What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 658

#658

Exempted Person in Wartime (6)

‘Most Holy Knights are born with a strong sense of adventure.’

‘Because they must always defend the Lord with their lives.’

And…

‘Other people’s children grow up fast.’

-Pitter-patter, pitter-patter…

“It’s okay, Ross. This time, I’m sure.”

That saying wasn’t just for commoners.

Right here, right now, is the Second Princess of the Divine Kingdom, who has grown rapidly over the past three months.

The curly ivory hair sparkled in the sparse sunlight of the hallway.

Cornelia Venetian spent a colder autumn and a lonelier winter than any other year at the Count of Rosenharte’s royal capital residence, and was now approaching early spring when new buds were sprouting.

The nine-year-old child now overwhelmingly preferred pants and leather boots over bell-shaped dresses.

She lost two baby teeth just last month, and didn’t cry at all either time.

There was also a slightly wobbly molar, but she wasn’t afraid.

She hadn’t grown much taller, but her mind had grown significantly instead.

-Thump

“Shh.”

The girl, stopping at a corner, whispered while looking down at the fish tank tucked under her arm.

As soon as she hid behind the armor displayed nearby, three or four servants popped out from the hallway.

Her large, verdant eyes followed their backs.

It was the week of the Great Advent Festival, when everyone was incredibly busy.

The workers hurried by, worrying about handing out drinks outside and whether there were enough baskets compared to last year.

Only after everyone had completely disappeared did Cornelia carefully move, opening a small side door and heading outside.

It was the door the servants had entered through a moment ago.

-Click!

The words she had once heard from the Count of Rosenharte echoed in her ears.

‘Your Highness, merely surviving is a help.’

‘I dare say, surviving this war and continuing the lineage of the Divine Kingdom and the royal family as the precious Second Princess is the most sacred duty given to Your Highness.’

“……”

At that time, the sentence was too difficult for her to understand, but now she vaguely understood.

However, that alone couldn’t uproot Cornelia’s will.

In the meantime, the girl had memorized the maze-like rose garden and complex interior of the Count of Rosenharte’s residence.

And she had become familiar with most of the faces of the servants and maids working there.

She had roughly figured out what they did, what time they worked, and what their personalities were like.

After learning that the Count of Rosenharte went to bed at two in the morning and woke up at six, she soon realized the hidden meaning of it.

If someone goes to bed at two in the morning, there is someone who works until three for them, and if someone wakes up at six, there is someone who wakes up at five for them.

The princess became smarter day by day in places where care was lax.

Entirely alone.

“I’m taking you with me. I always change your water, after all.”

-Slosh, slosh…

“You can’t do without me. Don’t worry, Ross.”

The child muttered, looking around the thawing garden.

The lizard ‘Ross’ in the tank had a beautiful orange color and was said to be a rare species discovered in the Unite River basin a few months ago.

In fact, no one had ever seen a lizard that looked like Ross.

Only after confirming that no one was paying attention to her did Cornelia carefully move her feet.

The child, who used to look for bright and vivid fabrics, had been choosing clothes with low saturation since some point.

It was the result of learning that this would attract less attention from adults.

The princess passed the flower beds surrounding the rose garden in layers and quickly entered the entrance to the maze where the gardeners had left.

The flowerpots placed on both sides of the entrance were just as tall as the child.

There were roses full of stems everywhere, but only these flowerpots were empty, and she had heard that flower seedlings would be transplanted in late spring.

It was the perfect condition to become a treasure chest for royalty.

-Click

“Wait here.”

The child carefully put down the fish tank, looked around again, and took out a small trowel from her pocket to dig into the flowerpot.

In the Count’s residence, which had a huge garden and many retainers, the disappearance of a single trowel was not even a minor nuisance that day.

Especially during busy times like these.

Soon, a soil-covered leather bag appeared.

Cornelia dusted it off with her small hands. The lizard swam through the water, watching its owner.

“Let’s see.”

The wide-open bag contained luggage that was quite different from before.

A canteen that could be filled with clean water. Medicine for stomachaches and medicine for wounds.

A spare pair of shoes that could be folded flat. Smoked jerky and cheese pouches that wouldn’t spoil for a long time.

