What Happens When The Second Male Lead Powers Up [EN]: Chapter 709

What’s wrong with my face? (2)

No… Can a person change that much?

It’s a completely different impression, isn’t it?

“Wow…”

-Kkia…

-Kkieue…

Why doesn’t he always look like that? He looks so much better now, his face is glowing!

“…Princess, you’ll get bugs in your mouth. I guess you don’t discriminate when it comes to food?”

“Heop!”

Only then did I snap out of it, and embarrassment washed over me as I realized what kind of expression I had been making.

I quickly turned my gaze away, pretending to groom Perry’s tail fur.

In the meantime, Jibril Diop chuckled and walked past me, chatting with Ms. Gain.

Perry was just as surprised by his new appearance, his fluffy tail standing stiffly.

Demi was still clinging to my shoulder, admiring Diop. Rin wriggled her chubby cheeks and whispered.

“Jibu Uncle is more handsome.”

“Huh?”

“Jibu-u.”

“Ah… Not Sedu, but Jibu.”

Oh, I see. Rin has a preference like that.

I nodded dumbly, and somehow, I made eye contact with the hunter from the tree stump.

I felt like hot flames were shooting out of his orange irises.

His eyes are usually deep and distinct, but today he felt completely different.

The area around his shoulder blades, where his collar was about to burst, looked precarious.

“…”

“…”

…Huh? No way.

“No, no. Rin’s opinion is not the same as mine. What you just heard is this child’s personal impression. Of course, I was surprised to see Diop Gongja [a term of respect] dressed neatly for the first time, but that’s separate from… Wait a minute.”

Why am I explaining this right now? I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?

“Hmph.”

The man snorted lowly, ignored me, and began to take care of the GuGu [small, lizard-like creatures] at his feet.

Fire lizards were gathering from all over to match his acting.

The Crown Prince’s large hands grabbed five or six lizards at once.

This was also embarrassing in its own way.

He doesn’t think anything of it, but I’m the only one making a fuss. Well, he’s not the type to care about that.

“Serenete Marquis, can I sit next to you?”

Oh, shoot.

“Of course, Princess.”

I smiled awkwardly and offered her the handkerchief on the floor, and Cornelise sat down next to me as if she had been waiting for it.

Suddenly, I thought of Eva in the Imperial Palace and felt a pang of affection.

Lee Seol was always by the Princess’s side, as usual.

The two children were always together like partners, eating together and sleeping together.

Whenever I saw them holding hands, my heart fluttered for some reason.

I couldn’t quite remember what Elise’s face looked like the last time I saw her, which was frustrating.

The joy I had felt just a moment ago disappeared as if it were a lie.

I don’t know what the outcome of the war will be, but I hope these children’s futures are not bleak.

“…Hey, Cornelise. Lee Seol.”

“Yes?”

“Please speak.”

The two girls turned to me.

Since we were sitting side by side, I thought it would be a good idea to tell the children what I had discussed with my friends before preparing for today’s rehearsal.

There might not be another chance.

“If, just in case, the Roseharder Count’s private soldiers come all the way here…”

“Yes.”

“There are wagon wheel tracks that obliquely skirt this village.”

“Yes?”

The Princess’s green eyes blinked.

She looked like she had no idea such a story would come up. I chose my words carefully.

I don’t know how much the child knows, but I don’t want her to be too surprised or shocked.

“They are strange traces that don’t disappear even when it rains, and don’t smudge easily even when stepped on. They even emit a subtle light, so they can be easily found even at night.”

“…”

“If you follow them, you might be able to find a clue to your missing father.”

Then Cornelise’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.

Her rosy cheeks turned white, and the corners of her mouth, which were always raised, stiffened.

Lee Seol’s reaction was no different.

“Is Abamama [term of endearment for father] in a wagon? Then now…”

“It’s not certain. Maybe the wagon is already in someone else’s hands. We might be completely wrong.”

