What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 494

Self-Severance (2)

We sat huddled around a round table in the most secluded corner of the library.

His Highness Stanislav was so large that we had to bring in a single-person sofa for him.

The same went for François, who was also a patient.

While I took out my notebook and Johann went to find ink, the rest of the group chatted.

Gaine offering everyone a glass of cool water was the extent of today’s refreshments.

“In the end, those lizards caused an accident. What did I say?”

“Well done, Jibril. You’ve done a great job.”

“…Well, I didn’t do it to be praised.”

“Marquis, how are you feeling?”

“Much better, Madame. Thank you for your concern.”

“Were you alright when you froze up earlier?”

“Yes. Actually, I didn’t feel anything particularly awkward.”

…Unlike the friendly atmosphere, the situation was very serious.

François and Jibril Diop didn’t seem to feel any particular problems, but Sir Johann and Grandfather were different.

In particular, Tete’s reaction was noteworthy.

-Awoo.

“Oh, our Tete won! You’re so great. Receive your sister’s kiss!”

-Awoo!

The baby, wrapped in a soft shawl, was constantly waving his flipper feet, showing off his strength.

It was impressive to see him in Gaine’s arms, looking around at us with triumphant eyes.

That was because, among the five people and two animals, Tete was the only one who ‘didn’t freeze up.’

Rothy, who was fire attribute, was baking grain bread in the empty space of the bookshelf with very sulky eyes.

Occasionally, he would flick his tail and cry, ‘Miyaaaa.’ He must have been quite dissatisfied with the ‘freeze’ experience.

What this implied was clear.

“…The lizard family in the playground seems to be a divine creature. Sir Johann, did you feel anything earlier?”

As I whispered and lowered my head, the Cardinal frowned slightly while drinking water.

When I retraced the situation from a little while ago, he seemed to feel instinctively unpleasant.

He clenched and unclenched his right hand, gently releasing his power.

Only after a warm breeze swirled around the table a couple of times did Father Herit’s expression slowly calm down. Whoosh….

“…The pressure was intense.”

“Pressure?”

“I’m not sure if that’s the exact expression. It’s true that I felt a sensation of being crushed all over my body. I was definitely moving forward, but at the same time, I felt like I couldn’t move forward.”

“I see…”

I quickly scribbled in my notebook.

Gaine and the Crown Prince on either side of me glanced at the contents, but now they were very welcome to do so.

Rather, I was writing it in this language so that Cedric could read it.

· Lizard Family (Presumed to be Divine Creature)

– Not a Divine Beast: Tete, Rothy, and the Holy Knights didn’t know.

– Took out a blue marble from Gaine > Gaine fainted > Lizard vomited > Gave it back to Gaine and she regained consciousness.

– Cardinal Johann felt pressure in the hallway….

I paused for a moment, recalling the past scene.

Gaine, who saw through me, quickly asked.

“What should we call this ability? Red light, green light?”

Hmm, red light, green light.

“…No. It’s probably a higher-dimensional power than that. If those guys are really divine creatures, the ability to fix something in place would be trivial. Your Highness.”

The man with his arms crossed immediately met my eyes.

I pointed at the air with my pen and asked.

“You said we suddenly appeared in front of you, right? In the empty hallway, with a flash!”

“Yes. It was very strange.”

“Oh. Then there’s only one conclusion.”

François, who was leaning comfortably against the back of his chair, said.

He was more tired than usual, but his expression was lively and sparkling with the curiosity unique to a wizard.

We nodded at the same time.

“Yes. It’s ‘time.'”

“It is time.”

“Pardon?”

Gaine’s surprised voice faltered. Duke Diop frowned.

“I’m going crazy. Are you saying that tiny lizard is even manipulating time?”

When he raised his voice, Grandfather was startled and his eyebrows drooped.

He seemed worried that anything would harm us.

His large hands were still covered in chalk dust.

I handed a wet handkerchief to the elder through Gaine and François, and quickly added.

“It sounds too grand to say they’re manipulating time, but it’s easier to think of it like the divine creature ‘Bihyeom’s Ark.’ Dduk-ssim [likely a reference to a local mythical creature or being] has a ‘fabricated space’ that only he controls, but he can’t expand it infinitely or open it easily. Maybe the lizard’s power is similar to that.”

“…Ah. You mean there will be limitations to their abilities.”

