What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 653

Sub Male Lead Goes on Strike – Episode 652 (653/920)

#653

Wartime Restricted Person? (1)

Real good news from this morning—!

“Yes? They’ve all woken up?”

-Clatter!

‘Is that really true?’ I asked, beaming as I jumped up from my seat.

I almost knocked over the teacup right in front of me, but Caroline Mute, the Marchioness, managed to prevent an accident with her quick reflexes.

Duke Cecil Blancarte, who accompanied her, nodded sideways and gracefully set down his coffee cup.

This wasn’t just talk to make me feel better; it was ‘real’.

The excited Lesser Pandas started blooming early spring flowers on the bedside table, and Lopi, who had been sleeping all day, stood up and wagged its tail for once.

Hugging Tete, who was flapping its flipper feet, I happily cooed at it for a long time.

Just hearing the news made my heart race and flutter, and I felt elated, like someone who had encountered a great fortune.

I paced back and forth in front of the table for quite a while, leaving the guests behind, until Jibril Diop finally spoke up. ‘Hey, sit down.’

“Did you forget all your imperial education?”

No, what can I do when I’m so happy! Of course, I’ve forgotten a lot.

“I’m sorry. I’m just so relieved and overwhelmed. I apologize, both of you.”

-Kkyaa!

“You don’t need to worry about us.”

-Awoo woong

“We also heard the news on the way here. It seems the outskirts of the military camp were quite noisy last night. I didn’t get much sleep because of it.”

The Marchioness leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

I perked up my ears and focused, hoping to hear more from her. Lopi also twitched its whiskers diligently.

This was the first time I had seen them since I fell into the Riester main camp, and I heard they had been very busy.

That was understandable, as one was an 8th-grade combat mage and the other was a Sword Master.

They were adults whom the entire military camp relied on and looked up to, so I was grateful just for them visiting me.

Besides, I didn’t even feel particularly sick!

“Um, Marchioness. Excuse me, but is there any other news? Any additional news you’ve heard regarding the three of them…?”

“Ah. I’m not trying to brag, but since the Palace Lord mentioned it first, my daughter apparently played a big role this time.”

“Yes, yes.”

“She rescued Sir Rambuillet from the brink of a rampage at the critical moment, bravely carried him away, and evacuated all the soldiers and workers in the Holy Knight district. I’m not just being a doting parent, but my daughter has always had good strength since she was young. As you know, I’ve been using a greatsword since I was a child under the influence of my teacher, His Highness Stanislaus. It’s quite heavy, so much so that even Michelle, who only brags about her daughter at home, was amazed the day two-year-old Elizabeth first lifted my sword belt—”

“Marchioness.”

“Oops.”

The Duke Blancarte calmly called her, and the knight immediately unfolded her arms.

The face rubbing the half-shaved head looked somewhat embarrassed.

I was going to listen to her until the end anyway, but I couldn’t be more grateful to the Duke for cutting off the flow at a reasonable point on a day like today.

“…We are always grateful to Lady Elizabeth, who is a pillar of the Empire. Thank you for telling me such a wonderful story. Then, what happened to Sir Christel, whom your daughter saved? If what you said is true, he was on the verge of a rampage, so how is his condition now?”

“I received news that he slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky.”

The Duke poured sugar into his coffee with a clatter.

Tete, who had been babbling, opened its mouth in surprise.

Diop managed not to bat an eye.

“Deeply, deeply asleep. If it was high in the sky…”

“That was about two hours ago, so he should be up and having his first meal by now.”

“I saw those guys lining up in front of the barracks earlier, talking about Sir Rambuillet and autographs. They were all rowdy, as if they were drunk.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”

That’s really a relief. I kept biting my lips to hide my constantly widening smile.

I was so excited that my back was twitching like crazy, but I clenched my jaw and held back the wings that were about to pop out.

Anyway, Sir Gain seemed to have recovered enough to give his subordinates autographs.

