What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 415

The Crown Prince’s eyes flashed, seemingly sparking at the remark that linked him with his childhood friend!

“What?”

-Fwoosh!

“Honestly, you two look good together. Before I knew anything, I thought you were dating.”

Ms. Gain giggled and stuck her tongue out, and Crown Prince Cedric fell for the most childish provocation he had ever seen.

That guy was really fidgeting and building up momentum!

‘You’re both adults. The sound will leak outside if you keep this up!’ I barely stopped their fight for what felt like the millionth time.

Usually, I had to wedge myself between them to ease the tension a bit.

Just like now.

“First, let’s focus on calming Elizabeth’s confusion until Ganael arrives.”

-Squeak

Demi quickly took my side.

The two men finally stopped growling and looked back at me.

My left side was hot, and my right side was chilly.

I couldn’t help but laugh wryly at the thought that this had become my daily life.

The translucent curtain of the bed fluttered slightly.

“She can’t even accept the fact that she’s lost her memory. But it’s a relief that she’s not surprised that she has a fiancé.”

“That’s true. I guess it’s because the concept of betrothal isn’t uncommon here.”

Finally, our little water droplet [referring to Cedric, implying he’s easily swayed or emotional] gracefully backed down.

Considering that he started the trouble first, it was a net zero.

I watched Lophy start to bite the Prince’s sleeve and continued speaking.

That outfit must be super expensive…

“Until Ganael arrives, it would be best to expose information as naturally as possible. Let’s also get help from Baroness Carolin, his future mother-in-law. We can tell Elizabeth stories about Ganael without making her feel uncomfortable or resistant. Starting with small things might be good, right?”

“That’s a good idea. Maybe it will stimulate her mind and suddenly bring back her memories. My fiancé is cute, so it’s possible. I won’t miss the bouquet.”

“The problem is your aide.”

The Prince added bluntly. Our gazes simultaneously turned to him. Huh?

“Since there’s no way to inform him of the situation in advance, Duke Kalamar will arrive at the military camp without knowing his fiancée’s condition. Do you have a plan for this?”

“······.”

“······.”

Damn it. A shadow fell over our faces again.

The lesser pandas really started rolling around on the bed as if it were someone else’s problem.

I fiddled with my Gaga bag [likely a designer handbag, similar to a Birkin or Kelly bag], lost in thought. Someone else’s problem…

“Ah!”

I held up Ganael’s handmade bag.

It’s not much, but I can buy some time with this!

“There’s a hole in it. I’ll ask Ganael to sew it up for me.”

“······I still don’t understand. Why not just use preservation magic?”

“No, I’m going to use this to keep him focused. That way, I’ll have a chance to talk to him alone, and I can carefully bring up the story. So the child won’t get too hurt.”

“And pretend to be sick, Your Highness. Just act like a patient.”

“Act like a patient?”

My voice shrank instantly. I really wasn’t confident about that.

I had tried it once before, and back then, Benjamin and the Juliette family had made such a fuss.

In the end, I couldn’t stand my terrible acting and my guilt, so I kicked open the bedroom door first.

That was probably around the time I heard the proposal from my teacher about the Crown Prince’s sacred oath.

My agony was so deep that I messed things up for quite a while.

Now… Yeah, it’s still out of the question.

“Your eyes look unpleasant.”

I was sure I only thought it, but that Prince guy shot back like a ghost.

Do paladins usually get shamanistic qualities as an option?

Regardless, Ms. Gain continued her passionate speech.

“Listen. I know you’re not good at lying, but nothing is more certain to hold your fiancé than Your Highness’s health. His Highness is sick? So what? That’s only a topic for David.”

Thump! The man straightened up again.

At the same time, I sprang up and blocked his arm with my whole body.

Even in the midst of this, Ms. Gain giggled, saying, ‘Am I wrong?’ Oh, really.

How are you going to live together, acting so flippant and frivolous!

I thought there was a truce, but now there’s a war in the barracks!

