What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 689

#689

Reason D’etre (2)

The roar that tore the sky and the vibration that shook the earth swept across the desolate land and deep into the Puppeteer’s Cheonro [a strategically important region or territory].

-Kwakwakwakwang······!

“Master!”

-Flap!

Ketura, Wilhelmina’s right-hand woman, hastily pulled back the tent flap of the makeshift camp. Fortunately or unfortunately, Duke Sneider was alone.

She was still not wearing armor, and a teacup with a pleasant aroma sat on the hastily prepared table.

However, the contents of the cup had splashed everywhere, and the floor was a mess.

It was still a chilly season, but the servant’s face was also drenched in sweat.

Wilhelmina turned to her with an expression that showed no agitation. The young woman said in a trembling voice.

“Master… The airship has sunk. It was shot down before it could reach Riester’s headquarters.”

-Kugugugugu······!

“······.”

However, there was no change on the old woman’s face.

Even as the ground trembled slightly and the tea water danced, there was no meaningful reaction.

Perhaps no one on the continent could read anything from Wilhelmina’s expression.

Ketura tried hard not to stammer.

Her master loathed stupid stuttering.

“I am sorry to bring you bad news. As you know, there were no problems with the summoning, maneuvering, or attacking of the ship, but…”

“That is a story to tell the black mages, not me.”

“······.”

“Those who activated the magic circle should hear the results directly. That way, they won’t make mistakes next time.”

“······You are right.”

‘Next time.’ At that word, Ketura took a breath and bowed her head.

Wilhelmina pondered something for a moment, then asked in a light voice, as if suggesting dinner.

There was no particular emotion in her dark eyes.

“The sixth apostle.”

“······Countess Adriana Albina and Count Arno van Roy are still missing. Traces of battle were found everywhere, but no bodies were found. There have been no reports of detecting their aether [magical energy or life force] yet.”

“It has always been said that the Holy Knights of the Wind cannot be trusted.”

‘You shouldn’t take in stray dogs.’ The Duchess picked up the cup with a relaxed gesture and drank the tea.

She didn’t seem to care about the soaked table or the cup.

However, her servant Ketura was inevitably plunged into confusion.

That was because her master’s grand plan had completely gone awry.

Arno van Roy’s betrayal, which she had never been able to figure out, was no longer significant news to the Duchess.

“······Master.”

Sneider had summoned the black magic airship using the underground magic circle left by the late king, and she was confident that she would win a great victory in Cheonro.

In the process, the Duchess directly defied the Crown Princess’s orders and ended up in conflict with her.

No, this had brought about a disaster that could not be described with words like ‘conflict’.

“It is said that it was none other than Her Highness Princess Eliser who destroyed the airship.”

“······.”

Wilhelmina, who was drinking tea again, stopped for the first time.

‘Kurururung.’ A low rumble and the shouts of soldiers echoed in the distance.

Without checking their faces, it was not difficult to realize that it was the sound of the Imperial Army.

The makeshift camp, hastily built by placing felled trees between the canyons, was very vulnerable to external noise.

The Duchess’s eyes gleamed with a strange light.

“······Is that true?”

“Yes. There are many witnesses. The second sun rose in the sky with her stigma [a divine or magical mark], and the airship exploded, spewing bright yellow flames. Thanks to the Crown Princess fighting the airship alone for three days… The Emperor of the Empire ended up dealing with our own weapons without drawing his sword once.”

“······.”

‘Clatter.’ The Duchess, who had put down her teacup, silently pondered something.

The servant continued to report.

“Also, the civil war in Cheonro is intensifying. Grand Duke Kamingha seems to be pouring all his strength into it, rather than retreating. According to our scouts, soldiers who appear to be Kamingha’s henchmen are advancing here from all directions. It seems that they were mainly searching for His Excellency the Prince Consort, but in the current situation, they should be interpreted as Kamingha’s reinforcements.”

“······.”

“The internal strife is growing, Master.”

‘What should we do?’ Ketura barely swallowed the question that rose to her throat.

It was literally a desperate situation.

The Imperial Army, led by the Emperor, was approaching, the Crown Princess had finally escaped the Duchess’s grasp and began to run wild—and Kamingha in the rear was blocking Cheonro like a giant iron curtain.

It seemed that dark clouds were finally gathering over the future of the Holy Family, who had once held the entire Holy Nation in their hands.

The loyal servant had never doubted her master’s will, but today, she could not help but question the fundamentals.

“······Did you say bright yellow flames?”

“Yes.”

······Did my lord, who sees a jewel-like future and will reign as a new god, not foresee this ordeal at all?

Did she never imagine that the Crown Princess would rebel against her, turn her back completely, and confront the Duchy with her own army?

“Things are going smoothly.”

“······Yes?”

The servant raised her eyes sharply. Then she was startled.

Wilhelmina was smiling.

“······My Lord.”

“Ketura. What do you think a country is?”

