What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 659

Sub-Male Lead’s Strike – Episode 659

#659

Prisoners of War (7)

“Your Grace, your cheeks are so sunken!”

“Hahaha. No, no. I’m fine.”

Ganael looked at me with a tearful face and grabbed my hands tightly. That alone made my nose tingle, and I smiled.

Benjamin scrutinized my every word and movement, carefully checking if anything was wrong with me.

It had been a while since I received his affectionate gaze, and I was very happy and pleased.

The breath coming from everyone felt like the soft steam from a steamed bun machine.

“I heard you were caught up in a big commotion, Your Grace. You’ve been missing for a long time, and I was worried that your health might have deteriorated.”

“Don’t worry, Benjamin. His Majesty and His Highness took good care of me, so I just ate and slept the whole time.”

“…That’s a relief.”

“I was more worried about Benjamin and Ganael. I didn’t expect to see you two here!”

I looked back and forth between the middle-aged man and the boy, beaming.

Ganael seemed taller than the last time I saw him, and Benjamin seemed to have a few more wrinkles.

He must have had no days off since the war broke out, as he was praying for us day and night and now taking care of Romero Palace instead of David.

I took one hand and gently wrapped it around his slightly rough hand.

Looking into his blue eyes, I suddenly thought of Jeong Hyun-seo.

“······.”

‘【Jeong-ye, remember one thing. The original author values ‘names’ the most.】’

‘【Giving a name gives everything a precious meaning, so approach it carefully.】’

‘【…But Benjamin was a bit different, as I recall.】’

More precisely, the words my brother told me….

‘【That had a big impact. Just like the original author said.】’

‘【Because of that special name, the two of them seem to see the world differently.】’

‘【According to your speculation here… Perhaps Benjamin being a ‘writer’ like me also had an influence.】’

What Benjamin knows.

“…Benjamin, how is coming along?”

That’s all I asked.

Now I knew a few things about Benjamin that I didn’t know before.

To him, I wouldn’t have been the first Yeser Venetian, but someone who caused a slight confusion.

However, since Benjamin was not a ‘main character’ in the novel, he couldn’t be as clearly aware of the world as the prince.

Instead, he often had amazing dreams and sublimated them into religious experiences, a second life ‘given to me by the main god.’

He neatly wrote essays and created novels for his family.

He quietly and steadily tried in his own way not to lose the center of his life.

I always wanted him to be happy.

“Even amidst the great war that worries all people…”

Benjamin looked into my eyes and said kindly.

“ is still going smoothly. It seems that the completion is not far away.”

“That’s great news. I’m so glad!”

I smiled brightly and looked back at my friends.

Just then, Cedric strode over, shook hands with the middle-aged man, and then exchanged glances with Ganael.

The boy blushed, feeling new joy at being greeted by the Crown Prince.

Around that time, Ms. Gain, who had been exchanging greetings with the spirits of Iran, saw me and smiled as white as water lilies.

“Your Grace! Other friends have come from the Imperial City!”

-Hello, little moon! Your soul is always beautiful to see.

“Hello, Spirit. Other friends?”

I already felt like I was in a dream, having received such a great gift in the midst of war, and I couldn’t believe that more friends had come.

I took the long tendril that the spirit offered and shook it happily.

I also received a bouquet of pretty tulips, for which I was very grateful.

At this point, my whole body was warm with excitement. Who else could it be….

-Flap flap!

-Beep beep!

Wow!

“Ttuk-ssim! Herrit! Even Sant?!”

My surprised voice squeaked.

I caught the wren [a small, brown songbird] that flew fiercely and bumped into my cheek with both hands, almost dropped the bouquet, and my heart was filled with the small warmth of the sacred object….

Soon, seeing the friends filling my vision, I couldn’t help but smile brightly.

In the training ground, where all sorts of spring flowers were in full bloom thanks to the power of the spirits, we spent a time more luxurious than a dream.

For a moment, I felt like I had returned to the Juliet Palace garden or the lakeside of the Serenité Marquisate [a noble title, ranking below duke].

Ms. Gain hooked her arm around Sant’s and shouted something, and the priest scratched his nose with an embarrassed expression and grinned.

Ttuk-ssim rubbed his belly against my finger several times, then fluttered and settled on Cedric’s shoulder.

The Crown Prince looked down at the little one for a moment, then reached out his arm so that he could sit on his hand.

The two looked at each other closely for a while.

“Euhahahang!”

“Herrit, the basket! The basket is falling! Auntie will catch it!”

On the other hand, Sir John, who had lifted his son high, had the face of the happiest father in the world, and Herrit was filling a basket with flower ornaments he had made while waiting for us.

I gladly received all the ten finger rings that the boy put on me.

The child was still shy, but he also diligently took care of Djibril Diop’s flower necklace.

When he, who had been frowning, obediently tilted his head, David and Benjamin looked surprised.

It was a strange sight not only to the two of them.

And….

“Everyone, His Majesty and His Highness are waiting.”

“Ah, yes! Isabel!”

Following Isabel’s gesture, who was watching us with a smile—a monkshood [a poisonous plant with hooded flowers] was stuck in her updo—I even found François and Lady Elisabeth waving their hands under the shade of a large tent.

As soon as I made eye contact with my friend, whom I had been very worried about, my mood instantly became the best.

I felt an overwhelming sensation rising to the top of my head.

I became a flower bibimbap [a Korean dish of mixed rice with meat and vegetables] and ran towards the tent.

“François! Are you feeling better?”

