What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 393

#393

Alchemy (2)

-Rustle, rustle.

“Ugh…”

I woke up completely wrapped in a robe, clutching Gaga’s bag and our friends’ luggage.

The fresh scent of dawn air lingered at the tip of my nose.

The dark edge of the sky was gradually turning bluish.

Camping in a swamp on an autumn night sounds absurd, but it was bearable thanks to the Crown Prince’s flames and the robe’s warmth-preserving magic.

The pillow made of woven reeds and stems was surprisingly comfortable and did its job.

I smiled softly, looking at the warm bundle in my arms.

It turned out that the Crown Prince had several mana stones emitting heat in his luggage.

He has a habit of hugging anything while sleeping, and it seems he instinctively sought it out because it was warm.

“What time is it…”

I mumbled sleepily and twisted my body.

I could see reeds swaying eerily in the blue darkness.

-Whoosh…

Last night, we had ventured deep into the salt marsh to avoid the masked group of unknown identity.

Fortunately, their movements were predictable.

They dragged a small wooden boat around the swamp once an hour, quietly returning the way they came, using the edge of the reed field as a turning point.

It looked more like guard duty than a search to anyone.

Occasionally, a few deserters from the Holy Nation army were dragged away by them and disappeared without a trace.

I listened intently to their conversations, wondering if they were the people of the legendary Francon barony, but there was nothing more to glean.

Other than the fact that their commander was a paladin (it’s hard to know the attribute because they hide their ether so well), we didn’t get any new information.

The half-masks covering their eyes were pitch black without even common bead decorations.

However, from a distance, it looked like they had crow wings attached to their faces.

I made the group stop moving for a while.

‘What if we make a secondary base here? Beyond this point, the trees are so dense that it’s difficult to observe their movements anyway. Let’s start the operation at dawn.’

‘Good idea!’

‘…Let’s do that.’

That’s how the night deepened, and we decided to take turns standing guard.

The other two slept back-to-back. Even on a short schedule, physical fitness was important.

-Rustle, rustle.

Um, it was definitely like that. Why does my back feel so empty…

“Good morning, Yeseo.”

“Heeok!”

I quickly covered my mouth and retreated like a caterpillar as I turned around.

Instead of the Crown Prince, Christel was smiling brightly at me.

She didn’t look sleepy at all. Too close! Our noses just brushed!

“Hey, there’s no need to be so surprised. Not between us.”

“Nothing, nothing happened, okay? We really just slept!”

“Oh, am I making you uncomfortable?”

“Huh?!”

I hurriedly looked inside my shirt, but then thought better of it and quickly raised my head.

My cheeks and the back of my neck turned as red as a boiled octopus, then paled again.

Then Gain burst out laughing, clutching her stomach and making sounds like she was suffocating.

Ah, please don’t tease me!

“No, heuheuk… I just made a joke, but you’re running a marathon all by yourself. Keheong, keuheuheuk…”

“…”

I’m so embarrassed I could die.

Jeong Eunseo told me not to show that I’m a forever-alone wherever I go, but how can someone who’s never had a girlfriend live with such sorrow?

I was even more ashamed because there were no divine beasts to soothe my embarrassment.

I frantically searched for a canteen in Gaga’s bag and pressed it against my cheek.

The cool touch of the leather seemed to calm the heat a little.

Christel laughed so hard that she choked and squeezed out tears, and after a long time, she seemed to calm down and looked at me.

There was still a smile on her lips. I asked with dissatisfaction.

“Were you going to wake me up for guard duty?”

“No. I was originally preparing to have a serious conversation. Hoo…”

‘The Marchioness is really my comedy relief,’ Gain said, raising the corners of her lips slightly.

I waited quietly for what she would say next.

“I know it’s a bit much to say this at the crack of dawn, but my mother knows. That I’m not ‘Christel’.”

“…”

Oh my god. My shocked mouth slowly opened. My eyes widened.

The paladin added in a whisper.

“Yes, I was also very surprised. But when I think about it… I guess she couldn’t have not known. She’s someone who truly loves her daughter. Even though we don’t share a drop of blood, she cherishes me so much that she would give her life for me, so it would be strange if she didn’t know. Why haven’t I thought of that before? Did I unconsciously avoid it? I also felt that way. I felt so sorry.”

“…That happened.”

“Even if I know it’s not my fault, you know, there’s that feeling. How can someone’s heart be light?”

“Yes. I understand.”

