What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 671

Staggered (4)

“What do you mean?”

Clatter, clatter. Areumie stuck even closer to my side.

It seemed she was trying to shield me from the people passing outside the fence.

François quickly hid behind the saddle of the white horse.

I figured a truly serious conversation was about to start, so I also lowered my posture.

The two sets of armor made awkward metallic sounds. Both of us were non-combat personnel, so wearing armor felt strange.

“During the truce of the Great God Descent Festival week, the Theocratic State’s army sent several reconnaissance aircraft towards our headquarters. Are you aware of this?”

“…Of course. I know it well. I heard there were casualties.”

I almost failed to manage my expression for a moment, but in any case, it was a topic hard to be unrelated to for me.

I nodded, glancing towards the cabin.

After all, the reason I fell from the sky and was struck by lightning from a certain imperial family member was because of those Venetian reconnaissance aircraft. To be precise, it was because Gongja mistook me for an enemy and misfired.

I had heard several times that the recovered debris was being studied by non-combat mages.

I had even seen Camille reporting to his adjutants.

“Why is that? Were they not ordinary reconnaissance aircraft?”

“We should consider it so. In fact, it was ambiguous even to call them ‘reconnaissance aircraft.’ If it were a device for reconnaissance purposes, shouldn’t it have a function to record or spy on something inside?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But so far, there has been nothing like that in the recovered debris. Nothing at all.”

“Nothing at all? Then…”

“Also, His Highness the Crown Prince and Lord Rambouillet said that there were no traces of special aether in the debris. Of course, this part was confirmed after some time had passed since the crash, so it is not certain. There were small traces of mana left on the parts, but they could only know that there were ordinary low-level mages. So the question is, what on earth was the reason for sending it?”

“Yes, yes.”

“If the purpose was to cause casualties by shooting it down, it doesn’t make sense for it to fly aimlessly and fall anywhere. It’s even more so something that shouldn’t be done during a truce. Valérie, good heavens!”

François’s words were getting faster, and his tone was getting more and more intense.

I waved my hands to calm him down. Whoa, whoa. Magitech [magic technology] scientist.

“So, what is François’s hypothesis?”

“My dear Princess, I had no hypothesis. Not until an hour ago.”

A sharp light permeated the Marquis’s light pink eyes.

Even though an accurate explanation hadn’t come out yet, I had a bad feeling.

I swallowed hard and waited for him.

“But yesterday afternoon, I found something strange in the wreckage of the reconnaissance aircraft’s core that was additionally discovered. Take a look at this piece.”

“This is…”

I looked closely at what he was handing me, but I’m really sorry to say that there was almost no information I could glean.

The ‘piece’ was literally a rusty, flat piece of iron, about the size of my palm, and because it was broken off from somewhere, I couldn’t even guess its overall shape.

However, the only unusual thing is… Maybe this?

“I don’t know well, but did you engrave a magic formula here?”

“That’s right. It is the result of one person working directly with a carving knife.”

“Maybe it contains a terrible curse…”

“Fortunately, it was destroyed before it could do such a thing, and there is no such form among the curse magic formulas that our wizards know. But I’ve seen this person’s knife marks somewhere.”

“Knife marks?”

I blinked my eyes and looked around for a moment.

Jibril Diop, who had appeared unnoticed, was leaning against the cabin with his helmet under his arm.

He was in perfect battle mage attire, with armor and a cloak.

The look in his eyes looking at me was very fierce, and at times like that, he looked exactly like his sixth cousin.

He doesn’t cause accidents on important days like this, so stop glaring at me.

We’re having a really serious conversation right now, okay?

“Do you remember the temporary military camp of the Theocratic State’s northern guild council?”

“If it’s a temporary military camp…”

I quickly searched my memory.

A scene suddenly came to mind in Areumie’s clear eyes looking at me.

‘《But… it’s amazing.》’

‘《Who are you to hold that crystal ball and speak to me?》’

“I’m talking about the place where the Princess first communicated with Duchess Wilhelmina Schneider.”

“Ah…”

I had the illusion that his voice was echoing in my ears.

The hot emotions I felt that day seemed to surge up and gather in my solar plexus again.

François, who was there at the time, hurriedly grabbed my arm.

This time, he was trying to calm me down.

“There was a bead that used the black magic engraving on Baron Eda Atsma to steal all of her life force.”

“The black magic crystal ball.”

“Yes. The Princess received all the black magic contained within it with her bare body and then shattered it with a powerful aether explosion.”

…That’s right.

‘[The king cannot act like a king, and the god cannot act like a god, so you will wear the crown yourself and become a god? Do you think the thousands of people who died at your hands can accept such a reason?]’

‘[You are just a murderer from the bottom of hell!]’

‘-Kwa kwa kwa kwang-!’

I screamed at the top of my lungs, and even though Gain, Sir Johan, and Gongja Diop tried desperately to stop me, I struggled with all my might.

I really couldn’t see anything, so I didn’t think about the consequences and just poured out my anger like crazy.

I couldn’t forgive it at all, and I couldn’t just listen to it.

It was impossible to tolerate treating people like people and using them only as tools for their own goals, while claiming their own justification without any sense of guilt.

Probably anyone would have done that. You’re worse than trash.

‘-Saaaaaa…!’

‘Huff, huff, cough…!’

‘-Jjeojjeojeok!’

So. Um…

As a result, I drew another white line on our world line and opened that damn warning window.

I tried to calm my increasingly rapid breathing. François whispered quickly.

