What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 392

The Sub-Male Lead Goes on Strike – #392

錬成 (Refining) (1)

The inside of the tent was dim. The firewood in the brazier crackled sharply.

-Snap!

“…What?”

Frederica frowned, doubting her ears.

The voice, deeply sunken, was as chilling as her blade.

A hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes as she turned.

It was deep into the night, but the Emperor was still not in bed.

She was not alone in the largest tent in the military camp.

François D’Huem, standing before a wide table, was covering his forehead with a troubled look.

Duke Cecil Blancair and Margrave Karoline Mutte were silently staring into space.

The young Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard was there with his mother, and Hanan Rumayan, in Isabel’s body, was also present.

The one representing the numerous royals of the battlefield was none other than the 28-year-old Jibril Diop.

He had stubbornly refused, but Frederica knew well that there was no more effective shackle than holding him responsible.

Modest Bakari was subtly revealing his presence beneath a robe as dark as the night sky.

The middle-aged man pressed on with a sharp tone.

“I’ll ask again. What are those reagents used for?”

The excuse that ‘the reagents had decayed, making testing impossible’ was, of course, a lie.

The Marquis was giving a secret report to his master, taking advantage of the night.

An owl occasionally hooted ominously in the distance.

“Since they haven’t been tested on humans or animals, the results aren’t accurate. This is only the result of testing the reagents themselves, and Lord Michel Mutte’s report hasn’t come in yet—”

“François.”

The Emperor cut him off with a seething voice. The man’s pale pink eyes trembled.

Then, his voice became very low.

“…You know that the bodies of Holy Knights are buried beneath the land where moonflower blooms.”

A moment of silence flowed.

Hanan, who had been sitting with her hands on the armrests, quietly closed her eyes.

“Our forces are collecting their bodies, cremating them after paying appropriate respects. Judging by the burial method, it was clear that they had been indiscriminately buried after death. It seemed they hadn’t even received the minimum funeral rites, and there wasn’t even a tombstone. They were treated worse than the residents of Mancrans.”

“…”

“Also, a strange purple fluid was flowing from the remains. It was neither oil nor water, and it was very suspicious and bizarre.”

“I already feel nauseous.”

Frederica frowned and reached out her hand.

Servant David poured ice water into her glass with an unwavering attitude.

There was a strict order not to drink alcohol today.

Elizabeth felt her mouth drying up and thought of her friends.

An inexplicable fear swept down her spine like a premonition. Her fists clenched involuntarily.

“The reagent components secured from the collapsed Rock Castle… appear to be more than 70% consistent with the fluid from the corpses.”

“Damn it.”

Frederica cursed. François had a miserable expression.

“They are injecting it into living bodies for experimentation. The remaining 30% includes various magic stones and herb particles. Of course, some unidentified components were also found. As I said, detailed information requires Lord Mutte’s supplementation. If you allow us to conduct research at the D’Huem territory, we can obtain more accurate results, even if it takes time…”

“Enough. The fact that you’re being so cautious means the results are ominous.”

Frederica swept back her hair and sighed deeply.

A troubled atmosphere swept through the room.

The leader of the Fleur-de-Lis [a military order], who had been listening quietly, raised his head.

“…That fluid, is it not a substance that comes from the remains of priests? Am I mistaken?”

“You are correct, Commander. As far as we know, the only substances produced by the remains of priests are holy stones and halo grass. The Holy Knight’s fluid is a first.”

Duke Blancair answered clearly. Then, the teenager’s face clouded over.

“According to the historical records, the Holy Nation of the war era used special aether [a mystical energy] in holy stones as weapons. If that’s the case, the reason for injecting the liquid from the Holy Knight’s remains into the human body is…”

“They’re making weapons again.”

Jibril casually spat out, twirling his cane.

In an instant, everyone’s gaze focused on him.

The blood-red eyes were heavily sunken.

It was a color born with the authority and nobility unique to royalty.

