What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 550

Three days had passed since then.

-Whoosh…

-Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle…

For three days, sleet had fallen on the northern lands.

If snow had poured down, the already unstable situation in the north could have worsened significantly. Fortunately, the weather was mixed with rain.

Priests of the Imperial Navy speculated that this was due to the influence of the sacred object, the ‘Heart of the Four Dragons.’

They believed that the sacred dragon flew day and night in the sky, enveloped in intense heat, which raised the overall temperature and melted the snow.

Ideally, it wouldn’t have rained at all, but it was fortunate that they didn’t have to worry about avalanches or the ‘Winter General’ [a metaphorical personification of winter’s harshness].

If natural disasters had struck while refugees were already overflowing, the situation would have undoubtedly deteriorated.

As it was, they were already busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle.

The Holy Nation’s forces were maintaining a strong presence in the rear, but no one knew when or with what strategy they would attempt to reclaim this territory.

Fortunately, the উইনিটে River [unintelligible word], which originated in the northeastern part of Venetian, hadn’t frozen and continued to flow, allowing the temporary military camp centered around the collapsed Guild Hall to maintain a semblance of peace.

Of course, Gain and her friends’ peace was disrupted.

She frowned, looking up at the sky, which had cleared after a long time.

Today was the day for their reconnaissance mission.

-Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle…

‘○ ○○○ ○○○ ○○○ ○○○○○○○?’

“…What is it saying?”

The ‘Warning Window’ was still there, regardless of rain, shine, snow, or wind.

Only one person could decipher its contents.

“Is there still no news from Emma? Werner Venetian?”

Gain asked calmly, scraping the mud from her boots with her feet.

John, who had come out with her, stopped loosening his wrists and replied.

“…The rebellion that began in the underground prison of Baron’s Lord’s Castle seems to be spreading beyond the castle and throughout the territory. It’s difficult to find fugitives in a place where order has completely broken down.”

“Wasn’t Duke Sem supposed to be handling that?”

“Well, I don’t know much about politics, but it won’t be easy for the heir of a ruined lord’s family to be welcomed anywhere. The lord’s life and death are also uncertain.”

“That’s true.”

-Beep beep

She nodded, and Dduk-sim, who was perched on John’s shoulder, chirped as if it was his turn.

The Cardinal smiled faintly and moved the wren to his index finger.

Gain quickly tied a piece of paper around the little bird’s right ankle.

Several other letters were already wrapped around his left ankle.

Judging from the luxurious ribbons, they seemed to be addressed to His Majesty Frederick and Her Highness Aurelia.

“Please deliver my letters safely, Ham-Dduk. This one is for my mom, this one is for Lady Elizabeth. This one is for my grandparents and Ellen in the Imperial City.”

-Beep bo!

“Thank you. You’re so pretty, my coffee bean.” [A term of endearment]. She pressed her lips to his small forehead, and the sacred object flapped its wings in response.

Then she glanced at the tent village for a moment.

The eyes of the two people followed the wren.

Military academy students, Baron refugees from the north.

The small village was very crowded with busy faculty and Riester Navy personnel.

But it was clear which point Dduk-sim was staring at.

-…Beeeee

“…”

“…Are you worried about Her Highness?”

Gain asked, and the little bird quickly turned to her.

The wings that seemed to be drooping were filled with strength again.

-Beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep

“…”

-Beerrrr! Beep beep!

“Ah, I know. You’re telling me to take good care of her, right? Don’t worry about that. We’ve known each other for more than a day or two, and this kind of fight will be resolved quickly. Honestly, from my perspective, it’s not even a fight. It won’t even last a week.”

After waving her limbs and reassuring him,

-…Hug

The sacred object opened its beak and made a strange sound. Gain was dumbfounded and only moved her lips.

Was that a sigh?

-Beep

“Yes, I’ll see you again. Please take good care of our child.”

-Beerrrr!

Dduk-sim rubbed his belly against John’s thumb for the last time, then soared powerfully into the clear winter sky.

Gain looked up at the wren’s tail for a long time.

Until the child became a small dot and was no longer visible.

Even while her teacher was preparing for the next flight.

“…Will she really be okay?”

-Whoosh…

Unconsciously, such a question escaped her lips.

At the same time, a light wind wrapped around her ankle and began to lift her up little by little.

John turned to look at his disciple, fluttering his cherry blossom-colored hair tie.

Gain, who had sent Dduk-sim away, had reverted to the way she had been a few days ago.

Unlike her usual self, she was listless, her radiance had faded, and her complexion was gloomy.

“How is my disciple?”

“…To be honest, I think she’ll be okay? Ah, I mean, she’s not okay right now. But I don’t think it will be this hard in a few years. That’s just how life is. Even if you think you’re going to die right now, it’s not a big deal in a few years. Honestly, it’s not Her Highness’s fault. And Her Highness’s brother isn’t going to harm me.”

“Hold on tight.”

“It’s not like I can change it just because I don’t like it.”

John naturally picked her up, and Gain, while grumbling, wrapped her arms around his neck and took a stable position.

Soon, the two people’s bodies soared into the sky like arrows. ‘Paaat!’

-Whooooo!

Pink and pure white hair fluttered wildly and mixed together.

The man’s blue coat also fluttered madly in the strong wind.

The tremendous divine power resisting gravity made the two holy knights soar higher and higher.

The cheers of the soldiers in the distance quickly faded away. The strong wind howled like a snake.

Gain stared at the warning window, which remained distant no matter how high they flew, and said loudly.

-Ssaeeeeeng!

“But it’s not the same for His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“…”

“No, it’s not like I don’t understand his feelings? I know it’s hard. I know he’s frustrated, angry, and sad! Who would like it if my hard work was called a novel? And even his best friend’s brother wrote it! It’s like the whole world is filming ‘The Truman Show’ except for me. It feels so dirty!”

