What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 536

Sub Male Lead’s Hiatus – Episode 536 (536/920)

#536

After Party Play (2)

The moonlight illuminated half of the middle-aged man’s face, making him look like he was in a thriller movie.

I greeted him with a somewhat awkward expression.

“…Hello.”

Then, Françoise, who was replenishing her energy, wriggled and stuck close to my side.

The last time I met Emma Corleone was in the winter before last.

I think it was around Christmas. Adma and Cheboim, the Corleone fiefdoms [territories or estates controlled by the Corleone family].

The younger island, holding the passion of summer, and the older island, embracing the bleak winter.

And the ‘Hook-Armed Sea Bandit’ who commanded them.

The precious daughter of Lord Lorenzo Corleone… and…

“Madam Corleone.”

The great admiral of the De Riester Empire.

How did she recognize me at a glance? I look completely different from then.

-Whoosh…….

“I don’t know whether to be honored that you remember me.”

A salty breeze blew.

The admiral rumbled low in her throat, lifted my wrist with her hook arm, and kissed the back of my hand.

The reggae hair, adorned with Shinguk-style decorations [Shinguk is likely a reference to a specific cultural style within the story’s world], looked even more extravagant than before.

At first glance, there were several shimmering gold trinkets attached to the hook.

I was a little surprised that she was still adorning herself in the midst of war.

Come to think of it, she had decorated both her house, ‘Casa di Corleone’ [House of Corleone], and ‘Villa Corleone’ [Corleone Villa] very well.

“These are spoils of war.”

“Gasp….”

That meant they weren’t just ornaments, but medals taken from the Shinguk soldiers she had killed.

She chuckled after noticing that I couldn’t manage my expression for a moment, and then she let go of my hand.

Gain, who was recharging her energy with the Shinsu [a mystical energy source], poked the admiral with her elbow.

“Don’t scare her for no reason. She’s already plenty surprised.”

“Ah.”

The middle-aged woman took a half-step back, raising both hands.

The gaze that stared intently at my chest was a little chilling.

I quickly fumbled to check, and Françoise’s magic stone glasses, strung with rose feldspar, were dangling around my neck. Oh no!

“Such eye color is rare. I heard there’s only one like it on the entire continent.”

“…That’s right.”

I answered as calmly as possible.

Since I was using Aether [a magical energy or substance] right now, my eye color would have turned purple, so anyone would be able to recognize me.

I was so out of it that I forgot I had taken off my glasses earlier!

“Yes, ahem. I’m Yeseo. Thank you for helping Sir Christel. Did you come here as reinforcements? Where are your other subordinates? Did the admiral bring the Shinsu from the Yeriho?”

After briefly introducing myself and changing the subject, the admiral, who was sending greetings to Sir Johan and Françoise—if you could call the gaze that seemed to lick them with her eyes a greeting—shrugged her shoulders.

Her arrogant and slightly tipsy attitude was still the same.

“What else could I do when they were begging me? It’s not like I have a hobby of tormenting beasts.”

Indeed, it was a statement befitting someone who had been an atheist since birth. She had no feelings about what a Shinsu was.

-Kkiing

“Thank you.”

-Bbi

“Also, the Versace crew is waiting at the southern border of Atsuma. I’ve told them to come here by tomorrow at the latest.”

Versace? I flinched, listening to the explanation.

I don’t know why I’m so sure that Gain named it.

She’s even looking at me with incredibly sparkling eyes.

“…Is that possible? Wouldn’t the Atsuma Knights be guarding the territory’s borders?”

I calmly responded again.

Our protagonist was making a face that begged me to ask, but it wasn’t the time to talk about that right now.

“No need to worry. Versace is a unit specialized in landing operations. The palace mistress of the Ninefold Palace may not know this well, but.”

“They’re marines that I trained hard last year. Greetings, we are— R.I.E.S.T.E.R. Ghost-catching Versace!”

