What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 489

The Sub-Male Lead Goes on Strike – 489

#489

Youth☆ Naval Academy (4)

-Arrr!

“Our Tete is excited!”

Tete, on my back, let out a powerful cry. It meant he was having fun and wanted me to run faster.

I was troubled, wondering if Demi had taught my youngest sibling this.

The baby seemed to be having a great time, but I was burning up inside, facing my first late arrival to school.

I usually sit quietly while eating because of my weak stomach, but it seemed my body had improved while staying here.

I could tear into bread while running wildly and still be fine!

“Hah, hah. I should have asked Sir Johann one more time before leaving!”

Late regrets were churning my insides more than a poor breakfast.

The information I heard while leaving the infirmary earlier was hardly enough.

‘Right, Sir Johann! Do you know the way to the indoor training ground?’

‘Go straight out and turn left, then go down the second set of stairs you see. If you turn around there, you’ll see the central courtyard.’

‘Left turn, second stairs, turn around….’

Sir Johann hadn’t been there himself, but he had heard explanations from the school teachers several times.

Honestly, I was confident I could find it.

Now I had the clue ‘central courtyard,’ and they said the indoor training ground would be visible as soon as I found it.

If they just told me about a noticeable building like a bank or a franchise cafe, I wouldn’t wander around for long.

And if I turned on the map app and marked the direction? In most cases, I would be invincible.

That’s what I thought.

“Haa, that’s what I thought….”

How do I get out to the central courtyard? Isn’t this hallway blocked?

“This is driving me crazy.”

I can see it through the window, right now.

-Arrr.

“…Are you laughing at your brother?”

-Awoo, awoo.

Thanks to the excited Tete, my back was warm.

No, it felt like the heat was coming from my own body.

The wide hallway no longer felt cool.

I must have been wandering around this area for at least fifteen minutes.

It would be best to ask someone for directions again, but as soon as the bell rang for the start of class, all the hallways became eerily empty.

My hands and feet were tingling with anxiety.

The Crown Prince was supposed to attend the first-period dagger training as an instructor, and I was supposed to go with him to protect the students and lighten the mood.

I don’t know what will happen in class with just him there….

“Did I come down the stairs wrong? No. It was the second set of stairs.”

Perhaps because I was flustered, I couldn’t see the way, and I felt like I would be here alone until break time.

I glanced sideways at the classroom window right next to me.

First grade, Class 7. An unfamiliar teacher was standing at the podium, passionately explaining something.

The broad-shouldered students were squeezed into narrow desks, looking bright-eyed and focused.

Seeing that scene, I briefly had this thought.

Maybe, I really shouldn’t, but if I quietly knocked and just asked for directions….

“No. Are you crazy?”

My head shook on its own. That would be too rude. I could never do that.

Of course, it would be disruptive to the class, and honestly, I was too embarrassed to advertise to the young students that I was lost.

I carefully took another bite of the bread, leaving only two bites left, and slowly backed away.

No, this isn’t right. I’d rather go back to the infirmary and explain the situation to Sir Johann….

“Wait. Did I come this way? Why does everything look the same?”

-Awoong?

My heart sank at my own sense of direction.

I take back everything I said about the academy being smaller than I thought or being the size of a mansion.

This place was excessively large, and the interiors were all too similar on every floor.

It was truly the worst place for someone like me, who is directionally challenged.

I felt like my head was clouding over with bewilderment.

That’s when it happened.

“…Huh?”

Flinch. Inside the classroom, a student smirked at me.

The surprised eyes and uncontrollable cheekbones were a clear mockery.

She nudged the arm of the student next to her, shoulders shaking, and tilted her chin with a flushed face.

‘Hey, look at that person.’ ‘Cute.’

“Ugh.”

My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

I hurriedly moved in any direction to get out of the hallway.

It was neither running nor walking.

Move quickly, Yeo Seo Jung. Let’s just get out of the building.

If I go down to the first floor and then come back in after checking the sports field…!

-Thud!

“Ugh!”

“Kuh!”