Soon, the smile disappeared from his lips.

“I heard they experimented on the divine beast too? That feisty little kitten. Then it’s obvious.”

Each time he nodded, strawberry-blonde hair flowed over his shoulders.

Modest stared at the man with an incredulous look.

“Isn’t it an ambition to create Holy Knights with human hands, Little Commander?”

“…Good Lord.”

David groaned and closed his eyes.

The young prophet had a blank look.

He was one who saw many things and was mature in his ways for his age, but he wasn’t brazen enough to fully grasp such a terrible situation with his own mind.

Duke Blancair and François both closed their mouths.

This was a sacrilege that exceeded the realm of what humans could imagine.

Just contemplating and measuring those words, just the thought of it, felt like being punished.

Frederica rested her arms on the table, supporting her body.

She needed some time to think.

“It would be better to strike immediately, Your Majesty. Didn’t we say that Wilhelmina Schneider was manipulating the country?”

“…Be quiet, Jibril.”

Karoline warned. But the young Diop did not stop talking.

“Do we have time to worry about honor? If we leave it as it is and they succeed in the experiment, won’t we be the only ones to suffer? We have to stop them, even if it means a surprise attack.”

“…”

“Your Highness, the problem is the relationship between Duke Schneider and the royal family.”

The Marquis calmly pointed out. Jibril frowned as if to say, ‘So what?’

That very nature was one of the many reasons why he would never ascend the throne.

The man was overly belligerent and true to his instincts.

“Even if Duke Schneider himself is leading the secret experiment, and even if we are lucky enough to prove it… It will probably be difficult to grasp the connection with the royal family. In the end, it is highly likely to be regarded as a religious rebellion by a mere aristocrat. By that time, all evidence of the experiment will be destroyed and difficult to find.”

“Ah. Schneider will pull out?”

The Prince made a frustrated expression. The Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard nodded.

“Yes. Even the soldiers guarding the laboratory were under mind control. The Duke is not a person who can be easily shaken by a hastily created external force. Moreover, according to the testimony of the neutral faction of the Vatican, the citizens of the Holy Nation do not even know that the Duke is manipulating the country.”

“Is it that bad? Then isn’t she practically the king?”

“No. She is everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”

Elizabeth quoted the words of an old man she had heard sometime ago. Cardinal Ari Schott.

“She must have layered screens of people to avoid getting caught. The only villain visible to innocent eyes would be Werner Venetian, the royal consort.”

“…A strategy of putting her brother forward as a scapegoat while she swallows the country. What a great sister. Marguerite should step up her game,” the man joked, then started playing with his cane again.

Frederica glared at her nephew and focused on her thoughts.

All life is born according to the will of the Lord.

Among them, Holy Knights and priests were precious beings granted the authority of the Lord.

Although evil people sometimes misused aether to do cunning things, it was basically a sacred power born beyond the heavens.

No one could even utter the act of imitating aether.

Even the people of the principality, who were free from the concept of faith, were careful in their words and actions, and even wandering minstrels with nothing to lose did not dare to attempt sacrilege.

Writing, painting, music, dance, sculpture… Any act of coveting the power of the Lord was considered a great sin.

From ancient times, their law, or rather, their belief, judged it that way.

A very primal fear and revulsion were building high fences in the hearts of humans.

But how could such a terrible and precarious experiment take place?

And in the Venetian Holy Nation?

Where does the madness to covet absolute power come from, even to the point of defying the divine will?

-…It is not without precedent.

Suddenly. The Emperor’s eyes opened like the sun cutting through the dawn.

She slowly raised her gaze and looked in the direction where the voice had sounded. It was Isabel.

No, it was the ancient king who had descended into her body.

-It seems that Unio also had such forces.

“What did you just say?”

Frederica’s tone flashed like a newly forged Durandall [a legendary sword].

Hanan looked at her with mysterious bronze eyes.

The face of Lazar Liester, her swordsmanship teacher from a very long time ago, seemed to flicker.