The clever Gaine quickly nodded her head.

The tip of the Prince’s black leather glove tapped on the notebook.

“Indeed. If it’s so easily defeated by a single water attribute contact, it’s not a powerful force.”

“Yes. If it’s a divine creature, it’s natural that it can’t use its full power since it doesn’t have an owner yet. Even if the compatibility isn’t good, it was too weak.”

“Dduk-ssim also couldn’t sense Ether when he was sleeping in Evelyn’s bell tower. It seems likely that this is a similar case.”

Finally, Sir Johann neatly summarized.

Then the lightning wizard, who had been listening quietly, added bluntly.

“Ha, if those guys are divine creatures… that would explain why the monster hordes are so troublesome here. It doesn’t happen in the Empire’s North Sea, does it? An annual event like a flock of birds attacking.”

“Ah, that’s right too!”

Even if he’s a thug, his instincts are good! I smiled and carefully recorded his words in my notebook.

The Duke let out a ‘huh.’

Monsters instinctively attack divine creatures, so various monsters, from low to high level, gathered where our group was.

It was okay if it was the well-maintained Imperial capital or a city in the Empire, but if not, a night watch was essential every night.

It was also the fundamental reason why Grandfather could easily catch various monster meats.

But here, even before we came—a long time ago—many lives and properties were sacrificed due to monster attacks.

Even if the aura of the divine creature is hidden right now, if the time they were active before that was long, it was a perfect environment for monsters to gather.

“…Those guys must have been hurt by the divine creature here, so they’re coming to take revenge, generation after generation.”

I muttered. Monsters naturally had intelligence.

Usually, the higher the level, the higher the intelligence, and they tended to remember those who harmed them or those who benefited them for a long time.

So there were rare cases of people taming and raising docile lower-level monsters.

“Or they’re sensing the divine creature that has regained its power and attacking.”

“However, there are a few things that bother me.”

Crown Prince Cedric looked back at us and said.

“First. Why doesn’t a living, moving divine creature emit Ether [a form of magical energy]?”

“That’s what I’m saying. The Spirit was only not felt when it was in the form of a dying tree, and Dduk-ssim was only 0 Ether when he was crumpled tin foil. Why doesn’t that lizard have any energy even while moving? If it’s a real divine creature, it feels a little off?”

Gaine pursed her lips with a serious expression. That was really a mystery.

The lizard kids, not only were they moving, but they were also good at expressing themselves.

Are they hiding their energy on purpose while awake?

Is such perfect control possible for a divine creature without an owner?

“Then did they gather all their strength to suckle earlier…?”

The Nine Divine Creatures were one of the biggest mysteries in this world, so there was no answer at all.

I searched my notebook diligently, but the information I had written down in the past was—

· Heart of the Four Dragons (Fire Attribute)

– Four Dragons: A dragon that is said to be transformed from an Imoogi [Korean mythical serpent].

– Heart: Said to be very important.

…Are you kidding me?

“Second. None of the members of the Military Academy talk about the monument and the lizards.”

“That’s right. They don’t hide it, they act like it’s not important at all.”

‘Those two things are completely different.’ Sir Johann gently pointed out.

There was only water in our glasses, but when he held them, they looked like very luxurious teacups.

With those words, the group fell silent for a moment.

Before talking to the school members, we needed to organize our opinions and agree with each other….

“….”

“Hmm.”

There wasn’t much organized, and I just knew that there was a lot I didn’t know.

We still didn’t know anything about the marble that the lizard had taken from Gaine.

It’s hopeless.

“Ah. Come to think of it, I heard news from outside the territory in the faculty room.”

“Yes? Is that true?”

“News from outside, Your Highness?”

At Grandfather’s unexpected words, Gaine and I were delighted.

It was information after a long time.

Since we were staying in an isolated land in the northern part of the continent, any outside story was precious and valuable.

Even the merchant guild rarely came and went, so the rumors were very late.

“It’s good news too.”

I swallowed. The elder smiled at us.

“They say that the upcoming December 26th is the Princess’s birthday, and not long after that, it’s Frederick’s birthday, January 7th.”

“Ah…!”

Oh my gosh, I was so out of my mind that I had completely forgotten the passage of time.

It’s already that time!

“There are rumors that they will cease fire for almost a fortnight before and after that. The source is unknown, so I don’t know if it’s accurate… But it seems like a plausible story. Even in the war era, they used to stop fighting during the Emperor’s or King’s birthday week.”