A stash of coins mixed with gold coins. A map of the Divine Kingdom that could be folded five times.

A pig figurine that her brother had sent as a gift. A crumpled and worn-out leaflet from the Empire.

She had given up on things like drawing brushes and dolls.

“……”

‘Rustle, rustle.’ The child put the diarrhea medicine she had brought today in the place where she had taken out the leaflet, and finally unfolded the paper.

The words ‘Liberator of Baekgok King’ were so often traced that they were frayed white like rags.

The illustration was also much more faded than when she first saw it.

Cornelia stared intently at the protagonist of the adventure.

The pink-haired princess standing proudly with her hands on her hips. The house-sized sea urchin and towering waves decorating her back.

“……Lady Christel Rambouillet. I want to be a Holy Knight like this too.”

Lady Rambouillet doesn’t get scared even when a legendary-level monster appears right in front of her.

She was already the most valiant knight in the Imperial Capital at the age of nineteen.

Someday, I want to be like that too. Definitely. The child muttered to herself.

Her hand holding the paper tightened.

It was then.

“Your Highness.”

“Ah!”

The princess turned around in surprise, like a thief caught at a crime scene.

Relieved at the familiar face, the child’s face turned pale with the sense of crisis that her treasure chest had been discovered.

Ah…

“Hello, Iseol.”

“What are you doing here?”

“……”
The other person was a frugal girl with short, black ash-colored hair, always adhering to the attire of a priest.

Her bear-like round shoulders were a hand span wider than Cornelia’s, and her horizontally long eyes were a dark rosewood color.

However, the overall feeling was more round than angular.

Iseol Rosenharte was the eldest granddaughter of Count Etzard Rosenharte, and an eleven-year-old princess who had been the Second Princess’s companion for the past few months.

She was also the one who had given her a lizard she had caught herself as a gift at her first meeting with the princess.

But Cornelia knew that Iseol was her ‘surveillance officer.’

“……Nothing.”

“Isn’t that a bag?”

“Iseol doesn’t need to know.”

The little Holy Knight, answering with a somewhat sulky tone, rolled up the bag and hid it under her coat.

Then, she pressed her lips tightly and headed back to her bedroom.

The young priest took the fish tank on the floor and followed right behind her.

Cornelia truly did her best, but no matter how busily she moved her short legs, she was quickly caught up by Iseol and couldn’t shake her off.

Soon, the princess turned to look at the princess with a sulky expression.

She deliberately opened the side door hard, but Iseol pushed the door flying towards her with one hand as if it were nothing. ‘Thud!’

“You know. Why do you keep following me?”

“……I am Your Highness’s companion.”

“Iseol doesn’t say even five words to me a day.”

“Yesterday… I said seven words.”

Stop! The slightly annoyed child stopped in the middle of the hallway.

She turned around abruptly, but the priest only looked embarrassed and didn’t back down.

“Then I think you’ve done enough for today, so please leave. Please.”

“Are you perhaps trying to run away?”

“……”

Cornelia, surprised, bit her lip.

This is a disaster. How could she think that just by looking at the bag?

Everyone has a bag!

“I’ve seen you taking that bag out of your bedroom. Did you think it was dangerous to keep it in your room?”

“……”

The princess asked in a serious voice. After much deliberation, the princess decided not to answer.

She recalled her sister’s teaching that she didn’t always have to answer every question.

“You must have hidden it from the eyes of the royal palace servants, so I thought it wasn’t an ordinary luggage.”

Oh my god.

“Iseol is too smart. You shouldn’t be.”

“……My father and grandfather praised me.”

The girl said in an awkward tone. Cornelia’s baby fat trembled imperceptibly.

“I… I won’t say it. I can’t say it. What I’m thinking.”

“……”

“Then Iseol will tell the Count of Rosenharte.”

“No, I……”

Then the princess’s face turned red and blue repeatedly.

Iseol was originally a taciturn child, and Cornelia didn’t seem to like her very much.

So that was probably the reaction of someone who had been caught with deep inside.

As soon as she thought that far, she became even more anxious.

She couldn’t be caught by the Count of Rosenharte like last time.

“I’m going now. I’m sleepy and want to take a nap.”

“Ah, I……!”