“······.”

The question came without any warning. The woman could not bring herself to open her mouth.

The wrinkles around the Duchess’s mouth curled up gracefully.

“The First Princess was such a child from a young age. She never breaks, no matter what happens, and she cuts away her own flesh to protect her own kin.”

“······.”

The Duchess put the cup down on the wet table and looked at the half-soaked map.

She didn’t seem to mind that the marks of allies and enemies were mixed up and in a mess.

Ketura held her hands tightly together, unable to prepare for what was to come.

“I wonder if she wanted to be loved by her father… Sometimes she would go against her nature and pretend not to see that lowly thing.”

“······.”

“At that time, I thought. My brother, Werner…”

“······.”

“Had given birth to something worth keeping in a cage.”

‘Urrurung.’ This time, the sky cried outside the camp.

The weather here had been erratic ever since the airship was summoned, so perhaps snow or rain would fall again.

Ketura listened to her master’s words, forgetting that her breathing was erratic.

Wilhelmina whispered in a low voice, like the language of a snake.

“Fenetian is a country that reveres and worships the Main God, and the royal family is at the forefront of it. The people believe that all members of the royal family are of divine blood and prostrate themselves at their feet.”

“······.”

“Even the Crown Princess, whom I have raised so carefully, blocking her eyes and ears, unfortunately does not deviate from that formula.”

The Duchess’s eyes darkened. It was a gaze that traced back to the not-so-distant past.

‘The reason for bringing my father to the front line is…’

‘······.’

‘Because it is the will of the Main God, and soon the will of His Majesty the King and I.’

It was a place where the great nobles of the Empire were sitting with only one table between them.

‘Your Highness, how can you…!’

‘For the past two months, I have wandered the rough land and heard the voice of God.’

‘The Main God does not want any more futile sacrifices. If I reveal my father’s innocence, I can end the war.’

That day.

Wilhelmina Sneider gave Eliser Fenetian a hand for the first time.

It was the first defeat she had given to a young, inexperienced man who was not even worthy of being called a rival.

It was the first moment that the child, who seemed to be forever wrapped in her skirts, disappointed her.

The Duchess had been involved in politics for decades, experiencing countless victories and defeats, and making concessions and extortion a habit, but she could say with certainty that the meeting gave her the most humiliating memory.

“That innocent thing first mentioned the authority of God, easily spoke of the country of God, and tried to use the name of God to silence me…”

“······.”

“I must also show you how the Main God can strangle that family’s neck.”

Ketura’s eyes widened slightly.

However, the person who uttered the terrible sentence did not move at all.

The Duchess wrote a letter with a neat hand and handed it to the servant.

It was a secret letter to be sent to the Sarhentini Duchy in the royal capital.

“······.”

It was strange.

Sarhentini was the seventh apostle who had once abandoned his master and turned away.

“A house of prayer, a land of cultivation. The faith of the people can only bloom when it has both. Life should be moderately difficult, but never plunged into chaos.”

“······.”

It was a difficult word. Or maybe this whole situation was.

“If the Crown Princess had collapsed after seeing the airship and obeyed me, that would have been a happy thing too. That would have been an easy path for everyone.”

“······.”

“But if she runs wild after seeing the airship and throws the country into chaos with her own hands…”

Wilhelmina opened her mouth wide as if she had seen a truly interesting sight.

However, the sound of ordinary laughter did not flow.

“What a spectacle that would be?”

*

At the same time. Across the Puppeteer’s Cheonro.

The exit of the canyon.

-Kwakwakwakwang······!

-Heeheeheehing!

The horses that had been standing still were startled by the roar that rushed in from the dizzying heights and raised their front legs.

The two knights sitting in the driver’s seat also woke up with a start from their dozing.

They had been ordered to escort a wounded nobleman from the battlefield to the royal capital.

“Goodness, you scared me half to death!”

“Did you hear that sound just now?”

“Did I just hear it? Goodness, look over there! That sky…!

However, they had been hiding here, beyond Cheonro, for several days at the Duke Sneider’s words.

It was truly a mysterious mission.

No one knew the exact reason why someone who had been so badly injured that he had lost both legs to the Emperor’s sword had to wait here instead of going straight to the royal capital for treatment.

However, the seriously injured person himself was enduring in the carriage without saying a word.

In the meantime, the knights were secretly pleased with their situation, as they would not be involved in the battle.

-Kugugugung······!

“What… Could it be that the sun has fallen from there? Huh?”

Of course, not until they witnessed such a sight.

“No way. Isn’t that Her Highness the Crown Princess’s stigma!”

“Really? I’ve never seen it before…”

-Knock knock knock!

At that moment, there was a sound of knocking on the roof from inside the carriage.

One of the knights hurriedly got out of his seat and opened the door.

-Squeak!

“Marquis, is there anything uncomfortable?”

The woman, who was lying with difficulty on the long chair, looked at the knight with a bloodless face.