It wasn’t just because the Emperor of the Empire was also a Sword Master.

Nor was it because she was born with Lazar’s blood.

Could it be that some things don’t change even after a thousand years?

-This body’s memories are worn and flown away by the wind, so they are not complete… But in the past, there were those who ran wild.

Everyone held their breath at the king’s declaration.

Hanan and Isabel were completely different beings in every way.

Even though they shared the same body, there was a clear difference in atmosphere and impression.

Most people, except for Karoline and Frederica, felt a great sense of oppression just by making eye contact with her.

-There were villains who sought to encroach upon the divinity of the Lord and coveted His dignity, and they were conducting full-scale research. Although they were only a minority, they were not to be ignored. This body and Yuri Venetian were aware of their existence.

“Did those people succeed in their research?”

The Emperor asked immediately. Hanan shook her head solemnly.

-If they had, the continent would have been in a state of chaos that could not be compared to the present. The internal strife of Unio would also have taken a different turn.

“…”

“Geez. There were guys like that since a thousand years ago. Or rather, were they fearless because they were old?”

Karoline grumbled, rolling a glass of water in her palm.

Elizabeth calmly blinked her eyes.

“Your Majesty Hanan. Did you just say Yuri Venetian?”

-That is so, child.

“Your Majesty.”

The Vice-Captain of the Imperial Guard immediately looked up at his superior.

In an instant, a thread-like possibility flashed through the clever swordsman’s mind.

Frederica quickly caught him in the young prodigy’s eyes.

A clear voice cut across the tent.

“Although it is said that ancient records are hard to find these days, there is no one who does not know that Yuri Venetian was the first king of the Holy Nation. But if he was aware of the secret exploration, if he knew its principles or theories…”

“Are you suggesting that it may have been passed down within the royal family?”

“…Yes.”

The inside of the tent buzzed at those words. Jibril, who had been biting on ice, slowly straightened his back.

“Then am I not right? If the royal family is involved, this is an irreversible sin.”

“Your Highness. This is still just circumstantial evidence. With the Crown Princess missing and the King suffering from madness, the royal family is no different from a scarecrow. No matter what bad moves Schneider makes, the Holy Nation cannot defend itself. Also, the agreement is not a joke. If you are to be a leader, do not rush to judge.”

Cecil pointed out gently. It was Hanan, not anyone else, who received her words.

-Wouldn’t there be evidence left in the temple? Traces of that evil exploration.

Frederica quickly rolled her eyes.

Isabel’s green hair was dancing in waves like a forest.

-It may have been looted afterwards, but until the day this body closed its eyes, the library of the Temple of Vigilance was a forbidden sanctuary. Even a young priest’s sketchbook could not be taken out of what was kept there.

“…”

-It would not have collapsed. Because it is an area protected by the World Tree.

A moment of unbelievable silence flowed. Finally, François spoke realistically.

“I am sorry to be disrespectful, Your Majesty. Even if there is a document hidden deep in the sanctuary that contains the secret to creating Holy Knights, and even if it has been miraculously preserved for over a thousand years without being burned or looted… I know that only cardinals can enter the library. But Your Excellency Aurelie Boutier is the only officially recognized cardinal of the Empire. And she cannot leave the Imperial Palace.”

“…”

“…”

And this time, the silence was long. It seemed that this topic was being concluded here.

The Marquis neatly organized the scattered thoughts.

Duke Schneider’s scheme would be wise to approach slowly in the long term.

First, gather as much evidence as possible around Mancrans and Rock Castle, and continue the experiment—

“There is someone who can protect the Imperial Palace instead.”

Frederica suddenly spoke. She had a strangely brazen look on her face.

Water dripped from Karoline’s mouth as she tilted her glass.

François doubted his hearing for a moment, then widened his beautiful eyes.

“Could it be…”

Could it be that you are going to bring that person?

“Good heavens, are you talking about your father, who is probably catching bears right now?”