“…”

“But that could be an important clue, so I want you to pass the information on to the Count’s side. Tell them to follow the wheel tracks.”

“…”

The child couldn’t answer easily.

Rin, who was awkwardly stroking Perry’s back—the baby was not yet used to animals—stared at Cornelise.

The first to speak was not the Princess, but the young priest.

“…Is it true that Werner, the Royal Consort, committed a great crime and ran away?”

“…”

“The adults don’t tell me such stories in front of me. They just say I’m still young.”

“That’s right. They’re all saying that for your sake.”

“But we can also know. The servants in the Rose Garden know too.”

The Princess said, firmly holding her partner’s hand.

The familiar sandalwood-colored gaze was very firm for her age.

“Is the rumor going around the Imperial Palace true? That the Royal Consort…”

“…”

“Killed Prince Yeseo?”

Cornelise squeezed her reddened eyes shut and then opened them. But she didn’t shed tears.

I was truly impressed. I could instinctively tell.

This child was not someone who didn’t properly understand the situation, nor was she just a naive and innocent girl.

I don’t know when this precious being, who had only lived in the Imperial Palace, had grown up so much…

The Second Princess was definitely a strong child by nature.

“It’s true. Ajusshi [term for uncle/older man] was there.”

“…”

“…”

‘Kkiing, kkiing.’ Demi and Perry snuggled into my chest as if acting spoiled.

I could feel my friends looking back at me.

I waved my hand and smiled to mean that I was okay, but the flow of Ether was probably not smooth.

Because I still carried the scars of that day.

“But one thing is for sure, Cornelise. None of that is your fault.”

“…”

“You couldn’t have influenced the adults’ decisions, and you were too young to do so. It’s the same now. That’s why we don’t want you to be directly involved in this war. This is solely the work of adults.”

“…Will Abamama die?”

That question took my breath away for a moment.

The child’s eyes were trembling like raindrops, but she didn’t avoid me.

I was thirsty for no reason.

“Will he die if he is caught by the Imperial Army?”

“…He will be put on trial. Because he is a person who has committed several crimes.”

“Trial… I see.”

‘Trial.’ It was a voice that sounded like she was really about to cry, and her neck and forehead were red, but Cornelise stubbornly held back her tears.

Her jaw, which was full of strength, trembled.

I sat helplessly and watched.

“…I expected it. I’m not stupid.”

“Yes.”

“I have ears and I’m perceptive. I’ve read more than two hundred times.”

“Yes.”

“…Abamama really…”

Her head fell, and the child was silent for a long time after that. Lee Seol was also silent.

Looking at the friends who had gathered noisily, I gently patted Rin and the divine beasts on the back.

And…

“…I’ll tell the Count. To follow the wheel tracks.”

…

“I’ll tell him to catch my father. Because he has to be put on trial.”

The eyes that captured me straight again were emitting light like olivine thrown into a lake.

Only then did I realize.

“…Thank you.”

That this child was the strongest soul in the Venetian royal family.

“I’m a Princess. And Royal Tutor Halmeoni [term for grandmother/older woman] said so. A Princess must take responsibility… No matter how much I hate it, I can’t avoid it.”

“I see.”

“If my father did something wrong, he will be punished. That’s taking responsibility.”

“That’s right. You learned well, Cornelise.”

“Yes.”

The Princess quickly dabbed her eyes with her sleeve.

She didn’t seem to want to show the tears that had finally fallen, so I pretended not to notice.

In the meantime, Cornelise rummaged through the bundle she had brought.

“And… Serenete Marquis. I have something to say too.”

“Hmm?”

“We raise a baby too.”

Yes?

“Did you not hear me correctly?”

-Kkiha?

Demi and I were stunned at the same time. Fortunately (?) the answer was not far away.

Cornelise bit her lip anxiously as she watched Francois pulling the carriage, and carefully took out something square from her bag.

That is…

“A fish tank? Seriously, wasn’t it heavy to carry around? No, wait a minute.”

