What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 518

Dragon King’s Straightforwardness! (4)

“…Is the public sentiment in the North a bit rough?”

Gain asked, looking back and forth between Lord Sem and Teacher Tess.

Tess, who was rolling and organizing tobacco leaves, immediately shook his head.

“They are wary of outsiders, but they tend to show kindness to anyone who isn’t a bad person. It would be a disaster if they ignored someone and that person froze to death.”

“There’s a saying in the North that they never forget a favor or a grudge. The weather is the greatest enemy, so people have to stick together like icebreakers to survive.”

“Of course, they are just as ruthless to traitors…”

The teacher trailed off, looking at Alain, who was lying down.

Naturally, both of them said they had never met her before.

They had never heard her name, and she seemed like someone you could easily meet in any village.

I gently wiped the cheeks of the patient, who was sound asleep wrapped in two layers of sleeping bags.

It was because she was having nightmares and occasionally shedding tears.

She had also had a slight fever for the past few hours.

I didn’t know what her story was, but the more I looked at her, the more sorry I felt for her.

The wound on her forehead, her old and torn clothes, her empty pockets, and her worn-out shoes…

She doesn’t seem like an ordinary thief. I don’t know why, but that’s the feeling I get.

“You’re saying that it’s not a place where mercenaries would come running with a barrage of arrows for a simple thief.”

No… Maybe she’s not even a thief.

“Yes. To be chased like that, you’d have to rob the council treasury, murder the leader of those mercenaries, or commit a crime like insulting the lord right in front of his face. But she didn’t even have a pocketknife on her.”

Tess said in a cynical tone.

It didn’t seem like she had any accomplices, so even to her, chasing one person like this seemed harsh.

Dozens of arrows had fallen at the scene, and it was clear to anyone that Alain’s survival in such an attack was close to a miracle.

Having heard the answer, Gain stretched out her arms and legs and glanced at the patient.

Tete, who was nestled in her arms, also tilted his head from time to time.

“By the way, is there a law that you have to wear a name tag when you enter the council hall?”

Suddenly, Djibril Diop asked. I quickly nodded my head, expressing the same question.

You asked a good question. I was wondering about that too.

“I heard that the council hall is a place for commercial exchange where all guilds can freely come and go. But I’m wondering if you have to get a name tag and wear it every time like that…”

“I also found that point strange. However, I haven’t been to the council hall since I came once as a child… In these times, there may be new rules.”

‘The lord doesn’t usually get involved in the affairs of the council hall.’ Lord Sem scratched his cheek and replied.

After that sentence, a long silence fell between the group.

It was the grandfather who had been stroking Gu Gu all along who broke the silence.

“…But the spacing of the fallen arrows was strange.”

“Yes?”

I blinked my eyes. The elder stroked his beard and spoke in a low voice.

“You might think that the range was simply short, but it’s strange that all the arrows fell in one place. Usually, the points of impact are different.”

“Ah…”

Oh my gosh, it really was.

I felt goosebumps on my arms and quickly turned to look at Alain.

I didn’t know it then because I was busy carrying the fallen patient—although Lord Diop ultimately took responsibility—but looking back, it was a truly bizarre and strange scene.

She didn’t even have a shield or armor to protect herself…

It was as if something had blocked them all at once, and the arrows were all clustered there. What is it?

“Ugh, ugh… Bran! Brandy…! No!”

“Alain?”

Just then, the patient started shaking her head and calling out someone’s name.

A painful groan escaped her lips, and tears streamed down her face again.

Surprised, Gain approached with a canteen.

I hurriedly soaked a towel in cold water and wiped Alain’s face.

It didn’t seem like this was happening a few minutes ago, but before I knew it, her cheeks and neck were flushed red.

Conversely, her lips were blue and she was breathing heavily. This is bad!

“Oh my gosh, her fever has gotten worse.”

“I’ll find a stronger antipyretic [fever reducer].”

“Please.”

I quickly gestured, and Gain skillfully rummaged through her bag.

Meanwhile, Tete, wrapped in a blanket, kept smiling at Alain.

I had a strange feeling for a moment.

Why is the baby doing that?

“Tete, what’s wrong? Is Alain strange?”

-Woong

The baby flapped its flipper-like feet and cried.

That was definitely a positive response, and it wasn’t just the divine beast’s bewilderment at witnessing a patient with a high fever.

I quickly turned my head to find the Crown Prince.

His sunken eyes had become greasy like a predator that had found its prey.

“…Indeed. It’s annoying.”

“Yes? What is?”

“Aether.”

“Huh?”

Wait, what did you say?

Francois, who was putting Lophy to sleep, also looked bewildered at the unexpected word.

I stopped my busy hands and looked down at Alain, then looked back at Prince Cedrick with a blank face.

However, he didn’t seem to be sure either.

I could tell by the way his smooth forehead was furrowing in dissatisfaction.

The other members of the group were watching us with anxious eyes.

The man quickly rolled his eyes and targeted Gain.

“How is it?”