“Have you not heard any news about the Crown Prince?”

“……”

“His Highness is safe, but he will probably need more rest. That will be the case for all the Holy Knights for the time being.”

This time, the Duke clamped his mouth shut, and only the Marchioness answered cheerfully.

There was something subtly strange about their attitude, but I had no way of pinpointing the inner thoughts of adults who were still far beyond my understanding.

Finally, I inquired about our older friend, to whom we were always indebted.

“Then, what about Sir Johann? I heard from Agate earlier that he was almost rampaging, and I’m curious if that’s true. And exactly how did he get through the crisis…?”

“Well, I’m not a Holy Knight, and it’s not my area of jurisdiction, so I haven’t heard the details.”

The Sword Master shrugged and put his lips to his teacup.

I forced myself to manage my expression and just nodded.

I was dying to sit the guests down and squeeze out a line or two of information.

I desperately wanted concrete and meaningful information that felt within reach.

But both of them were busy commanders, and….

“Did the three of them have any… messages for me?”

“Who knows.”

“They’re the type to say what they have to say directly. Especially the young Highness.”

The Mute Marchioness emphasized the word ‘directly.’ I had no choice but to be discouraged.

“…That’s good. I was worried that I might be needed.”

As things turned out, it didn’t seem like I was that desperate after all.

I thought I had let go of a lot of my self-consciousness while living with my younger sibling, who always delivered insightful remarks, but it seemed like I had gotten a bit carried away from being with my friends all the time.

Looking back, it was quite embarrassing that I was making plans and waiting for dawn to somehow get out of the cabin.

It’s not like I’m the only priest in the world who uses Crown Ether.

Everyone else is doing well on their own. Who am I?

“……”

“Look at you. You’re thinking useless thoughts again.”

“Yes?”

“……It’s nothing. It’s almost lunchtime.”

‘Palace Lord, you should just eat a lot,’ Diop retorted, crossing his legs in a rebellious manner.

I was about to say something back, but I just held it in.

-Squeak!

“…Yes, it’s so pretty. Thank you.”

I just didn’t feel motivated.

Demi came to me and gave me a large bouquet of beautiful irises. Still, I had enough energy to smile.

*

The two of them stayed for about an hour longer.

Duke Cecil Blancarte had an introverted personality similar to mine.

In other words, even though we had seen each other several times over the years, we were only now starting to speak a little more comfortably.

For a while, she told me about the weather here, the recent situation of the soldiers, and some news from the Empire and the feudal states that had flown in from the Imperial City.

Her attitude and atmosphere were so noble and calm that it was only much later that I realized the Duke had laid the groundwork to talk about her daughter, which was the main point.

The rhetoric of the Riester archdukes was amazing….

‘The Young Duke is currently helping with family matters at the Magic Tower and assisting the sacred artifact, the Divine Bow of Trees.’

‘That’s amazing. Isn’t your daughter, Eva, still young? But to be assisting the sacred artifact, she has already become a great help to the country and the territory. You must be proud.’

‘You flatter me. She is merely fulfilling her duty as one blessed by the sacred artifact.’

She said it with an unchanged face and a haughty tone.

‘However, as a foolish parent, I hope she would put a little more effort into the Magic Tower than into social circles.’

‘I see.’

‘Exchanges with prestigious wizarding families are welcome, but wouldn’t excessive reconciliation break even the most beautiful vase?’

‘That’s a wonderful saying. Excessive reconciliation will break even the most beautiful vase….’

“That’s all boasting. The Blancarte Duke is still a Riester noble after all.”

Suddenly, Duke Diop pointed out.

I blinked, having been sitting and waiting for lunch.

By now, he was acting as my only conversational partner in this confinement that wasn’t quite confinement.

“…Is that so?”

“Oh, come on.”

He swept back his crimson hair and glared at me.

In the meantime, Agate, who had brought the meal, knocked on the door.