Finally seizing the opportunity, Gain shouted, drawing flamboyant alphabets in the sky with both hands.

Sir Johan and Jibril Diop sighed simultaneously, and Françoise smiled, awkwardly imitating her hand gestures.

I carefully tidied up my partner’s bangs and finally relaxed my expression.

So, I don’t have to worry about the aftermath?

Because the Imperial Navy, or rather the Marines, will take care of everything?

“Except for the organized regular army garrisons, the Shinguk’s security is generally terrible. There are hardly any knights, and even vigilante groups haven’t been formed among the people.”

“….”

“Victory will be easier than crushing tiramisu [an Italian dessert].”

The admiral said as if she had seen through me. I exchanged glances with Françoise.

Come to think of it, we haven’t passed through any proper gates or checkpoints so far.

Considering that this is wartime, it was extremely abnormal.

The Shinguk’s territories were all easy to infiltrate.

The ones who were wary of us and tried to attack us when we first went up to Baren weren’t the baron’s knights, but the naval academy students.

On the Yeriho, everything was easily bought with money.

The people just seemed busy fleeing.

“I’m sorry to be telling you this in front of such a precious person.”

“….”

“It’s proof that the country is rotten to the core.”

-Click, clack!

The admiral took out a cigar box from her pocket and added in a voice that wasn’t at all apologetic.

Well, I’m not from Shinguk, so it didn’t really affect me.

So, I took a piece of Gain’s robe in my hand, wrung out the moisture like a rag, and diligently mulled over the middle-aged woman’s words.

At this rate, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before Atsuma fell into the hands of the Imperial Army.

Then Baren is…. Gasp!

“That’s right! Baren!”

I suddenly shouted so loudly that my jaw dropped.

At the same time, blue healing Aether particles bounced all over the place.

The memory that pierced my brain made me get goosebumps all over.

‘Stop being so loud all of a sudden.’ Diop, who was lying down with his eyes closed, scratched his ear and grumbled.

“What’s wrong, Palace Mistress?”

“I, I saw a letter from Baren while having dinner with the Atsuma baron! It was a personal letter from Werner Venetian. The envelope had the ‘Sacred Crest’ on the outside, which only members of the royal family can use.”

Even though I said almost everything in rap, Sir Johan immediately understood and hardened his expression.

The embarrassed Gain and Françoise also jumped up from their seats.

The lesser pandas attached to their bodies rolled down.

In the meantime, I quickly rescued Ddukshim, who was being crushed by Leia’s belly.

-Bbirrit!

“I didn’t read the full text because I only glanced at it, but he was clearly pressuring Atsuma. To be exact, it was in a tone of telling her to surrender to him.”

“Hoo. Surrender?”

The admiral tilted her head, exhaling the first puff of cigar smoke. I nodded immediately.

As the situation was sorted out one by one, the first thing that came to mind was that crazy bastard’s letter.

Damn it, how am I going to solve this again!

“Military, force. There were such words. I think I saw the name of the Sneider family too.”

“…Is he really planning to pick a fight with Wilhelmina Sneider? Does he mean to attack it himself, knowing full well that it’s a territory in the hands of his own flesh and blood?”

“That’s how it read. I don’t know why, though.”

Sir Johan gently summarized, and I readily agreed.

Then, an unexpected word was added.

“Or they’re already enemies.”

“Yes?”

The lightning mage was leaning on his head with one arm, lazily turning to the side.

Seeing his blood-red eyes, I realized once again that this guy was also a member of the imperial family.

“I really don’t have even a strand of hair’s worth of interest in politics, but think about it. If they were going to break up like this, there would have been cracks long ago. Does it make sense for the consort of a country to suddenly attack his sister’s subordinate with military force? Even Baren isn’t his own territory, is it?”

“…That’s true. Honestly, it’s so forced.”

Gain said, pouting her lips. The prince twitched his eyebrows once.