I nodded immediately. Isabel had noticed Christel’s true identity…

I wondered when it had started. I couldn’t even begin to imagine their feelings, so I held back my words.

Before I knew it, the corner of the sky was turning red.

Gain wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes.

This time, I took out a handkerchief from my bag and handed it to her, and her blue-gray eyes drew a beautiful curve.

“Thank you. So, there’s something I wanted to ask the Marchioness.”

“Yes. I’ll answer anything.”

“That… You said this is inside a novel.”

Her voice became even smaller. I bit my lip.

Our hands, lying side by side, repeatedly touched and moved away.

“I won’t say it’s fake. I sincerely hate that word, and you look like you’re about to cry, so it’s too much because we’ve all lived so hard.”

“…Yes.”

“But I’m still curious. What happened to that child… ‘Christel’? Do you know?”

I slowly raised my eyes. I could see her eyes shining earnestly right in front of me.

I knew too well how Gain must be feeling right now.

She probably wants to repay the owner of the body somehow.

She wants to restore the child’s lost life and reunite her with her loved ones.

She wants to convey her apologies and gratitude.

If there’s anything she wants to say, she’ll listen, and if there’s anything she wants, she’ll make sure to fulfill it.

She must have resolved to do her best.

Because I did too. Because we’re in a pretty similar situation.

“That child’s story…”

I barely managed to open my mouth. The sentence was as slow as a turtle as I chose my words.

“Didn’t come up often. More precisely, it was only depicted in scenes comparing Gain and ‘Christel’… So…”

“…”

In fact, she had to be considered completely dead. But I absolutely hated to say that.

“Um. It seems the owner of the body… wasn’t treated importantly in the novel. It’s not finished yet, but at least up to where I read… it was like that.”

“I see.”

“I’m sorry.”

As I conveyed my apology like a sigh, she tapped the tip of my nose.

Then, she folded her arms and smiled.

A cool dawn breeze blew through the reed field. Swish…

“Why are you sorry, Marchioness? You don’t have to be.”

“…”

“It would be a lie to say I’m not sad, and I feel like grabbing the author by the collar, but there’s nothing I can do about it right now.”

‘It’s not your fault, Marchioness,’ Gain whispered like a breath.

I took a deep breath, anchored in her blue gaze.

The tangled feelings seemed to loosen again.

“But, you know.”

“Yes.”

“If I’m the protagonist and His Highness the Crown Prince is the second most important character, what’s the novel about?”

My sleepiness vanished!

“Yes?”

I inadvertently raised my upper body halfway. You’re asking me that?

“No, I’m sorry to say this… but isn’t it obvious?”

“I have no idea. Is it a mystery novel with a murder case? Am I Sherlock Holmes and you’re like Moriarty?”

“That’s not it, is it?”

“Ah! I get it. It’s a shonen manga [Japanese comics targeting young boys] kind of thing, right? A youth drama where we fiercely grow while facing each other with swords. A bit of a vibe.”

No! They fought a bit, but it wasn’t that kind of feeling!

“Listen. The two of you are very passionate—”

-Swaeak! Thwack!

“Heueok!”

A dagger flew between us and was impaled! I was horrified and tumbled away.

Gain muttered, ‘What is it? Just a thriller?’

I hurriedly got up and looked in the direction the sword had come from.

The place where the sacred fire had been extinguished was now empty and cold.

Crown Prince Cedrick, standing tall in the center of the round base, was glaring at us very intensely.

Yes! That’s the kind of passion I was talking about—

“Crazy. I almost got robbed blind.”

No, that’s not it!

“Your Highness. You can just talk to us—”

“Shut.”

Huh. For some reason, I felt like I should listen and closed my lips.

The Crown Prince 멋지게 [meotjige – Korean for ‘coolly’ or ‘stylishly’] pulled his robe hood over his head and strode towards us.

The blessed sword hanging on his waist was pulled out a few centimeters.

He was clearly wary, and his gaze was strangely directed beyond us.

I quickly pulled out the dagger stuck in the ground and checked behind us.

-Swish, swish…

The dimly lit swamp came into view through the dense blue reeds.

Dead or alive, the old trees drooped their branches and bent over.

It was an eerie landscape, as if ghosts would appear at any moment.

Rustle, rustle! We quickly huddled together and lowered our bodies.

Only three pairs of eyes peeked out from beyond the bushes.

As we held our breath in that state, a faint ripple began to form from the left.

