What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 504

Confession and Revelation (4)

A white finger, adorned with water droplets, pointed to the red bloodstains at the horizon’s edge.

The North Sea, densely packed with flat ice fragments, resembled the scales of a crimson dragon.

– Swishhhhh…!

“Oh, it’s rising! The sun is rising! Mr. Heineken, look over there!”

Ms. Gain’s pink hair repeatedly floated up and down.

I smiled brightly, watching my partner, who was as delighted as a child.

She said she had loved watching the sunrise since she was little.

The last sun of the year, the first sun. Or the sun rising on her and her sister’s birthdays.

When she was mesmerized by such a spectacle, she felt that her suffering was forgotten for a while, and she could endure the day well.

I was glad to share this moment with her.

– Beep beep?

“Yes, it’s the first sun of the year. We humans cherish it.”

– Beep beep rrree!

Dduk-sim, perched on my shoulder, chirped cheerfully.

The lizard hidden in my arms occasionally twitched its tail.

We were waiting for the sunrise, wrapped tightly in fur coats.

His Highness Stanislav and Prince Jibril Diop—though limping a bit, were surprisingly okay—were also with us.

The third-year students of the Military Academy also flocked outside to watch the first sunrise of the year 1615 of the Holy Era.

I glanced up at the man next to me.

The Crown Prince’s jet-black hair was scattered and blown by the sea breeze.

He had been unusually quiet yesterday and today.

– Whooooosh…

“Your Highness, are you alright? You seem uncomfortable.”

That was the answer I got when I whispered quietly.

The two irises, which had embers smoldering within, were dark as if submerged in the deep sea.

I was about to say something but chose silence. The cold wind blew fiercely.

It was so cold that my lips felt like they would freeze, so I thought it would be better to stay quiet for now.

– Whine, whine, whaaaaa…!

“Haaah! It’s so cold!”

“It’s not cold at all! I can endure it, I can win!”

The students shouted as they faced the gradually rising sunlight.

I chuckled at their recklessly hot enthusiasm.

The weather was fine even past midnight, but as dawn approached, a biting wind worthy of the far north’s reputation swept in.

I don’t get cold easily, but standing in this weather without a padded jacket or boots was quite troublesome.

White breaths were sucked into the air as soon as they were born. This is no joke.

– Beep beep?

“Wow, it’s so cold.”

– Swaaaaaa…!

I muttered and hunched my shoulders.

At night, when there were no students, I freely enjoyed my friends’ divine power, but now there were many eyes watching.

Above all, the highlight of this event was to face the new north wind of the New Year.

So, I just had to endure it…

“You’re stubbornly enduring it.”

Again, those words came from next to me. I glared at him and quickly composed myself.

I remembered being told off for not managing my expression properly last time.

Still, I’m much older than him.

– Rustle, rustle

“…”

Cedric arbitrarily reached into my bag and took out a red magic stone.

I eventually failed to manage my expression and smiled faintly.

This was a top-grade heating magic stone, which emitted heat for over a day even with just mana injected, without ether [a type of magical energy].

The man glanced at me with a pathetic look.

Then, he secretly poured magic power under his fluttering robe sleeves. Saaaaaa…

“Thank you.”

“You always require so much attention.”

“…”

“Anyone would know you’re a pampered prince.”

No, honestly, it’s not that bad, is it? You say that because you don’t feel the cold.

I grumbled inwardly and obediently received the magic stone.

It wasn’t as good as a sacred stone containing flame ether, but a pleasant sigh escaped as a warm energy spread through my hands.

Ms. Gain was now poking Johan’s side and saying something.

Her flushed ear tips and wide-open lips clearly proved her excitement.

I subtly watched my partner’s mood…

“Is there anything you want to say, perhaps?”

“…”

“Like what Ms. Gain, I, or Sir Johan said last night.”

I whispered to the Crown Prince. Then, his jewel-like eyes flickered for a moment.

The corners of his lips slightly lifted at that sight. I wondered what it was.

“If you’re worried about that, it’s okay. We can wait forever.”

“…”

“You can talk whenever you want. No one will force you. You don’t have to feel pressured at all.”

“…”

The man furrowed his brow slightly and turned his head away to look at the sun.

I also chuckled and refocused on the spectacle before me.

Meanwhile, Ms. Gain was loudly explaining something to Grandfather and Prince Diop.

“Wish! You must make a wish when you see the first sun of the New Year. Now!”

“What’s that? It’s not like it’ll come true anyway.”

“Easy for you to say? Will you give me fifty thousand francs if it comes true?”

She was now openly speaking informally.

The prince seemed to like it, giving a bitter smile.

He didn’t forget to add one more word.

“Fifty thousand francs is good. Then it doesn’t matter if I wish while watching the sunset later?”

“Ah! If you’re going to argue, just go back to school, please!”

As she jumped up like an angry puppy, Sir Johan gently grabbed her arms from behind to stop her.

The lightning wizard was caught by the scruff of the neck by Grandfather.

‘Kuh, Grandfather!’ ‘You’re too harsh on a lady, child.’ Gentle admonishment followed.

Only Ms. Gain and I knew what happened in the tent earlier, but seeing that guy getting similarly punished was very satisfying!

“Annoying, really!”

“Let’s make a wish and go back to the tent to listen to Dduk-sim’s explanation. The weather is ominous.”

Finally, Father Herrit calmly sorted out the situation.

I chuckled, watching the four of them, and prepared to make a New Year’s wish, holding the magic stone in both hands.

When Dduk-sim was puzzled, I told him, ‘This is what we usually do in my town.’

When I added that we usually don’t pray to the chief god, the little one looked even more confused.

His wide eyes were very adorable. Hahaha.

“Hwaaaaaa—!”

“Let’s go! Let’s fight! Let’s win!”