Uh oh…? It’s a familiar silhouette?

“Isn’t that a GuGu? Our GuGu?”

The orange mottled body, the cute four legs, and the gray eyes with adorable vertical pupils revealed their appearance.

The guy licked his nostrils with his pink tongue and made a mischievous expression at me (I don’t know if lizards have expressions, but they really do).

“Hey, you…”

“This child is ‘Ross’. When I was staying at the Count’s residence, Lee Seol caught him and I watered him and raised him.”

“You water him?”

I was so flustered that I could only gape.

Anyone could see that he was the fire-attribute divine creature ‘Heart of the Four Dragons’ that we knew, but you put him in a fish tank and water him?

Is it okay because he’s a little one who loves the sea so much?

“Yes. He loves water. Especially when I pour it on him.”

“Loves, who did you learn such words from…? Never mind, that’s not the important thing.”

‘Excuse me for a moment.’ I raised my hand and looked for GuGu’s guardian.

Rin kept giggling because she was amazed that the word ‘loves’ came out of Cornelise’s mouth.

Stunt Director Sir Johann immediately came over to check the situation.

“…Yes. It’s a lizard I’ve never seen in the Holy Nation. It looks the same as the other GuGu to me.”

“I thought so too, right?”

“What do you give Ross to eat, Your Highness?”

“I don’t give him anything. Ross doesn’t eat.”

…It’s definitely Jeong GuGu, definitely Jeong GuGu. Sir Johann and I nodded.

“This child seems to be part of Gyu, but how did he end up alone in the Roseharder County?”

-Dodododo…

I asked meaningfully, and the subsequent events proceeded without the need for the Cardinal to step in.

As if Ropi had come as soon as he was mentioned, the GuGu that were stuck to Cedric’s back began to approach this way.

The children in the mountain village, including Coby, laughed and enjoyed the great migration of lizards.

It was a sight that some people might find scary, but Cornelise and Lee Seol welcomed the fire lizard group without batting an eye.

Soon, the Princess said firmly.

“I was going to ask anyway because they looked so similar. Where did you catch so many lizards like Ross?”

“Oh, that’s…”

Because it was a show, the story of the divine creature had not been revealed to the children.

I rolled my eyes with a troubled look. It was then.

-Tok tok

-Tododok…

Two GuGu climbed up my thighs, nibbling.

The guys stretched out their necks and seemed to be very interested in Cornelise and Ross…

-Plop!

“Oh!”

-Splash!

“Wow!”

Before I could say anything, they succeeded in their mission to enter the fish tank!

“GuGu? GuGu, there’s a friend living there, so let’s watch from outside. It’s cramped.”

-Gurgle

“Huh? You have to say hello and come out. Why are these kids like this.”

When will I be able to stop saying ‘Why is he like this’ while looking at these troublemakers?

The GuGu were leisurely strolling through the water as if they were teasing me.

Cornelise looked very happy…

“Are you going to stay there? If GuGu leaves you here, will Hyung [term for older brother/male friend] go with the other GuGu?”

-Bubble bubble

-Blubble blubble

“Huh. Look at these guys.”

“Maybe it would be better to leave them as they are.”

“Yes?”

While I was fighting with the great lizards who were making bubbles in their nostrils, Sir Johann folded his eyes kindly and said.

When I spaced out for a moment, he leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“I have a feeling that GuGu may have found a prospective owner.”

“…Ah.”

“However, since Your Highness is still young…”

“Ah! That could be it. I understand.”

I quickly straightened my body in case Cornelise heard, and concluded that I would entrust a total of three GuGu, including the new GuGu, to the Princess.

The child liked it with a bright face even though she didn’t fully understand what was going on.

Saying that Ross was less lonely.

“Hey, Serenete Marquis.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m grateful too.”

“…”

“I. I will become a Princess who is not ashamed of these children.”

That was a pretty cool thing to say, no matter how many times I thought about it.

I smiled brightly and nodded.