Iseol was left alone in the blink of an eye. No, in fact, she wasn’t alone.

Cornelia, with her head full of tangles, had forgotten the lizard tank.

“……I have no choice. I have to tell grandfather.”

The princess, who had been thinking for a long time, finally whispered while looking at the lizard.

The little lizard made eye contact with Iseol and tapped the wall with its tail.

*

Wow, there are so many people in the military camp—!

“Crown Prince Cedric and Princess Juliette are here!”

To be exact, it’s like the whole unit is gathered here!

“Do you see her? Do you see the princess?!”

“Oh my, geez! I told you not to push! I can’t see even if I’m in front!”

“What about the wings? What about the princess’s wings!”

“I think she folded them! They’re not there now!”

“Lady Rambouillet! We’re here! Lady Rambouillet!”

“Step back, watch from inside the line! Keep order, it’s dangerous!”

“Aaaah! The angel looked at me! I just made eye contact!”

“Are her eyes really purple? Huh? Answer me!”

They’re almost brown today……

I looked around at the crowd filling the streets and felt like I was stewing down like overcooked rice cake soup [a Korean dish, often eaten during celebrations].

“Oh my gosh, it’s really the princess! The one who healed us back then!”

“His Highness looks very healthy too!”

“Long live the Liester Navy! Long live Lady Rambouillet!”

“The Crown Prince is coming, clear the way!”

“Long live! Long live! Long live!”

“Princess! Over here! Over here, Princess!”

“Hahaha, hello……”

As I waved my hand awkwardly, a tremendous roar erupted from one side of the crowd.

And the knights’ line of defense almost collapsed.

I wondered if I had done something unnecessary and felt a chill, but David smiled to mean it was okay. Of course, Zibril Diop, who was in charge of escorting, seemed to think differently.

Ms. Gain was waving her arms at the navy soldiers, no matter what the lightning magician scolded her for.

She even sent an attractive hand kiss. Another thunderous cheer exploded.

“Waaaaah……!”

“Rambouillet! Rambouillet! Rambouillet! Rambouillet!”

“Lady Rambouillet! Please sign my back!”

Goodness, I’m glad I left the kids behind. Titena and Leah would have cried!

“What time did you all come out today?”

“Aaaah! Five in the morning!”

“Oh my, what should I do, you didn’t get enough sleep.”

“It’s okay! It’s okay! It’s okay! It’s okay!”

“I stayed up all night! I just camped out here because I heard that the princess might go out today!”

“Gasp……”

‘Thank you.’ I replied in a barely audible voice.

Honestly, I wanted to hide if there was a rat hole, but it was definitely thankful and happy to receive such positive attention and support.

The desire to give back as much as I received also sprang up clearly.

Fortunately, the sky of the main camp was clear and bright, and it wasn’t as cold as I had imagined.

To be exact, it was as if everyone’s heat had thoroughly blocked the approach of the cold.

Perhaps because my cheeks were burning hot, the corners of my mouth kept loosening awkwardly.

“The training ground is this way, Your Highness. Princess.”

“His Majesty the Emperor and the guests are waiting.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Sir Johann grabbed the rustling outer garment from behind.

I was wearing the shirt that the Nuit sisters had given me, and even a special robe that had been hastily made for several days.

Once the imperial order was issued, the situation turned extremely urgent.

In fact, I didn’t even properly remember what happened from leaving the cabin to entering the widest road of the military camp.

I struggled to adapt to the sensation of my eardrums going numb and stepped on the training ground dirt with my friends.

Soon, a wide open space unfolded before my eyes. And……

“Oh, it’s the spirit of Iran!”

Our very, very big divine object friend, and

“There are some familiar faces too.”

“Ah……”

The figure of a familiar middle-aged man came into view.

My favorite boy attendant was with him.

The child, who found me, smiled dazzlingly and waved his arms.

In an instant, my ears went numb. Something hot welled up from my core.

“Benjamin! Ganael—!”

I forgot everything else and ran to the two of them.

The sound of Diop clicking his tongue, telling me not to run, faded into the distance.

The warmth of memory remained in the arms I was hugged into.

I was foolishly choked up and couldn’t say anything for a while.

Perhaps it was the feeling that spring was near.