What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 541

Aftermath Play (7)

It’s not like I don’t have any thoughts!

“Lady Yesseo!”

-Squeak!

“I’m okay!”

-Whiiir…!

The crystal ball in my hand writhed like a trapped beast, like a living thing.

The thick energy emanating from the orb also trembled and began to lose its direction.

At the same time, the thread-like power connected to Baron Atsuma scattered in all directions.

‘Huuuk!’ The naval medics who had been watching me, forgetting even to breathe, stepped back in horror.

Now, an intensely hot gaze was fixed on my forehead.

In the dim light, barely illuminated by a few braziers, the Crown Prince was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

He looked ready to boil me alive and chew me up.

-Rattle, clatter!

“Let go.”

“I know what I’m doing, don’t worry!”

“Yesseo.”

“Trust me and wait! It’ll be over soon!”

-Caw, kee-geeing…!

The crystal ball was now struggling to escape from me.

This wasn’t just my imagination or wishful thinking, but a clear fact felt through my fingertips.

Inside the smooth orb, all sorts of incomprehensible magical formulas floated up and sank like jellyfish, and each time, the orb emitted a green aura as if to kill me.

This seemed to be what Ms. Gain meant by ‘if you touch it wrong, you might get hit by the opposite magic.’

The explosive energy strangled my neck like tentacles, twisted my arms, and crushed my head, struggling to kill me.

Everything in front of me was an unpleasant and ominous green.

And the orange light of the tent, the pitch-black darkness without sunlight…

I slowly closed my eyes and took a breath.

‘Kkyaa!’ ‘Nyaong!’ The calls of the divine beasts faded away beyond my ears.

-Zzzzz! Pop pop pop!

“Huu….”

There isn’t even a single gram of mana [magical energy] in my vessel. Not even a drop.

-Rustle, rustle, rustle!

“Haa….”

Mana is said to be the power left over from the Chief God, but naturally, I am not a creation of the Chief God.

-Thrrrl, thrrrl!

-Clatter clatter! Heave heave!

“Huu….”

That’s why I suffer from portal sickness more than others, and I have to be prepared to faint if I don’t have Yuliter’s hair ornament.

On days when I forget the crystal bell, I can’t even climb the mountain behind the house carelessly.

Because I have no immunity to magic itself.

Of course, my mana sensitivity is at rock bottom, and I’m so oblivious that I wouldn’t even know if a monster was right under my nose.

-Kaga gag, keeee!

-Thud!

“Good heavens!”

In other words,

-Kiki kik!

“Your Highness, please!”

Black magic that twists the mana within the body to cast a reverse spell,

“Chief God! Everyone, pray!”

-Pop pop pop…!

The vile power that steals someone’s life force,

-Crackle, crackle!

-Keegeegeek!

Cannot touch a single hair on my head.

“No way.”

-Paaaaat!

Flash! I opened my eyes again.

At the same time, the golden ether [a mystical, life-giving energy] that burst from my fingertips surged like a reverse wave.

Crack! The green tendrils that had been reaching out to devour me instantly withered like seaweed.

Paaaa, paaaa, shaaaa…! The ether, erupting like an exploding volcano, rushing like a gale, and lunging like a wedge, wrapped around my entire body in a spiral, washing away the dirty energy.

My lips spread wide in inexplicable joy. Even the brown hair fluttering before my eyes looked golden for a moment—

-Thud!

“Ha!”

Ugh! I hurriedly dropped the bowling ball grip and stepped back.

My breath caught, and my vision blurred for a moment before returning to normal.

The ether that had been bursting out of my entire body gradually concealed its rays, like a computer that had been turned off.

The same was true for the black, dead black magic crystal ball.

“Lady Juliette!”

…It’s resolved.

“Good heavens, Eunha! Are you alright!”

“Immediately escort the Lady to the next tent! Quickly!”

“I’m okay, I’m really alright!”

Ugh! The naval priests were horrified and rushed at me, and even Ms. Gain and Sir Johann were pushed back by the overwhelming force.

François was nowhere to be seen, as if he had been buried somewhere.

I was caught by the doctors and staggered, but I was really okay!

“Your neck, weren’t you strangled a moment ago!”