The tremendous impact sent my body flying backward.

I had collided head-on with someone coming around the corner of the hallway.

Tete, clinging to my back, cried, ‘Awoong!’

Even in that instant, I twisted my waist as much as possible, worried that the baby would be crushed.

Wow, who is this solid!

-Poooong!

“Ugh!”

Something very soft and slippery gently supported the baby and me.

For a moment, I was hungry and wondered if it was pudding. Of course, it wasn’t.

I hurriedly checked the floor, lifting my flattened upper body.

Bouncy, bouncy! Thick, long tentacles were swaying as if greeting me.

The strong scent of the sea lingered at the tip of my nose.

This is, reddish-gold….

“Sea anemone? It’s a sea anemone?”

-Aeuk!

Wow, Tete saved us! I smiled brightly and looked back at my divine beast.

Looking at the situation alone, it was quite embarrassing, but on the other hand, my heart was full of the fact that our baby had grown up so agile and clever.

Tete was also very proud of himself, flapping his flippered feet and shining his black eyes brightly.

I have to tell Ms. Gain and the Crown Prince later!

“Our youngest is all grown up. Thank you. Soon Leia and Peri will be going to school too.”

-Woong.

“Damn it, is that what someone skipping class in the hallway should be saying?”

Ah! I turned pale and jumped up.

I’ve been lost and wandering around since earlier, and I must have finally lost my mind.

What about the person I bumped into!

“I’m sorry, teacher. I’m really sorry. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t pay attention….”

“If you know, watch where you’re going. Don’t act like a thug, Guild Master.”

“….”

Ah, it’s Djibril Dioph!

“Oh, my. Your mouth is huge. I’m not scared even if you show your true colors.”

The man rolled one shoulder and frowned.

His wide-open neckline was the epitome of improper attire.

I was overwhelmed and just picked up the fallen bread crumbs.

As things had come this far, a deep sense of reality washed over my entire life.

I don’t know what kind of disgrace this is.

Even this world, which relies on me, who is not the protagonist and is just putting on a late show from the morning, now feels genuinely pitiful.

I should have just asked the Crown Prince last night.

If I had said nicely that we should eat together and go out, he would have listened even while looking down on me.

This was my last breakfast….

“…Come on. Don’t be so down about one piece of bread, considering you’re a princess.”

“I’m not down.”

“Surely your cousin wouldn’t starve you. And your underlings wouldn’t allow it.”

I glared at the man without making it obvious, then tightened the straps of the baby carrier.

He smelled unpleasantly of alcohol and soap at the same time.

Do you know the sense of loss of someone who involuntarily skipped breakfast?

You can never get back a meal you missed.

“Why are you alone? You usually have a whole line of people with you.”

“Don’t call my friends underlings. I don’t lead them; we go together.”

“Were you perhaps lost?”

Wince.

“….”

I tried my best to maintain a poker face.

In my head, I quickly found a topic to retort with.

My voice naturally shrank.

“Why are you here at this hour, Prince? Weren’t you supposed to attend the special class on basic magic?”

“I was.”

“….”

“But that’s just attending.”

It was an incomprehensible answer. The Prince scratched his neck with his staff and smiled wryly.

Tete and I wrinkled our noses at the same time.

I heard that His Highness Stanislaus had gone hunting, and Sir Johann was in charge of the infirmary in the morning.

Ms. Gain had joint breakfall practice with Class 9 and 10 of the second grade, and Crown Prince Cedric was scheduled to go into dagger training with Class 3 of the third grade as an instructor.

And this guy….

Oh my gosh. Hey!

“Don’t tell me you’re skipping class? Because you’re just ‘attending’ and not participating as an instructor?”

“I shouldn’t be hearing that from you.”

“Prince Dioph!”

“My head is pounding from the hangover, so be quiet. You get angry whenever you see me.”

Try not making me angry! I opened and closed my mouth, looking at the magician.

It was mortifying and embarrassing that I, the Guild Master, was acting like this in the hallway, and I had no face to show the teachers and students with this guy acting like this too.

