“Pardon?”

“Doria is smaller than Charles, so it seems difficult for two people to ride. I think it would be more comfortable for you too…”

I trailed off.

Then Ms. Gain looked down at me with blue eyes, and Sir Elizabeth plopped down on the floor.

I was worried about her sobbing, so I turned around.

David, who met my eyes, waved his hands, telling me to just leave.

For some reason, he had a resigned look on his face.

Isabel and Duke Fabrice, who had watched the whole flow, hurriedly covered their mouths.

In the end, Christel got off Doria’s back, and I got on the saddle with the help of Sir John.

The atmosphere is really great…

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Hold the reins well and don’t be nervous. Horses feel the anxiety of the human on their back.”

He showed the appearance of a grand master that Herrit Father would have drawn.

“Yes, yes.”

“Should we straighten our backs a little? Yes, the current posture is the best. You don’t have to be stiff. If you want to move forward, slowly put strength on both legs and bring them together. That’s right.”

Clatter, clatter. Doria slowly started walking forward at my movements.

Ugh! I opened my mouth and let out a silent cheer.

The feeling was completely different from when I borrowed Prince Yeser’s body.

At that time, it was just unfamiliar and not scary at all, but this time, the reverberation of riding a horse was transmitted to my whole body, which was amazing and gave me goosebumps.

For a moment, the depression was forgotten and a sincere smile flowed out. Sir John rumbled lowly.

“When stopping, lie back comfortably and think of adding weight. You’re sending a signal to the horse. Very good. You’re doing it quickly.”

-Clatter, clatter, thump

“Wow…”

The horse stopped in its place as if it were a lie. Doria was really an angel!

I rubbed her neck a lot and thanked her.

I decided that I would have to train hard when I met Areum later.

The fact that I, who have no athletic sense, succeeded in riding a horse gave me confidence for some reason.

It felt like the future was getting a little brighter.

“Doria will understand simple commands even if you say them. Don’t worry and go.”

“Yes. Thank you so much, Sir John.”

The man encouraged me softly, and I answered with a bright face.

Come to think of it, Sir John was also a victim of the bombshell I threw at that time…

I was curious about what he was thinking inside.

I decided that I would definitely respond if he ever wanted to talk.

Meanwhile, Christel waddled over and got on the Crown Prince’s back seat.

The two men and women were sitting side by side and glaring at me, so I felt like hope was disappearing again.

The saddle didn’t seem very wide, but the two were sitting almost a hand apart.

They were very talented.

…I’m still worried.

“Christel. Wouldn’t it be safer to grab the Crown Prince’s waist and ride?”

“No? Not at all? I have some core strength now?”

“I’m sorry.”

I quickly apologized and lowered my gaze.

It seemed like they were muttering something, but I couldn’t hear it from here.

I looked back at my friends for the last time.

A feline beast sitting in front of a distant barracks caught my eye.

His face, yawning long, looked relaxed.

Still, I was relieved that he seemed to be doing well.

“Please take good care of Nabi. Her body must be all healed now. If she tries to leave, don’t hold her back, but help her only when she seems to be in danger. Please tell the priests too.”

“I will.”

Herrit Father answered kindly.

I was sincerely grateful for his support during this time.

‘I’ll be back.’ With him as the last, I waved my hand to everyone.

Charles also started to move forward slowly.

The lesser pandas ran out hopping and saw us off.

-Squeak!

-Squeak!

-Squeak!

“Cedrick, do well!”

Sir Elizabeth, who had become as small as a pinky finger, shouted.

Still, the faces of those who remained were bright, so the departing steps were not so heavy.

*

Several hours passed since then.

The morning sun rose high, and the cold air of the inland sharply scratched my face.

The bizarre blue reeds were bending their bodies here and there in accordance with the autumn wind’s command.

-Rustle, rustle, rustle…

-Patter, patter, patter…

We got off the horses, grabbed the reins, and walked.

I couldn’t get off the saddle by myself in the end, so I got help from Christel.

Even if there was a robe that made my presence blurry, it wouldn’t be good to be caught in the enemy’s sight.

The reed field in the southern part of the plain was as vast as the sea and about 2.5m high [approximately 8 feet].

If the three of us quietly crossed it while pulling the horses, no one would notice.

However, the blue reeds were really tough. The height was towering and the color was bizarre, so the eerie feeling was strong.

The soil on the floor was so pale that it was even more unrealistic.

Rustle, rustle, rustle! As we broke through the section without a road, my forehead and cheeks were scratched by the sharp leaves.

I tried to keep up with the Crown Prince, who was going ahead, while wearing the robe deeply.