“…”

“It’s not that it’s strange, I understand everything!”

-Whooong, whooong!

Gain grabbed John’s shoulder tightly.

“But ignoring Her Highness for three days and treating her like an invisible person! Not even mentioning her! That’s really hurtful to me!”

“…”

The clear voice finally cracked.

The Cardinal looked at the warning window, which did not get closer no matter how high he soared, and recalled what had happened that day.

His older disciple had left the camp without a word, and his younger disciple, who had been restless, had followed him after much deliberation.

The silence gripped everyone’s throats.

John Haynes silently looked down at his master, who was swept away by the heat and succumbing to sleep.

Until the purple eyes completely disappeared under the pale eyelids.

‘Brother…’

Of course, François, who was sitting in front of the bed, looked quite surprised.

This was the first word he uttered after breaking the silence for a few minutes.

‘…Voilà!’ [French for “there it is” or “behold!”].

‘Voilà?’

‘Indeed, that’s how it was. After all, there is only one hypothesis that can explain all of this. I understand. Certainly, if it’s that person…’

Muttering, rambling.

The wizard picked up Benjamin Girard’s essay collection that had fallen on the floor, dusted it off, and placed it on the sleeping Princess’s pillow.

He also arranged her pillowcase and gently tucked both hands under the blanket.

John was not usually one to pay attention to every action of others, but that day everything was exceptional.

He frowned at the sight of the Marquis wiping his master’s face with a wet towel.

‘…Don’t tell me you understood the conversation just now?’

‘Sir Haynes, you should know in advance that my head is quite sharp. I am confident that my influence will be significant in the little master’s brilliant academic achievements in the future.’

‘That’s not what I mean. Are you saying you know what kind of being this person is?’

‘…Once you get over one big hurdle, the rest of the reasoning isn’t difficult.’

The Marquis said that and handsomely raised the corners of his mouth. The Cardinal had an astonished expression.

‘You’re mistaken. It’s not that easy. This is something that can shake your existence to its very core…’

‘The core of my existence is in my family.’

Then a firm answer came back. John’s eyes widened slightly. Their eyes met.

‘From the day the Lord took too much from me, I reduced my dependence on her.’

‘…’

‘I reduced the time I spent resenting God or praying to God and spent it with my remaining family. I did not abandon my faith, but I did not devote myself to it.’

‘…’

‘My loyalty… is only to the person who saved me. I have lived that way all my life, so I will continue to do so.’

The man’s eyes were shining as hard as rose quartz.

He arranged Yeseo’s hair with infinitely delicate hands.

‘So what does God’s background mean to me?’

‘…’

‘Whoever her brother is, whatever heart he created this continent with, whatever the secret of this world is… it doesn’t matter much to me now. Yes, it’s a bit surprising, but not enough to make me faint.’

‘…’

The wizard even made a light joke.

John briefly saw a familiar shadow in him.

The Marquis’s face, which had been smiling, gradually darkened.

It was the face of a member of the Imperial Family.

‘However… it will mean something different to His Highness the Crown Prince. I heard that His Highness did not know the circumstances of the Princess’s brother.’

‘…’

‘As far as I know, His Highness’s pain and wounds have never healed. So there are not even scars. Since the late Prince Consort passed away, pus has always flowed from his chest. Only the difference in concentration varied from day to day…’

He trailed off in a very sad voice.

Then he looked at the sleeping Yeseo for a long time.

John did not miss the man’s last whisper.

‘…What can I do? If this is the end of fate, then that is also God’s will.’

“…Sem, Teacher John!”

-Paaaat!

Mint-colored eyes widened, and the two people’s figures, which had been soaring as if to pierce the sun, stopped in the air.

Gain looked into John’s eyes and frowned.

“You weren’t listening to me, were you? I can tell you were thinking about something else.”

“…I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Over there, that way! Something is soaring from the desert!”

She stretched out one arm and pointed to the west. The Cardinal immediately turned his gaze.

“…”

Then he paused for a moment. It was just as Gain had said.

Beyond the distant mountains, past the border, in the distant desert—something was soaring into the sky, scattering fierce rays of light.

John narrowed his eyes slightly to see more clearly.

Originally, it was difficult to see with the naked eye at that distance, but the two had risen to a very high altitude, and the weather was particularly clear today.

For a while, the teacher and disciple silently observed the ‘unidentified flying object.’

It was climbing into the sky very slowly, like a retrograde shooting star. Because the distance was so far, it only seemed to move after watching it for a long time.

And finally…

“Huh? It’s going down again, right! It looks like it’s going down now?”

“…No.”

Gain was surprised and pointed, and John replied calmly. The jade irises flashed coldly.

“The ether is running out and it’s falling. It’s the Holy Knights of the Papal States.”

*

At that moment, on the ground.

“Ha. Seriously. I’m busy to death, but come here, go there…”

8th-level combat wizard Jibril Diop was striding somewhere, summoned by His Noble Highness the Crown Prince.

The hair he had messed up with annoyance was sticking out.

Navy soldiers who were passing by bowed to him.

The man roughly nodded his chin and stopped abruptly.

Wait, just now…

“Hey, you there.”

“Yes, yes?”

“What are you throwing away now?”

When the high-ranking official approached with an arrogant look, the pale-faced soldier quickly showed what he was holding.

It was a large sack full of trash.

“It’s waste from His Highness the Crown Prince and the late Prince Consort’s camp, Young Master Diop. I was going to take it and burn it…”

“…”

Jibril recognized the jewelry shining in the corner of the sack at a glance.

It was a sacred stone necklace full of ether.