“Come out to the training ground.”

“Calm down, how long has it been since it was cleaned? Your Highness, please just let it go. Ms. Gain, you need to set an example as an older sister. Don’t keep teasing him.”

“Hehehehe… I can’t help it because his reaction is funny. But do you even know my age? Down to the last digit?”

Our protagonist’s eyes sparkled.

It seemed like I was the only one who was serious about Ganael and Elizabeth.

I sighed and nodded.

In the end, the conversation went in a different direction.

“Do you count age by the international standard here? When I first possessed this body and woke up, I was thirty-one by the international standard. So, am I thirty-two now?”

“When is your birthday?”

“March 25th. Isn’t that in the original story? I might sound strange saying this… but that novel is very unfriendly.”

Ms. Gain pouted. I couldn’t bring myself to argue.

The ‘Toegyeong’ [likely the title of the novel the protagonist was originally in] I had read was a novel with infinitely loose parts.

That’s probably why readers find it easy to pick up and read.

“Thirty-two? Isn’t your behavior at the level of a three-year-old?”

The Prince made an expression that he couldn’t accept it. There wasn’t even a hint of a joke.

For a moment, Ms. Gain’s eyes seemed to frost over.

I quickly opened my mouth before the atmosphere turned hostile again.

“I was twenty-eight by the international standard when I possessed this body. So, I was twenty-nine by Korean age [Korean age counts a person as one year old at birth and adds a year every January 1st]. It’s been a year since then, so I’m twenty-nine by the international standard… Huh? But my body is still twenty-eight. I haven’t really thought about this part in depth.”

“So you’re originally the same age as Prince Yeser. Then I’m the oldest among us!”

Our protagonist suddenly became dignified.

I already knew, so I didn’t think much of it, but the Prince looked genuinely dissatisfied.

And after some more small talk, the topic changed in an instant.

I lowered my voice seriously.

“Actually, I want to tell my other friends about the truth of this place… I don’t know what to do. It’s not that I don’t want to tell them. Who am I to decide who should know and who shouldn’t? That’s ridiculous. But there’s a part of my heart that keeps…”

“You’re scared.”

-Kkiung

Kind voices whispered. I weakly raised the corners of my lips.

“…Yes. So I keep weighing the conditions. Now is not the right time, now is not the right place. Like that.”

The day I revealed the secret in the barracks with Sir Johann present remained a regret for me.

Perhaps I would have sleepless nights because of it for a long time to come.

What I did was practically no different from violence.

I didn’t give my friends time to prepare or even a hint, and I just burst out because it was hard for me to bear.

Everything was too impulsive. I didn’t want to repeat that mistake.

“The two of you who have been through so much with me are still having a hard time, so I’m worried about how my other friends will react. I want to minimize the shock as much as possible.”

“…You think too much.”

Suddenly, such a sentence flew in. I blinked and looked back at the Prince.

The persimmon-like eyes were more serious than usual.

“Do you think there could be a force in the Imperial Palace that would dare to oppose the Princess?”

…What?

“If there is anyone who slanders or oppresses the consort of the Imperial Family,”

“Ao, stop! Pause!”

Ms. Gain writhed, making all sorts of faces.

I gaped, wondering what kind of logic this was.

Lophy spat out the Prince’s clothes and started baking bread next to the lesser pandas.

The commotion subsided after a long time.

We were able to move on to the next topic only after everyone agreed on the proposition that ‘trust between friends should not be applied to hierarchical relationships’—in short, it was a persuasion process for someone who was born into the Imperial Family.

Anyway, I gratefully accepted the fact that the two of them were supporting me.

-Flutter

“Our discussion is over!”

“Thank you for waiting.”

And as I came out of the bedroom area, Sir Johann, who was sitting at the table, greeted us with a smile.

Vacari and Isabel, who were taking a break after a long time, were also with him.

Elizabeth and François seemed to have gone for a walk in the meantime.

Everyone except the young prophet had bright expressions.