The journey to the salt marsh was by no means easy.

But what hurt more was the silence.

-Swish, swish…

“…”

“…”

“…”

-Patter, patter, patter…

None of us ever spoke first. Of course, we had simple conversations.

‘Where shall we go?’, ‘Are your legs hurting?’, ‘Shall we take a break?’, ‘Are you hungry?’, ‘Apply medicine to the injured area’…. That was all.

The Crown Prince shut his mouth completely, and Christel and I acted awkwardly like people who had met for the first time today.

It wasn’t even easy to make eye contact.

I didn’t even remember whether the snacks I ate went into my nose or my mouth.

There was also a small commotion during the break earlier.

‘Uh…’

The Crown Prince lit a small bonfire in front of us and left.

He pushed all the snacks I gave him to my side.

Since I had committed a sin, I didn’t have the confidence to ask him where he was going.

What could I do when he didn’t want to eat even one fruit and didn’t want to be with me?

I glanced at Ms. Gain, but she had no interest at all.

So I sat in the reed field and waited silently for the man.

Just as I was looking at the ground and biting the last piece of cheese,

‘Marquis.’

‘Yes, yes?’

Christel spoke to me.

I was horrified and dropped the cheese, and I was so out of my mind that I picked it up again, realized it wasn’t right, and put it down again.

I can’t throw food waste here…

‘I’ve thought a lot about it.’

‘….Yes. Thoughts.’

My voice was already trembling. I clenched my fists tightly to try to be brave.

The blue eyes I faced were filled with tears.

‘….That day, what you said so suddenly,’

-Thump!

‘Aheok!’

A black thing fell at our feet at that time. I almost spat out my heart on the spot.

It’s a snake!

‘Aaaah! I can’t live!’

‘Why live!’ Christel, enraged, rushed at the man who threw the snake, and I barely held on to my mind in a state of near fainting.

I felt like half of my head was turning white from the shock, but I barely endured it by recalling the day I witnessed a fight between a water snake and a weasel in the army.

Fortunately, the snake was already dead. It was so plump that I thought it was an eel for a moment.

The goosebumps all over my body didn’t think of going away. Crazy, oh my god…

-Ka-gang!

‘Why are you catching a snake in the middle of the day! I’m going crazy because of His Highness, really!’

‘It’s noisy from the middle of the day.’

-Kigi-geek! Clang—!

‘You just think it’s unconditionally meat, huh? Did you come to ruin the atmosphere?’

‘What’s the problem if it’s not poisonous?’

-Thud, thump!

‘Ah, please ask people’s preferences before hunting!’

‘Are you daring to order the Imperial Family?’

The two men and women rolled enthusiastically in the reed field from broad daylight.

It was a shameful sight, and I was so surprised that I couldn’t hear their conversation.

Even in the midst of that, my heart was pounding in case I was discovered by the Shinguk army.

I moved away from the snake on my butt and closed my eyes tightly. And I thought.

If I had just said I wanted to eat meat, they would have taken out all the jerky and sausage, but did they have to catch a snake and throw it?

‘….’

I’m already scared enough without doing this.

-Hee-hee!

Charles, who couldn’t stand it, kicked the snake with his hooves. In the end, no one ate it.

We became even more awkward.

“…I see a swamp in front of me.”

I flinched and raised my head from my thoughts.

The Crown Prince’s wide back was blocking my view as he walked ahead.

I stopped, keeping a distance of about two steps, as he would be displeased if I got too close.

Ms. Gain, who was following behind, grabbed my robe sleeve tightly.

She absolutely didn’t want to touch me directly. It was natural, though.

“…What are you doing?”

Then the Crown Prince, who turned to look at us, frowned.

“Pardon?”

He lowered his voice scarily and prepared to threaten me again. I was very nervous.

“This.”

Finally, he gestured with his chin while looking at the ground. Oh dear, I must have been too close.

I quickly stepped back three more steps.

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you kidding m―”

“Kidding one, kidding two, kidding three…”

Ms. Gain, who snatched the Crown Prince’s words, strode forward with a bizarre command.

I was dragged to the front by her touch.

It didn’t hurt, but the speed and strength were so great that I didn’t have time to say anything.

Rustle, rustle! The small hand wildly parted the reeds and spread them wide to the left and right.

I cooperated diligently with the intention of helping the person who was acting first.

Soon, an amazingly mysterious sight unfolded.

“Wow…”

“Heol…” [a Korean expression of surprise, similar to ‘whoa’]

-Flutter, flutter, flutter…

Hundreds of purple butterflies were playing above the clear waters.