“At that time, the broken crystal ball was collected and studied directly by me and Gongja Diop. We had to check two or three times to see exactly what kind of curse was contained within it and whether it would have any adverse effects on the Princess.”

“That’s a separate issue from black magic immunity. Keep your position in your head and go around.”

Suddenly, the lightning mage jumped into the conversation without warning!

When we reflexively flinched, he frowned even more at his already cold impression.

“…Who’s hitting? It’s an ally, an ally.”

“Anyway, what I wanted to say is that the knife marks left on this piece of iron are the same as the knife marks in that crystal ball.”

“What?”

“Yes? Yes? Wait a minute.”

What? I stared at François with my eyes wide open.

He hurriedly swept his hair back with his white-gloved hand.

“Of course, the magic formula and spells were engraved inside the crystal ball in question. Black magic is not different in its activation principle. It’s just that the source of power is fundamentally different…”

“So, there were traces made directly by a person inside that bead, and that matches the traces left on the reconnaissance aircraft parts?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“…”

I couldn’t find the words for a moment. To be exact, I didn’t know how to react.

I’m a layman when it comes to magic, so I don’t really have a good idea of how big this is…

“Is there a possibility that black magic will be mobilized on the battlefield?”

Crazy?

“Jeong Hyun-seo, good heavens.”

That’s a really big deal!

“That’s right, Gongja. Although there were no traces of black magic mana left on the reconnaissance aircraft—”

“Excuse me for interrupting. Are the knife marks that drew the magic formula that decisive? Can’t there be people with the same or similar traces?”

In the end, I couldn’t bear the anxiety and curiosity and interrupted. The battle mage immediately retorted.

“Even I, who am not in research, know who inscribed most of the magic formulas. It’s hard not to know because each mage has their own unique carving style. Most of the carving knives are custom-made. It’s similar to handwriting for the average person.”

“Ah…”

“What about this François Diem, the genius inventor of the century who has learned countless magic formulas with his own eyes and memorized them by touching them with his fingertips!”

The Marquis said solemnly, pointing to his chest.

I moved my lips to say something in response.

It was at that moment.

-Puuuuuuuuu…!

-Buuuuuuuu…!

A deep and magnificent horn sounded, vibrating my eardrums and shaking the heavens and the earth.

My mouth dropped open, and goosebumps rose all over my body.

This was the call from the front lines to summon the Imperial Army, whose departure had been confirmed. It was also a warning sound announcing the beginning of the war.

I quickly looked up at Gongja.

He looked at the two of us alternately and clicked his tongue as if he was annoyed.

“…Get in quickly. I’ll take you to my sixth cousin.”

“Ah, yes!”

“Marquis, you too.”

“Oh!”

‘Thank you!’ When the two of us shouted at the same time, Diop sighed deeply.

Just in time, Ganael and Benjamin hurriedly came out of the cabin with the Divine Beasts.

The figures of Camille and David, who had arrived in a hurry, were also visible.

It seemed that everyone had gathered to see us off.

Beyond the figure of the pageboy, who was smiling as beautifully as a flower, I found the benevolent face of my teacher slowly approaching.

That was not the last greeting.

*

-Puuuuuuuuu…!

-Doong! Doong! Doong! Doong…!

In the distance, the sound of the Waettu [traditional horn] and drums was echoing from the distant Cheonro [a place name].

-Thud, thud, thud…

“Ah, Your Highness…”

Cardinal Aurelie Boutier, who had sent away all her loved ones, began to walk around the military camp with an unwavering attitude, straightening her vestments.

Every time she took a step, the remaining soldiers and workers parted like waves and paid their respects.

Eyes trembling with anxiety, faces consumed with fear and sorrow, were gaining hope and comfort, even for a moment, as they looked at her.

Aurelie knew this well, so she deliberately did not reveal her emotions.

She had been doing this for decades, so she performed it perfectly this time without being distracted.

“Your Eminence, please pray for our sisters…!”

“I am praying to God at this very moment. Your family will surely be safe.”

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Heuheuk…”

“It’s okay. Shh… Come here. I’ll give you a blessing.”

The most primal fear that she might lose her only partner forever.

Doubt that her beloved godson might never return.

The fear that she might never see her precious children again.

Such things only made her weak.

However, the Cardinal who supports the Empire in times of war must be strong at all times.

Aurelie gently placed her hands on the heads of the workers who were kneeling at her feet.

She could not give them aether, but she opened the sanctuary to make them feel stable and comforted them sincerely by holding their rough hands.

Those who sent their acquaintances, colleagues, friends, and family to the battlefield shed tears silently at her comfort.

-Sarrrrr…

Around that time, a large green shadow was cast on the dirt floor.

The Cardinal slowly raised her head.

-Grown moon.

“…Have you come, Spirit.”

The Divine Object, the Spirit of Iran, was looking down at her from a high place.

Her smiling face looked like the oldest child in the world.

The sacred power asked.

-Little moon? That clear child?

“…She left for a place where iron and blood flow a little while ago. It was to protect the most precious beings.”

-Ah…

‘I hope she doesn’t forget the crown!’ The Spirit created a full of colorful flowers and muttered regretfully.

The thousands of people who came out on the street were brightening their faces at the grace of the Divine Object.

Aurelie smiled faintly and continued walking. The Divine Object followed her closely.

Until she encountered an unwelcome guest on the way to the Emperor’s camp.

“…Cardinal Boutier. It’s been a while.”

However, it was not an unexpected person.

“…Vicar General.”

The old man was Ronald Lüpert, the Vicar General of the Papal States.

He must have come to find the Imperial Edict.