Her voice was completely hoarse, but her eyes were shining brightly.

From her two legs, which were cleanly cut below her thighs, came the pungent smell of blood and medicine.

Of course, the young man did not show any unpleasantness.

Such injuries were common on the battlefield, and were truly glorious.

“It seems that Her Highness the Crown Princess’s stigma has been activated on the battlefield. Bright yellow flames are soaring to the top of the sky, and it is so vivid that it can be seen even here. I feel a strong tremor…”

“Yellow, ahem… Yellow flames? Not another color?”

“Yes, it’s very clear. Also, I know because I’ve seen Her Highness’s stigma up close.”

“······I see. Let’s leave right away.”

“Yes? Are you talking about now?”

‘Is the waiting over?’ The knight’s eyes widened.

Then the Marquis snapped.

“Or should I stay here until I die?”

“Ah, no! I’ll leave right away!”

‘Clatter!’ Perhaps because her words were terrifying, the door closed and the carriage began to move shortly after.

The Marquis quickly groped her chest even as she was sweating coldly from the pain.

-Rustle, rustle······

“Oh, damn it…”

Soon, two crumpled envelopes appeared.

One was green and one was yellow.

Without hesitation, she roughly tore open the green envelope and swallowed it.

Then she hurriedly checked the yellow envelope. The following words were written on the outer envelope.

‘In case of successor’s emergency.’

The Marquis barely managed to pull out the contents with her trembling fingers.

Every time the carriage rattled, her severed legs screamed, but she gritted her teeth and endured, drawing blood from her lips.

The note was very small. Fortunately, there were not many words written on it.

-Thud, thud, thud······

“······.”

‘Public opinion warfare. Insurrection due to madness.’

······And that was enough.

The yellow envelope was also sucked into her dark tongue without exception.

Wilhelmina Sneider’s tenth apostle retired from the battlefield and received a new mission.

The corners of her mouth rose sharply as she headed to the royal capital.

*

-Kururururung······

“······Ugh.”

Oh, well. I stopped this magic stone.

“Princess! Princess!”

······Was that earthquake a little strong? Maybe.

“Hey, are you dead?”

“No, I’m really okay! It seems to have calmed down here too. Are you guys okay?”

I took off my trembling arms and asked loudly.

As if they heard that voice, Gain and Cedric frowned at the same time—they really look like twin siblings at times like that—and quickly strode towards me.

I hadn’t even found Sir Johan yet, but I was already by their side.

I staggered up with his support.

Wow, I feel like my legs are giving out.

“Even though I agreed, it’s really hard to watch. Why does black magic scan people so unpleasantly? It feels so bad. It stinks.”

“I didn’t feel anything. I just thought it would take a long time. Oh, thank you.”

I took the canteen that Sir Johan handed me and gulped it down, and gave a sly smile to Cedric, who was glaring at me as if resenting me.

I’m really okay, bro.

“Hoo, I’m feeling better. I’m fine except for my arms being numb from holding the magic stone for too long. More than that, this place should be preserved well. Even after the war is over.”

“······Because it is a place where the late king’s sins are written in detail.”

The Crown Prince answered with a nod.

I frowned slightly at the guy who was touching my wings again.

Oh, come on, I’m drinking water.

“Excuse me, but why do you keep touching my wings?”

“······Are you blaming me now?”

“Then is it my fault?”

I was so dumbfounded by the answer that I almost spilled water out of my mouth.

Then the Crown Prince raised one eyebrow and made a very unpleasant expression. Uh?

“When was it? Didn’t you tap my wings before the stone door opened earlier? I have a sense of touch here, so please refrain from doing that. I know you mean well.”

“Which one is it that reveals all emotions with its wings?”

“That’s right. You’re a bit blatant.”

“Yes? When did I do that?”

Really, when?

“Always.”

“You’re indecent.”

“Indecent······.”

Cough. I was so dumbfounded that even Gain, who I trusted, was on this guy’s side.

It seemed like it wasn’t a lie, judging by the way Sir Johan was subtly avoiding my gaze.

I had nothing to say, so I drank water again and raised my head, and the surface of the ceiling was particularly shiny.

I emptied the canteen to the end and muttered to myself.

Only that part is peeled off, why is it so smooth······.

-Tododok

“Huh?”

Gulp. I frowned at the small pebble that hit my forehead.

“Why are pebbles falling from the ceiling,”

-Kwaaaaaang!

“Waaaaaack!”

At the same time as the complaint burst out, the stone wall above my head also burst out.

The moment Cedric lifted me up—

“Ugh, whose vines are these!”

I was shocked by the fact that the arm that wrapped around my waist was a sturdy plant,

-Kkiaaaaa!

‘Kkiaaa, kkiaaa, kkia······!’ A familiar cry echoed from the other side of the hall.

In an instant, I felt like all the blood was draining from my body.

Oh my god, the Jeong family!