As I shouted, ‘I was worried because you didn’t come to the cabin until today!’ and ran, His Majesty, who was drinking inside the tent, clicked his tongue at me.

Oh dear, imperial etiquette! I belatedly tried to brake my legs, but it was already too late to fix it.

Behind me, Ms. Gain, who was very excited, was holding Herrit’s hand and running with him, and the spirit also started rushing like a dog starting a Frisbee!

“Aaaaah! Spirit, you’re too fast! Too faaaast!”

-Are we playing tag? I’m good at tag, little water drop! I’ve always won so far!

“Hahahaha!”

“Huk, wait a minute—”

“I’m glad the children are much better than we expected, aren’t they?”

“Uh, Your Highness! It seems the spirit can’t control its speed!”

This is a disaster!

I jumped in to evacuate the two adults, and finally spilled the bouquet I was holding in my arms.

At the same time, the commander of the nearby guard, who was watching us, laughed and rolled under the chair.

François, with a scarf around his neck, hurriedly grabbed the mace he had placed next to him and stood up.

-Zhiiiiing!

“Brave Lazar!”

-Puh-uh-uh-ung!

As soon as the magician’s beautiful magic circle opened, the spirit burst into the tent and literally detonated a flower bomb!

-Yay, exciting!

Urrrr!

“Uwaaa! Cough cough!”

“Herrit, flowers in your mouth! Too many flowers in your mouth. Spit it out!”

“Puh-huh-huh, hahahang!”

“Oh my, Your Majesty! Flowers…!”

I first found my teacher in the barracks filled with a strong floral scent—His Highness looked very happy—and immediately after, I found His Majesty sitting high on the throne.

He was covered in five-colored flowers from the top of his head to his toes, the wine glass in his hand was full of plum wine (maybe he liked it?), and even his hair, which he always neatly combed back, was disheveled with flower vines….

“Heuhak.”

“Are you laughing?”

Hup!

“No, not at all. I’m definitely not laughing at Your Majesty!”

“Hahahaha. Frederick, it’s just like your sixteenth coming-of-age ceremony!”

While I was waving my hands and squeezing out excuses, my teacher finally burst out laughing first.

His Majesty eventually gave up.

I staggered and collapsed, leaning back against Lady Elisabeth and laughing.

In the meantime, François came staggering over, so I moved little by little and the three of us sat side by side, leaning on each other.

Herrit, who had risen through the sea of flowers, immediately began to write on his godfather’s palm.

The marquis’s mouth kept loosening as he felt the vibration of his throat.

Then, the cold and the war were forgotten like a lie.

“Hahaha, hahaha….”

If I fell asleep here, I felt like I could sleep in a flower bed.

Really.

Unfortunately, however, cleaning was reality.

The barracks, which had become a flower garden… somehow, we roughly cleaned it up.

I felt sorry for borrowing the hands of innocent soldiers, so we mostly cleaned it ourselves (“Hey, why do I have to help?” “Thank you, Young Master.”).

However, the spirit was scolded a little by His Majesty (“Today’s play is over.” “But Eutteum-ah!” “Over.”) and Sant returned to the guest barracks with his copy, Herrit.

The commander of the Fleur-de-lis, who appeared only after all the commotion was over, glanced at us with a pathetic look (“If you had come a little earlier, you could have played with us, Camille.” “The military is not a place to play.” “I’m sorry. Loyalty.”) and firmly pulled out his chair and sat down.

And for a while, a serious conversation took place.

“…In that barracks over there?”

-Click

I was drinking the flower tea that Benjamin had brewed for me after a long time, and I was surprised and put down the cup.

Everyone’s eyes were on His Majesty at the head of the table.

Even that Cedric raised an eyebrow at his mother’s explanation! That says it all!

“Are you saying that you have brought key figures of the enemy forces to the Imperial Army headquarters?”

the man asked. Then the Emperor of the Empire replied lightly.

“Yes. Most of them are prisoners of war dragged from Lake Erie.”

“….”

“I did it because I had a use for them.”

…Of course, he would do that, but on the other hand, I was also worried about various things.

I glanced at the opposite side of the training ground, which I couldn’t even see, and diligently stroked Ttuk-ssim.

There are captured enemies right over there? Is it really okay?

What if they collude with each other and desert, or start a rebellion in the dead of night….

“There’s no need to worry. They are mentally completely under our control.”

“Yes? Mentally?”

“Yes. Just like the way the Divine Kingdom used to use on us.”

As if he had read everyone’s anxiety, my teacher refilled my cup and smiled.

Only then did I realize why His Majesty was able to act so confidently.

The Imperial Army brainwashed the captured enemy generals and Divine Kingdom nobles with the high intensity of the priests’ oracles, so that they could never betray our side.

This is probably a long-term secret operation.

“I also contributed a little, and His Eminence Cardinal Ari Schott and his neutral Vatican colleagues helped a lot.”

“Ah….”

“I didn’t want to use such a harsh method, but we’ve already been hit several times…. Shouldn’t we let them know that we weren’t just standing still because we didn’t know this method?”

“…I see.”

Indeed, from Archbishop Eugene Cécier, who tried to slander and kill me, it was a complete mess.

When I think about it, the Venetian side’s schemes were truly ancient.

I nodded and sipped my tea again.

“I will send those who are locked up in that barracks back to Venetian.”

“Yes…. Yes?”

Huh?

“Yes?”

“Your Majesty?”

This time, not only me, but also Ms. Gain and Camille were greatly surprised.

I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

His Majesty’s gaze, which swept over everyone’s faces one by one, finally came and was fixed on me.