“We’ll kill the Griffin!”

“Waaaaa…!”

Listening to the students’ brave shouts, I quietly closed my eyes.

I had the illusion that the red light of the sun was flickering beyond my eyelids. My wish is…

…Please.

“What did you wish for?”

I was startled. I opened my eyes wide and looked up at the Crown Prince.

Does he suddenly talk more?

“Oh, it’s a secret. These things are originally secrets.”

“Is there a wish that even the imperial family can’t tell?”

…What would you have done if you hadn’t been born as His Majesty’s son?

I pouted my lips and answered vaguely.

“I wished for the same thing as Pilsener.”

“…”

Then his eyes widened.

For a moment, I felt like I had said something I shouldn’t have.

What is it? Did he perhaps wish to become a good emperor?

Am I becoming a traitor like this?

“What do you mean? I also wished for the same thing as Heineken!”

Suddenly! Ms. Gain’s rosy cheeks filled my vision.

Seeing her particularly excited today made my breath feel clear and the corners of my eyes curved.

The Crown Prince exhaled and turned his gaze away.

I was about to point out that the three of us had made the same wish—

“What about Edelweiss? What did you wish for?”

“I also happened to wish for the same thing as my disciple.”

“Wow, four people wished for the same thing. This is already fourth prize if it were a lottery!”

‘It’s a good start!’ She laughed loudly and ran to Grandfather.

It was clear that she was aiming for the third prize in the lottery, so I ended up laughing out loud.

I taught the Crown Prince, who met my eyes, a new sentence today.

“Happy New Year!”

– Swishhhhh…!

The white foam that had washed up to my feet surged greatly once.

The man repeatedly pondered the sentence I had uttered. As if groping through distant memories.

*

After that, it was another day of frantic, bewildered, and dizzying turns.

We had to entrust ourselves to Dduk-sim’s progress without a moment to catch our breath.

Because there were mountains of stories to share.

The entrance to the barracks was firmly guarded by the crooked Prince Diop and Sir Johan with his hands behind his back.

“Ahem! Everyone, please focus. I’ve cleaned up everything inside, I tell you.”

Announced Joan de As, the genius painter representing Riester, the first-class translator of Herrit Haynes’ handwriting, the head of the As barony, and the indifferent one chosen by the great divine object.

She then unfolded a scroll she had brought from the ark in a stylish manner.

Herrit, who was sitting on Grandfather’s lap, wiggled his butt excitedly.

– Rattle!

“Look, I’ve expressed it in a picture to make it easy to understand.”

“Wow…!”

I stopped comforting the lizard wrapped in a blanket and gaped.

Diop whistled from over there, and Grandfather exclaimed, ‘Indeed, it is the talent bestowed by the chief god!’

At first glance, it seemed roughly drawn, but the scenery painted with colored pencils was moving so vividly as if it would tear through the paper at any moment.

The pure white frozen North Sea, the red and majestic dragon rising from its center.

The waves fleeing in all directions, terrified. The swarm of demonic beasts pouring down like a disaster from the dark blue sky, and…

“How is it? Can you recognize it at a glance?”

The hideous and gigantic Griffin at its center.

The lizard firmly held my finger. I stroked the little one’s back and asked Joan.

“Did this child tell Dduk-sim this story?”

“Yeah, so he says. According to Herrit.”

The painter shrugged and had Ms. Gain hold her painting.

Then, she tapped the dragon’s head with the end of a colored pencil.

“This friend is the lizard kid you’re seeing now. His name is ‘Four Dragon’. Like other divine objects, he came down to this land when the continent was created. And… Just a moment.”

She frowned and rummaged through her bosom.

“Sorry. I don’t have the brains to memorize everything. I’ll explain while looking at what I wrote down.”

“Take your time.”

We calmly waited for the translator.

Joan frowned even more as she looked at her own handwriting.

“What did I write, this… Ah! Here it is. The Four Dragon was originally a being who guarded the southern part of the Divine Kingdom, but a volcano erupted not long after he came down. About two thousand years ago?”

“Gasp, a volcano?”

“Yeah. As a result, the tail of the crescent moon became incredibly fertile land? But after the volcano erupted, the Four Dragon lost his place to go. At that time, the fear and anger of humans towards the fire attribute were enormous. Anyway. So, he wandered and wandered and reached the sea… He fell in love at first sight. He thought the blue and vast appearance was so beautiful.”

From there, it was not much different from the ‘Legend of the Sea Dragon’ that we already knew.

Despite the limitations of his attribute, the Four Dragon fought against the swarm of demonic beasts to protect the water-filled domain.

He did not give in even though the front line continued to be pushed to the cold north.

Then the leader of the Griffin clan revealed his will to destroy the divine object, persistently pouring out vicious attacks.

‘Kkirurururuk—!’

As if he didn’t know it was impossible.

“Even if they are demonic beasts, if they are myth-grade, they should have considerable intelligence. Are you really saying that they revealed their ‘will to destroy’ a divine object that they couldn’t even defeat?”

I tilted my head and asked. Then the lizard nodded his head quickly.

Wow, so cute.

“That’s right! Because, unlike other divine objects, the Four Dragon’s weakness was completely exposed to the outside. So, the demonic beasts chased him tirelessly from the East Sea to the North Sea. They regarded him very lightly.”

Tock tock, the painter tapped the mouth of the Fire Dragon with a colored pencil.

We reflexively bent our backs and narrowed our eyes.

“…Huh?”

Wait a minute, now that I see it, under the dragon’s chin…

“Yeouiju? Is that right? Something like that name.”

Joan scratched her forehead and explained. I blankly opened my mouth.

Yeouiju (如意珠) [A mythical pearl that grants wishes].

Another name is ‘Wish-Fulfilling Jewel’.