If you came to help, shouldn’t you at least try hard on the first day!

“You really are….”

“Stop nagging and follow me.”

“Pardon?”

“Or wait for break time with that sea anemone.”

…What is it? Is he going to show me the way? My eyes widened like Tete’s.

But before I could ask or question anything further, the man moved his long legs and started walking.

His strides were so big that he disappeared from sight quickly.

I glanced back at the golden sea anemone filling the hallway.

I’ll have to clean this up.

No. If it’s something Tete summoned, it must be edible, so it might not be bad as a substitute for meat?

At least it would be good for broth…?

“Hmm.”

Unable to do either, I hurriedly took out a pen and paper from my pocket.

Then I quickly scribbled a note.

‘I am very sorry for the inconvenience. I will come back soon to collect it.

If it looks appetizing, feel free to catch it first.

-Somaek Guild Master Heineken’

It’s polite to leave a note if you’re going to park illegally like this.

*

…Ugh. Where are we even going?

“Prince! No, Mr. Klaut!”

I shouted loudly, but then quickly changed my title, thinking it would be a big problem if I kept doing that.

Then the man, who was crossing the sports field, turned to look at me with a very dissatisfied expression.

Are you in a position to glare right now!

“Where are you going? Weren’t you taking me to the indoor training ground?”

White breath puffed out every time I spoke.

The northern weather at the end of December was so cold that my skin felt numb.

I was so glad that I had put on a fur robe from the dormitory because I had a baby with me.

It’s not that I don’t trust or suspect the Prince, but I was a little annoyed.

No matter how I thought about it, it wasn’t because I was hungry and had become sharp.

Is the attitude of acting independently without a single explanation a characteristic of royalty?

“…Me, you? You have a severe prince complex. I didn’t see you that way.”

That’s the answer I got back. I clenched my fist tightly inside the robe.

I want to hit him just once, but I shouldn’t. Violence is bad.

“…Where are we going?”

“I have something to show you. Just follow me quietly.”

And the man strode ahead again.

His stride didn’t match mine, and it was difficult to catch up with the baby on my back because parts of the sports field were frozen.

The magician clicked his tongue when I shot him a dubious look.

“We’re almost there, so stop acting up. You’ll be bothered when you see it too.”

“….”

I really hate his tone. I cursed inwardly and followed him.

Fortunately, the destination was really close.

The place the Prince arrived at was a huge signpost at the edge of the sports field, facing the school building.

Yesterday, I was assigned a dormitory after entering the school and was busy looking around inside, so I didn’t even know there was something like this outside.

I slowly read the letters engraved on the marble, which was as white as foam.

“Devoting my heart….”

‘Devoting my heart to the beloved sea,

A cornucopia of glory envied even by its master.

I will protect it until the day my energy runs out.’

“Oh….”

“This is probably a naval legend quote.”

“That’s right. If it’s a dragon that loved the sea and fought against the griffins… it would say something like that.”

I muttered, savoring the meaning.

Unlike the shady areas of the sports field where the snow was frozen stiff, the signpost and its surroundings looked particularly clean.

Tete also wiggled his body, sensing a strange sense of incongruity.

Is someone cleaning it because it’s a meaningful monument?

But it doesn’t seem like anyone else has been here….

“It has a warmth-preserving magic on it.”

“Magic?”

“Yeah. The magic power itself is weak, but it seems like they buried a magic stone in the ground, so it’s been maintained like this for a long time. And…”

The Prince raised his staff and focused our attention at once. What is he trying to do again?

-Tap tap tap, tap tap, tap tap tap!

Then, out of nowhere, he struck the top of the signpost with a stick.

I was horrified and looked around.

“Wait a minute. Is it okay for outsiders to do this recklessly? It looks like a precious monument….”

“Look closely.”

Dioph sharply cut off my words. Tete and I closed our mouths for now.

This guy is definitely not normal—

-Swish!

“Heo!”

At that moment, something small and red popped up from the bottom of the signpost.

This was so unexpected that my body stiffened. What is it?

…A lizard?