“That’s it. Isn’t it that his situation is so bad that he’s using unreasonable force?”

-Kkia?

“Everyone already knew that. That bastard’s not in his right mind right now? That’s why the crown princess avoided coming to the front and ran away.”

-Kkiing!

Once again, our pink princess took the words.

It seemed like the two had become very close in the short time I hadn’t seen them.

I was lost in thought for a long time.

“Being a consort and being chased all the way to the north, taking advantage of sick people, and thinking about ripping off other people’s territories instead of taking care of war refugees. He’s really the worst piece of trash that can’t even be recycled. A murderer.”

Until now, I couldn’t figure out what that human was thinking.

Now that things seem to be getting resolved here, I think I know a little bit.

Why he headed north, leaving everything else behind. Why he revealed his identity and exerted pressure, mentioning force.

The face of the Atsuma baron, who hurriedly dismissed the dinner and sent me out, flashed before my eyes.

Her family portrait hanging in the hallway too….

Maybe.

“Respectable Lord Rambouillet. Your words are all correct, but please refrain from using profanity, thinking of your honorable grandparents and Madam Rambouillet.”

“Ah. I’m sorry, Marquis. I think I got too excited.”

“I think I know what Werner’s purpose is.”

Suddenly, I muttered, looking at the symbol of the healing circle.

In an instant, everyone’s eyes turned to me.

Especially Gain’s blue eyes rippled greatly like waves.

The moment I parted my lips—

-Krrrroooong!

-Kwakwakwakwa, Kwakwakwakwaang—!

“Euhwak!”

An enormous ray of light and a strange cry erupted from the guild meeting hall, which had been quiet until now!

I hurriedly gathered my precious things and crouched down, and Sir Johan immediately stood in front of me and Françoise to protect us with his whole body.

But there was no impact following the loud sound effects.

Truly, we were unharmed.

Françoise squeezed one eye shut and rolled the other eyeball around, and I also squinted, shrinking back.

What on earth is this….

-Krrreureung!

….Uh?

“Gyuya?”

The Four Dragon, who had stretched his body over our heads, was licking his lips, flicking his long, red tongue.

Near his whiskers, embers like butterflies from the underworld were fluttering.

But the Crown Prince and his party, who were riding on the dragon’s crown, all had unwavering expressions.

What was that just now?

“Heo….”

-Chiik!

Looking closely, their gazes were subtly off us.

The party turned their heads towards the direction where the burning sound was coming from.

Then everyone’s eyes widened.

-Chiik, tadak, chiik….!

“Oh!”

Surprised, Françoise exclaimed. It was inevitable.

The highly toxic fluid that poured out of the dead Griffin’s body like a faucet was only a few dozen meters away from engulfing us.

Since it was a downhill road leading south, it was natural for the liquid to flow this way.

However, the venom had already been completely burned by the sacred flames, and now there was not even a trace left.

Not only the area around the party but also everywhere their eyes reached was instantly charred black.

The same was true of the sky.

The magical beasts that had been circling in the air warily had disappeared without a trace.

‘Kkiyaaaak—!’ Two or three of them were caught in my sight, falling from over there with flames on them.

I looked back at Gyu with my mouth open.

-….

The big gray eyes were pure and clear like a calf.

Just like when he was a fire lizard.

“Thank you, Gyuya. You saved us.”

“Sister, thank you too! You were cool when you were GuGu, and you’re still super cool now.”

Gain and I smiled brightly and expressed our gratitude, and the dragon slowly closed his eyes and lowered his head in front of us.

However, Sir Johan was looking in a different direction alone.

“…Lord Rophie has brought a witness.”

“Yes?”

Where I quickly turned my eyes again—

-Krrreureung!

-Yaong!

The bravest feline Shinsu in the world and his alter ego, the flower flame lion.

“…Good heavens.”

And Eda Atsuma, who had been bitten by the lion and fainted.