“I sincerely apologize for causing concern. I apologize. But I—”

“There will be severe bruises and abrasions on your body. The mana of black magic is known to be no different from poison!”

“Get treatment immediately!”

“It didn’t work on me at all. So you don’t have to worry. I promise!”

I hurriedly opened my robe to reassure everyone.

Ms. Gain and the naval officers’ eyes widened like saucers.

François, who was being tossed in the air for some reason, also looked surprised.

“No, good heavens…!”

“You really don’t have a single scratch….”

“How, how is this possible. Your Highness, are you really alright?”

Not only my neck and chest, but also both of my wrists, which had been grabbed so hard they felt like they would break, were perfectly fine.

There wasn’t even a red mark. Well, that was the obvious result.

Because I have 99.9% or more resistance to black magic.

“I’m alright, and it didn’t hurt at all earlier. Black magic doesn’t work on me. I calculated that I could take all the spells that might go wrong and hit Baron Atsuma or you.”

“Hoo….”

“Still, how could Eunha….”

Everyone’s expressions and tone were very ambiguous.

The medics and priests looked at me with cold sweat dripping down their faces, then turned to look behind them repeatedly.

I maintained a smiling face and followed their gaze.

“…….”

Ah……. I’m screwed.

“Drag her away.”

-Thwack!

“Ugh!”

The robe of that bastard suddenly flew and covered half of my vision, and my body floated up!

“Your Highness! Just a moment, please listen to my story!”

Then, literal flames shot out of his eyes.

At the same time, the indoor temperature plummeted below freezing and even accelerated its descent.

A terrifying sense of crisis crawled up my spine. Cedric, let’s talk it over!

“Tie her to the bed and only give her meals and washing water.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Hey!”

What do you think you’re doing to a person!

I desperately looked at Sir Johann, who was waving his hair alone, and Ms. Gain, who was silently scolding me—accurately mouthing ‘This is really crossing the line.’—and defended myself.

Please help me!

“I was wrong! If I had had the time, I would have told you in advance and asked for your understanding. I know very well that everyone would be surprised and worried! But it was a situation where every second counted, and—”

“Shut up.”

Hey, still, locking me up is too much! I have human rights!

“Actually, if I had explained, you would never have allowed it, would you? Huh?”

“What?”

“Oh dear, Your Highness! At this rate, you’ll be dragged all the way to Romero!”

…Wait, is that so? Would you have reluctantly listened to me even if it took a while?

Suddenly, my heart felt twice as heavy.

“P-Please. I know my sins well, so please don’t be too angry. I’ll write a letter of repentance and eat well!”

“Doesn’t the Lady usually eat well?”

“That’s right. I’ve heard rumors from the navy too….”

“How can someone be even more so than His Highness Orelly in his youth….”

The priests gathered together and murmured.

‘Kieueung!’ In the meantime, Sir Johann immediately blocked François and the troublemakers who were trying to stand up for me.

Ttuksim, who had been sleeping on the Cardinal’s crown all along, woke up late and beeped and laughed at me.

Without knowing anything!

“That’s right. Wouldn’t it have been better if you had quietly stepped back, Your Highness.”

“Ugh….”

And finally, the guy I absolutely didn’t want to show this side of myself to appeared.

Why now!

“It seems you’ve done a great job and received a very big reward.”

-Thud, thud, thud

“Damn it….”

Jibril Diop looked up at me, dangling in the air, and tilted his head with a really unlucky expression.

Then he whispered like this.

“This time, go and think about your position. Worry about the Empire from time to time.”

Thump! The bastard took me as I was and dragged me out of the tent.

As I looked back for the last time, Ms. Gain was moving her lips towards me next to Cedric.

I reached out my hand earnestly towards her receding lips.

‘Shield impossible…. Clumsy bear.’

Ah, please….

-Woo woong!

At that moment, a green light rose from the crystal ball, which had been as silent as death!

“Damn it, get down!”

“Ugh!”

The lightning mage quickly slammed me to the ground,

-Zzzzz—!

The crystal ball, with long cracks, trembled and began to emit magical energy as if making a final struggle.

Woo woong! The Crown Prince and François immediately deployed defensive magic to protect the entire group.

I was so surprised that I stared blankly at the orb. How is that possible?

-Zzzzz….