-Chareureuk, swish…

-Creak, creak—

-Chareureu, swish…

It was the sound of rowing, the sound of a wooden boat moving. I urgently turned to the Crown Prince.

“Is that the first patrol today?”

The man nodded at my whisper. Then we had to move immediately.

I handed him the dagger and quickly rummaged through Gaga’s bag.

The things I had asked David for came out one after another.

Several cravats that the Imperial Army commanders had willingly donated. Several metal necklaces.

“Gain, please wrap the necklaces with the cravats. You can push the metal inside the fabric. Just make sure they don’t come apart.”

“Leave it to me.”

It would be troublesome if the priest’s existence was discovered, so no one should use ether [magical energy].

Gain and I began stuffing the necklaces inside the cravats.

We also rolled the ornaments in fine fabric. The point was a firm combination of fabric and metal.

The Crown Prince silently watched my fingertips and waited for his turn.

Meanwhile, the masked group was heading to the deepest part of the swamp.

It was where our first base had been.

The way they moved without any common magic lights or lamps was very eerie.

-Creak, creeak—

-Chaaa…

Eventually, the wooden boat made a circle and moved back this way.

I swallowed hard and diligently moved my hands.

My restless eyes couldn’t stay still and kept darting around.

Still, I could see everything that needed to be seen as I got used to the darkness.

The paladin at the bow was standing with a large sword, wearing a black robe like a grim reaper.

Including the soldiers rowing and guarding behind him, a total of…

“Seven.”

“They seem to be increasing. It’s annoying.”

Christel grumbled. There were only five last night, but now there are seven.

Moreover, this matched the number of the blue-haired baron, the husband in the Francon legend.

They were already right in front of us.

I ignored my pounding heart and counted the number of cravat wires that had barely been completed.

One, two…

“Five, six. Damn it.”

One short! Christel, who immediately grasped the situation, took out the handkerchief she had received earlier.

I tilted the canteen in a hurry.

But there were only a few sips of water left to wet the cloth.

I had clearly filled it generously before going to bed, but the amount was now at the bottom, probably because I had drunk a lot of water during the night.

Gain and I, who made eye contact, simultaneously pursed our lips.

We hadn’t come here to be discovered. We couldn’t use ether in front of a suspicious paladin.

But from the moment we used a wet handkerchief, the plan might already be ruined.

At that moment—

-Rustle!

“Who’s there!”

The bushes moved on the opposite side of the swamp.

The boat stopped immediately, and the masked group reacted sharply, aiming large bows.

It seemed to be another deserter. The commander waved his arm without hesitation.

Fwing, fwing, fwing, fwing—! Thud! Terrifying arrows poured like a rainstorm to the other side.

Now’s the time!

“Your Highness!”

-Whoosh, whoosh!

I threw everything I was holding into the air.

Six cravats hiding necklaces shot out like bullets.

It was the Crown Prince’s specialty to control metal.

Chuck, chuck, chuck! The fabric tightly wrapped around the soldiers’ necks.

Soon, six people began to stagger, clutching their throats.

“Keok! Keheok…!”

“Kheuheuk! Keuheuheuek!”

“Breath, breath! Cough! Keheoeok!”

It was a difficult sight to watch, but there was something more important right now.

Sreung! The bewildered commander drew his sword and looked around.

He sensed unfamiliar mana, but he didn’t seem to be able to grasp the direction.

“Your Highness, don’t kill them. Just knock them out.”

“I know.”

“Gain, now!”

“Yes!”

Splash! She created a water droplet in an instant and threw the handkerchief, soaking it thoroughly.

The fabric, controlled by the water, crashed into the masked knight’s face at full speed. Thwack!

“Eueueup! Eubeueueueup!”

-Thud!

The man, struggling with his breathing blocked, threw down his sword with a clatter.

Then he stretched out his trembling hands into the air.

He was surprisingly calm even though his breathing was completely cut off.

Soon, a splendid special ether poured out.

-Pabababat—!

“Puhah!”

Thousands of delicate tendrils, like brush bristles, tore the wet handkerchief from his face and ripped it to shreds.

Then, it absorbed all the moisture from the towel and began to grow in size.

The man’s eyes gleamed like a hyena’s. Water and saliva dripped from his wet mouth.

Just as his sharp eyes were about to turn to us—

-Whoosh!

“That’s where you are!”

On the opposite side of the swamp, a huge flame soared up.

We flinched and looked at each other.