“I can feel it faintly too. But it’s so weak that I’m not even sure if this is her aether.”

“Aether is flowing out of Alain?”

My jaw dropped in horror.

The Crown Prince said it was ‘annoying,’ so what the two of them are feeling now must be special aether, not pure aether.

I was at a loss as to how to accept this because it was a completely unexpected development.

I had no idea. Was Alain a paladin [holy warrior]?

“Almost at the level of when we first met Lophy? It’s so weak that I can’t even tell what attribute it is.”

-Weooo

“Then was she a vice-level or a priest-level? Was she being chased because of that…?”

“No, it’s awakening fever.”

At that moment, a low voice rang out from the entrance of the cave.

At the same time, everyone’s eyes flicked over.

Sir Johann, with a refreshing gait as if he had just finished a walk, was approaching, casually unbuttoning his robe with one hand.

The features that had been hidden by the darkness of the night slowly revealed themselves in the light.

I carefully checked to see if he was hurt anywhere, then widened my eyes at a word I had read somewhere before.

Wait, ‘awakening fever (覺醒熱) [a fever that occurs when latent magical abilities awaken]’?

“You two haven’t experienced it or have suffered in a different way… So this must be the first time you’ve actually seen a patient with awakening fever.”

The Cardinal said, tilting his head.

With each step he took closer to us, his snow-white side hair flowed down indifferently.

The Crown Prince glared at his teacher for a moment, then silently scattered his gaze towards Dduksoomi, who was flying over.

In the meantime, I noticed the red water on the man’s fingertips and gasped alone.

Father Herrit, again!

Where did you get blood on you again!

“Lady Edelweiss, there’s blood on your hand.”

“Ah. It’s not mine.”

Should I say I’m relieved?!

“There was no troublesome work to worry about. More than that… This one looks like she’s in bad shape.”

Thud. Sir Johann, who had walked to Alain’s bedside, lowered his posture.

Ah! I immediately spewed out the sentence that was caught on the tip of my tongue.

“I read it in a book. The symptoms of awakening fever in paladins vary from person to person, and the duration also varies greatly. Some lucky paladins even awaken without awakening fever at all.”

“You know it well.”

His hand, which was checking the patient’s carotid artery, was indifferent.

“Then what do you think? You said she looks like she’s in bad shape, but exactly how bad is it? Stella said there are no other external injuries besides the wound on her forehead. Is there anything I can do to help—”

“She might die.”

Thud. Those words were like daggers piercing my ears.

The mint-colored eyes without warmth looked like black and white.

Gain hurriedly covered Tete’s ears and kissed his white forehead.

I couldn’t make a sound and just moved my lips.

That explanation was not written in the ‘textbook’.

“Die…”

“Awakening fever is the ‘first ordeal’ in which the Main God tests the vessel of the species. In most cases, it passes like a mild cold, but for unlucky people like this, the aether of a priest must be constantly supplied. A stable environment and devoted care are also necessary. The patient will suffer for a short day or a long week.”

“…”

“But above all, the will of the person to survive is the most important. The will to overcome this pain and survive.”

“…”

“It’s no surprise that commoner paladins are rare. In the first place, they are born less often, and even if the symptoms are severe like this, they don’t receive proper treatment.”

‘They usually don’t think of it as awakening fever.’ The added words were as emotionless as the narration of a nature documentary.

Then he whispered to me as if he were comforting me.

“So it’s not the guild leader’s responsibility.”

“…”

Only then did I vaguely understand what Sir Johann was saying.

He was perhaps trying to reduce the weight of the tragedy we would face in the morning in advance.

This kind of thing happens sometimes, so you don’t have to struggle or suffer too much.

You don’t have to forget that we have more urgent business, and there’s no reason to sacrifice so much for someone you only know by name.

Take it easy.

“…”

I felt choked up and clenched my lips.

It’s all a lie.

“You don’t think so, do you? Why are you hurting yourself?”

“…”

“Lady Edelweiss must have experienced awakening fever when she was young. You couldn’t have felt that way back then.”

Sir Johann’s eyes widened for a moment, then closed softly.

I gritted my teeth at his attitude of not being able to win. I really hate him a little today!

“I’m really grateful for your intention to give us options, but please don’t say such things again. This is a scolding.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“Swear.”

“I swear on the moon in the night sky.”

The Cardinal readily gave an answer.

Gain glared at him and said, ‘You should be scolded more!’

In the meantime, I quickly moved clumsily and stood in front of the other members of the group.

Then I said on my knees.

“…I really want to save her.”

“…”

“I know that our business is urgent. I also know that there is something suspicious about her. So I won’t ask for unconditional understanding. I just ask that one or two of you stay with me, and I’ll take care of the aftermath and follow—”

“Too many useless words.”

The Crown Prince snapped sharply. I was momentarily speechless.

“Yes?”

“Weren’t you the guild leader?”

“Ah…”

The royal family’s crimson eyes were shining, piercing through the darkness like his mother.

“Then order it.”