“No…….”

The black magic hanging there, I clearly received it all like an exorcism.

I definitely felt it scraping the power to the bottom….

《The Eleventh Apostle.》

Flinch. A woman’s voice, which I had never heard before, echoed from the crystal ball.

The inside of the tent instantly froze like the Arctic Ocean.

I raised my head, silently moving only my lips.

The Crown Prince, who had been halfway drawing his sword on the other side, looked at me and slowly shook his head once.

“…….”

It meant to be quiet.

The priests, who were seeing such a harmony for the first time, were shocked and covered their mouths with both hands.

Suddenly, I was so nervous that my whole body seemed to stiffen.

No way. No way…….

《Why is there no response after attempting to contact?》

“…….”

《……Tsk. There must be something wrong with that sky as well.》

The unidentified woman sighed like that and made a short rustling sound.

Meanwhile, I tried my best to calm my disheveled breathing and mind.

Let’s be calm. I have to be calm no matter what.

I wondered what that sinister crystal ball was, but it was a long-distance video call device.

It would be a technology that the magic level of the continent has not yet reached….

It was clearly made possible with black magic.

《If you are not in a situation where you can talk right away, I will be on my way. The battlefield is not leisurely.》

“…….”

By sucking someone’s life force and using it as power.

-Rustle, rustle

Again, I heard the sound of clothes rustling inside the crystal ball. I hurriedly raised my head.

People who were born and raised on the continent may not know it well, but this was clearly an atmosphere where the call was over.

Suddenly, my heart was pounding and my brain seemed to be paralyzed with anxiety.

I couldn’t miss the clue like this. The moment I jumped up—

“Tsk.”

“Ugh!”

Diop grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me down to the floor!

“Ah, come on! I have to catch them now—”

“Lin Isenia is dead.”

Huck! I stuffed the Crown Prince’s robe into my mouth, which was about to scream.

A chill ran down my spine at the unexpected turn of events.

Ms. Gain, who had been silently watching the situation until now, stepped into the conversation with an attitude that had no hesitation—with her voice as it was, brazen and confident.

I felt a light like a supernova from her in the darkness.

Crown Prince Cedric quietly closed his eyes.

《……What does that mean. Isenia died?》

The news was so shocking that the other party didn’t even seem to think about questioning Ms. Gain’s identity for a while.

After all, Lin Isenia was a Cardinal [high-ranking cleric].

Moreover, she had the water attribute, which is the most precious of the four attributes, but it would be difficult to easily accept the story that she died in a place that was not a battlefield.

Our protagonist poured out the sentences without giving any leeway.

“Near the Guild Assembly Hall, there was an attack by several mythical monsters. The Princess fought bravely until the end, but could not overcome their attack and turned into water. Since then, no one has seen her.”

《……Turned into water?》

“Yes. According to witnesses, she chanted the Stigmata [a unique magical ability].”

Ms. Gain quickly answered, and there was no reply from the other party for a while.

My throat was parched and my palms were sweaty.

I held my breath for a long time without anyone telling me to, and then remembered Sir Johann’s ability when I felt a familiar breeze on the tip of my nose and took a long sigh.

Then, the moment I slowly inhaled—

《……Then there is nothing to worry about.》

“Yes?”

A woman’s voice, which had sunk even further, returned.

I waited for the next words, making eye contact with Ms. Gain.

《She will get a new body in a few years.》

“…….”

“…….”

Perhaps because they misunderstood our silence, the other party rumbled lowly in their throat.

I hurriedly looked up at Sir Johann, but he also slowly shook his chin.

It meant that he had never heard of such a Stigmata.

The unique abilities of the Cardinals are not officially known, so perhaps it was a natural thing.

《You can believe it. Could it be that the owner does not know the abilities of the apostles.》

“I will believe it, my lord.”

Finally, Ms. Gain said as if spitting it out, and I clenched my trembling jaw.

The inside of the tent turned cold as if a storm of blood had blown through it for a moment.

Indeed, it was that person.

《But……. It’s amazing.》

“…….”

The mastermind behind the terrible human experiments.

An unforgivable criminal.

A notorious murderer.

《Who are you to dare to get your hands on that crystal ball and speak to me?》

Wilhelmina Schneider, Duchess.