As soon as he saw us, his face turned red, and he quickly buried his head in a book.

He seemed quite embarrassed that he had come all the way here to play on his own.

David was especially happy to see us and offered refreshments and a half bath.

I left the two men to rest in peace and left the barracks with the divine beasts.

“I’ll accompany you, Your Highness.”

“No, Sir Johann. There’s a herbal medicine class at the relief center, and I’m just going to listen to that. I’m fine, so please rest.”

-Kkiheung

I waved my hand firmly and smiled. Eventually, Head Heirit gave in as if he couldn’t win.

The herbal medicine class was a 30-minute lecture given by imperial doctors and healing priests to soldiers.

The content was easy and friendly enough for even a young child to understand.

It was a time to explain the appearance, uses, and effects of medicinal herbs that could be found mainly in mountains and fields.

I happened to listen to it once the day before yesterday, and it was very informative, so I decided to keep attending.

Demi was also quite enjoying sprouting plant specimens. I’m grateful.

“Then I’ll be back.”

-Kkia!

I parted ways with him and took a few steps—

-Thud!

“Huh?”

Something fell out of my Gaga bag. It seemed like something had slipped out through the hole in the bottom.

I didn’t realize what it was for a moment. Did I have something like that in my bag?

It looks like some kind of decoration, but I don’t carry things that look like that?

-Tak!

“Oh, what’s this?”

And in front of the fallen gold piece, a pair of sleek boots stopped.

The languid tone tingled like static electricity.

I felt a chill and looked up.

Cranberry-red eyes were looking down at me, swirling.

A defibrillator that failed to become one [a metaphor for someone who is dangerous and unpredictable]!

“We meet again. Did Your Highness already receive a medal?”

“Hello. Wait, that’s my stuff. Don’t just take it— Hey!”

-Kkieo!

The Duke quickly bent down and snatched the gold piece, then dodged me and raised his arm.

I tried hard to stand on tiptoe, but I couldn’t reach it because of the difference in height and arm length.

The lesser pandas who were watching cried and got angry.

The workers and soldiers who were passing by glanced at us.

Damn it, what kind of childish guy is this? Even elementary school students don’t act like this these days!

“It’s mine. Give it back!”

-Kkureureut!

“I’ll give it to you after I check it. Okay, let’s see. What does it say?”

Crunch. The man bit into a strawberry-flavored candy and looked up at the gold piece.

I gritted my teeth and took a step back to gain momentum.

You bad kid. Get your shin kicked one more time—

“Good heavens! It’s the Liester Imperial Family’s emblem?”

I was startled. The guy suddenly raised the volume of his voice!

“Has Your Highness finally become a member of the Imperial Family? Did you make a sacred oath with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

‘Whee-e-e!’ Then he whistled loudly.

It was an exaggerated expression and tone as if he had received a great special report.

Immediately, the eyes of dozens of passersby widened.

My complexion was not much different either.

What nonsense is this? Is this guy drinking during wartime?

I was flustered and looked up at the Duke’s fingertips.

Under the tall autumn sun, the familiar family crest was reflecting the sunlight.

Sparkling, with a stubbornness as big as a torso…

Crazy.

‘What are you going to do with that bad habit? Huh? Who taught you this?’

-Bbi

‘If you do this, I can’t even tell people that you’re a Wren from the Jeong family. I’m ashamed.’

Suddenly, memories from Juliette Palace flashed before my eyes like a kaleidoscope.

My jaw dropped in shock, and my lips trembled.

Jeong Dduk-sim [likely a family member or close acquaintance] stole that from the Prince last fall. Was it still in my bag!

“No, it’s not mine. It’s originally His Highness’s emblem—”

“Did His Highness bestow his emblem directly to the Princess? That’s even more amazing!”

“Waaaaah…”

The crowd that had gathered was already moaning.

Eyes full of joy and anticipation were piercing me like a bolt from the blue.

You’re a useless bastard in my life!