I readily told her to come in.

“It’s obvious. She’s saying that her daughter not only became a Young Duke at a young age but is already helping with the Magic Tower’s affairs. What else could that mean?”

“…That Eva is smart and capable?”

“It means the succession structure is so solid that she’s preparing to take over the Magic Tower even though she’s a priest. It’s obvious since she subtly added the story of the Divine Bow. Of course, it also includes the meaning that your precious daughter is versatile.”

“Ah……”

“The mention of social circles is a euphemistic expression that the number of dukes hitting on the Young Duke has increased these days. Since she even mentioned ‘prestigious wizarding families,’ it seems like good marriage proposals are coming in even during wartime.”

“Wow.”

“It’s only because the other party is you and the Marchioness, but if she had said the same thing in the Imperial City, all the family’s consorts and wives would have been so jealous that they would have hit the ground.”

“…You’re a walking social dictionary, Duke. How do you know so well?”

And I smiled brightly at Agate, who was opening the door and coming in.

‘Your Highness, I will bring in lunch.’ After informing me, she was pulling a very large rectangular parallelepiped-shaped [a prism with a parallelogram as its base] trolley, which was made of rough iron and had a dark color, so it didn’t look like it was for carrying meals at all.

It was quite heavy, so its moving speed was very slow.

-Clunk, clunk….

What is it, is it a special meal today?

“Agate, I’ll help you….”

I got up to lend a hand.

Just as the priest was shaking her head in surprise, I discovered another person pushing the handle from behind the trolley.

My mouth dropped open again.

“David!”

“Palace Lord, it’s been a while. How is your health?”

I couldn’t contain my joy at seeing a face I hadn’t seen in so long.

Demi and Peri also ran over and clung to his trouser legs.

While I was exchanging greetings with the middle-aged man with an excited face, Diop, who had been grumbling that it was annoying, made Agate step aside and brought in the trolley instead.

‘Thank you, Duke,’ I immediately thanked him, lest I forget later.

Then David said to him.

“Duke Diop, could you excuse us for a moment?”

“Why? Are you telling me to starve?”

Even though the other party was the head steward of Romero Palace, the wizard showed a rather defensive attitude.

I was slightly embarrassed every time he did this.

“That’s not it….”

“Sorry for ruining the reunion atmosphere, but I’m this person’s bodyguard. It seems difficult to leave my post.”

“I have something important to convey to the Palace Lord on His Majesty’s orders.”

“……”

In the end, only after citing the imperial order was David able to obtain Diop’s permission for a private meeting.

The wizard grabbed a handful of small cookies from the bowl in front of me and leisurely left the cabin.

‘Hurry up and finish,’ the voice warning the middle-aged man last was quite fierce.

He’s a rascal, but he’s the type to do his job very diligently….

-Thud!

Agate, who had shown me courtesy, also hurriedly left the door, and before I knew it, only David, the little ones, and I were left in the room.

I was a little nervous, not knowing what he was going to say.

Could something serious have happened to Cedric or my friends?

…Is that why you haven’t said anything separately until now?

“I will bring the meal right away, Palace Lord.”

“Yes? Ah, yes….”

Oh, is it the meal first? I stood there blankly and then quickly sat back down on the chair.

For some reason, David’s face looked very solemn as he opened the trolley door.

Is it really a special meal?

Well, His Majesty said he would come to see me too, but he hasn’t been able to yet.

Maybe he’s been keeping that in mind and is just treating me to a big meal….

-Creak

“Ah, don’t push it! Seriously!”

Huh!?

“Just now, from inside there—”

I heard a person’s voice?

Sir Gain?!

I was calmly drinking water when I suddenly jumped up from my seat.

At the same time, a black lump rolled out of the huge trolley and onto the floor.

I gasped as soon as I saw the being inside the flapping robe.

“Oh my gosh, Sadie!”

Why are you stuck between the bread baskets!