“Then that would be really nice. Maybe Baron Barre will change his mind about fighting with his neighbors.”

I smiled brightly and replied.

The Prince and Diop had skeptical expressions, but anyway, stopping the fight was the happiest thing.

François’s complexion was also brighter than before.

“Yes. If that’s true, then the royal order will reach even here. Let’s watch for now.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“Then we’ll have to uncover the lizard’s secret in the meantime.”

-Click.

‘This kind of leisure is precious.’ Sir Johann, who put down his glass, smiled at the group.

We nodded solemnly.

His Majesty and our friends will be running hard in the distance, so we have to try our best here too!

*

…Eight days had passed since then.

“One, two, three—one! One, two, three—two! One, two, three—three!”

“Hoi! Hoi! Hoi! Hoi!”

The third-grade Class 7 students, lined up on the playground, were doing thrusting training with long wooden sticks.

Half of them were acting as imaginary enemies, holding sandbags high.

I watched the children with a slightly pleased look.

Most of the students had more muscle and had gained more weight than the day we first came.

It was the result of Grandfather’s continuous supply of monster meat. Really!

Maybe ‘Brown Sugar Dolmoran Soup’ [a traditional Korean soup] also played a part!

“Penetration and rotation.”

At that time, a low, calm voice cut through the students.

Class leader Cory immediately raised his voice loudly.

Veins bulged under his tightly tied hair.

“Penetration and rotaaaation!”

“One—! Two, three, four! Two—! Two, three, four! Three—! Two, three, four!”

The sturdy teenagers immediately performed another attack.

I had just seen them doing this motion the day before yesterday, but I was surprised that they seemed to have become much more agile in the meantime.

The instructor solemnly observed the students one by one with his hands behind his back.

He was only wearing a shirt, but he didn’t seem to feel the cold at all.

His rolled-up forearms had an unexpected thickness.

His long white hair was like a dancer riding the wind.

His chilling mint-colored eyes occasionally emitted a bright blue light when exposed to sunlight, but in the dark shadows, they gave off a pale green light.

Today’s teacher was Sir Johann, who had left the infirmary.

“Wow….”

I was momentarily mesmerized and watched Class 7, then turned around, feeling a strange gaze behind me.

Who….

“Huh?”

And there was no one there.

Not a mystery novel story, but really no one was there. This was somehow strange.

I was usually insensitive to the presence of others.

In other words, the gaze I just felt had such a strong presence that I could clearly feel it.

But no one is there?

“What is it? Could it be….”

The only thing nearby was the problematic monument. I immediately glared at it.

Yes, the very thing that had made me a laughingstock for over a week.

‘Lizard Dormitory’!

‘Ah! Did the teacher see it too? It’s the lizard family that lives with us!’

‘The name here is Lizard Dormitory. The other teachers call it that too.’

‘They’re so cute! Cory took one home the other day. He still raises it!’

‘They’ve been living here for a long time. It’s warm, so they dug into the ground!’

‘Hey. Have these kids done anything suspicious?’

The eyes that came back when I asked that were… Consistently too clear and clean.

I felt like I was the only weird one.

‘Uhm, ahem. With a very strange power, they make you lose your consciousness….’

‘Huh? The lizards? They do that to us?’

‘They said they’ll explode if we touch them wrong?’

‘Ahahaha! Explode! Ahahaha!’

…This was a situation where there was nothing more to ask.

‘That’s right! I’ve knocked them out before. Sorry! I surprised them when I was skipping rope last time….’

‘Ack! Tell them quickly that you almost broke the monument while doing the long jump! Euhahah!’

‘Even if that’s not the case. Have you ever had your body freeze in front of a lizard….’

‘Because it’s too cold? We’re all used to the cold!’

‘No….’

“Haa….”

After that, my nickname among the entire school became ‘Lizard Administrator.’

It meant a scary lord who manages and supervises lizards.

I used to be the ‘Great Dolmoran Hunter,’ but my status had fallen too much.

“…Neken-nim. Heineken-nim?”

“Ah! Yes!”

I’m going! I was startled and came to my senses, and ran to the other side at Sir Johann’s call.

He said that my help was essential for today’s training.

-….

I thought I heard a rustling sound from behind, but it was quickly buried in the mother-of-pearl wind.